One Hundred and Counting

Welcome to my 100th blog post. In accordance with journalistic tradition, I will exploit this moment with a brief retrospective in which I subtly congratulate myself for my oh so notable contributions to the blogosphere.

This blog was launched in October of 2007 with the modest ambition of providing those interested in my music with a means of learning more about the, uh hum, artist behind the music. I was advised to post something at least once a week and preferably at the same time each week. In this way, I was told, I would maximize my prospects for gaining a wider audience and thereby elevate my profile as a musician.

Pretty soon I found myself missing deadlines. Since I didn't have the budget to hire an editor to remind me, or threaten to fire me, I eventually became quite random in my posting activity. But that didn't stop me from making a genuine, earnest attempt to write about things that mattered to me and to write in a style which accurately reflects my inscrutable personality.

When I launched this blog, I had no idea where it would take me, and I'm not sure I cared. To be clear, I harbored no illusions that this blog would lead to anything. I was dubious about the advice I received that by blogging, new musical doors would open. And sure enough, I cannot say that this blog has led to anything tangible. But in the process of writing, I have found an outlet for my creative energy which I truly enjoy. OK, I'll admit that it's more thrilling to write songs I can record and perform than it is to write in this forum. But still, I cannot deny the sense that the body of work this blog represents means something to me. Strangely, and quite unexpectedly, this blog has become a sort of mirror I can hold up to myself.

If it means something to you too, then my satisfaction is multiplied exponentially. Over the course of these 100 posts, my greatest source of satisfaction is how the world has changed for the better with the replacement of an inept, dangerous president with Barack Obama. I also see that for me personally, my musical activities have subsided as the time demands of my green building projects have increased. While this saddens me somewhat, I find satisfaction in developing architecturally interesting, sustainable building projects which benefit neighborhoods and the community.

Music remains an important, vital part of my life. This month I am playing more shows than I have in months with several gigs around Oregon. I'm just completing a song entitled "Truth and Justice". In it, I elaborate on the nature of our judicial process based upon three decades of experience as a public defender. I have almost enough material for my third full length record and I'm in the early stages of planning trips to Europe, Australia and New Zealand which will include a series of performances. All of this brings me considerable satisfaction.

In short, I'm planning to stick around for a while. If you'll hang with me, I'll do my best to make it worth your while. Thanks to you all.

The Shifting Relevance of Blogs

When I started this blog in October of '07, the blogosphere was exploding. Along with social networking, blogs had become the next big thing. As I write this post, my ninety ninth, I can't help but wonder where things are heading.

Some say there are now too many blogs. Point taken. Like the fictional, laid-off career journalist with the Washington Post featured in Doonesberry, bloggers must face a discouraging reality. There is so much content out there, readership is hard to come by. Better get used to it.

Many bloggers use their blog as a means of keeping friends and family informed of their lives, right? Such diary blogs hold no interest, of course, to anyone unfamiliar with their creator.

Like unemployed actors working as waiters, unemployed journalists have taken to the blogosphere in droves. Where else can they ply their trade? The new media has no place for the traditional approach of slogging manuscripts around to publishers.

Luckily, as a person not dependent on the ability to turn written material into cash, I am not feeling the pressure. This probably explains why my contributions to this blog arrive randomly and unpredictably. Thanks for bearing with me. You ARE bearing with me, right?

My next blog post will mark a milestone for Americana Dan. Careful readers were tipped off in paragraph one of this post, oh, and the not too subtle 99th birthday cake photograph, to the upcoming momentous event. The new post will be number ONE HUNDRED!!! Getting into triple digits is, to me, a big deal. Sure, my late brother Steve, author of over 4000 (yes, four thousand) columns for the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune would have no reason to be impressed, and probably you don't either. But hey, when I started this thing, I gave little thought to the possibility that I would remain committed to this undertaking for so long. I guess I must like the opportunity this forum presents for me to say whatever I want. Again, thank you all for checking in from time to time. I'll keep doing my best to make it worth your while.