One year ago today I posted my first blog entry. It's still there in the original location on MySpace.
I posted 31 times over there, and then switched to this server at Blogger.com in December 2005. Since that time, I've posted another 150 stories about life in Post-K New Orleans.
I spent a few minutes last night rereading some of those posts. What I notice is how things have changed in my life--I went from an apartment to a trailer, from a vibrant part of the city with great restaurants to a virtual no-man's land--and how much things have not changed in my life--my job that demands long hours, my Darling Wife and Precious Daughter who rely upon me and I upon them. Life goes on, bra.
I started blogging for two very selfish reasons. First, for the therapeutic value, the comfort one gets from periodically emptying the emotional lint trap. And second, for the simple need I felt to tell the story of New Orleans from the point of view of people here and now, living and working at ground zero of this urban disaster zone. The commercial media just wasn't getting it right, in my opinion, and so I thought I could give a personal perspective to readers of the world wide web.
And I say both reasons are selfish because I hoped in the first case to make my life better directly and in the second case, to do so indirectly.
How successful have I been? Well, I haven't gone stark-raving postal to date, so that's evidence that I'm achieving my first goal. I don't think there's any way to know if I'm reaching my second goal.
But after looking at those past posts, after scanning some 180 blog entries, I am left with one wish: I wish I could write more. So much is untold. So much is untouched. It's as if I've only peeled the first two or three layers from the onion.
I don't regret or chastise myself for this; I do what I can and I keep moving forward. But we are all so consumed in our busy lives--work, personal finances, household chores, family, friends, dealing with insurance and government agencies and utilities and on and on--blogging just doesn't get top billing.
Still, I'm glad to be able to blog when I can, glad that I still have about 60 loyal readers per day, glad that every now and then someone sends me a kind word, glad to return the favor by posting as often as I can.
One year! Happy Birthday, Blog.
More to come!
9 comments:
The quality of your writing more than makes up for any perceived lack of quantity. But I know what you mean. All my life I've been distressed by seeing so many undocumented moments slip away, and post-Katrina more than ever.
Happy Birthday from Washington DC.
Happy blog birthday, Tim. If I were still across the street, I'd bake a cake. Know that, even without the cake, my good wishes and, yes, prayers are with you!
Jane
Happy Blog Birthday! You have definitely achieved the second blogging goal as well.
Happy birthday, Mr. Tim. I agree with Bart that this is one of the best written blogs in Debrisville. Many happy returns.
Many happy returns.
Your blog is one that always tugs at my heart because you write from the heart. Thank you!
Congratulations, and press on, sir!
Your blog was one of the first I "discovered" post-K. Keep on keepin' on!
Happy Birthday, blog!
I, too, wish there was more time for writing, for all of us.
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