Happy 10 Year Blog Anniversary

Ten years ago tonight I sat down at my computer and wrote my first blog entry.  I started doing a website for my high school alumni in 2001 and I wrote stories and profiles several times a week for that site.

I'd been reading about blogging and thought I'd give it a try. The destination wasn't clear, but it

seemed to be an outlet.

I posted one update, and the next night I did another one...and I didn't stop.

At first the only readers were a few people who when to my old high school, but then somehow out there in the ether, the words found their footing and people from places other than Dora, Alabama began reading my updates.

Ms.. Soup from Australia was one of the first, and then Grandpappy from Arizona. And it grew from there.

There were fewer than 10 nights I did not post and update. Several years ago when tornados damaged the infrastructure so badly that we didn't have power for over a week. I missed a few nights then, but as soon as the roads cleared, I drove to a local McDonalds and did my updates from there.

As of tonight, I've posted 3836 posts, thousands of photographs, and I now have 555 followers who've left almost 18,000 comments.

The blog helped me land a weekly column in a local paper and now five other papers are running the column too.

To be honest, there were times I asked myself why I bothered to write every night. The only thing I can say is that I've felt compelled to continue and the routine has helped me find my voice...and to become a better writer. But even now, the more I write, the more I realize how little I know about the craft.

The best part is the friendships I've made through the years. I feel like many of you are old friends even though we've never actually met and to me that's the biggest benefit of blogging.

Thank you all.