1000

1000 posts. 

That’s a lot of writing. This is the number I couldn’t believe that I was so close to. It’s why I was surprised that I had let the blog sit for as long as I did. When I started the hiatus, I was only twenty blogs or so away from post 1000. 

And now, here we are. 

When I started this process four years ago, I had no idea how long it would last, how much I would find I had to say, or how much I would find enjoyment in it. I certainly had no idea that it would still be going this long after. I just knew there were things in my head that I needed to get down in writing. To put down on paper, metaphorically. 

That still remains true. The content has changed a bit, but the process is still important to me. To write, to express, and to share.  For that reason, I will keep at it. I don’t know if I’ll make a thousand more posts, but I very well may.  Right now, I’m focusing on just one post at a time. 

Over the next month and a half, the posts should be very consistent. The holidays are always easy to write about, at least for me. So, there should be a daily post coming up into the new year. From there, we’ll see how the rhythm lands. 

As always, thank you for reading this far. 

My #ComicBookDNA

There is a thread going around comic book fans on Twitter asking for the members comics DNA. The comic books that make up the vital points of the members fandom. There’s a list of four specific touchstones that they ask for.   Your first comic. The one that got you hooked. The one that brought you back. And the one that cemented your love for comic books. 

I want to take part but I’m going to have to modify the list.  Because I don’t have a book that brought me back.  I never left.  Instead I’m going to add the book that opened my eyes to what comics could be. 

With that modification, here’s my #ComicBookDNA. 

My first comic book - Amazing Spider-man #336.  The death of Aunt May’s boyfriend, Nathan Lubensky. The Return of the Sinister Six. Eric Larsen artwork.  David Michelene writing.  Just classic Spidey.

The one that got me hooked - Fantastic Four  v. 3, #1 - The first issue of Heroes Reborn. Jim Lee artwork. Written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. This is the point where I started my first pull box, over twenty years ago. A standing subscription box that marked continual readership.

The one that cemented my love for comic books - Sandman #19.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Part of A Dream Country. Neil Gaiman, Charles Vess. The Sandman inspiring William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with a performance before Lord Oberon and Lady Titania. One of my favorite Sandman issues, beautifully illustrated and so well written. Sandman was my gateway to the world beyond superhero comics.

The one that opened my eyes to what comics can be - The Fade Out #1. Hollywood noir by two masters, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Seedy crime comic with a Golden Age of Hollywood backdrop. Each issue filled with back-matter on classic Hollywood scandals. Maybe it’s just my current fascination with noir, but this hits all the right buttons. 

For any other comic book fans, what composes your comics DNA?

A Year of Milestones

As we look forward to all that is scheduled to occur in 2019, it is apparent that the year will be one of many milestones and hopefully, many celebrations.  And just as important as it is to look back at where we've come from, I also think it's very important to look ahead for the signposts of where we are going.  So, Lord willing, these are just a few of the milestones, celebrations and trips we'll be looking forward to:

• Jude enters the terrible twos in February - And just like that, he's no longer a baby.  Come February, Jude will be a full-fledged toddler, with the start of the terrible twos.  Here's hoping his are mild.
• Level 2 Legal turns 10 in February - In our field, this is incredible.  This little start up that seemed to always be jumping into something far bigger than itself has survived 10 years in this market due to quality, consistency, and tenacity.  We have the best clients in the world, though I think we could still be marketed as the best kept secret in legal services.  It will be fun to celebrate the Tin/Aluminum anniversary of the company and my 10 year tenure with them.
• Mom and Dad's 40th Anniversary in May - Love that lasts is always worth celebrating.  Though they'll have their own getaway, we'll be helping them continue the celebration with a full family trip to Walt Disney World, where we'll get to take part in Disney Hollywood Studios 30th Anniversary.  They wanted all their kids and grandkids together and they'll get to spend a bit of a day with each grandchild one on one.
• Avalyn turns five in June - We always said we would wait three to five years after getting married to have kids and it ended up being right at five.  Our little girl hits the half decade mark.  She's smarter than I was at that age and I often forget how young she is.  She's our little wonder and she's growing up too fast.
• Jamie and I will celebrate our 10th Anniversary in June - I have often remarked to Jamie that our marriage seems both like it just happened and that it always was.  It has been an incredible ten years and we are looking forward to many more.  We'll celebrate with our annual getaway, this time likely to someplace neither of us have been - Philadelphia.
• Jamie will go to Costa Rica with students in June - she loves continuing the travel program through the school and this trip will take her to one of her favorite destinations.
• Avalyn will start school in August/September - this one is the hardest one to believe. Our smart little four year old, will be eligible for Kindergarten with her upcoming birthday.  

This is just a fraction of what we're looking forward to.  There will be many other things to celebrate. Birthdays, reunions, a wedding.  Hopefully at least one other getaway.  I also know there will be things this year that will be challenging.  There will be sadness and grief.  There will be difficulties.  But keeping these milestones and celebrations in view, as well as being surrounded by the people who celebrate with you, that's what makes those moments bearable. 

So here's to the moments worth celebrating and everyone in between.  This will be a good list to come back to at the end of the year and see how things turned out.