2008 Year In Review

I started blogging in late 2007, so I didn’t compile a “Year in Review” post. I’ve broken the post into two main categories: Blogging and Life. The Blogging section will detail some of the statistics collected over 2008. The Life section will include a bit more about what I’ve done over the last 12 months.

Blogging in Review (2008)

Posts tallied from 2007-12-31 to 2008-12-31

Top Posts (By Views)

1. How to write a DOS batch file to loop through files (24,709)
2. How to verify your voter registration, register to vote, or request absentee ballot online (18,731)
3. How to convert a street address to longitude and latitude via web services (9,179)
4. How to convert a Visual Studio 2005 solution to Visual Studio 2005 Express (6,465)
5. How to load a Google SketchUp model into a XNA game (6,423)

Top 2008 Months (By Views)

1. October (27,705)
2. November (27,495)
3. September (14,477)
4. December (13,630)
5. July (10,592)

Total Views

2008 (Year) = 137,847

Busiest day: 6,992 – Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Blog Stats for 2008 by month

 

Life in Review (2008)

I think 2008 has been the most well traveled year since ‘96 when I visited several countries during a west Pacific (”west pac”) tour aboard the USS Peleliu while assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

I revisited a few places that I’ve already been. Although, I believe I was able to explore quite a bit more this time than in previous times and I had an overall better time at the destination this year than before. I think that I’ve captured most of the destinations, but I might have forgotten a couple. Here’s a list of key destinations and major events that I’ve visited in 2008 (in no particular order).

* denotes a first time experience

(stopping at airports or just in town for business without sight seeing didn’t count towards list below)

US National Parks & Monuments

• Cabrillo National Monument (San Diego, CA) *
• Yosemite National Park (CA) *
• Joshua Tree National Park (CA) *

US Cities

• City of Big Bear Lake, CA *
• Cocoa Beach, FL *
• Coronado, CA (Ferry landing area)
• Hollywood, CA
• Lake Arrowhead, CA *
• La Jolla, CA (explored area, beach, sea cave)
• Julian, CA (apple picking, apple pie eating, …)
• Miami, FL * (south beach, freeways, …)
• Solvang, CA 
• Santa Barbara, CA

California Local Parks

• Eagle Peak Preserve, San Diego County, CA *
• Iron Mountain, Poway, CA *
• Miramar Lake, Miramar, CA *
• San Clemente Canyon, San Diego, CA *
• Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
• Torrey Pines State Park, Lo Jolla, CA *

Mexico Cities and Ports

• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico *
• Mazatlan, Mexico *
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico *

Other Events and Destinations

• San Diego Events
  • Phantom of the Opera at Civic Center *
  • San Diego County Fair
  • San Diego Padres games
  • Political rally/march *
• Mexican Riviera Cruise (see above Mexico cities) *
• San Diego Beaches
  • Sunset cliffs  *
  • Solana Beach 
  • Del Mar Beach  * 
  • Pacific Beach 
  • Ocean Beach  *
  • Mission Beach 
• San Diego Farmer Markets
  • Del Mar *
  • Scripts Ranch *
  • Downtown (San Diego) *
  • Little Italy (San Diego) *
  • Hillcrest *
• Wine Tasting
  • Julian, CA *
  • Temecula, CA *
  • Solvang, CA *
• Fruit/Veggie Picking
  • Apple picking (Julian, CA) *
  • Pumpkin picking (Ramona, CA) *
  • Jujube (Chinese dates) picking (Temecula, CA) *
• Hollywood, CA
  • Hollywood sign *
  • Chinese Theater *
  • Kodak Theater *

Physical Activities

• Snorkling (Cabo San Lucas) *
• Kayaking (Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta) *