WordPress sent me a congratulatory note and a reminder that I am on my 16th year of blogging now. I do appreciate it.
The truth is I opened WordPress sixteen years ago with a lone poem culled from my journal upon the recommendation of a friend I met at Multiply. I loved that platform. I only had about a hundred friends who really engaged and commented on my posts there. I really don’t celebrate March 13 as the start of my blogging journey here, instead, I like to remember May 09, 2009 when I got brave enough to experiment, customize my blog, choose a theme and transfer some previous entries I did on Friendster and Multiply. To add those years I stayed in those platforms, I’ve been blogging for seventeen years now.
I actually started journaling when I was in college. That pink journal is now a tattered one with its spine and pages so yellowed from constant use before. Can’t really believe I lasted this long writing about my journey as a cancer survivor, sharing my plight having six cycles of chemotherapy, indisposed for almost a year because of its effect on my body. I’d like to think that between 2010 and 2013 were my most productive years. I met so many people in the same predicament as I was. I was bold and brave enough to join the Post A Day Challenge back in 2011 and that’s when my stats soared. I earned a badge for it from WP but I don’t know where it is now.That was when, I used to earn an average of 300 to 400 views a day. Still wondering how I’ve written those posts religiously every day. Sometimes I look back and I loved those posts I did before. Sharing something about life, my family, my hopes, dreams and faith in a loving God.
Thank you to my followers and to the online friends I met over the years. I appreciate the engagement of my loyal online friends. As I have said over and over again, blogging has become a way of life for me. It lifted me up during those somehow boring days when I had so much time in my hands. I learned a lot reading other blog posts, admiring their gifts as writers and oh, those so lovely and beautiful photos they have shared through the years, the places I visited through their blogs, the book reviews and knowing that some bloggers are also voracious readers like I am.
Sixteen years, I am dreaming of blogging still in ten year’s time. Dreams do make us reach those seemingly impossible tasks over the years.
🙂 A happy 16th blogging anniversary to you, Arlene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Renard.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Blogging is a way ofnlife for me too. Congratulations and I wish you many more years of blogging. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, thank you Lakshmi.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 You are welcome, Arlene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on 16 years of blogging!! Well done. So many don’t stick with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Darlene, thank you.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! What an achievement! You’ve seen a lot in the blogosphere in 16 years ☺️ Happy blogging Arlene! 🎉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Ribana.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
congratulations Arlene! Looking forward to the next 16!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Wayne, thanks.🥰
LikeLike
Well done on 16 years, Arlene! You are definitely an ‘early adopter’” This summer will be my 12th year of blogging, and I enjoy it more than ever.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I remember. You followed me 2013 then I followed you back. Thanks Pete.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have just found your blog and wow, what a journey. What strength you have to continue blogging through all of life’s challenges and especially the challenges you’ve been given. Congratulations!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Katelyn. I am grateful that you followed my blog.🥰
LikeLike
Congratulations my dear ate! It’s an amazing blogging achievement ☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Ang tagal na ano pero blogging pa rin.🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! Belated congrats, Arlene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for the visit.🥰
LikeLike