Thursday, July 6
This blog turns 6 years old!
***
You're right. I really should have named this blog AngryWhiteFemale or EchoChamberMusic or MakingMischiefInTheLand or SpleenVentilationSystem.
But when I launched this site in July 2000, the World Trade Centre was still standing. I'd never heard of Ward Churchill or Cindy Sheehan. Or Glenn Reynolds or Kos for that matter -- before Talking Points Memo or Hugh Hewitt or LGF...
I AM.
The first draft of this post turned into a combination Oscar speech/History of Blogging 101, and it was pretty boring. I will say that my original conception of this blog has never changed. I leave "dialogue" and "community" and "citizen journalism" to late adopters. I have no use for the rules of the rhetorical road, so you can quit yer bitchin' about "ad hominem" and that other boring Latin lingo to your smug self. It just gets in the way of me winning the argument! The biggest complaints I get are from readers who are mad that this blog isn't what they think it should be.
This is just my pixelated soap box. I'm a sit down comedian, nothing more.
Enough. Here are some highlights from the past few years.
If I've left out your favourite, please email me at kshaidle AT rogers.com with your suggestions.
* Best hate mail ever. (I've received two generous offers to make this into a sampler but can't bring myself to accept.)
* Gidget vs. Gonzo (Charles Colson liked that one.)
* How plastic fetus dolls increase abortions.
* They shoot looters, don't they?
* The day I stopped hating Ronald Reagan.
* Can't leave out Free Piglet!* The beards have all grown longer overnight
* Judging by the emails I got about it, this is by far my most popular post title. (My own fave is either this or this.
Anyway: almost 15,000 posts and well over 1,000,000 uniques later, I can't think of anything more to say than thanks. You guys helped me grieve my mother's death, you bought me a new computer after a week long "blogathon", you told me how the annulment process works and what kitty litter to buy. When I'm trying to shake one of those "or did I just dream it" experiences, I just have to ask my readers the name of that movie with the two guys and the dog; it's faster than Google.
You designed my logo, bought my books and cooked up a screensaver based on an off-the-cuff musing. Too much to recall here.
Most importantly, I've made some good friends, which was the last thing I expected from blogging.
Hope you'll all stick around for the next six years.
PS: thanks for the emails, e-cards (and donations) this morning! Arnie and I are off on a day trip so if I don't reply immediately, don't be mad -- I'll get back to you soon. Your words of support are appreciated more than I can say.
