Below is a photo of the fire that destroyed our neighbor's home and killed their dogs and cats. That was in January.
January 2013
In early summer, the Gerlocks had to get a variance from the village planning commission regarding how their new home would be placed. One of their neighbors tried to create trouble for the sake of creating trouble, but was unsuccessful.
For the past week or two, the new foundation/basement has been created.
August 2013
This week, the new home has been going into place.
They're still finishing it up, but here's what it kind of looks like going into place.
And just like how we can build homes to replace old ones, I've now built a post on a new website that replaced the old one.
Xangan's appear to be a bit like the Scarecrow on the Wizard of Oz: Some are over here and some are over there and some are I don't know where!
WordPress ... undoubtedly has several. I believe my blog will transfer there if I understand the roll-out correctly, but I've not been on WordPress to fiddle with it as yet. I'm using Google+ for the most part.
FaceBook seems to have garnered a lot of attention, mostly from the perpetual complainers, so I'm fine with that. Seems every community has to have those and if Facebook attracts that sort of thing, fine by me.
But - I know many either don't want to pay or can't pay for their blog site. So, I did a quick search and found the above link.
Frankly, if I were to go completely free, it looks like "Live Journal" http://www.livejournal.com/ has a format most similar to Xanga.
Wherever you go, I hope you find folks that you enjoy as much as those you did here.
In the tradition of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if ..."
(all commentary belongs the original author ... but you can bet I smiled at a lot of it!)
YOU KNOW YOU’RE A LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE FANATIC IF …
… You actually think people who mindlessly agree with your political views are “the good guys” and all the people who don’t are “the bad guys.”
… You’ve deluded yourself into thinking that any facts that don’t fit your political prejudices are propoganda spread by Fox News Channel and talk radio (Liberal fanatics) or spread by the Liberal media (Conservative fanatics) .
… You avoid any and all exposure to news outlets that challenge your preconceived notions. Sorry, fanatics, but the rest of us are fully aware that both Liberal outlets and Conservative outlets slant their coverage so you need to weigh both sides.
… You think the hopelessly corrupt, divisive and inept Barack Obama is a wonderful president (Liberal fanatics) or a Muslim sleeper agent (Conservative fanatics) .
… Your first response to all dissenting views is to label them either (yawn) racist or unpatriotic.
… You lie and claim you speak on behalf of all African Americans and all women (Liberal fanatics) or that you speak on behalf of all “decent Americans” (Conservative fanatics) .
… You froth at the mouth with hatred whenever you hear the name of either Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton.
… You only ever vote for candidates from one political party.
… You’re simple-minded enough to believe that everybody must be EITHER a Liberal OR a Conservative instead of being fully- rounded human beings.
… Just because you hold one or two opinions that are generally considered liberal/ conservative you FORCE yourself to unquestioningly embrace all the other views that are generally considered liberal/ conservative. (I call these fanatics the “My side of the political spectrum right or wrong!” fanatics.)
I thought it interesting that the anniversary of my first day on Xanga might fall on the day next to it's final one ... but Xanga got an extension on life, so that coincidence passed by.
I have my first post copied below. For those who've been with me since early one, you know my original screen name was "HumbleWalk." I liked it quite a bit, but the focus of my blog changed over the years, so I also changed my screen name.
I can't say that Xanga has been a life-changing forum for me, but it has served to keep family and friends informed of what's going on in my life, allowed me to express my opinions on topics that interest me, and to meet some nice people both online and in real life.
I'll be curious to see how things transfer over to the WordPress site; I hear many people are already there. I've not ventured out onto it, as yet, but will certainly follow Xanga if it succeeds in the move. If not, I keep my amusing Google+ site going. It feels a lot like when Berkeley Breathed ended Bloom County and started Outland - interesting ... but not quite the same.
Hi all! My name is Brett. I'm starting this Humble Walk blog (based on Micah 6:8) because I have a real compassion for Christians who've been burned by or are burned out on "church." My money making job is as an instructor for American Electric Power, but I do a lot of lay ministry work. Mostly, my work is with the elderly, but I've had a lot of experience with all ages. I posted a short video to introduce myself. I look way more serious in it than I am, but it's me all the same. I love finding out what makes people tick - especially in their religious views. I hope I'll meet a lot of you out there that are interested in discussing elements of church without ranting. I'd love to hear why you attend or don't attend church regularly. I guess that about does it for an intro. I look forward to posting thoughts and questions over the next few days and weeks. If you're more curious about me, feel free to visit www.humblewalk.org. It has a lot more of my views. Until my next post ... Hang in there! I'm rooting for you!
Well .... the days are ticking down, and the money is only trickling up, so it seems that unless Xanga makes some heady progress soon, it's headed for Vogon doom.
I hate to post a "Good Bye" so late that it would get lost in the crowd of good-byes that will likely jam the server those last couple of days ... so I'll post mine now, and like Jack Benny's Second Farewell Special ... I'll likely post another later.
"So long and thanks for all the fish", from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie of 2005.
Lyrics: So long and thanks for all the (recs)/fish So sad that it should come to this We tried to warn you all but oh dear
You may not share our intellect Which might explain your disrespect For all the natural wonders that grow around you
So long, so long and thanks for all the (recs)/fish
(Poor Xanga's)/The world's about to be destroyed There's no point getting all annoyed Lie back and let the (website)/planet dissolve Around you
Despite those (posts from trolling bleeps)/nets of tuna fleets We thought that most of you were sweet Especially (Theo Dan and your busty women)/tiny tots and your pregnant women
So long, so long, so long, so long, so long So long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long and thanks for all the (recs)/fish
If I had just one last wish I would like a (100 rec)/tasty fish If we could just change one thing We would all have learned to sing
Come one and all Man and mammal Side by side In life's great (blog)/gene pool
So long, so long, so long, so long, so long So long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long and thanks for all the (recs)/fish
@SaintVi and I will be looking at this vehicle on Saturday:
... and ... I'm excited that a concept car called the "Elio" will be in Grand Rapids this next Wednesday and Thursday.
84 MPG and $6800
If things work out, it will be in production next summer. I would LOVE, LOVE to have that as my daily to/from work vehicle and use the lovely truck, with not so lovely gas mileage, as the haul-things-around vehicle.
