25 years

A long, long time ago
I can still remember how that music
Used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they’d be happy for a while

American Pie by Don McLean

I can sing many songs (badly) word for word, the full version of American Pie is one. It was a song my Dad, who loved a bit of folk music/americana, played now and then and, long before Madonna brought it back to the masses, was a popular choice during my time doing Hospital Radio; some times you’d be the only one there so if you needed a pee you needed a long track, thank you Don McLean for this 8 minute track.

And no, he’s not a relation.

I’ve written at length about why I started this blog, and why I keep posting to it despite the fact my average readership is in the low double digits, but it still baffles my brain that it’s now entering it’s 25th year of existence. 25 years since I wrote about Sunglasses.

If I was more organised I’d now share some stats and interesting tidbits about this site, it’d be very meta (if that’s what the kids are still calling it today) and tell you which post got the most visits, which one got the most comments, who the top referrer was.

Instead I’ll ponder the people I’ve met, the publications I’ve been mentioned in and more. I used to have an Ego page on here but then I realised how little I cared about that stuff. Although it is still fun to remind myself that…

• If you own issue ?? of .Net magazine, my (very old) site was featured on page… (it was it really was, but I can’t remember which issue. Dammit).
• If you own the O’Reilly book Essential Blogging – I can be found on page 223.
• I was interviewed on Radio Scotland on Tuesday, March 9th, 2004.
• I featured in the Scottish Sunday Times Ecosse magazine on Sunday, March 13th, 2005.
• I was quoted in the Guardian on Tuesday, February 7th 2006.
• I was quoted in the Sunday Times Ecosse section on Sunday 11th March 2007.

But above all, I’ve maintained and cared for this site as I’ve grown. As I’ve matured, been through divorce, different relationships and stages of my life, through to my current delightedly happy state, married to the person I didn’t realise I needed until she rocked up in my life and kissed me, and father to a beautiful, curious, boy who I’d happily hack off my right arm for.

25 years and many more to go. Probably.