Good afternoon dear readers. I hope this blog post finds you doing well, and enjoying your day. Recently, I dug up some old pages from Azarok.com with the idea that I might incorporate them here on the new blog. I was going through an old blogger links page, and was curious to see if any sites were still around. Here are some of the entries from that 2002 list, with updated comments from your truly:

Acidman – I don’t picture Rob sitting around repeating daily affirmations to himself. Nor do I think his blog is textbook example of macheesemo. No, the Acidman is quite possibly the last of a dying breed, from a time when masculine actually meant something other than chauvinist. Today’s generation could learn something from the man whose self respect is in his values not his bionic dick.
2008 Update – It’s appropriate to kick off this list with a blogger who was such an influence that his site lives on even after he passed away in 2006. I only had a few brief exchanges with him, mainly through his site comments, and enjoyed his brash bold style.

AZCrew – This was my original online adventure. In the beginning there were a group friends hangin’ out at Michigan State. Inevitably, I was convinced to make the trek to Phoenix, AZ for a permanent hiatus from Michigan. Thank Chris for providing us an escape plan and a means to keep our sanity.
2008 Update – The homepage has boasted the same message for years. “We’re living in the real world now.” but I’m happy to report I’ve recently reconnected with some of the crew via Facebook.

Big Pink Cookie – Technically superior to anything I could do here. One of the first blogs I came across that allowed the viewer to change the layout on the fly. Christine’s site inspires me to become a well-rounded web designer. Someone who knows both the aesthetics & the backend mechanics to create a web masterpiece.
2008 Update – Still runs a better website than me, and an accomplished photographer to boot. You can follow her on Twitter now too.

Da Goddess – With Dawn Olsen in blog purgatory, I railed through her comments looking for other places to stimulate my brain. Not to disappoint there is solid content to be found on Joan’s site. She also uses on-the-fly layout changes a technique I have yet to master on this site. Be sure to add this on your list of daily reads.
2008 Update – Unlike a number of heyday bloggers I linked to, Joan is still going strong and shows no signs of blogger post droppage.

Davezilla – You want content? How about cartoons, essays, manly tips and a ton of daily blog humor. Visit this site to exercise your funny bone.
2008 Update – Talk about a site that hasn’t changed. I didn’t even have to update the links I posted the first time around.

High Acuity – What is with this young people today? A thirty-something, I don’t know how I’ll get a leg up on this generation of computer savvy designers. Aidan has been doing his thing since age 17 and he’s already been published. But wait, I’m supposed to mention his blog. There’s some good movie reviews and he throws in tech tips when he has a chance.
2008 Update – Now a successful web entrepreneur, nice to see the blog still lives.

Hose Monster – Everything my writing could be, only better. I swear he grabbed this post about reader comments straight from my brain, then filtered out all the small words, sprinkled in some vocabulary and actually made a coherent & interesting blog entry. Of course, I had already decided to link him after reading this post (about idiotic people) and this one (about receiving a sobriety test).
2008 Update – There haven’t been any posts since 2005, and I’m a sad blogger because of it. He was one of my blog heroes and perhaps he’s online around the `net somewhere.

Luvliness.net – A web-designer from Toronto, Stephanie has some of the best online layouts I have seen for a website. Each design surpasses its predecessor and it’s a refreshing touch to stop by a site and see a completely new look. She provides a fine example of how to properly and effectively use style sheets and her website has a lot of quality content for you to browse through including photos & her design portfolio. (A quick nod to Stephanie for enlightening me on how to properly put my comedian pop-ups together).
2008 Update – Stephanie’s site now points to a new blog. Her old site was up & down over the years, but it looks like she’s got the Internet itch again. Will have to checkout her Flickr page for new inspiration.

Moxie – I have to wonder why the Mox is still single. I’m beginning to think it’s all just a ruse to keep readers enthralled with her site. Her writing will entice you more than her marital status as her reviews of Reality TV are more entertaining than the shows themselves. Of course, there’s plenty of other things she has to write about so sit back and exercise your brain some. Oh and she uses Gallery for her photo albums.
2008 Update – Still around, swinging her righteous flair, taking on the liberals and probably a bigger Internet celebrity.

Mr. Helpful – This site is worth visiting simply on the merits of the “Shatner Chronicles” alone, but add to that “The Adventures of the Bionic Dick” and Mr. Helpful’s list of best entries and you could very well lose a weekend. This site gets a double-thumbs up for content originality.
2008 Update – If you read his blog then you know his son’s in a band. If you read his blog then you know why I linked him in the first place.

Paul Katcher – The first comment I have to make about this site is the design. Paul has such a content driven site that the ease of navigating all his categories & entries was HUGE. I’ll leave it to Paul to describe his blog entries which “read like a quick bar conversation”. Most of his entries are short and to the point, a perfect formula for Internet reading. Did I mention this is a content heavy site? You’ll find Interviews (hot chicks people), Reviews (books, movies, etc.), Photo Albums, hell his site definitely requires the Search feature provided by Movable Type.
2008 Update – I still have my t-shirt… uhm, which the wife wears of course.

Rabbit Blog – I find myself fiending for “Dear Rabbit” letters if I’m away from the `Net too long. Sometimes I pretend I am the rabbit… then I write myself a letter and stop short of answering it `cause that would be too weird… (Oh, and I enjoyed her published articles on Salon.com as well)
2008 Update – Can you tell I linked A LOT of blogs that I don’t get to read anymore?

Raymi the Minx – Raymi reminds me of an ex-girlfriend. Amidst the nostalgia I’m reminded that fiercely independent women should be admired from a distance.
2008 Update – Still NSFW, still crazy.

Ryan McGee – Not since the Hose Monster have I come across a blog for the first time where I spent a good 30 minutes reading through different entries. Ryan knows how to woo his readers as each entry teases you with a hyperlink to the entire post (wait for it… wait for it… NOW). He uses big words like “juxtaposition” without sounding like he grabbed a thesaurus just to use a fancy word. The most powerful thing about Ryan’s blog is the personal frame of reference it conjures up with each entry. Insightful as it is inspiring, I’m just jealous that it’s not me. Jennifer Garner has no idea what she’s missing.
2008 Update – I still read his blog, and he’s currently linked. I would consider Ryan a blogger success, as his new site Boob Tube Dude is hot stuff.

Sean Johnson – I found Sean’s blog to be refreshing in its content because he articulates his questions, beliefs and faith in a manner that is compelling as well as though provoking. I could spend hours in conversation with him and probably learn a helluva lot.
2008 Update – I picked up quite a bit of SEO/Marketing material from Sean early on before anyone was using the terms SEO. He’s still around, and doing quite well.

TonyPierce – He’s older than you, dates more women that you and has enough content to keep the masses entertained every waking moment they’re on the Internet. A great photo blog and inescapable reading material.
2008 Update – Tony rocks, `nuf said.

Uptonia – Lauren made her presence known through my comments. It’s nice when new people pop in to say “Hey!” without bombarding you for linkage or solicitations for the latest in hair products. Lauren has some neat art you should check out (and ask her why she hasn’t posted any new stuff). Also I envy anyone who has traveled to Europe before I’ve had a chance to.
2008 Update – Website is still around, and she’s doing all the things she talked about doing in her blog.

Looking through those old links, I’m reminded that you should learn from your past not live in it. Like a highschool reunion it’s nice to reminisce about the good old days, but if you’re not moving forward, you’re not living.

Here’s hoping my life continues to move forward.