Oh Just Get Over Yourself!

I've been terrified of this post. I was petrified about what to write. Yes, I've hit post number 1000. It just feels like I should write something profound or interesting. But in the end, I've decided just to get it over with!


No, I had no idea what this blog would do to me back in November of 2006 when I started this journey. I gave it very little thought. I had been reading Velvet's blog and many on her blog list back then and after cautiously commenting on some, I felt I had something to say and took the plunge. I never dreamed it would lead to 1000 posts. I never really thought I had that much to say!

Mabel Lou the Super Model (photo by Rottrover)

Knowing I would hit 1000 (I thought it would be last year), I started a page (never published so don't bother looking!) called Essential Creekhiker. It was to feature one or two of my favorite posts from each month of this blog. Which led to Essential Mabel Lou... because she is my co-star and #1 muse. I started re-reading this blog from the begining... I got bored before I finished three years! If it bores me, it probably bores you too...

But I was always a writer.

I wrote as part of my job creating bids for commercial directors. Ad agencies are incapable of understanding budgets and so a "sales" letter must accompany every bid. Often I would be sitting at my computer in some motorhome on the set of some commercial and the writers would be quibbling over dialog. I would spit out the fix over my shoulder and go on with my work. I can't tell you how many times that happened!

I remember writing an addition to Rodgers and Hammerstein's King Arthur on the fly back in high school when a temperamental make up artist caused Morgan Le Fay to miss her entrance.

When I left my "real" production job to go through surgery and run my own business, I didn't miss commuting or people. I missed writing. I joined a local writing group. It was a blast. I wrote some of my best stuff ever. But then the men in the group started fighting over every little comma  and almost came to blows. I was done.

And then came blogging. I've met a number of bloggers in person since starting this process. I was most star struck to meet Velvet... she's one of my favorite writers and I simply adore her.  And I've encouraged many others to blog.  Taking photos while hiking, I explained to my hiking buddy what "blog fodder" was and that she could see pics of her rotts on my blog.  She started reading all the dog blogs and even started her own. It still smarts that she gets so many more comments than me. But I blog about too many subjects to really worry about that.

The Unfaithful Writer Tries to Find Herself...

Yes, this may have been my first blog... but it's not my one and only. I quickly realized what a good business practice it is to have a blog. And I tired of posting beads and my sales stuff here. It felt sacrilegious!  So I started a bead blog. I soon realized that the rss feed set up of a blog and places like etsy and artfire - that allows for instantaneous sharing when a new item is listed - would be excellent for a website! So after a few feeble attempts at my own dot com for my glass beads, I restarted it using a word press template with a shopping cart built in. All because I had learned to blog! So, that gets us to three!

I manage a team blog for other bead makers. Four!

Because I am forever in search of a gig or way to make some money, I needed a place to stash some of my published work. So... writing blog! (Sorely in need of updates!) That's Five!

Along the way, another friend started learning how to actually make money blogging. Not just pennies but a living! I was already curious about some of the repeat hits I get on this blog. A post about taking the CBEST constantly gets hits. Another post on a long cancelled tv show that jumped the shark gets tons of traffic to this day. A rejected article I wrote for aol about gifts for pet lovers...tons o hits. The post I wish I had not titled "Doggie Porn" ... way too many hits (Ewwww! Creepy!!).

All of this led to my "retail adventures in blogging" trying to find a way to get a blog popular enough to make a little dough. Jump the Shark and Retail Rants and Raves were utter failures. (Six and Seven! OMG! I'm tired!)

I suddenly realized, I really "should" have a blog for my day job...food safe rubber stamps as too many bloggers were writing about the technique and leading to much misinformation that can get people sick. So... Food Safe Rubber Stamping started last year! EIGHT!

And finally... I found my niche with number nine. In March of last year, I was googling the terms "glass beads" and "lampwork" and realized that no ONE artist was EVER going to crack the "Chinese Wall" of garbage glass beads on the internet. But... if a bunch of us were to use ONE public site over and over, we could make it to the first page of Google. And Glass Beads Daily was born. It has been successful beyond my dreams!

And no, number nine won't be my last... I have at least two more up my sleeve!

I realize that blogging came along at just the right time for me. I was working alone and from home. It was a creative outlet that allowed me to promote my businesses and connect with others.

I think I only have two or three readers from the beginning and I'm happy they've stayed with considering all the changes this blog has undergone. And though my fingertips may wander... this blog is home. It's more ME than any of the others.

And just for the record:

This is actually my 1006th post...if you count drafts. There is a post for Mr. Chewy pending. A post about my New Year's Resolution which is starting to bore me. Both of those will see the light of day.

But I have others I'm not sure why I started:

• A post about things I've had to rent. From the mundane helicopters, private jets, cranes and gorilla suits to the far more interesting submarines, reindeer and a working prison. 
• A post titled What Not to do to the Dying - my way of lashing out at some of the stupid things people said and did while my sister was sick. I may never have the guts to share that. 
• A Things that Make you go Hmmm... too short to bother
• A post about the best day of my life... that has no point

So it's really post 1006...No big deal

But then if you count those others:
Fire Divas - 142
Holly's Folly Beads  - 681
Writer Holly Dare - 28
Retail Rants n Raves - 7
Jump The Shark - 4
Food Safe Rubber Stamping - 26
Glass Beads Daily - 278

This post is actually my 2,172nd post... I don't know what I was so afraid of. No big deal, really.