On June 19, 2006 I wrote this piece.
“So I’ve finally decided to blog. I hate that word. But here I am doing it.”
It was my first blog post. It was the day I signed up with Blogger and committed myself to nattering about my experiences as a father to anyone willing to linger on my site for longer than 20 seconds.
Our surprise baby, Michael, was just a little over two years old when I started it, and I had a pretty good idea about what my first few posts would be. He’d already provided plenty of material, and I knew that if I didn’t document it all now, I’d forget. Forgetting seems to come much more easily to me now. I can do it without any effort at all. I think it’s a defensive mechanism. Twenty years from now, when I look back at my life and wonder why the heck I was always so cranky when Michael was little and why it is I didn’t spend more time enjoying his carefree, exuberant childhood, I’ll be able to read those old entries and go “Oh yeah. That’s why.”
Concerning the blog itself, I was excited about its potential. As I am typically wont to do, I held this delusion that as soon as I put up my first post I’d be inundated with comments and emails, and in a year’s time would be able to put ads on my page and generate a steady income. As it turned out, I didn’t get my first real non-family-member comment until nearly a year later, on the post where I announced the diagnosis of Michael’s neurological disorder. Hoping to divert some of the information superhighway’s traffic in my direction, I signed up with several blog list sites like BlogTopSites, TopBlogArea, Blogflux and Technorati. No effect at all.
So much for my starry-eyed plans.
It was Chuck over at D is for Dad that first got me connected. He noticed me lurking around his site and sent me an invite to Cre8Buzz, a now-defunct social networking site where I met a whole host of other great bloggers. Then Joeprah got me to the next level, putting my site up on his main page as one of the “Can’t Miss” sites. That was a huge deal to me. I had street cred!
I learned to visit lots of other blogs and be diligent about leaving comments.
And as my site gained traffic, I got to know some really great people. And I was added to the blogrolls of even more sites, which still astounds me. Evidently, I’m doing something right.
So thanks to all of you, my forty-two regular visitors, for sticking with me and reading my vaguely humorous observations and curmudgeonly anecdotes. I know you could spend fifteen minutes reading something else, but you’re here reading this, post number 375. And I genuinely appreciate that.
Funny. I just started blogging about my son (he's 8 months) in January. I, too, thought I'd get viewers and comments. I have two followers, a good friend and my husband. Pathetic! But I don't mind anymore. I don't really say anything witty…it's just about what's up with my kid. Maybe I should try harder!
Happy Blogger Day!!! These last 3 years have gone by so fast and Michael has gotten soooo big. You are a talented and entertaining writer and I love you.
It depends upon why you're blogging. As much as I'd love a gazillion hits every day, and 200+ comments with each post, it isn't going to happen. My blog is mostly a way to keep a journal of stuff going on in my life, with enough humor to keep my readers amused and coming back for more.
If you want a ton of readers, then your content needs to be relevant to key topics of the day, your template needs to be professional and crisp, and you need to leach off of a lot of other bloggers to get traffic. Hold giveaways and carnivals. Use lots of good keywords for Google hits. That sort of thing.
Myself, I'm happy with what I have.
@wife — thank you! For more than just the comment; for keeping me sane these past five years with Michael, and letting me blow off steam here. And not being truly upset about my constant attachment to the blogosphere.
Congratulations on three years as a blogger! I was lucky, I had WeaselMomma and she introduced me to all of you great bloggers and I was off and running. It hardly seems likely that I have only been blogging for less than three months! And, boy, is blogging addictive!
I do enjoy your blog immensely! I find it humorous. I enjoy reading all about Michael and his antics. I find myself nodding constantly at what you say. I can relate, even though mine are much older than Michael. I wish I lived closer so I could meet you, MichaelsMommy and the rest of your family. They seem terrific!
Thanks to MichaelsMommy for encouraging your blogging and not minding your solid connection to the blogsphere. I mean how many women wouldn't blink an eye when three women call you on the phone to say, "Hey this trip was 'beyond fantastic!'?"
I'm looking forward to reading you for many more years!I want to read about Michael graduating from college!
I love reading your descriptive, humorous blog…it makes my day! It is like I'm there when whatever you're blogging about is happening. It is a great way to keep up with the "cute" things Michael does. Thank you and please keep it up!
Grandma K.
I always enjoy stopping by. Keep going strong.
I brought the beer. Am I too late for the partay??? Congrats, Tom! Street cred… hilarious!
@surprised — thank YOU for being such a faithful follower. I'm glad I can provide some laughs. Blogging is definitely addictive! I hope to be writing when Michael goes off to college. I hope to have survived that long.
@mom-in-law — thank you for leaving a comment! I appreciate that you keep up with the blog here. It's my best way of keeping all the family in the loop as to what the little man is doing. Don't I have a great mother in law, everyone?
@Otter — I'll keep posting if you'll keep reading. Thanks for sticking with me!
@BusyDad — yay, BusyDad brought Newcastle! Hope you brought enough for everyone. As for timing, it couldn't be better. Things are just getting going now.
Tom, your writing talent is a constant inspiration.
Your site here has far surpassed anything we have going on at D is for Dad but that's my own fault. I'm thrilled to have had a small part in introducing to all these fine people.
For what it's worth I consider you my best bloggy friend and I look forward to reading more.
@Chuck — wow, that's really kind of you to say. Your kindness and attention has been a major reason for my perseverance in keeping this blog running past the first year, and I cannot express my gratitude in your reaching out to me in the first place.
You are definitely doing something right, as this is one of my first stops every morning and I love when you have new posts sharing your life and family with us and especially all the laughs. Happy blogaversary.
Congrats, Tom! I love reading about your adventures with Michael and the rest of the family, and I hope that you have many more blogoversaries.
Time flies when you blog, doesn't it?
Happy Blogiversary!
I'm happy with my level of obscurity in Blogville, too. I always say, "Be careful what you wish for," blog-wise. More exposure on some level adds stress.
@WeaselMomma — It's nice to know that I am providing some laughs. Thanks for being a faithful follower!
@Melisa — I will definitely keep it going and will hopefully have a few more blogiversaries. How should that be spelled, anyway? It doesn't look right no matter how you spell it…
@Mrs4444 — I've gotten more comfortable with mine since I started. A couple years back I was constantly stressed about my lack of audience. I had to remind myself why I was blogging, and let it go. I'm glad you stopped by!
congrats on the 3 year mark . hope that one day i will be blogging that long as well.
Thanks for dropping by! I'm sure you'll still be at it in three years.
Happy Blogiversary! 3 years already? Great; I'll never catch up! Keep doing what you're doing Tom, it's not the quantity of your readership, it's the quality. I think you should break out the Asia albums and celebrate. Don't forget to wear your Members Only jacket!