After a year and half of blogging about all-things-Westbrook, John C.L. Morgan, also known as the Westbrook Diarist, is logging off. Though Morgan, 26, said he’s enjoyed maintaining the Web site (westbrookdiarist.blogspot.com), as a father, a student, an ed tech and a member of the Coast Guard Reserves, he’s simply run out of time. This week, Morgan responded to a few questions from the American Journal about his Web site and what’s next for him.

Q: Did you have goals for the Web site when you started? If so, did you meet them?

A: I had three goals when I launched the site on the cold New Year’s Day in 2008: To build social capital in Westbrook, to learn about the city and to have fun. From the overwhelmingly positive feedback I’ve gotten over the last 18 months in conversations and postpartum comments and e-mails, the site seems to have made people feel more connected to the city and to their neighbors. I’ve learned tons about the city and will continue to learn more about it. And, since I’m the type of geek who considers the occasional trip to Room 114 as a night out on the town, I almost always enjoyed myself. Throw in the unexpected (and unrealized) friends and acquaintances I’ve met solely because of the site, and I’d have to say this site exceeded my expectations.

Q: What posts or topics have elicited the greatest response from your readers?

A: The Stroudwater Place hearings, the Skybox saga, the donnybrook between Pike and Idexx, et, al,. obviously come to mind. You name a controversial issue that’s popped up in the city over the last 18 months, and I’m sure I can dig up a few comments related to it.

Q: What are your favorite blogs to read?

A: I have a list of blogs on my site that I had been reading nightly, but I’m hoping to live as much of a computer-free existence as I can this summer. Sure, I’ll occasionally check in on an assortment of Maine blogs, The New Republic’s blogs, Soccer by Ives, and the Full Circuit Clout to get my Boston Red Stockings fix. But, I’m mostly going to party like it’s 1999 by reading books and these really cool things called newspapers.

Q: Would you like someone else to pick up where you left off?

A: I was actually always hoping someone would start a similar site while I was going strong. I think the competition would’ve been good for readers and it would’ve cultivated a give-and-take environment that would’ve been healthy for the city, not to mention a lot of fun for myself. Nevertheless, I’d love to see someone start a similar site.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: After I lose the 20 pounds I’ve packed on and iron out the knot that’s been wrenching my lower back since I started this project, I’m going to sit down with some people to see if we can’t figure out how to take what made this site successful and turn it into something that won’t force me to degrade my eyesight and develop arthritis in my hands. In other words, accomplish similar ends by using different means. In the meantime, I’m going to throw a party for all my readers so I can thank them personally and finally put faces with names and Internet handles.

Q&A with John C.L. Morgan