I must do the proper Confucian thing here and pay respects to my web "elder." 

     To any of you who know the two of us, you may find it odd that I would refer to Marc Lynch of Abu Aardvark as my "elder." Yet it is true in a web-specific way. 

     He started his blog way back in 2002 as a pseudonymous untenured professor.  He discreetly revealed the site to me, a tenured colleague, 10 or more years his senior and fairly ignorant of the whole blog thing.  I watched for years as Abu Aardvark grew and found a vibrant and well-read niche in the blogosphere.  And as I watched, I wondered whether I might do the something similar.  Eventually, I did start blogging, but not in the manner of Marc.   He surveys the Arab-language press and presents original analyses of breaking news and commentary there.  This line of work fed into his excellent book, Voices of the New Arab Public.  I, by contrast, try to find ways of applying ancient Chinese thought to modern issues, which relies less on Chinese language press reports and more on novel interpretations of old Chinese books.  I am also trying to make a book of this.  However different my line is from Marc’s (and however modest my readership compared with his), his success has been an inspiration to me.  I started blogging because I could see how he did it.  And for that I am grateful.  Hail to the blogfather!

     But now he has revealed what we, his colleagues, have known for some time: he is leaving Williams, and the office right next to mine, for George Washington University, beginning this summer.  We will miss him.  He has been an excellent teacher, an extraordinary writer, and a helpful colleague.  The bright lights and big city are drawing him away, to GW’s gain and our loss. 

     I wish him all the best in what is certain to be a career of ever greater accomplishment and achievement.

     Zai jian abu Aardvark!