so who reads this anyway?

This blog surpassed 50,000 page views this past week.  It astounds me that people read what I write, as I so often write about nothing.

So thank you.  Thank you for reading.  Thank you for commenting (I love when you do).  And thank you for telling others.

I write because I like to, but I wouldn’t if no one read what I write.  When I first started this blog, I thought it might appeal to people who live far from a big city and wonder what everyday life would be like in a place like New York.  I know I am sometimes curious what life is like in say North Dakota or Mississippi. I'm sure it's very different from mine, and that interests me.  

Years ago I was on a ski lift in Colorado.  The person next to me was a stranger.  I remember telling him I didn’t have a car and lived in NYC.  He was absolutely amazed how someone could live a normal life without a car. These are the people I thought would like this blog.  But that’s not who is reading it.

This blog is overwhelmingly read by people in New York and Massachusetts, followed by people from Illinois and California.  I guess that’s not surprising since that’s where most of my friends and family live.  But still,  I have readers from all over. Since January, readers have come from:

56 countries in 6 out of 7 continents — only missing is Antarctica.  I guess no one there is interested in my problems with Time Warner Cable.

All U.S. states except Wyoming, South Dakota and Alaska. 

Over 3,000 individuals have read my blog this year.  I wonder, for example, what someone from Bhutan would find interesting in it.  Probably not much as I only have one page view from there, probably an accident.

It always surprises me who reads, and who doesn’t read, my blog.  For example:

    Most of my friends do not read it.  “You’ll tell me what I want to know,” is what some tell me.  Others just don’t care.

    My mom is an occasional reader as is my nephew Michael.  Other than that, no one in my family reads it.  I don't count Alexander as he only reads it when he's home and I say, "Come here for a minute.  I want you to read this."

But who does read it is sometimes more surprising:

    Many of my sister Valerie’s friends.

    People I went to high school with, and haven’t seen or spoken to in decades.

    Friends of friends whom I don’t know.  (I am so appreciative when anyone shares my blog link with someone).

    Many of my mom’s friends.

    Ex-colleagues with whom I’ve since lost touch.

    Complete strangers.

Thank you all for reading.  Please continue to share.  Please continue to comment.  And please, smile and enjoy every day.  There is humor hiding everywhere, and finding it is not too hard.  

Happy holidays.