EckerNet.Com

Five years ago today, the original version of EckerNet came online.  Originally, EckerNet was just a domain so I could have a cool email address and share funny stuff with my friends.  That lasted about 20 minutes.

Then it occurred to me I had just created my own soapbox, and since the local papers won't publish my letters, I'll publish them myself dammit!!  And so began my career in blogging.  I use the word career loosely because while it takes up quite a bit of time, I've never earned a dime doing it.  Although, I've never tried either.

In the past five years, EckerNet has undergone no less than five major overhauls of design.  The original version was strictly HTML.  This was before blogging software (or even the current incarnation of blogging itself) really existed.   Every time I made a post I had to rewrite the main page, the individual page, the archive pages, etc.  In short, it was a major pain in the ass.

Thankfully things have gotten easier as time has gone on.  In fact, I'm really rather happy with my latest update.  Moved to a new host, which is dreadfully helpful with me on everything.  I've switched to a new blogging software which, while also being free, is also about 387% better than Moveable Type ever was.  And when you put both of those together, I have control over things I didn't, which is nice because I can be a control freak about some stuff.  And stuff I hated to do is now automated.  And stuff that annoyed me doesn't annoy me because it isn't there anymore.   Yeah for progress!

The blogging itself has gotten nicer too.  For one, my writing has improved by leaps and bounds.  My grammar still sucks, as someone (thanks Bridget!) was kind enough to point out to me.  But overall the writing is better which is one of the reasons I've blogged this long anyway.  My traffic has never been anything to brag about but then again I've never really cared or tried to build it up.  The few times I tried/cared I found I started blogging for other people rather than myself.  And that will get old real quick.  As evidence of that I'd like to present "Exhibit A" through Exhibit "Infinity Times C", which mostly consists of a dreadfully large number of bloggers who have started and since quiet in frustration and disillusionment (is that a word?  F it, I'm making it one).  

Plus I've managed to meet some interesting people.  And I use "interesting" in both the worst and best ways possible.   There are some that make me roll my eyes and retreat to the nearest bar and immediately order half of it.  But most of the people I've met have been wonderful.  Some have turned into friendships that exist independent of blogging.  Some ….

What? Really? Oh…okay, thanks…

Ok I've just been informed that the sappiness level of this post has reached toxic levels so I'll wrap it up.

Happy Birthday To Me!  Give Me Presents! Tell Me How Great I Am! 

Whose up for another five?