In his first full year of blogging, Michael documented how he ended one relationship, started another, underwent surgery, and enjoyed the thrills and challenges of dancing Salsa, Ballroom, and becoming a Nielsen TV Ratings Service family (for one week).

The Semi-official Blog of Michael Martinez has become a popular browsing point for curious people around the world. As the author of several books on Tolkien's Middle-earth, the founder of the Xenite.Org network, and a well-known programming and search engine optimization speclist, Michael has made a name for himself in many corners of the world.

While his post on his orange tree may not have enthralled legions of fans enough to drive it into the top twenty, the poignant tale of how a small seed flowered throughout Michael's life touched many hearts.

As did his funny story about bass fishing, in which Michael related how he and his brother were almost pulled into a lake by a fish...or something.