Sheep

Pink Floyd, Animals 1977

In my 20s, I read Cosmopolitan faithfully. Pictures like this should have made me realize I was just wasting my money. There was no hope. In the 80s, I would desperately try to follow every fashion trend and would look terribly ridiculous. Torn sweatshirt? I simply looked like a homeless person. Spiral perm? Left me with a burnt scalp and feeble looking waves.  Blue eyeshadow?  Needs no description.

I was such a sheep.  I still am.

Today marks my 7th year of blogging.

Since early 2003, I had been reading Adam Bonin's blog, Throwing Things, (he later merged with a few other blogs and they became A List of 5 Things Thrown 5 Minutes Ago). The comment sections in his blog are always full of wit, deep thoughts, interesting conversation and cordial disagreement (yes, it CAN happen, folks)  I mention Adam specifically because to this day, he holds a particular standard for me when it comes to blogging (not that I always meet that standard. *cough*.)  Also, his site was the inspiration for the name "Rancid Raves" - it is a play on the phrase "Rants and Raves".  I had originally envisioned a sort of linkblog whereby I posted things I enjoyed and didn't enjoy.  Obviously, the name stuck, the concept did not.  I never, ever imagined I would begin a narrative detailing the banalities of my life.

I have no regrets.

I was also inspired by two real-life, Analog Friends, Celeste and Rita.  Both had began blogging earlier in the summer and when I saw they were having so much fun,  I decided to join.

I went with the sheep theme because I love sheep.  Cartoon sheep are so cute, sweetly fluffy and perfectly clean.  Conversely? Real sheep are dirty, smelly and they have those weird, devil eyes with the creepy, elongated pupils.  Yet, real sheep provide gorgeous wools that enable one of my other favorite hobbies -- knitting.

Yes, there's a metaphor in there somewhere.  Maybe.  Probably not.

Despite the lack of sponsorship and readership, this blog has been a supremely satisfying hobby, even if it is my most expensive hobby.  What I have gained from blogging over the past 7 years cannot be quantified in terms of dollars.

Or really, anything else.

Thank you for enduring my drivel all of these years.  Thank you for making my tiny site a safe place for me. Thank you for being civil in my comments section. Thank you for hugging me at past BlogHers. Thank you for meeting me in person through random meet-ups across the country. Thank you for reaching beyond blogging and becoming my friend via Twitter, Facebook and email. Thank you for sending care packages in the mail.  Thank you for sending cards and gifts for my babies.  Thank you for sending thoughtful, handwritten notes of support when I've lost loved ones.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you.