Monday, March 24, 2008

A Blog "Of Note"


Big Bucket List development for this blog the other day. I guess you could also call it a Tipping Point – Morgan Freeman or Malcolm Gladwell, pick the personified literary device you’re comfortable with. We were tapped by Blogger as a “Blog Of Note,” and in the event there were any lingering questions related to the power and influence of Google let’s just wrap that up right now, because one nice reference on the Blogger home page resulted in more people coming here in two days than had stopped by over the nearly two-year history of the site. And most of those earlier visitors were compensated celebrity endorsers.

Suddenly we can’t help feeling like U2 at Red Rocks, the boys from Nirvana after “Smells Like Teen Spirit” hit MTV, William Hung as he wrapped up his American Idol audition. You get the idea.

We quietly enabled reader comments a couple of months ago, and as is typically the case for fledgling blogs, no one commented. Not the case over the last few days, and to everyone who has written a kind word in response to one of our recent posts, let me say thank you. To the couple of people who took time out of their busy schedules to pass along word that my blog made them want to vomit, not so much.

I sent an e-mail over the weekend to the good people over at The Best of Blogs, saying I didn’t think I’d meet the eligibility requirements to defend my “Parenting Blog” title in this year’s installment, given this welcome influx of new visitors. While writing the message it occurred to me that these unofficial blog contests shouldn’t really be about defending titles anyway, they should be about helping little-known (or entirely unknown) blogs find an audience. Every time I click on a new site I’m amazed at how much great stuff is being written and posted out there. So go out and click away. And thanks again, very much, for clicking here.

This is your blog:


This is your blog on Blogs Of Note:


Any questions?

59 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

What exactly happened in November of last year to make your visitors spike up that much? Excellent blog by the way!

9:49 AM  
Blogger tangchao said...

I am a chinese girl.I found your blog by accident.I love it very much.

10:14 AM  
Blogger Ham said...

Awesome blog, I like it!
And Congrats on the 'Blog Of Note'!

I am trying to get my blog recognized. Take a look:


http://educateham.blogspot.com/

10:37 AM  
Blogger Rishi said...

WHOA! THATS SO AMAZING! CONGRATS TO YOU!
And yeah, the blog is really cool..Ive also noticed that you've made it to the top..wow..
I'm Rishi By the way. And I'm very new in this blogosphere.
Do drop by and have a look at my blog? http://methecow.blogspot.com/
haha..
alright, Ive added you into my "friends" list of favourite blogs.. :)

10:44 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Congrats on blog of note. I generally look at that section to scout out other great blogs!

Your blog is well written, love the pictures and is very enjoyable. Keep up the great work and check out mine if you are interested.

http://whatdooyoucallit.blogspot.com

11:11 AM  
Blogger dark ink said...

great stats behind d blogs...............i really like the way dis one is written.....some times some line do touch d nerve of many hence do evolve great readership....your blog is among those..:)

12:05 PM  
Blogger Dad said...

Sam - November was the 2007 Weblog Awards... we were one of 10 finalists in the Best Parenting Blog category, and finished... wait for it... 10th.

Also we wrote a pro-Apple/Mac post that got picked up and linked to by a number of Apple-related sites.

12:16 PM  
Blogger Lizzie said...

I am brand new to the blogging world and absolutely love your blog. I stumbled across it from Blogs of Note Friday and am completely hooked. It is so well written and I love hearing things from a dad's point of view.

12:18 PM  
Blogger nellie said...

I am new to the blog world and found yours on the Blogs of Note today. Awesome blog Sir. Very well written and great pictures.

12:25 PM  
Blogger CAVFC said...

i first came across your blog in october 2007, and it remains my favorite blog of all time. it actually inspired me to start my own. i love reading about your family and you have the most beautiful little girls! what a great way to keep memories as they grow up.

ca-razy.blogspot.com

2:17 PM  
Blogger ZHIYING said...

i like your blog :D
way to go!

2:32 PM  
Blogger Mrs.O said...

Yeah, this blog is so cool.
Like many others I found out about it from "blogs of note", congs.
I identify with the first stats, looks just like mine.
It is amazing what "blogs of note" can do.

Great stories, I like your writing style and sense of humour. Way to go!

3:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's incredible! Where do you get your blog statistics from?

3:57 PM  
Blogger Dad said...

Site Meter. Very good and very free.

3:59 PM  
Blogger Danelle (Indie Game Lover) said...

Congrats though and being noticed =D I think it is a good thing right? Means you might pick up some new readers that will keep coming back =D

bloggingaboringlife.blogspot.com

4:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congrats & well done!
I can only imagine how you are feeling! It feels good to be appreciated! Doesn't it?

The traffic spike is like icing on a yummy chocolate cake!

I am sure you are loving your 15 mins of fame!
Well done!

4:53 PM  
Blogger sam said...

Finishing last isn't finishing last if you're in the top ten!

...is it?

9:38 PM  
Blogger Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

Congratulations and I enjoyed reading your blog!

Now how the heck do I get on Blog of Note?

I am www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

10:09 PM  
Blogger Jane Hamilton said...

Hi 'dad'!
You have an awesome blog here... keep up the good work! I am the mother of an 8-month-old girl and reading your blog kind of makes me look forward to when my girl will be as old as yours. Yep! its gonna be crazy, but children really are the joy of our lives, aren't they?
btw, congrats on your 'blog of note' and the award.
check out my blog on literature, my daughter and miscellaneous stuff at http://www.janeadlibitum.blogspot.com.

take care

11:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am also a parent, and wish I had your gift of words. My son is only five ... the preschool years shape our little ones but they require people older than them to capture and store their memories for them. If I had your gift of words the memories I keep for my son would become real life magic.

12:03 AM  
Blogger A Bishops Wife said...

Gee whiz! Both of my blogs could use some of this!

Great blog---congradulations!!

12:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, I really like your blog! It's very interesting. I'm quite new to Blogger, so my blog only has one comment so far. (I only started my blog recently!) If you want to see my blog, please go to:

http://therollerbladingstudent.blogspot.com/

12:25 AM  
Blogger MiniBear said...

hello there

my name is tammy and i'm 16 and from south africa. you're writing is really amazing and you're style is quite fun to read :) really a great blog and I enjoyed reading it. Don't worry I'm sure that 'the good people over at The Best of Blogs' are lucky to have a blogger such as yourself

keep safe

2:23 AM  
Blogger Ajeya said...

congratulations! :)

3:49 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

How exciting for you! I've been reading since you were nominated for Best of Blogs (and emailed once, from Australia) - its great to see how the blog is growing.

4:40 AM  
Blogger Niharika B said...

hey!
neat blog.i especially love the way you come up with new ideas everytime.anyway i'm a new blogger and i hope you read my blogs and comment on them too and help me navigate my way around this place.would be really nice if you did.mine's called spectrum.

5:37 AM  
Blogger Niharika B said...

hey!
neat blog.i especially love the way you come up with new ideas everytime.anyway i'm a new blogger and i hope you read my blogs and comment on them too and help me navigate my way around this place.would be really nice if you did.mine's called spectrum and you can visit my space at roseenicky.blogger.com.

5:46 AM  
Blogger SoulSearch said...

I've been wondering about my blog lately. I have kids, so should I make it a parenting blog? I love gardening, so should I make it a gardening blog? I work for a living, so should I focus on Career? I have frustrations so should I rant and rave all day long? I don't know... Maybe it should be a mixture of everything...
What do you think?

SoulSearch...

5:49 AM  
Blogger Niharika B said...

oops thats http://roseenicky.blogspot.com,not the one i had told you before.do get in touch!

5:50 AM  
Blogger Firefly said...

congrats on your blog of note status mate. some great content here!!

9:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think that you have a great deal of talent and that you have great potential as a blogger (proven), but as an American writer. You have a wonderful voice. The only credentials I have for giving this compliment is the fact that I am a consumer/ reader. But, as we know consumers make everything happen! So...good luck and keep writing. I enjoy your entries. Don't obsess about traffic. Focus on the writing, it's good.
Sincerely, another mother of a child named Ava.

10:18 AM  
Blogger Dad said...

I'm not sure which friend or relative left that last comment, but thank you very much for the kind words. I really appreciate it. And Mom, I'll call you later.

10:39 AM  
Blogger Mlle Gateau said...

But will you remember us little people who read your blog before you were famous?

Seriously, I'm so glad to see your audience grow. You have wonderful observations about this little business we like to call parenting, among other things.

12:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your blog being recognized and on all the visitors. Isn't it refreshing! I like your blog and it's so well written. I kinda use mine as a journal and keeping family up-to-date. You may check it out and give advice freely - http://girlwithcurlz@blogspot.com
Have a great day!

12:38 PM  
Blogger Marianne said...

Wow, I'm really pleased for you! You're right it must make a really big difference to be picked out like that - but looks like you deserve it- It seems like your world really is beautiful, long may it continue.

Marianne

4:41 PM  
Blogger TaraMetBlog said...

So lucky! That's how i came here.

5:52 PM  
Blogger Shane said...

haha, I wasn't actually planning to comment, I'm usually one of those that just read what I enjoy reading then get on with doing something else.

But your blog is an exception. Being one of the large number of visitors yesterday from Blogger's 'Blogs of Note' feature, I read a few sentences from your post 'Seven', then immediately subscribed to the feed and started reading more.

I will keep reading what you write, until I get bored with it. And that doesn't look like happening any time soon!!

8:04 PM  
Blogger jenji said...

No questions...

it's as clear as an egg frying in a pan.


congrats!

jenji

10:09 PM  
Blogger Salem said...

I guess we can all have hope for our 15 minutes of fame now!

Good luck in the future too!

1:37 AM  
Blogger Trapped in My Head said...

Congratulations on the blog of note. Now if I can just get people to read my whole two posts, then I'll really be happy. :-P

(Sorry, shameless plug)
http://imtrappedinmyhead.blogspot.com

4:14 AM  
Blogger Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

HOW LUCKY YOU ARE!!!!
I always feel really happy when my blog reaches the 100 daily visitors!!!

10:11 AM  
Blogger the C blog said...

cool. how do you see how many people visit your blog?

10:32 AM  
Blogger Mental P Mama said...

Wow!

3:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

First off, congratulations with your blog! That is how I ended up commenting here in the first place. I also have an offer for you, if you choose to accept it =). I am a part of a private beta on wranked.com. I think it's great for people who like to blog a lot, and it's a different type of community, where people make "best of" lists, and others can rate, comment on, and check them out. I think by the amount of blogging you do and the experiences you have, you'd be a great person to have in our beta. You're more than welcome to join.

If you'd like to accept my offer, or talk about anything, send me an email at: travis@wranked.com

Thanks for your time,
-Travis

(P.S. if any other bloggers out there want to join, hit me up.)

6:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Duly noted! Wow what a huge difference. Great blog, maybe someday
mine will be a blog of note. Good family friendly posts.

1:29 AM  
Blogger Dante said...

cool blog man!!!!!!!!!!!!

4:09 AM  
Blogger Dante said...

you ever thought about writing a book?

4:13 AM  
Blogger M sateesh Kumar said...

great blog keep it up.

simplysat - a blog all information
My favorate short messages

8:08 AM  
Blogger DR said...

So in other words, Blogs of Note makes you cool?

1:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I found your blog by accident.I love it very much.

3:51 AM  
Blogger Ellen said...

Great stuff:) Love those stats;)

8:06 AM  
Blogger Walter said...

LOL! I love the graphs! I just stumbled on and read a few posts, because you were a 'blogger of note' and I dig the title of the blog. Good for you for staying grounded. The public eye is a fickle place- become too famous, and you'll pay a mint in lawyer fees. The upside would be, all your family member's teeth would be straight and capped.

TH -- http://hmmwhattoeat.blogspot.com

1:14 PM  
Blogger Ingrid Mida said...

Congratulations on being a blog of note. I am a parent of two boys and can relate to many of your parenting experiences. I recently started a blog about food and life and was getting a little depressed about the lack of traffic and/or comments. But your honesty and openness about your own experience gave me some hope.

7:04 PM  
Blogger Shannon said...

I'm only a few posts into your blog and love it so far! Congratulations! That's how I found you! Keep up the great work. O ya! And I think it is very cool that a dad is writing a blog to keep up with family life (and other stuff I'm sure). Most blogs I've come across have been written by moms like me! Kudos to you!

11:52 PM  
Blogger Rose DesRochers said...

Congrats on being a blog of note. I found you on Google groups because some idiot is complaining about you being a blog of note. :)

12:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Okay so what's the magic secret to the spike in March '08? Besides you're a great writer an google put up a link.

1:46 PM  
Blogger Dad said...

Not sure about the "great writer" thing, but Google putting up a link just about covers it.

2:17 PM  
Blogger Haphazardly Crucial said...

It is interesting that you could have the greatest anything in the world, and if no one knows about it, it ceases to have any worth. I guess its like that old adage of if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? That seems to be the case with your blog and mine too. While we think we have something great, it isnt until it is brought to the attention of others that it garners the recognition it deserves. Congratulations on blog of not.

7:09 PM  
Blogger Solard said...

I'm a fellow fledgling blogger and you don't know me -- but I wanted to say congratulations, anyway.

And how could your blog make anyone want to vomit? It's lovely; the amount of work you put into it also makes it a very deserved mention on Blogs of Note.

Kudos to you!

10:10 AM  

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