Today is the one-year blogiversary of The Night Writer and I find myself amazed. Considering that I didn’t have more than a general idea of what I was going to write about when I started or even more than one or two ideas on Day 1, I’m amazed that I’ve made it this far, amazed that it went by so fast, amazed by the number of new people I’ve met electronically and in person in this time, amazed that there have been 398 posts (counting this one) and amazed that according to Site Meter there have been more than 17,000 visitors to this page. That’s a slow week for Mitch Berg (and now JB Doubtless will probably slam me for mentioning traffic – see #55) but I have to admit that it’s something I pay attention to.

I know a lot of bloggers say that they blog for their own satisfaction, and that’s a big part of it for me as well – if it wasn’t amusing me I wouldn’t do this. But I’ll tell you, if I did this just for my own entertainment there would not have been anywhere near 400 posts here. The thought that someone might read your blog can be enough to get you started; knowing that people are reading it can be powerfully motivating and I’ve tried to put something of interest here every weekday (and there are good days and bad days). I’ve said before that since I can’t sing or play an instrument this blog is my garage band; my chance to jam and vent my muse. Thanks for being there.

My first post compared having a blog to having a CB radio. I started about the time that Eason-gate was reaching its peak, and I later got my first mini-lanche in writing about Terri Schiavo. I’ve written about trips I’ve taken, things my family has experienced (pretty interesting times for us when I stop to think about it), wild animals in my home, wild senators on television and Vikings sex cruises — and enjoyed cruising through the MOB and the other blogs to see what others are writing about. Thinking about it now, I have no idea how many words I’ve written in the past year. I wonder if I had spent the same amount of time and effort each evening in writing a book if it would be finished by now. It’s doubtful because without this blogging experience over the last 365 days I never would have thought I’d have the gumption to come this far. Someday perhaps I’ll turn my time and attention to a book and let this lapse, but for now I feel as if I’m in a good vein and I’m going to mine it a bit longer.

One thing I know for sure is that if I hadn’t met so many wonderful people through their blogs and the trips to Keegan’s I wouldn’t have made it to this anniversary. It’s fitting that today is also a Trivia Night so I’ll be heading over there for sure. Leo, my first blogging buddy, is going to be in town from St. Cloud and I don’t want to miss him or any of the other regulars (and irregulars). I instituted a new rule for my blogging daughters (something else I didn’t expect when I started this): no Keegan’s for them unless they’ve posted something that week. This must be pretty motivating because they both “got ‘er done” before this week was two days old.

Well, another day and another post done. Now, what the heck am I going to write about tomorrow?

Update:

Shucks. Doug noticed it was my blogiversary even before I mentioned it. He’s got a sharp eye and, according to my Powerblogs statistics, more people have come to this blog from his than any other external referrer. An extra big slice of blogiversary cake for him!

Update:

Pssst! It’s Leo’s blogoversary on Sunday!

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