A hat tip to Mali, whose post "2016: Looking back on the blog" has inspired me to do the same for the past several years. Also to Mel, whose Crème de la Crème lists from 2007 to 2012 prompted me & other bloggers to review our posts from the year past & pick out our favourites to share. (There was a list in 2006 too, but that was before I started my blog.) If the Crème de la Crème list still existed, one of these posts would probably be the one I would have submitted. :) )
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2023 was not quite as prolific in blogging terms as the past several years have been. 2021 was my best year ever in terms of numbers of posts (213), followed by 2020 (197), and 2022 (193). I will wind up the year with 171 posts (including this one) :) -- ranking #5 in terms of numbers of total posts for the year, just below 2008 (#4) with 172 posts. (And if I manage to squeeze in one more post after this, then they'll be tied!)
That's an average of 14 posts per month -- a little less than a post every other day. My least-chatty month was this one -- December -- this will be post #10. My most verbose was January, with 19 posts. Not bad, especially after 16 years of blogging!
I don't check my blog stats very often, but I had a look at the ones for the past 12 months, and (as of this morning), I had 269,000+ views and 377 comments this year (page views way up from last year, but comments down -- go figure?). The top-viewed post of 2023 (that was written/posted IN 2023 -- was this one, with 176 views since it was posted on July 10th.
In addition to posts about or related to childless/free issues or other adoption/loss/infertility issues, I tried to do a "Right now" or "The Current" post at the beginning of each month, and participated in 43 #MicroblogMondays this year. I reviewed all 48 books that I read in 2023, and passed along and/or commented on news items, blog & Substack posts and podcasts, etc. (usually ALI-related) that piqued my interest.
I also wrote a lot about other things going on in my life, including aging, retirement, being an auntie & great-auntie, supporting my brother-in-law and his family through his liver transplant this past summer, dealing with service people, and condo living. There were lots of "odds & ends" posts, as well as lists of recent "small pleasures & annoying things." And the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic (now in its FOURTH year) provided PLENTY of fodder for blogging!!
Here are a few of my favourite/noteworthy posts from 2023, or ones that say "2023" to me -- in more or less chronological order (from oldest/earliest in 2023 to most recent):
- Pre-Voldemort Day odds & ends
- "Mommy bloggers" or not, we owe a debt to "Dooce"
- Verklempt
- #MicroblogMondays: An "ouch" moment
- #MicroblogMondays: Grey skies
- #MicroblogMondays: Neighbourly reminder
- Churches, community & childlessness
- #MicroblogMondays: A family update
- Family update
- #MicroblogMonday: Hanging in
- Flash back 40 years...
- Kidding... (but actually not kidding...!)*
- Making space for childless/free experiences & voices
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