Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Blog Turns 3


Today marks the three year anniversary of the blog. I don't post much these days, but at least I have hung in there and plan to continue doing so. I even thought of another inane thought to post on Twitter, so things are really looking up.

The mission of the blog going back to the start was to focus on the good, the bad and the only in Pomona. I was inspired by the traditional image of Pomona with fruit in one hand and a pruning knife in the other. For some reason, there are readers who seem to think this blog is supposed to be some kind of ultra-positive ad campaign for the City of Pomona. To live here is to be frustrated by this City, some times at the same time that I feel the warm fuzzies for the place. The blog reflects that.

So much has changed since I started the blog (like the now undeniably lively scene downtown and a unification of the greens, the historic folks and the 2nd streeters), and so much about Pomona has stayed the same (like the missed opportunities, the same and new empty lots, and the presence of bought and paid for local politicians). I can live with that because I know we are daily in the process of getting another baby step closer to better.



As far as what to get me for a present, well comments are always nice and not something I see a lot of around here. But, don't worry, I'm a true Pomonan, so I won't get my hopes up too high that anyone but the usual one or two suspects will actually leave a comment. That's okay, because in the end I really do the blog for myself and, of course, my Mr. Big. Who has insisted on starting his own blog btw. I swear I am not a stage mom, but he has been hounding me forever. Stay tuned for the link.

16 comments:

Pride in Garfield Park said...

Happy birthday to the GoP blog! Thank you for all you do for the community (and the e-community). Your blog was the very first blog I ever read :)

Sandra said...

Happy Birthday Goddess! Thanks so much for making me aware of more things in my own neighborhood.

Ed said...

Congrats! The blog is celebrating it's third birthday, but how old is it in 'blog' years? Are they faster or slower?

Ms. Lois said...

Happy Blogday Goddess! I remember when you started this blog. I got to see Mr. Big once a week...sigh. Bring him in sometime and keep up the great blogging. ;)

John Clifford said...

I suspect that I'm one of the 1 or 2 who you expected to post, so here's a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Goddess blog (just couldn't bring myself to call it the GOP blog). It's been a great three years and I expect to be commenting again in another 5 years+.

It's amazing, the 1 or 2 has so far been 5!

Coach Banister said...

I'm getting to ready to move to Pomona from Riverside and have been reading your blog for a month now. I appreciate your outlook on the city and am actually looking forward to finding those elements that make the city something good to be a part of. Happy blogiversary and please keep posting!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Banister.... just curious....
What part of Pomona are you destined for? (and welcome!)
Mark

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Goddess! Hope I'm around to help you celebrate your 4th. Keep up the good work.

Larry

A. S. Ashley said...

Happy Birthday and all the best! Our little family of Pomona Bloggers are on the front line of everything we care about. I hope for boxes and boxes of candles in the future!

Irene said...

I discovered your blog only recently and thus can't lay claim to being a "long-time reader, first time commenter", but happy blogoversary anyhow.
As a former Pomonian, I have a special place in my heart for P-town.

tibbi said...

Good for you, GOP- Cheers!!!!

David Allen said...

Yours was the first local blog I discovered, and your approach was so intriguing and immediate, it helped inspire me to start blogging too.

Thanks for your friendship. I've always considered myself a friend of the blog and try to help when I can.

I will say that it's a shame that after working so hard to build up an audience you've scaled back so severely.

Remember the heady days when you vowed to write about every single business on Garey? (And here I thought writing 26 "Pomona A to Z" columns was ambitious.) Now we're lucky to get a post out of you every couple of weeks.

If you're concerned that the number of comments has declined, that probably explains it. Interest begets interest.

But it can't be easy to keep yourself motivated, esp. without pay. Props on making it to Year 3, and for sticking with the blog even on a limited scale.

Robin said...

Three years? wish I'd found it earlier, and you would have had more comments from me. I appreciate very much that you have created an alternative place for news of Pomona. Losing Pomona's newspaper was one of the big blows of the past, and the result has been a scarcity of Pomona news.

Just want to mention that I find your aversion to vacant lots curious. I used to love that Pomona had lots of open spaces. I wanted to buy a vacant lot someday for a large garden or wholesale plant nursery. I have been seriously dismayed in recent years as infill has occurred all over town, packing high density housing with scant (or no) yards into the formerly open spots. Yeah, I know, Prop 13 and tax revenues and all that. I preferred the stasis that prevailed for years over the headlong rush to pave every piece of earth. It used to be that one could gather edible greens from the local fields after late winter rains had turned our world green.

Now, how about that mural?

Paula said...

More Happy Birthdays! You were the first local blog I read, and in spite of the rumors...I read it regularly. Keep up the good work!

Coach Banister said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Skrip said...

Happy Bday to you... my inspiration for blogging about the place I live in, even if I'm an L.A. native. Yes, I've strayed a bit from the L.A. scene the last few months due to the artwalk, DBA256 and other events in Pomona that rock! Congrats and keep it up! (when you can).