Two Years, and Then Some
9 Sep 2013
I realized at some point this evening that I had totally forgotten about the two-year mark of blogging. It was August 31, and I guess I was a busy bee doing something else. I think that’s a good thing, really. I think it means that my blog has just become a part of my life. It’s like brushing my teeth (only more pleasurable, and, I promise I have been doing that for far more than two years). I haven’t really found any way of denoting this little holiday that I am really linguistically happy with. Blogiversary? Blog birthday? I don’t know. I don’t have a neat little word for it, but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to say THANK YOU, all you wonderful people who read and support me, all you lovely commenters and Tweeters and Instagrammers. I love you all so much. I can say in all honesty that I treasure the friendships that have come about by way of this blog, whether we live continents away from each other or just down the street. However! I do wish you all did live just down the street. That would be awesome.
I started this blog a little over two years ago as a way of coping with the final stages (the death throes?!) of my dissertation and our move to Pasadena, where I knew exactly zero people. It was amazing to me that, even though Eric was at work all day, and I was pounding away on my keyboard in air-conditioned silence, I didn’t feel lonely. Thank you all for being my friends and sharing your lives with me. This is a small place to say, “Hey, good job, self, for showing up and doing this blog thing every weekday for two years!” but it is a much bigger opportunity to say, “Thank you and thank you and thank you again.”
The real start of this was two years ago, but I had one little blogging experiment a year and a half before that. I spent a whole day making my header, I poured my heart out in a few posts, and I told exactly no one about it, except for Eric and my mom. I couldn’t quite reconcile the privacy and identity issues, and I was still neck-deep in a culture that pretty much frowns on hobbies. I was felled by the tidal wave of work and unsureness, and the blog slipped away. It took me a long time to come back to it and to feel good about it. But I am so glad I did. This is the REAL first post I ever wrote, and I stand by it. There are, to be sure, some posts that make me cringe. I can look back and see where I was struggling to find my voice. I am sure that I still am. But I hope that as time goes by, I am becoming a more honest writer. I hope that each evening when I sit down at my computer, I am sailing further away from the islands of cliche and writerly laziness. I hope. Thank you so much for being here for the journey. Hugs and high fives and “love yous” all around. You really are the best.

Sep 09, 2013 @ 04:36:09
Somehow I had not read the first real post! What fun to go back and see how you still believe what you believe. You still value what you value. As always, two very lovely posts.
Sep 11, 2013 @ 08:56:33
Thank you! I am sure I must have sent it to you, all those years ago:)
Sep 09, 2013 @ 07:14:17
Happy Blogiversary! Haha. Two years is quite a long time. Congrats!
Sep 11, 2013 @ 08:57:30
Thank you! It’s been a lot of fun:)
Sep 09, 2013 @ 07:59:48
The professor sends them back! š
Sep 11, 2013 @ 08:59:35
Thank you! š
Sep 09, 2013 @ 11:00:23
happy twoish years..
i love coming here to catch up with you every week.. and i notice a new layout too.. looks great.
Sep 11, 2013 @ 09:02:31
Thank you so much, Hena! Eric did the new layout himself! š
Sep 09, 2013 @ 11:06:11
Yaaay, Happy Belated Bloggiversary!! I had my 1st in April & did a silly post about it š I am so glad you blog, otherwise I probably never would have met you! <3 xoxo
Sep 11, 2013 @ 09:06:12
Aww, thank you! I feel the same way! I hope you are having a great week! It has turned out to be really busy over here with trip prep, but let’s hang out when I am back from Greece for sure!
Sep 09, 2013 @ 19:36:07
Happy birthday to your blog! Thank you for always being honest and an inspiration to always continue blogging! š Writers laziness.. my issue right now and I can’t really figure out how to get out of it. I’m about to go read your first blog post now… !
Sep 11, 2013 @ 09:10:48
Oh, thank you so much! You have always been an inspiration to me in the honesty department! I am at least partly harboring selfish motives when I encourage you to blog–because I love reading your writing so much! I am always happy to see your bright photos and hear your thoughts. š
Sep 10, 2013 @ 08:38:25
Congratulations! I’ve been reading along for a few months now, and have also been back and read quite a lot of your archives. As you know, I love your positivity! As my nature is to be a glass-half-empty person, I try very hard to turn that around every day and your words are always an inspiration!
Oh, and when is one of these trips of yours going to be to London? š
Sep 11, 2013 @ 09:27:25
Thank you so much! You are so sweet! I love reading your blog too–you are so funny and insightful! And I love seeing your projects;) I hope we will be in London someday! You’re first on my list for afternoon tea and knitting!
Sep 12, 2013 @ 05:49:06
happy anniversary! I try not to look at my first few posts š May you continue to enjoy blogging and sharing a window of your life with us.
Sep 29, 2013 @ 14:10:27
Thank you! I can’t imagine you being anything other than wise and eloquent!
Sep 12, 2013 @ 20:15:59
Two years! Now, that was quick!! This blog has been such a blessing for me. It’s a way to have a touch of you here with me and that is a gift of the grandest magnitude. I thank YOU! Congratulations on such an auspicious occasion. š
Sep 29, 2013 @ 14:15:35
Thank you! When I think about the real value of my blog for me, that’s it in a nutshell–being able to be a bit closer to the people I love. Even if no one else ever read it, I’d still be happy as a clam, thinking of you and my parents being able to follow our adventures from afar:)
Sep 13, 2013 @ 11:24:55
I don’t know how I missed this–I think I read it and promised myself I would return and comment later–but a very happy blogging anniversary/birthday/celebration to you! š
Sep 29, 2013 @ 14:29:27
Thank you so much! And thank for being the blogging pioneer and being my inspiration! š