The History and Future of The Original Mud Puppy

I began blogging on June 23, 2004.

It was simple, and primarily a vehicle to post a picture of my brother’s first child, but I had been following a co-workers blog for a couple months and really fell in love with the medium—not to mention it was FREE!

As I felt my way around my shiny new blogspot, I began by posting once a day. I figured people might miss a post if I did any more than that. I really enjoyed the task of coming up with something to write for the blog, and I loved trying to hone my writing skills, and my creativity. It was sort of like my own little newspaper, a fun little playground. I was also studying web design/HTML at that time so this was a great way to learn on the job.

On April 13, 2005 it started to become more. That was the day I found out my dad was resigning as minister from a church we’ve been attending for 15 years. The blog morphed into a place to process some of the thoughts I was having (although I have never been able to enjoy full disclosure because a lot of feelings could get hurt). During the process a lot of friends started following the blog. It became half therapy, and half a cultivator of community. As a result a slew of new blogs were created and the madness began. I finally had an audience of more than my mother.

On March 1, 2006 I made the switch over to WordPress from Blogger. Around the same time I decided that most people could probably keep up with multiple posts per day if they were interested enough. I also started dabbling in more controversial subjects to create a dialog because I was on a journey of spiritual discovery and all of the differing opinions of those stopping by were extremely insightful. With that, I also started to discover new blogging alliances.

A few in particular really launched my visibility, and began to show me how far you can create an online community. The first was Aaron Conrad in December 2006 (also the first blogger I met in person), then shortly thereafter it was Connor Byrd and Joel Klampert in February 2007. The combination of those three, their blogs, and the community they were involved in really made my blog what it is today.

Later that same year, on March 23, 2007, Jason Bolton and I started exploring the video side of blogging. We started a running series of webisodes called Mud & Steel. We were never going to compete for a Webby, but it allowed us to explore another new medium and Jason and I grew closer as a result.

On May 2, 2007 I received my first unsolicited blog perk. I was sent the first season of WKRP in Cincinnati on DVD to review on my blog. I decided that I could definitely get used to that! Many other offers began to follow, including an offer to be interviewed by Child Magazine for my tongue-in-cheek take on peanut allergies.

On January 31, 2008 I finally broke down and created my Twitter account. Prior to that I thought it was ridiculously self-absorbed, but now I only wish I had an iPhone so I could fully utilize its capabilities.

A year and a ton of posts later my stats went a little nuts. I hit my all time record on May 20, 2008 (a year ago today) with 3,105 hits. For that particular week I averaged 2,700 hits per day. Perhaps not the eye-popping stats of some blogstars I keep up with, but pretty solid for a regular guy like me.

A month later on June 23, 2008 I began a Summer Sabbatical.

Some people may consider that a little crazy considering the arc my blog was following, but that was part of the problem. My blog had become more statistically driven, and had succumbed to mediocrity and a follow-the-crowd mentality. Not only that, but it seemed to consume my thoughts. I had to make a choice as to whether I had control over this thing or it had control over me. So I pulled the plug on the spot and didn’t come back for over 2 months.

When I came back on September 3, 2008 I vowed to be different. In some ways I’ve succeeded in that, but I’m a long way from where I want to be and from what I want it to become. It’s slowly getting back to simply a journal to archive my thoughts and experiences for posterity. I don’t care about stats anymore. I don’t care to get free stuff to review. I don’t care if people read it or not.

It’s for me. The way I originally intended it.

I still love the community it produces, and I do love the interaction, but I am no longer driven by a nagging need to be affirmed in some way. It’s now just a cog in the online representation of The Original Mud Puppy, aka Russell Hawkins.

Some may find it a pleasurable experience, some may (and already have) unsubscribe from me, but I’m happy with this little piece of online real-estate I’ve created. Just remember, to get the full experience these days you’ll want to delve into all 5 senses of The Original Mud Puppy:
Blog / Twitter / Tumblr / Facebook / Delicious.

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FREE GIVEAWAY’S

Simply because of the good timing of this post, I’m giving away a bunch of stuff today in honor of the one year anniversary of my all-time stat record. To win any of the following items, simply leave a comment on this blog from now until May 27, 2009. List your order of preference as well. I’ll use a random number generator and the first number gets first dibs, and so on down the line.

DVD’s
WKRP In Cincinnati Season One

CD’s
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson (Audio Book)*
Gentlemen At Arms EP — Gentlemen At Arms
Come Undone — Jackson Waters
Combinations — Eisley
Singing Back to You — The Swift
WOW Worship Yellow (x2)
WOW Worship Red
WOW Hits 2004
WOW Hits 2005

BOOK’s
Tribes by Seth Godin
The Noticer by Andy Andrews
Confessions of a Caffeinated Christian by John Fischer
Through The Storm by Lynne Spears
Coached by Jesus by Alan Nelson

*Ironically this particular item was the inspiration for my giveaway because a friend had given it to me (by the second blogger I’ve met in person) and I wanted to pass on the love to someone else. However I can’t seem to find it anywhere. In the case I still can’t find it after the week is up, I’ll send the paperback version of the book in its place.

Filed under: Blogging, Mud Puppy

Summer Sabbatical

For a myriad of reasons I just decided (like five minutes ago) that I’m going to take a Summer sabbatical on this blog. I can’t guarantee that I won’t post sporadically in the next couple months should something strike a cord with me, and I’ll definitely be back on a regular schedule at the end of August, but for the next couple of months I’m not going to be concerned about posting on this blog.

Instead I’m going to take this time to streamline its focus, its design, and its writing. I’m also going to take some time to polish off some other things that really need my full attention.

I’ll still be responding to comments, and continue to read and interact with all 200+ subscriptions in my RSS.

I’ll also still be utilizing Twitter and Tumblr.

Hope you all have a great Summer!

**MID SUMMER SABBATICAL UPDATE**
You still out there?

I’m not sure I’ll ever bring the blog back in its current form. I’m afraid this platform is a dying breed. Sure there are a few must-read blogs out there who are bringing it daily, but I’ve felt a shift in my interest in the majority lately. It sort of feels like the same old thing over and over again. It’s almost predictable. And I don’t want to be a part of predictable. I want to be a part of the next best thing.

I am finding Twitter and Tumblr very useful, although I have no idea if anyone is reading either. You can subscribe to both earlier in this post. They are also both fed into the sidebar of this blog.

One thing I still do love about the blogosphere is the community. I feel that is one thing I cannot give up. I still love hearing your voices, and watching you grow. I am inspired daily.

So, carry on my wayward pilgrims. I am still trolling around the internet, keeping up to date with all of your happenings. I am looking forward to seeing what transpires from this sabbatical as much as you are.

Filed under: Blogging, Blogosphere, Summer, Vacation

Blogging, Beauty & Bathroom Issues

They’re at it again. The dynamic duo that created MTTV are now answering reader questions and they mentioned me by name!

You can leave your comments for them on mttv.wordpress.com

Or at their personal blogs: Mandy + Tammy

Filed under: Blogging, Friends, YouTube

More Links

Got a couple more links for you this morning…

» Tip Junkie used a little of my Blog Etiquette post yesterday. It may be more appealing to the ladies, but it’s a fun site and I’ve already put it in my RSS reader.

» Wired For Sound is a new blog created to keep people up to date with their favorite Christian artists. It’s got the latest news, music, artwork, banners and widgets. They’re even looking for a few good bloggers to host a free download or CD giveaway. If you’re interested you should really check it out.

» The diabetes thespian has finally got around to answering all of our questions about this awful disease. The Mud Puppy even got a mention.

Filed under: Blogging, CCM, Diabetes, Etiquette, Music, YouTube

Compassion Bloggers

You might you remember me covering a few bloggers who went to Uganda recently to blog for Compassion International. Well that was just the beginning of Compassion’s initiative to equip bloggers to spread the word about Compassion’s ministry to children in the developing world. Just recently they launched CompassionBloggers.com.

CompassionBloggers.com, the on-line headquarters for this groundbreaking initiative, has launched! Here, bloggers can apply to go on the next Compassion Bloggers trip where they’ll see the work of Compassion for themselves up close. Bloggers can also grab banners, widgets and other tools for spreading the word about Compassion on their own corner of the web. And anyone can come here to see the latest pictures, videos and posts from Compassion’s roster of bloggers

I know Shaun, along with others, have been working hard to get this up and running. Dive on in and see what they’re doing, and what you can do to help.

» Sign up to go on a blogging trip here.
» Sign up for their monthly blogging “assignment” here.

Filed under: Africa, Blogging, Compassion Internatinoal, Shaun Groves

We’ve Gone Nuclear

I won’t deny that I enjoy following the blog stats. I mentioned recently how I’ve been getting more comfortable following the Technorati numbers (favorite me while you’re thinking about it). But I can honestly say that I haven’t really done all I could to make my stats explode. There are a ton of tricks and techniques that I simply haven’t bothered with. My basic plan has been to network with people with similar interests, and try to comment on at least a few blogs per day. I typically can’t get out and dive into heavy discussions, but sometimes I’ll find myself unable to resist.

Recently however my blog stats have been blowing up. Not just a little bit, but nuclear. I had been enjoying weeks and weeks of around 4,000 hits. Then 5 weeks ago it made a jump to 4,800, and then to 5,700, and it kept on jumping until now this week I’ve averaged 2,700 per day.

How crazy is that?

Lately I’ve been wondering what all the fuss is about. I clearly don’t write that many amazing posts. I do try to keep it fun though. My objective has been to create a blog that I would want to read every single day, and I’m happy how it’s turning out. But I think I accidently helped myself with two decisions right up front.

1. I chose the name The Original Mud Puppy.
This was a moniker that I hadn’t used in many years. For some reason it just came to me when I was creating my first blog. You can read the story of how I got that name here. But I think that name is simple and original enough that it makes it easier for people to remember me when I’m out there mixing it up.

2. I chose to use a goofy picture of me as my icon.
Sometimes at work we like to goof off and play gags on each other. One day I made this picture and set it as a desktop for a coworker. It seemed like a fun picture to use as my icon when I started blogging, and I get tons of attention as a result.

I’m positive those two things got me to this point. Had I used my real name and a boring picture of myself it would have taken me much longer to get here. But now that you’re here it’s up to me to keep you coming back.

I’m think I’m up for the challenge.

Related:
» Be A Better Blogger
» Blog Etiquette

Filed under: Blogging, Blogospher, Mud Puppy, Stats, Technorati

Women Bloggers

I have only 9 female bloggers on my extremely long blogroll. Why the discrepancy? Are there really more men blogging than women? Or is it that I can relate more to the male bloggers? Is it the same reason I read Men’s Health and not Good Housekeeping?

Who knows. I do know some of these blogs are in my Top 10 list. And I’ll tell you another thing, I would do next to anything to get my wife to start a blog. That woman is crazy funny and has stories coming out of her ears.

Here are the women bloggers on my roll:

» 3×5
» Abs of Steel
» Extraordinarily Ordinary
» Fischerbowl
» Flowerdust
» inProgress
» Mandy Thompson
» Skunny Droppings
» Whittaker Woman

Know of any that I need to have added to this list?

Filed under: Blogging, Bon-Bons, Female, Male, Men, Soap Opera's, Women

$2 House Challenge

The price is too right not to jump on this challenge.

Evan and his wife are inches away from landing their first home. They need $5,000 to match the counter offer, and they are asking their online family for an assist.

Two bucks. That’s a Dr. Pepper you don’t buy today. That’s a couple mp3′s you don’t buy this week. That’s a late fee at Blockbuster. It’s the cost of Super-Sizing your meal at lunch.

I’m just saying.

They’re throwing a house party when they get it. I just may go.

Filed under: Blogging, Challenge, Community, Friends, Homes

Technorati

Authority — 107
Rank — 76,867

Those are my stats as of this morning. I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been keeping tabs on my Technorati profile.

From what I’m figuring, your authority comes from the number of sites linking to your blog. And the rank is your distance from Los the #1 blog (currently the The Huffington Post). I’ve had my rank as high as 60,000 in the last couple weeks. I’m interested in seeing if I can break the 50k mark (humble goals right?).

Are there any other ways to get your rank any higher?
Are you linking to The Mud Puppy?

Filed under: Blogging, Link Love, Stats, Technorati

Look Who’s Talkin’

Thanks to Evan for the Tweet Stats find.

Earlier this week my sister asked me what Twitter was. I sent her this video, and explained it a little. I avoided the twitter for so long, but now I really enjoy it. Obviously it’s only a true joy if you have a bunch of friends following you.

So thanks to all who follow the mud puppy! If you feel like jumping on the train, follow me here. Then follow all of my homies. They’re great fun!

Filed under: Blogging, Friendship, Stats, Twitter