The year in this blog

Angelo did a yearly blog recap, so I figured I'd do the same as it might be fun.

January

I didn't really blog then, so I can't remember much. The Colts beat the Patriots that month. That was fantastic. Let's hope history repeats itself.

February

I notice Angelo, Brad and others are blogging, and figure I'll join in as well. I make this my first post. There are posts before this, but they were second homes for the stuff I'd written for the Marianas Variety, which is all I ever expected this blog to be and where this blog might ultimately end up. A mere 255 people showed up that first month.

March

I went to the Philippines for my sister in law's wedding. I meet her family and they are supercool. They are a tight knit, fun loving bunch. I went to Baguio, which is a long bus ride from Manila to the "countryside," yet still crowded and polluted. It's supposed to be the summer capital, but I'm not getting the draw for the reasons noted. I find it wildly overrated. I went to Cebu, which has a lot of what Manila has without the horrific traffic. I also go to Bohol, which was nice, but seemingly lacking something. I am impressed with the Malate section of Manila, which reminds me a bit of New York City with all the bars, restaurants and bohemian young people.

April

The federalization debate really heats up. The CNMI hires a lobbyist both to remind people they once hired Jack Abramoff and to screw over a few Filipinos who have lived here a long time. I blast them while sitting in a computer room in Manila. I was the first to do so. PSS folks have to do the dance on whether they are getting the funding needed to function even moderately properly. I turn 35.

May

This is the month I did my best writing on this blog. There were a lot of good posts that month, toot toot. It was fun then, it was taking off, and there were big topics I still hadn't addressed. Dengre calls Bruce Bateman "the Drunken Face of Evil" in his headline, which is still the world's greatest headline. I didn't know Bruce too much at the time, other than column Bruce, who comes off as quite the dick on occasion, but I heard enough good things to add some balance to the debate. I find out liberals don't like shades of grey.

June

School ends. I go to Palau and relish a few days hanging in the coalition of the willing. I also put together my Variety profile on CNMI bloggers. Carl and Clarence become Carl and Alexander Turbitt and my legal kids. I get a Virginia teachers license, go on Harry Blalock's show to discuss blogging and a couple of us do a dive on Bruce's boat. I wrote what I think is my best post blasting Guam airport. Every week a disgruntled traveler googles Guam Airport and reads my post slamming them. This will deservedly go on into perpetuity. Cheers for my pea shooter. I head to the states to avail myself of urban pleasures like MLB games, Cuban food and museums. I meet my newborn niece Samantha Lynn, see Rush and the Dave Matthews Band in concert and visit a good friend in North Carolina. This was a great month.

July

Tao Tao Tano blows its credibility with its "Go home protest." I definitely was the first to blast them writing from the states as soon as those stories hit the website. Many others did as well. The sexiest and best blog contest rages. Angelo tries to cheat with a proxy server, but still loses. Brad and Harry win. The campaign was nasty, with Brad Ruszala getting the Nambla endorsement.

August

I get switched from senior to freshmen English and am not happy. Classes are wildly overcrowded. Cynthia gets her green card. I get offered a Marianas Variety column. I'm embroiled in the Korean tourists enrolling in PSS shitstorm.

September

I find out Cynthia is with my child. Distinction made so I don't have to slap Angelo. The blogger trolls come out finally and in force, largely because of Brad Ruszala's endless arguments with them on Middle Road. I was surprised it took that long.

October

PSS starts its bimonthly maybe we can't make payroll or keep school going talk. The Red Sox win another World Series as George Bush finishes Ph.D dissertation on Greek philosophy and Brad Ruszala practices monogamy. I dive a lot -- a real lot.

November

From 255 visitors in February, I'm now over 3,300 in November. In every month, until this one, traffic goes up. The CNMI has elections and goes for change by inserting all the people who lost the last election to do presumably the same things that didn't work last time. Tina Sablan and Galvin Guerrero win to provide some hope. I seek refuge in humor writing rather than focusing on our lousy government.

December

We find out Cynthia is having a girl. While waiting for her ultrasound, some guy wheeled in by ER folks and looking half dead picks his head up, smiles at me and says, "Love your column, man." Ambrose Bennett sets record for using the phrase "Common Sense" in a single calendar year for letters to the editor no one reads. Harry Blalock quits blogging -- for real this time. I hang out with friends during Christmas break and have fun.