Return of Appreciation

When I started blogging – first on Blogger, then on WordPress – my intention was to find an outlet for the strange, swirling thoughts in my head. If you have read my “About” page, you know that I am not a professional writer and have no expectations of greatness (other than in my dreams).  I HAVE found an outlet and am having great fun on WordPress (“great fun” translates into “annoying others”) with posts about cat shenanigans, exercise challenges, parental life and memories, the horrors of dating, the magic of spring cleaning, missing motorcycles and other motley stuff (“motley stuff” translates into “really strange stuff”). A friend of mine, who also maintains a blog, told me early on to “write, write, write” and not worry about how it turns out. Just write and have fun. It will fall into place.

So this is all her fault. You can thank her. On the other hand, it is time for me to show appreciation to all of my followers. I eclipsed 100 WordPress readers this week! 

WooHoo! (Gibbs is coveting my party hat tassel)

I realize that some of you have in excess of 1,000 followers and you are thinking in your head “Oh good lord, 100 followers is so 2009!” I simply would like to know, “How did you do that? How many weeks/months/years did it take? Do I need to take out a Google ad to extoll the virtues of senseless blog posts?”  (“Senseless blog posts” translates into “Mary J. Melange blog posts.”)

Well, never mind, I’m not supposed to be worried about numbers…right? It’s more important to be thankful of those reading my blog posts rather than worrying about who I can shamelessly suck in attract next. So here are my thanks, ready or not.

Thank you WordPress for this wonderful space, for the opportunity to share uniquely me, for the opportunity to face your challenges, and for creating a blogging community that is endlessly entertaining and fun. WordPress, you’re cool. (“You’re cool” translates into “I’m sucking up here so one day you might consider one of my posts for Freshly Pressed.”)

A big thanks to Xenogirl. She was my first follower and the one who told me that WordPress had a supportive blogging community. Xenogirl you were correct!

Many thanks to my award buddies: I was extremely delighted when, in May, the Howling Mad Cat nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you again for the nomination and for being one of my early followers. In the past week, Colleen at Meows and Purrs nominated me for the Super Sweet Blogging Award. She hit me at a busy time, when I was focused on writing another blog and stressed about work. I was a bad, bad, bad recipient of kindness. My apologies to Colleen for my failed response and many thanks for her kind, sweet nomination. In repentance, I’m going to answer the nomination questions:

• Cookies AND cake.
• Chocolate AND vanilla.
• Every sweet treat that contains a form of sugar is my favorite.
• I crave sweets ALWAYS. It’s in my DNA.
• I have many nicknames, but my favorite is Marco (don’t ask.) Even funnier, my friend’s nickname is Senorita PeePee (don’t ask).

I am grateful for each and every person who clicks the “like” button or leaves comments on my post, but I have a special shout-out to my dear friend Judy, who never fails to like me. Thanks sweetie, I hope to see your smiling face before another hair turns gray………..oops, too late. Soon, though, OK?

Lately, I have been amazed by the WordPress photographers, who thrill me with their creativity and somehow see fit to “like” a picture of a screw. You rock.

Thank you to all bloggers – whether you like me or not, whether you follow me or not – I am amazed by your content, by your stories, by the spelling of the word colour. This blogging community allows me to read blog posts from all over the world, including My Favourite Pastime or Humans are Weird. I am able to read about Colleen’s critters or the adventures of Hands on Bowie. The photography of Large Self and the daily quotes from We’re All Mad Here… inspire, while the posts from Ben’s Bitter Blog (he’s very bitter) and The Accidental Coochie Mama (I aspire to also be a coochie mama) make me laugh.

There are many other blogs I could mention here, but since I am running out of time (it’s almost bedtime for old people) I have to give a final, big THANK YOU! to all of my followers. My wish is that you will continue to find my posts entertaining or educational in some way – whether I’m being a smart writer or just a smart a**. Please come and hang out and I will try my best to keep hanging out with you.

Until next week…..(because I’m taking a short break)…..blog long and prosper.

(Oh crap, Spock is wearing the red uniform.)