I can’t remember exactly why I started this blog. I do remember thinking around that time that blogs seemed like self-indulgent, silly things.

I also vaguely remember thinking that a blog would be a good way for me to stay in touch with my writing–something that I’ve always enjoyed doing, but had less and less time for. It would give me a reason to write and an imaginary audience to write for. Over the past couple of years, the writing aspect hasn’t really developed as well as I had hoped but my soapbox sure has become quite worn down with my footprints.

Readership has really only grown because of Google’s pagerank and the random hits the blog receives through search. I have few dedicated readers. Facebook has increased my readership through their ability to link the blog to my facebook profile. Facebook has also been responsible for the demise of other blogs that I read. As long as one person reads the blog I’m happy.

I’m also happy that a good friend was found through the blogging process. Granted, they have trouble speaking English the proper way–they say brazier instead of bra–and they are hopelessly dedicated to beating me at Scrabulous. I’ve also made the acquaintance of a dental student down under who, although at times is angsty, is a cool person.

All things must come to an end, especially good things. Bad things seem to last forever…

The experiment that spawned this blog has come to an end.

I’ve come to feel increasingly limited by Blogger’s interface. Don’t get me wrong–Blogger is still my current preference for an easy to use blogging system but there’s stuff that I need done differently that Blogger can’t accommodate. Despite that I’m indebted to Blogger and the staff that run the system for the help they’ve provided me in the past.

I have too much to say, however, to stop blogging.

I’m currently working with my tech guy (my brother) to migrate to a hosted blog system (the host will be his corporate site). I just have to decide between either MovableType or WordPress as the blogging platform. Once I get that all worked out, I’ll start blogging again at a different URL. I’ll let you know when and where.

The new blog will be a work in progress for a while, just as this one was. But the point is that blogging is no longer an experiment for me. Two years later, it has become a part of our lives here in Cowland. It is a productive waste of time that feels therapeutic. It is also the diary/journal that I started on paper in the mid 90′s and ended up aborting at the end of that decade.

I am, therefore I blog.