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My most recent single release - "My True North" - is now available on Bandcamp. Open my profile and click on "audio clip".

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Some Milestones as Year Thirteen Looms

First things first. Thank you for your support, comments, and feedback through twelve full years and over 2,200 published posts. And I hope you'll indulge the self-referential nature of today's reflection as lucky year thirteen starts. Although none of the milestones below put me even close to viral territory, my tiny niche in the blogosphere has brought me joy and inspired some insightful comments from you. For those things I'm grateful.

* Record # of views for single post:  1,733Reflections From The Bell Curve: Walk On Water, Do You? Skip This Post, published January 3, 2017.

* Record # of total views in one month for blog: 7,899 in December 2016.

* Most posts published in one month: May 2011 - 27 posts over 31 days; in one year: 247 in 2016.

* Most unique commenters (not including my response) for any single post: twelve - a two-way tie for Reflections From The Bell Curve: #65: The Mt. Rushmore Series, published May 25, 2022 and Reflections From The Bell Curve: My True North, published January 12, 2023.

* Most comments made by one person on a single post: nine on Reflections From The Bell Curve: Plea for More Rescuers (Start at 29, Please), published November 8, 2022.

* Most unique comments made by one person in a single day (on different posts): four. (Bless your heart, RG.)

* Longest running comment thread: Four months on Reflections From The Bell Curve: Pop Culture Triptych: Countdown from Fifty , published August 4, 2022; last comment on thread: November 10. 

* Most enduring series: Mt. Rushmore, with the most recent iteration (#69) published in February. The series began in July of 2012.  

If you are still with me, I've saved the best for last. Care to guess which day of the year has had the longest consecutive run of posts? Yep, that would be today. On every March 14 since 2012 - twelve years in a row counting today - I've published a post. Most of them have been less self-referential than this one. Because the most important message I can deliver today is to thank anyone who has taken the time to read my blog since its inception on March 15, 2011. Can never say that too many times. 

6 comments:

  1. Hey, speaking of comments: I finally saw yours on Good Reads about Infinite Jest! I'm actually reading it for the second time--I read it several years ago and became obsessed with David Foster Wallace. I'll let you know how the second reading goes, although it might take me another year with my current pace and habit of reading too many books at once! Have you read any of his books?

    I also meant to comment on here a while back because I was inspired by your Stop Start Continue idea, and tried it out on my blog: https://bgiasullo.blogspot.com/2023/02/stop-start-continue-2023.html

    I don't write in it all that much anymore, maybe every couple of months or so. But I enjoy your blog and it's always nice to hear from you! Thanks and talk to you soon.

    Briana

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    1. Briana; It is always good to hear from you even if it's via cyber-space; that's the 21st century for you. Thanks especially for telling me the "stop-start-continue" model inspired you; that made my day. It's a holdover from my years doing adult education. And thanks also for letting me know about your progress with DFW. My favorites of his are two of his essay collections: "Consider the Lobster" and "A Supposedly Fun Thing..."; he was SO scary smart. I've tried to crack "Infinite Jest" twice; still no luck. But now you've inspired ME to return and try again so thanks for that too. I'm headed right now to your blog to read your Stop-Start-Continue post. In the meanwhile, stay well. I sincerely welcome staying in touch with you, in whatever form it takes. I wish you could meet my daughter; I think you two would connect.

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  2. "A Supposedly Fun Thing..." made me laugh out loud like a crazy person while reading it on the bus! I loved "Consider the Lobster" and was actually a little frustrated by it because it so beautifully put to words something I had been trying to say for a very long time. I think that's why I like him so much.

    "Up, Simba!" is another really good essay of his that turns what I think is an extremely boring subject into something fascinating. My suggestion for reading Infinite Jest is to enjoy the writing and the characters and don't get caught up in following every detail of the wacky plot. I completely misunderstood some major events in the book but loved it anyway and now I get to read it again knowing what actually happens!

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    1. Brianna; Thanks for your suggestion on a way to approach "Infinite Jest". Re "Up Simba": That essay was in one of the two DFW collections I mentioned above, both of which I consumed in one sitting. If I recall, "Up Simba" was about the McCain campaign, right? Funny stuff and so DFW; he was one-of-a-kind for sure.

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  3. Good morning, Pat and 'Congratulation' on achieving such a great milestone. Twelve years and over 2,200 posts is, and should be, something to be proud of. If for no other reason than the dedication it takes to continue something for such a period of time and with such a diverse category of blog subjects. Obviously 'Reflections' has a special place in your heart and a special meaning in your life and, although I am 'new to the party' of commentators, I am glad to be a small part of it. Keep them coming, my friend. We'll be waiting.
    Be well,
    Bob


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    1. Bob; Thanks for the note of congratulations and special thanks for making mention of "... a diverse category of blog subjects." I'm pleased you noted this since that has been a main aim of mine from the outset. And, I trust you noticed the shoutout I gave to you in this post for your record # of comments in one day (previously, four), which effective yesterday you have now shattered. You're a mensch.

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