After a hiatus of over 3 months, I’m back to blogging. Boy, did I miss it. No, I’m not dead (sorry) or maimed or abducted. After a crazy three years it was just time for a break.

When I first started writing on this blog it was so bad my own mother wouldn’t visit. But I started learning what makes a good article and honed my craft for a few years. My first bit of notoriety began after I started working for then Senate Minority Leader Vic Sprouse. I lampooned one of the legislators — I forget who now — and they immediately ran to the Senate President. After that all heck broke loose.

And it’s been a wild ride since. I was threatened with firing many, many times, cussed out on the Senate floor twice, quoted by every major news network and a favorite subject for the liberal Phil Kabler. Once the word got out, about 40,000 people visited every month. All this from a blog I never dreamed would be this popular.

I left the Senate after making (and breaking) every personal milestone and even my wildest dreams; I even made money from the advertising! The last three years had been fantastic, but I felt I had lost my reasons to write and things were getting stale. I was writing for all the wrong reasons and the pressure to fill space was making me stray from my “mission statement.”

I created this blog for a single purpose which I wrote on the “about” page of the old site:

“Ever since liberalism has taken over modern media - especially television and newspapers - there has been a dearth of conservative thought in the public market.

“This website seeks to change that.

“While there is no denying this is a conservative site you will find that the only loyalty here is to truth. No party, no partisan, no president, has ultimate arbitration over the content on this site.”

I initially hoped it would be like Lady Justice in a way and be a place to hear conservatism discussed reasonably and productively. Once I saw my writing starting to slip, it was time to close down shop for a while and go on vacation, regroup and refocus.

In the last four months I’ve visited Florida, restarted my graphics design company, and completely redesigned the site. Now there are many tools to help you get the most out of the site that you can. I’ve made it easier to comment, follow discussions, print, and even read the site on your mobile phone.

You will also notice the subject matter broaden. In order to increase my share in the West Virginia market, I purposefully confined most of my articles to local politics only. Now I will be discussing national issues as well as less serious subjects.

There are great days ahead. I renew my promise to you to be just as honest, balanced, and fair as possible. All I ask is that you join in the discussion and tell me when I’m wrong and when I’m right in the same spirit.