All good things must come to an end, even after numerous awards and accolades, it’s time to acknowledge that I cannot continue to run on fumes alone. The Blend could continue limping along, but my health and well-being come first; over the last few years burning the candle at both ends with a full-time offline job and PHB.

I had the very necessary surgery on Friday, January 18, 2013, so here’s where I am after the bilateral discectomy now that I’m a few days post-op.

It is with a heavy heart that I wrap up these eight-plus years of writing things on the Internet. The concurrence between my last day and the end of the Mayan calendar, by the way, is purely coincidental; I do think there will be news after today, and most likely people covering it (anyway, the whole world-ending thing is a great big misunderstanding, I guess). Anyway, there are a lot of people who deserve to be mentioned.

I want to share some news. I am going to be ending my association with FDL News Desk. My last day will be December 21, two weeks from tomorrow.

David Freedlander’s report is a fairly accurate reminder of once was was — organized online political power by a group of individual bloggers that is now in decline — and what the state of things is now as changes in the economic, political and media landscape have resulted in natural, if not desired, evolution.

I read this piece and was fascinated by the apparent agita out there over what people see/respond to on social media when it comes to discussing politics.

As of today, September 19 in the Year of Our Tebow 2012, I have been “blogging” for ten (10) years.

I’m in Providence, Rhode Island for Netroots Nation 2012 (#nn12), and it’s nice to see so many familiar faces and newbies here.

Gil Scott Heron said it best; we cannot rely on so called journalists in the Mainstream Media to share our stories. Fortunately we don’t have to rely on the Media, because blogging and social media have given the individual the power to create his/her own media. Blogging allows for the instant publication of your story according to you, and with social media you can spread that information to millions of people instantaneously. Tonight’s panel can help you do that. Sign up here.

A salute to the blogger known as Atrios, who exposed an entire decade of wankers, and who is celebrating his 10th Anniversary at a very non-sucky blog.