I’ve been doing this for a long time.  Over the last couple of days whether in person or online I have had a few people say “I can’t believe you are still there.”

"There" being here at WOBM where I have spent nearly 40 years in some capacity from Sports Director to morning show host and for the last 21 years the guy who does this “Hometown View” thing.  Some might think that’s all I do but it’s only a small part of my daily routine which is anything but routine.

I have been doing a lot of reflecting lately which I guess is only natural when you get to the point in life where the first digit in your age is a 6. I miss when it was a 3 or 4, heck I’d be happy with a 5.

I don’t want to get too melancholy but in regards to the “Hometown View” I’m trying to come up with a number of how many of these little segments I have actually broadcast over the years.  It won’t be completely accurate because I’m not sure exactly when it started. I’m pretty sure it was sometime in 1997.

For the sake of argument let’s say it was halfway through the year.  There have been 5,538 weekdays between July 1, 1997 and today.  Figure that in an average year between vacations and more there are about 40 days that I don’t air a segment so over 21 years that would be 840.  If you subtract that number from 5,538 you get 4,698.

Why am I doing this?  Well as I’ve said often there are many times when I’m staring at my computer around 5 a.m. with no idea what I’m going to fill two minutes of time with and today just happened to be one of this mornings.  What I regret most about the “Hometown View” is I have not saved every one of them.

Many people have told me I should have published a book with some of my favorites but the truth is I only save them for a year or so and then toss them.

(Editor's note: you can read the Hometown View going back several years here)

However since I’m now going to use the number 4,698 the countdown is on to 5,000.  On my current pace I should get there in early 2020 and on the day I do at least I won’t struggle to come up with a topic.

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