As we now come to the end of something, we should appreciate its beginning; even if such a beginning became more ambitious that it was intended to be.
Below is the last, regular Friday profile. The first was offered on July 6th, 2012; nearly six years ago. There have been three series of fifty personalities. I would take a break for a year in between the series, but would always come back when I would think of others who inspired me in one way or another. I also enjoyed the discipline of having to write something each week.
The first profile was little more than a long caption below a photo of some surfers and actors playing surfers from a forgotten film. I didn't even bother to identify the surfers. The second was a brief reminiscence about a forgotten blues singer. Again, not much.
The third, however, is where I started thinking about what could be. Since the first series coincided with the birth of my granddaughter, and I was also musing at the time how my parents' generation was now leaving us, and of the generally poor and absurd state of American education, I thought of it as an extended letter to that newborn generation that bore the unofficial title of "Dear Abigail,..." These were people I wanted her to know something about.
But, I needed to give myself some rules, as I was working as a full-time parish priest, a part-time independent school chaplain, a part-time luthier, and as close to a full-time beach bum as I could afford to be, and really didn't want to spend too much time writing these, even when I really warmed to the subject.
So, every profile had to be between 500 and 1000 words, each had to be composed and ready to post in 90 minutes, and I had to rely on memory for the first draft. Moments of research would occur during the fact-checking stage.
It was with Bob Manry's profile that I began to experiment with the new feature, posted on Friday mornings which were, and still can be, the quietest time of my week. So, save for a couple of breaks required either by work or vacation, fifty profiles were offered in the first series. I thought I had finished, except a year later I did it again; another fifty for another year. Then, I thought it was finished, again. But,...
It really does need to end, now, as I'm busier than ever and have a rather ambitious book to complete. After a little time, there will be a new Friday morning feature; of what I'm not exactly sure, but it'll be fun and, I hope, informative.
As I stated, below is the final profile; that of the man who planted the seed of this idea that has claimed six years of my life and numerous postings in The Coracle. Well, until I start to think of other people....