March Madness (of a different sort)

Happy Birthday, Margene!!!

Heheheh, there's a little hand-eye coordination test this morning...  Click on over with birthday wishes for Margene!!

A week from today, the First Day of Spring, marks three years of "knitorious" blogging.  Technically, it was March 20th, but the "First Day of Spring" sticks in my mind.  I am truly amazed at all that blogging has brought to my life.  I never imagined that I'd meet so many people from all over the globe.  I never imagined that they'd utterly astound me with their compassion and support during crisis.  I never imagined that I'd have the opportunity to meet so many of them in person.  I did suspect that my knitting would show improvement, but never imagined it would be so much or so quickly.  I never imagined that blogging would be so good for my health.

Yes, you read that right, I'm living proof, and I do declare it:  Blogging can be good for your health!!

If it wasn't for blogging, my sister and I wouldn't be celebrating TWO YEARS as EX-SMOKERS with Ann -- because of Ann -- this weekend.  I hadn't laid eyes on Ann, or even spoken with her on the phone two years ago, when I read her fateful post, where there's smoke...  Chords were struck and I practically joined up on-the-spot!  We have so many other things in common, it turns out, that she's become a good friend, too -- and we hardly ever talk about smoking.

If it wasn't for blogging, I'd never have met Cara, either.  She was so generous and supportive of the quit.  She rocked my socks (before we knew the yarn), sending me a wonderful box of goodies -- stir straws, sunflower seeds, Dum-Dums and gum.  She sent me so much, in fact, that I shared the wealth and sent a little on to Ann, rocking her socks, too.  At the time, Cara and Ann had never met -- I don't think either was even much aware of the other's blogging -- and I do rather look at the wonder that is them (and you must agree that, together, they are truly a Wonder) as something I helped to promote, nurture, foster, create.  I like to think of myself as their Fairy Blogmother (as opposed to Frankenstein).

To commemorate the not smoking, I have finally categorized all of the posts having to do with quitting smoking -- the why and how, the cravings, the suffering, what helped, what didn't, the triumphs, a running tally of how many cigarettes I have not smoked and how much money I've saved -- all that into Smokin' (or NOT).  I've been meaning to do that for a year.  Maybe it'll help some folks to commiserate, get through it, know that they're not alone.  I hope so.

Anyway, with two milestone anniversaries, not to mention my brother's birthday (and last year's sort of re-birthday) on St. Patrick's Day, March seems like a good time for a contest.  YAY, presents!

Here's how:  Yesterday's post was my 910th and the comments, as of this writing, number 7940.  What will the numbers be when I sit down to post on the First Day of Spring?  You may enter by comments or email.  If I post everyday between now and then, it will be the 918th post -- and I could, but is it likely?  I rarely post more than once a day -- I could, and I have, but is it likely?  My comments aren't generally in the stratosphere, but when there's a contest involved, anything can happen... Your guesses are as good as mine.  The winner will be drawn at random from all entries with the correct numbers; in the event no one gets both numbers, then it shall be from among the closest(s).  The prize, at the very least, will be Cables Untangled.

Comments

[Chris]

917 posts and 8117 comments. :) Congrats on all fronts!

[Norma]

917 posts, and you'll break 10,000 comments.

[margene]

That's the best birthday wish ever;-)
Congrats on 3 years, on NOT smokin' and for creating the dynamic duo of Janice and Marge...or is it Marge and Janice?

[Ruth]

Congratulations on both fronts!!

919 posts and 9983 comments.

[Carole]

I'm going to guess 919 posts and 8095 comments by Spring.
Congratulations on three years of blogging two years of NOT smoking. Hooray for you.
As for Cara and Ann, I had no idea you were the force behind that duo. Wow.

[Beth]

918 posts and 8120 comments. Spring is an excellent time to celebrate - all kinds of new beginnings. :)

[Trish]

916 and 8100

[yvette]

8075 comments and 916 posts by Spring, can't wait till then to see the start of your fab garden pictures.
Congratulations to you all on the no-smoking front, its a fabulous achievement.

[Cara]

That's right! I've got YOU to blame. Here I send you a nice big box of stuff and you give me Ann. Thank you very much! ;-)

Lovely to talk this morning. Just lovely!

[Ühltje]

915 posts and 8133 comments. Oh and do we need to see some deeper meening in the non-smoking/cables untangled combination?

[sprite]

916 posts and 8118 comments. And congratulations, in advance, on both the blogiversary and the smoke-free lifestyle.

[Cindy B]

Congratulations!!!

915 & 8059

[Bea Apple]

I'm going to guess 916 posts, and 9341 comments. Congratulations on two years of not smoking! As a former smoker, I know how tough it is not to reach for the cigarette in times of stress. And congrats on three years of blogging! What a great way to commemorate the past three years of your life.

[Deb]

This is my first day reading your blog--I found you from Cara's note on her blog--and I'm just in time for the contest!

I guess 918 posts and 9,180 comments.

[Rachel]

919 and 8118 are my lucky numbers for you! Way to go on the not smoking for 2 years, I will close 10 at the end of this year, YAY :)

[Hillary]

I'll go with 917 and 8124.

It truly is amazing to think of all of the unexpected ways that knit blogs affect our lives.

[Sami]

916 posts and 8176 comments. And congratulations!

[Kim]

With Cara's post today, I think your comment count will go way up. I guess 916 and 8400. Happy Blogoversary!

[Gladys]

I'll go with 914 posts and 8146 comments. And man, spring can't come soon enough this year!

[Maia]

Congratulations! That is so much to be thankful for.

917 posts and 8043 comments when you sit down to post.

[gale (she shoots sheep shots)]

Happy blogiversary and even better, happy non-smoking!! That takes a lo tof strength.
My guesses: 916 and 8218

[Natalie]

Hey there! I quit smoking almost 3 years ago now. Congrats! I know how hard it can be and how good it can feel.

I guess 914 posts, 9521 comments.

[Jodee]

I'm guessing 918 and 8125. Been lurking a long time, maybe a year. Congrats on the not smoking, I quit 10 years ago and know how hard it is but sooo worth it. Nice to breath isn't it?!

[Jo-Anne]

7948, 918

Am I close?

[Tracy]

Congrats on the anniversary. I'm going on two years myself (this time around) and I completely understand what a challenge it is. Way to go!

I'll throw my guesses in at 915 posts and 8990 comments, just for fun.

Keep up the good work!

[Kim]

I quit smoking 3 months ago. It ain't easy but I am damn glad I did. I'm guessing 916 post and 8,121 comments

[Lisa]

Congrats! I'll guess 917 and 8030.

[rhonda]

I'll say 916 & 8112

[Angie]

I guess 921 posts and 8,586 comments. Celebratory on all fronts! Congratulations the anniversary.

[Stacie]

Happy Bloggiversary!!

915 and 8120

[3 to get ready]

Congratulations on ALL your successes!

How about 915 and 8141?

(And I'm going to do Miss Dashwood for a new niece due in August!)

[Erin B]

posts ... 917
comments ... 8113

[Gretch]

I'm thinking 915 posts, and 9,114 comments. Just because...

[Karen in Toledo]

Just want to congratulate you!!! I don't need to be in the contest... I already have the book.

[Deb]

Oh, soo specific! I'm guessing 918 posts and 8326 comments.

I think it's great that it's been two years without cigarettes. My father has tried to quit 12 times in the last 8 years [when his father died of lung cancer], and can't break the habit.

[Ann]

My guess (I want that book! LOL!) will be 917 posts and 8150 comments! Happy Knitting! Ann

[kim]

916 posts, and 8133 comments.

[Rachel]

Congrates on the quit smoking anniversary. I quit smoking regularly over 5 years ago and occasionally 2 years ago. I still get cravings - but they are for the situtations where I smoked not for the cigarettes. My husband's father and uncle have both died from smoking related cancers in the last year. Makes me very grateful that my husband doesn't smoke. I am guessing 916 posts and 8213 comments.

[ann]

I was just over at Cara's telling her she's the wind beneath my wings. But I didn't mean a word of it. You're really the wind beneath my wings!

[Lynne]

Well, Vick, I won't even venture a guess, but I do have to tell you that yours is one of the very first blogs that I linked to back in August of 2004 when I started blogging....and you have been irresistable to me ever since!

[Jessica]

Congrats on two years smoke free.
I'll guess 917 posts and 8180 comments.

[Cindy D]

Yeaaaaahhhh!!! for not smoking!
I'll say 919 posts and 8260 comments.

[Kellie]

hmmm 915 posts and 8207 comments.
Happy Birthday!

[kim]

915 and 8050.

[Janelle]

916 posts and 8060 comments.

Congratulations!

[kitkatknit]

Oh it says "hand-eye coordination test". I kept trying to figure out what a "hand-dyed coordination test" was. How about 918 and 8181

[Susanne]

I say you will reach 9,979 comments and that on the first day of Spring you will have posted 915 times...Happy Blogiversary, Happy "NO SMOKING" and just Happy Happy as I enjoy reading your blog EVERY day you post!!!:)

[Elise]

Congrats on 2 years of being smoke free! I'm guessing post 917 and 8099 comments. Happy Spring!

[Diana C]

My guess is 915 posts and 8255 comments.

Congrats on both anniversaries.

[Alex]

posts- 917
comments- 9100
and congrats!