Well, well, well! Check out the milestone eight years in the making – my 100th post!

I try to avoid doing the math anymore for stuff like my birthdays – but this is a number I’m happy to celebrate! Hard to believe it was so long ago that I decided to give the blogging thing a shot. And it’s been a delight to discover that writing about travel (and a few other things) is an incredible journey of its own!

I don’t check my stats too often – maybe because I’ve always been confused and intimidated by numbers. Just the word “stats” drags me all perspiring and pale back to the Statistics class I struggled through in college (“I’m an English major, why are you doing this to me..?”). I barely passed – but let’s see what I can make of some of these numbers:

106 

106 is the total number of my posts – and um, yeah, it only took me the eight years to get there! (Kinda gives me hope that my apartment could be neat by the time I’m 90!) I have to mention that nine posts were only what I call “tidbits” – just pictures of coming attractions, often with a sheepish excuse for not having managed a complete post. And I do realize an average of one post per month is a less-than-blistering pace – but, you know, I try to stay realistic with my goals. (Speaking of – let’s go with 95ish on the neat apartment thing…)

1200

What’s a “complete post”? No idea whether it’s a good aim or not, but most posts come in at about 1200 words. That seems to be the right amount for me to wander around a topic a while before arriving at something like a point. In a social media world where 280 characters or less, or images with no words at all are what’s cool, or what’s hot – or what’s fire? – I can’t help sticking with my formula. This writing sensibility also may have its roots in my college days when I’d stretch one feeble theory about a classic novel into a whole essay by using more words than I needed within bigger margins than anyone ever needs. The formula may not be fire, but it is tried and true!

Well you know, in any case – it’s tried.

61,900

The number of views of all my posts! Even figuring that half of these hits are attributable to me or Mum, I still think it’s a pretty good figure!

77

That’s the number of posts with a “Travel” tag attached! My now lengthy list of tags might be pretty much what it’s like inside my mind – cluttered, not necessarily accurate, and definitely random! While I might have done a better job creating a brand by just sticking to blogs about my travels, afraid I do like to wander around other topics sometimes – and that’s the upside (good or bad) of being my own editor!

26

The number of posts that mention ice hockey! I know I won’t sell everybody on the sport – but I just can’t help trying (and, again, my editor lets me do it!). My own recreational career ended a few years ago – but memories of playing all around North America, and of the teammates who became lasting friends, remain some of my sweetest!

Stories about my passion for hockey may not pad the stats – but guess what?

657

Turns out my post with the most views ever is “The Nova Scotia Dreamin’ Bit” (https://tesserology.com/2014/02/28/the-nova-scotia-dreamin-bit/) where I wander around Nova Scotia with the eventual aim of sharing the most exciting and extraordinary hockey experience I ever had! Now it’s true that 657 readers could have been checking out my thoughts on cities like historic Halifax and picturesque Peggy’s Cove. But I expect the record number of reads is due to the good citizens of Cape Breton Island who stopped by to see what I had to say about the recreational hockey tournament they host. Their Vince Ryan tourney was an amazing experience for me – one in which so many on that charming island played a generous and inspiring part!

Whatever the case may be, I’m taking a win for this post as a win for the best game you can name!

5

This would be the number of times the Olympics have figured into my posts! The Olympic Games are another sporting event that’s special to me – and as I’m writing, there still seems to be question as to whether the Summer Games that were meant to take place in Tokyo last year will happen this summer or be sidelined yet again.

One of my earliest blogging efforts – “The ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ Bit” (https://tesserology.com/2014/01/31/the-citius-altius-fortius-bit/) – is still one of my favorites as it covers a cherished “Little Olympic” memory from my childhood. As always, whatever hurdles are placed in the path of the grand Olympic tradition, I hope and trust that the Games will continue.

4

This is the number of times I’ve devoted a post to galaxies other than my own (Star Trek – 3; Star Wars – 1)! If it’s true that numbers don’t lie, I think the modesty of this stat speaks more about my efforts to keep mostly to travel topics than of my abiding affection for these franchises – especially during a year in which traveling some distance from reality now and then has felt downright vital…

And I’ve had great fun (too much fun…) discovering just this year that retreating to these other worlds for solace doesn’t have to mean solitude! With all the tweeting, posting and podcasting about current and classic entries to the Star Trek and Star Wars canons, I’ve been enjoying the fact that it’s anything but silent in space!

56

Probably my favorite stats cover the number of comments! Like the most comments to one post is 56 – on “The Fluid State of Grace Bit” (https://tesserology.com/2016/03/31/the-fluid-state-of-grace-bit/) which covers my travels around Alberta, Canada.

That figure does include my responses which make up about half. I figure a good indication of the number of reader comments overall is the fact that I’ve commented/responded 469 times – which means people have contributed their thoughts on over 400 occasions!

In my very first post, I declared my aim was to “share some moments from my life” – recollections of travels and experiences, and of the people who were beside me along the way. Those comment stats reveal a side of sharing I didn’t dare hope for – and that’s to be shared with in return! I absolutely love it when reading one of my posts stirs up a memory that a reader is moved to share!

Beyond Measure

That would be my appreciation of those who are so kindly taking this journey with me! Some are dear friends from days of old, others good friends from more recent times – and some I haven’t met but I feel they’ve come to be friends through sharing their opinions and experiences with me. I’m most grateful to all!

Oops! Coming up on 1200 words. That’s my cue to fly – and to wish you well!