Well, I knew it was coming, but seeing that number finally appear is something else!
3,005,850 lifetime views.
And along the way, I've published 3,855 posts.
That's a lot of writing, photography, artwork, research, memories, opinions, people, places and things!
I've been blogging for years, and I've done pretty much the whole social media gamut. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, pages, groups, sharing, cross-posting and experimenting with all sorts of ways to get my work out into the world.
At one point I had around 5,000 Twitter followers. I've had hundreds of friends on Facebook and various pages with a hundred followers or fewer.
And then there's Blogger.
14 followers. Three million views.
I rather like that contrast!
It reminds me that followers aren't necessarily readers, and that having thousands of people on a social media list doesn't automatically mean anyone is actually reading what you create.
I've shared my posts across different platforms and communities, and people have found their way to my little corner of the internet.
I've never been particularly interested in chasing popularity. I've wanted to document things, share stories, preserve memories, ask questions and occasionally stir the pot.
As my mum used to say, in something she wrote in one of our old autograph books or diaries:
"I'll get there by hook or by crook!"
I think that pretty much sums up my approach.
So, what's next?
Well, if I'm lucky, the next milestone will be 4,000 posts.
I'm currently at 3,855, so that's another 145 stories to go.
And after that?
Maybe we put this baby to bed for a little while. She deserves a rest. 😂
But today, I'm celebrating.
Three million views. Nearly 4,000 posts. No advertising.
Just one woman, a keyboard, a camera, a paintbrush, a few opinions and a rather stubborn determination to keep documenting the world.
TAA DAAA!
Thanks to everyone who has ever stopped by, read, shared, discovered an old post or followed one of my many rabbit holes.
Here's to the stories still waiting to be told.
🩷reflective questions: do you know what a blog is?
1. Have you ever heard the word blog? Do you know what it means?
2. Did you know that the word blog comes from weblog, meaning an online log or journal?
3. Have you ever read a blog without realizing that you were reading one? Perhaps a personal story, travel diary, recipe, art journal or someone writing about everyday life?
4. Did you know that a blog is a type of website where an individual or organization regularly publishes posts, usually displayed with the newest entries first?
5. Do you know the difference between a blog and a social media post? A blog can be a much longer article, with photographs, links, research and stories, and can remain accessible for years.
6. Have you ever visited Blogger, WordPress or another blogging platform? Did you know that ordinary people can publish their own websites without being professional journalists or computer programmers?
7. When was the last time you searched Google for an answer and landed on someone's personal blog? Did you ever stop to think about who wrote it?
8. What do you think happens to all those personal stories, photographs, travel experiences, artwork and historical records people publish online? Are they worth preserving?
9. Would you rather read someone's carefully written blog post or a series of short social media updates about the same subject? Why?
10. If you started a blog today, what would you write about? Would you use it as a diary, a place to share your expertise, a creative portfolio, a family history or a record of the world around you?
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