If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

Well, shoot. Isn't this ironic?


Once upon a time in the not-so-distant past, when blog still had to be explained as slang for "Web log," and the "blogosphere" was an alien world that had a penchant for catching mainstream media with its pants down, I scoffed. I dismissed blogs as the latest techno-fad, something that would fascinate the talking heads of the world for a while until they stumbled onto the next latest advancement. Self-cleaning toilets, perhaps.


Sometimes, you completely miss the bus. Sometimes, you completely miss the bus stop and wander out into the street like a doofus until WHAM! And there's your reminder that you not only failed to catch that bus-o-trends, you never saw it coming.


Case in point: From day one, I condemned the iPod as a piece of trash because it carried the Apple logo. I still believe thusly. Yes, I do understand the world sees me as a quaint imbecile. History and 99.999% of the world's population has proven me wrong. This is why I am not a millionaire living in Silicon Valley.


My point: Blogs have not only lasted, they have flourished. They are part of the latest chapter in this ever-evolving creature we call the Internet. You can debate until the cows come home just how useful or important the blogosphere is, but at least it is getting people talking. That is a good thing.


Enough with the high-minded civic lesson. Here begins BlogOLink. Let me be clear in my selfish goal: If I post often and enough, I just might improve my writing. That's what we scribes are always aiming for..."to become a better writer."


All fine and good, as long as I can spew random observations and commentary into the world. And ranting. And maybe a few useful things, too. Nothing is off limits here. There it is...think of me as a ranting drivel-spewer. Mostly.

Doesn't it sound fun?