What a difference 3 years makes

Three years ago today, I started this blog. I called it the 4th Frog out of desperation and sheer lack of creativity for anything else. But in those three years, I've grown into the name.

I've become the 4th Frog. I answer to the name on Twitter. But I've stopped short of getting vanity license plates and decorating my house with frog figurines.

Three years ago, I clicked over to Google Analytics several times a day to see how many people had read what I'd written that day. Now, I check out my metrics about once a month. I felt like it was my duty to make people laugh when they visited this blog. I still like to make people laugh, but I feel more duty-bound to be honest because that's where the real connections happen.

I thought 2008 was going to be the launch pad for my first book -- grown out of this blog. Now I'm not so sure what I've written here is book worthy, but I do feel like I've found a voice here that could also find a home in a book or two if I choose to take that path.

Back in the day, I was afraid if I didn't post every day (or nearly so) that I would lose followers. Now I know that if I don't step away from the blog from time to time, even if its just a for a few days, I'm in danger of losing perspective.

In 2008, I was worried about attracting followers. Now I blog because it brings me friends.

I'm older now. Maybe more cynical. Hopefully a little wiser. But the most important thing is, that on this, my 3rd blogiversary, I am still here and you are here and I'm happy about that.