Sixteen Million Milestone

Sometime yesterday, MBS passed the sixteen million visit mark. This seems like an appropriate time for reflection about blogging, spanking, and life.

As I was compiling the LOL Day statistics, I wished I could somehow measure the friendships created, enhanced and renewed. I love this blog and I'm proud of what we've accomplished in our community, but I think I am most pleased to have had the honor to bring together lots of great friends. If I accomplish nothing else here, that alone would make the effort worthwhile.

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Something weird happened to me today. It's, alas, not a spanking story, but worth retelling I think. These things don't happen to me, at least they haven't for a very long time. I took the day off to do some pre-holiday shopping and miscellaneous running around. I agreed to meet a friend downtown for lunch. We are fortunate in our city to have wonderful public transportation. So I rode the train. It was quick, clean, convenient, and a lot cheaper than parking.

After a tasty lunch and a good conversation, my friend and I went our separate ways. Soon, I was back on the train now carrying the loot I had purchased this morning. There I sat, thinking of nothing in particular and watching the landscape roll past my eyes. Slowly I became aware that the scruffy guy sitting directly across from me was staring. Staring at me, that is. I was wearing a nice jacket and jeans, but nothing exotic or alluring. Since it was the middle of the afternoon, there weren't many other people around. I tried to look occupied.

I pretended not to watch him watching me as he removed pen and what appeared to be a card from his pocket. I was hoping this fellow was not any sort of stalker. He scratched something on the card as the train pulled up to a stop. He got up, handed me the card, and just as quickly popped out the exit door.

The front of the card was a promotion for a carpet cleaning service. I squinted to read the words he had hastily scrawled on the back:
Your beautiful Lets connect (xxx) xxx-xxxx

More than anything, I was surprised. I'm a 56 year old grandmother wearing a wedding ring. Why would this rug-slugging stranger who is probably younger than my daughter think I would be interested in "connecting?" Maybe I should feel flattered, but I don't.

Then I thought about some of my weird e-mail correspondents. For years, I've received e-mails whose content and intent weren't much different from this bizarre note. In each case, the sender was too shy or introverted or afraid of women or secretive to just talk with me. I'm actually nice. I really am. But they'll never know, because, well, I don't know why because. But they won't.

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This is still a spanking blog, so I guess I should discuss that subject as well. Randy says he has a new toy he intends to try out tonight during a our regularly scheduled weekly session. It could be anything, but odds are it's something he intends to use to spank my bottom. I'll find out in an hour or so.

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I have the mother of all In with the New posts queued up for early next week. It's been a long time and there are a lot of great new blogs.

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So, on the occasion of sixteen million visits, please allow me to thank you again for your steadfast support and continuing readership. I write for you.

Crazy Eights

Eight years ago today, I closed my eyes and clicked the Publish button. When I posted here for the first time, I wasn't sure what would happen next. I never could have imagined what actually did happen.

I've learned a lot in eight years... about people, about spanking, and about myself. This place, this medium, is not about technology. It's about the connections among people that create a community. It's bigger than one blogger and smaller than the universe. It's about finding affection for friends unseen and exploring a world without boundaries. It's an enjoyable place to visit, even after all these years.

Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. Let's walk together a little while longer and see what's around the next bend.

Fifteen

While we were off enjoying the weekend, this humble blog registered our fifteen millionth visit.

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to each one of you. The fact that you keep coming back keeps me coming back as well.

A Milestone and a New Tradition

So what do you do for fourteen? Thirteen is the time for a Bar Mitzvah in the Jewish faith and fifteen calls for an epic Quinceañera celebration in Mexican culture. But fourteen? If memory serves, that's the lanolium anniversary.

Be that as it may, earlier today, we recorded our fourteen millionth visit to this blog. I stopped trying to visualize these numbers long ago, so let's just say that's a whole lot and leave it at that.

Except that I never leave it at that. Each of those numbers represents a click and a human spanking enthusiast whose finger pressed that button. This thing we do must be very popular! Even reading about it seems to be popular...

Thanks to everyone who found My Bottom Smarts and decided for whatever reason to keep coming back. This blog is dedicated to you.

In honor of the occasion, I would like inaugurate a new MBS year-end tradition called Reeling in the Years.

The purpose of RitY is to reintroduce favorite MBS posts from each of the past eight years. So, with that preamble, let's go Reeling in the Years.

2005: Account: Our Very First Spanking

2006: Humor: What is your Spanker's Type?

2007: Stageplay: The Spanking Booth

2008: Account: The Tag

2009: Interview: Rambling with Randy

2010: Account: Friday Evening at Home

2011: Interview: With Season and Michael

2012: Fiction: Academic Misconduct

Please stay tuned for more Reeling in the Years.

Eleven

Million, that is...

Over the weekend, we passed a milestone. Eleven million times readers have decided to visit My Bottom Smarts. It's a number bigger than I can imagine, even when standing on tiptoes. But it's a real number and behind it are real people.

Thank you for visiting. Thank you for coming back. Thank you for contributing almost 15,000 comments. Thank you for your inspiring words and thought-provoking messages. Thank you for being my friends and traveling companions on this road of life. Thank you for being part of what, in my mind, is still an experiment.

Thank you dear lovers of the burning bottom, whackers of the exposed flesh, and practitioners of the slow motion sit down.

We've created a place here, you and I, where people from all corners of the globe can feel good about being spankos. No one will judge us or suggest that we shouldn't enjoy this passion. I'm pleased to remember the many readers who have told me that my posts helped them muster the courage to share their secret with a partner, friend, or lover. I'm thrilled when many of these same people discover that a good spanking can enrich their lives and relationships, just as it does for Randy and me.

Most of all, I'm glad that we can be here together.

Ten Million Pages, One Big Thank You

We recently recorded our ten millionth page request here at MBS. As I've said before, these numbers are mind boggling. Ten million is a quantity that I cannot visualize. I much prefer the human side of the equation:

• Thousands of people come here every day, presumably because they are interested in adult spanking


• I have exchanged thoughts with at least a thousand spanking enthusiasts over the past five years


• I have promoted nearly a thousand spanking-oriented blogs


• I still care what readers think and enjoy your comments and messages

Blogging is about people, building relationships, and creating community. I dedicate this blog to you, dear reader. When I write, it's you I have in my mind. For without dedicated readers, there would be no reason to blog.

Thank you, my friends, for sharing this journey. I still love spankings and I am still fascinated by your insights and experiences. As long as that is the case, My Bottom Smarts will be here.

Bonnie

Nine Million!

Nine million page hits, that is, since 2005.  I offer my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has helped to make this journey worthwhile.  It's been a great ride, if not always a comfortable seat.

Potpourri at 1200

Hey everybody! There's been a lot going on here at the blog and I thought it might be nice to catch up.

As you've probably guessed, you're reading post #1200 on MBS. That's a dozen hundred (or a hundred dozen). In any case, it's hard to believe we've lasted so long. Thanks to all who read, and especially to those readers who comment. Every blogger loves your comments. Even if it's just one sentence, your words provide treasured acknowledgment and affirmation.

I just published an In with the New post a couple of weeks ago. Already, I've accumulated eight more new blogs to share. Either adult spanking is more popular than ever or people who spank are discovering blogging at an amazing rate. Either way, our community is teeming with excellent blogs. The only downside to this embarrassment of riches is that some promising new bloggers never manage to find a stable core readership. I'm thinking about ways to get them some positive exposure before frustration sets in.

The mailbag feature always seems to have the effect of generating more mail. That's great. Keep those e-mails coming! If I haven't answered you yet, please bear with me. I will get to it soon.

I hope you voted in our recent reader poll. I thought the results were very interesting.

• Just over 60% of voters are male. That matches both previous polls and MBS's web demographics


• More than half of all readers are either male spankers or female spankees


• Overall, spankees outnumber spankers by a considerable margin


• The proportion of male spankees and switches (35% of all respondents) is higher than I anticipated


• Conversely, the representation of female spankers (2%) is lower than I expected

A reader asked me how I keep coming up with such wonderfully bizarre phrases for Keyword Chaos. The short answer is that I don't. Someone somewhere typed those words into a search engine for reasons that shall forever remain a mystery. All we can do is laugh and point.

I've received several excellent brunch topic suggestions recently. You'll be seeing them appear in the coming weeks. I'm always open to new ideas, so if there is a (bottom) burning question that you would like to see our brunch bunch answer, please send it to me.

I've been trying to audio record more of our spankings lately. Hopefully, we will capture something worth sharing.

I'm glad everyone liked the Simon and Garfunkel song parody. I find myself a bit conflicted when taking on a song of that magnitude. In one way, it's so historically meaningful that changing it, even in the name of fun, feels like painting over a masterpiece. On the other hand, if one parodies a song that is not well known, the result will surely be a head-scratcher.

The song itself was a challenge. Paul Simon's folk roots are clearly apparent in the lyrics. He was (and is) much more concerned with message than meter. The same line in different verses could have three beats, four beats, or even five beats. I preserved all of those quirks. I also retained a few of the original words where I could. I wouldn't presume to rhyme forming with warning, but he did and I kept it.

On a sad note, we bid farewell last week to our friend and colleague, Alex Birch. I didn't know him as well as some bloggers did, but we did have the opportunity to exchange e-mails a few times. Bon voyage and fare thee well, old friend.

It's interesting to note that my recent upsurge in blogging activity has been accompanied by an increase in spanking at our house. Coincidence? I doubt it. Anyhow, I have some more fun features in the queue including a return of an old favorite. Thanks again and please stay tuned...

A Milestone Two-fer

We have two fun milestones to celebrate today. One is yours and one is mine.

Earlier today, MBS recorded its six millionth page visit. Thank you! I appreciate your continuing support more than words can express.

This post is also number one thousand. I never imagined this day would come, but here we are.

This second milestone could never have been achieved but for all of the wonderful people responsible for the first one. Even now, your comments, e-mails, and, yes, your clicks inspire me.

Speaking of inspiration, I've been promised two spankings tonight! If I can sit tomorrow, I hope to tell you all about it.

Thank You!

We interrupt your regular blogging for the following announcement.

MBS passed a milestone today. We just recorded our two millionth hit!

On this occasion, I want to express my humble gratitude to all of my faithful readers. For those who comment and send e-mails, you are the lifeblood of this blog. Without you, I would have abandoned the effort long ago.

As for my lurkers, I know you're out there, and in greater numbers than ever. I still love you and I'm still delighted you show up here every day.

I invite you to stay tuned because there's more spanking yet to come...