The end is nigh

I’ve been doing some serious thinking about how to utilize this space, and I’ve come to an important decision.

After I work through my backlog of derryX Dines posts, there will be no new posts here. I estimate that the last one will go up some time by the end of December.

There are various reasons, and I will leave you to speculate however you will, but the main reason is actually very simple. I sat down and wrote down my goals (which everyone should do frequently). In doing this exercise, I couldn’t find any instance where doing this in its current form aligned with a goal.

When I started writing here in June of 2010, I needed a creative outlet to deal with some of the changes that were happening in my personal life. I had a lot of support to put this together, both emotional and technical. Over the years, there have been a number of different topics covered here.

A lot of it was pure nonsense; inside jokes that make sense only to me and maybe a handful of others. Some of those jokes went what I would call viral. People actually bought the t-shirt based on this story! We debated such hot, socially-polarizing topics as what is a blouse? 

(Edit: the following paragraph was added after I noticed the glaring omission.)

One nonsensical feature that garnered way more popularity than it really deserved (but I am thankful for) were the Jersey Shore Recraps. That’s where I’d begrudgingly sit down and watch Jersey Shore and simultaneously (usually) write my reactions to the antics. On many weeks, traffic for these posts exceeded derryX Dines traffic, which is insane! I had so much fun doing this, though.

But I think what the majority of people will remember here is the food. “derryX Dines” became somewhat of a phenomenon, was something that many anticipated, and ultimately led to being able to forge deep relationships in the capital region dining scene. It means so much to me to have been able to have even a sliver of influence in the success of the evolution of the quality of dining in the area. I’m not delusional enough to take credit for how great the restaurants are now versus 6 years ago, but I will take credit for starting conversations and getting people to break their patterns to try some really worthwhile places.

I also used this space to frequently update on my fitness journey. On January 1, 2011, I decided it was time to take action and regain control of my health. Having the space to talk about trials, tribulations, and successes has been enlightening. I could only hope that this has motivated someone, even just one person.

I used the space to coordinate yoga training. I still can’t believe that I can seriously say the words “I am a yoga instructor.” I have had multiple classes with people I have met through doing this, so that has clearly been a rewarding aspect of this.

I have decided that my overall use of social media will be subdued in the immediate future. I will still be posting and interacting on the shorter form platforms, but 2016 has brought a number of life changes that require more of my attention.

As the last of the derryX Dines posts are ready, I will publish them. I will absolutely approve and interact with your comments as before (unless of course you want to use your ability to comment to pontificate on your fat tooth; I will not approve those comments any longer).

Don’t forget about your last chance to take a cooking class with me at Different Drummers!