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Blogiversary

One year ago today I started this little blog. Let us pause for a moment of silence while you ponder this thought:





It all started with my very first post. I love that my mom is the only one who commented and both of us were such newbies to the blog world. 288 posts later, here I am: officially addicted to this strange virtual reality of blogging.

I remember the very moment I decided to blog: I was sprawled out on the couch with our now deceased laptop [R.I.P.] perched in my scalding hot lap [that baby didn't mess around and was probably a fire hazard, come think of it. Is that why my thighs were always bright red?] I just decided, "Hey. I'm finally going to make this stupid blog and see what happens. It would be nice for my family and friends to come to the blog for updates on life, so I don't have to send out a bunch of emails or...gasp...actually make phone calls. Does that make me lazy? If nothing else I can make it really pretty with fancy headers and whatnot."

True story. What?

But seriously, I had no idea how much I would enjoy blogging. There is something quite special about capturing your everyday life in words and pictures. I've invited you all into my life, to share in it's highs and lows...and sometimes boring plateaus.

And I've met some amazing people in the process.

-With much encouragement from my readers, I followed my dream and started my own creative business.
-I shared my grief with you as my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.
-I shared my joy with you as I completed my first full marathon.
-I shared my fear with you when I found a suspicious but normal lump of my own.
-I survived yet another move and multiple renovation projects at our new place.
-And of course, I shopped, scrapbooked, and traveled. With an occasional craft thrown in there for fun, in honor of my inner Martha Stewart.

What a year.

Let's take a walk down blog-memory lane, okay?


My very first header, probably in November 2007:
[it's so tiny and meek! Probably because I really didn't know what I was doing, and didn't save the stupid thing correctly. I'm pretty sure there was another original header I tried for a bit but I cannot find it anywhere. Ah, how I've grown in the past year.]


December 2007:

January 2008:

February 2008:


March 2008:

April 2008:

May 2008:


[please note that June was a busy month, and no new header donned my blog that month. I think it's more than coincidence that my monthly blog lifts stopped in June---because that is when J.Lorene started to take off. And voila! My free time became consumed with album design and not blog design. ]

July 2008:


September 2008:And you are looking at November 2008 at the top of this blog.

Then there are the stats. You know I love me some numbers, right?

Since I installed my Google Analytics on January 22, 2008:


~Visitors from all 50 states. Missouri is still holding it down for me as #1, beating Wisconsin by about 3,000 hits.
~Visitors from 83 countries across the globe. Our neighbors to the north in Canada visit me the most besides Americans, of course.

~Total number of visitors/individual people: 12,449
~Total number of visits/hits: 63,278.
~My ticker on the blog says 87,858 hits but I can't remember when I installed it.

[these numbers are both frightening and awesome at the same time. I can't wrap my head around 12,000 different people in the world reading about my boring little life.]


~Most people to visit in one day: 318 people visited on October 6 [marathon day!]
~Most number of hits in one day: 503 hits on that same date.
~Average number of hits in a day: 300-400 [I started at 100 or less, I'm sure.]

~80% of my readers are returning visitors. Thanks for the loyalty, guys!
~277 subscribers on Google Reader.
~Most number of comments on a single post: 44 for my Eat it, Oprah post.

~Biggest referral sources [besides Google and a direct visit]:
1. Sara at The Seven Spot with 3,542 hits
2. Kristal at Good Food, Good Friends, Good Life with 3,306
3. Darci at With This Ring with 2,032
Way to work it, ladies.

~Most popular posts since GA tracking:
1. Motherly Love
2. 100 Things
3. Why Blog
4. Attack of the Skort
5. Official Request

I'd be lying if I said I never thought about closing up the Transition shop. Sometimes I feel burnt out on posting, and so I don't. Sometimes it bothers me to know that thousands of people know all about me [well, what I choose to post, that is]. And sometimes I hit a writers block and don't want to be one of those ultra-boring blogs clogging the internet pipes. I guess you could say the novelty of writing a blog has certainly worn off.

And yet, something about blogging keeps bringing me back. Consider this: I am probably unlike 90% of you out there. I cannot blog at work nor do I even get a chance to check my email. For me, my work day is full of running around and rarely sitting down---no computer time is possible. So all of my blog time comes in the evenings and weekends. I must really enjoy it then, huh? It's funny: I managed to give up my addictions to wedding related chat forums [ahem, The Knot, The Nest and STL Wed] over a year ago, and it didn't even require a stint in rehab. But I just can't give up El Blog-o. You like my Spanish, don't you?

Limited computer time=prioritizing my online life.
Blogging=winner.
End of story.

I'm not giving anything away in honor of this occasion and I've already told you more than 100 things about myself. But what else do you want to know? Is there something you've been dying to ask me but you just never have? Give it a shot: leave your questions in the comments and I will answer them accordingly. I already have one request for a DIY instructional post--for blog decor and Christmas decor, to be exact. What else you got?

And so, here's to another year. Plenty of transitions to follow, I'm sure.

27 comments:

  1. Please don't leave! You're one of my favorite blogs to read. Plus, I'm still bumming about Erin's absence.

    Great headings. You should definitely do a tutorial on making those.

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  2. Congratulations Julia! Yours is definitely one of my favorite blogs ever. Here's to many more years (hopefully)!!

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  3. Happy Blogiversary!!!!

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  4. Congrats on your blogiversary! I'm hoping that I can keep mine going that long. I definitely feel the burn out every once in a while, but I've learned it's okay to take a break. Looking forward to many more posts!

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  5. happy blogiversary!

    i look forward to you reading your blog!

    btw- how do you make headers?

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  6. Here's my questions:
    How do you install Google Analytics?

    (Excuse my ignorance! ha)

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  7. Happy Blogiversary! I completely understand the burnout but would readily admit that I am addicted to the blog world as well. I look forward to another year of your posts ;)

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  8. Congratulations on your big blogiversary! (How fun is it that I thought I was making that word up until I saw the comments from your other readers!). I'm all about the holidays this time of year, so anything you want to post about food, decor, recipes, etc. for Thanksgiving or Christmas would be MUCH fun!

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  9. Happy Blogverisary Julia!

    Every post I have read I have enjoyed! Here's to many more!!!

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  10. Happy Anniversary to the Transition! If I'm honest, I know that your approach to blogging and your # of followers were definitely an inspiration to my flegling blogger self.

    I love that you chose "survived" to describe your 1st wedding anniversary! Hah.

    I have to think on questions . . . I'll come back. :)

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  11. My Lord, you always have such a pretty blog. Happy one year anniversary!!! :)

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  12. Happy happy, joy joy...for you and your blog and all the milestones you've shared. I even came out from behind google reader to see this one!

    Um, could I just come over and spend a day with you learning how to even personalize your blog with all the pretties you add (I bounce from template to template). Or maybe some tips on your ultra-fantabulous-digital-picture-blurb-mkaing-book-pages. You seem like a little creative technology genious and I feel inspired just reading your randoms.

    PS- I almost made my dog wear a birthday hat after seeing your post, and wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with that craziness! Maybe next year.

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  13. Congrats!! The December 07 header is my favorite!

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  14. Happy Anniversary! Don't play, girl...you aren't going anywhere :)

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  15. Happy Blogiversary! Here's to many more!
    Your headings are fab. I'm in need of a make-over.

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  16. Hey Julia! I absolutely LOVE your blog and am delighted that I found it. Here is a question that I have been wanting to ask...

    How did you learn to design your blog headers? You said it was a progression for you and you learned along the way. Please fill us in!

    Thanks,

    Julie

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  17. Happy Blogiversary! I use the same kind of Spanish. ;)

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  18. Happy Blogiversary! I'm so impressed with your many blog makeovers. I'm a little lazy on that front. The new one looks fantastic!

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  19. I would like detailed info on:
    1. Beautify-ing your blog
    2. How you make the adorable headers
    3. How do you get Google Analytics?? This is so cool although it may be depressing to see how few viewers I have at my early stage of blogging.

    Happy Blogiversary!

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  20. It's only been a year?? You are an old pro. You are making me feel like I need to get going on making a better header for my blog though.

    looking forward to continued reading!

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  21. Julia....you CAN NOT stop blogging! I know we don't talk as much as we would like to, but at least this makes feel like I know whats going on with you! I'll admit though, my favorites are probably when you re-visit some of the heroic college moments!
    Al

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  22. I love April '08's banner-- happy one year!!

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  23. Congratulations on your 1 year blogiversary!
    All your headers are gorgeous... you know I want the detail instructions!!

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  24. You are one of my favorite bloggers by far. Thanks for sharing your life with me:)

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  25. Congratulations Julia! I love reading your blog and I look forward to reading it for years to come. :-)

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