So...What's New?

If you happen to have followed this blog, saw the earlier update today, and wondered "Why has No Drumlins been dormant for three-and-a-half months and then up comes this rogue post about some guy from Greenfield?"...well, I'm here to tell you.

(But first, let's be honest. There probably aren't five people out there who wondered about that, but I needed some sort of opening premise.)

As election season starts to heat up, I've decided to re-start No Drumlins as a sort of Central Mass. election wrap-up. There are a handful of blogs out there (MassBeacon, Lovers, Muggers, and Thieves to name a couple) that have been looking at local and statewide races, but none that concentrate on Central Mass. in particular.

Since I'm not doing anything else right now (note to readers: if you are looking for a writer or a benefits professional, hire me), I figured I'd put some of my time into keeping an eye on the following contests:

Senate
Middlesex and Worcester (incumbent Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton)
First Worcester (incumbent Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester)
Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin (incumbent Stephen Brewer, D-Barre)
Worcester and Middlesex (incumbent Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster)

House of Representatives
Second Franklin (open seat -- currently Democratic)
First Middlesex (open seat -- currently Republican)
Third Middlesex (incumbent Kate Hogan, D-Stow)
37th Middlesex (incumbent Jennifer Benson, D-Lunenburg)
First Worcester (open seat -- currently Republican)
Second Worcester (open seat -- currently Democratic)
Fifth Worcester (incumbent Anne Gobi, D-Spencer)
Sixth Worcester (incumbent Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton)
Eighth Worcester (incumbent Paul Kujawski, D-Webster)
Ninth Worcester (incumbent George Peterson, R-Grafton)
11th Worcester (open seat -- currently Republican)
12th Worcester (incumbent Harold Naughton, D-Clinton)
13th Worcester (open seat -- currently Democratic)
18th Worcester (incumbent Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton)

Worcester County Sheriff (open seat -- currently Democratic)
Govenor's Council (open seat -- currently Democratic)

US Congress
First District (incumbent John Olver, D-Amherst)
Second District (incumbent Richard Neal, D-Springfield)
Third District (incumbent James McGovern, D-Worcester)
Fifth District (incumbent Nikki Tsongas, D-Lowell)

I figure that there is plenty of coverage on the statewide offices, so I'll leave those to others.

Oh, and so you know what my biases are, I am the chair of the Sterling Democratic Town Committee, have worked on local Democratic campaigns in the past, and expect to work for Democrats locally in this election cycle as well. I plan to present all of the information I can find as impartially as I can, but I do have a point of view.

No Drumlins Nation: 50,000 strong

This morning at 1:14 am Eastern Time, No Drumlins welcomed it's 50,000th visitor. The lucky reader logged on from Mendocino, California.

Other milestones:

1,000: July 31, 2006
5,000: October 21, 2006
10,000: February 1, 2007
15,000: June 24, 2007
20,000: October 20, 2007
25,000: February 24, 2008
30,000: June 18, 2008
35,000: October 8, 2008
40,000: February 24, 2009

Happy New Year...here's what's in store for 2010

I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and Day. 2010 has to be better than 2009 (it does, right?). I'm not going to make any hard and fast resolutions, but here is what I hope to do with the blog over the next year...

1. Continue commenting on local politics -- For better of for worse, it seems like this site has become pretty heavy on state politics. With a huge series of elections coming up this month and again in September and November, I can't imagine that will change.
   
   
2. More local issues -- Looking around the Internet, it seems like there is a real void when it comes to opinion and coverage of really local issues. For instance, as far as I can tell I'm the only regular blogger in Sterling, there are none in Lancaster that comment on local issues, the only regular bloggers from Leominster are focused on personal and cultural items, and the issues-bloggers from Clinton come from a decidedly different political viewpoint that I do. Previously, I have spent a lot of effort on local issues in my four "hometowns," I'd like to get back to that.
   
   
3. Less family -- Since finding Facebook, I've stopped posting personal updates here and started putting that stuff there. I think I'll keep it that way.
   
   
4. More multi-media -- I'd like to pull out the video camera and put some of my commentaries on tape. I am under no illusion that this will bring in more readers...to the contrary, I'm sure.
   
   
5. Continue to stay away from sports -- Those who know me are aware that I am a huge sports fan. Other than the rare rant about the Bruins, Red Sox, or Patriots, I've stayed away from regular sports commentary here. Not that I don't have opinions, but there are two-million-and-six sports sites out there and does anyone really need another?
   
   
6. Stay regular -- More fiber, more...no wait, no personal stuff, I almost forgot. I mean blog more regularly. Probably not daily, but more than six or seven times a month.

That's it. I hope you'll stay around to see how I do.