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Another year older, none the wiser: Silicon Florist is 14 years old

Usually around this time of year, I take a moment to look back and reminisce on everything that’s happened in the Portland startup community over the past 365 days. But this year, I’m just not really feeling it. We’ve all been through a lot. We’ve all felt like we’ve lost months. Or years. And we still don’t seem to be any closer to any semblance of normalcy.

But despite all of that, Portland and Oregon folks keep starting things. They keep building things. They keep at it. And they persevere. Sometimes in dramatic and exceptional ways. But sometimes, they just survive. And in times like these, sometimes simply surviving is more than enough.

And as long as folks keep starting stuff. And trying new things. I’ll keep writing about it. Like I have for the past 14 years.

Not that many people will read it. But I’ll still definitely write it.

Because I know that that person doing that thing might read it. And in some small way, it might help. At the very least, they may feel seen. Or they may find new motivation. Or they may just feel like it’s worth working on that product or company or event a few hours longer. Or, they may never read it. But a friend or loved one may mention it. And that’s got value to it, too.

In many ways, 2007 seems relatively close. In other ways, it feels ridiculously far away. Like more than 4000 posts away. Which averages out to around one post for every weekday since I started this whole thing. Not bad for a personal blog. (Do we even call them that anymore…?)

Fourteen years adds up to a lot of words. A lot of mutilated headlines. And a lot of typos.

But maybe. Just maybe. It’s also provided a bit of hope. And inspiration. And satisfaction.

Happy Birthday, Silicon Florist. Now get to work on the newsletter.

Previous Silicon Florist birthday posts

Birthdays make you nostalgic? Me too! So if you feel like wallowing in that nostalgia with me, please have at it. Here are a bunch of old birthday posts from yesteryear.