Thoughts On Turning 4 Years Old
Four years ago this month I embarked on this blog called www.SportsmansBlog.com not knowing where it would take me. At the time very few folks in the outdoors were doing it…and to be honest, most of them were not all that diligent about making regular posts. Still, “blogging” was becoming the new fad and for about $80/year I paid for hosting to launch this site and to go public with my outdoor thoughts and experiences.
During that first year I really wondered if it all was worth it. To be honest, when I looked at the stats back in those days I was lucky to get a dozen or so readers each day. Those numbers grew…but even after the first year or so I was lucky to average a total of a few hundred readers each week. Contrast that with today, I now have several thousand readers per week and the numbers keep building all the time.
When I first started this journaling experience I did it mostly to relax and unwind. There were no editors critiquing my work…and I felt I could just let the words flow in a conversational manner as the mood struck me. That’s pretty much how it’s been for the past several years. I’m sure I’ve ruffled some feathers at times even among my most loyal readers. And that’s okay…even my best friends don’t agree completely with me on everything in life.
Some might wonder exactly what does blogging do for the blogger. Well, I can be the first one to admit it does not make you rich. In fact, unless you really market yourself and land on the pro staff for several outdoor companies it probably reimburses you for expenses and that’s about it. But that’s okay…not everything a person does in life ought to be for the monetary gains. Sometimes…yes, just sometimes…you need to do something in life because that’s what you love to do. For me during these last four year I have loved blogging.
Probably the biggest satisfaction I get out of blogging is knowing that when I write on a particular subject it often eventually gets read by the people most passionate about the topic. Take for instance a few years back when there was the major recall of Diamond Brand Dog Food. I wrote quite critically on the topic and soon thereafter the COO of the company wrote a comment to state his company’s side of the story. This scenario has happened so many times that I am now convinced that when I blog about a particular product, organization or topic that it’s only a matter of time until the people touched by my blog make contact with me either stating their appreciation or dissatisfaction, whichever the case may be.
I’m also quite intrigued by all the e-mails I now get from folks who read this blog. Not long ago I had a gentleman contact me requesting an autographed picture. It seems he believed I am on the verge of greatness and wanted to secure the picture/autograph now before it is too hard to come by later. Wow! Of course, I also get e-mails almost daily from product manufacturers simply looking for a little free advertising. One, in fact, I received yesterday was from a company selling outdoors-oriented T-shirts for only $4.00 each. Check it out. Sometimes it’s knives, sometimes it is books, other times it happens to be various hunting/fishing gadgets…in any case it is something new all the time.
Just a few days ago I actually received a very passionate e-mail from a game biologist from Alaska urging me to inform my blog readers how Sarah Palin, McCain’s new V.P. nominee was terribly wrong for sportsmen. Even though he stated a very good case, I chose that my blog was not going to be the mouthpiece for his political message.
Back about two years ago the blog also introduced me to a person who subsequently has become a very good friend of mine. At the time, Michele LeQve, had recently become the very first woman to ever shoot a polar bear with a bow. A feat I found to be incredible. Unfortunately, she was being raked over the coals by her local “home town” newspaper so I came to her defense on this blog. Eventually Michele read my post, contacted me to thank me for supporting her, and soon thereafter a new outdoor friendship was born. I even interviewed Michele on one of my podcasts that appeared on this blog.
Speaking of podcasts. I know, I know…what ever happened to them you probably asked. I think in all total I produced 7 show episodes back during the spring of 2007. It was a fun experience, and one I still want to someday resurrect…but the truth of the matter is producing a podcast is one hell of a lot of work. Especially the way I tried to do it by doing the guest interview format. I just about pulled the remaining hair out of my head trying to coordinate guests and schedule the interviews. Maybe someday we will get it going once again.
Okay, so I’ve done a little reminiscing here about the past four years. What about the future you might ask? Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m seriously toying with the idea of doing some video-casts right here from the blog. It probably won’t launch until late winter or early next spring, but my goal is to produce short little videos (maybe 3 to 5 minutes in length) interviewing celebrity guests or having an expert in their craft teach a new outdoor skill. Stay tuned.
Aside from the technology side of blogging, whether it be “podcasting” or “vidcasting” I just want to have fun and take the reader along for the ride by sharing my life experiences. I know this blog has suffered from neglect at times…and I apologize for that by not posting more consistently. But the truth of the matter is blogging can be a lot of work and there are phases a person goes through in life which regrettably takes that “extra” time away from a person otherwise used for sitting down at the computer.
In closing, I want to extend a special thank you to all who regularly read this blog. Thank you both for your time and your continued support. Indeed, the past four years went by ever so quickly…and I suspect the next four years will continue on the same warp speed pace. One thing is for sure, I have no plans of quitting the blogging anytime soon. In fact, when this blog turns 10–years old let’s all plan to have a big party for that milestone. Are you with me on that?
2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.