Decade Old Fragments: 10 Years of Blogging

In my very first blog post, I wrote,

"If I write something, it will be posted here. Just don't expect too much. I'll probably abandon it sooner or later."

Well, ten years later and the blog is still chugging along. I undersold the blog because, well, I didn't quite know what it would become (I also tend to undersell everything as I find there's wisdom in doing so). Additionally, I was so haphazard, unfocused and busy that the best one could hope for, would be a blog featuring just the bare fragments of ideas. A blog not themed on any one topic but serving as an outlet for random ideas, memories, musings, etc.

Well, by no planning and almost zero foresight, today marks my tenth year (and 372 posts) of blogging. 

So, uncork the champagne and order cake and balloons and celebrate my first decade of blogging. 

Just a pic of me and some buddies having the time of our lives. We had a big party for the blog last weekend, the rule was we all had to wear black and get our teeth whitened. Don't get your feelings hurt because you weren't invited. It was a pretty exclusive party. I couldn't invite all my readers.

Sure, it's not like I blog every day, but still, nothing to sneeze at either, bub. You know anyone else  that has a blog after 10 years of almost zero readership?

Yeah, neither do I......um...erm...(sigh)....yeah, not many of us left.


Anyway, I started the blog at the tail end of the Golden Era of personal blogs (2003-20011).  During that time, MySpace was a thing but with the ascendancy of Facebook, blogs changed. When my wife and I had our first baby she blogged about motherhood and the kids and it was a damn good blog. I think she blogged for about  3-5 years, but when kiddo # 3 came around, the blog became defunct (I mean, a lot of things become defunct when you have three kids).

FB changed everything. After all, it was a hell of a lot easier to update and to maintain a profile than to blog.  In the early teens, there were still a good number of news blogs, but alas, many of those have fallen by the way side as well.

I'm sure there's plenty of personal blogs out there but as much as I joke about having no readers...I'm not reading anyone else's blog either (but seriously, I'll follow yours if you follow mine).

I and the blog have changed over the years, but one thing hasn't changed. I still find it enjoyable to write. I might have a beer tonight to celebrate. Here's to another ten years of blogging about whatever weird stuff strikes my fancy. So, click around if you'd like or not and just go along your merry way.

Either way, cheers.

My Personal Favorites

Confucius Didn't Say That! (on going blog series in which I explore fake Confucius quotes)
Death, Birds, Hope 
Spurs Memories from the 1980's (find out how I met Coach Pop)   
The Problem with Truth 
Ode to Weezer's "Across the Sea"
Death is like... 
Life is like...
Six Underrated Albums from the 90's

A Poem for my Children
A short story entitled "The Execution of a Komodo Dragon"


Weird Stuff I Blogged About

I lived like a Muslim for a Week
An abandoned idea from college for a cartoon entitled, "Burrito Boy"
I wrote a whole post about the Wiggles, that's pretty weird.
I review Google Reviews of Machu Pichu 
I ask a lot of questions about Disney cartoon characters, like good questions.


The Best Detours in Philosophy/Religion

A blog in which I rant about existentialism, Horton Hears a Who, Steven Hawkins, etc. 
Deep Dive on Forgiveness as seen in Jesus and Mohammad
Stories Before the Big Bang
The Ineffability of Life
Truth as a Object/Truth as a Journey 
My blog about going to a Skih Center. 
 
Best Comic Book Posts

Comics Stories: Fragments on Comics and 1986
My Five Favorite Comic Book Cliffhangers
Lies, Damned Lies and Comic Books

The Best of my Bio Blog posts/series
A series of posts on mix-tapes and CD's I made back in the 90's
I had cancer once
Reflecting on my days as a DJ in college
Fragments on going to Lollapooza in 1996
I taught in Peru in 2014
I miss my friend  
Old Sketch becomes a Treasure
How I Met Your Mother (series on how I met my wife)
The Wonder Years (High School Retrospective)
I was in a local production of Wizard of Oz

Favorite Art Posts 
Barbar the Elephant
I Like Stars 
Trolls, lots of 'em 
Old Photos 2005-2007 
Self Portrait (2014)
Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book

Favorite Music Posts
Breeders Concert Review
Weezer's Tragic Girl
Weezer Concert Review
Insanely Detailed Conception of what would be on my Deluxe edition of Weezer's Blue Album should have been.
Six Underrated Albums from the 90's


Best Spurs Posts 
Spurs Memories from the 1980's (find out how I met Coach Pop)  

Some of my favorite Sports moments 

90's Spurs Memories

If you're still reading this, why? Just click around or be on your way. I'm pretty sure I'll be around blogging till Google folds Blogger into internet oblivion or I die. In the meantime, while we face the pandemic, talk a nice walk outside in the evening, take a deep breath and stare up at the stars and wonder.

Guilt and Loathing in The Lost Weekend As a Muslim

The whirlwind of days 3-6 are just about over (two hours and counting) and my "Muslim" faith didn't survive.

I have a truckload of excuses. We were getting ready for our massive garage sale fundraiser all day and all-night Friday (and believe me the work required was massive). I was literally doing something all day Friday-Sunday. There were no breaks and I managed 4 hours sleep on Friday.

I could chalk it up to bad timing....but really, the truth is, I've failed.

weird, huh? that's kinda how i felt though.

I haven't had one prayer since early Thursday evening or early Friday (I can't even remember it feels like years ago). When I wasn't busy - I could start to feel the guilt setting in. I've heard of Catholic guilt but I gotta say, Muslim guilt could be pretty bad. I could Google it, but I'm too tired. If I had readers, maybe they could look it up for me.

SERIOUS SIDENOTE: how do these bloggers do it?  I mean seriously?!!??

Saturday was the crescendo of it all. I was physically beat and I actually felt almost all of my near 33 years (on a daily level I feel between 27-29 and a half years).

I feel asleep on the couch reading right after I tucked our oldest in at about 9:00. I knew I wasn't waking up at 4:50 in the morning. I was already been deflated and defeated.

Sunday came and church and lawn work followed (as we were having people over and the back yard looked like a jungle)....anyway, today I went to work and faced the first day of registration on my feet for most of day.

I just keep thinking, "I can't believe I gave up on all this after TWO measly days". two - days and I was toast.

So, I am restarting this experiment tomorrow morning. It was definitely a rough patch. I could give up and call it a day...after all, this is a "fragment" blog. So, I am restarting day three tomorrow and submitted all over again (takes a deep breath).