It seems like yesterday when I told my son, Danny that I was going to try and create a new writing concept. Eagerly, I told him of my idea to put together two writing forms: I wanted to take the blog, a dedicated site with a consistent posting and delivery strategy, and combine it with an article, a literary tool for good writing and a true message. I gushed when I told him: “Son, I am going to post something of quality once a week!” I can still hear his heartfelt words of encouragement…

“You’ll never be able to do that on a consistent basis!”

O, Ye of Little Faith

Today marks the 52nd straight week of doing just that. Have there been lessons learned in this first year? You bet. Are there changes planned? You bet. Let’s start with the lessons…

1. No matter how good the intentions might be, not everyone wants to be bothered by my beloved BLArticle™. This was a rough lesson to accept, and although I’m still horrified every time I see an “unsubscribe” rear its ugly head in my inbox, it’s okay if not everyone wants to hear from me once a week.
2. On the flipside, I’ve learned how meaningful it is to build a readership that hovers around 1,000 now. I am grateful that you allow me to share my ideas with you, and although you might not read them all, you don’t unsubscribe!
3. I’ve learned how significant your comments have become. I’m still working to train many of you to be bold and post those comments!

Anniversaries, like this one, also provide nice opportunities to create change. As a former trainer of Quality Improvement programs for Xerox, I remember two quotes about quality improvement that I liked to share with my classes. There was the American version; “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And there was the Japanese version; “If it ain’t broke, fix it better.” I have always been a fan of the latter, so here are some plans I have to “fix it better…”

1. Guest Spots. Is there a lesson you’d like to share with this readership? I can’t promise a posting, but if you have a story with a moral that is meaningful to you, submit it to me. Keep it at or below 500 words, and who knows!
2. Video Spots, (a “BLIdeo!”) I’ve had a number of people pushing me to video an occasional BLArticle™ and post it. I’m working on it!
3. “Best of the Month” Spots. Every now and then, I’d like to go back through the past year and bring a classic out of the BLArticle™ vault. If Disney can do it, why can’t I?
4. Mini-Series Spots. In my mind, one of the strengths of a well-written BLArticle™ is that it’s not too long. Unfortunately, some subjects cannot be addressed properly in just 500 words, so prepare for an occasional “BLArticle™ Mini-Series.” One is in the development stage right now, and will consist of several entries in sequence connecting to one specific theme. Pretty exciting, huh?!

So…. Happy Birthday BLArticle™! And to you, my loyal readers: Thank you for reading. Thank you for NOT unsubscribing. Thank you for posting your comments. Thank you for allowing this writer an opportunity to share. And finally, if you see Danny Jolles walking around, or feel like sending him a short message, (www.dannyjolles.com,) be sure to tell him NEVER bet against his old man!