Thanks to our friends the Cherrys, the recent “Ypsilanti Courier” piece on local blogging is now online in its entirety.
Here’s my only somewhat-coherent quote:
“I only see [the local blogosphere] as positive. Even the negative stuff comes from a positive place,” Maynard said. “People want to save this town. They don’t want things to fall apart.”
All things considered, it’s a good article. There are, however, a few things that aren’t quite right. Steve Cherry, for instance, did not help me start my blog, as it’s reported. No, he didn’t see me in the street, grab me by the shoulders and say, “I think you’ve got what it takes to be a blogger.” As much as I wish that was the case, it just wasn’t. (Actually, if I were going to fictionalize it, I’d say that he “discovered” me at a soda fountain in Hollywood and brought me to Ypsi.)
I can’t remember when I met Steve. I think my site had already been up and running for a while on Blogger when I discovered what Steve was up to. We exchanged a few emails and then Steve and I met for breakfast at the Bomber. Then, over time, we became friends. (At least I think we’re friends.) And, at some point, Steve convinced me to leave Blogger and move over to a more techie platform called b2evolution. He helped me in that transition and, as the technology is still way over my head, he’s been helping me ever since. (This site, I’m ashamed to say, has become an albatross around the Cherry’s neck.*) In fact, if all goes according to plan, he’ll be moving this site over to his server during the holidays.
I know that very few of you probably care to know all of this, but I felt as though I had to set the record straight. Steve is a great man, and he and his wife, Hillary, are probably responsible for the fact that I got so involved in the community here. (Before I met them, I just blogged about my various pop culture obsessions.) He isn’t, however, responsible for my blogging. That was the OCD’s fault. (Steve and Hillary, for those of you who don’t know, have since left Ypsi for Hamtramck, Michigan. You can follow their exploits there at the Hamtramck Star.)
[*At some point in the “Courier” article, Steve is referred to as, “the Cherry.”]
8 Comments
You were blogging about a year before we were. The way I remember it, I found your blog in a search for other bloggers in Ypsilanti, and then Steve sent you an e-mail about BDSM for Christ.
http://markmaynard.com/index.php/2003/09/29/title_555
My only comment comes from the chord struck by an incidental quote from Dr. Cherry that “Ypsilanti wants to be a suburb or Ann Arbor.”
I went to school in, lived and worked in Detroit for the bulk of my manhood. Then, I walked backwards into Ypsi, thinking I wasn’t straying far from home. I have to say, my singular disappointment with Ypsi is how it looks over its shoulder at its younger, more successful, bastard half-brother Ann Arbor (fathered by some travelling ivy-league salesman) instead of suckling at the ripe, withered breast of its ever-loving momma.
Wait…. So are you telling me that I am the grandfather of Ypsi bolgging?
I thought for sure that you guys came before me, Hillary.
And, yes, we should suck more teat.
Mark, you started in August 2002 and I didn’t really get SOTR going until June of 03.
That would make you the grand pooh-bah of ypsi blogging.
Fuck. I had no idea I was so important.
I started the http://www.GloverHouse.com as blog in Sept 2002.
Before that it was a picture site for the rennovation project
Ypsi.com started as a blog in Dec 02 and then when I convertered Ypsi.com to sell Ypsi stuff I migrated the ypsi.com blog to YpsiNews.com
Philo lives,
– Steve
Now that AnnArbor.com becomes MLive, and cuts their Ypsi coverage, is there a chance that the Courier might invest, do more, and grow? Is that being way too optimistic?
Is the Courier officially dead?