Some time ago, I had a page at the Scriptorium that was called
Ongo Bongo!. I couldn't think of another name for it (then, as now), so that's what I called it. The purpose of Ongo Bongo was for your almanackist to have a venue in which I could make known things that I was looking for to help make the whole Almanac project better.
It was at Ongo Bongo that I posted requests for information, images, and other kinds of material and non-material support. When a reader asked me a question for which I couldn't find an answer, I would post it in Ongo Bongo. From time to time, when the phone company or ISP threatened me with legal action, I cried out in Ongo Bongo, and you bailed me out. I made some great online friendship with people who believed in what the Almy is all about, for which I'll always be grateful.
Strangely, perhaps, it was one of the most popular pages of the Almanac project, and generated quite a lot of correspondence from many Almaniacs worldwide. And so much great stuff that is now firmly a part of the 5,631,330 words and thousands of images in the Almanac that are a free resource to everyone (and will be as long as humanly possible).
The purpose of that Ongo Bongo, and this one, was, admittedly, somewhat self-indulgent, but I was delighted that so many friends ofthe Almanac were prepared to put aside cynicism and get involved. I think that people knew then, and I hope know now, that the aims and objectives of the Almanac are not primarily mercenary, although I've always made it clear that there is a commercial aspect, as the Almanac is my livelihood. (It has never made a living for me; you are welcome to check the
donation records and if necessary I can make available records from sales, such as profits from books at Amazon.com, which bring me approximately $2.50 per month in total.) The primary aim has always been "to give Almanac readers many reasons and many ways to
carpe diem: Seize the day!" This is still the case. If I can pick up a few bucks along the way to chip in for expenses like food, petrol and phone bill, I see that as icing on the cake.
The old Ongo was before blogging technology, or at least, before I had heard of it. Now, thanks to Blogger, I can resurrect Ongo Bongo, which became unwieldy as I had to edit and upload the old-style html pages and respond by email to the generous Almaniacs. Now it can be done more efficiently, so I decided to
bring back the Ongo!
Thanks for visiting "the new" Ongo Bongo, and I hope you will keep coming back regularly as there are always so many ways that the kind support of Almanac readers can mean a lot to me as I sincerely strive to make the Almy better, more accurate, more interesting and useful, and more engaging.
I guess I'll be here about as often as I was with the old Ongo, namely, about once a week. Hope to see you've looked in, if only to say "G'day". Thanks, guys. I can't do it without you.
How will you find Ongo Bongo again? I guess you could bookmark it in your Favorites, but I also expect you could google Almanac Ongo Bongo and find it that way. I'll also keep it in the menu bar up top of Almy pages.
Now ... On with the Ongo Bongo!
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