Guest Blogging Part 2: A New Dawn

As we here at "Things" slowly, painstakingly inch our way towards 10,000 views, I thought it might be time for a bit of reflection on some of the key events, milestones, and people who have made this all happen. What began as but a dream of one arbitrage rebate Mexican-American analyst in a dingy office in Downtown Los Angeles, has evolved into what some have recently described as a "social phenomenon."

[i recommend you play the following song in the background while you read the rest of this post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7k0a5hYnSI]

• Day 1: it all begins. Blogmaster {hereafter referred to as "BM"} allows us into his world of FIFA, the gym, interesting lunch conversations about the best routes to beat traffic and NPR's most recent news pieces (cranberry relish anyone?), fatherly relationships developed with older, possibly gay, white Jewish men at the office, his nighttime dreams, his fears, his philosophies, etc. Curious readers from all corners of the globe begin to migrate to "Things".
• BM tinkers with the blog stylings and layout - seeking to maximize the experience for you and I....la gente.
• the dedication of an entire post to (ex[?]) reader Sheila, and her subsequent disappearance - never to be heard from again.
• the first poll.
• I, Falstad, make a strong effort to increase viewership with some viral marketing and cold calls at my office - reception is luke warm.
• the second anniversary of Election Day '08. BM takes the day off to go dance in the streets.
• the new PS3 controller arrives.
• The trip to NY (to me, for me Andy, this is personally the peak of the blog up to this point. [I just accidently changed the font and I don't know how to change it back] A combination of multi-media experimentation, a fresh perspective, and tremendous insight into a new world that really hasn't been matched since that time. Some say the "Brooklyn collective brownstone holiday artisan holiday party in park slope" article will be [font changed back!!!] considered by the Pulitzer Committee.)
  
• DK tornado's into our lives, and in the blink of an eye is gone. Was great to have you - we all hope you make another appearance some day.
• the arrival of Dinky Renob. An event whose significance cannot be understated - you really injected life into the dying embers of "Things". You are, truly, the Big Meech.
• The birth of Matija's (not Majita) son, who subsequently grows up to shun the blog. (I'm torn by this event, as it A) is the reason I was granted the guest blog spot and B) really puts a strain on American-Croat relations).
• the mystery of "glo".
• The first real mention of McDonald's - a place which will become fundamental to many posts in the future.
• The month of February - the blog hits an all-time low in views and posts. Some fear the end is near.
• THE MUTHA EFFIN WATCH. a turning point for both BM and the blog. the appearance of the new blingin watch reignites the base and, arguably, saves the blog (temporarily).
• Groundbreaking Business Advice is dispensed from the posting of a graph, instructing readers on how to bring new ideas into the market place. Our resident entreprenuer, Dinky, expands on points made in the post, and answers readers questions on saturation, coagulation, etc.
• A dark turn into politics - snide political comments by both BM and some regular commenters take a stranglehold over the blog. A March 3, 2011 post regarding taxes/spending erupts into a Lybian-esque revolution in the comments section. 18 comments in 2 days!!! Some highlights/ramifications:

1. B. McEntyre - shows up, says his piece, frustrates BM, and vows never to read the blog again. A symbol of the destructive nature of "Things" in early March. We are truly sorry things turned out this way. We'd love to have you back B Mac. Things have "change"d around here and we love and need input from all!
2. the alienation of Bryan Doan. One of the most loyal and integral commenters from the start is run out of town by the political riff raff and swears off "Things" entirely. Additionally, readers notice that another former loyalist, Nina, no longer is seen making comments. Some wonder whether there is a deeper conspiracy involving these 2. Doan starts a rival blog: (http://operationengineeringfreedom.blogspot.com/) and vows to bring down "Things" if it's the last thing he ever does.

• BM realizes the nastiness "Things" has become and attempts some reconciliation with the readers. This mostly involves talking about McDonalds (errrybody love tha dollar menu) and coffee breaks. Also includes the introduction of Guest Blogging (Dinky being the pioneer in that field).

We find ourselves today in sort of a post-partisan vacuum. Most readers have been alienated; the view count has slowed to a crawl; BM is scared to post about anything but McChickens and iced coffee; and the blog has essentially turned into an extended gchat between BM, Dinky and Falstad. I hope that some former readers will see this post and be reminded of what made this blog great back in da dayz.

And for all those folks who may read the blog, but don't actively participate (hate to name names - Tristan, Will, Yuri, etc)- don't forget the German citizens who stood by and watched the Nazi's commit the atrocities of the 30's/40's. They are complicit in my eyes. Don't be afraid to stand up and let your voice be heard.

Dinky - keep up the great work. Your insight, wit, and business accumen are a real asset and a driving force for the success of this blog.

Doan, Nina, DK, and all those who once served as part of this community and have left us - it is not the same without you. Your return would be a bright light in this dark time. I hope we can let bygones be bygones, and find some common ground once again.

Glo - who are you?

Finally, BM. First let me say thank you for the product you have brought us. You are nothing short of an innovator and revolutionary. But as my foray into ecology and evolutionary biology taught me, those who do not evolve perish. Stay true to your roots, but do not let the world and the future pass you by. Let's hit that 10,000 view count - and lets turn that into 10 million!

(i'd like to open up the comments for readers to share some of their fondest memories of the blog. please dont think of this as a eulogy or a funeral or something. think of this moment as a rebirth and reconciliation - a new dawn, so to speak)