It’s been a while since I posted to Poor Robert’s (Wine) Almanac and it hasn’t been with out reason.  I spent a good part of last year preparing to retire from a company I helped found over twenty-seven years ago.  Those who have not gone through a leadership transition process in a business have no idea how much work it takes to do it right.  My personality doesn’t let me do anything half way and retiring was not exception.  I spent a lot of time staying out of my successor’s way so I could see where I could help and where I was not needed.  I made sure that all processes were documented so that he could use what was there and change what he wanted, and mostly I cleaned out the office, literally and figuratively to give him a clean place to make the company his own.  Okay so nothing is ever perfect, but in this case I think I came really close. This was the most seamless transition in history according to my board of Directors. Effective January 1, 2016, I became a full time Blogger, Golfer, Arbitrator, Mediator, Pro Bono Lawyer and generally just free to do pretty much what I want.  I can assure you that Blogging will be high on the list.

My passion for wine brought me to this Blog a few years ago and in 2016 I want to beef it up a bit with more wine reviews, a bigger and more flexible Lexicon and a complete (okay near complete) profile of all the grapes that make up the wines we drink.  In short I want to take “Poor Robert’s (Wine) Almanac to a new level.  Now for the confession, I knew nothing about creating, writing or promoting a Blog when I started and pretty much feel like I am still there.  Soooo to start this year I am actually taking an on-line class called Blogging 101 offered by WordPress, and you my readers will get (have) to experience the process with me.  You see, it is a learn by doing process and will impact the look and feel of my blog as I move through the class.  I promise that I’ll make it as painless as possible for you, but my readers will have to put up with the occasional non-wine related post such as this one, a new process here and a new look there as it all develops.  To the extent I can I will post on wine related topics and when we get to the designing part, I will spiff-up the site a bit by making it easier for you to navigate and use the site.  One of my goals for this project will be to make it easier for readers to participate in our mutual wine adventure.  Hopefully Blogging 101 will teach me a thing or two about making that happen and you all will benefit from my late life learning.

Along the way I would love for my fellow classmates and my loyal readers to let me know (candidly) how I am doing and whether the changes I make make this Blog and Blogger better and more user friendly. So folks, consider yourselves warned and ready for this new part of my life.  It will be a blast!