I’ve noticed a recurring theme in recent weeks, especially in reference to Kenny and his history with the Sheriff’s Department.  Some of you have attacked me and my history with the county as well.

For those of you who are not aware, the blog, in its various forms, is about to celebrate four years of existence.  What is here now only accounts for the past five months.

I can’t remember exactly when Ken first contacted me, but it was quite some time ago, 2008 I believe, but maybe earlier.  When Ken first starting writing he wrote about his own situation.  When some of you think you are outing him over the K-9 situation or his shooting or the last chance agreement or anything else you have tried to embarrass him with, little do you know but our old timers know all about it.

The same is true for me.  I suffered with depression for the first time in my life starting sometime late in 2004 or early 2005.  It was first diagnosed in 2006.  A co-worker thought the entire world needed to know I was being treated by a psychiatrist and made my life living hell on the job.  That is when I first wrote about it on the blog.  I felt I would rather have everyone hear what was really going on with me than her vicious version full of lies so I outed myself.

I remember the next day so well.  I had complete strangers look me up on county email and email or call me to thank me for writing about it because they thought they were the only ones who had to take anti-depressants to make it to work each day.  I would guesstimate that over a three-day period I probably heard from 250 people either through comments, emails or phone calls.  That was one of many turning points on the blog.

When Jim Erwin was still a co-administrator on the blog, it would make him cringe when I would discuss my depression.  And, of course, there were the very public suicide attempts.  And the several shut-downs of the blog.  But I know who my core readers are and I know they will always come back, some because they can relate, some because they hope I go through with it, some because it’s addicting.  But they come back.

This time the blog has been back up since January 7, 2010.  I took a new approach and decided to go with almost strictly new material.  As of this writing there have been 782 posts and 3584 comments.  Pretty amazing considering those who spend so much time dissing it.

I have stayed out of a couple of the recent frays, the DR situation for example.  Something some of you don’t realize is the level at which some of these items go nor do you realize the level from which we receive information.  We simply cannot reveal sources.

But to use the DR situation as an example, independent of Ken, today my email has been busy with people who know DR.  The picture painted is far worse than anything Ken has written.  I have received copies of the court records to back up their claims, etc.  Similar things happen with almost every controversial story.

Ken likes to argue with bloggers more than I do.  I let most of the criticism go unless there are blatant lies that hurt people.  One such comment remains unapproved right now.  And sometimes I feel argumentative too.  I’d rather piss you guys off than someone I care about, so the blog serves yet another therapeutic purpose.

Anyway, whether you love us or hate us, we appreciate your readership.  No matter what you think of us or the blog, you keep coming back for more!