Ex Terminus, Infit

Just because it seemed like a good idea, I have begun my blog. Brad has one. I can do it too.

I haven't yet decided if I like that word, "blog". I know it is very popular and is, in fact, the acceptable industry descriptor for this...thing... However, I find it to be a bit too dismissive a term for a respectable undertaking such as this. Afterall, it is quite a commitment keeping track of one's thoughts, feelings, moods, ideas, crackpot theories, and managing an ever-changing list of one's favorite/current media choices all on a daily or quasi-daily basis. Why slap it which a simple, near-guttaral sound, like "blog"? Blog. Bleah. Blahg. It just sounds awful. Go ahead, put it in the context of how you might use the word in normal conversation:

"Go to my blahg."
"Read my blahg. "
"I put it on the blahg."
"Did you see my blahg?"
"I've got to update my blahhhhhggg."

I mean, this is a great thing, this ever growing community of online-journaleurs. There are budding writers the world over that are now just coming into their own via their...blog... connecting, however lightly or indirectly, with other souls in the world. Each with a chance to add to the process, expand his thinking, spread her manifesto, challenge a preconception! Why couple it to the sound of a bowel obstruction? "Blog."

"What's the problem, Doctor?"
"Well, you'll have to have surgery. We need to remove a blog from your duodenum."
"oh."

For now, however, I am left with the term. It is what it is, and in order to make myself referentially understood, I will call it "blog". But, I am ever-vigilant, and will be giving it some thought. The right term will come to me. Then my campaign will begin. Don't bother to console me or give me false hope with terms like "web-journal", or "e-diary", or anything like that. "Blog" has captured the market because it's one-syllable, and its fun for the kids to say. The word I am looking for will have similar characteristics, but be a bit more respectful of the endeavor it describes.

All that being said: Welcome to my blog. I hope you like it. This inaugural post is titled "From the end, comes the beginnning." It is a nod in no small part to my years as one of the hosts of the Great RadioTiki Experiment. Our show was based in a home-studio and if you are so inclined you may check out the archives. You can even check out one of our fan-supported sites called the RadioTiki Wikipedia. The show's funny, subjective to your sense of humor, of course. BUT! It has one of the best, most loyal listening audiences on the net today. I have no idea if their numbers are large relative to other shows, but there are thousands of them, and they have been just fantastic and supportive since we announced the upcoming "big change." The show soon will take on a different form as I move myself and my family from the Chicago area over to the UK. This will involve some time away from the mics as I get settled in my new country, and we figure out if its possible to continue doing the show. Why not do a blog? I am about to embark on an international adventure, dammit. Surely, some record of it must be kept.

"What if no one reads it?" Indeed, what if? Do you know how many millions of these things are written and not read? Who am I to suggest that mine is any better? It's not. I do this for posterity first, sanity second, entertainment third. Plus it will be a great place to point my friends and family so that they may keep up to date with my invasion of Britain.

Now that my ego is slightly in check...I say slightly because this thing is by definition ego-driven, it could not exist without it... anyway, with ego in check, I will close this initial post by explaining what this blog will likely not be:

1) A link fest. Rarely, if I find something that really moves me, I'll try to mention it. Otherwise, I don't go in for long lists of "cool sites". It diminishes the impact of the few that I actually do want to share. Face it, how many of you go to the third or fourth link on someones lengthy list? How about even the 2nd item?

2)A photo gallery. I am bad about this. I have hundreds of digital photos that I have taken over the years, and none are accessible to me and my family. I doubt if I will get the inspiration to put many in here. I could be wrong, but for now--don't look for bunches of pics from me.

3)Purposeful, actual insight into my soul. You may find this if you look for it, but...I will not be trying hard to be deep or meaningful. Just me. I find that the dark, brooding, morose, overly poetic journals get on my nerves. I may complain, you may get a taste of my politics, but mostly just my observations. Ok--Occasionally a post about what I ate tonight.

Thanks for coming by, and thanks for making to the end of this first post. Comment if you like, I have no clue what the etiquette dictates for things like this.

--tomb