When I started to blog in January, 2010, I made a commitment to myself to blog for at least three months. It is now 11 months later and today I celebrate reaching my 100th post. So here are a few things I learned while getting to this milestone:
- I like to write and even though I have periods with no original thoughts or absolutely nothing to say, I still like the process of writing.
- I like finding exactly the right words.
- I despair that just about every other blogger writes better than I do (especially Mr. London Street , Bruce and Legacy.)
- I wonder if I sometimes share too much.
- I wonder if sometimes I don't share enough.
- Does anyone really care about my silly little stories?
- I worry about maintaining a theme and then I say "f^&K it" and post whatever crosses my mind at the time.
- I anxiously scan my blogger reading list waiting to read the next posting of my blogger buddies.
- I throughly enjoy the cyber friends I have made through blogging. I worry about Mrs. Midnite and her psycho neighbor's vendetta against her dogs, and Kate and her marriage problems, and my heart aches for Sally as she grieves for her daughter, and I learn from the experiences of others how to adjust to retirement. Linda, Rosaria, June, and DJan have all provided insight into the next step in my life. I love the glimpses into the lives of others (Dan, Uncle Skip, and the Brighton Pensioner ) even though I've never met them in person, I feel like I know them.
- True confession...I am so darn envious of the bloggers with followers in the triple digits. What am I doing wrong?
- I am grateful to the followers who faithfully read and comment on what I have to say.
So thank you to all of you who have read this blog and followed me on this journey. I look forward to the next milestone, completing a year of blogging, in January.
Jann aka #1Nana
Posts
Congratulations! You've stuck it out, conquered both retirement woes and blogging challenges. The first year is the toughest.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!! I think once you get going, it is hard to stop. (I'm talking two years in ... and my husband thought I wouldn't last a week.) It is very gratifying creatively and socially ... and I've found the blog evolves over time and can be whatever you need it to be. Here's to the next 100 posts!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be doing just fine. Both of your blogs are extremely readable and the tiny head count isn't as important as having folks actually comment.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog, and I love your writing.
ReplyDeleteYes, Donna, I will echo the above commenters: I also love your writing, and I was really self conscious when I would first post something because it seemed everyone was better/funnier/smarter than me. But you know, we cannot see how others see our stuff, so keep it up. And Congratulations on 100 posts.
ReplyDeleteBTW, you don't want TOO many followers, and I've been around here for almost two years and am still not up to triple digits in followers. I used to care and hanker for more, but now I don't. I see some blogs become less authentic when they've got hundreds of people following. I cherish every one of my buddies.
Ooops! I don't know where "Donna" came from, I goofed, Nana. I DO know who you are... don't I?? :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteand did you stop in at my site?
You have something waiting for you.
Hope all is Well with You and Yours.
Danny
http://anythingatanytime.blogspot.com
Wow! You are my hero. You have 100 posts in a year and you have a great following of faithful and adoring followers.
ReplyDeleteI actually count you as my first faithful follower (besides my mother) and an important encourager. I always love reading your blog. You make me laugh often. I have checked out your blogging friends, and now I follow their blogs.
Keep it up. You have many stories to tell. Congrats!
Thank you everyone. One of the great things about blogging was the opportunity to "meet" all of you. I so appreciate your encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThank you Danny for the award...I posted it on the sidebar.
DJan...I think the "Donna" is the Universe sending me a message. I had a dream just last night about an old friend named Donna and I woke up thinking I needed to contact her. I think that the Universe will continue to send me messages until I follow through!
Rosaria...I'm so glad to be coming up to the end of my second year of retirement...it's all easy now, right?
Congrats to you!! Love reading your blog!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you, Nana!
ReplyDeleteDid you know that you were the first person ever to comment on and follow my Breakfast blog? I didn't have stats at the time, and that was the first time I knew that someone was actually reading it.
Whoohoo, a hundred is a LOT of posts to clock up in less than a year! Most of us don't gather much of a readership in the early days - after I'd been at it a while, I decided to re-publish some of my older posts which few had read - actually, they came in darn handy when I was reaching for fresh inspiration, so they were far from wasted in the end!
ReplyDeleteI completely understand what you mean about blogging - I kind of have a love/hate relationship with it - I resent the (self imposed) pressure of constantly trying to produce something worth reading (and rarely feel I've succeeded), but I adore the friendship, warmth, and fascinating stories that abound in here! Many, many congratulations Nana, you have a wonderful style of writing - never doubt it!
Don't worry about the number of people who read your blog. A lot are just courtesy joiners because you read theirs. The real proof of the pudding is in the Comments. Those, I feel, are life-blood to the blogger. I always want to comment when I've read a post. I've been blogging for four years (on Blogger only this year). I've also, like Shrinky, republished former blogs as I often feel the first months produce the best writing when we are bursting with 'stuff' to say.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for saying such kind things about my stuff. But more importantly, congratulations! A hundred posts feels like a real milestone, doesn't it? I think it's important not to worry too much about: number of readers, number of followers, number of comments, having a theme or anything else. And if you figure out how not to worry about those things, please write a post telling us all how as I'd love to know.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes - it's insane that the posts you think should get comments don't, and the posts you don't, do. There is no rhyme or reason to that at all.
[By the way, I've always been confused by the fact that you have two blogs. What's the difference?]
Congrats on this milestone. I'm never sorry I've spent time with you and your writing here, and always look forward to my next visit.
ReplyDeleteI'm having a Sally Fields moment...you know the one, "You like me. You really like me!" Pause while I wipe a tear from my cheek.
ReplyDeleteLegacy: I didn't know that. I really enjoy the breakfast blog. I'm always tempted to play with the Nigerians when I get their emails.
MLS the second blog was my attempt to find a theme...and to force myself to be positive. I try not to rant on the other blog but to focus on all that I have to be greatful for. A theme in my life" if one is good then more is better. I've thought about shutting down the other one, but it's not like it costs me anything to keep it.
Congratulations on post 100, well done on sticking it out. I'm very pleased you are here, I enjoy reading your posts, some of them make me think about new things or see old thing differently. Thank you for your advice and support over my psycho neighbour, all is quiet with him just now, perhaps he is hibernating. The dogs have been running around in the snow but training has helped with the recall so hoping we can stay out of trouble!
ReplyDeleteHappy bloggycentenary. Keep going.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! Good going and congrads for reaching the 100 postmark...LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt has truly been exciting discovering your blog and getting to follow along your journey with you! Looking forward to the next 100 and getting to know each other even better!
ReplyDeleteI realize that I'm late to this party, but I just felt like having a quiet glass of wine with the hostess. Hope you don't mind.
ReplyDelete...and I really do appreciate the kind word.