xtcian

Happy Blogiversary! I've been "doing it" for a little over five years, but I don't get invited to the cool conferences either...well, except for Weetacon, which is really just a three-day party, and I'll go ahead and invite you to the next one, because everyone's invited.

well, not exactly sex, but i really dig caveman!

is that 'hooping' annie? i live in c'borro and keep swearing to get by to watch/participate/get sweaty--ooohhh sounds like sex. . .

stop me. i sound dangerous, and am merely feeble; i have been in a committed, long-distance relationship for almost 5 years.

happy blogiversary. and PLEASE don't stop posting on Fridays!!!

Happy, happy anniversary, Ian. It's been fun getting to know you and your family every since Coastopia rocked the blogosphere.

Don't change for you
Don't change a thing for me

Well, more pictures are always nice.

Yay, 5 years!!
For 5 years at my company, I got a set of steak knives.
You want awards?
You get a Blogizter award for longevity and content.
Lucy gets an award for being too cute.
And, Annie can get an award for having great hair.

Current plans in the Zap space are to hold a reconceived conference called "Map Your PRAM" sometime soon, which will focus on mapping, GPS, GIS, location-based services, and the like.

If we proceed, I promise that you can keynote.

I'll get started on the swag right now.

Happy happy! I agree with Scruggs -- don't change a thing. I love you and your blog just the way you are.

Um, I can't say that I am getting any action for being a regular commenter. . . . just the embarrassment of knowing that my silly rantings are documented month after month. Thanks to you, I have left a trail of nonsense and stupidity for future generations! Fifteen years from now, Lucy will be reading your blog and she'll say, "Dad, who is this LFMD chick, and what exactly was her problem?" If only I knew, Lucy, if only I knew.

You definitely need to be invited to those blog conferences. Perhaps if you billed yourself as a "parenting blog", you'll get an invite! Dad bloggers seem to be in demand.

Lucy and Annie are adorable! I always like to see photos . . . more would be good. How about a daily photo section?

Anyway, your blog is great. I enjoy it immensely, and being able to read your daily news makes my work day tolerable. When things get stressful, I always log onto xtcian.com and re-read some of my favorite posts. Keep up the good work!

Came for the Tar Heel emails . . . stayed for the rants and the nostalgic posts about growing up and all things Chapel Hill.

My wife does not read the blog, so you have never directly lead to me "getting some".

But I think I might have kissed one or more of the folks who have breezed through the comments sections back in the day.

The coolest part of the blog for me, was getting tracked down by both my former C-TOPS instructor (Erica) and one of my former orientees (Catherine) and realizing that Rebecca and others were friends from my days in Chapel Hill.

Oh yeah, and Annie taught me to hoop. So I've got that going for me . . . which is nice.

Scruggs, nice INXS song reference--of course that song has already played in my head on a continuous loop for the past 30 minutes.

Well, hmmm. My infatuation with Ian started with Wednesday's Child, continued with a mix tape and late night IM's before IM was IM. And it's just so freakin' cool to keep up with you and your cool life via the next big thing. And after I settle in with my diet coke and boot up the computer here at work, this is the first place I go. (After a quick scan of email, of course, you know, to make sure the power is on in central NC). So happy anniversary to the blog that is an integral part of my day! It's also the only place on the internet I offer comments. And I love our commentor community here. Agree with LFMD that a daily photo would be AWESOME. And, as usual, I leave xtcian with a song stuck in my head. Thanks, Scruggs.

Hey! speaking of music... I'm very excited that RUSH is touring again and will be at Walnut Creek this summer. I'm so there. Last time I saw them was also five years ago.

Well, I came late to the party but have enjoyed it immensely. Always makes we think, smile, laugh.. all the important things in life. Thank you Ian!
I look forward to the next five.

Well the "we" above was supposed to be "me" but I kind of like the way it turned out. Maybe someday I'll actually read my comments before I hit post?
By the way I second the more photos suggestion - always good. I also like the CODE WORD as well, but generally almost anything you write is compelling Ian.

You reaffirmed my love of my irregular lower tooth just yesterday. Thank you for that. You also took and sometimes even sought my advice on matters including choice of beer which was a very nice experience, especially the one when your Mother told you to listen to me. But you never ever told me about how your visit to Poukeepsie beer store went. That left me shattered.

And one more thing - if you want trinkets for blogging, blog about luxury consumer goods. The beer blog has been very good to me in ways that my personal rant space has never provided. now that I think of it, surely to God you can get to be spokesperson for some of the medications you have mentioned and benefitted from, maybe you can score a trip to a sunny Caribbean pill maker's conference to be trotted our as a success story between your free rounds of either (or both) golf and whisky.

On my morning trip downstairs to get Ben's yogurt milk and breakfast bar, I always check out the day's blog. Nap-time affords me a look at the comments section. Reading this blog is truly a part of my day. I like the stories involving my brother the most, because they all reaffirm my life-long worship of all things Salem. I also love the Lucy stories and watching her grow up. Thanks Ian for sharing your life with us and giving us a place meet every day.

can we get a big HUZZAH for ian, please?!

HUZZAH and then some! 5 years doing anything at all in this day and age is a huge accomplishment. and sharing your life, insights, lists, political rants of the hour, etc is a pleasure for those of us who are lucky enough to show up day after day.

and, while i WISH that i had some sweet hook-up as a result of reading your blog, there's still time, right? as a door prize, i've had tons of fabulous, though-provoking conversations with people about your posts.

here's to human connection sprouting from the bowels of cyberspace!!

i started reading with coastopia and have been a fan ever since.

what have you done for me? you have convinced me to buy a hybrid vehicle, you have made me regret not going to UNC, you have made me laugh (lucy videos) and cry (farewell message from chopes), and you got me addicted to that word game fowl words. happy anniversary and thanks for letting strangers into your world.

as for suggestions - more pictures of lucy - she really is so adorable.

HUZZAH for Ian and his new band, Old Sour! Seriously, thanks for sticking your neck out there these many years. I've always enjoyed your writings immensely... the gang around here is very enjoyable as well. I do hope you take another pass at "Pink House" sometime, digital editing tools these days being what they are. Could be a cult classic.

Too bad you're in LA, 'cause we're playing a free show at Mexicali Blues in Teaneck NJ tomorrow night. All xtcian-ers will be on the guest list. Also, xtcian-ers please tune in to WFUV at 10 AM EST tomorrow morning for a live HOBEX performance and interview. Folks outside the NYC area can check it out on the web.

happy blogiversary, ian. thanks for the memories. you inspired me to start blogging, and i celebrated my blog's second birthday a month ago. hey, lucy has something to celebrate today: tyler's coming back to chapel hill!

Ian and fam, Kudos on the blog-a-verse-ary and for being a touchstone for so many of us out there----Chapel Thrillians for life, cool music loafers, biscuit (and bagel) eaters, and etc.... Hey, I reserve the right in particularly busy school-day rehearsals to refuse to lead Happy Birthday for every single cutie-pie 16 year old with her faux crown or not-quite-yet-manly tweenager, but today we'll sing it out for you and yours, so congrats on 'keeping it up' and much luck for more commentary to come.

The picture of Lucy and Annie is awesome. It's the beautiful women that keep me coming back, day after week after year.

And although I just skimmed it, that crap you wrote seemed nice, too.

Hmm, how about some Billy Joel?

Don't go changing, to try and please me
You never let me down before
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are

Happy Blogiversary, Ian!

Like a lot of people, I tracked you down because of fond memories of WC in the DTH. I might not be your typical reader - a conservative, Junior League, Catholic SAHM in Charlotte, NC - but I can't help tuning in each morning to see what you have to say. You're an amazing writer, a wonderful husband and father, and a super cool guy, so what's not to love? Or be inspired by, as the case may be - you have always given me a lot to think about. And even if we have absolutely nothing else in common besides adorable children, then at least we always have the Heels, God (or the entity of your choice) bless 'em. ;-)

Your blog brought my old ZTA sister, Scruggs, back into my life, and with her came another sister, Laurie, who is now one of my newest dear friends in my mommies group. So hey, thanks!

I'm with the people - more Lucy pictures. And if you ever find yourself in Charlotte, Connor requests a playdate!

Happy blogoversary.

Commenters - if Ian wants swag, we should all contribute one item that represents each of us or where we are from, send it to a common source, like Chip, and have him present the lot of it to him at the Jarts thing weekend.

I remember stumbling onto this blog at work one day and spent the rest of the ENTIRE day reading archived entries. I've been fairly faithful ever since. I keep up with a few old and new friends on the comments section. I've found a couple of great blogs through this one.

Excellent! That is one idea I am definitely going to steal - ask my comment makers to supply but not attend a party I later write about. Wooooot!!!

keepin it real!!!

this is probably the only blog i read right now that i actually get straight from the site instead of an rss feed. so i am right there with you- straight up an widget free!

rock on with your old school style.

congratulations! you were certainly at the forefront of this "Internets" slash blogging craze!! well done!

ps-i'll be tuning into WFUV on Friday the 13th! can't wait!

Hey, I read blogs on Fridays! And yours is always the first one I check in the mornings, right after e-mail. Yours is also the only one where I read all the comments, not just once but throughout the day to see who's said what. It really feels like a community, at least as much as an online group can. When I put on my Coastopia T-shirt the other day (it still gets a lot of wear), I thought about the fact that I've been reading this blog for going on three years. For you to attract that kind of daily devotion from your readers is amazing--right up there with your own five years. So congratulations! And keep on keeping on, please!

p.s. I second everything kjf said except the hybrid car. Not yet, at least.

Scruggs and JJE - Assume you're both Theta Tau ZTAs. If so, you've got another xtcian'er sister. I graduated in '89 so maybe before your time.

More political mud throwing please... Congratulations.

Congrats! Doing ANYTHING for 5 consecutive years is worthy of a round of applause but writing down your life musings is especially tough.

I must say that I most enjoy the Carolina Basketball discussion and least enjoy the politicaly back-and-forth. Any Chapel Hill nostalgia is always good.

you're a good man, charlie brown. happy blog-birthday.

(wow, I really am a dork.)

What a blessing it has been to have Ian's blog for the last five years. Since we've been forced to live in different cities--sometimes thousands of miles apart!--the blog has been a mainline connection to my "brother from another mother," as well as being consistently well-written, insightful, and f*ckn hilarious.

I'm honored to be pictured here with my main girl! Hair props go to Catlin at Moshi-Moshi salon here in Chappy (this is the best haircut I've had in years! thanks) and Killian, please come by and hoop with us on Sunday mornings (11am to 1pm) at the Weave, or come to Baxter's class at Balanced Movement on Tuesday nights at 7:45. If you need more info mail me: hushpuppymix at yahoo dot com

Here's a link to some more choice shots of the Luce and the B-W clan when we saw them last week in LA--what a blast!

http://people.tribe.net/e8dcfd45-cce9-4070-985c-78235533423a/photos

(the link is from my tribe profile--hoop geeks can explore further and see a bunch of cool hooping stuff)

GFWD, careful, I can put some really bad songs in your head. How bout some Eddie Murphy "Party All the Time"

JJE...you and LFMD can be the Catholic Posse.

And Sharon, Theta Tau indeed. Though I came in fall of '90 and graduated '94. Just missed you.

Scruggs - the song is in my head now! Drats! But, my mind works like ping pong balls bouncing around in my head. . . . I am thinking about Eddie Murphy, the song, why did Eddie go and divorce his wife? They seemed so happy. .. . Scary Spice's baby . . . was Eddie really the Baby Daddy? . . . why is BabyFace's ex-wife dating Eddie Murphy?. . . hey, Larry Birkhead is the $5 Million Dollar Baby Daddy. . . what will Howard K. Stern do now? . . . LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED!

Yes, I will be happy to represent the Catholic Posse with JJE! Peace be with you! And also with you!

I agree with Beth -- not only is this the first blog I read every day, but I also check in from time to time to read all the comments. And I have been doing this for YEARS. And, I am a fickle person with little to no brand loyalty in general! You are producing magic on a daily basis! Bottle that mojo!

If I can make a personal request: I would like to see some video of GFWD hooping, and some photos of Annie's handsome beau. And some photos of Venice. . . I have never been to that part of CA. More Lucy videos too! She really is a beautiful girl -- your little family seems to be so happy. I am going to get all Catholic on you. . . .you are indeed blessed!

Yeah, GFWD, when are we going to get that hooping video footage of you?!?

Tee-hee!

LFMD, if you sleuth around tribe.net, it's easy to find pix of my honey (I feel like a pimp). I'm all about celebratin' his amazing teaching and hooping gifts, though, so I am not embarrassed to recommend looking up "The Hoop Path" on tribe (dot net). He is the moderator of the Hoop Path and there's lots of pix of our local hoop tribe (including Bax's recent workshops in OR, WA, and CA), plus videos!!

more lucy videos, you ask?

http://funnyordie.com/v1/landing.html

ok, maybe not. the resemblance is striking though...

happy blogiversary ian! for almost 2 years, yours has been my first stop every morning and was the catalyst that propelled me into the blog world as well. thanks for everything.

as an anniversary gift (for you and your blog) i would love to offer my design services assisting you with your redesign. it would be my honor.

Happy blogiversary, oh venerable xtcian!