by Throw Back Thursday, January Review, Best of, Top 5; whatever this list’s title, I’ve looked back at 2018 to see which of my blogs readers enjoyed most.
Runners treasure a PR (personal record) and I do love a stat, so reviewing is always a fun reveal. There are always surprises. Writing, you see, is a lot like cooking; though all the ingredients may be correctly measured and mixed, there’s no guarantee anyone’s going to love the prepared dish. Or come back for more.
You do your best and wait, anxiously, to gauge reactions.
Like spaghetti thrown against a wall, blog stats serve up what sticks. In case you missed one or want more than these comments, click on each title to read the original. And, surprise–not a single book-related post in the bunch!
#5 “Weight Gain and Self Shaming Go Hand in Hand”
Ooooh, I cringed a bit when I saw this made the list. Not because I don’t care for the piece; it’s an honest, if painful, look at how weight, physical ability, and that evil voice in my head can make life suck sometimes.
No, I cringed because, by the end of 2018, I’d begun to climb out of that pit of fatigue. And after three years, progress feels great. [Note to self: write that positive health update soon.]
#4 “What Happens When You Say ‘Yes’ to Travel”
Would you believe I wrote this one just so I could create a cool infographic? (Yes, you are absolutely going to have to click on the title to see that!) Again, me and stats–I reviewed trips taken and curated a lengthy list. What a banner year for travel adventure!
That skull? Street art on a wall in Barcelona near Las Ramblas.
#3 “A Backdoor Look at Being on a Homes Tour”
Was it my inability to resist an educational moment or how nice the house looked after all the prep work? Whatever the reason, I answered common questions about what it’s like to welcome strangers in as part of the 2018 Preservation Austin annual homes tour.
#2 “The Flower Cap Cult”
I love this piece, which describes a morning workout.
Year ’round, you’ll find us at Austin’s Barton Springs pool; look for those retro swim caps. Ostensibly, we’re there to aqua jog, but that exercise might just be slightly secondary to a glorious sunrise enjoyed with friends. Did I mention we laugh a lot?
#1 “Oprah, We Need to See a Better NFL”
Who would’ve thought my most-read piece of 2018 would be about football?
Originally, I intended to post this on Open Letter but, at the last minute, I decided to publish here. I struggled so long and made so many rewrites that I almost didn’t put it up at all.
Writing about strong emotions is intensely personal and lays an author open to all kinds of criticism, which is a fearful thing. But I firmly believe race and inequality are two extremely important issues all Americans should be discussing, especially with people outside our usual circles. So I took a deep breath and published.
Thank you for reading. And I’m still asking, Oprah: Would you buy that NFL team already?
More to Read
2017’s most popular post was ALSO about football (kind of)!
“Does Cam Newton Have a Mama?”
Most-read blog post to date? That’s easy:
“What Trail Runners Should Know About Trekking Poles”
