9!

Today is my ninth blogaversary! Blogoversary? The spelling of made-up words seems a bit fluid…

This is my 1,682nd post. There have been 6,458 comments, 56,348 views, and 31,286 visitors from 126 countries and territories. There are 1,572 followers via WordPress with another couple hundred by email, twitter, and Facebook, with, I’m sure, a bit of overlap.

It seems like so many added up that way, but Top of JC’s Mind is still a small blog, averaging about 20 views a day. I remain grateful for all my visitors and followers. [Time for my usual disclaimer: I rarely look at my stats and don’t do much to actively gain views. In the crush of real life, I decided to devote my blogging time to writing posts and answering comments, so I don’t do the kinds of outreach needed to build up a large readership.]

I’m thankful to still be actively blogging at all. It seems that many bloggers start out but don’t continue for this many years or only post a few times a year.

Not that I post on a regular schedule but I’ve made it to 1,682 posts, so I do manage to say things!

I’ve been happy with my choice to be an eclectic blog. I know some of you visit for the poetry posts or for the family stories. Others might favor my political posts or pandemic posts or environmental posts. Some visit via Linda G. Hill‘s One-Liner Wednesdays or Stream of Consciousness Saturdays series. Some seem to arrive via searches of various sorts, which I find fascinating.

I know now that there are quite a few other eclectic blogs and I love knowing that there are so many of us rambling on about whatever is “top of mind” at the moment.

So, on to Year 10! Hope to see you checking in from time to time.

With thanks,
Joanne

New email address

It finally dawned on me that I should have an email account for Top of JC’s Mind, so I just set up a gmail account.

The address is topofjcsmind@gmail.com.

Not very original, but it makes sense.

Now, I just have to remember to check it periodically!

I’m guessing that most people will prefer to leave comments as usual, but there is now a way to reach me that is not public, if you so choose.

Please don’t flood me with messages just to see how long it takes me to notice or respond! 😉

~ Joanne

 

I feel for you

I think WordPress, Facebook, and other social media should institute a new button.

When someone has written a beautiful post on a difficult, tragic, or emotional topic, I don’t always feel qualified to comment, but want the writer to know that I have read the post and that I sympathize with them. I sometimes hit the “Like” button, but it always feels a bit unsettling. I don’t “like” that they are grieving a loved one or that they are dealing with chronic illness.

I want a button that says “I hear you.”  “I feel for you.” “You touched me.”  “You are not alone.” “I don’t like what you are going through, but I am thinking of you and sending you good thoughts.”

Anyone else with me on this?

New Theme

I am trying out a new theme for my blog today. It’s name is Plane. I’d welcome any thoughts you may want to share about it. My main concern, as always, is that it be easy for people to read. Thanks for weighing in!  (Comment link above post title on home page or below post if you are looking at a post individually.)

Discovering my “Great posts worth seeing”

I am up at an obscure hour, so I was getting a jump on the day’s email. Someone had liked a comment I made at HarsH ReaLiTy, so I went over to check on their blog. In my attempt to do so, I accidentally liked my own comment, which generated an email to me, ending with this:

Great posts worth seeing from Joanne Corey:

• Do hospitals run two-for-the-price-of-one specials?
• Rest in peace, Millie
• Why I will always love Harry Potter  

I often use the “Great posts worth seeing” list when other bloggers like or comment on my posts as a way to connect and find out what their blogs are about.  I had wondered what showed up on my list and now – at least for today – I know.

For the record, I did go back to HarsH ReaLiTy and manage to remove the “like” from my own comment. I’ll leave that to other people. 😉