Monday, April 27, 2009

The death of blogging

For me, at least, this is the end. My eyes were opened by another blogger, who also happens to be a pretty sharp guy business-wise. Mark Cuban, love him or hate him, recently wrote this on Blog Maverick:
Blogging today is not the same as it was 5 years ago. In the early days of blogging, it served as much as mini social networks as a publishing tool. Many used blogs as a way to communicate with family and friends. I don’t see that as the case any longer. Social Networks have become the primary means of keeping in touch with those close to you. Friendster for a minute, then Myspace and now Facebook are the primary means for people to keep each other up to date. Pictures and privacy have made the biggest difference. Facebook its a quick and easy way to share pictures, videos and updates only among those people you want to see them. It has become a unique utility, which for many people eliminated the need to blog.
It strikes me now that I can post a message here, and 5 or 10 people might eventually check back here to see what I've written, while I can post the same thing on Facebook and all of my friends will be notified of it immediately.

So, this is the end of any regular posts on The World of Wombat. (More accurately, it's the end of my feeling guilty about not writing anything here!) This is still a great format for trip reports, such as my 2007-2008 voyage to Walt Disney World and the Disney Wonder, and I anticipate posting a doozy of a report here on Blogspot from my upcoming Anaheim trip, featuring the Vocal Majority going for its 12th gold medal and Disneyland with lots of family and friends.

But I'll let you know about it on Facebook. See you there!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Wombat Book Review - Mercury Falls

My close personal friend Diesel* has written a clever and hilarious new novel, Mercury Falls.

I'm taking his word for it that it's clever and hilarious, because (1) it's only been written, not actually published, and (2) he hasn't sent me free copy to read, the cheap loser. But his blog, Mattress Police, is actually funny, so maybe the book will be worthwhile as well. We'll see when it comes out.**

* I've posted responses on his funny and popular blog Mattress Police, and he is one of the four -- no, five of my readers who have ever posted here. That's as close and personal as I get sometimes.

** Especially if this mention gets me a free copy.

Friday, April 03, 2009

Before and after... and after!

Remember this post, from February 2007, where elder son Brandon got his braces? Well, as of yesterday, they're off!

Here's the before getting braces and after getting braces pics:

And now, the after-braces pic (on a much older looking kid!):

He did a great job with all the extra care braces require, along with all the dietary restrictions, for the entire time he had them. I was very impressed and proud of him.

We joked that he'd want nothing to eat for supper but marshmallows, caramel, nuts, and all the other foods he'd been denied for two years! But he was happy just having a Payday bar for dessert.