Goodbye Jess (Jim)

In January 2005, we started this site.  Never planned for it to go on so long.

Dona, Ava, Ty, Jess and myself were in college, were friends and wanted to do a website and got lucky when C.I. came to our campus and I was covering that for the campus paper.  I asked her to help with our first week's edition.

She got roped in.

But we sort of all got roped in.

And I've loved it and continue to love it.

Others haven't always been as thrilled.

Recently, Ava and C.I. have made a point to express that the editions are taking too long, that they meander and are not focused and that they themselves have other things to do.

"Take a hint, Jim," they should have said.

I didn't.

This week we meandered and got together Tuesday night at which point, after many hours, Jess loudly expressed his frustration with the writing sessions and said he was out.

I'd love for him to change his mind -- and he can at any time -- but I'm taking him at his word.

Over the years, the core six (Jess, Ty, Dona, Ava, C.I. and myself) have written many pieces.


Ava and C.I., of course, cover TV every week.

And I've done the occasional "Jim's World," Dona's covered everything (including fitness) and also started moderating our Congress & Veterans features, Ty does "Ty's Corner," etc.


Jess has done the occasional legal feature.

He's also been instrumental in highlighting issues and news that we might have otherwise missed.

He's also been instrumental in keeping us from the idiotic Ralph Nader cost Gore nonsense.

As a Green, Jess ensured that we were never a partisan organ for the Democratic Party.

As an all around good person, he ensured that temperatures were lowered when things got tense.


I fully understand his bowing out.

Looking at it now, it makes complete sense.

But until today I never would have thought he'd be the first to go.


He is welcome back anytime he wants to come back -- guesting or full time.

But I understand his decision.

This ends nothing between us.

We remain best friends.

(And he remains with Ava and their child.)

He's just not willing (and I don't blame him) to waste hours in "bull sessions" (his words) that rarely produce content.

I personally thank him for all the work he's done.