"When dawn spreads its paintbrush on the plain, spilling purple... ," Sons of the Pioneers theme for TV show "Wagon Train." Dawn on the mythic Santa Fe Trail, New Mexico, looking toward Raton from Cimarron. -- Clarkphoto. A curmudgeon artist's musings melding metaphors and journalism, for readers in more than 150 countries.

Friday, December 26, 2014

At year's end--A changing blog

This is the 276th post on this blog this year, bringing to a total of 1,497 posts since I started back in May, 2009...never knowing where this would go.
I still don't, but I notice that I'm posting more watercolors, and less writing as the years go by. But I still avoid politics and most religion, and will continue to do so, not because they're controversial, but because there's so much crap out there already, and nobody is going to change their minds by anything written, so why waste time and space?
Looking back at this year, I had the most posts in May, 50, when I reran the story about my friend Bob Illidge and the Booth, from the first year. This December was next with 33 bolstered as I posted watercolor cards, but they also carried some writing.
Over the years I've posted more photos as well. There have been too many to name favorites, thought the story of the Booth is perhaps my best writing.  I've found many articles I should have written and just didn't take time, or have time to. Unfinished this year were posts on my favorite places in Oklahoma, and restarting my novel. Perhaps for the next year?
A blog should change as its author does, to remain vibrant and alive. I'll admit, my header and profile photos haven't changed in more than a year, and that's because I like what's there--they speak to my spirit. I'm sure they'll change sometime, but not for now. While I have had readers in more than 130 countries, that's not why I do his. In fact, I'm not sure why I do, except something drives me...the old journalist I guess. Plus, I now teach classes in blogging, and I firmly believe you should not teach something if you're not involved in it. The classes keep me going.
For the record, here are the post totals from previous years:
  • 2013--252
  • 2012--203
  • 2011--135
  • 2010--292
  • 2009--339
I don't know how the blog will change in the future--I still would like to take it to somewhere that might make a little income as I approach retirement. I know there are possibilities out there from  my students' studies of other blogs--the blogosphere is incredibly diverse, and this old dog needs to learn new tricks.
But for now, and signing off on 2014, it'll have to be this traditional post. Happy New Year.

1 comment:

  1. I loved your December water colors. Such a burst of creativity! I also loved the Booth series. I second your motion on blogs, they have to change with the owner.

    Happy New Year and we'll see where each of us goes with our online ventures.

    ReplyDelete

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