How did the Ranch Ramblins blog come about?

After the experiences involved in changing e-mail addresses numerous times over the years, I became convinced that in our cyber era an e-mail address should be permanently attached to an individual – much like a street address becomes permanently attached to a physical property.  I figured that one way to accomplish this goal was to reserve a domain name, and find a web hosting service to provide my e-mail needs.  I had no intention to start a blog of my own at that point in time, but soon, I was hooked!

It started when I began exploring my new web host’s documentation (I’m one of those weird documentation freaks – I actually READ THE MANUALS).  Right there, in front of my very eyes, enticing my further, were the words that attracted my attention like a magnet – “One-Click Software Installs“.  I can never resist the temptation of a free one-click install, so off I went to explore the goodies that were available.  Most of what I encountered was gibberish, but one, WordPress, stood out as being something I might understand.  So I clicked on it’s link, which took my to a page with a few more links to click, and after a few moments – VOILA, my one-click install was installed!

So now I discovered that I was the proud new owner of a blog.  But what to name it?  Well, I thought (which, at times, I’m apt to do), this place is sort of a ranch, and I will probably just ramble on about stuff, why not just call it Ranch Ramblings?  Because that’s too formal, that’s why.  So I dropped the “g”, and thus was born Ranch Ramblins.  And now I will become immensely rich and famous.

What is the purpose of writing Ranch Ramblins?

There are many reasons why one would choose to maintain a personal blog, mine are fairly straightforward:

First, living in an “arrested frontier” that is not easily accessible from most places in the nation has its advantages and disadvantages.  One advantage is the uniqueness of culture that develops in such an area, due to it’s geographical isolation.  One disadvantage, due to the same geographical isolation, is that everyone who you might want to “drop on by” cannot conveniently do so.  And so this blog is an effort, in part, to share what life is like out here with those who may be interested.

Second, I am a person who is prone to babble on about things (ask Retta).  I am also a person who has dabbled, in one way or another, with computing and photography for all of my adult life.  And so this blog is a perfect vehicle for the marriage of all three elements; computing (for the blog platform), photography (for the pretty blog pictures), and babbling (which I call ramblin, for the blog text).

Third, to make me immensely rich and famous.

Who is the intended audience of Ranch Ramblins?

First, family and friends.  There are a lot of things that go on around here that simply escape my mind when we talk, or can’t adequately be described without a picture.  This blog is a way to share those moments with you.  And to read any comments you might have regarding our antics, as well.  Use whatever name suits you – I’ll figure out who you are from your email address (which only I can see, by the way).  So join on in!

Second, anyone else who happens upon this site, provided that your intentions are good (if not, then go away now!)

Third, anyone who can help me to become immensely rich and famous.