07-30

2010

I’m Not Popular

I get told quite often when I work on a person’s blog, “Don’t look at my stats! I’m so embarrassed, they can’t compare to what YOU must get!”. Ah, if only they knew.

I’ve been blogging here at OSN since November of 2001. Just shy of nine years (I have my archives from 2001 – 2003 private because it’s embarrassing). Here are my stats:

Of course to some of you newer bloggers, my numbers must look AWESOME right? However these newer blogs I work on, blogs that maybe have been around six months or less, have triple my numbers, of which I’ve spent nine YEARS working on.

Now granted, blogging isn’t just about numbers. I am “rich” in various other ways. I am able to help people, I’ve made amazing friends along the way, and I have a full online community that sustains me where my local community does not.

Blogging Positives

I’ve been able to take sites from awful designs to beautiful hardcore awesomeness.
I’ve met AMAZING people that I’ve been friends with for years & new people I’m becoming fast friends with!
Twitter
I’ve learned SO much by teaching myself CSS, XHTML, design, WordPress, ExpressionEngine, MovableType, etc.
I’m able to go back almost an entire decade and read how I was feeling, what was going on in my life. So many amazing things happened.

Blogging Negatives

I’ve had my designs/code copied, “stolen”, and heavily imitated. Rarely credited.
I’ve met people who have lied to me, stolen from me, and attacked me. I met DS1’s bio-dad online. Enough said.
MySpace
I am disgusted every single day by people who claim to be web designers/developers yet know NOTHING and make MY job harder fixing THEIR screw-ups.
I’m able to go back almost an entire decade and read how I was feeling, what was going on in my life. So many awful things happened.

Back when I first started, it was a very elite circle that had domain names because they cost so much and hosting? Oh wow, you were lucky to get 5MB of space and 1 MySQL database for $30 a month! Being “hosted” as a sub-domain was all the rage. I should know as I’ve had my fair share of hostee’s here at OSN.

Now? It’s all about monetizing, ad clicks, page views, sponsored posts, marketing yourself, giveaways, being a brand, and so on. It makes my head spin! People are turning to superficial means to be the latest, greatest, super blogging star with their own book/movie deal.

People have asked me if I’ve ever considered placing ad’s on OSN and for now my answer is no. I’ve never been approached by a company to do a review or giveaway or ad placement. I don’t see that changing in the near future either.

My Questions for YOU!

How long have you been blogging? Has it been consistently at the same URL?
On average, how many visitors do you get a day/month?
Do you feel blogging has changed over the past decade?
Do you find that it’s easier for bloggers to start NOW rather than 5 years ago?

archived under: Thoughts

{47 comments}

07-27

2010

Oh So Very Pink with a Bonus… Birds!

archived under: Photography

{58 comments}

07-25

2010

I Fear Change

I know I can’t be the only one.

The past decade has been packed full of drama and change that I’ve come to fear it in some ways. Just to give an idea, here’s a timeline:

2000: Got hit by Matt for the first time. Became codependent on him. Became very depressed. Used to use an online program called Palace. Started using online diaries and a manual blog on angelfire.
2001: I had a plan in place to move back to Tucson and leave Matt when I discovered I was pregnant with Danny in May. Started OSN.
2002: I gave birth via c-section to my first son.
2003: Discovered that my fiance of 4 yrs (at that point) had been cheating on me, stealing money from me and my family. Which in hindsight shouldn’t have been a surprise since if he was able to hit me, of course he was able to cheat. Kicked him out. Danny took his first steps at 14 months of age. Started working again. Dropped a ton of weight.
2004: Matt moved back in. Due to lack of transportation and pressure from Matt, I quit my job. Daniel chose to start potty learning. Switched from MovableType to ExpressionEngine. Started working again, this time for a plumbing company. Finally, at the end of the year, fully split up with Matt. He never did work while he lived with us. Gained back all the weight I had lost, and then some.
2005: Bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20K camera. Had emergency gallbladder removal surgery. I also used to do podcasts. Got my Illinois drivers license. Started to work on my weight and health.
2006: Bought my first car (Scion xA) and first DSLR camera (Nikon D50). Just really dealt with being a single, full time WOHM momma. Daniel self-weaned. Got in a car accident.
2007: I quit my job at the plumbing company and started working at GeekSquad. I began playing World of Warcraft. My twin sister became pregnant.
2008: The year I went crazy. Got my first tattoo. Had one of the best summers of my life. One of the most drama filled as well. Daniel went to live with Matt for five miserable months. I met Keith. We moved in together. I was smoking a pack a day (didn’t handle Dan living with Matt very well).
2009: I discover I am pregnant with Tristan. I quit smoking cold turkey the same day. I dealt with the cat lady. I switched from ExpressionEngine to WordPress, and haven’t looked back. We decided to start unschooling. I gave birth via repeat c-section to Tristan.
2010 (so far): I posted my first vlog. Purchased my lovely iPhone 3gs and Nikon D90. I wrote why I am estranged from my mother.

Tomorrow Keith starts his new job. I’ve gotten so used to him being the other SAHP that I’m fairly sure the first few weeks will have a steep learning curve as I get readjusted to being a SAHM. Next month my oldest son will be going on his annual trip to Michigan with my twin sister and her fiance for a week. I think I will go stir crazy.

I don’t seem to handle these large changes as well as I used to. I think I am easily overwhelmed these days.

I’ve also met some awesome bloggers along the way. By no means is this a complete list!

Amber {twitter: ambienine} and I have been best friends since we were in highschool french class together. I don’t think I could have survived those years without her!

Gina {twitter: TheFeministBreeder} and I started talking the night I went into labor with Tristan. I was fighting for a VBAC. She contacted me via twitter and we started txting. I don’t think she even knows how much that still means to me.

Joni {twitter: KitchenWitch} and I developed a quick and strong friendship. We have a LOT in common. She has MAD artist skills to the point that I can’t contain my jealously. I txt her randomly through out the day and she hasn’t gotten irritated yet!

Lynda {twitter: lynda} and I have known each other for YEARS online. She has mad photography skills and is beyond intelligent. I only wish I was as well spoken as she is!

Catie {twitter: catielove} and I have run in the same online circles for a few years now and recently got closer! I love how supportive she is of attachment parenting and it’s always nice having someone to rant about CSS to LOL!

So how has this decade treated you so far?

archived under: Thoughts

{53 comments}

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About Sarah & Osn

I'm Sarah, mom of two sweet boys, Daniel & Tristan. I'm passionate about Attachment Parenting & photography. Why don't you learn more about me!

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Personal

Fought for a VBAC and lost
"She proceeded to make the comment “I know the situation, and because of that I’m not feeling sympathetic” in reference to Sarah leaving the hospital AMA and not accepting a repeat c-section previously, and to the massive amounts of pain she was in."
Vent - VBAC Scare Tactics
"He then recanted and said, “well maybe it’s not a law, but I’ll tell you NO hospital will ALLOW you to VBAC without it”. Right ok, so first fear tactic and lie."
I had TWO c-sections
"It’s hard because sometimes I almost feel shame or guilt that BOTH of my c-sections were medically needed."
Who Am I?
"I went from a victim, a weak worthless nothing to a MOTHER. I went from being a punching bag to a protector and then lost myself yet again."

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