The Inaugural Post

Why a blog?

A bipartite answer:

Reasons against blogging (i.e. Necessary background information)
Years ago, I made myself a pact. I vowed never to establish a published web presence unless I had something meaningful to say. This is a large part of the reason I do not use Facebook, LiveJournal, Myspace, or any of the other online diary/social networking sites out there. I do not see the point of blathering on and on about mundane woes and happenstance; the only people who would be even remotely interested in the details of my existence are only a phone call away (and to greater effect).
Also, I freely admit that I am a tad paranoid when it comes to digital privacy. (No, my name is not actually Cavia porcellus; my parents would never stoop that low.) I am uncomfortable, perhaps more than is warranted, with the idea of personal information and photographs of me circulating, or even statically accessible, on the vast Internet. Before I am deluged with comments thereof (How I flatter myself with the assumption of a >1 readership!), let me assure you that I do understand the concept of privacy settings. (Anything can be hacked.) Regardless, seeing as I would be so reluctant to post said information and photographs, there would be no reason for me to use such sites in the first place. Hence...

What has changed (i.e. Why a blog?)
I believe I now have something meaningful to say. This blog will be a lab notebook of sorts, documenting a collection of experiments I intend to perform. (Hence the title; I have no test subject other than myself.) By making this publicly available, I hope to render some small service unto science and humanity, and to all those crazy people out there who might try what I will, just to see what would happen.
Note: This makes it sound as though I actually have plans. (Plans? What plans?) In reality, these plans are nebulous at best, subject to change, authorial whim, and spontaneous combustion.

Et voilà, a blog!