As part of the annual reassessment that inevitably occurs, to a greater or lesser extent, each new year, I reviewed many of the 96 posts I have made to this blog. Strikingly, the negative topics (politics, news bias, ...) far outnumber the positive topics (sports, humor, ...). It has been nice, in a way, to editorialize about politics and get frustrations off my chest. I hesitate to bring up those discussions with family or friends, so this has been a ready outlet.

Still, I can't help but wonder about the site's negativity. I think it reflects what has been a year or two long change where I have grown sick of politics in general. Politics and government in this country are, I believe, largely broken.

Both parties are broken. The Democrats' every action is politically calculated. If you take the politics out of the Democrat party, you have nothing left. They deceive, lie, and pander as easily as you and I walk down the street.

The Republicans, by contrast, are bumbling amateurs at politics and always will be. They are too trusting that the truth of their principles will be recognized by the American people. They don't have the killer instinct to play the game that, unfortunately, must be played in order to "win." When they finally do gain power, they squander it through timidity or the abandonment of the very principles that got them there.

There are individual exceptions to my characterizations, of course, but there is no escaping the conclusion that the country is on the wrong path.

So, what do I do about it? In some cases, such frustration with the system will cause one to jump in the fray and attempt to be an agent of positive change. I took that approach for many years. I was a member of the Sarasota Republican Party Executive Committee for years. I created and ran its website. I attended dinners and rallies. I pollwatched. In short, although I never ran for office, I was active.

I can't do it any longer. I'll still support the party financially, but I'm withdrawing my time. To those people who are engaged and fighting the good fight, I say, thank God for you. I, however, am leaving the battle. Now that I am not part of the "solution," have I become part of the problem? I say perhaps, and shrug my shoulders.

Over the last year, I've been gradually pulling back. I watch and read less political news. I am more involved in positive activities (family, running, sailing, and so on). I have also grown more interested in philosophical (for lack of a better word) topics such as living more simply, staying organized, avoiding consumerism, paying down debt, and so on.

After initially seeing little purpose in social networking sites, I have grown fond of Facebook. More than just a way to reconnect with friends, it's an amazingly positive environment. I have yet to see a comment or post that wasn't friendly, humorous, supportive, or perhaps all three. It's refreshing.

Life is too short to dwell on the negative. That doesn't mean I will bury my head in the sand, but instead of having a strong, ready-to-go opinion about the news of the day, I'll increasingly have only an opinion about the news of the month or year. In other words, I'm not going to worry any longer about the day-to-day machinations of grisly politics.

As for this site, I'm undecided. Should I post more, or perhaps exclusively, about positive topics? Should I simply discontinue it and move on? I am leaning toward the former, but I don't know yet. Stay tuned.