Is there any modern word more dopey and irritating than “blogoversary“?
Well, aside from “marketing” and “coach” and “networking” and stuff like that …
I think not.
Still, here we are. And I’m pretty excited about it!
Today marks 6 WHOLE MONTHS of blogging it up at The Fluent Self!
And if I had an enormous red typeface I’d be using it.
But I don’t. And I probably wouldn’t.
Moving on. Let’s talk numbers, baby.
- 136 published posts (including this one)
- 40 pages
- 1,091 comments (from actual people who are not a. robots or b. trying to promote themselves in a ridiculously over-the-top way)
- 2,681 spamtastic comments caught by Akismet (yay, Akismet)
- 1 comment by Seth Godin *swoon*
- And … weirdest search term ever that someone (who can’t spell, I’m assuming) used to get here: “How do I make my duck more bigger?” Oh yeah.
Ooh, I should probably also mention that my Alexa ranking is, of this writing, a shockingly rock-star-sensational #103,272. It was over 5 million when I launched the blog.
And (chorus) that’s why everyone should have a WordPress (.org) blog.
Just saying.
Things you probably don’t know about this blog.
- I’ve done ZERO promotion. No “get X number of subscribers in Y amount of time” campaigns. No “strategic” commenting. Pretty much the only place I even mention it is on Twitter. Weird, I know.
- My gentleman friend calls it my Blarg. This, of course, cracks me up.
- Selma gets more fanmail than I do. Having a duck might actually be the secret to blog success. Do not do this, though, or she will come and have words with you.
- All of my made-up words (biggify, destuckification, helper mouse, etc) have totally propagated around the internet, to the point that no one even remembers that I made them up. Which is bizarre, yes, but very, very cool.
- This blog has inspired at least eight people that I know of to start blogging it up themselves. HOORAY for that! Awesome.
People I need to thank …
Okay, let’s try and keep this short, acceptance-speech-style.
- Kelly Parkinson from Copylicious. She’s the one who bullied me into starting this blog to begin with.
- Nathan Bowers, WordPress consultant to the stars. He gave me so much good advice pre-launch and still does. I owe him bigtime.
- The GirlPie. Mz GirlPie — mysterious commenter of the night — was one of the first regular commenters here and full of encouragement and good advice when I was still feeling my way into it.
- Andy Wibbels — for inspiring me to start blogging in the first place.
- Pam Slim — for being a wonderful friend and whispering sweet nothings in my ear at the right times.
- Mark Silver — for steady encouragement and genius techniques and for occasionally popping over for a spontaneous afternoon chat.
- Naomi Dunford — for being my internet crush and my champion. For spending hours on the phone with me giggling hysterically and for regularly sending all her smart, nutty, wonderful readers over here.
- The best designer in the entire world — for being a creative genius and for putting up with me and for making all the gorgeous icons. Anything that looks good here is because of Richard.
- Everyone I know on Twitter. I’d spent two and a half years building a noozletter list before I started the blog and most of that list wasn’t interested in hanging out here. Nor were my friends. So if it hadn’t been for Twitter-folk, it could have been pretty lonely here.
Okay, I’ll stop now.
Not blogging, of course. Tfu tfu tfu. Heck, I’m not even planning on stopping this post just yet. I’m just done listing every single person who’s been a part of creating this crazy thing.
Because otherwise this could get long. Even for me.
But I do have to say that so many incredible and unexpected things have resulted from this experiment so far.
Selma and I have gotten to eat biscuits with people I’ve long admired from afar. Like Colleen the Communicatrix and Jennifer “Oh how I love that woman!” Louden.
We’ve also met (though not yet in person) some super-neat, creative, fun, nutty, wonderful people like Chris Zydel and Kate Harding and James the Dancing Geek and far too many to list here.
But most of all, this whole blogging thing has reminded me that I’m a writer first.
It’s reminded me that the creative process of putting words to the page — even if that page is somewhat pixelated — is something that sustains me. And it’s that understanding which has shifted the balance in my business.
Sure, there’s more of an emphasis on steadily, regularly giving to others in the form of information and concepts and techniques. But it’s also more about taking care of myself.
This blog has become therapist and companion and friend not just to a ton of people around the world, but to me.
And that is really something.
I can’t thank you enough.
You guys rock.
And raising my glass of grapefruit juice to the next anniversary (I said that horrible word once and now I never have to say it again), I say:
Love and contentment to you!
Thanks for being a part of my Blarg …
Havi (and Selma the duck)
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Congratulations, and wow, I didn’t realize that you had achieved so much in only 6 months! Impressive! I know I found your blog via twitter, but how I discovered you there, I don’t rightly know. All I know is that it happened at exactly the right time, and I’ve benefited enormously from your advice and insight.
Maryann Devines last blog post..Arts and Culture Value, Participation
I think blogoversary is a perfectly acceptable and useful word. I’ve added it to my Firefox spellcheck. And in typing that, I found that the word “spellcheck” isn’t in my Firefox spellcheck. HA!
Happy blogoversary, Havi. You are making a huge difference in the world.
Justins last blog post..Life is Improv: Justification
A most joyous and wondrous blogoversary, Havi!
I know the gift for a 2 year blogoversary is a Robert Scoble Visit, and the gift for a 1 year blogoversary is a Site Crosslink, but I wasn’t sure what the proper gift was for 6 months.
Fortunately, when I looked it up it appears to be a Blog Comment! Whew! (And here I was worried I wasn’t going to have an appropriate gift…)
“How do I make my duck more bigger?”
I think that was some kind of love enhancement spam directed at Selma.
Anyway, congratulations on the milestone, it was a good first six months.
No, no, no…the proper word would be ‘Blog-i-versary’. It’s the ‘i’ that makes it acceptable. I mean spelling it with an ‘o’ is just…well…silly.
(Ha! Kidding of course.)
Having just had my own milestone, it IS something to celebrate. So happy Blogoversary/Blogiversary, Havi.
I’m so grateful to have found you, either way you spell it. 🙂
My gift is giving another comment luv of “bigger, longer & uncut”. Enjoy.
(And I’m starting to think that GirlPie just might be Oprah. Think about it…)
Karen JLs last blog post..My Feature Favorites: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
@Jon – “love enhancement spam”, eh? That’s what she said! That’s Selma’s little joke. It’s not that funny but she made me repeat it.
You wouldn’t BELIEVE the wacko stuff people search for to end up here. Well, you probably would since you’re internet-famous too but man, it’s out of control.
@Karen – Your comment luv bit is even more appropriate in this context. Excellent.
@Maryann, Justin, Jeff – *blows kiss*
Wow.
“Is there any modern word more dopey and irritating than “blogoversary”? ”
Yeh, w00t, or Woot, or even woot.
People that type woot should be disemboweled and made to eat their own liver without any ketchup or seasoning whatsoever.
Wait a minute there’s a knock at the door.
Oh, I apparently said woot and a have an appointment with a disemboweler. Oh well, he who lives by the sword gets disemboweled by one. It’s a fair cop but society is to blame.
I mock thee Havi Brooks not once, not twice, but thrice I tell thee, thrice!
Tim Brownsons last blog post..What’s Your Sense Of Purpose?
Happy half-blogday/blogoversary/blog-i-versary/whatever!
I’m mentally blowing up balloons and lighting candles for you. Should I eat some cake in your honor, too? (And those calories won’t count, right? ’cause they’re for you, not me…)
I’m really glad you got bullied into doing this, and that Naomi told us about you…. : )
Congrats on the milestone and your impressive stats. I assumed you had been blogging for years.
It is inspiring to see you succeed while sustaining your sanity and voice.
Ken Wagners last blog post..haiku | November Wind
You see how good you are at this blarg? (love your Gentleman Friend’s accent.) How well it matches with your skills and proclivities and warm wackiness? You’re a WRITER, Havi, and so much more.
I’d like to have seen Tim Brownson’s thrice mocks and raised him to a fourth, but I just can’t mock something that does so much biggification (can’t recall where I picked that up…) for its creator, its Head Writer, its Readers, and its Commenters. Your blog and its comments make me laugh when I need to, nod and note in earnest, and think — even when I don’t feel like it.
You listed me in amazing company but it’s you that have incited this support from your friends and readers — because you have made your readers into friends.
Thanks for reminding us to celebrate anything, no matter the name, when it does so much good for so many.
It’s been a glorrrrrrrious (and fast!) six months.
Thank YOU.
My favorite part of knowing you besides all your great ideas and energy and good writing and Dance of Rock out Piss me Off Shiva is feeling like I have a cool much younger separated a birth person in my life.
Yeah to Mark for connecting me to you. Everybody, run over to Mark Silver right now and buy everything he has.
LOVE
Jennifer Loudens last blog post..Comfort During Fearful Times: Memories Burning
Super happy blogaversary! And *I* have to thank Mark Silver & Naomi for letting me know of the Havi excellence.
Can’t believe you’ve only been blogging for six months. You took to it like a duck takes to yoga.
I woot you, and will keep an eye out for Tim.
Sonia Simone | Remarkable Communications last blog post..Dumb Things Small Businesses Do That You Can’t Afford #5: The Worst Number
Super huge congrats to you and Selma. I can’t believe you’ve come this far in just 6 months. Thanks for being here. 🙂
Lisa Woods last blog post..How to Optimize Images for Your Website
Happy blogoversary! Blogiversary. Blagovarsity.
You know, I first found your site through a link in Jen Louden’s blog. Hurrah for blogs! I regularly recommend them to my clients. One day I’ll follow my own advice and write my own. But oh, the time! Blogging takes up valuable tango time.
I could gush about how many amazing people I have met through Havi’s blog and work.
I could gush about how much better my life is thanks to the efforts of this one amazing lady.
Instead I’m going to geek out on etymology…
The word anniversary comes from the latin annus (year) and versus (pp of vertere, to turn around).
A quick search in wiktionary (hmm, ok, not the best source) suggests that -i- is mostly used in latinate constructions, which is certainly supported by ann-i-versary.
-o- tends to be used in greek constructions.
Blog is a modern term from web+log.
Now, web (germanic) we can ignore, since the construction is from log to sphere. Log (as a book) has no clear etymology, but logos (Greek) means word, which would at least seem appropriate (if entirely unproven).
Sphere has roots in the LATIN sphæra, but you can breath a sigh of relief because that has roots in the GREEK sphaira. I know, the whole thing nearly went to pot there, huh?!
So, we’re happy with blog-o-sphere as having greek roots.
But that means we have to choose for blog + ? + versus.
Well, since log is of dubious origin, I would be tempted to go with the strong Latin root of versus to keep consistent, suggesting that correct use would be -i-.
So there you go, the correct spelling is blogiversary.
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY HAVI!
Except, wait. Blogiversary actually means the turning around of the blog rather than the years. So, does that mean we have to turn stuff around now?
¡Ä±ÊŒÉÉ¥ ʎɹÉsɹÇʌıƃolq ÊŽddÉÉ¥
James | Dancing Geeks last blog post..Heads up on the move
OK, whatever. Congratulations. But you still said blogoversary and I will never, ever let you forget it.
Naomi Dunfords last blog post..Ode To My Hatemail
Happy B______, Havi. I, as well, am glad I found you. And, you can make that 9 new bloggers. 🙂
Congrats, wow, well done…
And please keep blogging
😉
Juliet
Congratulations, Havi!
Honestly, I can’t recall how I found your blog, but the very first time I read it, I knew I wanted to read every single time you posted something! I save your blog in my reader and often go back to re-read what you’ve written.
I have a blog, but very few people know about it. I don’t need to promote myself or my blog, but you’ve given me such cool ideas! More importantly, you’ve taught me that there is someone out there whose voice, soft and sweet, can carry on the wind. It gives me hope that one day I’ll find my voice and someone else will appreciate it. Like I do yours.
You are one of my Very Important Teachers. Thank you so much for pushing the “publish” button.
Too bad I can only spit-take so many times in one day (slowly learning not to read comments while anywhere near a beverage).
I will now go do yoga like a duck (thanks, Sonia for that amusingly painful image) and will woot you all multiple times, except for Tim …
Love you all!
Congratulations dearest Havi ( and of course, many kudos to the incomparable Selma),
It’s really incredibly, awesomely, amazingly cool and inspirational to witness what you have accomplished in 6 short months.
And the best part of it is that you have done it by walking your talk, doing it your own way and by simply being your huge hearted, wacky but wise, unique and authentic self.
And that is your gift ( or at least one of them. There’s also the gift of leading the way in creating lumberjack yoga musicals on Twitter).
Because you are so very willing to put your whole self out there, with all your vulnerabilities and fears and courage and competence and gentle wisdom and humor and language artistry, you have paved the way and made it possible for so many other people to consider the possibility that maybe they, too, can take that first step towards biggification. You’ve given people the message that maybe being real and honest and transparent and simply who you are is good enough and more than enough. And that is a message we can never hear too often!!
Thanks for the link love and the love, love and for being such a sparkly, shiny,soulful internet famous helper mouse and blogging pioneer!
May the goddess of creativity continue to shower you with her magic and pour her many and varied forms of all good things on your sweet, sweet head.
with love and gratitude……
chris zydels last blog post..BEFRIEND YOUR INTUITION : CULTIVATING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOUD and BOSSY VOICE WITHIN
Well, I hate to say “I knew it!” but I will anyway! I KNEW YOU WOULD BE A BRILLIANT BLOGGER!
I actually don’t hate saying it. I love saying it. So there.
A bunch of my clients/students are in love with you now. Were I younger and the jealous type, I would be, well, jealous. But of course I am not (young or jealous) — thank goodness for The Destuckificationator — means I can focus on doing my job. 🙂
As for the Blarg, Darryl calls mine THE BLOB. Fitting, somehow!
Love and hugs,
-Pam
Pamela Slims last blog post..Who says following your dreams shouldn’t be hard?
Thanks for the shoutout, and congratulations on 6 months of rocking to a truly epic degree.
Nathan Bowerss last blog post..How NOT to craft a product announcement email
Mazel tov, Havi. I am so glad that I discovered you and you inspire me in so many ways.
I have arrived at the end of round one, it seems. Now that you are warmed up, I can’t wait to see what stuff you will create up next. I don’t know what you have in mind for yourself, but I’m planning to move to a bigger home planet any day now ‘cuz I’m not sure this one can support the biggification I have dreamt up for myself. Well, I mean without cratering the entire Colorado Plateau, and I wouldn’t do that to the lovely people I know. Besides, I prefer living above ground, too. I’ll be waving at you from the heavens the next time you look up, and the other hand will be mousing over to your latest post.
Have a galactic next six months!
[Charlene]s last blog post..Finding My Voice
Wow, congratulations to spectacular you and your stupendous duck.
You’ve done so much in only six months and you should know that for each of those 1,091 comments there are even more people you have inspired who’ve never said a peep on your blog.
Why, I was one of those until today.
Fabulous.
Late to the party, as usual!
Congrats on a rockin’ six months (ONLY SIX MONTHS?!?!) and many, many happy monthly returns of the day. Or, er, something.
And I am all for the making up of words. Some of mine are even of the non-X-rated variety! (But, um, not many.)
communicatrixs last blog post..What I’m giving myself for my fourth anniversary
Hey, it’s more than a week late, but I thought I’d jump in and say “Woo-hoo!” I think you know Holly and I are deeply immersed in our journey of adoption, hunkered down in Columbus, Ohio for weeks. And all I can say is thank goodness for Google alerts, or I wouldn’t have known about this post, and I would’ve missed celebrating with you, even belatedly.
Love to you, to your gentleman friend, to Selma, and to all the very warm people you’ve intro’d me to.
Keep it up, rock star.
love and love
Mark
Mark Silvers last blog post..Prayers for those in Mumbai
So blessed to have found you…. I feel like a sap saying that because I am not usually the type of person who says words like “blessed” or who writes syrupy comments in some random blogger’s combox. I am addicted to you and your duck. There! Two creepy weird things you will never hear me say anywhere else: “blessed” and “addicted to you and your duck”. xoxo, m.
melissas last blog post..Settle