The Return of Iron Mike

Back then, we called it “writing on the Web”. Now, they call it blogging.

Back then, a bunch of early adopting nerds were online. Now, everyone and, yes, their mother, is online.

Some call it Web 2.0. I call it the Web with a bigger audience.

It was 1995. I was in Denver with no friends, no girlfriend, and a computer. I purchased the ween.com domain name on a lark. With nothing to put up there, I decided to write.

My words were immature, obnoxious, and absurd. For some reason people liked it. Without the benefit of RSS feeds, I sent out each new post via e-mail. Soon, I was sending it to 15,000 people at a time.

It was an archaic phenomenon that almost became a movie, a TV show, and a cartoon. None of that happened, but I did compile the writings into a book, Battery Acid for the Soul.

Being an early Internet star was a very cool experience. It made me realize the potential that the Web could have once people actually went online.

Eventually, I decided to stop writing. I built one of the world’s top Web consulting firms. I found a woman who would put up with my bullshit and married her. We did a little travelling and we lived a somewhat anonymous existence. All was good.

For some reason, I woke up this morning and wanted to write again. Maybe it was the Chinese food I had the night before. Maybe it was the sorrow I felt from George Carlin dying. Whatever it was, I logged on to Blogger and a few minutes later, here I am.

Let’s see what the new Iron Mike has to spit out.