Welcome again. By sheer strength of will, I keep the March 9 flame burning. I'm not sure what the audience is these days. The number of contributors dropped off when I moved this project online. But I say defiantly, like some fool on the street, Welcome to March 9, 2009.

I swear, by God, I will continue this even if I am the only contributor, even if I'm the only person alive in the world, writing from some underground shelter with just a few cans of corned beef hash left on the shelf. Even then, I would write this.

Until that day, however, I write with you, dear reader, in mind. You all over the world, you whom I once shared a drink with, or maybe you whom I only exchanged a few e-mails with, or you whom I don't even know exists. What I hope you get from this project...no sweeping message, no violins, just something to tickle the brain and maybe a hopeful sigh.

The chorus stirs, the pictures are snapped, the poems are composed, and another March 9 comes and goes.

Off we go.

March 9 2009 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12