Grab a cuppa and snuggle into a rocker. We are celebrating with a special (short) post tonight.
Over the last (almost) two years, a lot of things have happened around The M3 Blog. Identity crisis lead to the name you now know. Hosting issues lead to lost luggage. Hundreds of thousands of words have been exchanged. A cranky, observant orangutan took up residence.
Tonight, you are reading the 1,000th post.
Months ago, I tried to come up with what I wanted to share for my thousandth post. One giant goose egg. That is precisely what occurred to me to write for tonight. At the witching hour, I decided to share this.
Change
The only thing constant in life is change. In the last two years I have been through more change than I thought was healthy or feasible. The facts have bared I was prepared for it all, regardless of how putridly ill I believed the preparations. As luck would have it, there are more changes rocketing in my direction.
Some will be easy. Fresh paint in my home. New furniture. Reclamation of unused space.
Some will be less easy. More therapists. More interaction with the TCH. Less dedicated space.
Some will be difficult. Massive shuffling of what passes for a personal life. Redistributing business. More years in the TCH.
In the face of all that is to change, I considered letting M3 close with this post. It required more thought than I initially anticipated, specifically, more than one minute.
Scales
As is my way, I numbered the possibilities, calculated the probability and zeroed in on the top three most likely scenarios’ outcomes. In the end, I am still not sure who won.
See, we have been on a long road of discovery, disgust and distinction. The middle one may not be a first choice, yet it still yields poignant discussions and camaraderie. With every step, at least one scale fell away. Some were from eyes. Some were wounded armor. Some were abraded flesh dropped away in favor of new skin.
The operand in the foregoing paragraph is “we”. I had a lot of discovery along the way. A few of those discoveries have altered the path my life will take. I used a different set of scales and weighed what I knew against what I learned. It is an exercise I suggest for everyone.
Gratitude
I want to sincerely thank you for you support and feedback. You have made a difference in my life, each and every one of you.
Surprise
While this post has an eerie feel of a blog closing, it is an illusion. There is more to come. More discovery. More disgust. With your help, more distinction.
The last post has spawned a series which include more than merely my take on the subject. I welcome any author who wants to pen a post on the subject to hop into the SIB via Ask Momma (if by some lightning strike you do not already have my email address).
You are the best!
Thank you again for all of your help and support. You truly are the reason The M3 Blog now has 1,000 posts. You are welcome to grab a badge. xxx
Thank you!
Tess Kann
/ October 19, 2013My, oh my. Post one thousand. Unbelievable. Tons of insight, a mountain of advice and a truckload of spice. What can I say? So far it’s been a s-l-i-c-e. Thanks for the grand tour, Red.
😀
Tess Kann recently posted..Flash in the Pan – Mind
Red
/ November 20, 2013Thank you for coming along for the ride, Tess. It has been a whirlwind. I have so enjoyed meeting you and other bloggers and readers from around the globe. Here is to the next thousand. xxx
Phil
/ October 20, 2013Red,
I’ve been absent from the blogging world for a real long time. Personal circumstances forced me to cull time away from blogging in general – it was too much of a time sink for me. But through it all, I’ve always peeked in at your posts, and the nightly e-mail that arrives tends to make me smile that all is normal in this online world. I congratulate you on your 1,000th post, and I truly look forward to the 2,000th soon to appear.
Hope all is well in your world – I need to catch up on a few of the acronyms used, so I didn’t totally understand the nuances of what is going on in your life.
Phil
Phil recently posted..Hunter’s Moon
Red
/ November 20, 2013Glad to see you, Phil. I know you have been swamped. It is nice to know you have been lurking. Perhaps, I should put out an acronym cheat sheet. TCH is “Third Circle of Hell“. SIB is the stupidest inbox in the blogosphere, compliments of the Friday Follies days.
Bright blessings to you and yours.
Valentine Logar
/ October 20, 2013Who the hell writes this much and remains relevant and intellectually challenging?
Kidding.
Of course you cannot close, what would any of us do without you?
Not kidding.
This milestone simply proves there is more to say and more to do.
I love you.
Valentine Logar recently posted..Winter Flash – Loco
Red
/ November 20, 2013I love you, too. Even in my tardiness in this response, I have posts coalescing in my head. So much more to explore. xxx
Gail Thornton
/ October 20, 2013In April, it will be the one year anniversary of my visits to your blog and the beginning of an overwhelmingly fulfilling friendship. In one year through your posts, you have prodded me to delve deep into myself for strength and fortitude. I have found it. In one year you have challenged me intellectually in a way that doesn’t exist in the blogosphere, with humanity and a deep sense of humility on your part. I have stretched in ways I didn’t even know existed or were possible. I have been surprised, and laughed when laughter was extremely hard for me. I have spent week thinking after you posted on a particular subject, notwithstanding the length or intent of the post. You have fed my brain, my heart, my soul.
All this said, I understand why you came to a decision point for the future of M3. I do not know what TCH is. But it it must mean something which challenges your ability to juggle all that you have in your personal and business life.
If you can tolerate gaps in your postings, and limited resources, I can.
And I congratulate you on your 1,000th post.
Happy Annniversary!
Much Love,
Gailxxx
Gail Thornton recently posted..Flash Fiction – Right
Red
/ November 20, 2013I am blushing. I love you, too. xxx
Gail Thornton
/ October 20, 2013I just figured it out. The Third Circle of Hell.
It’s regrettable and a sobering thought for me.
xxx
Gail Thornton recently posted..Flash Fiction – Right
Red
/ November 20, 2013Mayhap, the changes coalescing on the horizon will be the respite I need. xxx
Candy
/ October 20, 2013Wow.
1,000.
That is pretty powerful. I think I’ve been with you from the early days and I can say that every word you have written has changed – impacted me – in some way. You were my only recovery in early days and have been my support system ever since.
I am glad you aren’t leaving. I would miss this place.
BUT – I also know you can’t hide away too long before we come and find you.
Thank you for being amazing and a healer.
Love you <3
Candy recently posted..Flash Fiction: Loco
Red
/ November 20, 2013I love you, too. You always know where to find me, even when I am not here <3 xxx
Gray Dawster
/ October 20, 2013CLOSE M3? I THINK NOT MA LADY…
This place has always made sense to me, it is a welcoming atmosphere filled with interesting and varied postings, and we even get to view and comment on your awesome Fractals 🙂
Now who could want more than that? Talking of Fractals I need to call in and see your latest gems, and I will do that as soon as I post this comment 🙂
Have a lovely rest of weekend and thank you for always adding such exciting posts to your M3 Space, without it we would definitely be missing out big time.
Andro xxxx
Red
/ November 20, 2013I have a nagging suspicion, even if I did try to shut it all down, it would not work. I think you and the Wombies would picket. xxx
Gray Dawster
/ November 22, 2013We definitely would and you know what Winky and Fraz are like once anyone mentions a protest 🙂
I have so enjoyed calling in this morning and replying to your replies, In my opinion this is one of the best things about blogging and having such wonderful friends. The adding of posts is one thing and getting comments another, but actually getting involved with each other on the pages is something truly wicked 🙂 I think so anyway 😉
Have a very nice Friday Red
and be good, just like me 🙂 😉
Andro xxxx
Red
/ November 24, 2013It has been my favorite part of blogging in its current incarnation. When I wrote columns in the Stone Age, I missed the interaction with my readers.
Lizzie Cracked
/ October 20, 20131000! Wow..I never understood the significance of that when I srarted blogging. Im glad to have been part of it. There are tikes I have thought of not continuing RNWS but it has brought me more good and the most amazing people.. 🙂 sometimes rearranging the furniture and a paint job.
Looking forwardto being a part of the next chapter. Much,love.,
<3Lizzie
Lizzie Cracked recently posted..The Time has Come the Walrus Said…
Red
/ November 20, 2013I am so glad you have been here, too. We have the new paint job. The furniture is comfy, and the rockers are all padded. Time to change the lighting just a bit, and we are off for another thousand. Much love xxx
C. Brown
/ October 20, 2013That’s alotta words Red. I would miss you terribly if you ended here because your words make me contemplate (and use the dictionary). With the changes in my own life I haven’t been able to comment on near as many posts, but I’m always glad to see you pop up in my email. Here’s to another 1000 posts! 🙂
C. Brown recently posted..I Gots Friends
Red
/ November 20, 2013Colleen, I am glad for every time you are here. I have found more than a few seeds for posts at your place, and suspect that is not something which will be changing any time soon. Much love xxx
Binky
/ October 20, 20131000 posts is quite an accomplishment. It’d take me 10 years to reach that many at my current schedule.
If you tried to close M3, we would revolt!
Binky recently posted..Five Second Rule
Red
/ November 20, 2013LOL! I told Andro the Wombies would picket with him if I did. *giggles* I think you have more than 1,000 posts in you, Peter.