Happy Anniversary...

...to me.

One year ago today, I posted my first entry onto this outlet of jackassery known as "Len Speaks." What began simply as a daily writing exercise has taken on a life of epic and bizarre proportions.

To be perfectly honest, I had absolutely no clue at the time that, one year later, I would still be doing this. I figured that, once the desired result of more inspired and regular creativity was achieved, I would have left the blog world behind and "Len Speaks" would become a cyber version of an eight track tape player. When I started it all, my intention was not to post every single day. I figured I would show up from time to time or whenever somebody or something stupid happened in the world. Of course, in the fabulous universe we all reside in, I shouldn't have been so surprised that somebody or something stupid happens every single day.

When I ultimately figured out how to put the head count on the side of the blog, I was quickly astounded how fast the numbers went up. It was like watching that counter on Santa Monica Boulevard that chronicles the minute-by-minute U.S. deaths caused by smoking. So, it said to me that there were actual people out there (not just the friends who have fallen victim to my daily indulgence) that are really reading this collection of mental diarrhea. And maybe some of them don't even know me.

Wow. I am momentarily humbled.

As I approached this annual benchmark, I went back to look at the beginning. It was as if I was conducting my own personal clip show. I see writing that is much less sharp. I watch myself grapple with fonts, colors, picture downloading, and video uploading. I read days where I am downright whimsical. I review other entries that find me frighteningly vicious and negative. I realize that I hate virtually all politicians, hypocracy, Rosie O'Donnell, and Oprah Winfrey.

I see very few comments from readers, but I get countless e-mails from others who prefer to comment in a more isolated forum. I notice that I have spurred the memories of some friends who I don't see as frequently as I should.

I read my weekly Wednesday rant and find some topical jokes there that are probably good enough to be in Jay Leno's daily monologue. I come across other comments that make me wince and wonder what gremlin snuck in to write that particular passage.

I look at some of the dates of the posts and I remember that I had written that specific piece weeks or months earlier. One recent post about confusing Jane Withers and Mary Wickes was actually a lost episode. I completely forgot that I never posted it in October when I first wrote it. I look at all the Christmas-themed memories from December and recall that I wrote all of them in a single morning. I see other examples of me writing in storage so that I will have something to upload every single day. To me, a daily blog entry is as regular as my Zocor intake every night.

I laugh all over again at the Monday video laughs and still think that my first Monday giggle (that lady punching another woman in a courthouse) is still my hands down fave. I look at how my diet has varied over the year with the day-by-day chronicling of my dinner. I can officially award "The Cheesecake Factory" as my most frequented restaurant in the Blog Season of 2007-08.

I find childhood memories that I cannot believe I remembered, let alone inscribe on an internet site. I discover that I am very nostalgic for days of old and that I really still miss my grandmother. I have taken some bizarre shots at my parents and I wonder what that is about. I find that this daily writing exercise has become very much a regular therapy session.

And I feel better about myself than I did a year ago.

Mission accomplished. Now on to Year #2. Feel free to join me.

Dinner last night: A late flight back to LA, so really I ate nothing.