Saturday, December 02, 2017

Twelve years and counting

I know this would drive most productivity experts and self-help gurus insane, but I'm kind of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Back in December of 2005, I decided to give blogging a try.  I had maintained the alumni website for my local high school for years. Not only did I scan all the yearbooks from 1938 to 2005, but I wrote stories about the people who graduated from Dora.

The website resonated with locals who went to Dora High, so the site got a lot of hits. But updating the website with my stories was a pain.

I'd toyed with the idea of writing a blog for some time. What would I say? Who would want to read what I write? And so on. So I thought, I'll try this for a while and see if "this dog would hunt," as my grandpa used to say.

I had a Google account and one of the features was Blogger. I clicked on Create Blog and wrote my first entry.  It was an entry saying that I'd write updates from time to time. The entry got one comment.  But I became a blogger that night. 

Since December 2, 2005, I've written every night except a few times when we lost power for an extended length of time. Even during those devastating events, I managed to find a wireless connection for a post most of the time. 

Not all the entries would be candidates for a Pulitzer, as they say, but some were not bad. 

Blogging led to the opportunity to write a newspaper column and speaking engagements. My four books are compilations of some of those columns. 

I now have a small island in the Carribean, a yacht, and a lease on a private jet...OK, I'm lying about that, but I can say I've made a lot of blog buddies. In the scheme of things, I consider my friendships much more valuable than material things.

Autumn blueberry bushes - a future blog entry.




14 comments:

  1. Without this blog thing I wouldn't know one single person from Alabama.

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  2. 12 + years of blogging- I am so happy we met in the land of blog Rick - you always have something interesting as well as a visual treat to share.
    Joy

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  3. Congrats on 12 years and counting! Like you I write everyday except in times of duress...computer problems,power outages and even death. I actually started well before but deleted the first of my blog entries and truly wish I hadn't. I transferred over early entries done on AOL and moved to Blogger. I would truly miss all those friends like you that I wouldn't have met otherwise.

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  4. I love my blog buddies. I enjoy blogging too. Not rich yet though. Ha.
    Lisa

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  5. 'So glad you followed your heart!
    What a blessing to realize the strangers who've become friends. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

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  6. I enjoy every post you make. And I really like the fall version of the blueberry bushes. Outstanding.

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  7. Anonymous1:34 PM

    You are one of my favorite bloggers (& I do indeed consider you a friend)!!

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  8. Now I forget why I came here. But once here I have never left.I was enjoying AOL Journals. I 'journal-ed for a year of so before I got the first comment.' I still remember her. She is now a Missourian. I hope she is well. She would comment about every 6 months. Makes one wonder, it has been a couple years now.....
    I'm enjoying those blueberry bushes, pretty color..

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  9. I don't know what year I came to Blogger, but it was when Journal died I followed Paula and others here. I like it.

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  10. Congratulations on your blogoversary.

    Love,
    Janie

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  11. Congrats on 12yrs! Your writing is like sitting down and chatting with a good friend. I'm glad I found your blog and Jilda's too. You are both inspirational and with all your millions...very humble! (Ha!) Have a great day!

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  12. Congrats!!! I enjoy your daily thoughts.

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  13. Congratulations! I enjoy your blog. Write on, dude! That's what you wrote on my first blog. I felt honored to have a comment from you! 😊

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  14. Posting every day for as long as you have is quite an achievement. I enjoy your blog very much.

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