It was just going to be a lark, and in some ways, it still is. One year ago today, Jerseys and Hockey Love was born. Starting on Blogger, and then moving to it’s own domain, JAHL has been a lot of fun to write. In fact, the best (and most) writing I have ever done has been at this blog. When I was growing up, I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would be writing about sports. I wasn’t the sports type,be that playing or watching, and it still surprises me that hockey has captured my heart the way it has. When I began blogging, I had no qualifications to write about hockey, I just wanted to start up some conversation, chat with other hockey fans, and branch out my knowledge. It looks like I got what I wanted.

This season was full of hockey to the brim. I had never watched as many games as I did, never gone to as many Avalanche games, never yelled “Whip his ass!!!” ever (last game of the season, Laperriere vs Phaneuf), and never written as many words. I always wanted to write, but there is a huge difference between wanting to write, and actually writing. I used to do the former, now I do the latter.

364 posts (including this one), 771 comments, plenty of visitors, moving to my own domain, and several new friends later, I almost feel like a hockey writer. I don’t want to be a journalist, but a hockey writer, sure, why not. Frankly, I can’t wait until next season.

I want to put up some of my favorite posts, for those of you who may have missed them, or came to the blog late. Such as:

Hockey Cats Who Dance
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Jerseys and Hockey Love Manifesto

I Have Returned, Well Fed, From the Burrito Emporium

Hockey Night Scripts
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

To those bloggers who have linked, chatted, poked fun, made comments, or otherwise supported my efforts around here, thanks. Without you, I could never have kept this thing going.

Happy Birthday, JAHL. It’s been fun, and it’s going to be even better next season.