Speak! - January

Remember Speak! by LoserNet, the ill-fated reader forum? Those were the days! Anyway, only a handful of reader comments. What did I expect? There are only a handful of readers. So, here we go ... T (in Japan) commented:

"You are approaching nineteen years since "The Loser Living Upstairs" — next year will be your twentieth anniversary. Any plans for a celebration?"

Twenty years of LoserNet, the old journal, the old "blog," and now the new "blog." Wow! We've maintained a Net presence, albeit obscure, for a long time. As senile as I am, though, I had earlier miscalculated the actual length of time. I was off by two years. Sheesh!

Anyway, no tentative plans for any kind of celebration. Who would I celebrate with? I could schedule the famous One-Man House Party, just like the good ol' days ... Well, we'll see what happens. I just hope that I don't keel over before then.

Typical Speak! Hottie

Anonder commented:

I spend much of the year traveling now, mostly by foot, camping maybe 2/3 the time, 1/3 in motels. I suppose there is a great deal of natural beauty in the areas where I hike, but I am mostly oblivious to it, and that's not the reason for my traveling. The true reason is to burn off excess time and physical energy in the least painful way I know of while waiting to die (which could easily take another 50 years given my good health and long-lived ancestors).

As you may recall, Anonder kept an on-line journal way back when. I was, of course, somewhat inspired by his lifestyle, although I ventured off on my own monk adventure of sorts. We still do have some things in common. My long morning coffee time and my approximately two hours of working out at the gym daily accomplish the same two goals that he mentions. The main difference is that I am not out in the wilderness. I am right smack in the middle of "civilization," the core of all human stupidity.

Anonder also suggested that I acquire an e-book reader. A good suggestion, but I actually prefer to have the real book in my hands. That's why I spent a lot of time in the public library and at the now-defunct bookstore in the den of consumerism (read: shopping mall) in Kahala. I'm taking a break from reading right now. The public library has become a depot for derelict.

Finally, greetings to Kate in Arizona. You may recall from the old journal that Kate actually visited Hawai'i and met up with the ol' lavahead. Greetings to Trumpingham in the UK, who has apparently been a reader for a while. I often wondered who that was when I saw a regular UK visitor in the log.