ON THE EDGE

On the edge of a career-changing event. Okay, so maybe extending the edge of a career-changing event allowed to slink away, in exchange for a few magic beans, or at least that's what it feels like. A tale of two friendships - one with whom I used to work, who held LOST in high esteem for the day job capabilities, notwithstanding our resolute differences of opinion when it came to governance, the direction of the country, and of course, choice in AM radio stations. In the other corner, wearing the blue trunks (ah, gawd, didn't need that visual) is the friend with whom LOST invested the last 14 years professionally. Good guy, funny, entertaining, charismatic, but truly awful at showing respect for learned opinion - especially when it differs from his own. Also very myopic when it comes to other close relations and confidants. In any event, when push came to shove, and LOST had the chance to opt for one over the other, LOST chose the latter, and the latter made some promises. Those promise are now, grudingly, joylessly being carried out, and it's abundantly clear. So much so that its time to call timeout and say, "thanks, but you're miserable, don't do this, since you don't really want to" change the name, add a partner, balance the equation. Desert doesn't enter in. Merit doesn't either. It's clear that the dissonance factor is simply too great, and LOST doesn't want the issue forced. Oh, for the chance to have a mulligan, and take the road less traveled by now . . .