Productivity Hit

My productivity took a hit this week. Or maybe I transformed one kind of productivity into another kind: so instead of doing stuff related to finance/data/Excel/AI, I did stuff more related to civics engagement.

The impetus for that was the curiosity of how President Joe Biden was doing after removing himself from the race. The guy had spent his entire life reaching for the ultimate brass ring and he finally got it at a very late stage in life.

He just wanted to do another 4 years to cap off his life and career. Unfortunately, at 81, that was not to be. That’s kind of like having a dagger through one’s heart.

So, yes, I wanted to see how he was doing. I typically don’t watch these things as following politics is not my thing. It has become a necessity since around 2015 (after a certain guy came down an escalator) to keep an eye on the political news but otherwise, I avoid following conventions and what not.

President Joe Biden seems to be doing fine and has come to terms with his decision. I do hope that history will regard him as a remarkable President for giving up the Presidential pursuit and for endorsing his younger Vice President to take the reins and move America into a different future (if the people vote for her – not a certain thing). He might also be regarded as a transformational President through his superpower to get some consequential legislation passed during his tenure. I think it’s been said that his administration was the most productive of any administration in modern history, passing many legislation – far more than the prior President with his single tax cut.

I do believe that in the history books he will be mentioned as a consequential President.

I had intended to just watch President Joe Biden, but I think the DNC convention was running late because I saw some other speakers: Hillary Clinton, Raphael Warnock, AOC, and others. Senator Raphael Warnock stood out due to his preaching elocution. Hillary Clinton seems to have put behind the 2016 election behind her and has moved on…unlike the former President.

I hadn’t intended on watching the other nights until I saw the schedule: Tuesday night was Michelle and Barack Obama, Wednesday was Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, and Thursday was Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

I wanted to hear Barack Obama because he is famous for his oratorical skills, and I had never really paid attention before. I missed his 2004 speech that set him on the Presidential path. Because I didn’t know the timing of his speech, I also heard Michelle Obama who, to my inexperienced ears, knocked it out of the park. Boy did she give some subtle digs!

And Barack had some shocking memorable moment too! Whew!

I wanted to hear Tim Walz on Wednesday because I wanted to assess his capabilities and his general nature. Yes, he does seem as nice as he appears. Again, I’m inexperienced but his speech was really good such that he came across as very personable. Towards the end, he did his coach pep talk to reve up the crowd for the final push in the election cycle.

And of course, I wanted to hear Kamala Harris speak to assess her capabilities although with her prosecutorial background, she has the oratorical and logical speaking skills to move people. And her choice in Tim Walz seems to be spot on what the Democrats need to push forward in this election cycle.

If we elect Harris Walz, I think we will be in capable hands. Besides, I’m hoping she will “borrow” some of President Joe Biden’s people only because it is his administration that led to a very successful Presidency in getting things done.

So, we’re in the final stretch and it is going to be UGLY. I’m dreading this period and the months after the election because that is when the most propensity for violence to occur. We already had an attempted assassination of former President Trump, which was shocking.

And we also have a predicted ferocious hurricane season since we are approaching peak hurricanes.

Yeah, let’s see if I can be more productive than last week, but with the projected turmoil in front of us, I do wonder if I will get anything done.