Happy Anniversary to Me!

Image from SheKnows




One year ago today I took the plunge and entered the blogosphere. Unlike many of my future posts my initial foray was succinct and is still fairly accurate. Unfortunately, I hit the blip of being laid off shortly thereafter and got a bit angry (I’d forgotten how angry but that’s part of the healing process, right?). I also turned 50 this summer which has opened up an entire new line of thoughts and writing. Beyond that I’ve pretty much followed my opening credo- if it’s in my head it will end up here at some point.


There’s been the whole learning curve of what to post and when to post and how it feels when there are no comments or worse, when you lose followers. I lost two in one day after my Steve Jobs post which had me stymied. I understand the concept of writing for yourself but at some level I’d like validation as well. The knowledge that something I wrote, whether serious or silly, connected or resonated with someone else out there. Otherwise, it feels a bit like the Alien trailer “In Space No One Can Hear You Scream”. If it’s an empty void why bother?


Philosophical musings aside here are a few of my favorite reasons for blogging:


Will and Kate’s wedding, one of the few times I was happy to be unemployed because it meant I stayed up for the whole event and was fortunate enough to find that my funny bitchy friend Bridget in Seattle was awake as well and we chatted on FB the entire time. It was marvelous fun. No one escaped our sharp eyes (no hat, Prime Minister’s wife? Really?)


I met Sue, the Tweed Librarian, at a professional library organization. We had chatted briefly at events until the day she showed up to a meeting in a sparkly and lovely piece of jewelry. When I admired it she mentioned something about her blog and my mind went “ka-ching, here may be someone to talk to”. Meeting for drinks one night turned into monthly ‘bloggers meetings’ (even though it’s just us) and our collaboration this fall reviewing the fall fashions- some of my favorite posts. Thanks to this process I have a real time friend here in Portland which is priceless.


On the opposite end of the spectrum are the cyber friends. There are those whose blogs I read regularly and share emails (The Rhythm Method, The Style Maniac, People Don’t Eat Enough Fudge, and Sydney Shop Girl are just a few) and then there are the people with whom you really connect. It can start with an innocuous email asking them what their job is like and turn into a true cyber friendship where they send you homemade pretzel candy treats in the mail. That would be Abby who is the best kind of crazy. All that’s left for us is a yoga retreat away from the rest of humanity.


One year and in and, hopefully, many more to go. If I’ve learned only one thing it is that I love to write, that it is a passion, and if I can find a way to make it my livelihood I will be fulfilled. Until then, I hope I can continue to entertain, amuse, and even provoke thought. Thank you to everyone who stops by to see what’s going on Inside Out.



Comments

  1. Woohoo! That was totally fun. It was one of the highlights of unemployment for me too.

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  2. My friends who don't have blogs (most of them) don't get it. But it's amazing what a wonderful impact having a blog can have on your life. Wonderful new friends, creating great memories.
    We celebrated kate and wills wedding too, probably one of the first really special memories for my little girl.

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  3. If I didn't already adore you, this post would most certainly cause me to do so (and not just because of the humbling mention of yours truly.) Happy Anniversary! What I think is so cool is that blogs allow you to look back and reflect on those exact moments through your words as you felt them at that time. When we trust our brain to try and remember, the details get fuzzy. Blogs remind us of details ;)

    Anyway, I am so glad we "met" and you put up with my crazy. I'm pretty sure we would get kicked out of our yoga retreat...

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  4. P.S. I have a reference to your blog in an upcoming post, and I swear it's not because you just mentioned me. I had it in there already, so zip it.

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  5. Congratulations on your anniversary. Somehow I thought you had been writing longer.

    I'm with you on the posts with no comments...

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  6. Congratulations on blogging for a year - that's awesome! I love our "bloggers" meetings and our collaborative fashion posts. We are so lucky to have met - we get the best of both the blog-sphere and real time.

    Sue

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  7. Happy Anniversary Catherine.

    Starting a blog is one of the best things I've done.

    It's been a bit up and down but getting to know people, yourself included, has been the best bit about it. x

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  8. Happy One! Blogging is weird, but you are clever and fun and I'm glad I discovered your blog. :)

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  9. Well done, Catherine. Don't worry about the numbers, you have lots of validation in the friendships you have made. x

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  10. Congrats on your 1 year anniversary! Your writing talent almost surpasses your beauty!
    xoxo,
    Pierre

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  11. Small world. I'm in Vancouver, right next to Portland. Nice meeting you in the blogger world.

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