Ten Years of Flaming Pablum

Time flies, eh?

I started this blog as a complete lark in 2005. At the time, I was married with an infant daughter and a long-held job at TIME Magazine.

Since then, I’ve had a second child. At times, given its demands, Flaming Pablum has felt like my third child.

I've since changed jobs no less than three times (and am still currently on the hunt for the next opportunity). And while I started this blog partly as a means to help occupy the long, quiet hours of downtime during weekly overnight shifts at the TIME Magazine news desk, it’s turned into something that’s frequently garnered more attention than my professional résumé.

When I first launched Flaming Pablum, the following concerns were all still operational: CBGB, The Cedar Tavern, Rocks in Your Head, Shakespeare & Co., Bleecker Bob’s, the Roseland Ballroom, Milady’s, Gotham Book Mart, Tower Records, Mondo Kim’s, Chumley’s, the original Max Fish, The Hat, Motor City, the Hog Pit, NYCD, Rockit Scientist, Subterranean Records, the Knitting Factory, Footlight Records, the Virgin Megastore, the Lit Lounge, Etherea Records, the All-State Cafe, Pizza Box, Future Legend Records ... and those are just the ones off the top of my head. The disappearance of most of what I’ve held dear about New York City has accelerated to such a point that I find it almost too dispiriting to try to keep up.

In the ten years that I’ve been writing about this stuff, I’ve been remarkably fortunate enough to meet a disarming amount of similarly inclined individuals. I’ve made friends and have become part of a veritable community. I’ve had people from all corners of the globe reach out to me to share their thoughts on stuff I’ve hastily typed here.

As time has gone on, it seems the novelty of blogging has rather sharply dissipated (witness the amount of links to broken or dormant blogs at left), but I’ve somehow managed to keep mine going. Barring a couple of self-imposed hiatuses and the pervading fear that each and every post may be my final gasp, I’ve endeavored to find something to say here on a more or less regular schedule for a full decade.

I’d sincerely like to thank everyone who’s managed to find the blog (especially with my cryptic and not-at-all intuitive URL), read it and — good lord — come back for more. I hope it’s been as informative and engaging for you as it’s been therapeutic for me.

I can’t promise you ten more years, but as long as you keep coming back, I’ll keep trying to serve it up.

And, apologies for the stupid name.

Comments

[URLBrenner]

Hey Alex-

I'm a regular reader here and I admire your tenacity and commitment to making your voice heard. I'm about the same age as you. I didn't grow up here like you did but I have lived here now-for the love of god-29 years. Most or maybe even all of your grievances with how the city has changed are identical to mine. It's good to know that there others out there seeing things the way they really are and not blindly accepting the absurd dismantling of all the things that made New York City great. Reading that list you railed off...I'm still amazed that so many places vanished.

There have always been a few constants in this city that are now completely disappearing. It was a dark, weird, mysterious, unpredictable, intellectual kind of place. Why would anyone want to take something so unique and turn it into a pile of bland consumerism?

Oh well…whatever…nevermind.

By the time your 11th anniversary rolls around I'll probably be out of here, possibly LA…I'm not kidding.

Here's to another 10 years!

[EV Grieve]

Congratulations Alex!

10 more! 10 more!

[Grahame]

yes -- love the blog, long may it continue!
best,
Grahame

[Bob Egan]

Congrats on keeping the Flame alive for the decade! - Bob

[Sean Connery]

Congrats, dog.

[Riffchorusriff]

Congrats on the awesome anniversary!

[Brad O'Sullivan]

Congratulations!

[DrBOP]

I am SURE that you didn't construct this post so that I would have a tiny lump in my throat as I read it through.....expecting that (with the prominent "STOP" in the header pic and all) the last paragraph would spell the demise of your blog. And then.....

I SAW THE GOOD NEWS!.....ripped off ALL my clothes, pounded a bottle of Jack and an ounce of the Good Stuff, grabbed the dog, and ran around madly in ALL directions in the back-forty with fireballs shooting out of BOTH our asses....ohhhh, it was a JOYOUS romp. I'll tell 'ya!

But riddle me this Batman.....there has GOT to be a way for you to make some bucks off of the enthusiasm, knowledge and sense of humor (sic:+) that you bring to your blog. I know setting things up independently, and then getting a distributor/broadcaster, is not an easy or guaranteed way of making money. But there's something here at your blog that I don't find in many other places. (If I had the money, I would back you on a half-hour video series of you and the kids doing a "Forgotten/Found NYC"......but I KNOW......WHERE would it be shown in order to recoup?) GOT to turn your magic into money somehow....and, once again, I KNOW it ain't easy.

And about the name.....NEVER apologize....it's one of the few fuckin' things that has remained constant around here! (I find a certain mix of Absinthe and Tequila make it flame-up REEEEL GOOD!) :+)

[Makeout]

10 years! Right on! keep it coming brother!

[Carol]

I love this blog, even when it breaks my heart. NYC is change but it's hard not to feel sentimental. Perhaps it's a reminder of how fleeting it all is...

[Gaylord Perry]

I pitched for more than 20 years. Writing is a lot less stressful on your arm than pitching, so I bet you can do another 10 without a problem.

Oh, and buy my book, "Me And The Spitter."

[David Sierra]

keep it up.

[NYCDreamin]

Just catching up on some of my reading - I missed this one. You can add "inspiration" to your list of accomplishments here as well, as Flaming Pablum was definitely one of a handful of sites that was a huge influence on what I'm doing over on mine. Congrats on 10 years...as long as you want to keep doing it - I'll keep reading!