Actually, it's been some seventeen years in front of the Mac (at least a Mac that I bought and owned), and another seven years if you count some old Apples. And, all in all, it's been at least seven Macs, although it could be eight. I lost count. Numbers, it turns out, aren't my 
strong suit.
But that's not really the point of this post. Well, sorta, but not really.
The point, actually, is I realized a couple of weeks ago that my very first blog post was, as best I can remember and tell, written and posted on November 1, 2002—seven years ago (plus a day). Here it is. I was, obviously, working as editor of Envoy magazine, a position I took in May 2002 and held for two years. I had first heard of this thing called "blogging" early in 2002 (the one blogger I remember well is Amy Welborn), and told Patrick Madrid it might be something to for the Envoy staff to pursue. I never expected it to become a nearly daily part of my life and my work, first at Envoy, and then with Ignatius Press.
Much ink (so to speak) has been spilled about the glories and evils of blogging. I tend toward the "let's not get carried away, shall we?" camp, believing that blogging does not mark the end of civilization (no, that would probably be disco and death metal), nor is it going to save the world. It is a tool of communication, and people can use it to communicate well or poorly. Examples of the former are available, and examples of the latter are unavoidable. There is certainly some truth in saying the medium is the message, and I think the really unique quality of blogging is the quickness with which is can be employed and used to respond to news and communicate ideas. But, in the end, people have to assess the responses and judge the ideas. And it is there, in the realm of critical thinking and logic and reflection, where the deeper problems exist and await the sort of devastating analysis that escapes me at the moment.
But I digress.
The Insight Scoop blog has been up and running over five years now, and recently passed the 3,000,000 mark for page views. In those five years, there have been over 5,700 posts and 25,000 comments on this blog. I estimate that in my seven years of blogging, I've put together about a thousand posts each year, perhaps more. What does that mean? I'm not really sure. (Hey, I can barely count to 87 by tens.) After all, there are blogs out there apparently getting 3,000,000 visits a month. Or a week. But, whatever the case, blogging has been, for me, both a rather steady presence and, at times, a somewhat surprising thing—especially when it comes to what catches and holds the attention of readers. After all, the greatest mystery in blogging is, "Why do 361 people comment about a link to a silly piece about 'X-Files," but no one comments on my 4,700-word reflection on the the Council of Chalcedon and the hypostatic union?"
Anyhow, I want to say that I really do appreciate you, the readers of this blog, and your many comments and e-mails. Believe it or not, I do read them. I take them seriously. I try to respond to most of them. But sometimes, I confess, I simply write something caustic about and mildly provoking about heretics or prog rock or "Lost". Or I link to this cool video of my sister playing piano and singing. This blog, likely every blog (and every man), is always a work in progress. I hope it has improved and grown, even if in small and not always easily seen ways. It's hard for me to judge; I'm right in the middle of it. At least that's my excuse for the moment.
For more of my deep and meaningful thoughts on blogging, see this January 3, 2006, post. For more about my taste in music, go here. For my favorite beer, go here. And for more about Ignatius Press, the great Catholic publisher that makes it all possible, go here.
Until the next post (on the same iMac)!
strong suit. But that's not really the point of this post. Well, sorta, but not really.
The point, actually, is I realized a couple of weeks ago that my very first blog post was, as best I can remember and tell, written and posted on November 1, 2002—seven years ago (plus a day). Here it is. I was, obviously, working as editor of Envoy magazine, a position I took in May 2002 and held for two years. I had first heard of this thing called "blogging" early in 2002 (the one blogger I remember well is Amy Welborn), and told Patrick Madrid it might be something to for the Envoy staff to pursue. I never expected it to become a nearly daily part of my life and my work, first at Envoy, and then with Ignatius Press.
Much ink (so to speak) has been spilled about the glories and evils of blogging. I tend toward the "let's not get carried away, shall we?" camp, believing that blogging does not mark the end of civilization (no, that would probably be disco and death metal), nor is it going to save the world. It is a tool of communication, and people can use it to communicate well or poorly. Examples of the former are available, and examples of the latter are unavoidable. There is certainly some truth in saying the medium is the message, and I think the really unique quality of blogging is the quickness with which is can be employed and used to respond to news and communicate ideas. But, in the end, people have to assess the responses and judge the ideas. And it is there, in the realm of critical thinking and logic and reflection, where the deeper problems exist and await the sort of devastating analysis that escapes me at the moment.
But I digress.
The Insight Scoop blog has been up and running over five years now, and recently passed the 3,000,000 mark for page views. In those five years, there have been over 5,700 posts and 25,000 comments on this blog. I estimate that in my seven years of blogging, I've put together about a thousand posts each year, perhaps more. What does that mean? I'm not really sure. (Hey, I can barely count to 87 by tens.) After all, there are blogs out there apparently getting 3,000,000 visits a month. Or a week. But, whatever the case, blogging has been, for me, both a rather steady presence and, at times, a somewhat surprising thing—especially when it comes to what catches and holds the attention of readers. After all, the greatest mystery in blogging is, "Why do 361 people comment about a link to a silly piece about 'X-Files," but no one comments on my 4,700-word reflection on the the Council of Chalcedon and the hypostatic union?"
Anyhow, I want to say that I really do appreciate you, the readers of this blog, and your many comments and e-mails. Believe it or not, I do read them. I take them seriously. I try to respond to most of them. But sometimes, I confess, I simply write something caustic about and mildly provoking about heretics or prog rock or "Lost". Or I link to this cool video of my sister playing piano and singing. This blog, likely every blog (and every man), is always a work in progress. I hope it has improved and grown, even if in small and not always easily seen ways. It's hard for me to judge; I'm right in the middle of it. At least that's my excuse for the moment.
For more of my deep and meaningful thoughts on blogging, see this January 3, 2006, post. For more about my taste in music, go here. For my favorite beer, go here. And for more about Ignatius Press, the great Catholic publisher that makes it all possible, go here.
Until the next post (on the same iMac)!
Congrats Carl! Your blog is on the relatively small list of my (almost) daily stops on the Web. Good stuff for the mind and spirit with some biting satire.
X-Files is more familiar than Chalcedon, and less important in case we get the details wrong.
Posted by: Kevin | Tuesday, November 03, 2009 at 09:02 AM
Wow.
Here's one person who really appreciates you putting yourself out there every day in the interest of God and truth and humanity.
(I'm serious. That's what's at stake. Every day.)
And I just finished watching your very lovely sister sing for four exquisitely timeless minutes. She never showed her eyes.
Now, thinking about that fact, I agree that there's entirely too much eye-showing in the world.
So congratulations on everything -- except possibly the beard. (My first ex-wife always told me that guys with beards are not to be trusted. And I have to say, looking back on my life since the mid-1970's, I think she was probably right.)
Posted by: Gregorio | Tuesday, November 03, 2009 at 11:43 AM
I would have said what Kevin said.
But, Kevin already said it.
Thanks, Carl; and keep up the good work.
Posted by: Nicholas Jagneaux | Tuesday, November 03, 2009 at 01:41 PM
congratulations!
Posted by: rd | Tuesday, November 03, 2009 at 07:00 PM
Is that a copy of "Erotic Elements of Etruscan Cooking" in the bookcase right behind you?
Just kidding!
Congrats!
Posted by: Chuck | Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 05:02 PM