This is my 302^nd post on a blog I began on January 2, 2012. It seems a good time to take stock and to look ahead. I started with eleven readers and now have 197 “registered subscribers,” so it’s fair to say I have not become a virtual rock star. But that's not my goal now, even if maybe it was when I began. In fact, if I had had a clue about branding and marketing, I probably wouldn’t be as proud of what “Perspectives” is . . . and what it might yet become. Nor would I would feel the same connection to its readers. My goals are (1) to use my own experiences to connect our personal lives to larger issues and (2) to offer some small thought that might make you look at the world a little differently, or even just to laugh, with me or at me. The blog is neither a journal nor an editorial; it is simply a shared reflection. Now I want to take it out into the world more, to explore new places and listen to other voices, and to share them with you.

My plan is to write two or three posts a week instead of five. Don’t worry, they will be just as short and shallow as ever. There just won't be as many, for I do know that the main virtue of this blog is its brevity. I love this journey. I have learned so much, and I am grateful for your companionship.