Two Years: No Days Off

Two years ago, as I negotiated my severance package with The Virginian-Pilot, I asked for the rights to my old newspaper columns.

All 2,448 of them.

Puzzled, the brass agreed. We drew up a contract, all parties signed it and I handed my soon-to-be-former bosses a buck to make it legal.

“So you’re going to do some blogging?” one asked pleasantly, as if I were about to don a colorful house dress and share recipes on the internet.

Nope, I replied. I’m not retiring. Not “blogging.” I want to help fill the void left by failing newspapers that are no longer doing their jobs. I’m going to tell the truth without worrying about offending local power brokers or conforming to stiff political correctness. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing before. On my own terms.

In truth, I was worried. Would I find an audience? Would readers follow me to the internet?

During my time at The Pilot tens of thousands of people read what I wrote. Then again, I was part of the newspaper that landed on their porch - or in their bushes - every day. They were stuck with me. 

I wanted to create an online community where I could put up a provocative post every morning and let folks jump in. 

I knew the only way to make the website a daily habit with readers was to be there every single weekday.

But THAT’S a commitment.

No days off? Was I insane? I was accustomed to writing three days a week. Would I find enough material for five? Would I die of exhaustion? Would anyone read?

What I didn’t anticipate was how liberating and fun this would be. No longer worried about bed-wetting editors, I can say exactly what I believe. I can tackle any topic. I no longer have to think about powerful people calling my bosses and demanding I be fired. 

In two years we’ve covered cronyism in Virginia Beach, media screw-ups, pedophiles in the Catholic Church, the scourge of pit bulls - America’s deadliest dogs - nanny government, Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal, the Virginia Beach massacre and the occasional heartwarming family post.

Best of all, our numbers are fabulous. Unbelievable. Growing every day. Far exceeding goals we set for ourselves

While most followers are in Virginia, we have readers of the site in every state and in dozens of foreign countries. Ireland, Spain and New Zealand lead the pack.

The vast reach of the internet is truly awesome.

At the beginning of Year Two we decided that instead of cluttering the site with Google ads or erecting a paywall we would try the NPR model: Accept a few ads and ask for donations, to see if people would be willing to pay a little bit to support our content. Believe it or not, running a website - and doing it the right way, with professional designers, equipment and advisors and a good hosting site - is not cheap.

That too, exceeded our expectations. Generous readers are allowing us to expand. We’re working on a podcast and several other exciting projects. Wish I could say more, but I can’t. You’re going to like what’s coming.

I warned readers from the start that if I wasn’t going to take time off, I’d have to bring everyone along when I travel. As a result, y’all came with me to Vietnam, Montana, Mississippi, New Orleans and Florida.

Frankly, I’ve enjoyed the company.

I’ve written from the back seat of a Hanoi taxi, from a bar in New Orleans, from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and from a hotel pool in the Sunshine State.

For those who have been here since Dec. 4, 2017, thanks so much for your loyalty. For those who found us along the way, so glad you’re here.

Let Year Three begin. No. Days. Off.