A small bit of news: this blog has just received its 250,000th visitor, far more than I ever thought possible. The milestone comes on my 599th day of blogging and 757th post, some 400,000 words and 4,000 images or so after this all first started in February 2008. My thanks to everyone who has taken the time to stop by. This has been an enormous amount of fun, and I'm so very happy that someone is out there enjoying it.
I must also thank my brilliant, beautiful and always interesting wife, Patti Digh, who encouraged me to actually start writing and whose constant support and help has been the great difference for me in keeping this blog going. MMB.
*Patti is a professional writer and speaker and has a number of blogs of her own, including the very widely popular 37days.
Congratulations, John! The breadth of your interests and the depth of your knowledge on an unbelievable number of topics are well-illustrated in your writing here.
I can't speak for all your other visitors, but for me it is great fun to stop by and see what has caught your attention lately. It is the variety and your unique insights which bring me back again and again.
Posted by: Rick | 16 September 2009 at 04:21 PM
Thanks so much Rick for your glowing confidence in this place; I really do appreciate it. It makes me happy to think that folks derive some sort of pleasure out of whatever it is that I'm doing here.
Posted by: John Ptak | 16 September 2009 at 11:20 PM
I check in every day for correction, to see just how far astray the human mind can wander. After that, nothing that happens in my public library work seems extraordinary, and the world seems calm. Thank you for that, John.
Posted by: Jeff | 17 September 2009 at 01:11 PM
Congratulations, John! I love to stop by here and get an "esoteric elixir" for my brain. I have read so many provocative essays here and enjoy sharing them with my husband. We get a kick out of the quirky fascinating things you share. The post about paint by numbers had us laughing at our younger selves who even at that point in our lives realized what a vacuous experience that was. He loved the post about the fellow who stole letters. I often point friends in your direction. Thank you!
Posted by: smallbluebird | 17 September 2009 at 10:36 PM
Jeff: I'm very touched by this; it may be about the nicest thing that anyone has ever said about this blog.
Posted by: John Ptak | 17 September 2009 at 10:39 PM
Smallbluebird: thank you so very much for your kind words, and for letting me know what it is that people find interesting here. I liked the paint by numbers one too--also the book that my then 15-yr old gave to me for my birthday (on the history of paint by numbers by Neptune's Sweaty Blushes!)was spectacular in its own quiet, undertowed way (as in pulling you out to sea and drowning you in its nothingness). thanks again!
Posted by: John Ptak | 17 September 2009 at 10:43 PM
Congratulations!!! Your brilliant, beautiful, and VERY interesting wife has been a huge inspiration to me as well. I have not been by here often enough, but when I do come I am always left with a sense of wonder, and much to ponder. Thank You!
Posted by: Gwyn | 18 September 2009 at 09:39 AM