It’s An Anniversary…Sort Of
Yesterday was my anniversary…but I really didn’t expect any cards or special kudos recognizing the important milestone. Yesterday, in fact, was the two-year anniversary of when I started Sportsman’s Blog. For those of you who weren’t around back then (and let’s face it…a new blog always has it’s challenges launching) here’s how I started with my first post:
Greetings Bloggers!
Okay…here we go! There’s no telling where this site will eventually end up…but I can assure you the journey will be a fascinating one along the way.
At times I will likely write about my daily experiences in the out of doors here in southern Minnesota. At other times it will be tackling some tough issues and how they effect the outdoor world we all enjoy. I don’t expect you to agree with everything I write…in fact, a good blog site will challenge you to see things from a different perspective. I do expect, however, that the topics covered will be varied and interesting (at least 90% of the time).
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this BLOG site are intended to be a journal of my random thoughts and ideas. Although I do hope you will find the blog site informative, it is meant for entertainment purposes only and I cannot absolutely guarantee the accuracy of any information or comments that may be expressed. Please use the information on an “as is” basis as I do not warrant any thoughts or ideas expressed to be completely reliable or truthful. Furthermore, any comments that may be made by third-party contributors (via comments to posts) are the responsibility of that contributor and not this web blogger. The reader of this blog is strongly encouraged not to rely on any information or commentary that may be posted without first confirming the information’s authenticity. The use of any trademarks or copyrighted material contained in this blog is not intended to infringe upon the holder of those rights. Please understand that the IP addresses of all visitors to this web site are available to us, collected and stored…so play fair.
There you have it…short and sweet. Some loyal readers might assert that my first post was the one and only time I actually got straight to the point without beating around the bush.
And point well taken. But as I reflect back to my original goals for this blog I would have to say that for the most part I have stayed on course. Oh, yea…there was that time last year during the summer when I rarely posted. You know…getting married and building a new house has a way of imposing on your spare time. But blogging was never far from my mind…even when I wasn’t able to do it on a regular basis I thought about it often.
As I look around in the blogosphere I am genuinely impressed with the dedication some bloggers have to writing in these modern electronic journals. You’ll find many quality bloggers in the links on the left-hand side of this blog. If you haven’t done so I urge you to check out some of these fine writers.
What never ceases to amaze me, however, is all the hype some bloggers give their personal site only to see the interest permanently peeter out. Eventually the entries become fewer and fewer until the site becomes totally abandoned. Relegated to some Internet junk-yard where their past efforts may still long exist, but the blog itself is far beyond any form of life-support to keep it thriving and interesting. A good example is a fellow blog site I was critical of several weeks back. The Peavey Pole was launched with all sorts of fanfare in a major metropolitan newspaper. After ten posts and having no new entries for nearly a month, the site has been, for all practical purposes, abandoned by its owner. Unfortunately, this exemplifies what happens far too often with new blog sites.
I don’t think most people realize just how much work and effort goes into making a blog site a success. It takes dedication, creativity and a desire to stay consistent so folks have a regular reason to stop by to read what’s on your mind. Oh, sure, blogging for the past two years is not really a big literary achievement…yet, on the same token it’s a milestone that arrived only because of a great deal of effort to prevent failure.
Today as I look at my site’s stats I can see I’ve had nearly 20,000 unique visitors over a two year period. That’s awesome…it certainly energizes me to continue on. Yet, I really enjoy each of the 121 comments that some of those visitors have left as a result of my postings. Most have inspired me to continue on…several others have made me think about topics in a uniquely different sort of way. Heck, some have even angered me…but hey, I had my say on the topic they certainly can get a chance to make their statement, too.
Now as I look forward I plan to continue blogging with the same motivation and energy I had when I first started this effort. Oh, yea, and I know the podcasting attempts have been pretty pathetic so far…but I’m working on that, too. I currently have a broadcast production company in Orlando working to jazz up the podcast production so soon you’ll be able to hear a much improved podcast, as well.
Indeed, blogging and podcasting I am convinced is on the edge of someday becoming mainstream forms of communication and entertainment. It’s much more fresh and genuine than what you will ever hope to read in a newspaper or magazine. And as podcasting further develops I truly believe you will be missing out on a great form of broadcast communication if you don’t harness the technology and become a regular listener to the many great shows being produced.
In closing, I just want to thank all the loyal readers who have stuck with me over the past months and years. If you’ve never left a comment…please take a moment to do so. If you’re shy…then send me a private e-mail and just tell me where you’re from and how often you stop by. I’d love to hear from you. I’d also love for you to continue reading and listening to my outdoor communication efforts.
© 2006 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Without Prior Permission.
