reflections

So what have we learned here, today?

What started out as a silly project I meant to enjoy at the encouragement of my cousin, Laura, has turned out to be quite the experience. For those of you who aren't caught up, I created "Juli's Mind Plate" for the purpose of blogging every day for the month of March. The challenge was to share a "slice" of your day with your readers. Well this turned out to be a little more than that (I guess I'm not great at following instructions).

Here's what I never would have done if I hadn't started this blog:

• Learned how to enjoy old man farts on the bus Link
• Outsmarted the rats Link
• Admitted my attraction to women from a young age Link
• That fucking apple tree Link
• Written about lesbian sex Link
• Accepted that I may still have some growing up to do Link 

My favorite surprises have been the people who've reached out to me because of the things I've posted. Whether its to share a memory, patch up old wounds, or rehash their favorite parts of my short stories- I've loved them all equally. Truly. I'd be lying if said the words "I love your blog" couldn't sustain me for the rest of my life on their magic alone.

And I certainly never expected to get over 4,000 site visits in the process. So to my complete and utter surprise, I've got about a hundred readers a day visiting my blog with at least a few of them letting me know that I've made some impact on their life. So here's the plan going forward:

I will continue to blog but will only be posting once a week on Sundays (starting this Sunday). Hopefully, this will mean improved content and a more manageable frequency for readers. I will continue to post personal narratives (like the ranch story) as well as short fiction (like Sholeh) along with whatever strikes my fancy. If there is something that you would like me to write about, that I haven't yet, feel free to let me know in the comments or by email: Julianna.Keele@gmail.com. If you want to be notified when I post a new blog, there is a place on the desktop version of this site to "subscribe".

It's been a blast, guys. Like a real blast- a treasure. Between sweaty palms, and hyperventilating and despairing and being overjoyed, this project has put me through the emotional wringer in the best way possible. I really hope you stay with me as I continue on this journey.

Much Love,

Juli