It Was Four Years Ago Today

It wasn't an auspicious start, but I began blogging four years ago today. The first "real" post came three days later, and it had all the ingredients Half-Bakered became known for: a slam at namesake Jackson Baker and the Memphis Flyer, swipes at the press and politcians (Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy "Thug" Naifeh) and an income tax rant.

It was the income tax effort that got this blog rolling. Every single paper in the state supported the income tax, nearly without exception. Such lockstep uniformity by what should, by natural expectations, be a wildly diverse lot, was stunning. Someone had to speak up in opposition as a few talk radio hosts across the state were. I decided to become one of those "someones."

I'm glad I did.

On the other hand, as I've said before I have written well in excess of half-a-million words. That's about six novels worth of stuff or who knows how many non-fiction books. I'd be a mid-list author well into a career by now.

In just four years.

And I haven't been paid for it, except for some donations via PayPal.

I have been rewarded in other ways. I've met a lot of folks I'd never have met otherwise; I've had some movers and shakers of Memphis call wanting to meet me! I've been presented with a lot of opportunities, many of which I've not taken and some I have.

All because I got fed up with the state's newspapers and television stations. Thanks y'all! Keep underwheming me, please.

Yes, blogging has been erratic in the last year. I hope I'll get back on track soon; we'll see. But I encourage you to just go back to the first year of blogging and read at random. I have a lot of passionate essays back there; entertaining and informative reading, believe you me.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for coming back. Thanks for commenting or emailing. Thanks for the support. Yes, I do this for me but if I didn't have y'all I'd have given up a long time ago.