Wednesday, September 15, 2010

¡¡¡¡¡¡

Later today, Orange Crate Art will turn six. Yes, those are candles above. Which must make this post the cake. Worry not: they are slow-burning exclamation — I mean, candles.

My daughter Rachel, on a Wednesday night six years ago:

“If you’re going to be this uptight and worried about it, you’re not going to be a very happy blogger. Just say ‘This is my new blog; I’m trying it out. Thanks to my son and daughter. I hope it works out.’”
It has. Writing online brings me so much pleasure. And it does so much to make me feel like part of a large and endlessly detailed world. Thanks again, Rachel and Ben, for getting me started with the aitch tee em el. Thanks, Elaine, for your constant encouragement. Thanks, everyone, for reading.

A birthday wish: if you have a moment, please leave a comment on this post. Orange Crate Art has 5700+ subscribers, and I’d love to know: who are you all?

comments: 28

Rachel said...

Happy Birthday, OCA! I always love your posts.

I am your daughter, just FYI ;)

count reeshard said...

Well, Michael, you know who I am 'cause I wrote a book that you enjoyed. That, and the content of your posts have been sufficient moving as to move me to comment. I am glad always when a new OCA entry pops up in my Google Reader. Here's to many more, RH

Melissima said...

Happy blogthday! I'm a peeaitchdee student in English at the University of Virginia.

Gunther said...

Michael, happy anniversary to your blog! I have discovered it quite a while ago and since that day I am one of the many pleased readers – thank you!

Ted Major said...

Happy Birthday, Orange Crate Art, and many happy returns of the day.

John G. said...

Very happy birthday to you from Baltimore!

jw said...

I've commented before and I'll do it again, I tell you. Thanks for six years of writing compellingly about your domestic comedies and overheards and your advice to students and advice on writing and your observations on dowdy films (pencils! notebooks! telephone exchanges!) and critiques of Hi and Lois and, well, all the rest of it. Every time I get all motivated to cut out the worthless junk from my RSS reader, your blog remains in the keeper pile.

Many happy returns on the day.

Oh, and I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking.

frank said...

huzzah and booyakasha! reading your writing brings ME so much pleasure. you've become my occasional Garrison Keillor stand in, though you have very little sylistically in common with him, I like to think of you two meeting over hot beverages in the dowdy world.

Michael Leddy said...

Rachel (first!), Count, Melissima, Gunther, Ted, John, JW, and Frank: Thank you!

Elaine Fine said...

I'll make you a real cake that you can really eat. None of this virtual stuff. And you can have real candles to blow out.

brownstudy said...

Happy Anniversary! One of the friendliest, warmest blogs to visit, and please write about whatever strikes your fancy!

Sara said...

Cough. Not late yet -- happy blog-day.

Sara

Stephen said...

Congratulations! Six years of witty and informative commentary is remarkable and noteworthy.

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, Elaine, Mike, Sara, and Stephen.

Elaine, it sounds as though you’re serious about this cake business.

Daughter Number Three said...

Michael, happy birthday to one of my favorite blog voices.

Six years of writing -- for that, I also have to say I admire your perseverance

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, Daughter Number Three.

Ben said...

Happy Birthday!

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, Ben.

Mel said...

Happy Birthday Orange Crate Art from small town Ontario, Canada. Love your blog. Cheers! Melanie

Richard said...

Happy Birthday!

One of the joys of the electronic world, as you know, is discovering kindred spirits—and here I've found (among other things) someone who, like me, is just crazy about Proust, poetry, blues, jazz.

Keep at it!

Unknown said...

Happy 6th, OCA!! I'm a fellow Proustian and blogger and occasional commenter. Looking forward to the next six (and more) years.

Mari

Michael Leddy said...

Mel, Richard, and Mari, thank you, all!

Matt Thomas said...

I've got all the blogs I follow, per Mark Hurst's sage advice in Bit Literacy, a book you hipped me to, divided into two main categories: Lineup and Tryouts. Within the Lineup category there's Stars ("the rare sources that consistently give useful, relevant information"), Scans ("the majority of your lineup"), and Targets ("sources that are good for a single targeted use"). Your blog, sir, is a star.

Michael Leddy said...

Thank you, Matt. (I am smiling as I type.)

I have everyone I follow either alphabetized (solidly in the lineup) or unalphabetized. Submitted for Your Perusal is alphabetized. :)

thalkowski said...

Happy b-day, OCA!
I discovered this blog (I think) when you were posting regularly on reading through Proust.
Cheers!

--trh

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, Timothy!

Elaine said...

Belated Birthday Greetings. Even when you are posting on topics that will remain ever opaque to me (modern jazz, for instance) I enjoy reading your prose.

You may already know this: I am a broken-down old special ed teacher, but most of my gray hair I owe to husband and children. Took up writing and quilting to stay sane, but...oops.

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, Elaine!