I opened a FaceBook account this week. Like water gushing through a faucet, people—old chums, former colleagues, even a long lost cousin—came pouring into my friends list. More than a few notes from these folks inquired as to my activities and state of being since a radio/TV program I hosted for twenty years, “Teddy Bart’s Round Table”, went dark a few years ago.
    What is it like not to be in the spotlight after having it shine on you for so many years? Having a life in the arena, being a public person has many interesting aspects. For many of us, it's intoxicating. A news anchor pal of mine told me recently that after a few days off, he starts reading the newspaper aloud to an imaginary camera.
    It's not quite that bad with me. However, the other day my mind morphed a parking meter into a microphone and I interviewed four tourists! (ba-da-boom)
    Another aspect of a public life is the “when you're hot your hot” syndrome. Ask any politician how many friends he or she has after losing an election, and you'll get a laugh. Athletes too old to play the game yearn for the cheering crowd, the fans outside the stadium. Yesterday's show business star has all the appeal of day-old grits.
    For me, life has never been better. I still believe in the value of “Beyond Reason” as both a good program and a global community need. And I have immersed myself into becoming a better writer. My next book, “A Particle of God,” is supernatural fiction. It will be available March 27th. A proposal for my next book, a non-fiction work, has just been e-mailed off to my agent.
    I don’t miss the spotlight. I’m lovin’ the work.