The Crowdsourced Column

Social media post: “Deadline for my next newspaper column is 24 hours away, and I’ve not a clue about what to write. Crowdsourcing ideas.”

A welder from Abilene: “The weather.”

Public radio station manager in northern California: “Writers block.”

Education advocate: “The mess that is college athletics.”

Fellow author: “If I had an idea, I would write about it. A weekly column is torture.”

(Mine’s only twice a month, so maybe not torture. What comes right before waterboarding?)

Graphic artist: “Kansas skies are like none other.”

Mayor of Tonganoxie: “Go for a walk. It’s a beautiful day.”

5^th generation Kansas farmer: “The death of the penny and the end of the sentiment behind ‘a penny for your thoughts.’”

Rural health care administrator: “Rural healthcare.”

(This was mentioned more than once).

Comedian: “How much of who we are is determined by the place we were born. The luck of being born an American.”

Lobbyist: “How STAR bonds can service $130 million in debt a year without raising taxes to host the Chiefs.”

Business strategist: “You are in my world. My newsletter is due in the morning. Hoping and praying for a topic here.”

Issue advocacy specialist: “Been thinking I would love to see something about how Kansans come together even in this hyper-political environment where everywhere you turn is found divisiveness and finger pointing.”

Architect: “Why Kansans vote against their best interests.”

Retired businessperson: “Greenland?”

Housing advocate: “What does local control even mean anymore? Who is in charge of this place?”

Freelance writer: “Data centers.”

Retired museum educator: “What not to write? I have a vomitus amount of things to say right now.”

Design team leader: “How likely the Royals are to follow the Chiefs to Kansas.”

My sister (a Kansas ex-pat): “Ad astra per aspera.”

Cattle rancher: “Woody encroachment.”

Retired financial planner: “What are some observations or takeaways from moderating Within Reason?”

Geary County farmer: “How about the value and importance of having personal faith (of any sort) given the world we live in today and what the lack of it can equate to?”

Director of Outreach for the Kansas Soybean Association: “How soybeans are the superior row crop.”

Riley County Commissioner: “Is our political divide these days really political? Or try and explain the 6,7 fad.”

Lawyer: “The process of writing a book.”

K-State professor: “I just want to say, I loved reading every single one of these! And I look forward to seeing whatever comes to fruition in your column. You’ve got this!”

Broadcast journalist: “Why January is seemingly the longest month of the year.”

Childhood friend: “Call in sick.”

Independent veterinarian: “How the independent veterinarian is staying in business versus corporate medicine.”

Internet/tech manager: “The societal ramifications of the new Lego Smart Brick.”

Former state government colleague: “Write about what moves you. You have perspective! I don’t care about opinions. I want to know what wisdom comes with experience and time.”

Economic developer: “Every sunset deserves to be watched. We die once; we live every day. It's a brand new year. Can we have a fighting chance to enjoy it?”

Former Riley County Commissioner: “Restructuring the Riley County Commission.”

Fellow columnist: “The moral decline of the U.S.”

A friend in Kansas City: “Minneapolis.”

Financial planner: “You'll come up with something.”

Mike Matson’s column appears every other weekend in The Mercury, and he hosts ‘Within Reason,’ weekdays at 9 a.m. on NewsRadio KMAN.