Monday, November 12, 2012

HAPPY 500th POST





Yes, you read that right this is my  500th blogging birthday. Bring out the cake, light the candles, hang the banners and celebrate.  The KSA Daily officially has 500 posts !!! A collection of 500 stories recounting my cross-cultural mishaps and funny moments, stories of language learning and opening a business, tales of my travels and tour groups, 500 posts with pictures of Uyghur life and beautiful settings I get to call home.  

When I started this project a little over six years ago I never thought I would make it to 500 posts ( I didn’t think my life had that many interesting moments).  Not all of the 500 posts have come from my own hand.  In fact at least seven others have participated in authoring some of those posts, my former roommate, a classmate, my mom, my friend’s mom, expat friends, local friends and a completestranger.

  I am also surprised with the number of people I have met via the blogging world.  I was able to go for coffee in Thailand with a blogging friend from Mongolia, I catch up on news from college dorm mates who now live in Siberia.  I recently met another expat, we spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how she knew me or where we might have met in the past before she finally asked “Do you have a blog?  Are your initials KSA?”
   
I often feel as if it is unfair, when I go home to Canada friends and family know small details about my life.  They have a collection of 500 insights into what my daily life looks like. I, however, don’t know anything about what they have been up to.  I feel like a dud having to ask questions like “You had a second child right?  Girl or a Boy?”  Only to find out that baby is already over three years old.  Those same people know details about the color of my winter coat and my favorite breakfast food.  I feel like an uncaring friend.

The blogger stats say that on a daily basis more than 50 people check out the KSA Daily.  We have had guests from all over the world.  People from over forty countries have stopped by to read some of what is happening at the KSA Daily.  The map on the side shows that Tunisia, Venezuela , Egypt, Singapore and Azerbaijan. If you look up almost anything about Uyghur culture Google will pull up a link to this blog.

On the KSA Daily’s 100th birthday I asked people to leave comments indicating whether or not it was still worth my time and energy to record my experiences in this fashion.  After such a blatant plea for feedback and encouragement, only 4 people left comments.  Only four people took the time to respond.  Only four people asked that I continue.  On my 200th birthday my request for affirmation was even stronger.  I asked people to be completely honest and let me know if what I wrote was boring or if they just had nothing to say.  For the 11 people who took the time to comment I kept writing for another three years.

Part of me loves this whole idea of on-line journaling.  The thought that others may read what I am writing,  that you as a guest to this sight might check on a weekly basis to see if I have updated it,  helped me to be more disciplined in the act of journaling than I ever was when it was just a personal book stuffed in my sock drawer.   But truth be told I am tired.  I need a break from constantly thinking of my life as one big blog post.  I want to stop sitting down ever few nights and figuring out how I could write each life situation up as a funny entry.  

And so on my 500th birthday I want to thank you all for joining me in this adventure and I want to say goodbye for now.  I don’t know if I am permanently done with blogging, or if I just need a break for a few months.  It’s been fun.  We’ll see if in a few weeks I miss the habit of recording, or if enough people respond asking me to continue. But for now we say adieu.   Thanks for sharing in all the humors moments in my life, KSA.

11 comments:

Cara Cleghorn said...

Hey Karen!

Congratulations on ur 500th post! lol Please don't quit! I know how hard it is to find time and creativity to keep posting, but it is a great way to remind people to keep thinking about you. Not to berate you on a point about which I'm sure you're aware, but please accept this as my two cents of encouragement. :)

Anonymous said...

Happy 500th. We've enjoyed following your posts. Would love to see you continue but also understand how tiring it can be. Wayne and Maureen.

KSA said...

I'll miss you KSA - I've appreciated getting the funny stories of your life.

Randy M said...

I read every single one of your Blogs. You should be very proud of your accomplishment of 500 posts! I hope the time off isn't long.

Randy

Anonymous said...

Oh KSA! This is sort of sad! Even when there was no internet you still kept up the blog!

Note: There is a very easy way to keep up with your friends and find out the daily happenings of those friends, and that is FACEBOOK! Don't feel left out anymore and drink the koolaid... Kiss on the shoulder!

J.N. Canada said...

500 Posts! Congratulations to all! Look at the map! Will miss connecting with you, your heart & the people.
I don't think that not seeing 'like' clicked or a 'comment' necessarily shows lack of readership or interest. Your posts are great! Perhaps a post less frequently would help you to be able to continue. J.N. Canada

meghan said...

don't leave please! just change the blog name to "KSA every once and a while"...:o) love you.

Barrie G. said...

I can understand the time and effort to blog regularly... but I do very much enjoy reading your posts. So, I do hope you continue... after you take a much deserved break. :)

Beth said...

Oh NO! I am SO sad to hear that you might leave the blogging world. At the same time you certainly deserve a break - you have been the most faithful, funny, persistently creative blogger and lasted longer than any others I know in your situation. While you're having your break don't forget to jot down any blog ideas that occur to you, so that you can write them up when you return :) :)

You should throw yourself a party. On Monday we celebrated 1 year of living in this new town with a cake and a happy birthday song and a candle blowing. Cake with 500 candles for you? Hmm...

More seriously - I will miss your blog very much. Many times I've shared one of your hilarious or meaningful or sad situations with others.

Love Beth

ps. I can't believe that you have 50+ visitors daily. That's awesome, I had no idea. You'd never know it from the comments!

Jill K said...

wo-ahhh! K, I feel a huge pit in my chest to read that you are, at least temporarily, done with blogging! I would miss you here, miss the KSA Daily too bad! (Even if I only check every month or two! sorry!) I love you dear and love hearing all that I can from you! Hope your Christmas was sweet and that your next travels are too.... much love

Anonymous said...

Karen! You really need to start blogging again!! I need to see funny stories from home! :D
CSpiess