Blackfive Blogiversary!!!

Posted By Blackfive

Blackfive is one year old today!!! It's been a great year. I've been able to meet some great bloggers, make new friends, and put the spotlight on some of the best people this country has to offer.

My wife still wants to know when I'll make money at blogging. I think that, if that would happen, I would have to change how my "voice" is delivered. When you are paid to do something, then it becomes work. This is more like a mission for me. Maybe it will change, but right now it's both fun and satisfying. John Hawkins thinks blogging will only get bigger, better, and more lucrative, and it would be very cool if he is right.

First, I need to say thanks to a few people:

To Frank J. - Thanks for being the first to link to Blackfive! IMAO was the first blog that I read every day. I would write something funny here but that's your gig, Frank. And don't try to hug me...

To Bill Whittle - Thank you for your wonderful essays. I'll never forget the day a friend of mine said, "Have you read History at EjectEjectEject?". I remember reading the comments and thinking that I've just stumbled across some of the smartest people in the universe (G.H.S. is one of them). Inspiration for a lot of content here is from you.

To Glenn Reynolds - Thanks for all of the support of MilBlogs and Blackfive. I think that, everytime Blackfive is linked on Instapundit and the Instalanche is over, I net about 50 new readers that come back every day. More people to meet Someone They Should Know...

To Greyhawk - Thanks for starting MilBlogs. This blog would NEVER have gotten very far without the Air-Ground-Naval support of the Military Bloggers.

To Hugh Hewitt - Thank you for mentioning Blackfive and MilBlogs so often as the place to go to get real information about the military fighting the War on Terror.

To Brian and Heather - Thanks, again, for dinner and that great Belgian Ale... hope to see you two later this summer (after our new addition arrives).

Blog Stats
Total Number of Posts: 1,010
Total Number of Comments: 5,959

Visitor Stats
First Week: 150
First Month: 1,200 (avg. 40/day)
First Six Months Total Visits: 112,000 (avg. 600/day)
Last Six Months Total Visits: 516,000 (avg. 2,800/day)
Total unique site visits: 628,000

The Ecosystem
Ecosystem Ranking as of August 2003: Marauding Marsupial (#740 by links)
Ecosystem Ranking as of December, 2003: Playful Primate (#99 by links)
Ecosystem Ranking: Mortal Human (#22 by links, #42 by traffic)

Blogger Most Missed: Darren Kaplan (very smart guy) who may or may not be really coming back to the 'sphere.

Best Original Blackfive Posts
Blackfive's Encounter With a French General
Alzheimer's
The Warrior Caste
Me and My Muslim Friends Neighbors
Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day
T-Minus One Hour
Racism Sucks - Especially When You Are Drinking
Goodbye Howard Dean

Best Spotlight Posts (Good For The American Spirit)
Taking Chance Home
Saving Specialist Gray
Email From Participant at President Bush's Thanksgiving
Balance

Cheers! (Good For The American Liver)
Drink Guinness - It's Good For You
Attention Scotch Lovers!
St. Patrick's Day Series
The Blogger Drinking Game

I've Got A Blog And I Know How To Use It!
Finally, I never thought that a few thousand people would visit this site every day. I figured that 150 was good enough to keep going. I never thought that I would spend hours on email every week. What's next?

Who the hell knows? What I do know is that I'll continue to focus on the great Americans that are defending our nation (and the world - you hear that, France?). Of course, I'll throw in more stuff about scotch and Guinness, too.

I hope to do more work for Spirit of America - maybe locally, and I hope to bring more attention to the good people in our military - maybe through broadcast and periodical media. I might organize a Chicago Blog-Fest for sometime in the Fall (I would say Blog-Meet but there'll definitely be a pub-crawl in there so maybe Fest is a better word). I'm not running for office, and I'm not writing a book. I've been accused of both goals on this blog.

So, I hope to have you around for another year. One thing that you can count on is that our military men and women (and their wonderful families) will provide some inspiring stories to share....

Thanks for visiting Blackfive. Remember - if you can't pick up a rifle to defend America, then do something.

Sincerely,

Matt

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» Enemablog from Simon World
It is time again to look at the week that was around the blog-o-planet. My desperate bid for traffic finally hit pay-dirt this week. Firstly a link from Michele, then from Sgt. Hook of Operation Shoe Fly has seen the Sitemeter spinning off the charts. ... [Read More]

Comments

[Jaime]

It's been a year already??? I'm not sure if I found your site through Smash or a link from IMAO, but either way, I pop in at least once a day to see what you're up to ;) Keep up the fantastic work!

I hafta say that I don't think anyone else has made me cry as many times as you have. Tears of loss, but mostly tears of pride.

Thanks Matt :)

[athena]

congrats

[Val Prieto]

Congratulations and thanks for all the superb hard work, Matt. Keep on doing what your doing man.

[Retread]

Only a year, huh? It seems I've been relying on you for the 'never to be seen on mainstream media' stories for longer than that! You're required daily reading for me based on content alone. That you're a Scotch and Guiness fan like me is icing on the cake. Congrats on the anniversary.

[Teresa]

Happy Anniversary!!! Congratulations! One of these days I am going to buy you a drink.

[Timmer]

Happy Anniversary Sir. Personally I think you Smash, Stryker, and Hook should be required reading for all officers and NCOs in all branches of the service. Your "Someone You Should Know" stories alone are pure gold.

I was in line in the Cafeteria and a couple Marines were in line ahead of me talking about how they couldn't get any decent news. I mentioned your story about the jarheads who were getting the Navy Cross and they just looked at me dumbfounded. Who? For what? I don't know if they ever made it to your site, but I gave it to them. Not often this ol' zoomie can make a Gunny speachless. Next time I'm home on leave I'll email ya and buy ya lunch...maybe a decent Italian Beef Sammich and a beer on da West side somewheres.

[Cate]

Happy anniversary. I honestly don't even know how I found myself here - but I'm glad I did.

[Lordzmom]

Happy Anniversary! Many more to you. You are one of the best. Keep up the great work.

~LordzMom & Keystone Soldiers

[roux]

Congratulations. I read you everyday. Keep up the good work.

[Jim]

Happy Blogiversary! What a great post too - the Executive Summary, so to speak.

[Steve]

Matt:
Congratulations. Since it seems you'll never get to DC, I'll try to arrange a TDY to Chicago over the course of the next year or so (not wintertime!). There used to be one group of people I would travel to buy a beer for, A-10 jocks, now I'm adding Blackfive to the list.

Best always,
Steve

[Kevin]

Matt, congratulations on the anniversary. Anytime you make down to Sydney, Australia [about half a klick from Maroubra beach], I'd be proud to buy you a beer. As we used to say in One platoon, 1st Commando Company. [Aussie Green Berets, since 1955], 'You're my Aussie digger diver cobber mate!

[Chris Snell]

Congratulations! Any chance you will fix the DNS 'A' record for blackfive.net? Currently, http://blackfive.net/ takes you to a search page.

Chris

[Chris Snell]

Congratulations! Any chance you will fix the DNS 'A' record for blackfive.net? Currently, http://blackfive.net/ takes you to a search page.

Chris

[Uptown Girl]

Congratulations!!!!!

[El Jefe]

I very hearty congratulations! If I'm ever in/around your nape of the neck I'll be bringing a bottle of Lagavulin.

[Blackfive]

Hi Chris-

I don't have a borked A record. I use Typepad and they are still working on some DNS bugs.

Thanks.

[Nancy]

Thanks Matt for the blog, the insight, the advice about what to send soldiers and SF. Some of that traffic is me checking in about 4 times a day to see what else you've written.

Nancy

[Laura Z]

Congratulations on your first anniversary! May there be many more!

[Mr. Green]

Congrats, Matt. Keep up the good work!

[Linda]

Happy Birthday! You're one of my daily must-reads for sure.

[pam]

Congratulations on a great first year, Matt! May there be many more! :)

[Omnibus Driver]

Happy blogiversary, Big Guy!

[Laughing Wolf]

Congratulations, and keep up the good/fun work! :)

[Mario Mirarchi]

Matt,

Congratulations! many happy returns. You (and the rest of the MilBloggers) are lighthouses in the dark.

Mario Mirarchi

[Ith]

Congrats! May there be many more aniversaries to come.

[Alice]

I've learned a lot about our soldiers from your site and its readers. Thanks Matt!

[Beast of Bourbon]

Congratulations Matt!  You run a swell site, I read it regularly.  Continued success to you.

[Bonfire7]

Congratulations and many happy returns !

I visit your site nearly every day since finding you. Thank you so much for providing information and links I would not find anywhere else. You are an inspiration and a MUCH needed resource for all of us. And I am learning a lot here, too.

Keep on doing what you do!

[sarahk]

congratulations, Matt, and thank you!

[tom beta 2]

Hoo-ah!

[Janie]

Yes, Congrats! I print off and send to Soldiers that I support - various words/writings of yours...I also agree if we personally can't pick up that rifle...do something...!

[hln]

Congratulations! It certainly seems like you've been around longer than a year. (I mean that as a compliment).

hln

[AC]

Dear Matt

First part of the mission accomplished. I'm sure there will be many many more.

Congratulations and all the very best.

[Jack Grey]

Congrats to you, Matt- and even more, Thank You!

Your posts are a place I often turn to when I want to be reminded why I'm proud to be an American.

Best wishes for many more blogiversaries!