Happy Anniversary - Birth of a Blog!

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." - Helen Keller

This week marks a monumental milestone for me. The anniversary of the birth of this blog.

This is my 140th post.

A lot has happened over this past year. Some really incredible, crazy, bizarre, never-saw-that-coming kind of things. And I've documented most of it right here. On Kate's Khronicles.

Along the way I've enticed some readers to come inside, sit a spell and take a look around. And those viewers left 351 awesome comments on my ramblings. It was nice to know that there was someone listening out there!

And would you believe...
Over the course of this past year my blog has been viewed an amazing 12,918 times! Wow! I only wish more of them had actually done more than take a peek; it would have been very gratifying to have found out more about them and why they decided to stop by for a visit. (I'd really like more interaction with my readers on this blog.)

I can't believe it's been over a year from when I first made the decision to start this blog. I was looking for an outlet for the turmoil swirling around my life and the need to release the frustration and angst I was feeling. So much was happening and I just couldn't make much sense of it all. I recalled that in my teen years when I had similar thoughts I had found writing calmed the craziness. It helped me to sort things out, put things in perspective and map out the right course of action. I was hoping that it would still have the same affect on my adult life circumstances.

So why not? But how? Write a novel? Poetry? Song lyrics?

No, it'd have to be a journal of some type. But I'm way past the age of penning my thoughts in a fuzzy pink diary. Besides, I really didn't want this to be an isolating thing. As I've aged, I've found value in a healthy discussion and debate with other like-minded individuals. I also needed a connection to the outside world.

What else would suit the bill but a blog! So I gave it a shot. What could it hurt? I had far more to gain than to lose. (And surely the world needed one more blog, eh? Lol!)

I bought some how-to-blog books. Took a college blogging course. Joined online blogger groups. And tried to learn all that I could. I found myself thinking, "Heck, if this venture takes off, maybe I can earn a living from it."

It was an ongoing education. (And I'm still learning.) This past year has been a long, bumpy road. Lots of ups and downs. I knew going into this that the chances of my blog reaching the masses were less than slim to none. And that it didn't stand a chance in Hades of being successful or very well read...(I mean, honestly, how many people would truly be that interested in reading about my small, insignificant life and troubles? Right?). With more than 100 million blogs in existence, I knew my blog was not anything unique or special. Just one blip in the blog-o-sphere.

I won't lie and tell you that this blog was always my saving grace...oh no. There were a few times when I wanted to put a fork in it and call it "done!". But I couldn't do it. I tried to stay optimistic. See this thing thru.

So I wrote. About movies I'd watched and places I'd been. Fashion. Sports. Music. Family. All kinds of topics. I didn't specialize. I don't have a niche. I just write 'em as I see 'em. The jury's still out on whether this blog was as cathartic as I had hoped it would be. Life is life, and it is what it is. Can't do much sometimes 'cept roll with the punches. But at least with a blog I can broadcast those punches to the world!

Now here I am. At one year. Penning my 140th post.

Time for review and reflection. I've tweaked my blog, made some changes. I've got a few topics I want to write about in the coming weeks. I'm looking at some long range changes to Kate Khronicles and perhaps taking it in a new direction. The wheels are in motion, the engine is fueled and in gear, ready to roll on.

Thank you all for hanging in there with me and supporting me thru the birth of this blog. I'm ready to head into year #2. And on to post number #141!