Rant #900: A Milestone

Welcome once again to the Ranting and Raving Blog.

Yes, less than four years ago I welcomed everyone to this blog, and some of you came, others didn't.

That was fine with me. I didn't start this blog up to change the world.

And now, we have reached the 900th rant, and I think that is something of an accomplishment.

In this society, where things come and go so quickly, having something up since 2009 is something of an accomplishment.

Here's my story.

I am a writer, have pretty much been a writer for several decades.

My regular job is writing about military stores: commissaries, which are supermarkets, and exchanges, which are department stores.

It is a pretty decent beat. One day I can be writing about legislation in Washington, and the next day I can be writing about underwear. It is that varied.

But it also can put you in a box.

I am basically reporting on these things, not giving my opinion, as if there would be an opinion about underwear.

And as a writer, that kind of writing stifles your creative thought.

Again, I am not knocking it. Doing it helps pay the bills and helps to put food on the table each week.

But it stifles your creative thought.

So, back in 2009, I had this crazy idea that in order to ignite my creative thought again, I would go the blog route, start up a blog where I could write about anything I wanted, and express any views I wanted.

And that is exactly what I did.

Sure, I can bet that you haven't agreed with me on everything that I have said here, but that, to me, is part of the fun of it.

A free exchange of ideas is really what this country was built on, and that is the rule at this blog.

If you agree or disagree, that is fine. If you feel the need to express an opinion, that is fine too.

As long as it is done civilly, that is how we do things here.

I have slightly promoted this blog, in particular on Facebook.

I have found that Facebook is a funny place.

On certain sites you can express your ideas, while on other sites, the administrator stifles what you have to say.

That is their right, but I also field opinions on Facebook when I put up a link to this blog there. I often get more opinion on Facebook, because it is easier to post there than here, I have learned.

And I have learned that on Facebook, for some reason, people can get electronically violent if they disagree with you.

Yes, they don't understand what a discussion is.

And that is why I like the blog format. I can put up what I want, and you can comment if you like.

I don't have to agree with you, and you don't have to agree with me, and that is A-OK with me.

Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, 900 is a nice number, but this blog will be in the same place for as long as I want to do it, which seems to be forever.

It takes me away from my regular writing, and whether I am talking about vulgar TV shows or my family, you get what you get here, and I am not going to change that format.

If my posts have tweaked you, have moved you, have allowed you to look forward or back, or have sparked you, that is great.

And thanks to my regular fans, because you have helped to make this thing work beyond my wildest imagination. Although somewhat small in number, you keep me going.

And for those who visit here on a less regular basis, or come here via my Facebook link, thanks to you too. Thanks for thinking enough about what I have to say to visit here every once in a while.

(And yes, that photo is of me, from about 1971 or so. I have lost all that hair and put on a few pounds, but I really haven't changed that much since then.)

So, onward and upward. The 1,000th entry is within reach. If we keep going like we are, we should reach that milestone sometime in the summer, in July or so, when the weather is warmer in my neck of the woods and the thought of snow is just about nil.

As it is, we are supposed to get a big snowstorm this weekend, which, as you can imagine, I am not looking forward to by any stretch of the imagination.

But anyway, thanks for supporting the Ranting and Raving Blog since 2009, and I will speak to you again tomorrow.

Thanks again.