First

Here it is. The first ever post on "Take 52," a new and luxurious experiment in blogging. The writers attached to this page have committed to a one-year experiment: to try something new every single week this year. The idea is to choose one narrow area of interest and then dive in as deeply as possible. When we come up for air in December, we’ll (hopefully) be all the better for it.

This experience has its roots in two small experiments by two of our bloggers. The first was mine.

Back in 2004, I decided to become a freelance writer. Though I wasn’t sure how to do this, I committed to the goal of publishing a piece every single week of that year. Know what happened? By the time February was over, I had a few regular columns and enough contacts with local and regional papers that I had my 52 in the bag. And when the year was up? I was much improved as a writer: quicker, more organized and more precise. I’d also gained a slew of semi-related skills, such as pitching ideas and charming strangers on the telephone. Maybe I got too comfortable in this area, yammering with kid singer Dan Zanes for so long one time that he eventually got pulled over and ticketed for not using a headset with his cell phone. Sorry Dan.

This last year, my cousin Adam (who you’ll soon meet) decided to share a new CD with his close friends each week. Here’s a guy who was still in elementary school when I introduced him to Frank Zappa and Elvis Costello. Now the world has tipped upside down, and he’s been turning me on to band after band for twelve months. Along the way, Adam listened to far more than the 52 he reviewed for us. Most 30-somethings haven’t gotten past the music from their college days. But Adam’s here to tell you that Santana’s SUPERNATURAL ain’t exactly the flavor of the week. Thanks to him, I actually recognize names of bands that are advertised in my town’s weekly entertainment section.

So what exactly will we be writing about? It’s pretty wide open. I’ll be discovering a new classic CD every week. Though I’m pretty well versed in music from the 60s, 70s and 80s, there are still a handful of standards out there that have evaded me. Time to nail them down and show them who’s boss. Shawn will be reading a new young adult novel each week. The rest of us will be uncapping a new beer by a brewery we might not have tried. We’re still fleshing out this idea, so it’s quite possible that more columns will emerge in the coming weeks.

I’m realizing right now that I’m not so great at writing conclusions. Thankfully, I don’t have to think too much about a big wrap-up for another 12 months. And while I’m learning about classic albums that I never quite heard, I’ll also be discovering a lot about blogging and how to write a satisfying ending.