Thank you and Happy New Year!

When I created my site in October 2014 I was a stranger to blogging. Writing was simply a way for me to express talents I’d suppressed for many years; it was an escape for me. For so long I’d been complimented on my writing style (one of understated elegance), which was primarily showcased at work or shared with family. “Don’t Forget the Half” was conceived when I began to recognize gifts I’d neglected for so long and finally accepted as part of who I am. Fortunately I came across daily/weekly “challenges” after joining the WordPress community. They prompted me to not only write more frequently but also step outside my comfort zone to explore different writing forms. Turns out I like poetry a lot!

As is life, my priorities were suddenly shifted shortly after starting my blog. Finding time to write became the daily challenge, causing me to walk away from my blog for several years. I missed that connection and time with myself and hoped to return some day.

I’ve had an on again/off again relationship with my blog over the years. It was a slow take off that’s finally begun to cruise along, as a means to escape the anguish of isolation. During this time, I chose to concentrate on inspiration rather than putting weight on feedback. So much of it was spam I had to periodically purge anyway, which was extremely annoying. Plus, blogging to gain “follows” and “likes” has never been my focus, though it definitely feels great to have other talented bloggers show appreciation for my writing. When this badge popped up in notifications the other day it took me by surprise. It’s a milestone most of you probably reached shortly after starting your blog but it’s been six years in the making for me. At first I thought “uhh…ok” but then I became amazed by the fact there was enough attention given my writing to garner 1000 clicks. Wow! Hopefully, prompts of any kind will continue to galvanize me into creating refreshing content.

A big “THANK YOU!” to everyone who has viewed, liked, or commented on my blog posts or been inspired to create their own. Thank you fellow bloggers for contributing content I have learned from, amused in or been inspired by. Special thanks to those of you who host challenging prompts, helping me to enrich my blog and my life in one way or another.

2020 has been trash!

Best wishes to you for a HAPPY NEW YEAR! As we turn the page of another chapter, marking the end and beginning, let’s all resolve to cook up more creative content as we dip into 2021.

---

©️2020 CSNelson, Don’t Forget the Half

Three Things Challenge#463 (cook, hall, recognize) and #464 (gain, dip, purge); Go Dog Go Café Tuesday Writing Prompt (“the end and beginning “); WOTD (wishes & turn); MMA Words of the Day (returns & 2020); Your Daily Word Prompt (resolution); FOWC (galvanize); RDP Thursday (understated elegance); Daily Spur (stranger);