Reflection: Random Things I've Learned Since Launching This Site

In no particular order, I've (re)learned: that there's something to my wacky idea that our past can shape our future in positive ways if we just know where to look for information...that there are some incredibly inspiring smart people who think/write/garden daily (or weekly!)...gardening really is fun...it's surprisingly difficult to snap a photo of a caterpillar's casing with a tiny camera (see final image at right)...folks love a good story...professional historians rock (you know who you are)...the Internet is an amazing storehouse of information but pales in comparison to what we all know in our heads, from personal experience...if you're excited about something and share it, the ideas take on a life of their own, which generates more enthusiasm...that I'm a happier person if I write something--anything--daily...the mainstream media is indeed interested in constructive, enriching stories if you take the time to look at a variety of publications daily...daily newspapers deserve our financial support because they are the best source for local news--and there are still important stories that can only be told by local papers...patriotism comes in all shapes and forms...Google has an incredible number of free applications....that Macs do, in fact, rule...art/theatre/journalism and other cultural endeavors still matter because they inspire us and chronicle human interests and efforts in an appealing, instructive way...how remarkably supportive my (old and new!) friends and family are of my writing endeavors (Thank you! To riff on a movie quote, "You make me want to be a better writer.").