Tag: anniversary

Posted on

December 21st. Happy 13th blog anniversary.

December 21st, 2012 was supposed to be the end of everything. That’s what people said back then, anyway. The end of the world, the end of a cycle, something final. I remember the mood around it, that strange mix of unease and freedom. And I remember thinking that if everything really was about to end, then I didn’t have much to lose. That was the thought that led me to start this blog on that exact day.

I didn’t know what it would become. I didn’t even know what I wanted from it. I just knew I needed a place. Somewhere words could land without being rushed. Somewhere I could return to, again and again, without having to explain myself.

Over the years I tried other platforms. Some I left because they got too loud, some because they stopped feeling right, some because I simply lost interest. This one stayed. I never really questioned that. It feels strange to even write it now, but it’s true.

I was curious today. I always loo at the stats on the anniversary of the blog. And what stood out was music. Song reviews, album notes, listening posts. Those were the things that surfaced first this year.
(If you’re curious: Antimatter, Sivert Høyem, Weather Systems.)

That sent me back to the beginning. Because it started like that. Mostly music. Things I listened to obsessively. Notes written quickly, without much distance. Those early posts aren’t here anymore, but the rhythm is. Music first. Words following.

There is a lot of poetry on this blog now. Probably more than anything else. It almost overfills the place at times. But the music is scattered. Tucked in between. And that still seems to be how people arrive. They come for a song, an album, a listening note, and then sometimes they wander off somewhere else. Or they stay. I don’t always know which, and I don’t mind not knowing. That’s a lie, I would love to know, but as I said yesterday, the blog doesn’t invite comments or thoughts, not by design or desire, but because the posts don’t demand anything from the readers. I consider myself to be a poet, a writer if you will. The fact that not one poem appears in the top 10 most read posts this year feels weird, at the same time it tells me that what I share about music is just as valuable if not more, than the poems, the opinions or the short stories. And there are also the pages people keep opening every year, discreetly. I notice that. I like noticing that.
(about me • books)

And somehow, all of the above keeps circling back to the day it began on. Going back to the start.

December 21st is the shortest day of the year. Winter solstice. The darkest day. And the turning point. Nothing changes visibly, and yet from here on, the light comes back. Slowly. I never noticed how true it is for me too. I don’t believe in coincidences. It had to be this way.

The blog changed. I changed. The voice shifted, the urgency softened. The staying didn’t. Thirteen years is a long time to keep showing up to the same place. I only really notice that when I stop showing up or when I question myself too much.

Thank you for reading, for finding this space, for following a song or a sentence and letting it lead you somewhere else.

For we are all listening to the sun.

Posted on

Happy Blog Anniversary

This little blog is a decade old today. Most blogs that old are much more successful and frequented. Mine is not, and that is quite alright. For me, it’s a success that I stuck with it through all these years, through thick and thin and good and bad. Above it all, I am grateful for every pair of eyes that ever laid eyes on the words I wrote and deleted on this blog. We’ve been through a lot together. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Ever so often, I get the urge to delete my online presence, but this blog – even if I neglect it sometimes, I probably won’t give it up any time soon.

Ten years ago, when I started the blog, I was 29. I was a mom of three and some kind of bored housewife. I had just started to write and I had this idea about the blog to share music I like and words I wrote. Sharing my own thoughts and struggles came a lot later. I am not sure if any of you remember but on December 21st 2012, the world was supposed to end, I think, subconsciously I wanted a piece of me to survive the end of the world. Ten years on and the world we knew then ended indeed. So much has changed. We have changed. We evolve and move on.

On the anniversary of the blog, I like to take a look at the stats. They are nothing special, no high numbers at all. And yet, I am quite proud.

As you can see, 2021 and 2020 were more successful than 2022. And that is very fine by me. In fact, I haven’t written as much nor shared as much this year. Somehow, the muse was more silent this year, which goes hand in hand with me being more content with my life. At least during the second part of the year.

In 2022, the blog was visited by 87 different countries. You can see the top 5 on the pic above. Compared to previous years, there was a slight shift, but all in all, there are still the same countries visiting. Still missing someone from Iceland checking in though, hehe

The most successful posts can be seen on the pic above.

Obviously, the Home Page is the most clicked. The top 5 are as follows:

Goodbye, Anathema. This is a post about the band Anathema. They split up in 2020, that’s when this post was written. Last year, the same post was the most read too. I like it, because there is a lot of music in the post and bits and pieces about myself too.

Be kind! In May 2022 a former member of the band mentioned in the previous post shared his struggles with mental health in a Facebook post. The reactions on social media were mixed and that somehow got me writing this post. I kept wondering why a man who admitted to having hit rock bottom was kicked and ridiculed for speaking his truth and asking for help.

Golden Shovel No2. A fellow writer and blogger, Monty, shared a competition to write Golden Shovel poems. Check out the link and you will see what I am talking about. Also, thank you Monty for this beautiful opportunity.

Bloganuary #2. In January, a blog offered daily prompts/questions to get bloggers and writers to engage more with other blogs. I answered a couple of those questions, but they felt blunt and uninteresting and so I stopped participating in the challenge in the end.

Bloganuary #11 This was another prompt/question from January…

As you can see, the blog is not all that important and there is no life-altering stuff on it. But there is a lot about me. It actually is me. Open, secretive, authentic, weird, quirky, imperfect, charming, funny, looking for a bit of love and attention once in a while, too.

A decade of blogging deserves a better post to celebrate, but for today, this is all I’ve got. I am very tired from not sleeping well, but I am quite alright these days. I am not looking forward to the Holidays, I never am. But I am not alone in this. Cherish you friends who spend sleepless nights on the other side of the screen with you. Take care of those who are alone during the holidays and check in with them regularly. I know I will do just that.

I love this blog and I love all of you who read and leave occasional comments.

On to the next few years of writing, evolving and living. Cheers my friends ❤️💜❤️💜❤️

Posted on

Happy blog anniversary

Happy Blog anniversary. This very blog is 9 years old today. There were many changes over the years, but one thing always stayed the same. Me. I try to be authentic, honest, and genuine. I share things I like, ranging from poetry and short stories to pictures and scenes from my life; and of course, music. Lots of music. But I am not a critic and I don’t write reviews.

I am not hung up on stats but, every year around this time, I give a little insight into this place. So, here we go.

This year, there were a lot more comments on the blog than any other year. Partially, that had to do with a blog friend I made in summer – John. John was an amazing guy, but unfortunately, he decided to leave the blogging world a couple of months ago. He deleted his blog and there is nothing left of this friend, apart from memories and a couple of comments under posts. I miss that guy. He was great fun. Someone else who often comments on my posts is Jeff. Jeff writes an awesome music blog, with very knowledgeable reviews and really great taste in music too.

As for the posts, I shared almost 100 posts less than I did last year. Notably, I did not post every day, as I did in 2020. There are a couple of reasons for that, but I won’t go into details. In the end, it all comes down to one thing: I’ve grown and I am more mature, more conscious about what I share and how.

As for the visitors and views. See for yourself. As of today, there are 44% more views, 28% more views, and 35% more likes. I’d count that as a HUGE success, for someone as niche and hidden as me. I still don’t always tag my posts – I am not sure if doing so would change a lot, I am not in this for the fame anyway. I am doing it for myself. But, I am not going to lie: I love that you are there on this crazy journey with me.

In 2021, there were visitors from 80 different countries. The top 5 can be viewed in the picture above. Next year, I really want a visitor from Iceland, lol. Goals, right?!

The most viewed posts are the home page, obviously, followed by:

Goodbye, Anathema a post about a British band that split up and meant a lot to me. That post was written in 2020 and it is the most successful ever on this blog. It is laced with music and small hints about how it influenced me.

Unknown or deleted was a piece of fiction I really hated. And I got annoyed that it was viewed so often that I had to take it down. Does any of you experience the same?

Facts about me is just what it says. A ton of facts and truths about me, written at the beginning of the year. Take a look, but I cannot guarantee that those facts are still true. I am human, I change and evolve all the time.

Art a piece that I shared for Aaron’s weekly prompts.

Steal me a poem, because that’s what I do best.

All these words I wrote and will write mean something because you are reading them. What I intend and mean with a post might not be what you are getting out of it. And that’s okay. For me, this is part entertainment and part therapy. This blog is very important to me, and I am a lucky girl that so many of you took a moment out of your life to spend it with me. It matters. It means something.

Here’s to the next year of blogging. Happy Holidays to everyone. Remember, don’t be too shy to get in touch. I may appear stand-offish. But most often, I am not.

Lots of love from me to you,

Cathy