It’s been one year since I started blogging and there have been some noticeable behavioral changes in my life.
I live like a college kid.
I stay up late writing a new post much like I wrote term papers and then wake at dawn to turn it in blog it since I live in the Mountain Time Zone and many of my friends live on the East Coast. Then I jump on my reader to catch up with my cyber friends. I power through the day fueled by coffee and sheer adrenaline. And when it’s time to party, I get down with the best of them!
My pant’s pocket is worn out.
Because I never know what blog fodder may arise during the course of my day, I always carry my camera. It has stretched out the pocket of my favorite jeans, but I am willing to sacrifice more than that for a story.
I have no shame.
I used to keep my humiliating stories on the down low, but with all the silly things that happen to me, I will never run out of subject matter. Everyone laughed at with me when I shared my most mortifying moments, my recent ant infestation, and when admitting that my attempts at humor often get the response of nothing but crickets.
I have become a dancing vlogger.
What happened to the girl who was afraid of public speaking? Sheesh! That girl took the last train back to Timidsville and somewhere along the way became fearless!
I know a lot about pop culture. Okay so this one is on me since I am drawn to a lot of entertainment blogs. I can tell you all about the movies that are coming to the theaters, where Comic-Con is being held this weekend and the latest on the Kardashians. I know. I am so hip and cool like that now.
I lost my quadriceps somewhere.
Where the hell did they go? They used to be massive. I play tennis, bike, and ski, but I guess it is not enough to compensate for all the sitting. I am starting to run (I hate running unless I am chasing after something), to find build them up again. We’ll see how that goes when I check in a week year from now.
I can prove that avatars are not mythical creatures.
Blissful Adventurer, Juliet, Danny and I
I have actually met a couple of bloggers and found that Blissful Adventurer and Piper Bayard are REAL people and quite awesome! The best part of this whole blogging experience is the amazing community here in the blogosphere. I hope to meet more bloggers in real life. Just a heads up in case you want to change your email address meet up!
Piper Bayard at a coffee shop in Longmont, Colorado
I came up with an idea to help my cyber friends connect with each other.
Because I had such a great year here at WordPress, I decided to give back by having a virtual party on my blog and called it Use Me and Abuse Me Day. I love my cyber friends and wanted them to meet each other and follow some new writers.
They left a link to one of their posts in my comment section along with a hook (one line description), and then started mingling by clicking on their new friend’s links. My friends are amazing writers and they brought their best stories to share! There were about 75 writers who participated and almost 300 clicks out to their blogs. It’s not too late to check it out and leave a link!
I am going to host another party on Wednesday June 6th, so be ready for another crazy vlog and virtual party!
It’s going to be another rockin’ year
for this Wild Rider!
All photos by Susie Lindau
Congrats on your one-year blogoversary, Susie. I never would have guessed you’ve been blogging for just a year. Your posts rock. They always make me smile, or laugh! Today is my one-year blogoversary. I’m doing a post tomorrow, but it’s no where as original and entertaining as your idea to have everyone leave a link and visit each other. Cheers to a great year of blogging and many more to come!
Thanks so much Lynn! You are the best blogging friend which is one of the most amazing benefits to this last year!
Congratulations to you on your blogiversary! I don’t know how you have time with all the beautiful crafts (you are so creative) you make and take care of your granddaughter! Awesome!
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You’ve truly grown as a blogger, Susie! Good for you!
Thanks Hook! I am still learning, writing, and reading great blogs like yours!
awesome post! super, super inspiring.
Thanks Laura! I am so glad that you stopped by!
Great post and congrats on the blog, I’ve just started following. You see I’m new to blogging and just trying to figure it all out. Meeting some new friends along the way is an added plus!
Thank you so much Emily! Where did you find me?
Write down June 6th on your calendar and come with a link to share. Since you are new, you could just link your blog.
Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions!
I was just looking around and stumbled across your blog, I don’t even know how it happened but I’m glad it did.
And, I’ve marked my calendar for the 6th… I’ll just need to find a good post to share!
Awesome! Thank you!
Congratulations and thanks for sharing.I appreciate your balanced approach and the road you’ve come. Love the face to face possibility with fellow bloggers…one of these days!
Thanks Blazing Trail! I am so glad that you have come along with me on my ride.
You’re welcome!
I’m back!! Yay!! I think I missed your blog party but will catch the next one! It’s been a horrible week with work.. appointments.. extra rehearsals.. extra baking for rehearsals.. reading a few blogs and having hundreds of inbox emails.. and I’ve missed you! This one made me laugh today!! You’ve hit the mark with all of your comments!! xoxo Smidge
Thanks so much Smidge. I am glad you are back and can relate!
I am so happy you figured out the comment problem! What a nightmare!
What are you rehearsing?
Susie, I just love you. Your excitement, your quirkiness, everything! If you’re ever in SoCal or I’m in Boulder (that could happen, I have family in Denver, it’s not that far of a drive), then we will definitely meet up! Keep being awesome, my friend.
Thank you so much Tameri! You are the coolest ever! I would LOVE to meet up with you and I am sure that we will. I have a feeling we could get into all kinds of (trouble) fun together! You made my day!
Great post! Congrats on your year of blogging! I love how your most embarrassing moments are now out there…me too. You had a great party, Great dancing. Great stories on your page. Some that should definitely be Freshly Pressed.
Thanks for the intros. I met some good people.
Thank you so much! You just gave me shivers Guat! That was such a nice thing to say!
I am glad you met some of my friends. They are all excellent writers including yourself of course! It wouldn’t have been a party without you!
Now rest up for June 6th…
Is National Lampoon gonna sponsor this next bash of yours? Hope you didn’t experience a virtual hangover from UMAAD. Hey, that ALMOST spells U MAD….Coincidence? I think not.
I think you are right! Hahaha! It’s a Mad Mad World for this Wild Rider!
Use Me and Abuse Me was a great idea…I subscribed to a few new awesome blogs. As for visiting, if you’re ever in Nashville, feel free to PM me…
You are the BEST Heather! That is what it was all about.
I will definitely let you know if I am ever headed your way. Thank you so much! And be sure to let me know if you are ever in my neck of the woods!
congratulations on your first anniversary. wonderful accomplishment. your blog remains fresh, relevant and fun. thx for the good reads
I swear, blogging has changed my life, as well. I love your blog!
Hugs,
Kathy
Thank you Kathryn! There are so many ways that my life has changed and these were the first that I thought of!
Hi,
I love your post and your photos, blogging is a great way of “meeting” people, I personally have learned a lot about other country’s, different lifestyles and of course the list goes on.
Will be looking forward to the next big party.
Thank you so much Mags! It is amazing how much I have learned through others this last year.
The next party will be a blast!
Congratulations on your first year blogging. I anticipate I’ll be at where you are now in about 7 1/2 years (when I reach the 10 year mark). Your zeal without being obnoxious is very impressive. You’re cool Susie Lindau!
Wow! You just made my day and it is YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!
Thanks so much! Your blog already rocks!
Obviously we all agree – wouldn’t be as wild without Susie! (Can’t believe you actually know Blissful Adventurer! Fun to actually meet bloggers in real.)Stay cool – and keep having those adventures.
Sitting in this chair blog stuff all day has put 4 inches on my waist line.
I feel your gain….
Susie, the party is still going on here. I knew there’d be lots of links, and I’m still working through them, slowly but surely. It is fun, this blogging malarkey!
I am so glad Tom! The clicks out are amazing and I know several people will be working through them over the weekend! Woohoo!
Susie, you’re a hoot! I love your blog. Whatever it is you’re doing, or not doing, keep it up! I look forward to reading about your experiences.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Thanks so much Patricia! I really appreciate that! It is people like you that keep me going…
Have an awesome weekend!
Love your blog and enjoyed (and took advantage of) “Use Me and Abuse Me.” One question – instead of getting up early, why don’t you post your blogs as drafts and set the release time for whenever you want the next morning? If you do, though, be aware WordPress uses GMT, so add six hours to your MDT.
Thanks David! I hope that you met and followed a few new bloggers!
About the release time…..I know right???? I have a little nightmarish story about that and how my blogs were all posting the day before, so what that means is I AM GUN SHY!
But it isn’t just about posting. I only post 2-3 times a week and I still wake early to check out what is going on, answer comments, and get on top of the blogs that I follow since I have way over a hundred to keep up with. I am always looking for new blogs. I try to free up some time to work out and then work on my book and start writing a new post! WHEW!
Thanks again David!
Your party was fantastic! You are going to go far. Like so many have said, you’re a natural. We could all learn from you. Wish I had known you when I was out in Colorado a few years ago. It would have been so fun to meet up. And Piper looks so beautiful! I bet the two of you were turning all the heads in the coffee shop.
Aww Debra, I wish that you lived close by too! You are so sweet to say that. I, like everyone, go through all kinds of doubt, so your words really are very meaningful to me! Your blog is awesome too! I am so glad that we met and maybe we will get a chance to meet-up one day!
BTW- Piper and I did attract one typical crazy Boulder guy who cracked us up!!! She really is a beautiful lady!
Between your last post, this one, and your next party, I’m just going to call you the Link Queen and leave it at that.
The Link Queen! Hey I like that!
Be ready to party next month El Guapo!
Thanks again for the shout out.
I LOVE Your blog! It’s very conversational, simple (in a very good way..totally LESS IS MORE, SO MUCH MORE) and wonderful!
My one year is coming up this summer…we’ll see if I’m as accomplished as you are by then! thanks!
Two Jules in a row! Both Jules are awesome!
Thanks for that! I am writing a book and it is very much in this voice so that does mean a lot.
There is so much opportunity on WordPress now with all the Reader features to find new blog posts so I am sure your blogiversary will ROCK!
Thanks you again Jules!
Ha! So glad you sent the shy girl back to Timidsville, and I’m very jealous of your meet-up with Piper!
Keep up the AWESOME work (and shamelessness, tee hee, you know that’s my bag) – I look forward to the next year of your blog!
Thanks Jules! Piper is awesome!
I have always been out-going with energy to spare, but I didn’t even want to speak up at a home owners meeting in our last neighborhood. I don’t have any problem jumping in and speaking up now. The top photo is of me competing in a frozen wet t-shirt contest when I went alone to a festival. I had a blast with a bunch of complete strangers! Hahaha!
Your blog party was a HUGE success and I missed it!! I will try to be at the next one
Happy blog birthday!
Thanks Madison! Some opted out for whatever reason so I didn’t want to push it. Definitely add your link now since I am still getting clicks out and probably will all weekend! The next one will be the 6th of June. Make sure to include an enticing hook to seduce my friends into coming to your blog! Hahaha! Sounds like Madmen!
Have a great weekend!
Happy blog birthday! Such a great post (as always!). I am always taking pictures “to use later on my blog” and some of my friends have started saying, “Put that on your blog!”
Thank you so much Jean!
I know and I take my camera everywhere! The worst thing is when I think of an idea for a blog post and don’t write it down. It can be weeks before I remember again! I need to learn how to record notes on my phone! Then I will really look like Ms. Big! Hahaha!
Great stuff, Susie! Considering your enthusiasm and spunk, I’m guessing it’s all worth your cyber wild ride?
Would love to meet you someday in CA or CO. In either case, I won’t miss your next party!
Thank you so much August! It really is the best ride ever! I would never have dreamed all the wonderful people I would meet!
We definitely need to get together. We will probably get to LA sometime in the next 5 months since we have friends there that keep asking us to come. So I will let you know. Tell me if you are ever plan to come to Colorado!
Blogging is an incurable disease, YAY!
It really is! Hahaha! ….she laughed maniacally……
ain’t all that a cool thing? yeah.
I know! Right????
Gotta love how much blogging can change your life! And you live it up in a big and awesome way. Again, happy happy one year and so glad to have found you in the blogging world! Hoping to head back to the Denver area for a visit later this summer so maybe we can meet up…
Thank you so much Audrey!
Definitely let me know when you are in the area!
Do you feel like a blogging elder? I’ve just passed a year too and have just had a couple of followers who have been doing it a month and it takes me back…it makes me want to put a protective arm around them
I do!
There was such a huge learning curve for me. I could not figure out how I could get seen. WP has made that so much easier with the reader feature.
That’s why I had the Use Me and Abuse Me Day. I have a few friends that are excellent writers and I thought this would help them make some new friends! Check it out and leave a link!
Thanks Joe!
I keep meaning to check out the really early posts for the ones I follow to see how they have tuned their blogs, I set out to do something entirely different so I deleted the old stuff when I wasn’t going down that route. Will check out the links.
Happy Bloggiversary!
Congratulations Susie! We are all thankful to be on the wild ride with you
Stay the course and I am certain you will be pitching the ride on the talk show circuit! Cheers my friend!
Thank you so much Michael!
Wouldn’t that be something….Have a great weekend and trip to Italy!
There should be some interesting posts while I am gone. I am also lamenting the demise of my quads from this damn desk chair
It is terrible! I am determined to find them again….
A very interesting post! =)
Thanks!
This post made me smile! I too carry my phone around sometimes I mean often I mean all of the time in case I find material to photograph. And I write shamelessly about almost everything. Yep. I feel bad (okay no I don’t) because I keep quoting my dear husband. LOL.
Thanks for relating!
Aren’t husbands the best blog fodder? I thought I had crossed a line with the karma post when he gave himself a black eye, but he said, “Blog it!” So I did! Hahaha!
Brilliant post! It was very interesting to read. Thanks Paul.
Thanks Paul lotto results guy!
You are welcome! I was also watching you dance and I must say, you dance very well.
Thank you so much Paul! Come by and rock out anytime!
No kidding it has side effects. I’ve spent who knows how much time following the links on your last post!
Hahaha! I LOVE it!
Thanks so much for taking the time to meet my friends!
It sounds like your past year has been awesome, congratulations! I hope this coming year is just as fruitful.
Aww! Thank you so much SF! And I wish the very same to you!
Love your posts! Congrats on your anniversary…I am jealous that you got to meet some fellow bloggers…would love that, too, but not sure who else is crazy enough to live in Atlantic Canada!
Thank you so much Sylvia!
Maybe you will have to go on a road trip some day….
Have a fabulous weekend!
I so get this – you go, wildy!
These were the first ones that came to mind, but there are probably a hundred of changes as you know! Thanks so much for dropping by!
I absolutely love your blog!
Wow! I love yours too! Thank you so very much!
Surprisingly, the person I got to know best via your Use Me and Abuse Me day was…
[Cue Kazoo trill]
Susie Lindau!
Since I’m on a write-forward marathon, and have a time-sensitive critique to complete, I’m keeping the original post in my Nifty News folder so I can hop to the other sites at a controlled pace. Oh, and steal your idea when it’s my turn to celebrate my first year. I’ll ping-back to your site. Deal?
If you say no, I’ll
do it anywaywhine. Don’t make me come to Colorado to whine in person. Oh, wait. Piper’s there. Margie Lawson’s there. I used to live there. I think a Colorado visit is in the cards for me. Now, I’m off to write, write, write.Thank you so much! I am so glad that you came by!
Take the idea and run with it! I got so much satisfaction from seeing all of my blogging friends finally meet each other. It was a blast!
That is a great idea to keep the post. It is an awesome mash-up of excellent writers!
Definitely let me know if you ever get to the Boulder/Denver area.
Happy writing!
I want to come back and check out others, so June 6th it is! I’m finishing a BIG project and hope to be done by end of May. Maybe I can share it then. You are a sweetheart and brave, why not?!
That would be awesome! It is a great place to pitch a new project. I will look forward to it!
and then its so much fun reading posts of super amazing bloggers like you
Ohhh! Thank you so much Soma! I love your blog too!
Your husband is right. Hahaha! Blog before first aid is hilarious and so true!
I hope one day I have the chance to meet some fellow bloggers!
I found one through a blogger in Philly and she lives 4 miles from me! Blogging makes the world really small. It is easier when a blogger isn’t afraid to at least put the State they live in on their blog. Some are very private and I respect that too!
Have a great weekend Becca! Maybe we will meet up someday!
Thank you Susie! Same to you.
Side effects like me commenting here.
I’ve met lots of cyber friends along the way, in many ways my closest. Oh the stories across a decade!
Although I’ve been blogging for almost 7 years, it isn’t my primary writing outlet; that goes to noveling. But I do love to read what others have to say, while I toss up a quick post every other day or so. Yours is one of my favourite places to visit.
Aawww! Thank you so much! We missed you at the party!
You can still leave a link on my Use Me and Abuse Me Day post and make some new friends over the weekend.
I really enjoy reading your real-life adventures too!
Thanks… I’ll leave it to the others.
Susie.. Last night I had to find something on Live Journal and realized I have been blogging for 7 years.
Oh the pop culture I know and the good friends I have met.
Thank you for being one of them.
HUGGGGGGGGGGGG
You were my first friend on OS. Thanks for following me over here!
7 years! Wow! I wish I had been writing for that long. I still have so much to learn…
Thanks so much Linda!
Most are positive side-effects.I found blogging a great way to vent out and share thoughts with like minded. Your blog-party was a great idea & looking forward to 6th June
They are positive that is for sure! I watch a lot less TV! That is a very good thing….
Thanks Yatin. I will look forward to seeing you rock out with us again!
Wow! Thank you so much Catherine! Are you anywhere near London?
I’m about 2 hours from London Ontario. Did you mean the one in Canada?
I forgot that you are in Canada! We will probably travel up there someday too! If you ever get to Colorado, look me up!
You also have such a natural blogging voice like you’ve been blogging for years, I am so thrilled for you on your blogiversary. I wish I lived closer wo we could meet up. That party was a super idea, you are awesome!