Newscoma

As Ferris Bueller said after he played a clarinet pretty horribly, “Never had one lesson!”

That pretty much sums up how I got into blogging. I just did it for better or worse. And it’s been pretty wonderful.

Anytime there is a date or a moment that goes under the title of ‘birfday’ it falls into a time of some sort of reflection. I don’t think I celebrated the blog’s birthday last year now that I think about it. I made reference on Twitter and went about my day.

Mabel

Some of the changes I’ve seen in blogging have somewhat boggled my mind. I watch Christian Grantham’s Morning Browser quite a bit, and he is celebrating his 10th blog anniversary today.  Several of us chatted at his site about some of the changes in blogging. I thought about this after the show ended and thought that I would give all seven of you some things I’ve observed over the past four years. CG has his observations about the last 10.

• When I started blogging, it was purely for fun. I had no expectations. The first person I linked to was Aunt B. The funny thing is that I never thought I’d meet her. Now, I would venture to say, she is one of my best buddies who I talk to offline as well. I also think it was a different time four years back. We wanted a community in this state and we went for it, despite not knowing what to expect. Some of those roots, defined by our blogging personalities, have been set in stone.
• We linked more several years ago because that let other bloggers know not only that we were reading them, but that we had their backs. We don’t do this as much now. It’s a part of the initial phases of blogging I miss and I hope to rectify that on my part immediately. Now our comments and feedback go to Twitter which isn’t so bad. It’s an immediate form of communicating our feedback, although I still feel like I win a prize when I get a comment or someone buys me a beer on the PayPal button (Blogging ain’t gonna make you any do-re-mi, campers. As a matter-of-fact, if you decide to go whole hog, it will cost you money just like any other hobby.)
• We adapt to new things and Twitter is definitely a new thing. Still shocks me that I’m moving on my third year this upcoming March over there.  I joined Twitter because I am a lemming and Rex Hammock/Jackson Miller were talking about it.  If you sit in a room with those two, I swear your IQ points go up.
• How has the interwebz changed? My dad is farming like a maniac on Facebook. I think that speaks volumes.
• Quick note: On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I was in two locations that had no broadband access whatsoever. So if you wonder why I advocate for this issue, I think that also speaks volumes. One of these locations has two boys in middle school. They are going to need the Internet sooner rather than later..
• I kidded a lot last month I wasn’t a niche blogger per se. In the long run seeing the changes in blogging, I think this, sadly, may have hurt me long term. Just an observation as I guess I’m an old-school type of blogger. I like niche blogs though although this isn’t one of them. You see wonderful ideas that have skyrocketed like Home Ec 101 or anything that Kate O does, which is guaranteed wonderful.
• I wish to thank Michael Silence and Scott Adcox. They know why. I adore them both.
• I remember when I’d get 25 unique views a day back in my first few months and was pretty damned happy about it. I thought I’d hit the big time.
• I’ve always said that if Newscoma every became tedious, I would quit blogging. It’s just been this past year that I’ve seriously thought about setting down the mouse. I think that had to do with the unemployment blues. I’m glad you stuck it out with me during the “blue” period. I’m glad I stuck it out too. Let’s  hope that 2010 smiles down on Chez Coma and that this year gives us groovy and nifty full-time employment.
• If you were wondering, my favorite posts this year had to do with Mr. Jimmy who is awesome and what I learned over a beer and conversations in Hoots. I also like Dirk Diggler stories.
• If I haven’t mentioned all of you, I should. You guys are great.

So that’s on my mind this morning. I don’t know what the next year will bring, but it’s been a ride that I’ve enjoyed.