This time last year, I was a junior partner of this blog, having been aboard for a mere six months. Allison Salerno, was even more junior, having officially been brought aboard by Webster Bull at the end of March 2010. We were junior members of a new endeavor called Why I Am Catholic.
By last June, Webster had effectively handed the conn over to me and Allison. Prior to that time, I hadn’t posted more than a couple of times a week. I didn’t really know much about blogging or writing. I still don’t. I remember though that something prompted me to continue plugging along, even as Webster had to turn his attention to completing a big writing project. Muddle through and continue sharing what it is that called you to be a Catholic, is the vibe that I got. So, along with Allison, I continued to do just that.
And a funny thing happened in that readers still came to the blog. Webster made appearances occasionally, and stepped up big time when I went on vacation at the end of July. And Allison was an able partner, bringing her perspectives on the life of faith to our readers as well. She was transitioning to a new career as a teacher last summer, and was able to post her thoughts consistently.
When classes started though, Allison understandably had to focus on her new vocation. Webster was immersed in his project still and after Labor Day, this space effectively had only one voice sharing posts with the world. Yep, that of the unintentional blogger. If you want to see what you have to look forward to now that the unintentional blogger is the only one here, check the September 2010 link in our post archive.
The last post for September was Webster saying he was back, but alas a few weeks later he was gone permanently. Allison was up to her neck in lesson plans, and the mine field of a new career (and she still is…pray for her!) and so the little newbie who could, just kept plugging. And miraculously, good folks like you kept stopping by and reading the posts. By October, Allison was able to post occasionally and Webster Bull’s brainchild continued to flourish.
And it still flourishes to this day, because as it turns out, this blog wasn’t the brainchild of Webster Bull. Webster himself was prompted to start YIMCatholic through the whisperings of the Holy Spirit; at the insistence of the Advocate of the True Vine, even if he wasn’t sure of this at the time. Is it any surprise, then, that the unholy trinity of Webster, Frank, and Allison are all still blogging, (Webster at Witness and Allison at Rambling Follower), all still working for the same Boss? Not to me it isn't.
So once again, June came around the calendar, and brought change along with her, just as surely as she did last year. Change, if I've learned anything in my short life, is a constant. Embrace it, or run from it, it will effect you one way or another. I'm the embracing type. I saw this thought once and it always stuck with me,
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."-- William Arthur WardStand by to come about!
I’m still learning how to be a writer, and like most of my prior education, I am finding that the best way to learn to write is by experience. Maybe I’m supposed to be a writer during this next stage in my earthly sojourn. If so, it will be as a self taught Catholic writer, because frankly I don’t have the time or the money to be taught by professionals. The same is true for learning about the faith. I won’t be cutting tuition checks to any schools of higher learning chasing degrees in theology anytime soon. Because the next folks named Weathers that I will spend money for tuition on are currently 15, 12, and 10 years old, and frankly, they have first dibs on any college money in my bank account.
But continue blogging for the Lord, I shall. I can’t promise that there will be something up for followers to read every single day of the week. My life outside of blogging is pretty full, what with my responsibilities to my wife (22 years come October!) the aforesaid three (almost) teenagers, all of their activities, and my day job.
So now, everyone is current on the situation of the blog. YIMCatholic will continue, as will my friendships with Webster and Allison. You’ll have a self-trained, retired Marine, ex-stock broker, ex-logistics manager, who currently works as a bit player in a sleepy archive at the helm as your intrepid blogger. An unpublished writer who (when I can’t think of anything to write myself) shares stuff that he finds along the way with you. Sometimes deep stuff, sometimes off-the-wall stuff, but all of which speaks to the reasons Why I Am Catholic.
And you get all of this for free! That's not a bad trade.
