In summary...

Dave Winer calls it like he sees it and is probably one of the most fearless people I've met in public life. He seems a man following an inner muse, campaigning for what might be called civic virtues. He doesn't mind giving his straight out honest opinion, but he's not without tact when he needs it.

I don't live up to that standard. I am not fearless. Less fearful than I was, sure, but fearless? I'm never a paycheck away from bankruptcy -- damned right I'm fearful. I worry quite a bit about offending people. I have to force myself to be direct sometimes.

Dave Winer speaks with confidence and authority, isn't afraid to say what he doesn't know or to identify those things that really don't interest him. Me, I know a little bit about everything, which is enough to win free bar tabs on trivia night, but not enough to be an expert on anything. I don't know that I'm qualified to write on these subjects... but if I don't write about them, who will? And how will my readers find out about these topics?

I had a good drive back, thought that I would try some new things here. Maybe I'll come up with a link that points to the stories I write. Maybe I'll create a blog for the neo-pagan story I'm getting ready to write and bring more of the participants in via that blog BEFORE publication. i can even imagine a reporter's blog that talked about the process of doing a story, but I don't think I'll broach that subject until my employer is ready to have the blog talk.

Anyway, back to work.