1,000

When I wrote the first one, Kaleb wasn't even four months old yet. Haley was only ten—ten! Jake was almost seven and Nathan was in kindergarten. We still had all four of our parents with us, although my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's very shortly after.

I was a stay-at-home mom completely enjoying my last baby and I had no idea I would one day become a librarian. I weighed twenty pounds more than I do now, I loved ice cream, and I drank at least one 44-ounce Pepsi every day. I hadn't yet run a marathon or hiked timp.

I thought that by the time I was 40 I would have surely written my novel.

I haven't, but I have managed to write 999 blog posts. This is my one thousandth. And I also had the idea that my blog would become a wildly popular purveyor of intelligent thought. The popularity? Not so much. The intelligent thought? I hope so, but not always.

There was the post where I made fun of an author and then the author left me a comment.

The one where I explained what is like to be partly Mormon.

And this one about Mormon Mommy Blogs which I am extremely fond of. Even if it's snarky. Especially because it's snarky.

The post with my reading philosophy.

Several about people dying.

I wrote a 100 things list (which I've been thinking about doing again) and a 50 gratitudes list.

I did a Christmas Writing Challenge and a Use Your Stuff Challenge.

I've written about a lot of different things.

And while I'm still working on that novel (and some essays and some short stories and even a few poems) and while I have a tiny blog readership (translation: I appreciate every. single. reader!) I will continue to blog as well. Putting my thoughts out into the world helps me organize them, express them, understand them, and value them more than I would have otherwise. Here's to 1,000 more posts!

And tell me: how long have you blogged and would you ever stop?

Comments

[Carla P.]

I'm so grateful for your blog and the intelligent thought it purveys. I have slacked quite a lot on blogging over the past few year but have just recently begun to rekindle my romance with it.

[karen]

I started in May of 2000. So that makes almost 13 years. over 5000 posts. So many cities, lives, hobbies, sorrows and joys.

[Vickie]

Congratulations! 1000 posts is definitely admirable. My blog is a private place where I don't go often enough. But I will keep it for those times when I really need to say what I think!

[Michele]

Congratulations :) I am SO impressed!
I don't blog, but for almost 10 years, I kept a daily journal - more what we did than deep thinking. Then I let it go for a few years and now I am back at it again since January.

While I don't read your blog all the time because I often go for long periods of not doing much on the internet besides checking account balances, I read your blog because of your thoughtful insights and the extremely elegant way you are able to express yourself.

Thank you for sharing :)

[Wendy]

Congratulations! :)

I blogged publicly from 2006 to 2011, and then turned to random and infrequent private blogging so my Mom can see pictures of our guy. I miss the daily public blogging sometimes, but I have felt good about my decision to stop. I'm glad others keep their blogs public, though, or I'd be missing out!!

I just had to check out the blog where you mocked an author and she commented--oops! :)

Love you!!!

[Stephanie W]

Congratulations!!!!! I don't blog at all.

[Judy]

Congratulations! What a terrific milestone. I began following your blog faithfully in 2009 and I've never looked back. I really enjoy your insight. I'm glad you are still going strong. I had a brief affair with writing a blog a few years ago, and it was over pretty quickly. But I've written thousands of journal entries in my lifetime. I hope you write 1000 more blog entries, and then 1000 more after that!

[Becky K]

I love your blog. I always have & always will. I love having a little window into your world. Congratulations!

[Lucy]

I'm so glad you blog and that you have become such a dear friend to me. You inspire and me me think, two of my favorite things!

[Helena]

That's a lot of writing! (I find myself less motivated to keep blogging these days... I think dwindling comments are a factor.)

[beth s]

I'll say it again - your honest writing is so refreshing and it gives me courage. I also have teenagers so those posts are particularly helpful! I don't believe that you have few readers at all - who could resist this? Thank you, thank you, thank you and congratulations on 1,000 posts! Looking forward to the next 1,000!

[Margot]

Congratulations on 1000 posts - that is an admirable achievement. I keep coming back to read your posts because of your honesty and the variety of topics - I never quite know what you're going to tackle on any one day, and I love being surprised by you.

I'm blogging but not very regularly (I mean to post at least twice a week, but it doesn't quite happen). I enjoy posting and especially getting comments, so I think I'll keep going (probably still a bit erratically, and trying to 'do better').

[Wendy]

I've been blogging for five years and have an even smaller readership than you (I'm sure). You always have intelligent, insightful things to say. I love your blog. I'm so proud of you for making the 1000th post and linking to moments throughout the journey (I, too, had to go back and read the one where you refer to an author and she writes a comment - I've only had that happen once, but it was a positive review). I'm with the previous reader who asked for 1000 more!

[Sarah]

Congratulations on 1000! (I hit 1000 last year and had my own mini-celebration.) I've blogged since 2008, intending to keep family updated since we lived farther away and to document our lives, our photos, our stories.... Without my blog, there is SO MUCH I'm afraid I would forget. I've said "someday, I want to be a writer..." so, my BLOG is the closest I've come.
Thank you for your blog; I really enjoy reading it! Looking forward to 1000 more!!!! :)

[Susan]

WOW! an amazing accomplishment with working, mothering . . and all that life has thrown your way! I have enjoyed the blog - thank you for sharing life! Here's to 1,000 more!