So for 2016, my resolutions included writing, running a half marathon, looking for humor and limiting stress.  This blog will be the writing part of my resolution.  The blog will mostly be about politics and policy, with occasional tangents into relationships, travel, and sports.  The title, center left in the west, reflects my position on the political spectrum and that, except for six plus years getting educated back east, I have lived my entire life in Washington State or California.

About me.  I’m early fifties, married with two grown children (one launched, one in college) work in state government, and currently have one cat.  As a low-level political appointee, I need to keep my political views separate from my name and current position.  As times change, I may reveal more about myself, not that it really matters to readers of this blog, of which there may not be many, or any.  Mrs. Center Left is my best friend in the world for about 30 years and counting now.  She encouraged me to start this blog and is much more tech savvy than I.

Writers and Bloggers I Like.  I regularly read Josh Marshall at TPM; Matt Yglesias, Ezra Klein, and Sarah Kliff at Vox, Paul Krugman at the NYT; Nate Silver and company at FiveThirtyEight; Emily Yoffe, Peter Beinart, and David Frum at the Atlantic, Kevin Drum at Mother Jones, and Jonathan Chait at NY Mag.  I used to read Andrew Sullivan daily when he published the Dish.