I don’t think that I talk very much, so I thought that it was interesting that Mr.Monkeywhale would approach me to contribute to his blog. I’ve never blogged. I don’t twitter, facebook, myspace, or even use my phone if it’s unnecessary. I will honor the invitation, though.

My network, as I said, is not technologically based – and I’m ok with that. I’ve achieved the US dream, of sorts: the family and the fence and the small (albeit unkempt) yard. I still have a job despite the economic sky that’s falling; I am a friendly and competent bartender. For the time being, my network is stable, and I keep a schedule that prohibits much activity, planned or otherwise. My footseps on the world are fairly routine and predictable, and the spice is limited. And I like it. But that’s enough about me for now, I am sure that who I am will be created in your heads as the ramblings continue. This blog, incidentally, ought not be about me anyway. I recently saw an author speak, and he said that it does not serve a writer to be the observed. It is his job to articulate observations. I agreed.

What will we make of this forum? Your guess, honestly, is as good as mine. I will offer this tidbit, though: I am fond of current events, but I have lately had a penchant for exploring history and literature through the years. I guess that I’ll just contribute to the cyber-landfill and we can see what we make of it.

Recently I was digging up some local history at the Central Library. I discovered that the founders of Old Salem maintained a journal that was incredible for its diligence alone. Its records flow from its founding in the 1750′s up to the current day, and its little location has shifted around a bit, but it has stood relatively still for 250+ years now. It has accounts that fit into a global context (such as war, the Revolution, slavery, recessions, weather related trauma, abolition, progress and sprawl, etc), but they were observed from a relatively fixed point in our own neighborhood. I like that, as a humble aim, to see things that way. We are either on the train, or on the platform: while those on board may look at the fools on the platform as if they go nowhere, those on the platform can be entertained by the next train of fools that come by. I personally am at a spot where I’ll enjoy the comforts of my very own platform, thank you very much.

I close today with a cliche. The famous person quote. Gag if you want, but I like it:

“…But man’s capacities have never been measured; nor are we to judge of what he can do by any precedents, so little has been tried. Whatever have been thy failures hitherto, ‘be not afflicted, my child, for who shall assign to thee what thou hast left undone?’”
-Henry David Thoreau, 1854