Paved signs your yearbook and hits the beach

… and that’s a wrap on this season of Paved. Things got started here back on October 6, with the agenda of reflecting the online action in the GTA, and plenty of links to the hot topics du jour. The format transformed during that period, as shorter posts excerpting from individual sites, and the occasional tip about what was happening around the city, settled into a one-a-day ritual with longer headlines, bigger pictures, and lengthier chunks of text. Some of the posts managed to cover news several days ahead of the mainstream media curve, other posts tried to supplement pieces that originated in various publications, and a few posts might’ve turned out relatively unreadable – such is the risk of working without an editor, in a style determinedly distinct from the work of a traditional reporter or columnist. It didn’t hurt that this was a provocative past year in the history of Toronto politics, society, media, culture, narcissism and self-awareness – as covered in the wrap-up, Pavedover – along with Canada’s first federal election race where blogging was a legitimate factor, not to mention all the GTA-related zeitgeist still lurking in the archives. None of this would’ve been compiled without a hearty sense of adventure at the Toronto Star, whose online laboratory scientists commissioned this project, and frequently linked to specific items at thestar.com. And, in return, they received the internet journalism equivalent of the halcyon days of free-form progressive FM radio, genuinely inspired by the weblog culture nurtured over the last few years, with hopefully even greater explorations ahead. Now, what happens to the blaugerista – who’s gone this far without using a first-person pronoun – is a bit more uncertain. Naturally, relevant updates will appear here, especially if the site resumes in some form. Meanwhile, there’s time to ponder the next big situation, whether or not you know where to find it: pavedblog@gmail.com