One Year

Today is my one-year bloggiversary. Last January I started Inn of the Last Home - named after a fictitious Inn from the Dragonlance series of books - and asked South Knox Bubba to join the Rocky Top Brigade, and he graciously agreed. It's been an interesting year, and for those who may have started reading later in the year I wanted to submit to you what I consider are some of my favorite posts. To everyone who has ever visited, and especially those who are regulars, I humbly thank you. Enjoy.

Note: I've used permalinks, but this being Blogger the links may be, ahem, bloggered. If the link doesn't take you to the right post, then simply do a search for the title.

January:

Why I Hate Snow Days (or...Why My Kids Look At Me Funny) - I love summer and hate winter. Here's why

February:

February Sky - Tribute to the Columbia astronauts and on touching the face of God
Second Star to the Right, and Straight on till Hell - What the heck is up with Michael Jackson? If we knew then...
Jackson's Reply - A rebuttal, of sorts
Religious Persecution in East Tennessee...Who'd-a Thunk It? - My first take on the India Tracy/Union County case
Childish and Divisive Behaviour Disguised as Righteous Indignation - On "Freedom Fries" silliness

March:

Confessions of a Salty Mind - My quest to give up chips for Lent. It worked!
The Small Quiet Voice - Gentle fisking of local columnist Don Williams regarding terrorism

April:

Betrayal, Part 1 - On how I felt (and still feel) betrayed by the leftist wing of the Democratic party
Betrayal, Part 2
Volunteer Tailgate Party, Vol 1 - The first Volunteer Tailgate Party!

May:

Some Random Thoughts on my Trip to Las Vegas
We Have Met the Bigots, and They Are Ours - Reply to a whiny Metropulse article on how Democrats are bigoted toward Republicans, and why each side has plenty of their own

June:

A Round Dog Day - First of my posts highlighting my commuting conversations with my four-year-old daughter "GiggleGirl". Part of this article got picked up by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

July:

Bookends, Part 1 - These two posts illustrate two instances of racism I witnessed going to and coming back from Hilton Head, SC
Bookends, Part 2
Suffer the Children - Thank you, Qusay Hussein old pal for throwing your 14-year-old son into the line of fire...
Oh My, What Have We Gotten Ourselves Into? - Ye Gods, we got a dog...

August:

Fair - The origins of a mysterious recipe
The Magical Patriot Tour! - Sing along with John Lennon Ashcroft!
Bloggerview - I'm interviewed (kind of) by Queen Medb

September:

Stripping for Anti-Globalization - This one got me a lot of Google hits, let me tell you
More Drive-time Conversations - Is it fall yet, Daddy?

October:

Conversations - Read this, or my daughter will kick your butt
Blatant Discrimination? - Knoxville politics and racial diversity - polar opposites. Also a question about an archaic colloquialism
Panic - "I do..I do...I do believe in fairies! I do..I do...I do believe in fairies!" Well, at least I try...
Bad Ad! Bad Ad! - Actually, this got me even more Google links.
Put Me In, Coach - An homage to the Boys of Summer

November:

Conversations - Knock it off! Or I'll sick the Mynocks on you...
So then, why do it? - My initial take on the "God Amendment"
Nursery Rhymes - Castles, Clouds, boat parades, fun and frivolity and merriment for all

December:

A Question - A simple question that got huge (for me) response about personal responsibility
Should Have Known... - The location of the Gates of Hell -- and no, it's not in Gainesville. (This is a Photoshopped parody I'm kind of proud of)
Grim Grinning Ghost.. - Another Photoshopped parody, about the real identity of the London ghost
Vilification and Clarification - Move along, nothing to see here. Oy vey. Actually, if you read only one post read this one - the little post that started the big Carrying Concealed Weapon controversy. I actually was termed "mentally deficient" for this
Conversations - Daddy's the Grinch!
Ghosts of Christmas Past - Remembrances of Christmas while growing up
You'll Shoot Your Eye Out - A finer moment of cinematic history in "A Christmas Story"
What I've Learned - My birthday post - things I've learned in 37 years

Thank you for an interesting year - hopefully here's to many more.