5 Year BLOG-iversary
Alas, it has been so many years since I started this blog that I almost forgot its 5 YEAR anniversary until I was standing in front of 125 participants attending a HRNY (Human Resources Association of New York) talking about recent federal legislation and I remembered a rainy November weekend five years ago when I started this blog (November 12, 2004 to be exact). I thought it worthy of a little celebration, but it was far too early in the day to break out the champagne.
When I started the blog, it was along the lines of wanting to able to share information with other practitioners that would be free and, hopefully, useful - no subscriptions, no fees, no passwords. I have also used it as a platform to occasionally rant. Over the years it has become a searchable data base that I know many people use for a first stab at finding a solution to their problem or issue. I try to always provide a link where I can to other sources of information that is hopefully explanatory or authoritative.
As one of the few bloggers at that time, I started the blog using typepad and did everything myself. There were about a dozen or so regulars out there from Michael Fox, to George Leonard, to the folks at the Workers' Comp Insider and to Michael Fitzgibbon up North. Also, the Labor Prof Blog, and Ross Runkel's blogs. It was a relatively small community then and over the years there have been many who began blogging and quickly faded away. Over time, I switched to having Lexblog host it - probably one of their earlier clients. People thought I was absolutely nuts that I would pay someone to host a blog! The reality was that I am a big technology fan and spent far too much time tweeking it and playing with it for my own good.
Today law firms and other professional service firms have jumped on the band wagon who have their blogs professionally hosted with the idea of using it as a marketing tool - likely carefully analyzing every word crafted by associates and micro managed through several layers of management before the "official posts" appear. In addition, we have a few HR bloggers who choose to be controversial or anonymous and use that as a forum to get readers. I, for one, enjoy the personal commentary provided by those whose passion comes through - unfiltered, written with a desire to contribute to the profession and the community and ultimately providing pearls of personal wisdom and information. And, I hope I have contributed thoughtfully to that community over the years.
My blog has become an indispensable part of what I do professionally. I can't imagine not writing! Many of its posts have been adapted to newsletters by my firm (and, I know by others who have "borrowed" from it). Its information has also been used in books that I have written as well as a source of information for those who hear me speak on employment law and human resources.
I think going forward, what I'll change about it is, well, nothing. Thanks for reading.
