Last year, for the first annual Blog Reader Appreciation Day (brainchild of Robin Reagler at The Other Mother), I did a “name that post” contest.  I invited readers to submit post titles, for which I would write the post.  A secret panel of experts would choose which one.

Generally descriptive of how I’ve managed to run this blog thing, and specifically descriptive of how the last year has gone, I lost the keychain I was going to send to the gal who came up with last year’s winning post title — “Waving not drowning,” by Chumpy — AND I never did write the damn post. I will not add to the embarrassment by listing the other over-promised and under-delivered posts.   But they are there, and we both know it.

Equally descriptive of the slow but steady return of a modicum of my competency (kids are getting older; time has passed since the Prop 8 wallop): last week I finally found the frickin’ keychain (pictured here), and I swear I will be sending it before I lose it again.  I swear. 

This time last year, I thought the “Waving not drowning” theme was going to wrap around the beloved’s and my slow emergence from the hellacious and action-packed First Year of the Second Child.  Unfortunately,  before I could get my writerly bearings, the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was constitutional  and, soon after the elation wore off, we all got yanked on a hellacious and action-packed roller coaster ride  to preserve that bright, brave moment of judicial insight.  

The ride has still not glided to a stop, even if it has been coasting for a little while.  Coasting, that is, for us over here in Cali.  It’s been zip- zip- zipping elsewhere in the nation.  Thankyouverymuch Conneticut, Iowa and Vermont, and good luck to you New York.  (Giddyup New Jersey or your doppelganger to the north’ll beat you to a punch you deserve to have punched first.)

But so.  I have yet to specifically do right by Chumpy and write that contarn post.  I hope to pluck myself out of public embarassment before the CA Supreme Court rules again and then sets me either into a depression or a dither, depending.  I won’t say when I’ll get the thing done, but I will try to pleasantly surprise us all.  The one thing that’s not surprising is that whatever it is that the title refers to will probably be something other than (or at the least in addition to) what I first thought it would be.

My gratitude to you who who read this thing is hard to put into words, but of course I’ll try.  Like everyone who starts to write in this kind of venue and is not already a household name, I had hopes of readers beyond my friends and family, but no expectations.  

Those of you who read this number a bit more than the small circle of kindred spirits I initially hoped for.  In fact, you have exceeded whatever expectations I would have had, had I mustered any.  So for that — essentially, for expanding my imagination about how many kindred spirits there just might be out and about — thank you.  

Those of you who have read and chatted back, thank you especially. 

Those of you who have written me offline to say something personable, or encouraging, or reassuring, or comforting, thank you thank you thank you emotionally.

Those of you who are reading and writing offline as you reach across some line of difference between us, whether it’s a hairline or a chasm, thank you most especially.  That stretch we both make to touch fingertips is going to make all the difference for us both.

And now,  the remainder of my thanks via numbers:

2: people this blog would be immeasurably worse without (my partner, who reads at least 50% of posts in draft form, and my friend annz who subsidized its design upgrade — yes, she did — and copyedits for typos with unchecked zeal)

3: people this blog wouldn’t exist without (daughter,  son, and  beloved partner; together they are responsible for 75% of my material and 110% of my motivation to use it to try to make of the world a more just and loving place)

24+: people who wrote me, before, during, and after the Prop 8 vote last year, to provide moral support (most of whose post-election emails I lost in a tragic computer accident, but lord love me I read ‘em and had just screwed up the spirit to begin to write back when I inadvertently erased the whole mailbox)

35: bloggers who ran an LD fundraising link to help fight Prop 8 (check ‘em out here)

238: folks who donated to fight Prop 8 through that link (check ‘em out here)

529: readers who’ve registered to comment over the past three years — check you out in all your glory:

280Main, 2momsfor6, AbbieBabble, abster, admin, adriastep, akem, Alberto, alhall, Ali, alicewonderland0, Alice_H, Alicia, AllieGreenhouse, Allison, alphafemme, alwaysjaniesmom, amalmallo, amazonmidwife, Ambrakam, Ampersandprime, Amy, ana, andrea, Andreerah, Angela, angelabocage, AngelaSunShine, angelina…inoakland, Annemarie4, annz, anotherjenny, anotherothermother, Ansett, aobriant, apeaceofus, aqueercouple, archaeonerd, artsweet, AshleyRose, Att, avyates, awholelotofnothing, ayelet, BabaDawn, Babybeet, babyzen, barrett314, barry4th, Bean, Bebhinn, beck, BeethovenLives, berkeleydad, bethany, bevin, blackcadillac73, bluemilk, BlueOx, boisestudley, Bonnie, borneochica, bosssanders, BOSSY, breathingmoss, breeanne, bridge, Brooke, Brooklynite, bug, buggedvoter, ButchFashionista, c.ars, caffection, caitlin, cake, calliope, cardamom, carol, Caroline, carolyn, carolyn1007, Carrie, carys, Cat@PinkAsparagus, cathyalston, CatLoaf, cbjsgirl, cedirkly, cherylf, Chicory, Chumpy, cityjam, Claire, Clare, claudiusmaximus, claudiusmaximus24@yahoo.com, codygrrl, ColleenSchmitt, colvin, Conversemomma, corin, cpettitmiller, crismcg, crismoon, Crunchy, crushedout, Crystalynn, cupoflizard, D, dadleigh, debbie, Deedy, despeser, diazepam102, Didi, dimplecheek, directorgrrl, djkash, dlvc, DonMillsDiva, Doodaddy, dorothysnarker, dosia, doulameg, dragondreamer, drfantastic, drudolph, elovest, eggdropblogger, ekkeac, eleanor, eliza, elizac-j, Elizabeth, Ellis, elmcee, elsophie, elusive_77, emily, emilyl.silverman, emmy, epiphenita, epowley, eric, eric321, EricainIthaca, ericka, erin, EssenceRec, Eunoia, eyejunkie, ezfez, EzraandUs, face121, FairyTalesSuck, fannievon, fannyvon, FemiKnitMafia, flossie, forthelonghaul, francesca, freedomgirl, fumblingontrack, gamingwithbaby, genderkid, giddings, goodsmith, GraceChu, GraciesDaddy, greensubmarine, GreenWeaver, gwendoma, gwendomama, G_of_fairyfamily, hahnathome, hanigroeg, harlynaizley, HarlynA, harmony, hatchedbytwochicks, Heather, heidib, helen, hendo, HerBadMother, hersalways, hr789, huckleberryfinn, iampeas, icantsay, illegitimateAngel, imjudypooh, immoralmatriarch, inadvertentgardener, innercitygarden, insertmetaphor, IronLesbian, IrreverendAmy, Isobel, izaguirres, j, JacqMissiTan, jacqtremblay, Jaderlea, janean, jaqa220, jayfid, jb, JC, jclandes, Jeanine, jeffbowman, Jen, JenBurke, JenM, JENNA2008, JennyH, jennyj, jennymgdo, JenRink, jenslp, JerriAnn, jewelgeek, JillianRose, jon, jphay, jrw, juliagoolia, juliamora, Julie, Juliet, juls, justkeepswimming, Justpowers, jvg5400, kaarestakj, kanga43, Karen, KarenSeeta, karunarhay, Karyn, KatherineK, katieinchicago, katieschwartz, kaygigi, kbwilkinson, kdb2q, Keli, Kelly, kellyem, Keri, Kimcambron, kimi, Kimmylyn, kipkenoweef, kkerbrat, kokojero, konagod, kp, kpadams, Kristy, kyla, lara, LaraCarina, LauraC, LauraP, lauren, lcheadley, legallybevin, leigh, leo, leomaccool, leo_maccool, librarygrrrl, LieselElliott, LifeUnderage, liferun, liferunner, LiKa, lilacsigil, lilysea, linie_dreapta, Liza, LizetteV, lizk, Lizzy, Lizzywiz, llyn52, LookyDaddy, lora815, love.ceej, lt0055, Lucky, lulazoid, lunchbuckets, LVAmaro, LynnC., LynnCameron, Lyuba, m2inVT, MA, MaceInSpace, magdeline28, maggie, MajorBedhead, Malkaseemah, mamalion, Mamanongrata, MaMaMia, mamamuse, mamaom, mamato3girls, ManLesbian, mapa2three, Marcey, MargoCarper, Maria, Marjorie, martha, marthavictoria1981, martian77, marypierce13, mattockm, maurinsky, Maxx, mcewen, mcontini, megincl, Mermaidgrrrl, merrilyrolling, mgrube12, miarno, michele, micheleluecking, MidLifeClarity, mikhela, Milly, miriam, missbeegail, missbritt, mkatyc, mlthompson, mndajoy, Mocha, Momai, mommymae, mplsbutch, MrLady, Mrs.Micah, mrsbluemont, msbutch, mtf, mvconsidine, mysteriouscreature, narra, ncush07, neeekeee, neeekeeee, neiladri, Nelfy, NellyFace, Nenya, Nhamo, Nickoal, nightgigjo, Nina, NinaSunshine, Ntwohotmamas, NursePam, nyclel, oceanaloola, ohchicken, ohthejoys, oldc, OldGreyMare, OmaFry, OtherMomPDX, outtajo, owinch, pablohoneysf, pachysandra, Pamala, Penelope, perkl8, Petlemiewly, pe_in_pa, PiecesofGray, Pingu, pjrose, placentasrus, PleariFueri, pleasantstreets, plinde, PollyFan, porschay, pourlebebe, preciousronnie, PreemieTwinsNanny, proudsonof2moms, psledge, p_in_pa, Rachael, rachelboesing, RachelSarah, rachelsgf, RainbowMom13, rajencreation, redheadranting, Regina, Renata, Reno, rev2bebt, riley, Rishley, rosboss, rosiewolf, rreagler, Rsquare1009, Ruffian706, S., s00ki, sabrae, sadein, sagemyrrh, san, sara, Sarah, SarahLu, sbg6, scarbiedoll, schmutzie, sconniepops, SDS, serdmann, sethsmom, Shane, shaney35, Shannon, Shelley, Shelli, Shereen, SheriBheri, ShirleyMalmborg, sickandtwisted90, sinnysw, SJayneI, SJnky, skylar6, SkysBeda, SMARTINEZ0607, smartypants_inc, smurf, snail, sososmith, SparklieSunShine, spencer, St, St.Joeinexile, starrhillgirl, stephanie, Stine, stmartinlynne, stompie.smax, StudyingStones, SubversiveFemale, Summerm, sundripjournals, susan, susan2, sussabmax, SweetTea, sybil, tcamp, tessita, test, theKIABIL, theplanetofjanet, thealexcalibur, themoosevolta, theredbaron, theresidentgeek, thetotalfemme, thirdsister, Tiger, Tina-cious.com, tinsenpup, Tosifers, tracerhawk, traceyfromkc, Tricia, Trista, tron, Trooper36, tuimeltje, Turbo, TwentyFourAtHeart, twoladiesinwaiting, tylergeek, ullalauridsen, umarae, useless_rambler, valeriegp, valsroadtrip, vanclej1, Vikki, violetta, virgotex, VTex, waiting, wen521, Whimsy, Whitney, wigglerooms, willowsbrain, womanwithkids, woodnymphs_mom, writelikeagirl, writerach406, writingasjoe, wrongshoes, wyliekat, Y, Yamara, youaresoanalog, zan, zaneymama, Zeb86, and zstrassburger.

3,307: comments made on this thing over the past three years (yeah, including mine, which means mebbe two thirds are actually you folks)

7,540: unique visitors last month (most of you checking back regularly, for which, again, thank you)

16,763: dollars LD readers & linkers raised to fight Prop 8, making the LD fundraising page the single biggest fundraiser on the ActBlue No on 8 fundraising pages (yow!)

and 

infinite: my gratitude for your time, your spirit, your support, and your solidarity.