October 04, 2002

a rainy night in georgia, and it feels like I'm bloggin' all over the world.

Shelley's got me thinking--again. In today's post she made me feel nostalgic in a way I've never felt before. Not more or less intense than regular nostalgia, but compressed for sure.

I remember the days Shelley is writes about. They were what, six months ago? In blogland it seems like ten years ago. Jokin', jivin', jawin' on the tele, everything was upside down and sideways but somehow just right. Are we saying, "Those were the days, my friend?" Well, for now, maybe I am.

Looking back. Shared History.

Shared agony, ecstacy. hurt. laughter. With you, Shell. About those days.

When George was in Hong Kong, me here with Jenna, the telephone inviting long talks with Marek, Shelley, Halley, Gary, RB, Tom, Elaine, and crew. They helped take care of me, supported my journey into therapy and soul searching. Jenna wasn't even in pre-K yet. I was working full-time. I hadn't told my parents they were alcoholics yet. So much is different now.

The world in blogtime.

And so I go further back.

And I realize that a year ago Monday (Oct 7th) I started blogging. I signed onto blogger with Reading Gonzo--Engaged after spending a week engrossed with a review copy of Chris Locke's Gonzo Marketing. The infamous RageBoy and I had exchanged a few emails before then. But I never imagined the guy would be our daughter's Uncle when I sent him that MS Word document last October--a document in which I'd been journaling my reading of Gonzo Marketing. He wrote back and said, "This would be just right for a blog, or two, or three." I took him at his word. Still do.

For me, this is where my life among bloggers began.

Gonzo Engaged lived a pretty full life, as its archives attest to. But of late, it has waned in popularity and postings. Many of the bloggers Locke inspired, some of whom started blogging right then and there on the Gonzo team blog, are now focused on their own weblogs and team blogs, me among them.

Still, I wait. To see if Gonzo will re-ignite.

Blogs are funny that way.

So is RageBoy.

But when I look back at my first year of blogging, it seems like a lifetime ago.

Maybe that's because we're living in so many people's lives at once.

Do you think?

I remember when Gary launched the soon-to-be international phenomenon known as Blog Stickers, me saying, can I put one of those things on my blog? (Yes, I was the first.) I picked "Blog is a four letter word," bought up Gary's t-shirts and mugs, told him we'd just hit the new era of e-commerce, and shit, we kind of did, never forseeing Gary was just getting going with his insane ideas, hadn't yet experienced his Chukka Bar Incident; chalk chalking was just a glimmer in its father's eye, as was Baby Turner to be.

RageBoy was loving, then dying; now reborn. I've watched the metamorphosis, which has been incredible, and as real life as real life gets hundreds of miles away over wires.

Halley, Craig, Shelley, and now Doc, all lived in different houses. I feel like I've moved with all of them. Is that why I'm so tired? Halley, where'd you put my f-ing can opener?

Marek hadn't scared us yet with his traumatic hospital stay, Dave Winer hadn't either.

I was on Mike Sanders' blogroll and he was on mine.

The warbloggers were mere pains in the asses, not a full-fledged movement.

Blog Sisters was an idea that woke me up one night, nothing less or more, until... and then...

Elaine wasn't a grandma yet.

I hadn't met AKMA's amazing wife, Margaret.

So many things. So many things to have happened. So many things to have happened to so many of us.

And more to come.

Only one absolute: I feel blessed to be among you.