My, my, how time flies.

My domain gig started out in late 1998 as an antidote to the ever increasing cost of . . cough . . yellow page ads, for promoting my law practice. (Yeah, I'm that much of a geezer . . or domain dinosaur.)

After the local yellow page reps began selling "double trucks" (2 page ads) and then 3 page ads . . for $$$$$ a month in the local county YP "books" . . I decided to take a chance on the "new thing" - the internet - which was soon to be upgraded by the addition of search engines that worked.

So, I zeroed out my YP ad spend, paid for someone to register a few domains "for me" (his fee + the cost of the domains) . . and I bought a few . . and then, when I learned how easy it was for me to register domains, I skipped the intermediary's fee . . and bought a few more "logical domain names" - specifically for promoting a New Jersey / NJ lawyer / attorney who practiced in certain well known legal verticals. (Think NJ(Type)Lawyer.com, Etc.)

And I soon learned a thing or two about how to rank in search results . . and boy did I rank . . for everything NJ law . . until I was swatted and squashed like a bug for my misbehavior . . but it was SO good for just long enough that I made enough money to find myself being seized upon by the . . cough . . "wisdom" of a website known as "Domain Goldrush". (If you were in the game in the late 90s you know the website I'm referring to.)

Admittedly, by 1998 I was a bit late to the goldrush . . but I managed to extract some domain silver.

And then 2001 happened . . and the Dot Com bubble burst . . and many who speculated in domains starting holding fire sales, dumping domains, selling on the cheap, etc.

However, as is often the case, one man's / one woman's dashed hopes for fast and easy riches became another man's moment to wade deeper into the domain name muck . . for as certain as the general wisdom of the stock market in 2001 . . 2002 . . was "Dot Com business is NOT a fast and easy way to riches" my little peashooter brain said "Yes, but . . eventually . . ".

So, I bought at the various fire sales . . and held . . and held . . and held on for the ride, all along thinking that the domains I acquired I would eventually develop into little money making enterprises.

And, along the way, some domains I picked up in the aftermarket for $1K or $2K, I went on to sell for $45K, $60K, $75K, etc.

I also eventually learned about "domain parking" and, during the heyday of domain parking PPC - that heyday being before the scammers starting giving parking a bad name - I made some serious coin, mostly because I had focused my efforts on securing "logical domain names" . . which turned out to be the domain web addresses that people "logically" typed into their browser address bars.

So, 25 years on, here's the crib nots for my long strange trip . . for any of 1, 2 or 3 people to read . . maybe:

I'm still holding on . . and holding onto WAY too many #### domains

Most years I manage to eek out at least a small profit from domain parking and domain sales

Every once in a while I make a nice sale and treat myself. (I recently bought a condo in FL after 2 nice sales)

Over the years I have culled more domains that I care to admit. (I mean . . ouch . .sigh . . whimper . . who's "right" all the time? You? Not me!)

I'm now to the point where it's a bit painful to choose domains to cull, because almost invariably the domains I choose to drop are promptly acquired by others . . sigh . . (One might think that the fact that I dropped it was a signal . . but . . Note to self: Do NOT doubt your domain dropping decisions.

Well, once upon a time - despite its anti-domain-spamming rules, this forum hosted some interesting conversations. Now, however, when I visit the forum, I hear crickets chirping. It's not that there isn't "domain news" but most of it is pretty ho-hum stuff, like the latest domain sales data or recent UDRP rulings.

For the sake of comparison I look a the likes of NamePros and, for the most part, what I read makes me wince. The sheer volume of garbage domains "for sale" there is saddening. When I look at the . . cough . . portfolio sites of those who post there, especially at their asking prices, I wince.

I also look at Domain Name Wire, which aggregates domain related blogs, and DNW's content is much of the same: reported sales, UDRPs, and the like.

All that aside, it's 25 years later . . and I'm a domain dot com . dot org dinosaur . . but, despite all they years I'm still roaming the domain swamp . . snacking on the occasional sale . . and though I can't say that it's been all wine and roses . . at least I can marvel at what a long strange trip it has been . . and continues to be . . and I guess that makes me a dinosaur that can groove on that experience . .

Or dare I say . . Experiences.com.

:p #FTW #FML #YellowCard :p

So, just in case anyone drops by, allow me to ask: Have you also had a long strange trip? Do tell!

And do feel free to drop reference to YOUR most favorite domain name . . AFTER reciting a bit about your long strange trip . . because having and declaring "this is my fav" is all part of the long strange "I dig domain names" trip. ;)