The mail came in the other day and with it came the renewal notice for my blog’s domain name. Hard to believe it’s that time already and I’ve been banging away at this iteration of my blog for nearly a year now. Seems like I’m still starting out in a lot of ways.
So what have I accomplished since this blog first out started as “Conversation Lost” on the old Blogger site way back when?
Well….this:
**********************
Posts: 400 And that’s typing with only two fingers no less.
in
33 Catagories And most are pretty vague I admit.
Comments: 644 Folks actually stopped to chat. Okay… So almost half are my replies. S’okay with me.
Spamments (last year or so): 6506 No comment…
PR: 5 Go figure…
Alexa: 455554 Now that’s gotta mean something!
Blog Juice: 1.6 to 2.2 to 1.7 to ?? So what do they know? They missed 199 freakin’ incoming Technorati links fer chrissakes!
Blog Flux: 810 to 508 to 824 And it will be different tomorrow too…
Blog Lines: 9 Just a-cookin’ here ain’t we?
Technorati Authority: 65 I feel so barely officious.
What else we got here? Let’s see…
I’ve been called an 
and a 
blogger by Liz and a 
by Micki.
I’ve posted about life at home, life as a veteran and life in general. I’ve talked about blogging, community and WordPress. Reviewed this, that and the other thing just ‘cuz I wanted too. Ranted about ridiculous antics by our so called officials and puzzled over stupid people tricks.
Some of my posts are way too long.
I’ve helped out a few of my fellow WP bloggers that were having trouble with themes, plugins, upgrading and hosts. I’ve sweated over posts that I didn’t have to. Laughed in delight and howled in derision. Growled and cursed in frustration and completely destroyed one keyboard because I made the same typo 6 times in a row.
My wonderful lady gave me one of her sub domains when I voiced my desire to have my very own WP blog (Thank you honey. Regret it yet?). And I’ve made several friends along the way and at least two real good ones. Becky helped me out when I first decided to “do-it-myself and I passed the experience on to Elaine when she first made the big move herself.
May she forgive me someday.
I almost decided to quit exactly two times. Never again.
I’ve neglected my sidebars, my links, my blogroll and the categories. I do like my header image though.
I’ve sat up till late at night and back at it early in the morning. I feel my poor wife has become a blogger widow and I’m forever thankful for her patience.
It takes me way too long to get one single post out.
I pay for the privilege of hanging my face out in public and exposing them to the strange workings of my mind. I’ve thrown the idea of monetization right out the window. I’ll never make a dime with this blog and that’s as it should be.
I’ve poured over statistics, SEO and Webmaster tools. I turned poor Firefox into a complete set of blogging tools by stuffing it so full of extensions they’re running out it’s furry little ears. I’ve pounded and hammered at my WP installation until I finally liked the shape of it. I’ve left exactly eight questions on the WordPress forums–all unanswered.
I have plugins for my readers, plugins for comments and plugins for me. But I’ve never plugged a sponsor.
I had to stuff more memory and a 550 watt power supply into my old computer just to so it could keep up.
I’ve wrapped the blog in 4 different themes and will most likely try out a few more before my next renewal.
And I’ve missed a thousand other points and people but time simply does not permit. Thank you all.
Did I have to think twice before renewing? Uh-uh. Not in your life.
Why, you may ask?
Because I’m still having a hell of a good time!
That’s why.
What do I think the future may bring?
Heck if I know. That’s the best part of it I think.
Onward…
Possibly Related Matter
Tags: Blogging, cold war, comments, Community, Firefox, friends, Life as a veteran, Liz Strauss, Long Meadow Farms, morning, plugins, quilts, SEO, SOB, spam, the blog, vet, veteran, Wordpress
August 19th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Congratulation! I’m dleighted that somewhere in that two years our paths crossed. You are a special light in my life.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Awww, thank you LIz,
I bet you say that to all the 5′ 10-1/2″, skinny, deaf guys.
The sentiment is returned 10 fold. Guess I’ll have to tighten the bolts and grease up the old wheel chair if it’s going to get through another two years, eh?
August 20th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Congratulations, I love blog updates, I have a new blog and it’s nice to see other peoples progress.
August 20th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Kirk - You’re a life saver! Your method of typing will double my output - thanks!
Am so glad I happened upon your site. It’s wonderful when I run into bloggers who are real people.
The best to you, and yes, I’m also happy that you renewed.
Keep on having one hell of a great time.
Later.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Hi Emma,
Glad you dropped in! Who knows what the next two years may bring? More of having a great time I hope and meeting new folks like yourself. Heck, maybe I’ll even make some progress on my series blog on WordPress. One can never tell.
All the best on your new blog and please drop in occasionally. I’ve even been known to help out the new WP blogger now and then.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Thanks Morgan,
I don’t really think my two fingered method will really help your output but whatever works.
I’m also about as real as they get.
Glad you stopped by.
August 20th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Woo Hoo! Happy Blogiversary! There is posilutely no stopping now. It really is a sense of accomplishment isn’t it? To tweak and refine into something that people actually read. It’s way cool.
August 21st, 2007 at 10:10 am
Well it looks like you have been busy, I dare not look at mine over the last year. Too scary
August 21st, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Ah, come now. Your site is strong and steady and 100% Becky. What more could one ask except possibly for a mini laptop that doesn’t have a pink top.
Hope you stay at it for a good long time. I believe things would be that much more lonely knowing you were gone.
August 21st, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Hi Micki,
You’re absotively correct on that score! Can’t stop now. Not when I have over ten visitors a day…
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:52 am
Hey don’t knock the pinky LOL
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:01 am
Ok, ok…Pinky rules! Of course you can’t see the top when your looking at the screen. Unless you have a picture of the top as your desktop background that is…(sorry, couldn’t resist you know)
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:13 am
Congratulations! You are way ahead of where I am right now: 1 year of blogging, Technorati authority at 34 and 100 posts.
I will be back to read your earlier posts later. Keep it up!
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Hey Traveller,
Thanks for stopping by during your travels. I never really paid that much attention to what the posts/comments stats said in my Admin so I actually stopped at the point where I listed these in the post and thought…really?
I wonder what the count will be a year from now? I shudder to think.
Looking forward to seeing your return!