10 000 Maniacs

At the moment, the webcounter stands at 9984, which means the site will today top 10 000.
When I began this weblog on the 3rd last day of October 2004, as 3rd Time Lucky, 20 Weeks to SA Ironman, the purpose of the blog was primarily to be accountable to training, and secondarily, to commute news missives instead of sending mass emails. It has subsequently turned into something of a hobbie.

Although I'm thrilled to have 10 000 hits, at least half of these are my own refreshes and posts, and another quarter represent a core bunch of interested readers. I'm grateful for everyone's interest. Feel free, if you have a comment, to post one. Don't be a voyeur.

The purpose of this Blog now is threefold.
Firstly it is to provide personal news to distant friends. Secondly, it is to provide a voice for what I feel is an urgent issue facing the World Community today, which is Peak Oil. Peak Oil impacts on everything and everyone, and my own priorities in terms of seeking a home, starting a family, have to remain conscious of the looming Emergency.
Finally I will continue to train, and pursue the Ironman. I have been unsettled and struggling to resume a pattern, but expect to be in a good pattern within one or two weeks. The next big triathlon I would like to pour my energy into is the Cheolwon Half Ironman. I need to start preparting as soon as I can for that.

One more thing. The best writers and artists, I feel, endeavour to communicate something that has value. The passion to do so overwhelms any need to be popular, or to serve the interests of an audience (thereby compromising either the veracity of the art/communication, or its quality, or both). People like Van Gogh epitomise this dedication to the personal journey, and some talented people who embark on this journey, which may seem selfish or disconnected, may nevertheless provide something valuable and worthy of our attention. I'd like to pursue this kind of dedicated attitude towards my own passions (writing, working, sport) more than I have done recently. This website may become less 'entertaining' as a result. Thus I would like this website to provide more valuable information, than say, wasteful focus on movies, movie stars and other distractions. I don't mean to be a stick in the mud, so if I am interested in some popular culture, I'll convey that. But I would like a departure from that in a general sense, by providing a more urgent focus on some of the emergency issues facing our world.

Thanks for coming!