Second Anniversary of Wordwalk

 

Second Anniversary of Wordwalk

 

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

 

 

January 19, 2015, marked the second anniversary of this blog which I call Wordwalk.  At the onset of this new year, Word Press e-mailed to me a year-end report about my weekly blog.  I was quite surprised to discover that during the 52 weeks of 2014, my text-only blog had 2300 views, an average of about 43 views per blog post.  For whatever reason, more people visited my blog on September 9 than on any other day last year:  sixty people walked along my Wordwalk on September 9.  What is most amazing to me is that people from twenty-eight countries visited my blog throughout 2014.  Of course, most views were from the United States (even Alaska), with Canada a close second.  Other readers were from Mexico, England, Spain, France, Russia, Kuwait, India, Australia, New Zealand, as well as from countries of Africa and South America.  I am always pleased when readers post comments on my blog or when readers send me an e-mail about my posts.  Hearing comments about Wordwalk in person or on the telephone is quite nice also.  Many thanks to all of you who have visited my weekly blog!

 

With appreciation for the annual report from Word Press, I am pleased to note–during this season of awards shows–the top five of my blog posts for 2014.  May I have the envelope please?  Undoubtedly, the award should be a golden statue of my Leader Dog Zoe–the Golden Zoe Award because my Leader Dog guides me especially well on our actual Wordwalks when so often I think of ideas for my blog.  Well, before the exit music begins to play, I will announce the five winners.

 

5. My posting on November 5, 2014, was the fifth most viewed post of 2014–part one of my series “A Cornucopia of Thanks at an Altitude of Gratitude Throughout November.” This week of the series focused on my being “Thankful for the Accessibility of Voting.”

 

4. My posting on May 14, 2014, was the fourth most viewed blog post of the year–“Remembering Grandma Farm on the 122nd Anniversary of Her Birth: May 17, 1892-February 27, 1988.”  Along with the essay about my paternal grandmother was the poem “Lace Pieces,” dedicated to my Italian grandmother.

 

3. Another winner from my “Cornucopia of Thanks” four-part series was the third most viewed blog post–Uncle Jules in the Army Air Corps,” which was posted on November 19, 2014.

 

2. My posting on December 3, 2014, was the second most viewed blog post of last year–“Leader Dog Zoe Visits US Capitol Christmas Tree.”(Zoe is happily wagging her tail about this award; she is ready to give pawgraphs.)

 

1. Posted on January 29, 2014, the top winner is “A Collage of Aunts,” which was an essay about all seven of my aunts. Accepting this award should be my Aunt Kathy whose birthday is one week from today and whose birthday of 2014 inspired this most viewed of my blog postings of last year.

 

A special thanks to my seven aunts, Zoe and the US Capitol Christmas Tree, Uncle Jules, Grandma Farm, and the individuals who designed the accessible voting machine for inspiring me to write the above five essays and one poem.

 

Additionally, I once again extend my thanks to Deon Lyons, Abbie Johnson Taylor, and John Wesley Smith–members of the writers’ group to which I have belonged for two and a half years–for helping me to realize that starting a blog and posting regularly on a blog are possible.

 

To the four people who have commented most often on my blog this past year–my sister, Deon, Abbie, and my cousin Carole–I give a hearty note of appreciation.  Also, I know that comments posted by Fran, Lynda, Paula, and others added so much to Wordwalk.  Thanks to all!

 

The speech software program Window-Eyes is what I use to be able to post independently each of my essays, poems, or short stories.  Thanks again to the developers, tech support, and trainer (Marc) of Window-Eyes!

 

Finally, at this altitude of gratitude, I especially thank Harper’s mother–Jenna–who on an afternoon of January 19, 2013, helped me to initiate Wordwalk so that my retirement years could be filled with a new way of sharing my writing.

 

 

With a winter word-bouquet of thanks to all who read Wordwalk,

Alice and Zoe

 

January 21, 2015, Wednesday

 

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