Top Things I’d Write About, But I’m Tired

On Reflections of Cultural Criticism and Authenticity

I could write about why I muted Kendrick Lamar, Drake, the NFL, and the Super Bowl and what it means to unmute them. Many people are deep in confirmation bias;

the tendency to search for and interpret information in a way that confirms your pre-existing beliefs while dismissing evidence that challenges them.

On Honesty, Timing, and Being Fair in Connection

I could write about the delicate balance between honesty, timing, and fairness in connection; how being open doesn’t always mean being ready, and how clarity, even when late, is still a responsibility. But I’m already exhausted from living it, so maybe another time.

On Social Media Noise

I could write about being someone who mostly observes rather than participates in social media discourse, and noticing how these platforms reward and amplify extreme positions. Nuanced takes don't generate engagement; provocative, absolutist statements do.

On Vocation

I could write about things I’ve been circling for years, ideas that thread through my life and my writing; vocation—the voice that calls, the difference between a job and meaningful work. I’ve long understood the necessity of taking a job to provide, but now, with a better quality of life, I have the capacity to lean into what I’ve always wanted: work that serves something greater than myself. That’s why I chose to work at the Y and why I’m actively seeking ways to give my time, energy, and, when needed, knowledge. It all aligns with a simple but defining motto I’ve carried with me: Obey. Love. Serve. Excel.

But today? Today, I am tired. Not the poetic, soul-searching kind of tired—the regular, why-did-I-agree-to-this, I-need-a-nap, have-I-eaten-yet kind. Instead of writing a deep, resonant piece about these things, I am writing this. And maybe, in its own way, this list says more than any of those essays could right now.

Which, honestly, feels just as important.

O. B. TramueL