With 2012 just around the corner, here’s a summary of what’s happened this year
including our top 10 blog posts, top 10 commenters, and a few other interesting stats.
Olive and I (Tim) have been overwhelmed at the positive response from our new website, www.timandolive.com, which we launched in November of this year. Prior to this website, Olive had 3 blogs and I had 2 blogs. It was not only confusing for our readers, but confusing for ourselves to keep track of so many different websites.
Olive has been blogging since 2002 and I have been blogging since 2003 (with a 5 year blogging break between 2006-2011). Through blogging, we have be blessed and enriched at comments from our friends, family, and complete strangers – comments of encouragement, gratitude, thought-provoking questions, and personal stories to share. Blogging has also allowed us to reflect on our lives and articulate our thoughts and feelings. As Socrates says, “The uncontemplated life is not worth living.”
TOP 10 BLOGS POSTS of 2011
1. Introducing our Daughter – It was no surprise that people were most interested in photos of our newborn daughter, Alena Joy Chan, born on December 6. She is a bundle of joy. You can see more photos and videos of her here.
2. Defining Decision #1: Embrace my Depression [realizing the gifts that depression brings] – Part 2 – This was part of my (Tim’s) new blog series of Defining Decisions I made in my 20s. People voted on which decisions they most wanted to read about, and this one was by far voted for the most.
3. Defining Decision #1: Embrace my Depression [realizing the gifts that depression brings] – Part 1 – See above.
4. Finding My Voice: On Marriage – Olive has also been writing about defining decisions she made in her 20s. This is part of our reflections on this past decade, as both of us turned 30 this year. This post is about why Olive decided to marry me.
5. Finding My Voice: On Love – This blog post is about how Olive gave love a chance, and includes her thoughts on our dating/courtship period.
6. Defining Decisions – 20 Life-Shaping Choices I made in my 20s – This is the introductory post to my blog series and lists the 20 life-shaping choices I made in my 20s. This is where our readers voted on which of my defining decisions they wanted to read about.
7. Celebrating One Week! – Olive wrote this blog post when Alena turned 1 week old.
8. My Dear Firstborn – This is Olive’s letter to Alena before she was born, while she was still in the womb.
9. Two Weeks Old – This is Olive’s letter to Alena when she turned 2 weeks old.
10. A New Season of Life – This was a blog post that I wrote back in 2006, describing the story of how Olive and I first started dating. What a blast from the past.
TOP 10 COMMENTERS ON OUR WEBSITE in 2011 – Thank you!
1. Vanessa Strickland
2. Ryan Lui
3. Vincent Ng
4. Bernadette Lam
5. Tiff and Simon
6. Stephanie Uy
7. Jo Plummer
8. Daisy Go
9. Melissa Foo
10. Ben Lam
BLOG POST WITH MOST COMMENTS
BAM! An Introduction to Business as Mission – 19 comments and counting. I joined a LinkedIn Group called Business as Mission Network, and most of the commenters are from that group. I was amazed at the response of this blog, from experts of BAM from around the world (including authors, instructors, and successful business people).
BLOG POST WITH HIGHEST AVERAGE TIME SPENT READING
Free Baby Resources – 5 min 40 seconds. This is the blog post where Olive writes about all the helpful and free baby resources she found while she was pregnant, including baby products, books, apps, podcasts, etc.
TOP 10 COUNTRIES WHERE OUR WEBSITE IS VISITED FROM
1. Canada
2. United States
3. Hong Kong
4. Singapore
5. Uganda
6. Australia
7. United Kingdom
8. South Korea
9. Russia
10. Taiwan
In 2012, we have some exciting things planned for our website. The first thing that will happen is the launching of our online store, which will be a place to sell some of our artwork (mostly Olive’s, because hers is way better than mine). We’ll continue blogging of course and add more book reviews. We’re also hoping to invite some guest bloggers to post their thoughts.