I'm glad to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub

I'm now, suddenly, a part of the Iowa Writer's Collaborative. Imagine my surprise.

Where the magic happens.

So, as an Iowan and a columnist, I’ve been granted entry into the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. I don’t know what the initiation will be like, but I’m ready.

As for the 24-hour Dorman thing, I asked a New York friend years ago to help name my original blog. His friends came up with 24-Dorman.

By day, I’m the opinion page editor and columnist for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids Iowa. IT’s the same city where artist Grant Wood did some of his most famous work. As for me, on the other hand, I’m still just trying to stay employed.

By night, I’m an astronaut. OK, it’s my CPAP. Even an old guy can dream.

I grew up covering interesting, reasonable and reliably purple state. Now it’s Florida South, red as an infected wound. I just haven’t come to grips with it yet, as many of my readers know.

“Did you know who won the election?” they’ll ask before asking me to shut up, get over it and pledge allegiance to my MAGA betters.

Or I should move to California, or maybe Cuba, thy contend. Don’t tempt a guy when it’s -5 degrees. But I’m staying put.

I write two columns each week, mostly about state government. I covered 10 legislative sessions before fleeing to Cedar Rapids.

I still love Iowa, even as its leaders turn it into a low tax, religiously conservative bastion of bigotry. I was born in North Central Iowa and graduated from Drake University. Go dogs!

I’m happily married and have two daughters who left the nest. My dog, Scuttle, is blind, mostly deaf, diabetic and taxes seizure medication. Answers to “poor Scuttle.”

I’ve reported for several Iowa dailies and weeklies from Sioux City to Muscatine and stops in between.

I don’t know how to do anything else. Luckily, on that random Tuesday when I’m asked meet with human resources, I will still have friends here.

My columns are part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Many of Iowa’s best writers share their stories and thoughtful viewpoints. Somehow, they let me in. Check out the collaborative.