Happy Blogiversary to the House!
It seems like only yesterday – in a “Groundhog Day” sort of way – that I decided to get in on the fun and start my own blog.
At the time, the impact of Rathergate was still being felt across both the MSM and the Shadow Media so my first post was a little finger exercise entitled “An Anchorman Fairy Tale.”
I know…Pretty lame.
It had been nearly 15 years since I had tried to write anything longer than a grocery list. This after spending the previous 15 years doing little else but writing for work and trying to write creatively. It didn’t take long to discover that I had a lot of work to do.
Writing is both a craft and a vocation. It is a much more personal art than acting, something I tried to make a living as in my immediate post-college days. While acting leaves you naked and exposed on a superficial level – your looks, how you sound, how you emote – writing exposes your soul, your consciousness, the very essence of you to the critical eyes of people who, even if they agree with you, may not like the way you express yourself.
Scary, that. And at first, it didn’t matter much because, like all new blogs, nobody bothered to read what I was writing. This turned out to be a very good thing in that those early posts were atrocious; ill informed, poorly organized, and at times, incoherent.
Later on, after writing 2,000 or 3,000 words a day, the writing got better. But something else happened I didn’t anticipate; I got addicted. The blog became something of a beast that needed constant feeding and tending. I’ve since made peace with that fact of blogging and now look forward eagerly each day to the challenge of finding something that interests me to post on.
But writing, as I mentioned, is a craft. In olden days, there was a newspaper guild where youngsters would go through an apprenticeship, become a journeyman, and eventually make it to the point where they were allowed to write for a living. As late as the 1950’s, most major metropolitan dailies had apprentices. If they could put up with the grunt work for a few years as “copy boys” or gofers of one sort or another, they were rewarded with assignments like writing obituaries or other mundane tasks. If they proved themselves worthy, they would graduate to covering a beat.
Blogs have no such apprenticeship. We hit the ground running and off we go. And as I’ve discovered, there are many, many generous people out there willing to help, to advise, and to give you encouragement – especially in those early days when it’s easy to get discouraged at the fact that absolutely no one is interested in what you have to say.
For me, there are so many to thank that I don’t quite no where to begin. Certainly my blogmama Cao of Caos’s Blog should be mentioned first. It was her encouragement that kept me going in those very early days when most of my sitemeter stats were from me.
And Pat Curley from the dormant Kerry Haters and the very much alive and kicking Brainsters Blog who was one of the first to link to this site and also gave me a lot of support and encouragement.
Then there all my friends at The Wide Awakes, a site that Cao, Raven, and I started and through which I have enjoyed making many friends and blog buds.
TJ at NIF has almost singlehandedly put me within spitting distance of the top 100 blogs with his many links and kind comments.
Thomas Lifson at The American Thinker has been more than generous in accepting my articles for publication on that excellent site as well as offering his encouragement to write more.
John Cole who has challenged me to think, even when it’s gotten me into trouble.
I can’t forget the Watcher at Watcher of Weasels who, by choosing me for the Watcher’s Council, has given my writing an enormous amount of exposure.
Beth at MVRWC who has been there to help me through the rough spots by making me laugh.
And Michelle Malkin who has also been extraordinarily generous and encouraging.
There are dozens of others that deserve mention. However, this is not an Academy Awards acceptance speech and I am not Sally Fields. To the rest, you know who you are and I hope you know how much I appreciate your help and support.
And to all my beloved trolls – Steve, Kevin, Strawman, Jackie, and the rest – please keep helping to make my life interesting. This site wouldn’t be the same without you.
7:09 am
Happy Blogiversary Rick! And here’s to eagerly anticipating many more.
And I have to thank YOU and RWNH bigtime for giving me the push and helping to get me started. That is, when I’m not cursing you under my breath.
7:52 am
Happy blogging to you
Happy blogging to you
Your blog is the best
‘cuz it’s all done by you.
Hey, gimmmie a break, I’ve always said I can’t write…....
Happy Blogiversary Rick!
8:16 am
Happy Blogiversary
9:32 am
Here’s hoping for many more years of blogging Rick. I’m a voracious reader and appreciate good writing so my daily visits to RWN are always a treat.
Santay
9:57 am
Happy birthday to your blog!
10:11 am
Rightwing Nuthouse Turns One
Happy Blogiversary to you
Happy Blogiversary to you
Happy Blogiversary dear Rightwing Nuthouse
Happy Blogiversary to YOU!
Rick Moran, aka Superhawk, is one of the folks most responsible for me delving into the blogosphere with my own silly shop of ho…
10:16 am
Rick, you are incredible; your writing extraordinary; happy blogiversary!
I can’t believe how far you’ve come in just one year
At least I can say “I knew you when”—BEFORE people like Rush Limbaugh began reading your pieces on the air and before you started getting instalanches and Malkin mentions.
To me you will always be Superhawk from when we were battling frenchie and whynot from the frogblog, Kevin and Carla from Pre-Emptive Karma back in the day. Can’t believe it’s only been one year. I feel battle-scarred, in fact.
But I also feel proud, because I’m a willing student and you have taught me so much. I’ve learned from everyone, but you are dear to me; as you are one of the originals. The backup—they encouragement goes both ways. Thank you.
12:55 pm
Happy blogiversary Rick. You are still on the rise, kicking ass and taking names. Talent and intelligence runs in your family it seems, and I am glad you are here making sense of things and pointing out what we might not see otherwise. Rock on Bud.
1:33 pm
Happy bloggery-bloggidy day! Keep up the good work.
1:40 pm
Happy Blogaversary Rick. Any and all accolades that come your way today (or any other time) are well deserved. What can I say? You Rock
!
5:02 pm
Has it been a year? WOW. I started blogging a year ago too over at Blgospot…where you were originally. I remember the early days of the Wide Awakes, trying to figure out who we were and what we wanted to do. You were the calm, cool presence Cao and I needed after we got attacked SO many times at our sites. While Cao was blowing steam and smoke out of her ears, I would be in my comments swearing up a storm LOL. Frenchie and Diana have never been the same since we got done with them. Like Cao, I feel a little scarred from those days. If it weren’t for you, I think we both would have given this blogging up way back when.
I remember how we rocked with the Terri Schiavo episode and how we all came together. When you got this site set up,I recall some of the trouble you had with it LOL.
Like Kender says…you have a way of bringing issues to light in a manner that makes sense. You’re very talented with words and we all appreciate that.
I’m honored to have been a part of those days when we all first came together. We’re all still together in the same battles, and I’m grateful that you and I have been able to stay friends through the tough times.
Don’t ever stop. Keep up your good work here.
Happy Blogaversary!!
12:33 am
Countdown to the weekend
Today’s dose of NIF - News, Interesting & Funny … Weekend!
1:47 am
And here’s to many more!