Schmogiversary

Some words make me cringe: Prezzies. Panties. Hubby and all its derivations: Hubs, the Hubs, the Hubster. It's the inner William Safire in me, (the grammarian William Safire, not the Republican mouthpiece William Safire) or maybe just the fact that I'm an anal-retentive Virgo who likes real words just fine enough--which, I know, doesn't really explain my distaste for panties. It just sounds porny.

Ugh, I hate the word porny.

Above all, I really don't like the word Blogiversary, despite the fact that far better people than I are using it. Maybe because it seems like an outdated Friends reference, or maybe just because I'm weird.

But that seems to be the word we're saddled with and so, I take a deep breath and say,

This week is my blogiversary.

Yes, it's been one whole solar calendar year since my first confession, despite the date stamp on my very first posts which might lead you to believe that it's been one year and a couple of days. I wrote that "first" post a day later then backdated it. Then I wrote the backstory and backdated that before the first one. Pathetic, huh? What can I say, it doubled my archives at the time.

One year ago, I didn't really know what a blog was. I thought html was pronounced "hatemail." I certainly didn't think I'd still be here today, not with actual readers and advertisers and writing opportunities and blog friends, and certainly not with so many blogfriends turned flesh-and-blood friends. And certainly not with so many lame-o press releases from behemoth PR companies showing up in my in-box weekly. Hey Mom101, love your blog! Do you want to talk about our new Splenda-filled pudding packs on your site? It will be a GREAT fit with your content! Don't you always talk about giving your 19 month old daughter chemicals to snack on? Plus, in return, we'll send you THREE twenty-five cents off coupons.

And lord knows I never thought I'd have a second blog that would slowly turn into an actual business with a real business partner and super committed writers and (gulp) an accountant. How did that happen?

So I'd like to take this opportunity, this blogi-[mumble mumble] to pay it forward.

I'd like to acknowledge my very first person-who-didn't-know-me commenter, a guy named Freethinker. I don't know much about him except that he must have hit "next blog" at the top of the blogger randomizer and come across mine, and he in his infinite mercy and kindness left me a comment. Here. In my bad haiku post. You can still see it.

So how did I respond?

I didn't.

I clicked over to his blog and wow, he was very popular. I think he had nine comments that day. He knew how to post photos. He had a blogroll! I was intimidated. And maybe a little freaked out, as the realization struck that anyone could read what I wrote here, not just my mother and Nate's sisters and Hally.

I did not comment back.

To this day, I'm kicking myself for it.

And so, if you have ever enjoyed anything here at Mom101, I ask that you help me right a wrong, do penance for the ultimate blogging sin. In honor of my [that one year thing with the word I hate], mosey on over to FreeThoughtGuy and just say yo...

Because I think he's a really really nice guy. And nice guys deserve a million comments every single day.

Maybe next week I'll honor my first troll.

All sarcasm aside, thanks for being here. Thanks for reading, thanks for supporting, and above all, thanks for keeping me writing.

It means everything.