Sunday, February 03, 2008

Looking Back, Looking Forward

One year ago today I published my one hundredth post; this is number 2128, a feat which even though I know to be a fact I still have trouble believing. It's been a little over a month since my last update of this nature, and seeing as I missed our second anniversary - which fell on January 26th, during my recent illness - this seems as logical a time as any to update my regular readers as to the progress (or lack thereof) of the Pop Culture Institute.

Of course, looking back on it, on this day last year I still had no idea how to make links, and had only just figured out the insertion of photos; clear evidence, at least, of the steepness of my learning curve these past twelve months. I'd say I was proud of myself at least for what I've learned, if only I were capable of it; nevertheless it pleases me that I did it. In addition to the conquering of ignorance, I've come a long way (at least I think I have) from that angry impatience of mine, born mostly of frustration at my own limitations, which to me suggests passion but which to everyone else suggests staying away from me altogether.

The format of posts (both in quantity and quality) is more or less in place, and the structure of individual days is there too, at least since the landmark date of August 5th; even though by far the majority of my readers seem to discover me while Googling some specific subject or other, it's important to me as well as to the future of the blog that I build each day thematically, even if that is an ongoing process which takes years. Variety, as they say, is the something or other - the seasoning of existence? - so it's most important that I keep myself interested, as I'm the one who spends 5-6 hours a day neck deep in the thing so that you may have a few moments of pleasant reading in your day.

At New Year's I had promised that I would be taking things more easily this year than last, and in that I think I have; thank you to all of you who stayed with me through those few days when all I published was POPnews because it was all I had the strength to do. Despite my fatalistic pronouncements, the problem seems to have been caused by an electrolyte balance; the fact that I was growing weaker by the day panicked me, it's true, but I tried not to let it affect the quality of my work here, even if I did let it reduce the quantity.

The challenge ahead is to take all the types of posts I have done in the past - profiles, reviews, commentary, news, and photography - and merge them all a little more thoroughly, while still investigating new forms, such as interview and documentary. While I don't always feel I've succeeded at every post I've written, believe me when I say I would never publish something that I feel will reflect badly on me or this blog, at which I've worked so hard.

By this coming Pride Day (the 1st anniversary of my one thousandth post is August 5th) I hope to be at 3000, the Gods, Blogspot, and my own stamina willing. Here's to it!

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