VOLuntarilyConservative

My apologies for the extended weekend. I really have no one to blame but myself, as I have been reading extensively (blogs, books, and other materials) and writing next to nothing. Much of what I have been reading is career-related, but certainly not all of it. I'm at an interesting crossroads as far as my career is concerned. During downturns of past election cycles, I have had other opportunities or school to attend to during the intermission. That is not the case here, and I have come to the realization that I might not be able to wait until the 2006 election campaigns begin in earnest to accept a political position, even if the break between that cycle and the 2008 presidential swing was minimal. Besides prosecuting cases, I've rarely looked at myself as a possible litigator. When one opportunity passed July 8th, I started to seriously consider whether I should at least try to practice law by starting my own firm. I have given this notion serious consideration twice since my days at UT Law - once in West Virginia, another time in Tennessee - but found the obstacles - both personal and professional - too daunting. I'm not sure if I will come to the same conclusion this time, as I feel a bit more bold. There are still some other irons in the fire, but I am hoping to reach some conclusion by the end of the week. Who knows? If the Tennessee Court of Appeals upholds the recent term limits ruling, I might be interested in the District Attorney General position that Randy Nichols currently holds.

Life hasn't been all work, though. The VOLConWife and I attended the free "Moovies By Moonlight" presentation of "The Wizard of Oz" outside of the Knoxville Coliseum Friday night. Sponsored by Chick-Fil-A, Star 102.1 FM, and Food City Video, the event was quite impressive. Most of the 400+ attendees were families with young children, but there were also a few of us "big kids" that showed up, too. The technology was excellent, as the portable screen revealed a crystal-clear image from all angles. The party moves to Sevierville's City Park for a showing of "Shrek II" this Friday night. Admission is free, but you are asked to bring a few cans of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank (a request that was more than welcome at our household, because we needed to tend to the pantry).

It was also a busy weekend in other respects. We had two BBQs on the schedule. We skipped out on the first one - hosted by the Knoxville Young Republicans - due to one of the many thunderstorms that have hit Big Orange Country over the past week. The second BBQ was hosted by the VOLConWife's firm at one of the partner's farms near Townsend. I had a good time, if for no other reason than my BBQ baked beans were well-received. I do nearly all of the cooking at our house, and I owe my skill in that area to my father (who does likewise in his household) and my Mamaw (who lives on a farm in Greene County).

Thank you to all of the kind readers and fellow bloggers that e-mailed over the past few days. Although I am a bit fuzzy on where the path goes from here, I am certainly intrigued by the journey ahead. I have read several interesting posts in the Blogosphere lately, and I hope to comment on a few of them today as I get back in the swing of things.