The Greatness of Writers

Pundits have often said that great writers are great because they are laboring under some sort of cross that gives them deeper insight into human suffering and humor. For many years, I have had my own particular burden to bear and the corresponding great sympathy and understanding into human nature that such burdens bring. This week, that burden has (even if only temporarily) been lifted. Of course, I'm referring to my normally hapless Seahawks.

I realize that many of you are not football fans. I am normally tolerate of the faults of my friends and I will continue to be so in this instance. I will not go on a long dissertation on the joys of football. I am only writing this as a warning to blog readers that my writing my not have the same zip over the next week (and hopefully, but very unlikely, into mid january).

You see, my Seahawks have made it to the NFL Playoffs.

1998 was the last time. Although I really don't count 1998. The Seahawks themselves didn't seem to realize that they were actually in the playoffs until after their first round game was over and their wives started calling them on their cell phones to make off-season plans. That was the lone playoff appearance in the 1990's.

During those long, lonely years, your blogger's character was shaped by the forces of adversity that sometimes seemed more than mortal man could bear. Loss after horrifying loss, the high 1st round draft picks wasted on young punks who did nothing during their time in Seattle, demanded trades elsewhere, and now annually are selected to the pro bowl for their great accomplishments. The terrible sleepless nights asking "Why me? Why did my parents move to Washington when I was a young lad forcing me into being a Seahawk fan forever?" The unending insults from non-Seahawk fans glorying over my misery. All of the false hopes and dreams of success shattered as one team after another celebrated wins over my hapless Hawks.

But this week, be it ever so briefly, the clouds have parted. The sun shines forth. A new day has dawned. The Seahawks have officially qualified for the 2004 Playoffs!

Now, I realize that the Seahawks have a long tradition (dating back to the early 1980's) of getting out of the playoffs as soon as possible. I realize that they are very likely to lose next week and put your blogger firmly back into paragraph five.

But as for this week, dear readers, your blogger will be struggling under the handicap of lack of human suffering (basketball season is not far enough along to become the terrible burden that it always becomes about the time the Blazers lose to the Lakers in their annual playoff matchup). His normally quick jabs at the fallacy of mankind may be slowed by the fat that comes from contentment. In other words, your blogger may be extremely boring this week, but realizing the vast reliance that the blogging public at large has on his work, he will manfully put himself to the task of being his cynical, somewhat different self.

Enjoy your New Year. Work off the remnants of Christmas on a treadmill, and brace yourself for the first Billion Dollar Political Spending Year in our Nation's History.