Lots of changes in the last sixteen years. I started blogging because of the Heller decision. The gun control wars continue, but it's an entirely different landscape today than it was then. Good.
I do miss a bunch of the old regular blogs I used to link to - Gormogons, Aretae, Fosetti, a bunch of others. Miguel has now joined them. I can understand the feeling as I came within a whisker of giving up myself 9 or 10 years ago.
It's weird that the blog has been around long enough that it saw Wolfgang's entire life, from when I first got him to that last awful day. I still go back through the "Wolfgang" tag once in a while. He's a dog that is taking some getting over.
The blog saw me move from Massachusetts to Atlanta to Maryland to Florida. That's a lot of moving around in not a lot of time.
And it let me introduce The Queen Of The World to you. She kind of scratched her head at the whole blogging thing at first, but she's the one who suggested I post about film scores and Dad Jokes. I need to do more of both of those.
Because the old passionate topics - gun control, global warming, politics - have gone stale for me. I've said pretty much all I have to say on them, and have come to realize that the world has gone mad and shouting into the wind is just adding hot air to cold. I actually feel better doing Dad Jokes, not getting myself all wound up.
The Queen Of The World has helped here as well.
I emailed Miguel when he hung up his blogging spurs to tell him that I was sorry to see him stop but understood his motivation. He was very gracious in his reply, complimenting my stuff - but I am convinced that my best blogging days were long ago, 2009-2012 or so. That's a decade in the rear view mirror.
So apologies if this place isn't what it used to be. I'm not what I used to be, and that is probably a good thing.
In any case, when I put up my first post, what I did not expect at all was:
16 years
Almost 14,000 posts
Over 50,000 comments (!!!)
Over 14 Million page views (!)
I guess that predicting the future is hard, especially about things that haven't happened yet ...
Anyway, thank you to everyone who stops by here. It's the readers - and especially the commenters - that make this place what it is, and keeps me coming back.
18 comments:
Happy blog birthday. I've visited your blog for years and have always enjoyed it. I know what you mean about blog evolution, I too have wandered away from events of the day to my own little corner of the internet. Regardless, keep up the good work and enjoy your b'day cake.
Yep-good job over the years. I used to read more of them, but most all of the ‘old’ crew, from Bloggershoot days, are gone. ‘Cept you, of course!
And thanks for the Miguel info…
Congrats, BP. Still enjoy your stuff, you're a daily stop.
I think I stumbled on to you because of the scamdemic. Your "not what it once was" site is worth daily stops. Thanks for your efforts, apparently, you're still appreciated.
Keep in mind that your posts are very much appreciated in this corner of the world. I have learned a lot about music,history and science and much much more here. Please keep up the good work at whatever pace you choose.
I have heard that people have become friends in real space thanks to the internet, and I believe some people have even met their spouse due to this internet thing...
libertyman, that made me grin.
What they've all said ... you're still a daily stop for me, even though I'm barely blogging at all, these days.
Congratulations, Borepatch. Yours was one of the first blogs I found and kept coming back to. I still visit every time I see a new post title on the Blogger feed saying it's there.
Happy blogversity BP! Yes, we all change, but you've always given good advice and information! Here's to many more years of the same!
Congratulations and keep going!
Ugly bloggers are still needed :)
Miguel, I may be ugly big I landed <a href="https://borepatch.blogspot.com/2017/05/kentucky-derby.html>The Queen Of The World</a>.
It ain't bragging <a href=https://borepatch.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-day-i-fell-for-her.html>if you can do it</a>.
Just sayin'. ;-)
Congratulations and God bless.
Congrats. You've got a few years in harness on me (2011, I think). Yes, blogging is not the cultural phenom it once was, or once promised to be. But keep at it. It is still a form of expression that is difficult to censor, and that affords you total latitude. There's no money involved. Generally low levels of ego. Your politics are your own.
We'll see how the political currents run in the months ahead. We'll either need a community of free thinking, free expressing folk more - because they will be the new Samizdat - or, heck, we'll need them even if the tides turn. Those incorrectly styling themselves The Resistance will not go gently into the dustbin of history.
Tacitus
Mazel tov!
Many Happy Returns Of The Day, and our sincere
Best Wishes!
A world with more dad jokes and music is a far better one than a world with more politics.
But never stop shouting into the wind.
Sometimes, ever so gently, it answers back.
So you are admitting this blog is too old for Epstein, Maxwell, Clinton, and Gates?
Congrats! Here's to 16 more years!
matism, the Internets you just won are now available for pickup at the usual location.
Congratulations! Only recently found you. But you're an almost daily lurk for me now. I like the cut of you're jib. Best wishes.
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