If you're concerned...

...that you've missed the opportunity to respond to my abject plea for financial support, fear not! The 8th Blogiversary Begathon is still underway and the tip jar is still right here.

Every little bit really helps and is hugely appreciated.

Every little tiny bit.

They say you don't get...

...if you don't ask, but they never mention that sometimes you don't even if you do.

The 8th Blogiversary Begathon continues regardless. If you've found something of value in the last 9500 posts, the tip jar is right here.

It hasn't quite come to this...

...but anything you can do to make the 8th Blogiversary Begathon successful would mean a great deal. Sure, I'll be here regardless, but if you find what I do informative, entertaining or even infuriating I hope you'll chip in. The PayPal link is never far away.

Another revolution...

...of my home planet has occurred since I fired up this thing on October 22, 2003. Eight Earth years is damn near incalculable in blog years, I suppose. All the usual accolades to my co-bloggers, readers, commenters, sources and inspirations apply. Doing this has been a source of entertainment, education and solace for me, and I hope it's been at least some of that for some of you.

I'd be remiss if I didn't note that none of this would have been possible without the unrelenting indulgence of the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left.

All the usual accolades also apply, of course, to those who've chipped in to keep me and the blog afloat financially. Things aren't quite as desparate around Upper Left World Headquarters as they were the last time I rattled the change cup, but the income from my day (and night) job drops rather precipitously in the cooler months when the patio closes and half the dining capacity at the perfect tavern disappears. Since that tip jar isn't so productive right now, this one could use some attention.

The easy way is PayPal, but if you need another way, drop me a note.

Whether you can chip in or not, thanks for being here, some of y'all for all eight years!

Wild applause…

…and happy 8th blogiversary wishes for Steve and the gang at The Left Coaster.

That's, like, a billion in blog years. Congrats.

Only a year old...

...but a must-read around here from day one, Of Paramount Importance is celebrating a blogiversary, too.

Congrats, Janet!

Happy blogiversary…

…to N in Seattle, who's been posting at Peace Tree Farm for eight years, which is approximately forever and ever in blog years.

Congrats, and know that there's an eager audience here for that long promised ballpark series.

One more time.

…the obligatory Blogiversary Begathon link to PayPal.

If you can, click.

The first random ten...

...of the next seven years.

Mott The Hoople - All the Young Dudes
Southern Culture On The Skids - Drunk And Lonesome Again
Van McCoy - Mr. D.J.
The Five Keys - I'm So High
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Battle Of New Orleans
Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride
Champion Jack Dupree - Shake Dance
Bobby Vee - Look At Me Girl
Derek & The Dominoes - Key To The Highway
Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Betrayal Takes Two

Yep, that Bobby Vee. Pretty good track, too.

Oh yeah, here's the obligatory Blogiversary Begathon link to PayPal. I don't really have a particular tale of financial woe to tell this time. I'm broke. Who isn't. I get it.

If, however, fortune is smiling on you these days and you appreciate what I do here, I'd appreciate your support more than I can say.

7 years.

8738 posts. 336,699 visits. A million thanks to all of y'all who've joined the adventure.

In other words, happy blogiversary to me!

In honor of the occasion I'm going to run a little begathon through the weekend. Things aren't quite as desperate as the last time I dragged the PayPal link off the sidebar and into a post, but times being what they are, a few extra shekels in the PayPal account couldn't hurt.

It's also a way to drag out the celebration a bit. Seven years. Whee!

Still hoppin'!

Happy 8th blogiversary to Skippy The Bush Kangaroo.

Eight years in the blogosphere sounds like an eternity, and closing in on seven years myself, I can tell you it ain't easy. Even harder to do it as well as Skippy and his pals. Congrats!

Six years ago today…

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Here We Go!

With a thirty-some year track record as a Democratic Party consultant, candidate and activist, there's no way I'm going to claim to be 'fair and balanced.' Nope, Upper Left will be proudly partisan. I was born and raised in a New Deal Democratic home, and time came to choose a candidate on my own, I got Clean For Gene back in 1968. In 1972, I came home from Vietnam and went to work for George McGovern. In the intervening years, I've worked with and for dozens of Democrats running for everything from small town city councils to POTUS. Now I've got a spot to spout off what I think I've learned and what I think is right and wrong on the current political scene. I hope to offer a regional focus, too, from my vantage point in the suburbs of Seattle (close enough to town to proudly claim Jim McDermott as my personal Congresscritter). Now I just have to figure out the functional side of this thing...

8163 posts and 316,240 visitors later, I'm still figuring this out. I'm bound to get the hang of it one of these days.

Thanks to everyone who's come along for the ride.

From the "Hippo birdie" file.

Any of y'all who've ever read the children's classic "Goodnight Moon" to your kids, grandkids or any kids should track down the parody version (not particularly for kids) titled "Goodnight Bush," which was presented to me by the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left on this, the completion of my 58th trip around the sun.

And a shout out to my pals at the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate, which turned five yesterday.

Five years ago…

…on Upper Left.

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Here We Go!

With a thirty-some year track record as a Democratic Party consultant, candidate and activist, there's no way I'm going to claim to be 'fair and balanced.' Nope, Upper Left will be proudly partisan. I was born and raised in a New Deal Democratic home, and time came to choose a candidate on my own, I got Clean For Gene back in 1968. In 1972, I came home from Vietnam and went to work for George McGovern. In the intervening years, I've worked with and for dozens of Democrats running for everything from small town city councils to POTUS. Now I've got a spot to spout off what I think I've learned and what I think is right and wrong on the current political scene. I hope to offer a regional focus, too, from my vantage point in the suburbs of Seattle (close enough to town to proudly claim Jim McDermott as my personal Congresscritter). Now I just have to figure out the functional side of this thing...

Yep, it's been that long. Five years, over 280 thousand visits and, with this one, 7106 posts. Most of those are mine, but I'd be remiss without extending thanks to Carl, Darryl, Diane and Deej for stepping in at various times for various reasons. Thanks, too, to all y'all who've left any of the 6,617 comments (honorable mention to pal o' Upper Left Terry Parkhurst). And to all y'all who've ever dropped by, linked up or otherwise been a part of this ride. I'm still having fun and looking forward to the next five.

Still working on the functional side of this thing...

Congrats…

…to pal o' Upper Left, and my own personal guru on all things statistical, Darryl, who's been expressing Hominid Views for three years now.