The quietest anniversary ever.
On Saturday July 27th, this blog turned 20. 2 decades ago, I decided to copy my dear friend Vickie and started a blog. Here’s an excerpt:
At the start, the tone was snarky and my expectations were low. I wrote some funny things and some things that make me cringe today but I also give my 24 year old self grace because from this vantage point that’s basically a child.
I did not start my sentences with capital letters until March 18th, 2014 (before / after) — and when I made this shift I apparently did so with zero fanfare whatsoever. Kind of funny!
I would love to share some deep stat data, perhaps from this blog’s inception, but I have never been great about those things! Here is this past year, by the numbers:
Here’s a historic waybackmachine shot of what this place looked like in 2004:
That was back when the url was lostandallalone.blogspot.com. Um yeah, the rebranding was a probably a good idea.
I sort of cannot wrap my head around 20 years of this. Though apparently my web hosting company can:
I also sit here incredibly grateful and amazed that this hobby of mine became part of my actual career. YOU all have given me so much. Advice, ideas, support, inspiration, new perspectives, and real friendships and relationships — all have come from the comment section here. Most of the time even hard or constructive things are said with love and nuance and that is amazing, especially in this day and age.
I plan on making it at least another 20 years. My 64 year old self will probably link to this post amused by how mature I felt back then and cackling about how I typed it out on a “laptop” (how archaic!). At least I hope so.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. You are the best audience any blogger could hope for.
Also, everything is okay! I just needed a little break over the weekend. A had her wisdom teeth surgery (DID NOT REALIZE how stressful that was going to feel!) and we have all been recovering. She is doing well and back to doing periodic dance moves around the house so that is a good sign.
28 Comments
Congratulations – 20 years is a huge milestone! Seeing this post made me check the start of my own blog and I was shocked to see that I have been blogging on and off for about 10 years – time flies! (I’m not nearly as consistent and prolific as you so it was much easier to lose track…) I’ve only recently discovered your podcast and its been inspiring to see how you’ve managed to incorporate your love of all things planning into your career. A toast to your success and best of luck with the next 20 years!
Thank you so much, Andrea!
Yay Sarah — have been reading along since I was in med school (now almost 16 years ago) and am very grateful for all that you share — here’s to another 20 years 🙂
WOW that is a long time!! THANK YOU!!!
Wow, 20 years! That’s awesome. Also yeah…I can see how Lumberton inspired your original url, haha!
aww, poor Lumberton! In retrospect it was a great learning experience. I’m annoyed about my attitude, but again . . 24 . . .
20 years! I’m pretty sure I found you in 2007 mostly due to our shared location in the Triangle area and have been reading ever since! All the other blogs I read back in that period I have either dropped or don’t exist so thanks for sticking around – yours is a favorite corner to visit several times a week still!
Weird to realize I’ve been in FL longer than the Triangle (just barely, but still). LOVED that area so much!! Still miss it.
Happy 20 years!! I’m so thankful you started this blog, and that I found it years ago, because now I kind of can’t imagine my life without you in it! Ok, sappy, but seriously- it’s crazy how random online friendships can morph into the real deal. Looking forward to reading your 64 year old blog one day. 😉
Awww you are the best! I love yours too (and value our IRL friendship!)
Happy 20 years! My blog turns 16 in August. I can’t bear to go back and read my earlier posts. Ay yi yi. I don’t love my blog title and I loathe blogspot but switching to wordpress sounds so overwhelming so I just stay with subpar blogspot.
I’m newer to your blog – I found you through BOBW which I started to listen to in 2017 shortly after you launched the pod. I was pregnant with my oldest. That seems like a lifetime ago now! I hope to be blogging alongside you in 20 years!
I don’t think I realized yours was so long running! Of course now I feel the need to peruse your 16 year old archives 🙂
Did I start reading you before the capital letters?? Oh my goodness…
You definitely did 🙂 And somehow you managed to ignore. Ha!!!
happy anniversary Sarah! 20 years is a long time, especially during these 20 years where our lives change so much professionally and personally. I am going 16 years now and enjoy so much about old fashion blogging community with real life friendship and companionship. Looking forward to run with you one day, hopefully before your next 20 years anniversary!
Aww would love that!! Thank you ❤️
Congrats. Milestones are delightful, and this is a well-deserved celebration.
Cheers to many more years of creative ventures!
Thank you Elisabeth!!
Congrats! I think I’ve been following since pretty close to the beginning :). Here’s to another 20 years (and more!).
Thank you Chelsea!!!
I can’t believe I’ve been following your blog for almost 15 years!
Here’s to another 20 — I really hope you’re still blogging at 90. How cool would that be!
That is wild!! I was looking at a 2013 post and yep you were commenting (baby A and baby D were CRAWLING!!! Awww!!!). That is amazing! Maybe your blog will return someday too. I miss it!
Congratulations! That is a LONG time. I’m a baby blogger compared to you, but I hope we’re both still blogging in 20 years- to be more specific, I hope we’re both still blogging about our training and races 20 years from now (maybe I’ll finally be able to qualify for Boston at the age of 78, ha!)
They will probably keep making the standards harder so that I still need a 3:40 at 70 at the rate we are going! But love that. Boston 2044 lol
Congratulations, what an amazing milestone.
Your blog url made me giggle :-).
Congratulations! I love all these bloggers that have been around for such a long time and stuck it out… that’s no small feat! So happy I came across your blog, albeit a little late … but not too late if you’re planing to be around for another 20 years! 😉
20 years is such a milestone! Congrats! My blog is 15 years old at this point and reading my archives always makes me cringe. I was BRUTAL sometimes and so judgmental. Oof. When I was blogging in my 20s, I didn’t think I’d still be blogging in my late 30s and now know bloggers who are in their 40s or 50s who are still blogging! It’s awesome to have such an array of stages of life and people to follow. 🙂
thank you Stephany!!!