In September 2006 I started writing A Foolish Consistency to record thoughts, ideas, news, and whatever else captured my attention. I was teaching law courses in the undergraduate program at Boston University Questrom School of Business, and many posts related to topics arising from the Internet, copyright, constitutional, and criminal law, and social media. I posted often about law school—whether to attend, how to prepare—and careers in law. I posted about teaching, popular culture, politics . . . and rarely about myself. It was not a confessional. Most of my readers were current or former students. I maintained some professional distance, tempered by my fundamental informality and irreverence for academia.
I posted regularly until early 2013, averaging one post about every two days. Posting became a chore. My posts dwindled, then stopped, without regrets. I continued to use trudalane.net in my teaching, primarily in connection with the Questrom Honors Program, of which I was Faculty director from 2012-2017. When I stepped down I put trudalane.net and A Foolish Consistency aside.
I retired from Boston University in December 2018.
How’s retirement?
I don’t know how I ever found time to work.
Recently my interest in this site rekindled. I don’t know what’s next, except that I’m not constrained by professional distance. An audience of one will do that.
My high school junior year English teacher, Dave Monahan, often quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson—
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance, Essays First Series
In 2006 I thought the title A Foolish Consistency would capture the blog’s shotgun focus. Looking back, I was right.
Here are recent posts from my Instagram (darandall).
Weathered /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine
#monumental /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #worldtradecenter #oculus
#brooklynbridge /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Henry the Rooster
/
/
/
/
/
/
#Igboston #igersboston #igmassachusetts #igboston617 #igersmass #city_explore #followingboston #bostonworld #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #rooster
#commave #commavemall #sunset #winter #december /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #igboston #igersboston #igmassachusetts #igboston617 #igersmass #city_explore #followingboston #bostonworld
Fiction, fire, music, Klondike bar. The road taken.
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
#Exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Upward-facing blue-lipped #granddaughter /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Just good fronds #coconutgrove #miami /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Backward-facing flamingo
/
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #miami #zoomiami #pinkflamingo
Downward facing giraffe
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #zoomiami
Is two minutes in infinity oxymoronic? #yayoikusama #loveiscalling #instituteofcontemporaryartboston #seaportboston /
/
/
/
/
#Igboston #igersboston #igmassachusetts #igboston617 #igersmass #city_explore #followingboston #bostonworld #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
I earned a C in Pumpkin Carving 101. /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
One more from #NYC weekend
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
#nyc slice of time
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
#Exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
#exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Not fade away
/
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Tangled in the mangroves, again.
#coconutgrove #miami #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Bibi gives lessons on how to eat spaghetti #granddaughters /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Building blocks
/
/
/
/
/
#Igboston #igersboston #igmassachusetts #igboston617 #igersmass #city_explore #followingboston #bostonworld #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Another sunset. The lazy Grammer's go-to. But damn, it's a good one. #nofilter #forreal #labordayweekend
#exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Feels like autumn. Dinner-hour sweaters and jackets in the screen porch. /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine
Waterbug #granddaughter /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Beware scary dock-path trolls #granddaughter /
/
/
/
/
#Exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Paddle, eat bugs, climb on shore, eat berries, groom, nap in the sun. That's what they did, too. #lakelife /
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective #exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine
#succulents #sanfrancisco #outersunset /
/
/
/
/
/
#Nature #naturelovers #earthlandscape #beautiful #outdoors #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Mint Bay Area day
#angelisland #hiking #tiburon #bayarea
/
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Barely there #goldengatebridge
#angelisland /
/
/
/
/
/
#Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective
Glow
/
/
/
/
/
/
#exploremaine #maine #thewaylifeshouldbe #newengland #ignewengland #igersnewengland #maineoutdoors #igersmaine #igmaine #Ig_great_pics #ig_myshot #pictureoftheday #moodygrams #weekly_feature #primeshots #photowall #localcaptures #gameoftones #ig_captures #ig_color #ig_myshot #ig_shutterbugs #theamericancollective