850

Break out the champagne, drop the balloons and cue the DJ. This post right here you're feasting your eyes on is my 850th blogpost. Well, 850th published one.

Like all bloggers, I have a whole slew of drafts and false starts—over 70 of 'em—that, for one reason or another I didn't deem particularly post worthy. They have titles like "The creepy clown" "Jasper is enough" and "I'll have what he's having."

Maybe they were too long. Too short. Too bad. Too late. Too serious. Too light. Too revealing. Too sexy (always a problem). Too similar. Too repetitive. Too likely to get me sued. Too poorly written. I know what you're thinking: "I've been following you for a while. Since when is 'poorly written' a criteria?"

OK smartass. Let's talk about it after I see your 850 posts.

The point is at least I have some kind of filter. Occasionally though, shields are down, my judgement is off and something gets put up here that shouldn't be. But thankfully I have a support system of several other exceptional writer friends that let me know immediately when they think I've crossed a line and should take a post down. Sometimes they're gone before you even know they've been there.

The posts, not the writers.

The other thing is 850 may not be a big number to other, more prolific writers (which would be about all of them). But it's my number and I'm happy about it.

Any writer will tell you filling the page can be challenging. But I have a feeling I'm going to have plenty of things to write about for the next four years. Or with any luck, the next two.

In the meantime, stay tuned for 851. I don't know when it'll be here, but I hear it's going to be worth the wait.

Once more, with feeling

There are always telltale signs of New Year's Eve. Like the news telling you at 7a.m. it's already new year's in Australia, and showing you the fireworks over Sydney harbor. Wonder how the new year's going for them so far?

And of course what celebration would be complete without the Year In Review on the Today Show, reminding us all of stories and moments we'd more often rather forget than remember. I'm speaking specifically about what Matt and Savannah dressed up as on Halloween, and all the shots of Savannah visiting the set while on her maternity leave to show off her new baby (I don't know if you're aware of this, but apparently she's the first woman ever to have a child).

Even though I feel more encouraged and optimistic looking forward instead of in the rear view mirror, I think it's a good thing to take a little inventory now and again before saying goodbye to the year (as long as it doesn't include pictures of Savannah Guthrie and her baby).

As I look back - and don't panic, this isn't going to be a Christmas card 'All About My Year' letter - several great things happened. For example, I did some great work for agencies I've never worked for before. I got to work again with my pal Johnny. I got over myself and went to a reunion for one of the agencies I've worked for, and saw friends and colleagues I was surprised I'd missed so much. I also worked with new people, like Jim and Nicky, that I'm excited about working with again.

On a personal note, I was reunited with a long lost friend. I had lunches with people who matter to me. I also started college tours with my handsome, talented son (that's an objective opinion by the way), which is good because I just don't get enough reminders in the day about how fast time is passing.

We also got a new puppy. Which seems like a good time to mention I'm offering a generous reward for the first person who invents a self-cleaning yard.

Anyway, enough looking back. Here's to health, happiness and prosperity for all my family, friends and loyal readers.

All five of you.