This morning—on my way to work actually—I thought how it must be coming up on my one-year blogoversary. I thought, Hmm, that should be next week or maybe the week after. I should post something about ... something ... when it rolls around. But come to find out my blogoversary is, well, today. TODAY! I HAVE NOTHING PLANNED! And, I know, a year is really nothing in this world of baring one's crazy on The Internet. It's years shy of how long you've been blogging, I'm sure. But would you mind if I reminisced a bit, since I have nothing else worked up to celebrate this occasion?
I blogged for years at MySpace and the main reason I jumped ship from over there was this: I wanted my mom to read, but I didn't want to send her off into the world of half-naked fourteen-year-olds and scare her silly with all the flashing graphics and misspelled words and scream-y music. So, I switched over to Blogspot for about a week. And I hated it. From there I tentatively signed up for Typepad on April 7, 2007 while watching a Sopranos marathon with Mike and reading archived posts at amalah.com. And here I've been ever since. I didn't have a blog name for a couple of months or a design or, quite honestly, readers, but it was the first step I took to get me here—one year later—and, wow, I'm pretty proud of myself in hindsight.
Sometime last summer I bought my domain name, and I also begged Mike to whip up some sort of suitable banner for me. Then, in December, I sort of "applied" for Secret Agent Josephine's banner contest and I found out ON MY BIRTHDAY that she had chosen me as her January winner. (I may have cried. It's possible.)
And somewhere along the way, a few people started reading. A few people started commenting. A few people started e-mailing. I went from THREE page views the first week I climbed out on this blogging limb to a few more than three page views now.
But, most importantly, I've made friends. I've met people who have changed my day, who have sent me gifts, who have inspired me and reached out to me. I have a better grasp on Sephora's inventory than I did a year ago. And I love my husband and family deeper because of your beautiful stories of loss and strength. I have shared with you my desire to have a child, and you check in on me from time-to-time, to see how I'm doing, to tell me you're thinking of me. And so many of you have told me you think Molly is adorable, which—I suppose it's fair to tell you now since we're a year into this—is ALL it takes for me to like you.
I met you somewhere along the way in the last year, and it has made me a happier woman.
Wait, have I met you? I sure hope I have. But, if not, do me a favor—think of it as a blogoversary gift, unless you're sending wine and then no favors needed—Introduce yourself! Delurk! Make my day!
I'll even make it easy for you: Tell me your favorite song right now. Or artist. Or band. Or American Idol hopeful. (Your choice!)
Blogging is an integral part of me. It keeps me humble and it keeps me checked in and it keeps me honest and it reminds me—refreshingly, amazingly—that my stories matter. So I'll keep telling them. And, please, keep telling yours too.