Ten Thousand & Counting

Gentle visitors, we are positively giddy with the news....  Today, our humble journal entertained its 10,000th  visitor.   

True, a yawner, a non-event to our behemothic blog brethren.  And, yet, who would not settle for a day's worth of Bill Gates annual earnings.  (For that matter, even an hour's worth.   Dare we say, even a nanosecond's worth -- but, there you are, the nanosecond has long since passed, and we're nary a dollar richer.)  Yea, even the scraps that fall off the master's table we are glad for. 

But, you protest, what if we deducted from the alleged 10,000 the many visits of 1) those humble Contributors themselves (for who can be a guest in his own home?), 2) those who are simply lost, such as those travelers who "visit" a burg solely by virtue of a wrong turn, 3) family, who begrudgingly come as a matter of duty, as one once consumed castor oil, 4) those non compos mentis, 5) those who suffer from a kind of obsessive/compulsive self-destruction,  and 6) those whom we have paid to visit and, having done so, demanded far more money to return. 

Well, that would reduce our true numbers by 93%... conservatively estimating.  But, what of it?  These folks are all welcome hereunder.  In fact, they must come.  Where else in the world (excepting China) would these lost, confused, and unfortunately-related seekers turn in their search for ultimate meaning and a brief history of tether-ball?  Only in these pages. 

Ten years hence, when most of you have found your way, gotten gainful employment, received treatment, or disowned/divorced us, we expect to be on the edge of our seats before the very same cathode ray tube -- by then, cloudy, flickering, and long since antiquated -- waiting for the counter to flip to 11,o00 -- yes! 11,000 visitors.   

What renewed joy there will be.

Comments

[Ned]

You know, I would give you hints and strategies for increasing traffic, but you are so much better than I am, my natural selfishness nearly holds me back. I say nearly, because what really keeps me from encouraging you to seek traffic is that every new visitor who reads and then leaves without commenting adds not just to the hit counter, but to the overall feeling of futility that stalks the blogger.

Still, I can't help thinking you could build a devoted readership. Not a large one, mind you, because there aren't enough intelligent people on the internet and there are dwindling numbers of those who can even read. But a handful of readers who appreciate good writing is better than a world of those satisfied with the latest news on Britney Spears.

I would personally recommend your site to others but my unpopularity would yield unfavorable results. Perhaps it is better you stay as you are: good, honest, pure. The seeking of traffic destroys the pure soul.

[Gone Away]

Ah, a thoughtful comment from one who sailed past 10,000 visitors long ago. She's right, you know - there is nothing that brings comments like comments sent abroad. Cast your bread upon the waters, dear sirs!