This obviously wasn’t written in 1994 (the date showing on this posting, and the date This is True was born, albeit under a maiden name) — blogs didn’t exist in 1994. When “web logs” — blogs — started showing up years later, readers kept asking when I was going to get one.
I replied I already did have one, in a sense: I had been publishing since 1994, and my commentary on general things was published in my email newsletter right from the start. So in one sense, I’ve been blogging since 1994. Just not on the web….
Creating a Record
But one of my original readers — one who has subscribed since 1994 — convinced me that I should have a “real” blog, for one important reason: “Yes, you’ve been writing ‘blog-like’ posts in your newsletters for over a decade,” Jerry in California wrote when I sent him the above excuse. “But the record doesn’t exist online. There’s no archive, no place to search, no place to go back to.”
Jerry said he had a few newsletters that he saved because he was particularly taken with something, but the oldest ones were saved on old low-capacity “Zip” disks, and he hasn’t had a Zip drive on his computer for several years now.
He pointed out that I now had an ever-growing online archive of This is True stories, so why not create an archive of essays and commentary, too? And, more important, he said, I should keep up with the postings, so that when he reads something compelling in a newsletter, he can send people to whatever point more easily, since it would be on a web page.
That’s a big job he’s asking for, but I couldn’t argue with his logic. Thanks, Jerry: I may be a “pioneer” of online publishing, but it’s feedback from readers that lets me know what their needs are.
So Here It Is
With more than 12 years of newsletters under my belt, it’ll take me awhile to catch up with the posts. But rest assured, I won’t be posting everything! Only things that are interesting, or that speak to the historical record, or that I think people will be looking for will be included. I’ll date the items with the original date they were published, with the exception of this post, which I’m dating early (the column’s creation date) to force it to the front to introduce the collection. Note that I’ll definitely fix any typos or such that I find; if I add contemporary remarks I’ll typically put them in italics, at the bottom.
While I’m catching up with historical items from the newsletters, I’ll also add contemporary posts so that I’m not forever behind.
About Letters
In the first incarnation of these pages, there was no Comments function: the pages were hand-coded, so I just included letters in the body of the page. While some of those remain, since they were used to make points in reply, now that the site has software that does allow comments, most “letters” have been switched to comments, using the same date as the entry itself.
So Enjoy My Blog — years of searchable and categorized ramblings, insights and rants from This is True. You can also subscribe to new posting alerts by RSS reader or email — see the “Blog Post Notifications” in the sidebar.
Another new venture? I like it! Congratulations! your Mom
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The very first comment, too. Nice that she pays such close attention! -rc
Congratulations on your new venture! I will especially enjoy this upcoming portion since I have not been a subscriber since the beginning. Catching up should be fun. I think what will be good about this blog is that we will be able to see reader response much quicker than in the newsletter, which, in and of itself, should provide stimulating reading.
John
I too am going to be very interested in the really “old” stuff! Just discovered this site about 5 years ago. I have never visited a blog before, so this is also a new experience. Well done Randy.
This Just In – often abbreviated as TJI and when you were forced to change the name you commented that This is True would not be referred to by its initials. Not sure why that of all things from so many years ago stuck with me.
I just started reading this year. It’s been a great source of amusement. Kudos!
Welcome to the blogging community, Randy. I look forward to “catching up” on the older posts, since I’ve only been with you for about 5-6 years (I think). Best wishes on this new venture!
Wow what a pleasant change it has been to have your newsletter – common sense in the written word – too bad you’re not a newspaper editor!!
I am really looking forward to your archives to see all the things I have missed over the years – and I am recommending you to all my friends and posting a link on my web site and and and telling everyone I meet and and….
Just read your note of support from your mom. Good that she’s supportive. Here’s what I could expect from my mom… “You’re trying THAT? Don’t you know that it’s already been tried and everyone’s failed? What, you think you’re so much smarter than everyone else that’s tried?”
The first time I ever stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan was in 1982. I found some stationary with their letterhead in the desk drawer so I figured I’d write her a letter on it. Several days later I got a letter back from her which started out, “I was surprised to see a letter from the Waldorf-Astoria. I always thought that was just for high class people…”
Gee, thanks a hell of a bunch, you old bat! (But she means well; it’s just that encouragement and motivation are not her strong suits.)
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Just because she’s not “high class” doesn’t mean you can’t be. I know it hurts, but you can rise above anything — and anyone — if you work hard enough. I didn’t have that pain, but still had to work hard. -rc
Thanks for having me — it’s a pleasure to be here! Actually, now that I’m here, it means that it’s time for me to go back to the most RECENT posts and read everything that I’ve missed while I’ve been working my way backwards.
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I hope you found reading the entire body of posts interesting and entertaining. -rc