Thursday, October 24, 2013

Four years a blogger and still not quite doing it right!

It was four years ago today that I posted my first blog. I was quite enthusiastic and titled it, "Hallalujah I'm a Blogger!" I didn't have any followers at the time so there were no welcoming comments, but I was undeterred. I wasn't savvy enough to realize that the way to acquire followers was to find other blogs you like and become their followers. It took me a while to "get on board" with other blogs.

Over the years, four or five of my favorite bloggers have died and more than a dozen have stopped blogging or just faded away. Every once in a while, I see I have a new follower but discover there's no link to get back to their blog. I've also signed on as a blog's follower on impulse and discovered that it's not what I hoped it would be. It's hit or miss, like paging through a magazine looking for an interesting article to read. It seems that the best place to find good blogs to follow is on your favorite blogger's list of followers.

I noticed that the groundhog/woodchuck above has a Dragon voice recognition system. I tried working with a Dragon when I was going through a particularly bad spell of arthritic hands. I found it incredibly frustrating, and correcting the errors it made was more trouble than it was worth. It truth, the bigger problem is my arthritic brain!

So anyway, here's to year number five. May it be more productive and interesting than the previous four!

20 comments:

Willow said...

Glad you are still blogging Ms . Sparrow .
Love the groundhog , saw one actually a few days ago.
I know they can be a pain to farmers but I still think they are cute fellows !
Are you still helping out at the animal rehab ?

Buttercup said...

Here's to year number 5! I am so glad that you are blogging. I enjoy your posts and appreciate the comments that you leave, and I really like the cute pictures that you post.

Joanne Noragon said...

Five years. Wow and carry on.
Now, will you tell me how you set up that wonderful side bar with little photos and everything. That's something I can't do right.

Jane and Chris said...

YAY!Year five!
I'm sure there is a celebration for that.
Jane x

andiepants said...

Janice, your blog is awesome! I've always enjoyed reading it and I'm glad you've kept it going.

The great thing about blogging is that there is no wrong or right way to do it. You just write about what moves you and the readers and followers will come.

Bob said...

Happy Blogiversary!

Merlesworld said...

I didn't know their was a right way of blogging, I just ramble on about what's happened in my week and when nothing much happens I just go and take pictures of the garden something is always changing out there.
Merle.........

Anonymous said...

Happy blog birthday to you, squashed tomatoes and stew, bread and butt-er in the gutt-er, happy blog birthday to you!

Pleased as punch to see you around in the interwebnettings Ms Sparrow.

Bob Bushell said...

Very funny, ha ha ha.

Moving with Mitchell said...

So glad you've stuck with it, Ms. Sparrow! Whatever way you choose to do it is right!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your staying power. Four years and still at it. Good for you. Looks like I'm still on your list and not about to leave. I look forward to your posts. Hugs Sue

Ms Sparrow said...

Willow: I'm fond of groundhogs too. I wasn't able to keep working at the rehab because I had to be on my feet the entire time. I felt really bad about having to quit.

Carol: Thanks for the kind words. I haven't been keeping up well lately.

Joanne: I click on "Design" in the upper right-hand corner of the page. This brings up the Template page. I click on "Layout" from the list on the left side. This brings up a page with "Add gadget" on the right side. Open the top one and bring up a box of with a list of options. Page down to "Image" and click on "Browse" on the screen that comes up. This will open "My pictures" and you can select from any of the ones you have saved. (I get a lot of cute ones off of Facebook or Google Images.) You may have to fiddle around with the size and caption, but this should work.

Jane and Chris: Thanks for the rousing cheer!

Andie: I guess I shouldn't keep comparing my blog to everyone else's. If they were all the same, it would be pretty boring!

Bob: Thanks for the new word and good wishes.

Merle: I like your casual style and all the insights into life in Australia. So, Carry On!

Ian: I can always count on you for some delightful word-play and whimsy!

Bob B: You liked the woodchuck with a Dragon?

Mitchell: I think it's an inborn personality trait that I always feel like there are rules I should be following. I'm too insecure to make up my own!

Maa: Thanks for your vote of support!

troutbirder said...

Congratulations on four! Methinks everything in moderation is the key to keeping going and still enjoying it. About once a week for a few beers or a blog post works for me...:)

troutbirder said...

Congratulations on four! Methinks everything in moderation is the key to keeping going and still enjoying it. About once a week for a few beers or a blog post works for me...:)

Meggie said...

I am glad you are still blogging !!

Linda said...

Hi Ms. Sparrow, you go! That is great...five years! I have been blogging for what will be two years in February 2014, so congratulations to you!

I can relate to losing (by death) fellow bloggers...I lost some Facebook friends...5 in the last year, and even though we may not have met them face to face it still hurts. Sending you a hug. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Congratulation on your blogoversary and here's to many more years!

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Four years is a long time, and a blog, like everything else in life, is bound to ebb and flow over the years. But there's no such thing as doing it wrong. I do find that I need to jot down blog ideas, especially while I'm reading other blogs, or I forget them. (Guess my memory is ebbing.) Take care, and please do keep on blogging!

Kittie Howard said...

Happy Blogerversary, Ms. Sparrow! May year number 5 bring lots of smiles. Your posts are always interesting -- love your sense of humor -- and appreciate your comments.

Cheers to another super year!

Captain Shagrat said...

Is that your cat inside the pumpkin?