A Blogging Fool Looks Back

I don't remember exactly when I first blogged. I started a LiveJournal in 2003 because a friend had one, but I didn't understand what the thing was and let it go fallow and eventually, forgot the username and login.

In March 2004, I discovered AOL journals thanks to a link on the home page, I think it was, and thus the first Cyber Chocolate (since deleted) was born. CC was a catch-all blog, a bit of this and bit of that, a place for me to post reviews and fun links, and random thoughts. And in my thirst for knowledge and to learn how blogging worked, I didn't stop there.

I Googled subjects plus blogs and found interesting ones to read. And along the way, I found BlogSpot. I tried it, creating the original Presto Speaks! (and mirrored on AOL, and later, on LJ). But it was difficult to use back then, so I didn't do more than post about writing and left the template alone.

A short time later, I created a photoblog on AOL, taking advantage of the ftp space AOL gives its members. Then, Blogger redesigned BlogSpot and added templates, and suddenly, I had new toys to play with. I tried BlogDrive, too, and BlogCity. But mostly, I created Blogger blogs. This was one of them. Others, like Occasional Blog and Malt Shop served as categories, being reserved for specialized posting, rants and memes respectively.

I created this version of CC for the javascript add-ons that wouldn't show or work on AOL. Eventually, I learned how to manipulate the template and played. Adding things to the sidebar became an obsession. After a while, AOL seemed to restrictive to me and I dropped the version of CC there in favor of this one.

It's been a fun year and I like to think I've managed to maintain the eccentricity and eclecticism of this blog. I've also acquired some regular readers, for which I am very grateful.

Oh, the first post here (8/19/04)?

This Blog is a Figment of Your Imagination

Yes, really. You may move along now. I'm just gonna use this to play with the template.

The second post was a bit better (8/20/04):

I Was Just Kidding Okay, this is a real journal. Really. I'll be blogging here for time to time in conjunction with Cyber Chcolate over on AOL, posting the things that use html coding AOL doesn't allow. And some other stuff, too. Maybe.

Watch This Space.

Little did I imagine what that would lead to. Regular posting commenced soon thereafter.

And for those of you who wonder where I came from, I posted an old photo of my parents on Retro-Spective. One of my baby pictures is in that blog's sidebar.