1 Y.O. (Or, 26 Is The New 1)

The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another. -James Matthew Barrie, Sr.

It was one year ago that I first hit "publish," as if getting published were somehow as simple as clicking a button. But, here I am, one year later, one year older and one year smarter (well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad). I always set out to blog for at least one year - little did I know exactly how this blog would affect my life. My blog and I have had ups and downs, fights and reconciliations, cocktails and a little nookie (hey, iBooks are sexy), and it's helped me meet some new friends from around the city and the country. My blog has seen me through two different jobs and was the cause of losing one (but we won't go into that here).

So what was I doing one year ago? Well, I was unemployed (unconnected to blog-related job loss) and many potential writing jobs needed blogging experience. This caught me by surprise as I didn't think blogging skills were really taken that seriously in the job market (I'm still not convinced they really are, but knowing HTML code can look good on a résumé, I guess). So I started what I thought would be a website comprising only my most polished, future-employer-impressing writing samples.

The first three posts from exactly one year ago reflect this cautiously optimistic attitude, but unfortunately the first two aren't worth your time. The only one I care to link to is my review of Martha Stewart's talk show, which had just debuted at that time. I still consider it one my finest pieces (oh, Slate, why, oh why, must you reject me?).

But now? Would I show this to a potential employer? Hmmm...maybe. I'd be a little hesitant with recent titles like this, but overall there's really nothing here to be ashamed by. However, that just not the point anymore. Now I do this for myself, not to impress some stranger (and I have a very fine job now anyway, thank you very much).

So, I really can't say where this is going in the future. I know I haven't been posting very much lately, but I'm trying to install an RSS feed so people know when to check in...or maybe I already have installed it. I can't quite tell. If any computer-savvy readers want to help me out with that, shoot me an email. I have a Feedburner link and everything, I just don't know what to do with it.

Anyway, expect some upgrades in the future (really, what do those yellow flowers up by the title have to do with anything other than looking pretty?) as this blog moves into it's own 2.0 version. Or is that 2 Y.O. version? (That's the last Janet reference, I promise.)

But no matter what happens, thanks to everyone who reads me with any regularity, or who has dropped by even once, who has left a positive a comment, or any comment at all. The point is...

Thanks!