I began, as most new bloggers did back then (October 2000), by somehow discovering Kottke. Interesting website, I thought. Jason's site led me to Blogger, where I figured it might be kind of fun to give it a try. I'd had my domain for about two years at that point, and a Geocities site that I continually tinkered with, and realized that Blogger would allow me to update my site quickly and simply. The rest, as they say, is history...
Since then, of course, there has been an exponential increase in bloggers, particularly of the non-"progressive" types following 9/11 - that horrible day served as a launching point for what has been termed (inaccurately, perhaps, but cleverly) "warbloggers." Now, of course, there are bloggers of every stripe, political persuasion, and sensibility. Here are some of my favorites, along with some of the reasons that I appreciate or admire them...
Round #1 included (as mentioned) Jason, along with his compadres Megnut and Evan. Evan so impressed me with his (their) creation of Blogger that I gave him a call one day just to say thanks.
Round #2 began with then-L.A. based Oliver Willis, one of the first great bloggers, IMO. Our politics are largely opposite, but Oliver is damned good at what he does, and one of the first "brand name bloggers." I also stumbled across some smart guy named Glenn just a few weeks after he began blogging, when I found his very articulate entry about cloning. And then Fredrik Norman, a young Norwegian who believes in many of the things that I do, was next; he was the first "international" blogger that I linked to. Next up: Annessa Boogie, who challenged her readers to answer a question. Annessa is a natural-born blogger, and her popularity is well deserved. And if you look here, you'll notice two origami stars at the top, which Annessa was kind enough to make "for" me!
And then came the "warbloggers." Not all of them began post-9/11, and not all of them are/were bloodthirsty warmongers, but the rise in blogging in the months following 9/11 seemed to catapult many of them to new heights in terms of readership, writing, and such. Among the first: Jeff Jarvis, whose WWIII began just days after 9/11. The USS Clueless, captained by Steven Den Beste, of course, was writing smart stuff before that day, but his popularity soared, and I'd argue that he has one of the most respected sites in the land of blogs. And then there's Sgt Stryker, a fellow airman, who almost instantly rocketed to the "top of the charts" with his insight, commentary, and stories about the military response to 9/11. Michele, the wildly popular gal behind "A Small Victory," falls into this category, and her ability to blend pop culture, "warblogging," personal stories, and organize worthy causes makes her a truly great blogger.
And then came the next iteration, who either through temperament, style, wit, or politics, have intrigued, amused, or enlightened me. Let's start with Charles, who I maintain is the smartest and most dryly humorous blogger of all. Plus, he's from Oklahoma, a state near & dear to my heart. Other OK bloggers include Asherah, who is a recent addition, and Joseph, whose lengthy posts are always worth the wait. Speaking of humor, Allison has been a mainstay for quite a while; she's a remarkable young lady (and cute, to boot!) with quite a sense of humor, and her very short entry about a bird still can make me nearly pee from laughing so hard. Another long-time link of mine is James, from Ohio; his passion for and knowledge of firearms is impressive, and he is one of the most thoughtful & intelligent bloggers that I've ever "met." Speaking of intelligent, everybody knows that Stephen is smart and cutting-edge witty, but he is also a very good lunch date. Just wish he wouldn't neglect his site for days on end...he's too good to leave us hanging like that! And of course, Erica remains one of the poets of the blogosphere; her words are eloquent, as is the woman herself. Her hubby Sam, too, is a blogger of note, and conversant in all things "techie." Arguably Erica & Sam are the "cutest" blog-couple.
And then there are the folks whose politics I don't share, but whose style, cultural references, and/or humor just impresses the hell out of me: Jon McNally, who has demonstrated his sense of fairness in my defense over at MeFi, knows virtually everything about every song ever recorded, and has an amazing ability to find and consume the strangest, most bizarre concoctions ever dreamed up; to top it off, his style of writing is just so understatedly clever and full of insight. And then there's Penda, who initially (I think) thought that I was a blowhard, but realized that I'm really just an old softie, and who disregards all notions of political correctness and calls 'em like she sees 'em; the term "snark" was probably created just to describe her. She's also remarkably photogenic, especially in blue.
And then there are my fellow Montana bloggers; first and foremost is Craig, whose MTPolitics.net is observant, relevant, and of course full of humor. Craig's success outside of Montana is only natural, as his insight on things both state-wide and across the nation is dead-on. Plus, he takes some way, way cool pictures to share with us, and is just a great all-around guy. Another MT blogger is Miss Bonkrood, who I actually began reading before I even moved here 15 months ago; at the time, she was literally the only Montana-based blogger that I could find, and she happened to live in Great Falls, so of course I scoured her archives trying to learn more about the city that I was on the verge of moving too. Thanks, Dorea! Some other Montana bloggers: Wulfgar--finally!--has joined the fray; Patia, who I just discovered and seems to be on hiatus; and Kim from Revolving Duck, who looks rather fetching in her stylish eyewear - and has the votes to prove it! (sigh) We *need* to have a Montana Blogger Meet-Up someday, folks.
And of course there are my fellow mil-bloggers. Stryker, as you all know, is the Lord God King of mil-bloggers (Lt Smash is still too "new" at this point--but still great). My buddy George, after a lengthy blog-vacation, has recently returned with a vengeance. The strangely titled "Weck Up To Thees!" continues to be both smart and touching, and the fact that it's written by a great guy from Wyoming is strictly a bonus. And blogging from a tropical paradise is Sgt Hook, who blends intelligence, dedication, and a critical eye. He's also a damn fine writer.
Medical blogs are always of interest; among the best medblogs are GruntDoc, who "did time" (military, that is) several years ago and integrates his military background with his current role of emergency physician into one of the most consistently enjoyable blogs. And then there's "Doc Shazam," AKA Mister Hassle's Long Underpants. She's young, tired (duh), and dedicated, and her entries are always worth reading.
And then there is David. Both of them. Dave Tepper and David F. Very good bloggers - both smart - both funny - both topical - and they both have a whimsical side that endears them to my sensibilities.
And then there are some relative newcomers, who have absolutely become daily reads due to their amazing writing, frequent updates, and (duh) gorgeous-ness: Jane, who has elevated cursing to a fine art; Kelley, who is truly one of the few true "staples" on everyone's linkage, and deservedly so, and whose weekly Cul-De-Sac is one of the most addictive things I've ever encountered; and the lovely Venomous Kate, whose political commentary is second to none.
And there you have it. Not a comprehensive list, and I apologize sincerely to anyone who I haven't mentioned specifically, but you get the idea. All of these people mean something to me. All of them have brought something into my life -- timely information, side-splitting humor, personal insights, warm fuzzy feelings, righteous outrage, even an occasional tear. With very few exceptions, I've met none of them "in real life," but there's not a day that goes by that I don't peek into the workings of their brains, see what they're working on or what is making them tick. Even days that I am not able to click-through every link, they all cross my mind. I wish them (you) all well, and I suspect that they wish the same for me. That makes them friends, in my book.
So you see - when I titled my site "Better Living Through Blogging," I figured that there was an off-chance that someone, anyone, might pick up a nugget or two that made their life better in some small way. But the truth is, the "Better Living Through Blogging" is *mine* - through all of your sites.
And there it is. Of course, the fourth year surpassed the first three in terms of enjoyment, meeting new folks, and getting "better" at blogging. I'll close with a link to Michele, who proudly proclaims herself to be A Blogger - and I can only echo her sentiments.