Friday 10 August 2007

past TEN THOUSAND! and counting..

Oh my giddy aunt I have passed 10000 visits to my blog. Ta da! That is amazing to me. When I began this blog in May 2007 it was to continue the journal I had begun while in Fez. On my last extended trip to India I had kept the experiences and memories by constantly writing to Q, but this trip I have her with me, so I had to address someone unknown which is never as much fun as telling the stories to someone. I had no knowledge of the Blog World, and no idea at the richness, variety, and depth of the people and offerings contained within. It has allowed me a view into the lives of people as varied as Mutleythedog to I Beatrice, with talents as far flung as Dulwichmum and rilly super to pig in the kitchen, and omega mum. I am amazed at the depth of knowledge of the political bloggers, Ellee Seymour to Iain Dale, and the breath of knowledge and variety of topics explored at Nourishing Obscurity to Sicily Scene and The land of Sand. Hearing the views from the other side of the pond from lordnash, Blooming Marvelous, and wake up and smell the coffee has been enlightening. I have gone along for the ride with Nobody Important to Alaska, and taken a long hike and gone skinny dipping with Sally in Norfolk. Family life at its funniest and warmest can be found at Mountain Mama, ‘Twas Brillig, the zen of motherhood, and Pass the Chocolate. On My Wee Scottish Blog I read about the bringing up of Bambi and the travels of her continent hopping parents, while Sparx keeps me in stitches with tales of the Spud. I have learned so much as well, from the heartache of infertility beautifully told at Coming 2 Terms and Upon Awakening to the power of stay-at-home-dads at the aptly named Stay at home Dad and the often hysterical and always delightful darth sardonic. Mutterings and Meanderings keeps me up with the horsy set, and Long Way Home tells me what my child is up to that day. I go to drunk mummy for wine recommendations and to Better oot than In for a laugh on almost any subject. These and many other bloggers amaze with their talent for writing, their zeal for living, their ability to see the humorous and the absurd, and their courage in facing personal trauma and everyday life. The Blog World is indeed a phenomenon, and one I am thrilled to be part of, if indeed only a small part.

I never expected more than a few people to even find my blog let alone read it every day, but thanks to James, global voices online, expat interviews and some other wonderful cyber friends who found my blog and spread the word, I now have over 10000 visitors in three months. I have been honored and made to feel special by what Lost in the Bible Belt called a “list of awards as long as your arm” given me by my fellow bloggers. Directly from the writings in my blog have come two writing assignments and hopefully a future non-fiction book.

I am a storyteller. I always have been, but then I am a Highland Scot and that’s what we do around the campfire, the fireplace, or the heather. It is however, as I have learned, a long way from the fire to the written word on the page. I aspire to be a writer, but I am with Mickey Spillane on this one – I don’t want to spend my time writing if no one is going to read it. I want to write so to make people laugh, and cry, and most of all hope. If I can make people see the world around them in terms of everyone in the world around them, if I can pass on what it’s like to feel the pain of loss, the joy of creation, the bliss and despair of love, the serenity of compassion, and the power of random acts of kindness I will be well pleased. I want to write stories that readers will want to share with their friends, and perhaps even their enemies. Having a forum such as this to flex my writing muscles is a daily step toward those goals. The fact that over 10000 times people have chosen to read what I write is encouraging. I know there are blogs that have numbers to make me blush, but I am working on it!

I want to say thank you to every person who has taken the time, and made the effort to read my tales of life in Morocco, rants from my soapbox, and my opining on everything from education to proper bra fittings. The comments that so many of you take the time and effort to leave are true conversations with friends. Even on my most difficult days, I look forward to checking for the comments from that day. You have made me happy, and I appreciate that. I really, really enjoy being happy! I don’t have champagne and balloons for this one, but just you wait until I hit 100,000.

Thank you for coming by.
Ciao

51 comments:

I Beatrice said...

My congratulations to you, not only for the numbers of your visitors, but also (this most of all perhaps) for the numbers of your friends!

Your knowledge of blogs and other bloggers leaves me gasping - but full of admiration too. I couldn't have done it myself, but I'm so glad that somebody has.


I'm sure we all wish you every possible success in all those new writing ventures - just don't leave us, will you?

Annie said...

Congratulations :)

Kim said...

How wonderful. I have loved getting to know you through your blog and I always enjoy your visits to mine. Here's to you hitting that 100,000 mark!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

I just found you earlier today through Expat Interviews...I wonder if I was the magic 10,000th? I like to think so :)

I'm an American expat in southern Italy which is why I was bumming around the Expat Interviews site in the first place--looking forward to getting to know you more :)

MomOf4 said...

What an accomplishment! Congratulations! :)

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Congrats, m'lady. You're worth every one ..

Shauna Loves Chocolate said...

Congratulations!
The blogging community is amazing, isn't it? To have 'met' each other is a wonderful gift.

Anonymous said...

This is pretty similar to my experience.... **chizz**

jmb said...

Lady Mac, that's brilliant. In three months no less.
Despite not knowing anything about the blogosphere until recently you've certainly been travelling around it, just as you do in your real life.
As i beatrice said, the number of friends one garners out there is amazing.
Raise a glass to yourself.
regards
jmb

Lord Nazh said...

lordnash :(

Gratz on 10k !

Pamela T. said...

I'm not surprised in the least that you've attracted such a dedicated following! With a lovely writing style, an insatiable curiosity and a desire to examine the world around you it stands to reason that we're all fans! Cheers and here's to your continued readership growth and success in sharing your wonderful stories.

Mopsa said...

That's quite amazing - let's hope the champers is removed from the ice and is poured into flutes before this time next year.

lady macleod said...

i beatrice

thank you for the kind words, and no - I should think i shall be around the Blog World for quite some time to come.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

annie

thank you and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

kaycle

thank you, it's a great little world isn't it?

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

sognatrice

Welcome, I'm pleased to have you here. I look forward to finding out what you are doing in Italy.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

momof3

thank you and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

M&M

thank you and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

shauna loves chocolate

thank you. yes it is, and i agree. i will take all of those kind of gifts i can have.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

mutleythedog

I did have to have an example didn't I?

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

jmb

Well you know me, I love to travel. Thank you, the wine must wait and I fear all I can have today is cough syrup and throat soothers. I apparently have a nasty sore throat and cough. yuk. But all the good wishes are making me feel better.

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

My Lord

I am terribly embarrassed! I ask your forgiveness. It is simply that one is so overpowered by your brilliance and wit that one misses that tricky "z". I shall NOT make that error again. You don't require a full page Apology do you? sigh

Thank you for the congratulations, and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

pamela jeanne

Wow, thank you for such an eloquent congratulations. I feel as though someone sent flowers.

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

mopsa

thank you, and yes - Crystal please.

thank you for coming by.

Crushed said...

The rewards outweigh the negatives, I think.


Congrats!

Lord Nazh said...

Not a full page this time :)

It helps if people no how to say the word. Naz would be closer than Nash.

The h is in just to make the z harder.

Lord Nazh said...

and of course no should be know :)

Mr Farty said...

Oooo, thanks for the mention. I tried that "Why I can't come into work today" excuse, but they wouldn't buy the camels. So to speak.

@themill said...

Golly gosh m'lady. That must be the equivalent to topping something or others Best Sellers list. Many Congrats.
Haven't you got a book deal yet?

A Year in Marrakech said...

10,000 congratulations! It is so extraordinary when complete strangers read your blog *and then come back* - blogging is such a strange world and it is so exciting to meet the variety of people from such different walks of life that you do when you blog and comment.

Well done!

Sarah

Stay at home dad said...

That sounded like a resignation speech, but I'm sure it wasn't ...

Beautifully put and the best
description of blogging I've ever read. Congratulations on all of it.

lady macleod said...

stay at home dad

No! thank you sir, and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

Sarah

thank you for the congratulations,

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

@themill

You think? Cool.

No, hangs her head, (sigh) not yet.

thank you for coming by. did you pick up that present I left for you?

lady macleod said...

mr farty

you are welcome for the mention. I am too sorry the excuse didn't work for you, perhaps next time without the camels?

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

My Lord

"z", not "s"; know not no. got it.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

crushed by ingsoc

I think so as well, thank you.

and thank you for coming by.

jenny said...

Just now catching up and how honored I feel for getting a mention on your post! Thank you!

And 10,000 hits! Doesn't that just feel SUPER?! Although it seems you and I write for ourselves, it is still nice to get validation by return visitors and blog-friends and even nicer when they comment. But the quote "I don't want to spend my time writing if no one is going to read it" rings true. Ultimately, my journals will be read by my children when they grow up, so even though I write for me, I know there will be a future audience. Nothing is really private unless it stays inside your head.

Anyway... Congrats and here's to many more hits. Just for you, I'm opening a bottle of wine and I'll be thinking of you as I drink it! :o)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Congratulations , Lady M. And thanks for the mention.

Andres, JCT said...

ah, i knew her when. . .

Sparx said...

Well done! I am afraid to install a counter on my site, not sure I want to know! Your blog is an inspiration and source of escape and your tireless ability to read and post on other blogs is a kindness we all appreciate enormously. Thanks for the mention and, most importantly, 'thank you for coming by', to use your own words!!

rilly super said...

crikey my ladynessship, I'm sure the six figures will come up in now time as you seem to go from strength to strength. maybe it is something they put in the tea over there, sigh

James Higham said...

Congratulations on a wonderful milestone, m'lady and may there be 100 000 more before we blink again.

lady macleod said...

graf

Thank you kind sir!

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

rilly super

Thank you my dear. Can't be the mint tea as I brought my own Earl Grey. could be the sfinj though..

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

sparx

thank you. my goodness such kind words, i appreciate that.

and you know...
thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

andres carl sena

yes you did! You were one of my first cyber buddies, and I appreciate that.I love having your avatar on my comments!

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

welshcakes limocello

you're entirely welcome, and thank you for the good wishes.

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

jenny

well, duh! Who else but YOU who are always such a support for me?

yes it does feel unreal but in a great way.

thank you for the good wishes, and i hope that wine was smooth!

thank you for coming by.

Drunk Mummy said...

Congratulations Lady M!
I reckon that 10,000 is well worth a bottle of champagne (or at the very least, prosecco!). I personally wouldn't bother with the balloons - spend the money on more champagne instead!.

Ellee Seymour said...

Belated congratulations, you deserve your succes, you are such a warm person and a wonderful writer and we love your tales from Morocco. I hope you celebrated in style.