So let me introduce to you, the one and only Billy Shears...

Welcome to my new blog!  If you're coming over from Running In Columbus, an especially warm welcome goes out to you.  Simply present your VIP pass to the bouncer and step right to the front of the line.  No need to be intimidated by that characteristic roll of bouncer skin on the back of his neck.  Tiny answers to me.

Perhaps an explanation is in order for the switch.  Running In Columbus, while enjoyable, no longer seemed appropriate given the reduced role that running has now taken in life.  Running continues, and future marathons are anticipated, but a new blog was needed to more accurately reflect the nature of the blog content.  Hence, High-Minded Drivel exited the birth canal rose from the ashes.

What can be expected?  Well, let's look at some definitions...

From Wiktionary:
high-minded (adjective) - 1. Given to idealism. 2. Refined, cultured, particularly civilized.
drivel (noun) - 1. Senseless talk; nonsense. 2. Saliva, drool.

Take the latter definition from the former term and the former definition from the latter term and you pretty much capture the spirit of the new blog.

It is my great hope that my blog gets into the slang/lingo/vernacular as "HMD."  You know, like DMB stands for Dave Matthews Band, or LC stands for Lifestyle Communities.  To illustrate...

Friend 1: What you up to tonight bro?
Friend 2: Oh, I'm going to see DMB down at the LC.
Friend 1: Sweet.  What then?
Friend 2: Prolly head home and check out HMD.

(Friend 2 is the cool friend).

With this new blog I'm hoping to make some improvements over Running In Columbus.  For example, I may invest in a digital camera so that I can post some pictures (should save me at least 1000 words of typing per).  This will allow me to stop relying on Google Images for all pictorial content.  I'll also try to do more linking, because that's what people tend to use the WWW for.  Basically, I've decided that writing is more of a passion for me than anything, so rather than pretending that running is my passion and primarily investing in that (and then writing about running), I'm going to try investing more in writing and make the blog more worthwhile for both you and me.

So how was the title High-Minded Drivel chosen?  Well, I had been thinking about a new blog title and coming up with things like Walking In Columbus, or Life In Columbus, or something with an urban efficiency theme.  But nothing seemed savory enough.  Then I was watching an episode of Top Gear with Nate when Jeremy Clarkson commented that the Aston Martin he was driving was like "subtle, refined rage."  And I thought "That's it!  The blog doesn't need to have a topic for the title!  It just needs to reflect the nature of the writing content!"  I almost went with Subtle Refined Rage, but then thought that if my blog was going to be worthwhile and gain readership like I hoped, then I would probably be telling more people about it, and telling people that your blog has the word "rage" in the title may not be so helpful.  I wiped off the chalkboard of my mind, wetted a sponge to get all the dust off (the chalk trays, too), and tried to think of some other description for my personality and my style of writing.  High-Minded Drivel was the first thought that exited the bi.....was born.  And I went with it.

I'm committed to making this more than just a blego (that's a term I coined that means "a blog that exists primarily to feed one's ego"*) and making it more of a storytelling and observation forum.  Hope you read it, and hope you enjoy.

*Not surprisingly, I Googled "blego" and found this site where some person used the term blego back in 2004, defining it as "your blogging ego."  Naturally, my blego suffered from this discovery.

You may not find WMD here, or anywhere else, but there's no doubt you'll find massive stockpiles of HMD.