I want to thank readers personally for making this blog such a success. I never dreamed it would turn out this well after only two weeks. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your responses to my posts, and I appreciate the solid support. When my wife suggested I start a blog as a way to combat depression, I didn't think it would amount to much. Boy was I wrong! Most of my readers are either male or female, which is nice. I guess my blog appeals to a wide range of folk. I assure you this is me, Der Viator, personally writing to thank you, and not one of my staff members. Staff? Yes, I've had to hire a PR team for this blog because your letters and comments have been overwhelming and I can no longer get to them all. I'd like to introduce some of my staff members. They said I could use only their first names and no photos. So I feel it's okay to give you some details about them, because you won't know whom I'm talking about or where they live. Kevin works in promotions. We call him lovingly "Mr. Grey," because, I kid you not, he sports a grey article of clothing every single day. Sometimes it's a shirt, other days it might be pants or even socks. When you get the merchandise, like our Der Viator Rocks t-shirt and the Der Viator Blog mug, he's the one sending it in the mail. Keep up the good work, Kevin!
Dayna runs our HR department here at Der Viator Blog. I don't know what I'd do without her. She's a great gal and we all enjoy her sense of humor. I know she won't like me saying this, but we're all hoping she'll drop her boyfriend, Trace, a geological information systems manager who's more interested in maps and his supposed ex-girlfriend than our wonderful Dayna. The Hungarians have a word for guys like Trace: asshole (I'm using the English translation here). Sorry, Dayna, but it's true.
Lastly, Ted is the one who screens your comments and now answers your questions. The irony is so thick I could cut it with a knife. I used to work for Ted at UPS back in the day. He was the night manager and I was a loader/sorter. He's a great guy and an asset to our team. Oddly enough, we have in common a taste for Jack Daniels and an interest in botany. We often joke about the time we got wasted at Descanso Gardens. He's getting married in August to a fine woman from Minneapolis and we're all going to the wedding. Looking forward to it.
Though Ted usually answers your mail, I'll take a little time here to respond to some perennial questions that have popped up. The way to pronounce my first name is like the word dare. My surname is pronounced with a long i, as in Steve Vai. The stress comes on the first syllable. Yes, I am in fact married. Sorry, ladies. While I'm known to embellish or fictionalize aspects of my life, the part about being married and having three children is true. Will I include more scatological pieces in future blog entries? Yes, I'll try not to disappoint you. But what you need to realize is that I have many readers with diverse tastes. Hopefully everyone can find something to his or her liking in this blog.
I'll be appearing in May at the Border's Bookstore in West Langbein. So come and have a blast. I'll be speaking about my latest work of fiction, a short story entitled "Family Portrait." Bring the kids too, because we'll have an inflatable bounce house and plenty of ice cream. I'll be signing autographs, even though I know you guys go immediately to Craig's List and EBay with them! Once again, my heartfelt thanks goes out to the readers. Until next time, keep living the dream!
Der Viator
Lastly, Ted is the one who screens your comments and now answers your questions. The irony is so thick I could cut it with a knife. I used to work for Ted at UPS back in the day. He was the night manager and I was a loader/sorter. He's a great guy and an asset to our team. Oddly enough, we have in common a taste for Jack Daniels and an interest in botany. We often joke about the time we got wasted at Descanso Gardens. He's getting married in August to a fine woman from Minneapolis and we're all going to the wedding. Looking forward to it.
Though Ted usually answers your mail, I'll take a little time here to respond to some perennial questions that have popped up. The way to pronounce my first name is like the word dare. My surname is pronounced with a long i, as in Steve Vai. The stress comes on the first syllable. Yes, I am in fact married. Sorry, ladies. While I'm known to embellish or fictionalize aspects of my life, the part about being married and having three children is true. Will I include more scatological pieces in future blog entries? Yes, I'll try not to disappoint you. But what you need to realize is that I have many readers with diverse tastes. Hopefully everyone can find something to his or her liking in this blog.
I'll be appearing in May at the Border's Bookstore in West Langbein. So come and have a blast. I'll be speaking about my latest work of fiction, a short story entitled "Family Portrait." Bring the kids too, because we'll have an inflatable bounce house and plenty of ice cream. I'll be signing autographs, even though I know you guys go immediately to Craig's List and EBay with them! Once again, my heartfelt thanks goes out to the readers. Until next time, keep living the dream!
Der Viator
