01 June 2011

Humpday Happenings...
Today kinda snuck up on me...
When you have one of those Monday holidays, it tends to throw a person off he rest of the week...having to THINK about WHAT day it really is (still feels like a Tuesday in many ways).
But I DO know that our trash pickup WILL be a day "late"...meaning I put it out for FRIDAY pickup and not for tomorrow...and I plan accordingly.
Ah, yes...the foibles of those big "executive decisions".
Tell 'ya one thing, I could with a bit of MUNDANE right about now.
But more on that in a bit....for now, we've another milestone here at the "Erudition".
We've hit...(drum roll)... THIRTEEN HUNDRED POSTS...!
(let the pigeons loose)
For me, this is kind of a big deal.
I would have never thought that back in 2006, when I started this gig, that I could maintain it on such a regular basis. Guess I have to thank the ghettohood for that one.
There is rarely a day goes by (around here) that SOMETHING doesn't peek one's interest, or incur one's ire.
And we've more than OUR share of those wonderful "WTF?" moments around this part of town.
In many ways, it makes me miss even more those times I had in neighborhoods past.
The lack of community around here is oft times overwhelming.
We DO have those that "hang around" together...and in a few cases, it would seem that certain houses know the ENTIRE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.
(at least a majority of the minority population, anyway)
And that gets me to wondering WHAT is "so damn attractive" about a rental crib that's a mere one story bungalow in a blighted area of this fair city?
I don't think these "people" are coming (from all over, it would appear) way down here JUST to take in nature's visual and aural bounty.
The only bounty I can find is that which happens upon OUR property (good for you, Mr. Bunny)
Wifey and I have our share of flora and fauna, and the way I see it, as long as all the critters have FOUR legs...that works for me.
It's always the TWO-legged variety that gets me gnashing my choppers.
Yes, thanks to all the NOISE that goes unabated year after year, thanks to the all-too-timely (non) intervention of the local constabularies, and the rising crime, and the uneducated human flotsam that permeates our area, I can always find SOMETHING to blog about.
Once in a while, we'll get lucky and have something that might have NO bearing on the situation here.
And it might actually be something NICE ...and enjoyable...and even FUN.
(OMG, I said the *F* word...lol)
I tend to believe that my "chronicles" here can ALSO be enlightening, because many of you don't have to endure any of it.
But you can get a nicely-painted picture of what others have to deal with daily (by urban design - think of it as VICARIOUS slumming).
Our situation in this ghettohood is FAR from being unique...there are a LOT more people out there that have also seen THEIR neighborhoods devolve around them. And despite THEIR best efforts, have either taken a huge chance (and debt) and left the area, or live behind locked doors, often too afraid to venture into what used to be a nice place to live and raise a family.
We are somewhere "in-between"...the proverbial rock and a hard place.
And WE certainly didn't want that for ourselves, but the city had other ideas (and they come up with some real beauts, trust me, like what they "allow" versus normal human behavior). One thing that's interesting about a blog...over time, readership DOES pick up.
Now, that's not to say that comments will, only that more people for one reason or another will wind up stopping by and taking a look-see.
I know I've got traffic from all over the world, and some of that is usually attributable to hacking/spamming or whatever other crap is out on the Internet. But the rest is people from all over, that found some "common link" with something you posted..could be just a word or picture.
Still more people (a bit closer to home) come by to "see what you're all about".
They may find a kinship or a like spirit in you and your posts, and that's fine by me. There SHOULD be unity of values...and purpose
Think of it as a type of "new-age" community...just the neighborhood has changed a bit.
The PEOPLE are still cut from similar cloth, however.
You share values and beliefs, likes and dislikes, and you develop a sense of involvement...the way you remember.
When THEY hurt...YOU hurt, and when they're happy, YOU are happy as well.
You pray for one another, wish the best for them, and they for you.
If it takes creating a blog to get a piece of that again (and much more)...hey, that's fine by me.
Lord knows that finding such things and people in today's world is becoming ever-increasingly difficult.
Yeah, it's only 1300 posts, but to me, that's a pretty big deal.
There are those that have far surpassed my number of posts...and in a shorter span of time.
The "professionals" out there have more followers than I could count, and make more than one post most days.
(and they probably have a hired staff to assist them...lol)
I'm just one guy brought up in Philly, and wound up settled down in Indiana who's seen a few small chunks of the world, done some things, worked some jobs, met some folks, and tried to stay the hell outta trouble along the way.
Seems I did OK in that regard...so far.
In many ways, it seems that the "story" has taken some interesting turns along the way.
And I would think that there are still more than a few chapters yet to be written in my book.
I will continue to bring you that which you (hopefully) find interesting, insightful, and yes, even educational.
I hope I can also continue to allow the truth to be told, and that whenever you're in doubt as to why you might think you're the only person who feels a certain way, you can come by here and find out that you're not as alone as you thought you were.
It has been an incredible journey, thus far.
This blog has allowed me to meet all of you, and I am honored to know every one of you.
I hope that this is a portent to a journey that is just beginning...for all of us.
Thanks so very much for making this possible...and for being the blessings to me that you are.
All of you have been the wind beneath MY wings in many ways and at many times.
And with God's help, we'll all be around for another 1300 posts.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

10 comments:

Slamdunk said...

Congrats on 1300 Bob--that is quite an accomplishment. I think I am just over 530 now and it seems like I have been blogging for 20 years.

I look forward to a similar celebration when you hit 2600

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
Now you're really making me feel OLD...ROFLMAO!
(and obligated...2600???)

What can I say?
Some days are diamonds, while others do seem like stone.
I guess it's all in how we "polish them up" that makes the difference, eh?

Thanks for the congrats.
Much appreciated.

Be well & stay safe out there.
(with no rain today, too...YAY!)

ms nk rey said...

congrats on your 1300th post! I always enjoy your posts and never fail to learn something. Thanks!

Bob G. said...

Msn:
Thanks for the kind words, but I think I wind up learning more about myself from YOUR posts.

You've a great eye when it comes to life, and I honestly take that to heart.

Thanks for stopping on by and commenting today.
Stay safe down there.
(is that the SUN out there?)

gadfly said...

Happy 1300th, Bobby!

Since my own retirement to the land of No More Work is but four months away, what is the rule for number of posts before a blogger can quit wearing out his fingertips typing or give up unceasing eyestrain and the cancerous emissions from his monitor?

I think we should use an auction to decide your life goal for blog posts with the stipulation that you provide 10 posts for every hundred dollars raised. This can be the newest way to profit from blogging. I can hear the auctioneer now . . .

twennyfietwennyfietwennyfie
twennyfiethidythidythidy
thidyfiethidyfiethidyfiethidyfie
. . .

Then again, gadfly always has bad ideas!

Bob G. said...

Gadfly:
LMAO...That's fantastic!
Love that idea!
Then we could do a reality show called BLOG STARS,BLOG WARS...whatever.

As to actual number of post before quitting?
Well, I think some important criteria are as follows:
--Do you still have something to say?
--Does life piss you off on a more regular basis?
--Do you really WANT to STILL buy a DeLorean and GO 88 MPH-just to see if Doc Brown was right?
--Do you feel like you woke up on Bizarro World?
--Do you wonder WHY the Green Lantern Corps hasn't chosen YOU YET?

If you answered YES to ANY or ALL of the above...you got LOTS of blogging left to do, my friend.

And you keep stirring that pot, 'cause you do it so very well.

Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting.

Stay safe out there.

CWMartin said...

BG:
Congrats! You're only a thousand-odd posts ahead of me.
And of the many things you are ever right about, Today this one stands out- bloggers, lawyers, doctors, and late night commedians will always have work as long as the common-sense-challenged keep breeding.

"you've only just beguuuuun... to bloooooooog..."

Momma Fargo said...

Holy Moly! Congratulations! That is some awesome feat...and you do a fine job keeping us updated on America and your little piece of the good 'ol US of A. Keep it up!

Bob G. said...

CWM:
Only a THOUSAND?
(you'll catch up soon enough, trust me)

Nice to know I'm in GOOD company (well, maybe except for SOME of those lawyers - I think more along Shakespearian lines...lol)

In the end, it ALWAYS comes down to common sense.
And all too often, there are people out there with less sense than house plants.

That's what WE (we "Band of Bloggers") are here for, I suppose.

Thanks so much for the sentiments and for stopping on by today.
(where are my Carpenters .45s?)

You stay safe up there.

Bob G. said...

Momma Fargo:
Thanks for the congratulatory words...much appreciated.

As to bringing America to America...well, I think it is vital to do so.

We're often consumed by whatever the "BIG EYE" (TV) is showing us, or things around the globe.

And sometimes, we need to look (as Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz) for "our heart's desire" a tad closer to home.
Amazingly enough, it CAN right outside our back doors.

But in today's world, we also look closer to home for those things that can take all of that AWAY from us.

Being a LEO, you know all about being a VIGILANT individual.

And some of us manage to (once in a while) strike that perfect accord between the two.

There is found the part of life we truly enjoy.

Thanks so much for rolling on up today and commenting.

Stay safe out there.