Happy Birthday Blog!
Exactly one year ago, on the 176th birthday of Samuel L.
Clemens, this experiment was born. My blog is one! One year old. I shake my
head in wonder and amazement that a full year has passed since my first
post. Folks, quite literally, it seems
like yesterday that I published a post titled “First Official Blog - With Mark
Twain.” I did, if you’re the type who
checks these things, have one post before that, but it was only “A Test” as you can see.
Since then I’ve published a total of 32 posts, which doesn’t
quite match my original goal of a post a week. That is partly due to the
education I received in this first year.
Writing can be a tough and frustrating endeavor. There are more ideas
flooding into my head than words pouring out. In the little anal corner of my world
that wants all things perfect, I relentlessly research for accuracy. I write,
then write again, and yet again. Writing,
dear readers, takes time. But then, I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw either.
Writing is also a very rewarding exercise. I have learned new things and I have grown in
many respects. I see things differently
now. Writing compels you to do
that. It forces you to think, and to
consciously look at the world in a different way. Why, it’s kind of like you’re sitting on a
Fence Post, and an eclectic one at that.
Hmm, how’s that for a Blog name? Clemens once wrote that travel is fatal
to prejudice. In part, I think the same
can be said for writing.
Putting words on paper I have found to be great
therapy. It has afforded me a release, a
catharsis if you will. It took me to
places I could not imagine. Writing unburdens
the soul. It frees the spirit. It brings order to your universe. It empties your well, and there is joy in
seeing it fill again, and again.
One funny characteristic of this, or any blog I presume, is
that I have no idea who is reading my little published musings. The “stats” provided by the blog host consist
only of the number of visits the blog receives and the country of origin.
Many, many thanks are due to the following: Good ‘ol USA, Russia, Germany, Ukraine,
France, Canada, Malaysia, Brazil, the UK, China (uh, could we borrow a couple of bucks?), Vietnam, Armenia, and from way
down under, Australia! It boggles my mind that someone in Australia
actually reads this thing! And – Vietnam? The internet, what a concept. For you statistical
types out there, the USA accounts for 81% of my visits, while 2nd
and 3rd place go to Russia (yo, comrade!) and Germany (ein bier
bitte) respectively.
And, for what it’s worth, I just passed the 1,000 mark on the “visit” list. That is actually better than I thought I
would do. With rare exceptions, I certainly have not publicized the Fence
Post. I’m not famous or widely known like
Maureen Green (see: Why Blog – Part 2, 10/23), so there was never any automatic
following happening here. Who would ever
find me anyway? Basically, I am star #EM-269
in the Andromeda constellation. So, all
in all, I’m pretty happy that this little corner of cyber space has been
visited over 1,000 times.
I can’t wait to see how all this changes over the next
year. I can’t wait to see what thoughts find
their way into my head. I can’t wait to
see the words unborn. That’s what’s
really cool about this – I have no idea what’s around the next corner. Let’s go see!
Mark Twain Quote: “We
write frankly and fearlessly but then we “modify” before we print.”
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