My 1,000th Post: With Grit, Grins, & Gratitude

/ Ally Bean

Image of Snoopy, originally drawn by Charles Schultz, courtesy of pngimg.com. Click HERE for a wonderful biography about Snoopy.

• • •

It was a dark and stormy night. 

Literally.

I was sitting in our home office in front of my desktop computer, writing a blog post when there was a dramatic crack of thunder and a flash of lightning outside.

It startled me.

I jumped about 17 gazillion feet into the air and in the process my hand on the mouse moved erratically in such a way as to inadvertently hit DELETE, meaning that faster than you can say “waiter, waiter, percolator” I lost my blog post.

Then the electricity went out in the house.

For hours.

Because of course it did.

• • •

This morning the electricity is back on, but I’ve lost my train of thought about how I was going to say what I wanted to say.

So instead of my nonexistent elegant heartfelt essay about how much blogging has meant to me, showing me a kinder way to live my life, allowing me a glimpse into the lives of other people, I’ll be straightforward and say the following with gratitude.

• • •

THIS IS MY 1,000TH POST ON THIS BLOG.

THANKS TO ALL THE COOL KIDS WHO READ, COMMENT, AND LIKE MY POSTS. I’D NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR WITHOUT YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT.

YOU’RE THE BEST AND I LOVE YOU ALL.

• • •

[Here is my first blog post, Hello World! I wrote it 10 years + 10 months to this very day. It makes reference to a guiding principle that I believed then and still do. Case in point, how this post came to be.]

188 thoughts on “My 1,000th Post: With Grit, Grins, & Gratitude”

  1. You are the coolest kid of all! ONE THOUSAND posts–no small accomplishment. Congratulations so much, Ally Bean! And may the lights stay on so you can read your comments. *grin*

    Liked by 4 people

  2. Congratulations on No. 1,000, Dear Ally. Every one has been a gem. Thank you for sharing your wit, passion and insight with all of us – making us all better people in the process. On to the next 1,000 (tee hee)? And cool Snoopy bio – like you, he is a treasure though that bio makes me feel I have not done enough with my life. Yes, I am jealous of a fictional animal.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Zen-Den, WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT SNOOPY IS FICTIONAL? He’s as real as you or I. Honestly, sometimes it’s like you don’t know what is what. As for 1,000 more posts, me thinks not. Not even a remote possibility. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I’ve not produced nearly the number of posts you have, although we began about the same time. Still, it’s great fun going back into the archives, and I always grin when I remember the title of my first post: “Dazed and Confused.” I’m glad you’re back, that the power’s on again, and that we can look forward to even more from you. For one thing, good humor’s in short supply these days, and I always can find some here.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Linda, I don’t know how I ended up being this prolific. For years I’ve jokingly said that I wanted to write 1,000 posts, but I didn’t think I’d do it. Still WP assures me this is #1,000. I love the title of your first post, btw. So true, especially that first time you hit ‘publish’ and wonder what the heck you’ve done!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Congratulations, Ally Bean!!!!! 1000 posts is quite the milestone. I just managed to crank out my 500th and I’ve had my blog up longer than yours 🤣. (Why yes, I am an underachiever…why do you ask? 😉)

    Well done, well done my blogger friend!
    🥂 to the next 1000!

    Deb

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, thanks for your kind words. I don’t know how this happened exactly, but I guess I’m wordier than I ever realized. 500 is nothing to sneeze at, btw. In fact you’re halfway to 1,000 already. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I got to the bottom of the post and thought, “That’s odd, Ally mentioned grits in the title but not in the body of the post.”

    Then I looked back at the title and grinned . . . with gratitude. Congrats!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nancy, ha! I often remind myself that I can accomplish things with an attitude of grit, grins, & gratitude. That’s why I used that phrase as a title. Kind of a personal mantra, I guess. Thanks for reading and commenting here.

      Liked by 3 people

    • Pam, it’s been windy here, too. Unseasonably so. Oddly enough by the time I got back to writing this, I didn’t care that I’d lost my first draft. I figure a more sentimental me was not meant to be. Just get to the point, said I to me.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dan, you are definitely one of the cool kids. I appreciate that. Now that you say it, it was kind of dramatic when the electricity went out. But whatcha gonna do? Start over on a new post, I guess.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, you played Snoopy in a school play?!! Oh that makes you one of the coolest kids among all the cool kids. As for the weather, oh well… things work out like they do, never mind my intentions. 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

  12. “So instead of my nonexistent elegant heartfelt essay about how much blogging has meant to me…” Okay here’s where I began to think: ‘this is it, her swan song; her last post; her grande finale.’
    Just sayin’…
    as always, your musical moonbeam coolbean!
    😎

    Liked by 1 person

    • Laura the Musical Moonbeam, wasn’t thinking about ending this blog quite yet. I wanted to write something more sentimental than my usual flapdoodle & twaddle, but it was not meant to be. Looking at you thunder cloud… 😏

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Ugh – sorry about the storm. I have lost posts to hitting the wrong button and it irks me to no end. I had to look back to see when I started blogging . . . Feb. ’13. I also had no idea how many posts I’d written. 909. I wish I’d found you years ago, but happy to have stumbled across your blog this last year or so. Always a joy to read what you share. I hear you on the planning. I started blogging, but never read any other blogs as I was ‘practicing’ getting in a routine and feared inviting others to read my blog in case I didn’t have the time to keep to the ‘rigors’. I laugh at that now, since there really are no blog police. Congrats on your blog success. In my estimation, your great group of followers serves of evidence.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, THERE ARE NO BLOG POLICE? Well, what do ‘ya know? I always figured someone somewhere was watching my every move so I had to be perfect. As if. 😉

      I’m glad we connected too. I have a theory that when it comes to personal blogging you have to trust the process. We meet the right people at the right time in our evolution. Not everyone sticks around, but those who do are the best.

      You’re not too far away from hitting the 1,000 post milestone. Think you’ll make it? Hope so.

      Like

    • Nicole, thanks for your kind words. At first I was ticked about the power outage, but then I realized it was no big deal. I’m a wiser blogger now than I used to be. Just carry on…

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  15. Congratulations Ally Bean! You mentioned maybe not another ten years… set your goals small- maybe 2 years will become 5, before you know 5 will be 7 or 8 and then BOOM- you have another 10 under your belt.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, aren’t you the optimistic planner! I take your point. I’ll keep writing here as long as I have some fun in the process. Maybe not every post, but most of them. Thanks for stopping by add a comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Ally, congratulations and I have a feeling that this was the post you were meant to write all along! The elements have a way of pointing – pushing – us in certain directions. 1000 posts is phenomenal and I wonder if you ever thought you’d reach this milestone as you pressed publish for the first time. I love your very first post and yes, how true ‘good things don’t happen without the correct amount of angst’! Here’s to the next 1000 posts – no stress, right?!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Annika, thanks for your kind wishes. I like your reasoning that this was the post I was meant to write. When I first started I wondered if I’d hit 100 posts. It was a lonely endeavor back then, with few readers. As for writing another 1,000 posts, I doubt that’s going to happen. Blogging is fun but… 😳

      Liked by 1 person

    • Robin, I like how you describe blogging. You’re right we really are seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and that’s a wonderful opportunity. You’ve been at this a long time, too, haven’t you?

      Like

      • We started our blog in late 2004, when we retired, left California and moved to Port Townsend, WA on Olympic Peninsula. The first few months of posts disappeared somehow but everything since January 2005 is up. We were using Haloscan for comments until they discontinued that program in 2009, so we lost all of our early comments from back the day. We have done 2103 posts so far. In the beginning we posted everyday, now we work at putting up one or two a week. It’s been helpful and enlightening to keep a record of our lives like this.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I started my first blog in 2004, too. I deleted it after a few years because I thought I didn’t want to blog anymore. Then I had a change of heart so I tried a few other platforms and blog names before I hit on this one. I agree with you that it is helpful to have a record of your life like this. I’m sorry you lost your early comments. They can be fun, if only to remember who used to be around blogland.

          Like

  19. Congratulations! I started blogging in March 2008 and am only at around 600 posts. I’ve deleted some over the years for privacy’s sake and have really slowed down with the volume. So many folks have come and gone. I’m so glad to have discovered you. I know I found you at Mark’s Swinged Cat blog, but how did you two find each other? I’m always interested in the myriad of blogland.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bijoux, I’ve deleted a few posts along the way because I didn’t like how I’d said something and readers were taking it the wrong way. Communication can be tricky. I understand why you deleted what you did. You’re right about how bloggers come and go. It makes me sad sometimes.

      I met Mark through Betsy at Parenting Is Funny. Or at least I think I did. He’s been commenting here for a while and I’m not entirely sure anymore.

      Like

  20. Wow! Congratulations to you on reaching you 1,000th post. An auspicious day indeed, as Deb (The Widow Bad Ass) has reached her 500th! I’m an absolute amateur in such company.

    I’ve toyed with giving up blogging but, as much as I enjoy the writing, I’d miss the reading & the interaction way too much. I hope you continue to feel the same way for many (many) more posts to come.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, thanks for your good wishes. I’d guess that every blogger has thought about quitting more than once. On some days this is work and I have to wonder why I do it. BUT overall it’s fun and like you said, I’d miss the interaction with people who I’d never met in real life. Blogging is a great opportunity to connect. I learn so much from everyone.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. I must be one of your oldest readers and am delighted to be your blogging buddy. Thanks for all the pleasure you’ve provided through your posts! When I lose a post, sometimes I give up, other times I write a better one. It just depends on how mentally energetic I am!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Margaret, you are my oldest reader. You know me from the wayback before times! I appreciate your friendship and am glad we connected along the way. It’s been fun. I agree about how to handle lost blog posts. It all depends on my mood.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Suzanne, I’m blushing here. Such a kind comment. Thank you. I try to make sure I actually have something to say when I post here, not just to fill space. Oddly enough when I started this blog I intended on being serious, I thought no one would like my silliness. However, at some point I let my guard down and leaned into the flapdoodle & twaddle I seem to be known for now. We all change and adapt as we go. Or at least I sure have.

      Liked by 1 person

  28. Congratulations! That’s a huge accomplishment and demonstrates great commitment. Either that or insanity. (No judgment here. I’m equally crazy. Will have to check how many blog posts I’ve written, but I’ve been at it since 2009, so I’m sure it’s a lot.)

    Do your posts not auto save every minute or so?

    Like

    • Kari, thank you. Such a sweet thing to say. I always hope that bloggers find each other through the comments on this blog, but I never know for sure if it happens. It’s not like I have a way to track everyone to verify who knows who– and how you came to know each other. Like I’d have the patience for that. 😄

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Congrats on 1000! Sudden power outages can be frustrating and in my business pretty critical. I had to check my stats and I am at 794 on Blogger but only 651 on WP since I deleted some to save space. Your posts are great fun. Thanks for the history of Snoopy. I learned some new things about him. While you may not want to get another 1000 posts in, I’ll be happy reading whatever, whenever!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, oh I can imagine how critical power outages are for your business. For me it was annoying, but for you… money lost. That biography of Snoopy made me smile. He is my spirit animal you know! Thanks for reading and commenting here over the years. I appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Janis, you’re are right. I never envisioned I’d stick with blogging this long, but I have. I agree about blogland. It’s been a wonderful way to learn about how people live their lives, and to make friends along the way. Thanks for following along here. I/we appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Anne, thanks. Six years is a long time to write a blog, don’t sell yourself short. I’m glad we found each other here in the blogosphere. I enjoy your posts, too.

      Like

    • Jean, thank you. I don’t usually toot my own horn, but this time I did. I know you’ve written more posts than I have and you write longer ones than I can manage. I bow to your verbosity. 😊

      Like

    • Lynette, you flatter me. I don’t know that I set out to write this many posts, but I did. I’m glad that you are a cool kid, as evidenced by the comments you leave here. Give yourself more time and soon you’ll hit 1,000 posts too.

      Liked by 1 person

    • J, you’re an optimist. I’m amazed I’ve written this many posts here. Of course, who knows how many I wrote on my earlier blogs. Thanks for reading and commenting over the years. You’re the second oldest [longest?] bloggy friend I have. I appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

  44. Wow! Ten years and 1000 posts. That’s amazing. Congratulations. I was just talking to the husband about how so few bloggers stick it out for the long haul, but that I hope I become one of the few (and you popped into my mind). One logistical question: you are almost certainly on the business WP plan as I am, so you have lotsa gigabytes of storage (or whatever the units are called), but I know that someday I may use up all my storage and it’s the maximum amount WP gives. Have you ever had to delete old posts to make room for new ones?

    Liked by 1 person

    • The Travel Architect, I’ve no doubt you’ll be a long haul blogger. You have a way with words and photos that make your posts interesting and fun. Plus you reach out to other bloggers which I think is key to sticking it out.

      In answer to your question, I’ve never had to delete posts to make room for new ones. I write short posts and I don’t do a lot with photos. I know some bloggers run out of space, but not I. Are you close to your limit?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Thanks for your kind words!

        I was very close to my previous limit, which is why I upgraded to the business plan. I have gobs of space now, but if I make it ten years like you have, I may be pushing the limits. You’re right – those photos take up a lot of space, but I just can’t part with them. I guess all this is a problem for future me.

        Liked by 1 person

  45. Congratlations Ally – one decade with your blog is admirable. It’s just eight years for me. You’ve amassed a lot of posts too. I’ve slowed down to two posts a week, maybe more when I’m retired. I was writing three or four times a week up until this year, so I have 1,664 but my earliest posts were very short, some one paragraph long, no pictures and a one-word title. My M.O. was “brevity is the soul of wit” at that time. Hope you’re around another decade or more!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, you’ve written more than I. Congratulations to you! I like to be brief, too– but somehow I start with that intention and the words slip in. I don’t know that I’ll be here for another decade, but I never would have thought I’d be here for this past one… so what do I know?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ally, I’d have likely run out of things to say if I was only commenting on things that piqued my interest or if it was a more general blog, but since I take endless walks and photos, I won’t be lacking fodder for posts any time soon. I have photos from walks in October I’ve not gotten to yet as well as photos from Henry and Clara Ford Estate taken in Spring and Summer. (Pitiful – I know.)

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        • Good point. Your walks are a never-ending source of blog fodder. Looking forward to reading about your visit to the Ford Estate whenever you want to post about it. And that is the joy of personal blogging, it’s all on your terms– whatever & whenever.

          Liked by 1 person

          • I just finished three posts for this week; did a Thanksgiving Day post too. Tomorrow’s post was from my September 11th walk. In the Ford Estate post/posts I wanted to put a little history into the post about the manor so that’s part of the reason I was dragging my heels on it. They’ve been doing renovations since 2014 and are working on the inside now, completely restoring everything. They are carefully matching carpet and drapery materials to replicate the originals but the furniture is the same. I will take a tour whenever they finally finish, likely a few years from now.

            Like

    • Marian, hadn’t thought of this accomplishment in terms of metals, but I like platinum, now that you mention it. With a few diamonds on it, perhaps. Thanks for being a loyal reader and commenter. Much appreciated.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Barbara, thank you. Well, time has flown, but it has trudged along, too. WP is nothing like it was when I started, nor is the world or my lifestyle. I’ve some longtime followers for almost the whole time I’ve been here so that remains the same, BUT the ways in which I post have changed dramatically. Blogging is more complicated and time-consuming now. Less of a lark than it once was.

      Liked by 1 person

  51. Congratulations on a significant milestone!

    btw – have you ever noticed you lose only those comments or posts where you were particularly witty, with sparkling prose? Sigh. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?!

    Liked by 1 person

  52. Congrats! Impressive goal reached. We certainly take power for granted, and when it goes out, life as we know it comes to somewhat up an immediate stop. We live in a state that is 80% plus covered in trees, I’m a gardener who respects trees, but if said tree is leaning toward a power line, I think they should be able to take it down. Needless to say, most folks don’t agree with me until the power goes out. 🙂 Happy blogging!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Judy, around here no one seems to care if trees are cut down to make way for power lines. Of course most of our power lines are underground so that may explain the attitude. When the lightning took out the electricity I think it messed with a transformer box somewhere. The whole neighborhood went dark. You’re right we all take electricity for granted. This was a good reminder to be more thankful– and not stress over what I write here.

      Liked by 1 person

  53. Whoo Hoo! That is an amazing fantastic spectacular accomplishment. And we, your readers, are the beneficiaries. THANK you for hanging on and keeping us entertained and informed. And yes, of course Snoopy lives, just like Santa does. And yes, I will expect another 1,000 posts from you. Please. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  60. WOW! Congrats reaching that milestone and on continuing to build your very impressive blogging community. I enjoy your posts and comments and have several cool kids through your blog!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Anna, it’s interesting about how people find each other through the comments on this blog. I love that it happens, feeling I’ve done the right thing to write about whatever topic it was that brought two cool kids together. [That made sense?]

      Liked by 1 person

  62. Such an accomplishment! (Sorry about your trouble! I would’ve suggested Ctrl Z to undo the delete, but with the power going out…) Congrats again! Thanks for rolling with the punches (and the thunder.) 😉

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  63. This made me smile, because I thought I was the only one who can’t always remember what I have just written if I manage to lose it! But the important thing is: congratulations on your 1,000th post! That’s a huge accomplishment, especially on a blog as high-quality as yours is. I’m so glad I discovered your blog!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ann, good to know I’m not the only one with an addled brain. I’d just got my thoughts sorted out, typed a few words, when *boom* the electricity went off, and startled my thoughts right out of my head. I’m glad we connected through blogging. You do know that you, too, write a high quality blog. Peas in a pod, we are.

      Liked by 1 person

  65. Félicitations! 1,000 posts is quite the accomplishment, especially while keeping it fresh. I love the opening to this post — it so accurately describes much of my life. And I had never seen your first post before. Can only agree that nothing good happens without angst! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • MELewis, thanks for your kind words. I do try to keep it fresh, live in the moment, that sort of vibe. On a whim I went back to read my first post and got laughing. What was true then, still is for me. Go figure!

      Liked by 1 person

  66. Wow, 10 years 10 months? That’s not a little time. Is it with the same blog address? (TLD)

    With the 1000th post is something I have not been able to achieve at this time. I am interested to see more in your blog. And what do I get? The content of your blog is really amazing.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Afriant Ishaq, yes I’ve been at this blog address the whole time. I didn’t start this with the idea of being here this long but it happened. Thanks for reading along and commenting here. Much appreciated.

      Like

  67. Congratulations on 1,000! I’m relatively new to your blog compared to some, and I am grateful to have found you. Or maybe you found me first? (This reminds me of Frank and I trying to figure out who found whom first and I’m not sure we ever arrived at a conclusion.) Hope that electricity has stayed on. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Robin, I sometimes wonder how any of us find each other. I couldn’t tell you if I found you or you found me. I suspect that Tara Smiley Face had something to do with it. I’m glad we connected, too. You’ve been blogging for a long time, haven’t you?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yes, since the late 90’s when I had to write my own html. I think that’s why I can’t seem to let it go, no matter how long I take a break. It seems to be part of my life and who I am now, in some ways. I’ve connected with so many wonderful people through blogging. You might be right about Tara. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        • I knew you’d been at this a while. I started my first blog, now long gone, in 2004. I had a template that I tweaked with html to make the page look better. Or so I thought. I agree about meeting people. That’s what keeps me interested, getting to know people who I’d otherwise never meet.

          Liked by 1 person

    • Crystal, thank you for the compliment. I don’t know how I managed to be so prolific, other than in the first few years I posted 3 or 4 times a week. Now I’m lucky to say something once a week. Be that as it may, the numbers added up eventually, and seemed noteworthy, so I wrote this post. Obviously. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  71. Congrats, Ally!! I will forever be grateful that I somehow found my way here. I always smile when I see you pop up in my reader because I know I am for a delight. Here’s to however many more posts to come!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Gigi, thanks for your support. I, too, am glad that we connected online. I have a theory that when it comes to blogland the right people find each other. I’m pleased to know that my posts make you smile.

      Liked by 1 person

  75. Congrats, Ally over your 1000th post. It seems like the storm didn’t want you to make it lol but glad you did persist and I too find it fascinating to reflect back over the moments over how it all began. I hope to still be reading and enjoying gradually building a connection together with you over our blogs in another 10 years and 10 months 🙂

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    • Katy, I agree that the storm stopped me and gave me the opportunity to re-think what I was going to write here. I don’t usually go in for self-promotion but 1,000 posts seemed important, so I mentioned it. I don’t know that I’ll be around for another 10 years and 10 months, but who knows! Glad that we connected online.

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  77. Many congratulations on your 1000th blog post. I have no idea what my count is as I lost several years in a blog host migration where the database didn’t transfer. 1000 is a mighty big and round number and you should be amazed! Who thought about writing that many posts in the beginning? I enjoy you Ms. Bean and hope that you write another 1000!

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    • Zazzy, thank you. I’m not really one to be focused on numbers but this one seemed important. Plus I knew that WP sends you a message congratulating you after you’ve posted your 1,000th post. Call me shallow, but I wanted that award message.

      Liked by 1 person

  79. My goodness, Ally, 1000 posts – that is astounding! Congratulations! and what a dramatic birth to this post! So sorry you lost your original … I imagined the fright from the thunder, and the chagrin from hitting DELETE. I chuckle a little (sorry!) – what a fabulous backstory for this post.

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