New York - New Year's Eve, 1998 - It is snowing ever so lightly as I type this to you. Pinhead size snowflakes leave a light patina of stardust on the cars and sidewalks here on the East Side of Manhattan.
Fate decided that I should have to re-write this last page of The World's Magazine. My GameBoy (TM) crashed, you see. The former version of this Note was chewed up and mangled beyond recognition. So I rebooted, went outside and watched the tiny snowflakes cascade down from the grey cloud-cover and began again on a gentler note...
Coming back up to this apartment in the elevator, I reflected on the fact that New Year's Eve was normally my favorite holiday. While others consider it Amateur Night, I've always loved the fact that the whole world was in Carnival mode for a night.
Yet, this year, I have no plans at all. Here it is, Prince's "1999" and I may well be asleep, for the first time since childhood, when the rhinestone ball drops at Times Square and half a million people cheer in the heart of the World's City.... Something is wrong with this picture, don't you think?
Going into 1999, lots of new things are happening for and at The World's Magazine. You read about our new arrangement with the Alta Vista Entertainment Zone GetWild! site on the cover. Our hope is that this relationship will produce more new Loyal Rooters, something our advertisers should be pleased about.
Nathan Black, our intrepid Site Administrator, is hard at work on a new archiving system which will allow you to access each back article of your favorite columnists. Thus, with this first issue of 1999, I have changed the architecture of the site slightly. Henceforth, each edition will be more of a stand-alone piece, rather than overlapping as they have since this past summer.
This edition also features another value-added page for you. Thanks to our new partners at Electronic NewsStand, we can now offer you another great resource. The new G21 Magazine Rack offers you some great deals on offline reading to complement the top-notch online works we try to bring you every week. We believe you'll find the Magazine Rack a great resource and plan to offer a Search Engine for you in the near future. Until then, feel free to let us know of magazines you would like to see offered there.
ABOUT THIS EDITION: We are back to offering you a plate full of great entertainment this week. There are twelve (12) all-new features in this edition. Standouts, by my lights, are the new piece by alumnus CHUCK NYREN ("The Slobberer") and MARIE IRSHAD's ever-reliable WELSH TAKE. I hope you take a look at these two, but recommend each and every feature to you.
On behalf of our entire staff, let me wish each of you and your families a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
We're glad you're here. We have a lot to offer this (and EVERY) week. Stick around. More importantly: TELL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS. We want you here EVERY DAY.
WHY?
Because we like you...
Be Good to Each Other,
Come back next week to help us celebrate the 150th weekly edition of this magazine. Our writers should be putting their best words forward for you, and we have a few special surprises in store, too. Be Here Now.
Thanks for coming back this week.
Rod
ROD AMIS is a Contributing Editor at Suite101.com, where he writes the " 'Net Publishing" feature. His work has been featured in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Online,NRV8, and most recently at WebLab's new Reality Check site.
Rod is also a columnist for the Andover News Network, where he writes on web design and development issues every Thursday; and a contributing writer for Faulkner Information Services. He is principle writer and Editor for IT Manager's Journal, where he reviews technology issues five days a week.
When not busy with his publishing chores at this site, and answering sixty -to- one hundred e-mails a day, he likes to throw darts; seek female companionship; and listen to Tupac, Beethoven, Philip Glass, Joni Mitchell, James Carter, Eric Clapton, Snoop Dogg, Etta James, Miles Davis, Handel, Portishead, Toots & the Maytals, Bob Marley, Sinead O'Connor, techno, house, jazz.... You get the idea.
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