I’ve been blogging nearly 19 years, having started in November 2006.
If you look at my Blogger Profile, it says “On Blogger since March 2010” but I started a few years earlier on another platform. In 2010 I moved to Blogger and brought my old posts with me.
This post marks my 700th, and truth be told I have been less than proud of several of them. But the other night I was looking at a few “oldies but goodies” I’d almost forgotten about, and thought I’d come up with a list of 15 of my favorites.
I’m not saying these posts are my best ones, but they are the ones I had the most fun writing or sharing.
If you’re curious to check any of them out, all you have to do is click on the image.
1. Back in my working days, women in the office were getting a little crazy so a club for dudes only was started. Who was the first to join? A woman.
2. A 1900’s high school sat up the road from my sister’s house—before it was demolished, a haunting we will go…
3. My dad and his brothers were country rock musicians and had a successful band. Here is some of their music.
4. Once upon a time… I was Batman.
5. What do you do when you find a headstone with your name on it? You look for more headstones.
6. What if Christopher Columbus had been prevented from “discovering” America? A great sci-fi novel thinks it knows.
7. In Pittsburgh in the 1960s, letters to Santa were delivered to the North Pole via a moon rocket. (THIS IS MY SECOND MOST-VIEWED POST)
8. What happens when a young woman walks thru the lobby of my apartment building in her underwear? I have 33 opinions on the matter.
9. Who was the girl who played an ugly duckling on the Brady Bunch? One weekend, I was determined to find out. (THIS IS MY MOST VIEWED POST)
10. A long time ago, my brother Duke tried to hypnotize me. (THIS ONE IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE.)
11. It’s one thing when a Star Trek character is changed into a woman, but when it’s a Star Trek friend…
12. The trial of a bully who tried to take down a nerd and lost—TWICE. 
13. I’m not afraid to admit it, I’ve had a man crush or two in my lifetime. Here’s those men I crushed on.
14. In 1973, a plane flew over our farmhouse and took this picture. 50 years later on a historical website…
15. And finally, from way back in 2006—one awesome grandma.
While going thru these posts, I came across so many I wanted to share I may do a Part 2 in the near future. Isn’t that exciting? Hello?
To you folks out there who take the time to visit and read and comment on my blog, thank you so much. Your feedback makes this all worth it.
I enjoy your posts very much, Doug. You have a gift.
ReplyDeleteThank you DJan, you're very kind. And I feel just the same about your own writings. :^)
DeleteI haven't been reading or commenting for very long, so all but one of the posts wasn't familiar....though I do see themes. :) But my favorite of the bunch is your last in the list, about your grandmother.
ReplyDeleteYour writing style is fun to read, as you are able to share a story that brings up a similar memory. Case in point, both of my grandmothers passed away by the time I was 13, and I have few memories of my paternal grandmother. She was born in 1875, passed away in 1968. In fact, my dad was older than your grandmother - he was born in 1910 and passed away in 2008. I have many happy memories of my dad. The tightness in the throat is real here too.
Thank you Maebeme, and thanks for sharing. I'm very glad I've gotten to know you a little. That's sad but still amazing about your paternal grandmother, a long life but gone so long ago. And your dad was almost 100 too! We never stop missing them...
DeleteI always love reading your posts! Congrats on making this milestone of 700 posts. Quite amazing! And all of your readers are grateful you are still writing; you have quite the gift!
ReplyDeleteCarole
Carole, who do I make this check out to? Thank you so much, you're very kind and I always appreciate your feedback. 🙂
DeleteOH my gosh. I just read every single post and listened to all four of the amazing songs by your dad and the band. You truly did pick the top 15 posts. I was having conversations with you in my head for every post. I feel like you need to publish a book of short stories - each one was better than the next.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special person your grandmother was, I can see how you miss her every day. Your acceptance of your brave friend Robin, the mysteries of the old school and Batman rope (oh my goodness - your poor mom), the amazing family musicians.
The one that resonated most (and I know know how weird this is) is your neighbor in her underpants. We have a newer neighbor. She is in her late 40's, or as I say, old enough to know better. One day my husband was out by the edge of our yard trimming bushes. And she walked out her backdoor to hook her dog and walked over and started talking to my husband while wearing a t-shirt and her underpants.
No. You do not go outside your house in underpants without over pants. You know we will never forget this story. And now you have an Captain Underpants neighbor, too. Please tell me we are not normalizing this.
Miss Merry, you are making me laugh so hard right now! 😂 I can't believe you read all of these, thank you! As for your neighbor, I think she got a look at Mr. Merry and well, he is a respectable looking fellow...! Thanks again MM 🙂👍
DeleteCongrats on your blogversary! I love these posts. Paul Rudd is definitely worthy of a man crush or ANY CRUSH. I go outside in my robe sometimes to pull in the garbage can but have never done so in my underwear. My neighbors would probably commit me somewhere. I love the variety of your posts; they are so much fun to read!
ReplyDeleteMargaret thanks so much! I do love Paul Rudd and I'm sure your robe is just fine! 😄 Well, you know what a big fan I am of your excellent blog, and I'm very glad we're friends. ❤️
DeleteCongrats on all your posts! I know writing helps me a lot too
ReplyDeleteBeth
Thanks Beth! And you're right, I guess writing has helped me a lot 🙂
DeleteHi Dug! Yes, I'm late commenting again. But it's taken me a while to get through this post. I read all the excerpts you posted as well as the whole posts on the jury and your grandmother. I found jury duty has a lasting memory for me... especially the one where a young black man was sentenced to consecutive life sentences for raping 2 young 15 year old girls (we were even police escorted to our cars after that one). And your grandmother sounds like a wonderful woman. I can only hope my grandkids think half as much of me when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteI also love seeing old photos of bloggers when young and hear the stories. And seeing a gravestone with your name on it would be.... (what word to use here?) thought provoking?
Hi Rian, That was very kind of you to read all you did here, thanks so much! In retrospect I wish I hadn't posted so many, but it was difficult getting it down to a smaller number. And thank you for the kind words about my grandmother, to be honest whenever you talk about your one granddaughter, you remind me of my own grandma. 🙂 Rian, I would love to hear more about your own jury experience someday... wow!
DeleteHi Doug, so many wonderful posts! I am working my way through them and enjoying them immensely. 700, wow! Take care.❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteRobin
Robin, you are very kind. Thank you my friend, I hope you and Chuck are enjoying the weekend. PS. I can't believe it's 700 either, when I started my blog I didn't want to go over 4-5 posts a year 🙂❤️
Delete700 and still going strong great job Doug. Do you still talk to Robin? That one deserves a followup. Congratulations old friend. Jeff
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeff (I'm guessing JB, right?) As for Robin, we haven't talked since I asked if I could share her story here (she said yes, obviously). Hope she's well, and you too of course. Thanks again.
DeleteWhat a nicely curated list! Since I've only been reading for about 5 years, this was some great throwback material that I enjoyed reading. As others have mentioned, you are indeed a gifted and very readable writer. Congrats on 700 posts and cheers for (at least) 700 more!
ReplyDeleteBobi, this was so nice of you to say, thanks so much! I've been wondering if I should've even done this, but it was my 700th, I just wanted to mark the occasion somehow. Really was very kind, what you said. Thanks again. 🙂
DeleteLife since my husband Tony died has been lonely and painful - your blog is one of the few things that make me smile, and often laugh out loud
ReplyDeleteThank you for that gift Doug
Siobhan x
Siobhan, I really am sorry. I know things have been difficult for you. But I'm very glad I've gotten to know you, and it's kind words like yours that always lift my own spirits. Thank you and I'm glad we're friends. 🙂🙏
DeleteInteresting look back. I, too, started blogging in 2006. November 20, 2006.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gigi, and that's an amazing coincidence; but you've probably blogged 3 times the number I have! :^)
DeleteIt will take me some time to read all the posts, I'm sure it will be fun, thank you very much
DeleteThank you Orly, that's very nice on your part. I hope you like a couple. 🙂
DeleteI see you started on this blogging caper before I did, and you’re about 100 ahead, and will remain ahead from now on.
ReplyDeleteNow and then I still miss tippy tapping away, but not all the time.
I was summoned for jury duty seven or eight times over the years. I only made it on to a jury once, and therein lies a tale, but it’s too long to recount here.
I’m not called up any more as once you hit 70 there’s an option to opt out. I did just that as I thought I’d had performed my civic duty enough times.
I have a photo of me in my football gear from around the same time also with two brothers. Not my brothers, I have none, but brothers to each other. It looks as if we were a similar age as well.
Hi Peter, I'm glad to hear from you & thanks for sharing. Well, I will never forget how we became friends--your weekly music blog! You did an exceptional job with that too, even if I wasn't always a fan of the classical stuff I still felt like I learned something at least. And very interesting you got called for jury duty that many times! We have the same "excused at 70" rule here, and frankly I hope I make it without being summoned another 5 years... :^)
DeleteI don't think I've commented since one of your posts on Creepy Crawlers although I read them all. This was all very interesting - such interesting topics and a great writing style. I hope there is a part 2 in the future.
ReplyDeleteWell this was very nice of you to say, thanks very much Mary. 😊
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