I suppose that moment comes in everyone’s life. The first time someone calls you a “grandfather” (or the geriatric equivalent thereof). I faced that first reality check yesterday from, of all places, The Daily Bankruptcy Review, which ran this story about the one thing sex, politics, and BAPCPA have in common: blogging (though it appears a second commonality is that they all can be bought, too, for the right price!).

I have to say that the tag seemed a little premature, especially since it was pinned on me for something that, as of one week ago, had only been up and running for one year! But, having now been given reason to ponder the transience of life, it seemed appropriate to take a moment to reflect here on the past year of blogging and, most importantly, to extend the many thanks that are due to those who helped make this first year a success that far exceeded my wildest expectations:

• To the pioneers and superstars of the blogosphere (Volokh Conspiracy (Todd Zywicki), Houston’s Clear Thinkers (Tom Kirkendall), WSJ Law Blog (Peter Lattman),  Delaware Litigation Blog (Francis Pileggi),  SCOTUS Blog (Tom Goldstein), Legal Underground (Evan Schaeffer), How Appealing (Howard Bashman), Point of Law (Walter Olson), and Ernie the Attorney (Ernie Svenson)), whose kind words and links to my site made a big difference in extending readership and in energizing me to work even harder to match the quality of these premiere sites.  
• To the written and online publications (LRP’s Bankruptcy Court Decisions (Kate Colangelo), Illinois Bar Journal (Helen Gunnarsson), Dow Jones’ Daily Bankruptcy Review (Laura McGann),  and BKINFORMATION.COM) that helped spread the word.
• To the anonymous and citable lawyers and fellow bloggers who provided leads to key stories and pleadings.
• To Bob Coleman, the firm’s big-hearted leader.
• To Kevin O’Keefe and LexBlog for their smart, efficient service.
• To my wife and two children who encouraged and tolerated my passion.
• To my mother, of blessed memory, who read every new entry and is sorely missed.
• To the federal judges whose opinions from the Supreme Court down to the bankruptcy courts across the land provided more fodder than a roomful of impassioned bloggers could accommodate.
• And, last but not least, to each and every one of you, my readers, without whose incredible readership support I would have stopped long ago.

As I said on opening day one year ago, when hope sprang eternal, and repeat again today, when hope continues to spring eternal:

I can only hope and pray that the good and merciful L-rd grants us at The Bankruptcy Litigation Blog the strength to keep the blog fresh, humorous, and informative for what looks to be a very long and challenging season ahead….  [But] don’t hesitate to try and boo me off the field, when deserved.  As every Chicago [Cub] fan knows only too well, that’s baseball!

In the meantime, I think it’s time for a nap!

[FYI:  More great Ray Bial photos available here, and many thanks to him.]

© Steve Jakubowski 2006