I made my first post to Crime & Federalism - then, hosted on Blogger - on March 18, 2004. Last night I was able to successfully import my prior posts from Blogger, and I'm currently editing them.
I've noticed a couple of things. First, I've learned a lot over this year. Concepts that I could barely grasph are now handled like breathing - with simple, involuntary control.
I also noticed that I was quite the dilettante. Looking back at my old posts caused me to blush at my lack of nuance and context. I wonder to myself, "How could I think myself qualified to write about such things?"
And yet, had I not started with the boldness possessed only by the fool, or the dilettante, I would still be ignorant. Writing is the best way to learn -- Someone reading will always happily correct you.
But this past year of blogging offers me a good moral - Be kind and helpful to the well-meaning dilettante. Chances are, we were all pretty clueless last year, and we are all still students this year.
