Happy Friday everyone! Today’s an especially happy day because at any moment I’m about to reach a long-awaited milestone. As I look at this blog right now I can see that I am only about 70 hits away from 100,000 page views.
When I first started this blog about three years ago I never even thought it would be even remotely successful, especially since I wasn’t too regular at posting on it for at least the first two years. I only began posting regularly towards the beginning of this year and since then I’ve been blessed to have gained at least a modicum of readership.
I am super excited about reaching this milestone, and of course I could not mention it without reflecting on some of the things that I’ve been posting here that got me to this place, and acknowledging some of the people I know are regular readers of this blog. I know that this is not one of the most popular blogs on the net, but I’m happy so far with what I’ve got and I have you to thank for it…
Defining John’s World
I’d like to begin with a post that I wrote back in April. I had restarted the blog a little less than four months earlier and I still wasn’t sure what my purpose was, so I came up with a way to explain the reason for its existence. It’s inspired by a Madonna song, one which you’ll find at the end of this post called “Sky Fits Heaven,” and within its lyrics lies my mantra, which you can find on the right hand side of this blog, as well as right here:
Traveling down this road, watching the signs as I go. I think I’ll follow the sun. Isn’t everyone just traveling down their own road, watching the signs as they go? I think I’ll follow my heart. It’s a very good place to start.
See A Defining Post
Sundays and Other Relationships
Well, as many of you know I first began writing here in a similar manner in which I started at Associated Content four years ago. It seems that I’m at my best and sometimes most interesting when I write about the personal, and people take an interest, for whatever reason. Back then it was my breakup with Joe that caused the words to flow from my brain, and this time it was another breakup that caused me to pour it all out.
Way back on Christmas Eve of last year, my world suddenly became unglued when a short-lived, but special relationship ended. It was only the second time in my life I had been hurt, and the pain was clearly reflected in my postings. Looking back, I see that at least through all of those posts I was being honest, and writing them definitely helped me get through it all. Months later a friend had told me how depressed I sounded through those posts and yeah, that’s true, but that’s just my style. It all started right here.
Here’s one post I wrote just about a week after he broke off contact with me for the final time, one in which I expressed regret for my own role in what happened. It was written the day after the Robyn concert which we were supposed to go together to, the one which I attended alone. After the concert I messaged him, in a friendly manner, to tell him that I had gone and that I had missed him. It had been the last contact I would make towards him. The post was one of the earlier “Songs of the Day,” and it was Robyn’s “Get Myself Together.’ That song said it all at the time, and it was heartbreaking for me to listen to.
Song of the Day - Get Myself Together - Robyn
Of course thinking about that time still brings me back, but I’m past the real hurt, anyway. I heard from him back in July with a mea culpa and I was able to finally let him know how he'd affected me with an untitled post:
Untitled
Other People in My Life
This wasn’t the only relationship I’ve reflected on in this blog. Here and there I’ve sprinkled in a couple of pieces on Joe, who still affects my life sometimes in one way or another. Remember Me is a piece I’m very proud of, and it speaks not only of good memories with Joe, but of other special people who’ve come and gone from my life. And of course, my inner aptitude for self-deprecation comes through on a recent, upsetting encounter with Joe in a post called I’m a Hot Mess.
Of course, many of my friends have come through this blog in all sorts of ways. There’s Blanche and Dita, Nancy Lou, Rita, Ivan, Ozzie and several others. I’d like to think that by including them in my writings, I’ve shown that they each hold a special place in my life, and for that I will always be grateful. One of my favorite “friend” pieces is one which I think is pretty funny. It’s called Blanchie’s David, and it’s a typical Blanche story.
Blanche checking out the goods on his new man.
Singledom
Then there are the posts about being single. Being gay, single and forty-something these days is not easy, that’s for sure. Since I was pretty much married during my twenties, my friends believe that I’m living the life now that I should have lived then, clubbing so much as I do. They’re probably right, but at least I have fun when I do. Splash Saturdays is a typical club experience post, one which I would hope gives readers a good sense of clubbing it up in the city when you’re someone of my age, hehe.
F-Word Fridays at Splash
Then of course, there’s the down side of being single. Rethinking Life Four Years Later is a reflection on where I stand on the 4th anniversary of my breakup with Joe, the beginnings of my ‘singledom.’ Yup, being single definitely has its ups and downs, and I get to experience all of em.
Song of the Day
One of the most popular features of this blog has been my “Song of the Day” postings, as you can see from the listing of popular posts to the left. I was a deejay for 12 years and a dancer for much longer, so I have a wide range of musical tastes that leans towards a dance vibe. I try to incorporate oldies with newbies, hot hits with old ones, and I’ve gotten a lot of feedback here and in other places about it. It’s not always so easy to choose a “Song of the Day,” and it’s usually something I’d heard recently or something I just want to share because I think it’s special.
The most popular “Song of the Day” still gets plenty of hits. It’s a funky, jazzy tune called Mr. Saxobeat, and it’s still popular in the clubs and on the radio here and there. On occasion I’ve posted song collections, mainly from the A-Z and Z-A Blogger’s Challenge, which are also pretty popular. My particular favorite song collection is W is for so Many Songs. It’s a great collection featuring the likes of Shakira, Donna Summer, Aerosmith with Run DMC, Spice Girls, the GoGo’s and plenty more.
Of course, there have been many more things to this blog than I’d make you read now, so I’ll leave that up to you if you so desire. I want to once again thank all of you who come to my little place on the net and take in the things I share. I am truly humbled to have reached 100,000 page views and here’s to a cool mil! Have a great weekend everybody!
Oh, and please, I'd love to hear any comments you may have on my blog. Are there things you like or don't like about it? What kinds of things would you like to see from here going forward? Song of the Day suggestions? Anything! Really, they'd go a long way in helping me further define who my readers are and what they'd like to see the most. Thanks in advance!
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