From My Blog To Yours

Occasionally I look at my stat page on Word Press and see what  I have written that has the most views (spoiler alert at end).  I wonder is it the writer that you come to visit or my subject matter?  Since I write a majority of the time about my experiences, I find that the writing and myself is one and the same.  You see it is in my words that I am finding myself.

I often question is it good to use my life as a subject matter on my blog.

When I Word Press my life story, I wonder out loud, “I hope this helps someone out there.” I figure what the heck. It is helping me to just write it. It also becomes apparent  that my world is colliding with someone else that it would never have had a chance to before.  Who would have ever thought I would have a conversation with another blogger who strips for a living. That was eye-opening!

How about the interaction I have had with Chris who amazes me everyday with his bike excursions around the globe.  He is raising money for cancer research.  I also have ran into the 15-year-old blogger who has more sense than half the grown ups I know!

Recently I read a blog from a lady right here in my home town Seattle.  She is a photographer and  inspires me.

I realize you are sitting at your own desk and recognize my blog because you have read me before.  You are the blogger  living in a small town in Canada, Australia, or perhaps somewhere in Japan.

We connect.

We inspire.

We found each other through invisible wires that absolutely make no sense to me, but here we are.

Today my stats were measured and this is what I learned.  Most of my views over the year were my archives.  I was amazed by this stat because it was close to 3500 views. It spoke to me because more than likely you went to my archives because you read something current I had written and you found me interesting enough to pull up my other stories. Thank you.

My second most popular stat showed you wanted to know who I am. You went to my “About Alesia” page  and viewed what I had to say.  I realized today that  I need to make it more current. I will get to working on that.

My third biggest stat views was from an adventure I took entitled, “The Haunting.”  Over a thousand views of that alone shocked me.  Gee.  All I did was go to one of the most haunted cemeteries in the United States and report about my findings!  I guess there are a lot of morbid people out in the blogosphere.

My fourth largest viewed page was titled “MEN!”  Oh my God, that was scary.  I know nothing about men except they have a penis and typically can’t seem to see too far past it. (Just a little joke. Do not get your panties in a wad fellas).

My fifth most popular post(s) deal with my son with autism. This makes sense.  My son inspires me more than words can tell.

Luke has autism, but it does not define him. He is pure joy!

Other posts that came in close sixth place were my photography and inspirational posts. That made me smile.So there you have it. Do I really know you? That is totally a loaded question.  I know you might be sitting in your home looking at your I pad and reading my post in India.  Or you might be looking at your I phone on a break from your job in England. Quite possibly you are hiding from your abusive parent dreaming about a different life  and come across my blog. Maybe you are a 40-year-old woman  in rural Kentucky laughing at something I wrote.  And just maybe you needed that laugh because you sure are not getting enough of it in your own home.

Who ever you are, I am glad you are around and I do look forward to having you come back. Stats are fun to look at, but your comments are much more entertaining because it is there that I really get to know you. Please leave a comment. I want to know you.

My Forrest Gump Moment

Today I did not want to blog. My ongoing efforts to write seemed futile.

I grabbed my coffee though and came to the computer and thought about one of my favorite films Forrest Gump! What would Forrest do? Laughing out Loud–I thought-he would continue with the race and run until he was done.

I realized I am not quite done with blogging. I am purpose-driven and working on a goal. I have picked up a few new bloggers that have engaged with me about their lives and I am touched. The blogging is worth the effort I thought. It is helping in a way I did not know it could.

Today is a new day.

Ten years ago most commentary we would read would be one-sided. Your favorite news paper or magazine would run an article perhaps on some political subject that left you fuming. I mean you were pissed off. Today they are dying by the dozens.

Since then a little thing called a blog took over. It popularity soared. Blogging has perhaps become the watchdog for when other forms of media seem to be getting it wrong or missing alternative solutions.

This is what attracted me to it. If you’ve never realized that blogging has an extensive network of helpful links, you would be mistaken. The visibility of what we have is an experience like no other.

It is a wonder that so many that blog are actually writing about the very subject of blogging. I like that because it helps with perspective. So I continue my quest and wait for my Forrest Gump MOMENT. How about you? Can you explain to me what keeps you going on with your blogging?

Thank You!

Hello from my computer room to yours!

Statistics can be a cool thing. I just wanted to mention a few tonight about my blog. This blog has went over 10,000 views in over 60 countries since its inception last year. I have had just about 1500 comments also. My first 5000 views came from May-December of last year. The last 5000 came in the first 8 weeks of this year. When I receive an award from my writing-it feels me with joy and I am pinching myself. Be assured I am reading through many of your blog posts and I hope in some small way my success would encourage you to keep writing. I am not at all tech savvy, but in time I have been able to figure out different things on WordPress to make my page more user-friendly. For example, I have on the right side of my page my top 8 posts that you can see highlighted by a grid of 8 photos. These are the ones you all liked the best or viewed the most. Now March is almost here. I can not wait to see what is around the corner with spring on its way!!

Blogging

You bloggers make me feel like Minnie Mouse as she is very special to me! Thank you for the awards!

I am somewhat under the weather today, but I wanted to send thanks to several of you that gave me nominations for awards in the last couple of weeks. Thank you again for the Inspiring, Versatile, Beautiful, and of course the most recent was the Sunshine award. I loved that because I felt as if my light is making a difference. I so appreciate the affirmations from you all. I do not think I can get to all the questions that are asked from these awards, but I thought I would share a few things I have not told you about myself or at least I don’t think I have:
1. I became a nurse after my dad thought it would be a good career choice. It was not my first choice. I thought I wanted to teach school.
2. I was robbed while in high school on campus. I still miss my suede coat, cap, and gloves that were taken from me. I guess the robber was cold.
3. I once heard angels sing in my car. I am not kidding!
4. I was given a police ticket for just parking in front of my apartment when I lived in Germany in 1990. I do not think my neighbors liked American GI’s
and that was what I was! When they met my family (who happened to be German), I never got another ticket..Thank God. I think the first ticket was illegal,but
I just paid it.
5. Both of my children were born by C-section. (that was too much information wasn’t it?). haha.
6. I had kidney cancer in 1997. The surgeons took that bad puppy out and now I pee with only one kidney!
7. I had a very large brain tumor discovered in 2010. The surgeons took that bad puppy out and now I still pee with only one kidney!
8. I shit like the rest of you.
9. I had fibroids. The surgeons took those bad puppies out and now I still pee with only one kidney!
10.God–that is way too much information….
Hope all is well in your worlds out there….IF you feel so inclined to share what kind of surgery you have had in your past leave a comment. I am sure I will still be peeing with only one kidney with your surgical story too….THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE AWARDS! I will post some winners soon. Photo of Minnie taken by yours truly.

Freaky Friday

This photo was taken a month after my brain tumor was extracted. My son wanted to cheer me up so he put a pillowcase over his head imitating me! What a guy!

Nitty Gritty Man has made my day! I was awarded my fourth blogger award for my comical side that you may read occasionally in my blog posts. Although I might add what you think is funny may really be sarcasm on my part. : ) What I can say about this award is that it feels like after several months of finding my groove in blogging, my readers are beginning to see something unusual in how I may get my point across. It is exciting to receive the Liebster Award as described in this post (http://nittygrittydirtman.wordpress.com/ ). I have been asked to answer these questions of myself of which I will try to do with the utmost honesty! I hope soon to nominate a fresh group of bloggers for this award:

1. What is your favorite time of day and why? It is in the morning after the house is real quiet and the kids have went to school. It is also at night if I can not sleep and I am blogging some amazing story that you all get to read. It is like my creative juices are just flowing at midnight!

2. How and when did you first discover your passion, whatever that passion is? I knew I wanted to write all my life, but I guess life got in the way.

3. Hopefully, you’re familiar with The Breakfast Club for this question. When you were in high school, in which social group did you best fit? I was in the NERD group for sure. I was one of those snobby straight A students, but no one knew because I did not talk about my grades.

4. Where do you write your posts and why did you choose that place? I write my posts in our computer room. I have a laptop that does not move from its location! The laptop is just darn lazy and likes its spot in that room!

5. What always makes you laugh and why? If you know me and a lot of you do by now, it is my dog that gives me the biggest smile especially with his facial expressions. ( https://alesiablogs.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/napblopomo-rocks-for-linus/ ) . If you want to see who smoked the first legal joint in Washington State, I double dare you to click on this post!

6. If you could appear on a televised talent show, what would your talent be? A farting contest. Well- you asked. I do live with teenage sons and one needs to always be prepared.

7. Which flower reminds you of happiness? I love getting roses. They are so romantic. I do not get many of them. Oh you asked about happiness–that would be the TULIP! If you have ever been to a tulip field and saw its vastness there is no way you could not be happy!

8. What is your favorite book and why? I will say The Hare With Amber Eyes by Edmund De Wall ( http://www.amazon.com/Hare-Amber-Eyes-Hidden-Inheritance/dp/0312569378 ) . It is a true family memoir like no other. If you love history, art, international intrigue, war, love, and above all else intelligent writing, this is your book.

9. It’s important to eat your vegetables, but which vegetable do you always resist/avoid eating? I hate Lima Beans. Seriously why would you ask why I would avoid those slimy beans! Disgusting.

10. What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? You do know I live in Seattle, right?

11. Who is the one celebrity, past or present, you would like to meet — and what would you ask that person? Johnny Depp ( Are you really as funny as the characters you play?). Tim Tebow ( Do your knees hurt a lot?)……