...my blog's identity crisis

...I started adding categories to my posts last week as a way to keep myself more organized.

And I realized I've been blogging since 2005. I have written 1,099 posts (this will be my 1,100th post) and received 10,468 comments. Here's my first post. Pretty thought-provoking, right? Sad thing is that none of the people I linked to in that initial post even blog any more.

So why do I?

I've said often that I have an awful memory. Which I recently found out could be linked to my thyroid disorder. I've learned I can blame almost everything on my thyroid disorder, including hair loss, cold feet, rainy days, the world economy, and my scatter brain.

Back to my awful memory. This blog has very much become my memory keeper. And I love it because of that. But I have no niche. My family reads, and so do some of my oldest friends. But why do you come here?

I am not a mommy blogger, I don't think.

I am not a decorating or home improvement blogger, I don't think.

I am definitely not a lifestyle blogger.

I am not a scrapbooking blogger, I don't think.

I go weeks without having anything to say and then have days where I could write five posts.

I don't have advertising on my sidebars because no one has ever asked me to advertise there. Why would they?

I've never been up for a blogging award, although maybe if I keep at it someday I'll win award for oldest blog EVER. Now there's something to engrave on your tombstone. Laura Kurz. Wife. Mother. Daughter. Oldest blog in existence.

I try to keep things light, but I worry every day about my mom's cancer, my son's talking, my daughter's torticolis. I miss my dog, my grandfather, my job, my furniture. This morning I put a stamp on an envelope upside down and backwards. Figure that one out.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sticking with me.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

p.s. but whoa nelly, you are WAY more prolific. I haven't even reached 900 posts yet!

[Melissa]

Why do I come here? Oh Laura! You are a breath of fresh air in my otherwise dull and boring days. Yours is the #2 blog I check every day. The only reason you aren't first is because I check my sister-in-law's blog first. I don't remember exactly how I got here, but I think I got here from Stephanie Howell's blog. I initially came for the scrapbooking. I admire your clean, minimalist style. But I stayed because I love your sense of style in life! I love the way you decorate. I love your taste. I love the places you shop!! I love going on the journey of your new house with you, from the spot in the woods to exactly what kind of kitchen you want. I love the way you are documenting that journey. I stayed because of your love of Charmer. I adore dogs. Adore them. I'm a beagle fan myself, but I truly love dogs and we can't have one in our home, so I lived vicariously through you and Charmer for a while. I was so sad when she passed and I still enjoy looking back through the best of Charmer. I loved your 365 to 30 journey. I thought it was a brilliant idea (I'd never seen anything like that before I found your journey) and I found it simply amazing! I love that you used to skate, because I always dreamed of being a professional skater. I loved that you had met Nancy and Tonya and Michelle and Tara (I think that's right ... I think I remembered you meeting them all). I loved it when Charlie arrived. I loved watching you fall in love with that little man. I loved it when you found out Clara was on the way. I love that you are just you. You tell life stories. In a way that I've tried to tell them in my own blog, but don't find even half as interesting as your stories! I love reading your stories and I love that you allow us to go along for the ride in this thing called life. I love that you always seem to have something positive to say. I love that you are funny. I love that you love celebrity sightings (and I secretly know that if we were friends in real life, I wouldn't have any problem being in your company and embarrassing myself to get an autograph). And I love that you were a Navy Wife. And so you understand what goes with that. Sorry to gush. I sound like a stalker. You simply present yourself as the kind of person I would be honored to know in "real life" instead of just on my computer. Thanks for just being you!

[Kara A. Forrest]

I read because I fell in love with the stories about your golden retriever, Charmer. Through your beloved dog I fell into your life, words, memories. I started my own blog because of you:) Thanks for sharing, especially Charmer>)

[lauren]

i came to your blog the first time b/c i just loved your scrapbooking style [still do] and i've continued to enjoy your life stories. i like that you keep things light [for the most part - although, i do enjoy the deep every now and then!]. you remind me of a good friend - kindhearted, sweet and just tying to do the right thing in this crazy world. :) thanks for posting!
*

[Barb]

It doesn't matter to me what kind of a blogger you are. I like it.

[melanie]

All those things you mentioned are life - good & bad. Laughing & worrying, remembering & forgetting. And you are living it! And sharing, which we obviously like :)
Plus, I happen to know you are very nice.(and have impeccable taste, your mom is cool, and your kids are adorable.) Shall I go on?

[Melissa]

Like many of the others, I read your blog because you just seem like a friend. I originally came over from your mom's blog - and stayed because I like your writing, your photographs, your sense of style, your scrapbooking. Yours is one of my favorite blogs, and I mean that sincerely. (I subscribe to well over 1,000 and only scan Google Reader daily - yours is one that I read frequently, if not daily.)

And yeah. Right there with you on the thyroid issue, too.

[Brooke]

I've been writing a bunch of posts celebrating my blog's upcoming 5th birthday and a part of that process has been assessing why I blog. My answer is that I blog for myself, mostly to try to keep my sanity but also to memory keep for my family. The fact is without my blog we wouldn't have any record of anything! This morning I actually had to tell myself "Brooke the milk does not go in the pantry!"

When I was typing up a post the other day I was actually thinking about your blog. I'm feeling like an old granny in a high tech world and I wondered your opinion on a few things. I started blogging to record things and now I'm finding I'm having to deal with people taking my photos, privacy, backlink spam, etc., etc.

Just so you know, I love that you don't have advertising. I read because you are a fabulous writer. I used to think that every post needed a picture, but when you have words like yours you don't need them at all. We all have blogs we read that fall into different categories but there are two I read (yours is one of them) where I just love the family.

My tombstone "longest blog comment ever"! Sorry.

[Susan]

I found you through your Mom - and I can't remember how I found her in the first place! Maybe I have a thyroid problem? More likely just middle-age brain. I read you for many of the reasons stated above (I like the way you scrapbook, your outlook on life, sweet children) but ultimately you're just a great writer. Thanks for blogging!

Lately I've been fascinated by your new little house in the woods and how quickly things are progressing :-)

[laurielariviere]

I stop by because you are so funny!! You really are a good writer, and that I admire because I stink at it! I also have an underactive thyroid, some days it gets to me, I look in the mirror and get aggravated at how much hair I have lost or how my metabolism is so darn slow I can't even eat a mini reeses pb cup without it landing on my hips...you have a lot going on right now, and it's great that you document it on your blog...your mom's blog is great I visit it weekly and pray for her...my son didn't say more than a few words until he turned 3, then within two months he was talking like the rest of us...so if that's what your talking about regarding Charlie's talking, he's probably holding it all in until he's ready to let it out...hope Clara feels better soon, thanks for blogging, I look forward to it... :)

[K.]

You made me cry today. Your first post brought back so many memories, we were such an awesome team and your words just encapsulated the "thing" we had. That's why I still read your blog (and hope you'll continue). Because you are so good at connecting with your readers, with your words and photos. I'm here everyday. :)

[mary ann allen]

Your blog is your life..very important to you and very important to others who share your values! Your blog is in my favorites folder and I visit it about three times a week!!! Love your youthful ideas!!! I never had a daughter and enjoy your perspective on life. Thanks so much for sharing yourself with me.

[Beatriz Peñas]

Hi Laura, I read it, I like how you write, your sense of humor, I love your scrapbook layouts (you're very original and elegant), please do not ever stop writing in your blog, then I have a 3 year old and a 9 month old daughter, do you sound?, you are fantastic and just so you know, I read every week from Madrid, Spain, nothing, just around the corner!

Besoss thousand.

Beatriz Peñas

[MOM]

I love everything about your blog, and would feel the same even if I were not your mother!

I dislike ads on blogs and never look at them, let alone click on them. They make something very personal seem commercial, and are a visual distraction.

L,M

[TaraMcK]

you have a gift with words, with photos, and with scrap pages... thank you for sharing you everyday life. Your blog is the first and last I check each day.

[Linda J]

Your scrapbook pages brought me to your blog - several years ago. Now (although I still love your layouts and style) your sense of humor, and writing style draw me in. Seeing your beautiful children also gives me a happy heart. I am a grandma with 5 grandchildren - who all live out-of-state, so I take a baby fix where ever I can. Congratulations on your 1,100th post. Thanks for letting us in, and keeping it real.

[Jenn A.]

I don't care if your blog fits into a nice, neat box Laura! I love reading it because it's not all happy and shiney all the time-it's the real deal. And you have a great writing voice, too.

[Joyce]

I started reading your blog because I love your layouts. I continue to read because I love your sense of humor and you write about real life. Somehow I just relate to that! Thanks for continuing to share and write!

[Kim Goodall]

Hi Laura,

I have been reading your blog for sometime years... but never commented... I generally don't comment at all on blogs (although I am always reading them) I live in Australia, I am sometimes a scrapbooker (not often enough), a stay at home Mum of three children, I am studying design, I love looking at homes (you've got me hooked on Pinterest). Even though I initially found you through scrapbooking (I love each and every page) your blog is about so much more than that... and I keep coming back for more. Please keep up the great work, I just love it!

[Meghan Dymock]

Well I read this blog because you are honest about mamahood and always have loved your scrapbooking sitch and the Etsy picks are always ass kicking. Keep going!

[Amy B]

I read because I have a daughter a little younger then Charlie and I used to live in MD...love hearing about what's going on there from time to time. And when I started reading originally, I thought of this as a scrapbooking blog...you're under Scrap Blogs on my bookmark list! :)