I haven’t really been paying attention to how many posts I’ve written until my brother posted his 200th post yesterday. When I glanced at the number I saw 499, and thought, wow I should celebrate 500. This is by no means to diminish Steve’s accomplishment, as I have been at this longer, but it is a nice round number worthy of acknowledging.
Like Steve, I don’t really have any momentous words for this occasion. Actually, a short time ago I said to Nathan, “I have nothing to write about today.” I’m not blocked, I just don’t have any ideas fighting for attention. I don’t have anything I particularly feel like ranting about this morning (as I have basically chosen to ignore all the ills of society for the time being). I don’t have a specific soapbox to climb on. I don’t even have anything silly to reflect on. It is simply a Friday.
But it is the Friday of my 500th post.
In a way, it is truly significant, as I attempt to embark on this Simultaneous Stories project which I believe comes from the desire to understand the role blogging plays in our society and in my life in particular.
I just pointed out the title of this post to Nathan. “Wow! Congratulations,” he said.
My response, “I don’t know if that is something to be proud about.”
“It is,” he answered.
You’ve gotta love a husband who is supportive.
I guess I question the importance of this because, as I wrote about a few days ago, I’m no longer sure why I write. That post sparked some interesting discussion and led me to other posts on the topic, including this one at Tossing It Out called “Is Most of Our Writing Done in Vain?” My response to Lee’s post moved we one step closer to understanding my own purpose as a writer. This is what I said,
Reading this made me realize something about why I write. Yes, I have the dream of achieving fame and glory through writing and always have, but that is not why I write. I write to share my story with a small audience. Right now, I write for a future audience, my daughter and descendants unknown. I know very little about my parents, despite them still being alive and together. If my words now give my daughter a better understanding of who I was, then I will be happy. I can’t share everything with her yet, but as she grows I have begun to share some posts and other writing already. She knows more about me than I ever did about my Mom. So, I may write for joy, or to be heard, or to understand, or to remember . . . but I also write to share.”
Now I look back on these 500 posts to see what stories I have really shared. What can my daughter learn about me from this blogging adventure? What legacy do I leave with my words? Here are some of the things I hope she has learned about me (including links to posts that share these aspects of me) I tried to link to older posts that you may have missed:
- That I value arts, imagination, creativity and anything that makes this world a magical place beyond cut and dry thinking.
- That I stand against bullying, hatred, and prejudice of all kinds.
- That I sometimes struggle with my search for spirituality, and ways to merge my Jewish identity with the many philosophies I have come to embrace.
- That it is sometimes hard to balance identities of wife, mother, daughter, and individual with her own dreams, but that it is important to put yourself first once in a while.
I could continue this list forever, but now it is time to post this momentous post to the universe and say, it has been a fascinating journey. Should I continue for 500 more?
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:14:14
Great post! I love the reflections at the end. I don’t have children yet but when I do I am looking forward to being able to reflect and show them how I developed via my blog.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:21:13
I honestly think that keeping that goal in mind will help you keep writing even through rejection and the struggles of trying to “make it” in a field that has no clear path.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:22:14
Congratulations on the milestone achievement of 500 posts. I passed mine back in April without noticing that I’d done it. I just don’t pay enough attention. I figured that maybe I could point it out when I do my 1000th post. If I notice.
My post about “Is Our Writing in Vain?” sparked a lot of discussion. I liked the point you made. I was fortunate that my father wrote his life story for the family before he died. I’ve been trying to encourage my mother that she should do the same but to no avail. I write down a lot of the stories she tells me so they’ll be recorded.
I’ve likewise been recording my own life stories on this blog and elsewhere. I’ve also told my life stories to my kids when they were growing up and now when they want to hear about them. The legacy of our stories is the most important thing we can leave to future generations. It’s part of history.
Keep up the great blogging.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:24:02
Thanks Lee. Just out of nosiness, what number post are you on now? I think I will hold onto the legacy concept to keep me writing even when I feel it is all meaningless.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:30:10
If I’ve counted correctly I’m on post # 608. My situation is that I prepare a lot of posts ahead of time and they are all included in the total post count shown in my account. I don’t see anywhere that it shows the number of actual published posts. That’s why I tend not to notice. My visible count is always far more than my actual count and I have to do calculations to figure it all out.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:26:28
Congratualtions on the 500th post Lisa! You have brought up a real good point that I really had not considered before. These blogs of ours are truly like a huge journal or diary that we are leaving behind for future generations in our families. I know very little about what my grandparents were really like other than my memories from my childhood. At least with my blog, my grandkids or great-grandkids will be able to sit down and read all my old posts and will be able to get a great idea of what I was really like. They will think I was weird as all get out, which is true, but at least they can get a true picture of me.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:28:00
The challenge for your descendants will be to sift through all the bull and find the hidden gems of the real Mark, although I believe they are more obvious than you think.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:59:31
Steve who ??
Congrats .. How about completing a millennium
Nov 18, 2011 @ 13:04:53
My brother Steve, aka taochild. I’ll aim for a millennium, but sometimes I feel like I’m running out of words.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:01:21
Congratulations on a huge milestone. I love your musings on why you write and the projects you have in the works too.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:14:07
Thanks, that makes me feel like I might be on the right track to something.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:02:54
You write for good reasons. I’m afraid I’ve more or less abandoned my writing except for my daily journal, which really doesn’t say too much. I haven’t even checked my blog for awhile. But I just notice there are now advertisements – not crazy about that, but I guess since the service is free there is no choice.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:13:25
Jerri, I have missed you. I’ve been meaning to send you an e-mail to check in, and keep forgetting. I hope you pick up writing again, you had such a fabulous story to tell (and I would love to include you in one of my projects). Advertisements? Where are they? I didn’t think they were allowed. I mean, I see stuff for WordPress itself, but nothing else. am I missing something?
Nov 19, 2011 @ 16:21:51
I think you must only see them if you go to your blog without being signed in.
Nov 19, 2011 @ 18:28:08
Ah, I’ll have to check that out.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:19:22
Congratulations, Lisa. This is a huge accomplishment. Do you ever wonder how many words that is? Talk about a HUGE NUMBER!
Kathy
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:55:35
I think my posts average about 1250 words or so (total guess out of my head). (That doesn’t count days where I post only photos). So that would make it approximately 625,000. A couple of novels worth at least.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:22:04
This is a huge milestone. An i do think, given the type of writing you do, it serves as an ongoing memoir. It’s a precious legacy.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:53:56
I wish I could figure out what kind of writing I do best. But I’ll keep plugging on this legacy.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:38:12
500 is worth the celebration! Here’s to 500 more, and I can’t wait to read them
Nov 18, 2011 @ 14:53:24
I hope they are worth it.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 16:26:55
Congratulations on 500! I think I need to go check mine now … seriously, 500 well written posts are a huge accomplishment. Well done!
Nov 18, 2011 @ 17:06:32
I wouldn’t say there are 500 well written posts. I have a few stinkers on here, but I keep them there so I remain humble.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 20:00:43
Yes, please do another 500. I enjoy your posts – whether you are writing about writing, writing about life, or just writing.
Nov 18, 2011 @ 20:48:41
Right back at you k8edid!
Nov 19, 2011 @ 05:15:35
Many congratulations! I do hope you will continue for your next 500 ‘cos that would make 1000 and that IS a big number!!
Nov 19, 2011 @ 06:59:06
One post at a time.
Nov 19, 2011 @ 13:00:19
500 is quite something! The other day, I was feeling like I have a lot of posts, because I can’t remember them all anymore, and I’m not even close to 100.
I couldn’t agree with you more about writing for legacy and documenting for others – this is my newest inspiration. I’m a youngin’ in a family where a lot of people passed away before I had any chance to know them at all and many live in Portugal. It’s hard to understand people’s personalities, etc, in that context. This is what’s motivating me to get my aunt and mom’s stories down and to think maybe I’ll at least have an audience of two – a couple of family members that feel the same way. I really like the idea of seeing my blog that way too. You writing this is a gift for me today. Congrats!
Nov 19, 2011 @ 18:44:53
I’m glad to share the gift and enjoy hearing your story.
Nov 20, 2011 @ 22:47:52
Congratulations on your 500th. Keep on blogging!
Nov 21, 2011 @ 09:01:01
1 blog at a time.
Nov 21, 2011 @ 08:26:34
For your readers, the obvious answer is: please keep blogging so that we can keep reading you. For you, it comes down to this: does blogging feel juicy to you still?
Nov 21, 2011 @ 08:58:26
What an amazing question. I think it has a complicated answer, but I will ponder it for a while.
Nov 22, 2011 @ 11:21:42
I have been sincerely neglectful in my brotherly (or maybe that is blogerly) duties and not commented on anyone else’s pots in a while, so I am on a mission. Nice post and congrats on reaching a milestone. I think the actual number does not matter as much as the commitment to make the number grow. It is always nice to understand why in fact we do what we do, and that reason is one of the best I have heard so far for writing
Nov 22, 2011 @ 11:24:44
Good to know I’m doing something (w)rite.