Goodbye to 2014 in Blogo-land
This is my final effort for the year. So as the late, great Craig Ferguson Show would say....What have we learned in the last year, Howie?
1. I've done 11 pieces on death. ELEVEN!! I must be obsessed or trying to find some hidden meaning? But people like this crap....sorta. Great Songs about Death is one of my most popular pieces.
So any meaning to this? Sure...quit focusing on this shit and write about the positive stuff. Hey...my daughter is getting married sometime in 2015. Maybe a series about it? I'm sure she'd love that!!
Btw...I also wrote a lot about Nazi's. Really!
2. Did you know Blogging actually works? People have clicked on to something I've written more than 100,000 times. I know...I'm amazed, too. Plus, at least one person has read something in 185 countries. 185!! When I checked today there were less than 200 countries in the world. I wonder who is missing? I haven't heard of a lot of these places. If anyone reading this is from Reunion, Benin or Azerbaijan, thanks and where the Hell are you?
I have a following in India. I get readers there for everything I write. It's my fifth biggest country. No idea why. My daughter, who as of now is not getting married in 2015..and I'm sure will love that I'm pointing that out...goes to India every summer. Maybe she's pimping my blog? All I know is if I ever start and finish this book, my first reading will be at the Taj Mahal.
3. I'm gonna digress for a sec...you ever just mess something up bad? Not on purpose but just screw up? Okay...here's my story...
As I mentioned before, my youngest daughter is getting married. How do you spread the news...on Facebook, right? Well first you tell the important people by calling or texting. I sent a text to my brother, his wife and my sister, then did the Facebook thingy. All good right? Ummm...oh yeah...I have another brother who lives in California. Damn, damn, damn.
I didn't even realize I missed him until I saw that he liked the Facebook posting. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
Hey littlest bro...sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, SORRY!! You just got an apology that might be seen in 185 countries. Plus I'll buy you dinner in February when I'm staying at your house in So Cal. Oh yeah...needed to talk to you about that, too.
Phew....glad we're all good now!! See....I told you blogging works.
4. Do I have any favorite pieces from 2015. Yes, I do...thanks for asking.
I wrote about how I was glad to see the Allman Brothers Band break up and it drew the ire of the entire South. I'm good with that. It caused a reaction and that's the entire idea of doing this. Make people feel something.
One complainer said he was going to get my check for the story taken away. Hey...if he can find it, he can have it...no problem with me. Another said he was going to have Gregg Allman come to Chicago and beat me up. I'm a 62 year old guy with Parkinson's Disease. I still think I can take Allman. Bring it on!! Do you know what they call people who bitch about what you write? READERS!!!
I also wrote this goofy thing about Cystoscopy. I like it cuz it's damn funny. I've been telling the story for ten years the same way and it always makes people laugh. But here's what gets me....
This is a pretty specific and serious topic. If you're having one of these things, you must really be worried about something. So you're looking for info and you Google Cystoscopy and then click under News. What's the first thing you see...go ahead and try it. Yep..it's Cystoscopy or Death: It's A Tough Call...written by moi!!
I picture some guy in India, worried about some bladder problem, clicking on my story. He thinks he's getting help and leaves yelling WTF!! Now it's a funny WTF but still.
Okay...now I've pissed off my Indian readers but they did like my story on George Harrison and I did, too. That's my fave for 2014. I miss George.
5. That's my take for 2014. I'm taking my accrued ChicagoNow vaca time and calling it a day. I'll be back on New Years 2015 to tell you why you should watch The Last Waltz instead of watching bad football...really. I also have the Dead Musician 2014 piece ready (RIP Joe Cocker). I know.. I know...I'll ween off this death thing slowly.
Have a Happy Holiday season. See ya on the other side.