Wednesday, March 7, 2012

ONE YEAR OLD TODAY!


There are two people I hold responsible for starting a blog. My husband and my youngest son. They talked me into it as a form of self therapy for my depression. If they thought I was going to make any money out of it, they were so wrong. Blogging was not totally unfamiliar to me, the thought of doing it myself just never occurred to me. After all, I am not a food critic, or a shopping expert. I am not any kind of expert really, but over the years I have been through a lot and I have many things to say. So why not say it in a blog. Hence the name of my blog was born and my ideas... my naked life, hit the internet waves for all to see on March 7, 2011.

Family and friends were the first ones to "follow me" but I learned fast that the best way to get my voice out there was to join Bloghops and Blogfests. My first steps were taken in "Mommy blogland" It seemed to me that all blogs I came across were written by young mothers, which I am most definitely not. Then one day, I stumbled into the A-Z challenge and met a world of writers just like myself. So if you are insecure about blogging or have just started out, and are worried no one will connect with what you write, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It really does help to know that and THAT is what the Writers Support Group is all about. My advice to you is to get out there, join the A-Z challenge, join groups and blogfests. I have made many friends this year and I have learned a lot about writing. It so happens that this month my birthday falls on the first Wednesday of the month when this group posts about concerns, doubts or just support and encouragement.

So to make a long story short, I want to celebrate with you and the fact that there is a full moon outside, makes this party even more fun. Getting 500 "followers" who I prefer to call my "Muses"  (because all of you inspire me in so many ways) would be something that I had never thought possible when I first started this blog one year ago today. Do you want to help me celebrate and join my TROLLFEST? If you do here is how:

For the rest of this month I will leave up a linky tool that you can add your FIRST BLOG POST -- OR A POST THAT TELLS ABOUT YOUR FIRST BLOG POST. You can ADD YOUR LINK OR POST anytime you want as long as it is before April 1st. Link your site on the linky tool TO YOUR VERY FIRST BLOG POST or to a POST THAT TELLS ABOUT HOW AND WHY YOU STARTED BLOGGING.  





Here is the the linky tool for you to sign up on, REMEMBER USE THE LINK TO YOUR POST, NOT YOUR BLOG---otherwise we will have trouble finding your post.


Please help me spread the word. Check out the other blogs and please Use my banner!

Now the good part! If I make 500 followers before next month I am going to give away a prize! I will draw one of your names and send you a Norwegian Troll. Look, isn't she cute? She is sitting here just waiting to take a trip! Since she will be traveling so long, I am sending some Norwegian Chocolate with her as well.Winner will be announced in April, lol...not on April Fools day. I am not that mean!



33 comments:

Miranda Hardy said...

Congrats on the milestone. Blogging is a great form of therapy. Glad you decided to listen to your husband and son.

Rek Sesh said...

Congrats on the milestone and an impending one. Didn't know Trolls grinned.
Blogging was my therapy too, still is.

Creepy Query Girl said...

Happy blogoversary. I remember when I looked back on my first blog year, I felt like I'd come so far and done/learned so much in that time too. It really is like a therapy, a surprising support and a learning tool. Thanks for sharing!

Julie Flanders said...

Oh, how fun! I love the troll. :D Congratulations and happy birthday to your blog!! I know what you mean about the A-Z Challenge, that was what really kick-started my blogging last year as well. I can't wait for another round.

Congratulations again! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm having some issues putting the button on my blog. I don't know what I am doing wrong other than I am blind. So can you email me instructions? Also I couldn't find my first blog post. Apparently it got deleted or something.. I don't know.. Sometimes I really hate being blind. Anyway if you give me instructions I will have it up and do a post tomorrow. Happy Birthday my friend. Hope you have a wonderful one! You deserve it.

Gråbekka`s Blogger said...

Congratulations and Happy birthday!:)

Randy said...

What a fabulous idea. Thanks for coming up with it.

Randy said...

Oh, and Happy Birthday too.

Michael Di Gesu said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS! And HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!!!!!!!

Yes, your little friend is too cute!

WE met on the A-Z, so I was always be grateful the blogfest for this alone.... I am so proud you took that step and allowed us to enter your life. I know mine has been influenced by it.

Hugs always,

Bro

Gossip_Grl said...

Happy Blog Birthday. Loved reading your posts so much I couldn't pass up Troll Fest. : )

Cecilia Robert said...

Happy Blog birthday. Oh I enjoyed reading your post. You are right, participating in Blogfesf and hops one gets to meet lots of wonderful people. :)
Ooooh Troll Fest. :) will be joining that one. Going to sign up.

Li said...

Congrats!!! I hope blogging continues to be a source of pleasure, inspiration, and a way of meeting great new people for you :-))

Hart Johnson said...

Great idea, Siv! I'm in! And I love all those Norwegian trolls. They certainly make for better stories than what really goes on.

Happy Bloggiversary!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations on one year! The Challenge made all the difference, didn't it?
And the post can be any time in the month of March? Am I reading that right?

Gwen Gardner said...

Happy Blogoversary! When I started my blog I had no idea that blogfests or the huge writer's blogosphere existed! It was awesome to find everybody:)

Unknown said...

Congratulations!! I have been doing this for over a year and you're right, the challenges and hops are the best way to find and make new friends. I don't even remember what my first post was, LOL. I love yours though. What a terrific intro to the blog world.

Sher A. Hart said...

You know I didn't even try to celebrate my first bloggerversary (I guess that's not a word but oh, well). Congratulations! And thanks for the complement on my blog. If I forget to come back and join the linky, please remind me. My memory is about 2 seconds long. Always has been.

Did you have any luck with stopping smoking? I never smoked, but my son is having a hard time with stopping too. My big vice is chocolate, and I wouldn't be surprised if my first post was about that, LOL.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Blogfests are definitely a great way to collect followers and to get the word out about your blog and your endeavors.

Linda King said...

Bet it doesn't seem like a year ago! I love the troll and I had to look you up and follow you because I loved your comment on Lady Gwen's blog about breaking the rules - a woman after my own heart, I think! LOL. Linda

Lan said...

Congrats on the blog anniversary! My first post was a book review. Seems very boring compared to your great post! I don't participate in many blog fests but when I do I find them so rewarding.

Stranger in a Strange Land said...

Hello and greetings from south of the border,

I have linked my blog, now I only need to remember to make a post of why I began blogging.

Kind regards,
Mike
ps: Happy anniversary. :)

Claire Hennessy said...

Happy One Year Anniversary! Sorry I misunderstood about the link but I have added a new one with my first ever blog (can you delete my first entry?). I like your first blog, even if I was ever so slightly confused lol

Claire Hennessy said...

Yes, I agree, foreigners in a foreign world! Btw, my link isn't working :)

Geoff Maritz said...

Hey Siv.
Congrats. Your first post reflects my sentiments so accurately, You been creeping around in my head? Very nice post, bless you girl, Geoff.
Oh, by the way, I've joined your challenge, not sure I can get the button working though. I'll try and come back if I struggle too much.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Okay, Sis,

I deleted my first blog post, not knowing any better. SO, I will write a post on how I started blogging and why and WHO was responsible.

I hope you had a great weekend and the sun is shining on you.

Melissa said...

What a neat idea! Thanks for letting us be a part of your celebration. *hurries away to tweet about the trollfest*
= )

Sher A. Hart said...

I linked, even though my first few months of posts disappeared from my Weebly blog which I no longer use. Please make sure I did it right. Thanks!

Melissa said...

Check mine now. The banner is in the sidebar. = )

Geoff Maritz said...

491. Getting there. only nine more followers and you will have done it.
Tight lines Siv, Geoff the trout man.
Ha, ha, ha.

Ella said...

Congrats! I love this post(muses) is a great way to view the world of blogging! Are you ready for A-Z?
I'm not yet...but working on it :D

Melissa said...

I'm tweeting about you, Siv, to try and help you get the last 6. *flaps little Twitter wings* Good luck! = )

Horst Peters said...

Nuts! I found you too late. I just started blogging on August 5, 2011 so I'm still a few months away from my one year anniversary.

I'm trying the A-Z challenge but have a lot of work to do to get posts together. I'll see how it goes.

For what it's worth, my first post is at:
http://horst-peters.blogspot.ca/2011/08/youre-writer-you-need-to-write.html

Jeremy Bates said...

i dont even remember my first blog post! lol
i think i had nothing to say and just posted a pic
im going to go back now and check out what it was............