Blogging in 2006

This being both New Year's Day & my 1-year blogiversary, time to assess

My goals for the blog in 2006 are modest, pretty much unchanged from when I started it a year ago: write about things that interest me, clarifying what I think through what I write, and hopefully finding a few folks out there who like what they hear, all with the ultimate goal of moving Christ to the center of my life in all things.

By Blogger's count, I had 112 posts on this blog, plus 2 more on my buddy Hemsch's creative blog (I hope to put a few more things on there this year, mainly about writing). I should probably blog less, but I'd like to blog more, so I'll probably blog about the same. My big problem is that I am S-L-O-W when it comes to writing.

A quick word on just a few of the many great people I've met this year.

Centuri0n: Cent has become a great friend. His writing challenges me. We have kids that are similar ages. And it probably doesn't hurt that he lives just 3 1/2 hours away, in a place that holds fond memories (my wife & I met and graduated from college there); it's also one of the most beautiful places in the United States.

Phil Johnson: Here is a man whose writing & preaching I appreciate so very much. He eschews both academic sophistry and anti-intellectualism, and as a result appeals to those who think and care about the truth but are mostly ignored by academics (those with initials behind their names). I hope he decides to stick with the blogging thing, because I always look forward to reading him.

Carla Rolfe: Her comments on Pyromaniac (& her fabulous pictures) drew me initially to her blog. What keeps me coming back is her love for truth & her transparency. When I read her stuff, I'm reminded of Paul's letters to the Corinthians--his concern for their forays into sin and their intensely personal nature. I suppose her love for commas makes her writing like Paul's as well (though it's easier for him to get away with writing long sentences in Greek than her in English).

Kim Shay: If Carla can be compared to Paul, then Kim must be Barnabas. And she is. A true encourager. (If you add only one person to your regular readership this year, make sure it's Kim. She will read & post comments regularly.) Her blog is a potpourri of upbeat posts, and the comment section is filled with a neat community of people. She and hubby Bugblaster are also shameless flirts--sort of a Canadian Nick & Nora Charles. They are a wonderful example of what a marriage should be, and a good antidote to what the world thinks marriage is.

(As an aside, I can't believe how much good blogging is coming out of Canada. Two of those above, the last couple of people I've featured on my blog, plus the amazing Daniel @ Doulogos, are all from Canada. I hope that admitting this doesn't make me the quintessential "ugly American.")

Finally, to all who have read and/or linked to me, a big thank you. With few exceptions, I didn't even know you before I started blogging (and very few of those who know me in the real world read me anyway). Someone I read recently advised focusing efforts on making friends offline; that's probably good advice, but it ignores the benefits of this particular medium: you can read & interact with people from literally all over the world--people that you might never have a chance to meet in real time. Don't try to tell me that's not real friendship, especially when you spend that time talking about the Savior.

BTW, everywhere in the writing world I see the advice that you have to know your audience. If I had to add one thing to my list of goals for 2006, it would be to get to know my readers better. Feel free to drop me a comment now & then, and I will try to do the same for you.