Daily Affirmations Turns Two

Abigail's a convertible girl, and she loves Daily Affirmations. Or she probably would if she knew to read it.

Like most two year olds, Daily Affirmations screams a lot, doesn't sleep consistently, messes on itself, and really bothers people in public. And, like a two-year-old, it has moments of precociousness, though the unrelenting sensory assault and resulting headache it gives you most of the time makes you quickly forget those magic moments.

Daily Affirmations with Chris Reeder turned two on August 17th. Somehow, the media gave that story less attention than the Woodstock anniversary, or various dog bite stories. Yet, like a Reeder station wagon, clunking along with bad timing and leaking oil, the Daily Affirmations juggernaut keeps rolling on. Onward and upward, helping you, the reader, to understand and appreciate the hidden realities lurking all around and about you.

That first post hinted at things to come: messages from vacation, elevating my self-importance, movie references in lieu of actual content, The Who, and Elvis. Subsequent posts pretty much have followed the same spellbinding formula: interesting picture, pithy quote from notable person, then "content." And by "content," I generally mean trite observations about things like someone wearing a hat or some other form of tacky, some faux-profound moral lesson to be drawn from it all, and references to such landmark movies as Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, or Grease. You know, the Classics. Daily Affirmations thrives on the ability to get 1,000 words out of something as mundane as someone backing into a parking space (or 82 year old Tony Randall having children).

Which begs the question, "why"? Its fun. Sometimes. Nothing like getting to say what's on your mind with total control over everyone else's ability to talk back. Plus, this is stuff you need. Everyone should have access to my break down of Captain Kirk's intergalactic lady-pulling techniques and other burning issues of the day.

Often I've stated that there's about six or so people who actually read this blog. Turns out that's not quite true. I installed a program that logs "hits" on Daily Affirmations, called Stat Counter. While it doesn't actually tell me who is reading, Stat Counter has shown that Daily Affirmations actually gets tons of hits. It also shows, however, that about two-thirds of all hits on the blog are for five seconds or less. In other words, mistakes. People looking for actual real "affirmations," or other topics mentioned in the posting labels. Or people immediately repulsed by the first thing they see.

By far the single most read (or at least, most opened) posting was Girl Power. This was where I schooled you about how the womens are training hard at the gym and on the trail, and outperforming the mens. Its also where I posted a picture of ripped up Dara Torres, and I can tell most of these hits are to download that picture. People from all over the world and from all walks of life, literally, have hit that post. This tells me that most of the online world consists of freaks and perverts. News flash: weirdoes are on the internet. Film at 11:00. Oh, and I love where some of these people are coming from. Some very well established firms and governmental organizations throughout the world. And they all used their work computers. Sweet. Second most popular, for reasons that elude me, has been the multi-topical posting "Wildflower Update, Daylight Savings Time, Twitter, and the Decline of Western Civilization." This talks about wildflowers I saw driving home one weekend, waxes eloquently about daylight savings time, and contains the usual old man "I hate change" rant on Tweeter.

Stat Counter also tells me that there's certain "repeat customers." Some of these I can tell who you are, but I won't out you (here). Most of you are from Austin, Kingwood, or Houston (proper). Others completely baffle me and if you're ready to reveal yourself in private, I'm really curious to know who's reading in Mountain View, CA, Aliquippa, PA, Austin, TX at the Bobby Cox Companies, Reseda, CA, Madras, India (for real), and Federal Way, WA.

What's ahead? Basically more of the same. I'll be blogging during my upcoming vacation, as you know. I'll have the year end awards. Jazz Festival is in early May and there'll be extensive reporting and critiques. In between will be posts on the upcoming LebowskiFest, gay marriage, American Idol, trailer food, trips to Atlanta and Baton Rouge, and anything else that screams out for the Daily Affirmations touch.

While almost no one comments on these posts, its not because I discourage it. If anyone wants to read my thoughts on a particular subject, please do let me know.

Thanks for reading. Or, thanks for landing on this site for five seconds or less and downloading pictures. As the case may be.