Last year, one of those friends said, "You know what Joel? You should have a blog." Since this friend is quite a good writer, I took it as a compliment. This friend may or may not know that this is the fifth blog I have started. The first fizzled out fairly quickly after I got busy at school. The second, at the Des Moines Register's website, was fun for a while, but after about two years, the cost/benefit ratio failed to compute. The third and fourth were travelogues of a kind about my experiences in Washington DC and the Middle East. This blog, I hope, will be a little more permanent.
It's been said that having a blog is a sign of narcissism - that to blast your thoughts and opinions all over the interweb is a sign of a dangerously high regard for your own thoughts and opinions. Let me assure you all, this is not the case. I have no desire to force my thoughts on anyone. If ever you find these scrivenings the least bit boring, go somewhere else. I will post here for four reasons and four reasons alone: 1) to vent, 2) to keep friends and family updated on my life's goings-on, in case they are interested, 3) to pass on amusing things, and 4) so that if, years from now, I ever want to remember the things I thought when I was in my early 20s, I can come back here and read what I thought.
That's about the long and short of it. Hopefully this will be an enjoyable enterprise. Thanks for stopping by!
مح السالمة
(Go with peace)
I look forward to what will doubtless be well reasoned thoughts and enjoyable writing. (Also to KC and Seatle, inshallah)
ReplyDeleteGottcha in my feed reader---looking forward to what you'll have to say.
ReplyDeleteSoftie... I'll decide how I feel after I see how it works...
ReplyDeleteEnshallah, brotha. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
I'm excited for this blog, Joel.
ReplyDelete"I've got with me all that I need..." I like it.
Hey awesome...I'll be a fan dude. Hey and I like your, "Go with Peace" in Hebrew...how do you do "safe" in Hebrew?
ReplyDeleteThanks, all.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks Mr. Elgersma. It's actually in Arabic, which I'm kinda/sorta trying to learn. (It's how they say "goodbye," pronounced "ma salaama.") "Safe" would be أمان or "amaan."