Hey Silent Running, didn’t mean to be neglecting you except that I’ve had Rick Energy going into other things lately.

Blogging was more important and easier when I was questing around Australia and America. Gave me a connection to current affairs and to New Zealand and an ongoing mental life not found in backpacking even if I were to stay with the same place and same people long enough to fill that need.

After many years of flitting about, 2008 has been a big change. Unpacking all my old gear, going back to university, living in just one spot, being more actively engaged in persuit of my interests…a very real shock to the system. Several times I’d have liked to pack my things and hit the road but it doesn’t work like that anymore.

University has been pretty good but also stirs up old wounds. I find I’ve got some annoying mental blocks about some subjects, especially concerning numbers, that have no business being in my head. I LIKE math. It’s not right that I either procrastinate it away or get angry at it. The more I fight it the stronger the block gets and I’ve still not been able to overcome it, same as it was when I left to travel. When you state into the abyss, the abyss states back into you.

Success at university has been matched by success in the election. The ACT Party was able to rocket up the charts thanks much to the work of the groups I’ve been involved in, ACT on Campus and the Southern Region and Christchurch Central Electorate. Libertarianz, unfortunately, remains wedded to the same poor results. But knowing so many members of both parties I’m less convinced than I’ve ever been that they’re effective delivery mechanisms for personal and political freedom, quite apart from not being as organised as one would hope.

Working harder on putting my Objectivist values into practise makes politics less attractive all the time. Next year I want go get back to my roots and push the freedom messasge. May not be worth doing publically but if it is then ACT on Campus, the student wing, may be the best vehicle. Podcasting perhaps? Or maybe I’ll be more than content to do it one-one-one in my own life without any organisation at all. Figuring that out right now.

Just to cap off the year, I want to take a second look at the meme that was going around back in Janurary- Eight for ‘08. And I’ll do that on my Gman blog.