In which I reanimate a blog

Of all the things this world needs most, could anything possibly surpass a new blog?

The answer, of course, is clear to all right-thinking people. The world most certainly needs something more than a new blog.

What the world truly needs is a gussied-up old blog. Obviously.

To correct this deficiency, egregiously left wanting for lo these many months, my co-authors and I are pleased to present to you the new, improved Blinded Trials. (Or, as we have been calling it behind the scenes, Blinded Trials II: Electric Boogaloo.) That gaping void in all of your souls can at last be filled, and your spiritual hunger find surcease.

It would be polite to pretend that you missed me.

For those of you who might be new to this or related spaces, I should introduce myself and my fellow contributors. I’m Russell, a pseudonymous pediatrician who lives in New England. (My next post is likely to be a self-indulgent explanation of why I write with a pen name.) In addition to the main page over at Ordinary Times, my writing can occasionally be found scattered around the Internet, most often at The Daily Beast. I haven’t decided yet if it will be unforgivably gauche to promote my stuff on other sites here, so if you live in mortal fear of missing something I’ve written it’s probably best to just follow me on Twitter. *gestures vaguely*

If you happen to have been a regular reader of the old Blinded Trials (may the road rise up to meet you), you are already familiar with one of my co-authors, Elizabeth Picciuto (née Rose Woodhouse). In addition to having a PhD in philosophy, she contributes from time to time at The Daily Beast, and is the author of my favorite article about spas of all time. She is also my best friend in all the world. You should follow her on Twitter, too, but not until you follow me first because as of this writing she has more followers than me.

Rounding out the roster is Tod Kelly, erstwhile Editor-in-Chief at Ordinary Times. His writing can be found all over the place, and includes the darkest take on Willy Wonka you will ever read. He is a total mensch, and I am stoked that he wanted to contribute to this little corner of the blogging world with us. You can follow him on Twitter, too, but be advised his feed won’t be as riddled with decades-old in-jokes as Elizabeth’s and mine.

As to what you’re going to find here, it’s likely to vary rather a lot. Between us, we’ve written about the ethics of butchering, the Values Voters Summit, and why it’s best not to steam your vagina. So a mixed bag. If you’re in search of a centrist opinion this election season, you’re likely to find it here, intermixed with random culture musings and whatever else may happen to strike our fancy.

Mainly, we’re here to write for the fun of it. Beyond that, it’s hard to predict where the conversation will go from here. Wherever it may be, we hope you’ll stop by from time to time.

Image credit here.