Ten Years Ago Today ...

It is hard to believe that it was ten years ago that I made this blog on Blogger and posted my terribly insightful first post: "Testing -- first post." It was as brief as Rob's posts are long!

In these past ten years, I have written 1,144 posts and the blog has been viewed over 235,000 times. During the heyday of online poker, I used to post several times a week. Now, however, as I am really more limited in time and energy, mostly due to the demands of my job. I'm sure aging ten years is a factor, too.

One of the unanticipated benefits of the blog is having a ten-year record of my life -- activities, successes, disappointments, feelings and thoughts. It has also help to make and friendships -- some that have pretty much come and gone, and others that form the basis of what I consider some of my best friends today. I look back on these past ten years and treasure many memories. I am thankful for the support and encouragement received during the tougher moments, especially when faced with my son's cancer diagnosis and my heart attack.

I had planned to write a special post for today, but, being a poker degen, I drove to the riverboat to play poker last night after going to a concert. I tooled in to my driveway at about 5:00 this morning and slept for most of the day. I'll wait until the time is right. I still might post a few favorite old posts this month.

For today, I will just say that I am very thankful for many things -- for the life I have been given, the family I grew up with and the one I have now, the gifts God granted me in helping me be successful in my career, and the many treasured friendships I have made. It is time to begin the next ten years. Let's do it!