Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Bratcher Lev. A year ago I birthed you so that I may have an e-presence beyond the myspaces and facebooks of the world. I had also started a youth pastor job and thought this a good way to keep up with my young sheepies. The address was printed on the bottom of my card, which I gave out liberally at the beginning of my career. If I were given a business card by my spiritual shepherd that had the ever-enigmatic "thebratch.blogspot.com" printed at the bottom I would have immediately visited as soon as I could. If it were as well written and dynamic as you are, I would have been a regular visitor. This never happened, however. Thanks to a google program, I know when and from where people visit my page (this I check almost never . . . as I know where the two hits may be from). It never read IL except for when I knew I was there (for some reason, it didn't tell the difference between me and everyone else).

And so it goes.

I have left the occupation for which you were created, yet I continue nurturing you. What started as a professional venture quickly became a personal project.

Bratcher Lev, we salute you.

And yes, we know what your name is.