I missed my own birthday this year. Six years ago yesterday Joust The Facts was born. In the wake of the forged Bush Air National Guard document controversy (remember?), with most of the heavy lifting done by blogs, I started my own.
After looking at the available options I chose to do it on Typepad, and getting started was as simple as it gets. I'm pretty sure I'm not using all of the features and flash that I could - for cryin' out loud, I ought to be able to come up with a reasonable graphic banner - but that's fine by me. Typepad does have a team that'll help, but it's pretty low on my list. It's the writing, and the ability to analyze and educate both myself and my readers that really counts.
Blogging gave me a forum to explore my own thoughts on topics ranging from politics to sports to medicine to culture. It gave me a recreation away from the daily grind, a way to decompress, to unwind at the end of the day. It was intellectual recreation. It was fun, so I did it. I haven't done much original reporting, and I haven't had the chance of late to really do in depth analysis, which is a bit of a shame, though I'm still enjoying myself. But the full-time job, the not-so-little-anymore Jesters, Gwendolyn, the rest of the family, and other recreations take up a lot of available time.
I don't have thousands of daily hits or boatloads of regular readers. There are a few though. There'll be times, due to my schedule and my energy levels when posts lag for three, four, five days or more. Sometimes months. For a little while I guest/co-blogged at The Right Place, but after struggling to keep up with my own blog the last thing I needed was an obligation to another blog. I'm still listed as a co-blogger there, but it's been a while to say the least. But I thank Mr. Right for valuing my work, and inviting me.
Comments are few and far between, and when I do get them I might not notice for three or four days. On the other hand, I have to do very little trimming of spam and trolls. I get the occasional link from the bigger fish in blogging, but I'm not looking to make my living this way, and I'm not looking to be a regular on television, or to be signed by the major news outlets. I'm not the type of guy who needs that level of exposure and fame, although I'm pretty sure there's more money in it than medicine now. Technically I'm anonymous as "Giacomo," but not that anonymous. Jay Tea of Wizbang once tracked me down stalked me and dropped his calling card at my desk in my office. I went once to a Boston Moron meet-up for Ace and his gang, meeting Dave from Texas, Slublog and Laura W. among other luminaries. It's probably not fair to compare Ace to an Ewok. Probably.
So I'm here to have fun, and as long as this continues to be fun I'll continue to do it. Thanks for stopping by. Y'all come back now, ya hear?
