Looking Back

Yes, I?m well aware of the many (MANY) April Fools jokes today. It?s nice to end the week on a silly note.

Speaking of silly, props to my good bud Jeremy. He should be moving in today/this weekend to his first house! Very impressive, young jedi.

However, today I?d like to take a moment and reflect a bit on blogging.

I?ve been blogging now for over 4 years. Of course, it wasn?t called blogging back then, and I actually go back a little further than that, but my only evidence as of right now is the archive.org page, dated 2/27/01.

Aside: Hahahaha, take a look at the song quote on that archive page in the top right: ?I?ll find the part of your left behind.? Hahaha, that was supposed to be you not your. I?ve never noticed that.

Anyway, feel free look around and see what?s available. You?d be surprised how much raw content was available in those days. Of course, it was tough as hell to manage, most editing done in a text editor and archives were cut + pasted, not via a cool web interface or program with auto-archiving, but it?s nice to get all nostalgic. There was my rock show, and there were my scripts, all still there in all of their HTML glory.

It?s really interesting looking back, even just a few years ago via the misterorange.com archives, how much I?ve grown, how parenting has changed me, hell, how blogging has changed me.

I?ve learned the hard way to watch what you say. You never know who would be reading. Watch what you write about certain subjects, as once it is committed to the internet, it is pretty much there to stay and may come back to haunt you later. To not reveal information too personal, including financial info (what the hell was I thinking?).

I would also like to think that writing in a blog has helped my writing in general. I now produce anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 words a week on this blog, plus 3,000?3,500 for Star Chamber (not counting user-submitted pieces, just my own article(s)). Just like Stephen King said, writing is like a muscle. The more you use it, the easier it becomes and the stronger you get at it. I?m certainly not ready for Serious Journalism, but as far as portraying my life and points of view I?d like to think I?m only getting better (Yes, it?s my little world and I just live in it)

This isn?t an anniversary of any sort unlike Brian?s which prompted this post, nearly a mental note on the journey of blogging. I?d like to think that my recent contacts with local bloggers will pay off, that my ambitions for my job will do the same, and that this will be the document I look back on in 20 years to show me where I?ve been, how I felt, and where I was going way back when.

To those who read me (according to my most recent webalizer stats: 923 different souls this month), thanks. To my family, even greater thanks. To my friends, you have no idea how important you are to me. To my fellow bloggers: You are amazing people and I look forward to each post. Keep em coming.

Patented Family Updates will arrive on Monday along with the Unused Easter Pics! Yeah, I know. Very exciting.

If it looks like it works and it feels like it works then it works.