Sunday, April 20, 2008

This blog is this many...

That's right, Monkey Muck turns one year old today!  

It was one year ago that I sat down and started writing this little blog.  It took me a few months to find my groove but find it I finally did.  I started this blog by writing almost exclusively about politics and the warwithoutendAmen in Iraq, but I came to realize that no one, especially me, wanted to read the constant anti Bush/Republicans/conservative/libertarian anti war screeds of a fat bastard like me.  So I began also writing about pop culture, doing movie reviews, writing about cooking, making bad jokes, making good jokes, pissing off some, making friends with others, and generally just having fun in between posts about how much I fucking hate all the Bush/Cheney/ExxonMobil/KBR/Halliburton/Microsoft/Wal-Mart/corporate media/Murdoch bastards.

It took me a little over a week to get my first commenter, who happened to be one the people who inspired me to start blogging in the first place, Dr. Zaius (the other person who inspired me to blog was Becca).  Then little by little people started trickling in to find me.  Getting linked by Blue Gal in my early days helped.  Her kind linkage brought me many an early reader.  Also getting linked on Crooks and Liars helped my numbers as well, I'll never forget the thrill of seeing a post I did linked on there.  I got so excited that I emailed everyone in all my address books and I told them I got linked.

Soon after that I found D Cup, the axis of Midwestern goodness bloggers, Samurai Frog, Splotchy, Johnny Yen, Kim, Bubs and his brood, Missy, Chris, Evil Dictator, and Ubermilf.  

I found some of you through the comments you left on other's blogs.  That's how I found Barbara, Captain Karen, Wandering Coyote, Tanya Espanya, Jew Girl, and more.  I also found my evil twin, or maybe he's the good twin I'm not sure, blog brother Matty Boy through the comments he left on Princess Sparkle Pony's blog.  And others of you who I started reading most every day I found you through your comments here, that includes people such as Jess Wundrun, Fran, Liberality, Beth, Gifted Typist, the lovely GetKristiLove and a few others.

And finally some of you I found through my friend Sean.  He sent me a link to some crazy gal in Minnesota's blog.  It was a good thing I clicked on the link or I would have never found Whiskeymarie or MNMom or Cheesecake Maven, and some others.

I'm glad I found each and every one of you and I'm glad you read me and I'm glad I read you because you are all such nice funny smart people with interesting takes on life and politics.  I'm grateful to be your peer in the blogosphere.  Like so many other things they portray inaccurately, the corporate media has it all wrong when it comes to bloggers, we're not the pimply faced anti social dweebs they like to think we are, we're smart funny people who happen to use our blogs to entertain and inform each other and our readers about the things the corporate media ignores.

In one year I went from having maybe 15 readers a day if I was lucky to averaging over almost 500 a day.  Over 85,000 people have visited my blog this year and I'm grateful for each and every one of them, yes I'm even grateful for the Reichwingers and the people who disagree with me because even if they don't agree with my point of view then at least they were exposed to it for a moment or two.  

Thank you to all of you who read me, who link me, and who have me listed on your blogroll or in your favorites.  It's a pleasure for me to write this stuff knowing that so many of you will read it.  And I will continue to write this blog because I plan on blogging until they pry my keyboard from my cold dead hands.  

45 comments:

Mnmom said...

Congratulations!!!
Long live the blogging community!!!

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Happy Blogaversary! I'm assuming it's strictly a coincidence that you began blogging on 04/20?

Fran said...

Happy Blogaversary Dr. Monkey!!

I was just telling someone about the way my own blog evolved.

YOU, you big hairy monkey played a significant role in that process.

One of the things I love about you and your blog is your generous and spacious approach to our online community. You reach out to help and promote in so many ways.

We have had our ups and downs Dr Monkey, but in my estimation that just says one thing... In addition to being my blogbuddy extraordinare, which you are - you are also then my friend.

Thank you and all the best to you!!!

Joe said...

Happy Birthday! I think that MizBubs found you before I did, because I remember her telling me about your blog way back when.

You do a masterful job of blending humor, political commentary and cultural tidbits from the past.

Keep up the good work!

Wandering Coyote said...

Happy first bloggiversary! Very exciting. I think I found you via Captain Karen, then through one of the previous reading challenges. I'm so glad we've met!

I ran into that blogger stereotype you were mentioning when I went to be on Test the Nation in January. It was assumed we were all computer geeks, and for props they gave some of us old keyboards to wave around. I thought that was ridiculous; obviously we need keyboards to blog, but my most commonly used tool is my dictionary. I would have waved that around had they told me I could bring it. Also, everyone on my team had a laptop they were glued to. I felt really annoyed with the looks of pity I got when I said I didn't have a lap top; jeez - I don't have that kind of effing BUDGET!

Anyway, enough about me...Thanks for the thanks, and keep up the great writing.

splord said...

Happy Blogaversary Dr. Monkey!

Always an enjoyable read (even if I am a slacker when it comes to commenting).

Anonymous said...

Happy first blogaversary! I can't believe it's only been a year! You are the perfect example of how to grow a blog. I've enjoyed watching your blog evolve over the course of the year!

Happy writing!

Little Merry Sunshine said...

Congratulations and happy anniversary! I love reading your blog everyday and will continue until they pry the keyboard from your cold dead hands.

Pilkey said...

Congrats Monkerstein. I can't believe I've been reading your blog almost since the beginning. I admit, my day is not complete without stopping by to read your blog (actually I stop by multiple times per day). You are prolific, hilarious, sometimes provocative, and above all, never boring. Keep on bloggin'!

Unconventional Conventionist said...

Happy Blogaversary!

Ubermilf said...

You're still in blogger diapers!

Splotchy said...

Congrats, man!

Missy said...

Hooray!! Right back at cha! And thanks for all the entertainment.

I wonder what blogger diapers look like!

Gifted Typist said...

Thanks for the link. That's a really interesting post, to say how you found people and how they found you.

The Cunning Runt said...

Happy Birthday, you blogging monkey, you!

Always a pleasure to read your take on things.

And congrats on the stats - very impressive reach, my friend! I'm a week short of my First and have a piddly fraction of your traffic, but it's nonetheless good to be part of this community of stellar minds, beautiful souls and supportive friends.

Blog On, MVM, Blog On!

Madam Z said...

Happy Birthday, Dr. M! What an impressive success story you have. I've never had even 15 readers a day in my year of blogging. (Hmmm....maybe if I wore a fez?) 500 a day is amazing. Keep up the good work. I always enjoy reading your clever posts.

Blueberry said...

Happy blogiversary. You were born to blog. Keep that scanner going.

GETkristiLOVE said...

Congrats Dr. M, I'm on the way over to your office with some chocolate cake.

Proud2bHumble said...

Finger lickin' good... Congratjugalrelations! I'll be Bach, artful fuguer that I am.
;-}

Life As I Know It Now said...

I tried to leave a comment earlier but blogger ate my comment.

Happy b-day to you. You are a great blog buddy. What are we going to blog about after a Democrat takes the White House? (HA) I'll bet you can crank out a lot of posts about our corporate slave state so the blogs still have work to do.

Johnny Yen said...

Hey, happy blog birthday! You've brought a lot of enjoyment to the plethora of bloggers here in the Yen household (Kim, the Evil Dictator, my stepdaughter and of course me.)

Mel said...

Happy Blogaversary!!
¡¡¡Feliz Blog-Cumpleaños!!!
Kisses from Peru!

Paul said...

Joyeux anniversaire du blog! Keep up the monkeyshines.

Dr. Zaius said...

Happy Blogoversary!
Happy Blogoversary!
Happy Blogoversary!
Happy B-L-O-G-O-VERSARY!


...And many mmmooorrreee...!

Is there any cake left? ;o)

darkblack said...

There was cake? The things you miss on the night shift.

;>)

Congratulations to you, Doctor.

Romius T. said...

Congrats on the 1 year aniversary of this blog my friend! One day, say in the year 2030 I will have as many hits as you got in your first year! I don't want to make this comment all about me on your special day, so I guess I will just end this comment now. Anyways happy blogeverasary and yes I just coined a word!

Blueberry said...

I found you a little gal to help clean up the place after the party. Come over and see.

Matthew Hubbard said...

Boy, a lot of people got the hankerin' all about the same time. You, me, Splotchy, FranSheIs...

Congrats, Doc, and continuing success in the coming years.

Matthew Hubbard said...

p.s. If you wonder which one of us is the evil twin, ask yourself this. Which one of us is running for office?

Just sayin'.

Jay Allbritton said...

Seems like you've been doing it forever, good sir. Keep it up, I love you, and you know I mean it.

Some Guy said...

Best wishes on your happy day, Dr. MVM! Your blog doesn't look a day over 6 months. Keep up the great work!

Jess Wundrun said...

Happy Blogoversary, Monkey! You're an amazing simian, and one of my favorite stops of the day. I think I best get to the post office to mail off some swag!

SamuraiFrog said...

Happy anniversary, indeed! Keep up the great work!

Whiskeymarie said...

Throwing the Monkey love back at'cha, my dear.
Happy 1st year blogging!

Claire said...

Congratulations! We look forward to more!

dguzman said...

You're not just our little blog anymore!

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Thank you all for your kind words, it's a pleasure writing this blog knowing that folks like you read it and like it. You kids rock.

Dean Wormer said...

A year old and a helluva a lot wiser.

Tengrain said...

Ah, the first year is the hardest! Congrats, Dr. Von Monkerstein - here's hoping that Moore's law applies to blogs!

Regards,

Tengrain

Unknown said...

Happy anniversary.

BAC said...

Hey ... Happy Blogaversary Dr. Monkey!!


BAC

Synthaetica said...

happy blogiversary. i skipped my own earlier this month, hoping to party hard with you on yours, and then i was late. story of my damned life.

Freida Bee said...

Happy Birthday, Monkey Muck!

Dr. Munkersteiner, just keep dancing in that speedo!

(P.S.- You're soaking in it!)

Suzy said...

Only one year? You"re just a blogging babe in arms! Happy happy.

Cup said...

Happy belated blogiversary, Monkey Man!