Well, it's a new year with new promises and, I'm quite sure, new challenges that will be facing all of us in the months ahead. One of the promises I've made myself which also happens to be one of my challenges is to post on my blog more, something that I've been remiss in for the past several months. (Okay, okay, for the past seven months, all right? Happy now?)
In any event, I'm going to try my best to keep up with my blog this year. I won't make any excuses for not keeping up with it for the past seven months because that's just what they'd be - excuses, and anyone who knows me knows I don't deal with excuses. Reasons, yes, excuses, no. I have also come to realize that I do, in fact, have an audience out there who read my blog regularly and do, on occasion, ask my advice. I was reminded of this today when I checked the stats on my blog and saw the comment from a young mother who wanted my help in explaining a gun-control related item to her daughter. I remember when that happened, and I was quite honored to have been able to help or to have even been asked in the first place, and having re-read that exchange today brought it all home to me.
So to all of you, my fans and readers, I promise that I will do my best to keep my blog current and up to date in the coming year.
With the start of the new year and my newfound motivation and promise to my readers, I think it'd be a good idea at this point to re-iterate a few things about myself and my blog, since it's been several years since this whole thing started. For those of you who either know me or have been reading my blog all along, none of this will be new to you; for the rest of you, this may serve some good and help you put my comments into perspective.
Or not, but whatever, I'm gonna do it anyway.
First and foremost, the views and opinions stated in this blog are my own unless specifically quoted and attributed elsewhere. I write about the things I see going on around me from my "view downrange," voicing my opinions, ideas and concerns in this medium as my Constitutional right guarantees that I can. I don't expect everyone who reads my blog to agree with me, nor do I care. I don't write the things I do to garner public or popular opinion; I write them to get them off of my mind. Do I expect to change the world? No, but I've changed a few lives along the way, and that's good enough for me.
And speaking of differing views and opinions, I realize that he who puts his views and opinions out for the world to see should expect the occasional differing view or opinion. I'm okay with that, I really am. If you disagree with something I've said I'm more than willing to discuss it with you; just post it in the "comments" section and we'll go from there.
What I'm NOT okay with and will not tolerate is said differing view or opinion being voiced in a derogatory, insulting, or immature manner. Do that and I'll delete your comment forthwith and be done with it. Either that, or I'll post it in my blog and then make a monkey out of you for all the world to see. I believe in discussing things in a mature, sane manner and refuse to tolerate anything less from the other person.
I also have little respect, regard, or tolerance for those who choose to enter insulting comments under the "Anonymous" byline. I'm secure enough in my views and opinions to post not only my name but my picture to this blog; if you're so insecure, immature, or ill-informed in your views and opinions that you choose not to post at least your name - your REAL name - to your comments, then I'm not going to waste my time with you. I'll just delete your comments and move on.
I don't claim to be an "expert" on a damned thing. There are certain things I know a hell of a lot about, but as far as slapping the "expert" title on myself, I won't do it. If someone else wants to refer to me as such then that's their call and it's okay with me, but I won't claim the title for myself no matter what the topic. Once upon a time in the Federal Magistrate Court of Newport News, Virginia I was declared in court by the sitting judge to be an "expert" in the areas of RADAR Operation, Field Sobriety Testing, and Breathalyzer Operation, but that was a long time ago - so long ago that there's no way I'd claim to be an "expert" in those areas now. Things change, ya know, like it or not. I do, however, do some research on things as necessary before I start speaking of them. And by "research" I don't mean reading a news report from CNN, MSNBC, or Fox on the internet. I mean doing some real research, finding the information and statistics I need from the people who put them out to begin with, free from the political ideology-motivated slant that most news organizations apply to almost everything they air or print. I do try to look at both sides of a discussion and will admit when I'm wrong, believe it or not, but I'm not gonna believe anything I hear in the news media as the unvarnished truth until I prove that for myself.
Well, I think that just about covers the basics. If I missed something I'm sure it'll turn up later, and if that happens I'll deal with it then.
To those of you who have kept up with my blog for these many years, once again, my thanks. I truly appreciate it, and I promise I'll try to do better this year.
In the mean time, it's my birthday today so I think I'm gonna go have dinner with my wife.
Y'all take care, and I'll see you soon!
IHC
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