As an artist, I love reading other artist's blogs. I have enjoyed Rosa Murillo's blog for almost 2 years and I read her sage comments and advice on a regular basis. She is a good cyberspace friend and awesome artist. I also follow links to new art blogs on a regular basis. Some I book mark and others I visit once (usually because I just need more to read than the basic techniques used in creating a work). I have also found some non-art related blogs that are wonderful. I am sure that happens to a lot of faithful blog readers. I don't remember where, but I came across a blog by an artist who mentioned in the last line of a rather long entry that she uses a counter to record how many have visited her site. I had an A HA moment! Could it be that I was missing out on something? Duh...yea!
Here is the thing. I keep this blog for posterity sake, hoping my children, once grown, will get some additional insight about me. I can be impossible to live with, but I hope Kaitie, Colin and Claire, will see another side of their Mother that is more spontaneous, more loving, more artsy, and more..well just more. I hope they can realize and appreciate how proud I have been of them over the years. I keep my blog because I want to track my progress as an artist. However, I do hear that little voice in the back of my mind wondering if other artists will find some use from my words. Have you ever wondered if anyone but your cyber friends read your blog? Are we just a lost voice, too quiet for any one to hear in the vast network of cyberspace? For the longest time I really did not give it a thought. My words are my words...plain and simple. I have a few followers who comment on a regular basis and well that should be enough. But is it? When I read blogs such as Kelly Rae's http://www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/, or Misty Mawn's http://www.mistymawn.typepad.com/, or Rosa's (see side bar), I am jealous...Jealous because their words are truly amazing, ringing with a pure resonance of love and life. Their sites are full of wonderful art and photos and thoughts... They are accomplished artists with a big following on line and in the real world... And here I sit, trying to be prolific, insightful, artistic...ha! I really should not feel like this if my blog is meant as a true diary. I should be thrilled that I have stumbled upon some wonderful art and worthwhile prose. I do get great pleasure in the blogs that I read. Somehow, though, I want this little space that I occupy in the universe to be more, to be a legacy. Is that nuts?
Back to the blog statistics. This little counter, http://www.statcounter.com/, opened my eyes. You are out there, a lot of you, reading my words. That is most humbling. This little program is so cool. I can track the amount of hits to my blog site, whether you are returning, new, or unique visitors (based on cookies). I can track the number hits over time as well. Best of all, it is free. What this little StatCounter has done for me, you can't put a price on though...self esteem has grown 200% as I realize that others out there are discovering my words and art... What will I do with that info? Well for now...sit back, smile, and smell the roses (or yellow bromeliads).
k
1 comment:
Oh my, wow Kathy, count me in to a little self esteem booster myself! to be in the same group like Misty and kelly rae. wow, and thank you for all your kind words to me! I am very humble and grateful to have found a friend like you in this crazy internet world that can be so weird sometimes. Thank you, a million times. Know that you are very much an inspiration to me.
Isn't it so nice when you see people are interested in what you do too?
I am going to install one of those stat counters in my site, and will let you know how many people I see coming in, not as many as you might think though, I am sure...
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