Three(ish) Year Blog Anniversary

According to the date archive over there on the right sidebar, Time Goes By has been stirring up this corner of the blogosphere for about three years. But that’s not quite true. The Control Panel on Typepad, the host of this site, tells me I’ve been a member going on four years, since August 2003.

That is when I started to design TGB and work out its parameters, what questions it would address and attempt to answer and how best to do that. In short, its reason to be.

Back then, I believed the blog would force me to organize and think more clearly about all the research I’d been doing on aging since 1996 or ‘97. I had been in the news and television business for most of my career, long enough to know that aging was not one of the top ten – or even top 100 – sexiest subjects in the media. And so high traffic numbers, a goal I was paid to pursue for decades in other media, could not be the point.

While Time Goes By is hardly an a-list blog, it is astounding to me that now, three-plus years later, readership is as large as it is and continues to grow almost daily. And I didn’t even do anything much to promote it except show up here every day.

Part of the reason readership is growing is that the media times are changing in relation to aging now that the oldest boomers have hit 60, and people even older than that are lately some of the biggest stars on YouTube and MySpace. Some good progress is being made in such places in the recognition and inclusion of elders.

Just in the past week or two, a lot of new names have turned up in the Comments section. Whether you are new to TGB or maybe de-lurking after silently hanging around for awhile, here’s a big, sloppy welcome to Leopold, Mrs.R, Heidi, belladonna, Vivian, Meg, Florida Fanny, Vera, Brian, Cindy, Matt, Wendy, Lu, Marilyn, Ray, Anna, Mary Duffy, james, Pat Temiz, lakedawn, Betty and all the rest I apologize for overlooking in this short list; it is not intentional.

I am grateful to you and to every “regular” as well who stop by to leave your thoughts, ideas, arguments, opinions, perspectives and experiences because what I did not know three-and-a-half years ago is that a blog is first, and most importantly, a community. Without you, I’m just spitting into the wind every day.

Sometimes I can hardly believe how lucky Time Goes By is to have such a large community of smart, wise, perceptive and often, funny people who take seriously what is written here and contribute so much to the conversation. Others have begun to notice how compelling you are. Listen to what they are saying, in the Comments section here and on their own websites, about you:

Meg: “Love all the comments...each one adds to my understanding of this question and this time in life.”

Paula Bruggeman, Retirement Living TV: “I love all the conversation on your site…because it helps me remain alert to ageist assumptions that might creep into my work as I develop story topics for future shows.”

Matt Thornhill, The Boomer Project: "…the comments are great, too.”

Kate at Kate Thoughts: “[Time Goes By] has a readership that leaves insightful comments…”

Chuck Nyren, Advertising To Baby Boomers: “…the comments by Ronni's readers are as fun and vital as her posts. Time Goes By is a true virtual community.

So, happy three-ish anniversary to all of us, and give yourselves a hand. In fact, get up from your chair to applaud because you deserve a standing ovation. Who woulda thunk it – not me – in 2003 and 2004, that such a strong, versatile, exciting community could grow up around talkin’ about getting old.

Comments

[claude]

Yeah! Happy three-ish anniversary. And congratulations for such wonderful work, Ronni

[tamarika]

Kudo's Ronni! I am sure that I speak for many when I say I am so grateful for your blog!

[kenju]

Congratulations on 3 (or 4) years, Ronni!
"....how lucky Time Goes By is to have such a large community of smart, wise, perceptive and often, funny people who take seriously what is written here and contribute so much to the conversation."

You're not just lucky - you draw those people in with your insightful writing! Here's to many more years of writing (yours) and reading (ours).

[Kay Dennison]

I, too, love your blog. It's enriched my life in so many ways! Thank you!!!

[Dee]

Congradulations, Ronni! I hope your "feel good, done good" shot in the arm remains for a long time to come. It must feel great to know that so many of us look forward to reading TGB every day. Dee

[Barbara McKay]

Congratulations Ronni! I read your blog almost every day and enjoy it immensely.
Barbara

[M Sinclair Stevens]

Happy Anniversary. I, too, read your blog every day and always find it thought-provoking.

[Joy]

Happy Anniversary Ronni....I can't imagine this Blogosphere without your sweet face and wonderful voice. May your keyboard be busy for many years to come.

[jenclair]

Add my good wishes to your anniversary comments. I've certainly gotten a lot to think about here--sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes frustrating, always informative.

[earlene hofer]

I am a newbee. Looking around for blog that speaks to me. I am gettin up there and although I feel a lot younger, I do look in the mirror at least once everyday. I do not always keep up with current events, I kinda live in my own world. Maybe I will be more interested if I tune in everyday.

[Jeanne]

Congratulations to you Ronni on 3 years of TGB! It has been a pleasure and an inspiration reading your well-researched and reasoned posts and getting to know you and your furry sidekick Ollie. I 'm sorry I've been so scarce around these parts lately but real life has really encroached on my time available for blogging ;-)I am really hoping we can finally get together if you visit Europe this year... I'm thinking of suitable lunch venues already :)

[janinsanfran]

Congrats on your blog's longevity. Those of us who also blog know the satisfactions -- but also that just keeping the site going is WORK!

As I near 60, I'm trying to come by more regularly. I'm always glad when I do.

--one of those aging early boomers, janinsan fran

[Rhea]

Congratulations! Three years in the blogosphere is like 10 in the real world.

[Chancy]

Adding my congratulations to "Time Goes By" and to you Ronni. I,for one, keep coming back because of the quality of your writing and your new perspectives on the old business of living and aging.

PS:
Where is Crabby hiding out these days? She has been unnaturally silent recently :)

[Cowtown Pattie]

I found this poem at a native American site and thought it fit exactly my feelings about TGB and you, Ronni (as well as all the other great folks here in the TGB community):

A Hidden Place

Each of us has a hidden place
Somewhere deep within ourselves;
A place where we go to get away,
To think things through,
To be alone, to be ourselves.
This unique place, where we confront our deepest feelings,
Becomes a storehouse of all our hopes,
All our needs, all our dreams,
And even our unspoken fears.
It encompasses the essence of who we are and what we want to be.
But now and then, whether by chance or design,
Someone discovers a way into that place we thought was ours alone.
And we allow that person to see, to feel and to share
All the reason, all the uncertainty
And all the emotion we've stored up there.
That person adds new perspective to our hidden realm,
Then quietly settles down in his own corner of our special place,
Where a bit of himself will stay forever.
And we call that person a friend.

-Poem by Carol Elaine Faivre-Scott

Celebrations, my friends!

[Marilyn]

Congratulations, Ronni!

I found your site about six weeks ago and it has become a daily habit. So I hope this isn’t your way of breaking it to us gently that you need a ‘sabbatical.’ lol

[Heidi]

Waving back! I'm not quite 50, but I first read about you in the AARP Magazine. Yours was the first blog I read, which lead me to Tamarika, and Millie Garfield (which lead me to Steve Garfield), and Cowtown Pattie (which lead me to Ellison, which lead me to State of Grace, and, well, the list goes on from there.) I pop in just about every day to read what you and your commenters have contributed.

I especially enjoyed going along for the ride for your move to Maine. Oh, and Ollie, of course.

[Mage]

Congratulations on suiting up and showing up for more than three years. Yes, a blog is at the heart of a community of like minded folks. And too, yes, without all of us, there's no blog. Thanks for being here, sharing, teaching, poking, and prodding us forward. We appreciate you.

[Cindy]

Congratulations Ronni! Opening your blog each day—as I do now, is like opening a box of Cracker Jacks! I get a surprise almost every day! Thank you for all the effort you put into your work, it is obviously appreciated by many.

[millie garfield]

Congratulations Ronni!!!

I'm one of the lucky one who discovered "Times Goes By" in 2003. I visit you practically every morning, even before I have a cup of coffee!

Sometimes informative, sometimes thought provoking and sometimes funny - whatever you write about, you are always "a good read."

Thanks for enriching my life and being "Ronni."

[la peregrina]

Happy Blog Day, Ronni. :)

[Cynthia Friedlob]

I'd like to add my thanks and congratulations! It's a joy to read your work. Keep on truckin'!

[Betty]

Happy Anniversary, Ronni, and thanks for all the information.

[Joared]

Happy Anniversary wishes!
I had been thinking about aging issues for some time, then by some quirk of fate came upon your writing, shortly realized how much I enjoyed the stimulating thoughts you express, the words you use and the comments of those who come here.

Thanks for being who you are. Pattie's poem pretty well sums up my sentiments, too. I look forward to many more years of wishing you a happy blogging anniversary.

[Darlene]

Thank you for being there for we elders, Ronni. When I open my E-mail your is the first one I read. I always learn something new and provocative from you and your family of Bloggers. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary.

[Steve Sherlock]

Ronni, thanks for continuing to share about something we all have in common, growing older; with your guidence and your community's help, we are also getting wiser!

Happy anniversary!

[Jennifer Warwick]

Congrats to you and Crabby on three years, with many more to come. I'm so glad to have found your blog and deeply enjoy lurking and learning. Keep up the brilliance. :-)

[Joy D]

Your blog is part of my required (by me) reading! Thank you for being here and continuing to enlighten, encourage, and stimulate our minds daily. I'm still thrilled and honored to be included on your Elderblogger List. Thank you so much.

[Bitterroot]

Ronni, thank you for being here and for keeping these issues right in the center of the radar screen.

[estelle]

Happy anniversary Ronni and many more. Your blog has become an addiction. I only get on the computer a couple times a week, but after I check my mail, I turn to TGB and read every column and every single comment. There's a lot of insight and wisdom in the "community."

[Florida Franny]

Congratulations on your anniversary! I love reading your blog. Some days it makes me think, some days I get so angry I could spit, but I always feel engaged. Please keep it up.

[littlemoney]

congrats!!! happy third anniversary!!

[Melinda]

Happy 3-ish anniversary Ronni! I've been following and enjoying your insightful blog for I think just about all those 3-ish years and surely appreciate you!