personal – Page 4 – Jennifer's Journal

Thank You, Readers and Followers ♥

Published on December 31, 2013August 23, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry12 Comments

Jennifer’s Journal has revelled in an amazing second year in the blogosphere, and it is all because of you! and you! and you too!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you, from eighty different countries, who have followed my little blog, liked each post, and took the time to share your thoughts and comments with me. This goes for those of you who liked and commented via Facebook as well. A special nod to those who shared on Facebook, reblogged on WordPress, and to those who retweeted on Twitter. 🙂

These are my posts that got the most views in 2013.

1 Fifteen Years Ago Today 19 COMMENTS August 2013
2 My Picturesque Province 40 COMMENTS June 2013
3 “That’s my father”… 34 COMMENTS March 2013
4 Scenes From Italy – Part Three: Siena and Florence, Tuscany 6 COMMENTS May 2012
5 A Few Words to my WordPress Family 22 COMMENTS May 2013
6 A Mother’s Reflections – Part One 17 COMMENTS May 2013

These are my posts that got the most likes in 2013.

In my next post, I will highlight my most frequent commenters, because it was your kind words that kept me inspired and driven to post each week.

Cheers to you all as we welcome 2014. Muahh!
Love, Jennifer
xoxo

Why Do I Blog?

Published on December 13, 2013August 23, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

Why does an individual like me keep a blog? I have been asked this on a few occasions, and at times it makes me stop and think, and even reassess what my intention is.

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts and on my About Me page, the origin of this journal came to me as a way to create consistently, in the form of a poem, a musing, or a small gallery of my personal photography. Usually the subject of these posts focused on something or someone I love, a topic I feel strongly about, or a place I have visited and wanted to share through pictures.

I also reported from time to time on my work in progress, a coming of age novel, Calmer Girls. (This is my working title and may or may not be the ultimate one.) My hope was by mentioning it in my blog and simply putting it out there, I would become more accountable and motivated to see it through to its completion.

I can say, without a doubt, my plan has been effective. This is not to say my blog is wonderful or the novel is going to be commercially successful. But what I can say, is that I took on a challenge, didn’t quit, and tried my best. Yes, due to the very nature of life and all it entails, there have been some weeks where I have found it difficult to produce anything, but thankfully those weeks have been in the minority. To a large extent I am pleased with my efforts, and the direction my blog and my new novel have taken.

I am expecting the novel will be ready for its first critique by the end of January. And I have no intentions of ending my blogging life any time soon! This is due in large part to the pleasure I derive from keeping it going each week, and connecting with so many other bloggers and readers all over the world. A number of my followers have been a Godsend, checking in and commenting regularly on my posts and encouraging me all along the way. You know who you are. 🙂 In the very near future I am planning to highlight my most faithful and prolific commenters and give their wonderful blogs the shout-outs they deserve. They are the ones that help make blogging for me so rewarding.

This joy of discovery is real, and it is one of our rewards. So too is the approval of our work by our peers. ~ Henry Taube

What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do. ~ Bob Dylan

Keep on being good to one another!