One year in the making…that’s how long this post has taken me. Exactly one year ago I started this blog with my first post, Beginning, embarking on this quest. Since then I’ve written 95 posts on a variety of topics. In response to those posts, Opinionbypen.com has had over 6500 page views and over 10,000 attempts to hack in. I find it disturbing that I’ve had more hack attempts than readers but it’s all part of the experience.

During this year I’ve finished four Udacity courses and I’m working on number five now. Thanks to Udacity I have the basics of programming in Python, writing web applications, statistics, and apparently even have a better grasp of cryptography than the web administrator at LinkedIn.  Now I’m taking the Interactive 3D Graphics course and already wondering how to use what I learn on my website.

I’ve tried three different layouts for my website and I learned enough from Udacity to modify my current theme into a unique theme that I really like. We both know I’ll change it again though.

I started using Poser as a means of illustration and discovered a new hobby. I even added a Poser gallery of the pictures I’ve created. I realize that I’m just beginning to scratch the surface of Poser capabilities but I learn more every day.

I endured a bout with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome and can’t even begin to say how sorry I feel for anyone that finds my website looking for information about Ramsey Hunt.

I’ve realized that no matter how dysfunctional Congress is, I can’t dismiss them as incompetent and march on. We all need to remember that Politics, no matter how dirty it sounds, needs close scrutiny and involvement.

I’ve learned how important SEO is to a starting website and I’m starting to understand the nuances of SEO. I’ve also learned that SEO by itself does not always bring success.

Since I mentioned SEO, I should add that the SEO score for this post is very low. I’m not trying to encourage new readers to find this post. This post is about thanking everyone who has helped and encouraged me along the way.

Those of you subscribed to my blog know who are and I want to tell each of you thank you. From giving me encouragement, acting as proofreaders and editors, having to endure seven different versions of the same picture, caring enough about my blog to tell me what it was missing and what was good about it, all of you have helped me continue this quest.

I really did try

I’d like to tell every one of you that there’s a brand new Jaguar waiting for you. I’d like to but don’t bother looking, despite my best statistical efforts my lottery ticket did not win. Instead I have to give you some lame excuse about working on improving my writing and my artwork to entertain you and encourage you to consider life from some very common and sometimes very obscure aspects.

As I start down my second year with this blog, I can only hope that you enjoy the content as much as I appreciate all the help and encouragement. I don’t know where my writing will take us this year but thank you for taking the journey with me.

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