So, here's a puzzling fact I've discovered. Since realizing a couple of months back that I could check my "stats" with Google Blogger, I've been very intrigued to observe a couple of trends. I've discovered that, as of yet, there are three posts on my main blog, the one you are reading now, that are the most viewed. After clicking a button, I stopped tracking times when I would re-read a post. So, the current numbers reflect other people who have read those posts. I'm entirely aware that some of those page views might have occurred accidentally and that people who clicked on the post might not have actually read it. Still, the numbers are interesting. When I looked at the traffic sources I see mostly facebook and google leads. Not very revealing. To date, my three most popular blog posts are http://halfdozengirls.blogspot.com/2010/07/responsibility-and-restitution-part-2.html, http://halfdozengirls.blogspot.com/2010/06/formula-bag-for-success.html, and coming in at #3 http://halfdozengirls.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-morgue.html.
The number one spot in this blog is my embarrassing description of my temper tantrum in Sears over the summer and my attempt at making restitution. That post still affects me in that I try to make my "sorry" mean something by making restitution when I've wronged somebody. I'm still working on that. The second most popular post about Tim's choice of "briefcases" (a diaper bag!) was apparently quite intriguing to at least 58 people. And then, most recently, my description of the dead-looking nativity scene in my front yard seemed to be quite popular, too.
I usually place on my Facebook page a link to my latest post knowing that that will generate a few hits. Really, though, I write this blog for myself. It's therapeutic and entertaining for me. The fact that anyone could read it motivates, inspires, and challenges me to think carefully how I present any information, stories, or feelings. I am honest and truthful in all my blog posts, but also quite careful to protect people's identities, steer clear of divisive political or social commentaries, and put forth a post that might inspire and inform, or at least amuse in some way. When people tell me that they find a particular post funny, I'm always curious as to what exactly made them laugh."What is funny to you?" I might ask. Overall, if I've even brought a smile to someone's face then I feel that all my writing efforts have been worthwhile.
The most curious stat I've come across so far, however, has been on my least publicized and worked on blog http://childbirthcheerleader.blogspot.com/. Astonishingly, between http://thedomainofdelightfuldomesticity.blogspot.com/, Childbirth Cheerleader, and this blog, the most viewed post of all time remains http://childbirthcheerleader.blogspot.com/2010/09/writing-activity-to-help-with-closure.html. I have not advertised this post and barely do much on this particular blog.
The post itself was helpful to write. I wrote it awhile back and really wrestled with how to make it express what I had desired could've happened around Julia's due date. I worked with quite an emotional ardor to bring forth a vision of what I truly desired for my last baby's birth. This was the therapeutic part. I then left it in my editing area to clean up. I didn't publish it till weeks later. It is much longer than most of my posts and really and truly meant for me. I liked some of the elements in it so I decided to publish it.
This is the mystery: why is it my most viewed post of all three of my blogs?! I find it rather curious. Who would really be that interested in a lengthy, rather personal post about what I wished had happened with my last delivery? Kind of strange. I'm thinking that perhaps my story- writing abilities, fiction writing, might be a better avenue for me to go! "This is what I imagine my life was like...." That would be far too unhelpful for me, though. I am a realist to the end.
For those of you who read my blog, but might not know many details about Julia's birth, you would never be able to figure out where I had her or who my doctor or the nurses were. I've strived to keep all those details out of the public eye in every possible way. I'm not quite sure why, except that I don't feel that making people's mistakes public with their names attached to them is fair or kind. It's not who I am or what I want to do. What if I messed up in a professional way? I wouldn't want that knowledge made public for anyone to see. (Unless I choose to write a blog post about it -and I have!) I have never gone to a doctor's rating site to give an honest evaluation of any of my doctors, except the Birth Surveyhttp://www.thebirthsurvey.com/ This particular sight I absolutely and completely recommend that every woman who's given birth in the past 3 years go to. It's well-done and informative. I feel that it is appropriate to inform women about birth providers in the right setting. I did put a review of the hospital in a rating review website some time ago, but left names of individuals out of the post. Again, not the right place. However, I wanted to inform people about that particular hospital. But I'm getting into an area that I reserve for my Childbirth Cheerleader blog.
I don't think I'll get an answer as to who is viewing that particular, rather obscure post. I suspect that when people type in certain search words that are in that title, my post accidentally comes up. If the post helps anyone, other than me, then I'm glad for them. This new world of blogging is fascinating, mysterious, and international. I have people from Russia, China, and even Slovenia (where is Slovenia?) clicking on my posts. Imagine that!
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