Sunday, August 10, 2008

C. Orthodoxy is One Year Old

I began this blog one year ago, mainly so I could write on the more theologically-oriented topics that would have been out of place at Signs of the Times (where I got my start). For the first six months I didn’t post much, but I made a few new friends and eventually got drawn into more regular blogging. Though I’ve at times wondered whether all the time I spend writing (and worrying about) this blog are really worth it, what always draws me back are the conversations. Blogging has introduced me to many wonderful people, Christian and non-Christian alike, who have widened my perspectives, stimulated my thinking and improved my writing in countless ways. So to all of you who have taken the time to discuss and debate with me, thank you!

In the past year, I've published 230 posts, the most popular of which (by pageviews) have been:

1. Self-Interest and Sacrifice in The Dark Knight
2. Inclusivism Bloggersation
3. Reactions to PZ Myers and the Catholic League
4. PZ Myers Follows Through on His Threat to Desecrate the Eucharist
5. Knocked Up and Juno, “Pro-Life” or “Pro-Family”?
6. Prince Caspian Review
7. Holy Week without Jesus’ Death and Resurrection?
8. Hope and Sacrifice in The Shawshank Redemption
9. Why I Am a Christian
10. Welcome to C. Orthodoxy

For a few of my own favorite posts (some of which have received less attention), see the "Featured" section of the sidebar.

In its first year, C. Orthodoxy was visited 6,671 times, with 11,543 pageviews, nearly all of them in the last six months (as recently as December, there were only 60 visits and 78 pageviews for the whole month, less than this past month’s daily average of 63 visits and 111 pageviews). I have to admit that I tend to obsess about these numbers, small though they are. I think it’s my way of compensating for the computer games I gave up when I started my thesis. Cut off from my World of Warcraft fix, pageviews and technorati rank have replaced hit points and levels for this chronic gamer. Yes, I am a geek!

Anyway, here are a few other figures, in case anyone but me is interested (doubtful, I know, but I only do this once a year, right?):

3,839 people have visited from 1,802 cities, 80 countries and every continent except Antarctica (and Greenland, or does that count as a continent?). I’ll have to work on the half-frozen scientist demographic for next year!

C. Orthodoxy has been linked nearly 200 times, by more than 50 blogs (technorati is a bit inconsistent, so I don’t have exact figures).

It is a “multicellular microorganism” in the TTLB ecosystem, and has a reach of 0.00005% according to Alexa (I’m so proud).

It is worth $24,275.22 (and if you believe that, I’ve got some fizzing wizbees to sell you).

But the best figure of all is one I don’t know: the number of stimulating conversations I’ve enjoyed with all of you! Thanks to everyone who made the last year of blogging worthwhile, and here’s hoping for many more!

4 comments:

Super Churchlady said...

Congrats on the One Year Anniversary!! Keep posting like crazy. I very much enjoy your writing.

majorsteve said...

Ken, thanks for this blog. It is absolutely one of my favorites. I've never before been able to theorize and discuss that which lurks deep inside my mind with anyone who is not either a militant atheist or a judgemental Christian looking at me as if I were already on fire. For years and years I've struggled with certain aspects of my early religious indoctrination, all the while thinking "something is very very wrong with this picture". I still don't have all of the answers, or perhaps any of them, but I know in my heart that it is not a sin to question, to theorize, to doubt, to challenge, to search or to simply say "I Don't Know". I appreciate your prolific posting, your exceptional writing and appreciable intellect.

Ken Brown said...

Thanks so much SCL and majorsteve, for your kind words! We're all heretics together I guess! ;)

majorsteve said...

Ok maybe it is a sin to question, I don't know ;)
I'll ask Bill Maher.