Thank You! The last post I published was my 800th post and with more than 75,000 visitors in the past year, I am more honored than I can say to have received the attention, comments and support from all of you!
In the last few months I’ve seen far more visitors than ever before and I can only thank my loyal supporters who have passed the word on about my blog as the reason for this increase. That these new readers then become followers is, as I mentioned, a sincere honor.
This has become a very busy time for me as well. As a side product of blogging, I have been asked to write a book (yes, the one that I’m way late on getting the final draft ready for) but I am also very busy with a couple of other things as well.
Numerous emails from other creative individuals have given me a new money making enterprise (who knew) assisting writers, musicians and other artisans with their “works in process” (at their request), helping through the planning stages of promoting their works! (I guess having a marketing background can help, lol!)
And finally my own personal projects! One of which is more research into the roots of the writing style of haibun from an historic and artistic perspective, along with the desire to pass this information on to others. Also to have some creative fun with this. I’ll continue to write pennyquotes for “A Penny For Your Thoughts” – as the muse takes me. Regarding my other projects, I’ll keep you posted on them too!
However, as a result of all the above, I will no longer be hosting or judging for Ye Pirate’s excellent “Ligo Haibun Challenge“. Instead, information for the Ligo Haibun Challenge will be found at the new website Haven of Haibun, where I will continue to promote the Ligo Haibun Challenge activities (and of course read all the wonderful entries). I will also be posting other “haibun happenings” as I discover them! The Haven of Haibun is in it’s infancy but if you’d like to check it out – and give me a hand in shaping it’s creative direction – click here!
As for “The Why About This” blog – this is my ‘online’ home and will always present the “me” that I am. I will continue to inspire, encourage and inform … always from the hopeful perspective of trying to make a positive and creative difference for the reader.
Once again my most sincere thanks to all of you. Some so very special to me (And you do know who you are!). All my very best, keep taking care of you,
And I’ll keep doing my very best to motivate and inspire – helping you to reach your own personal goals.
~ Penny
The Why About This 
Congratulations, Penny, and take care of yourself too 🙂
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Congratulations Penny on your 800th post and on your latest writing projects. You deserve every bit of happiness and success.
Thanks Sandra. Does keep one busy, but as you say … in a good way, my friend! xo
Congratulations Penny! Forgive me for not being able to catch up on your posts – I’ve not been well enough to blog and comment. Just wanted to send you much love for all you do and let you know that I’m still thinking of you. All my best and good luck with all your projects. xxxx
Thank you Ruth, I am so sorry to hear you have not been well. Sending you all my love and hopeful wishes you are doing better now. You will be in both Christina and my prayers and we are sending positive energy your way! You are very precious to both of us, dear friend! xoxo
Thanks so much Penny – very much appreciated. Sending love over to you and Christina and thanks again for your lovely words xxxx
Wow, congrats. You are an inspiration to us all 🙂
Hi Claire, Thank you! How have you been doing? Well I hope! 🙂 xo
Hi Penny, sorry about the delayed reply, I’m recovering from an operation at the moment which is giving me time to catch up, I’ve never stayed in one place for so long in my whole life 🙂 So you will have seen a lot from me in the last few days. Love your blog, a lot of food for thought x
Claire, I am so sorry to hear about your operation. Hope you are well on the mending end of things. Sending you tons and tons of positive energy and thoughts (are you receiving them yet?) Thank you for spending time on my blog, it is greatly appreciated. If I have made any positive difference at all for you I am even more pleased. Do take care of you, my friend, you are in my thoughts and prayers for well being! xx
Wonderful, penny, and congrats:)
Thank you, Onward and upward, I guess … no actually I’ve met so many great friends online, I am very happy to be here, dear and so special friend of mine! 🙂
Impressive! What a great achievement!! Blessings! 🙂
Congratulations Penny on your 800th post! You never cease to amaze me, so beautiful your generous, giving spirit, one who is so very inspiring, so real, so very alive! May all your hopes and dreams, whatever they may be, be yours! Love you bunches my friend! 🙂
Hi LuAnn, haven’t caught up on all the comments yet, but did want to thank you here! You’re part of the reason that I am so glad to be online sharing creativity with others. You also are filled with the stuff of dreams (by that I mean your pure talent and loving and giving nature)! Thank you so very much, I love you too! 🙂 xo
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Congrats on 800 posts, Penny, and I wish you all the best with your book and all of your other creative projects on the back seat! I know you’ll succeed! Keep smiling and shining for us all! Hugs! xo
Hey Lauren, thank you, I’ll do my best and you also the same wonderful wishes my dear friend, huge hugs and blessings! xo
What else can I say Penny. we do move on in life and this is perfect moment for you. Glory in it my dear. You deserve this and many more beautiful things in your life. Thank you too for allowing me to consider you as one of few mentors I have. Congratulations, dearest Penny. 🙂
Thank you. It is busy, reminds me of my professional days in the world of marketing. Family still does come first. Creativity second, and making a positive difference (well that’s just what I try to do with whatever activity I’m involved with, lol). I am honored and humbled to have you consider me a mentor, Celestine, thank you so much! 🙂 xx
Happy to have found you Penny! So glad you are still here and wishing you much success with the book!
Thank you so much. Busy people do get more things done, they say, lol!
So many wonderful things going on Penny for you! No wonder you’ve been busy! 🙂 And what a terrific milestone — 800 posts! Wow! So excited for you as you continue with these different projects! 🙂
Kenley
Thanks Kenley, I’ve noted you’ve been busy also. We are just the busy little beavers, aren’t we. But that’s a good thing I think! 🙂
Indeed it is. Started back up blogging again yesterday and it felt so wonderful to get back in the swing of things after a busy couple months. 🙂
Glad to hear this Kenley, I will be by to read and view some of your wonderful and excellent posts dear friend! 🙂 xx
THANK YOU Penny for writing those 800 wonderful posts and for continuing to shine your light!
Much love,
Steffi
Hi Steffi, and a special thanks to you for being there this past year and most especially for the children as well. We, each of us humans, can shine so brightly if only we would. I know you do. I can feel it from here, dearest friend! xo
Fantastic achievement my friend…I’m looking forward to the next 800, which is of course the thing you most want to see on this post, ha! I remember about a year ago when I was amazed that anyone could get 20,000 hits and now you are just doin’ awesome! Proper proud of you. xx
Hi SteJ, thanks. Yes who could have imagined a year ago when we first started to follow each other the subsequent evens that would occur. Mind boggling if you think about it (which I’m sure right now – you are a whole lot!) Good luck with your flight! Be safe! xx
Thank you for all the inspirational posts Penny!
Hello Barb, thank you with all my heart. You are very special to me, dear friend! xx
As you are to me Penny! xoxox
You’re more than welcome, Penny. Although I don’t comment that often, be assured that I do read your posts. As an aspiring writer (maybe just as a hobby at that), I learn from you and get ideas from some of your posts. When I first started reading this post, I worried that you might be closing your doors. I sighed in relief when I read the closing.
Thank you Glynis. It did suddenly began to get much busier for me several months ago and I needed to come up with a new routine for managing all. I think I just about have it all figured out (I hope)! Taking one day at a time still works best. Thanks again for your wonderful compliments! xx
Well done, 800 posts and counting, I wonder how many will have called into your Space when it reaches a thousand? 🙂 Plenty of time to wait and see, just keep up the excellent style and dedication as it is working marvellously 🙂
Andro xxxx
Hi Andro, it’s so scary I don’t even want to think about it. So I think about each wonderful person I’ve met since I began. Just like you. Andro you always brighten my day with both your creativity expressions (and posts) and loving comments, your joy of life does shine through. I thank you for that, dear friend! 🙂 xxx
That is wonderful, Penny, congratulations!
Hello Jackie, thank you very much! And tons of fun too!
Oh, my!! That sounds great!! 🙂
I wish you all the best my kind friend in whatever you undertake as I know it will always be under the prism of love and kindness.
Much love, dear and may they be 8.000 [or as many as you would wish them to be!]
BTW your instinct was right as it is a time of creative transition for me too! 😉
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Hello favoritest favorite of mine. Yeah, I do tend to hang out in that prism Marina. I knew it (I could sense the creative vibes from way over here, dear friend, they are really strong ones!!!!) 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxo
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AnElephant CAN congratulate Penny
His heart is filled with great joy
He can’t count to 800
Because as you know he’s a dunderhead
But he knows she writes more words than Leo Tolstoy
Congratulations, my dearest Penny, AnElephant is especially happy to be your friend.
Hugs
I lot of written words, this is true. I’m hopeful, for the most part they’ve made positive differences for a few who have read them. As you know, always my goal. Thank you, your warm wishes are very well received and ever so appreciated! Much love to you B., xo
Penny what a milestone, and you have certainly cheered or changed some lives with your wisdom and insights. You are a busy bee with all this writing , but as it sys, if you really enjoy something it is not a chore.
Keep the wonderful posts coming which are all from your heart, I know!
Thank you for being here with us!
Much love Penny.
Thank you Ute. I do stay busy, I suppose, but I do like it that way, as you say. From my heart to yours, thank you for your wonderful compliments and I will do my best, dear friend, much love to you also! xo
That is a great achievement – CONGRATULATIONS.
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Thank you so kindly. I do hope you will want to be a part of the Haibun Haven, at least as a reader, if not a participant. I do treasure your words and your council! 🙂
I have already bookmarked it. I would be honored to contribute. I did not volunteer, as I am so new to the art of haibun. 🙂
A brilliant milestone, congratulations Penny. I look forward to you growing as you have already gone from strength to strength with this blog, as well as your other two. Make sure you still have time for you though. Don’t wear yourself down to the point that you exhaust yourself though.
A fantastic cookie moment 🙂
Thank you Alastair. Not to worry about the wearing down part. That is really what has taken up so much time in the last few months was rearranging realtime (offline activities – balancing my life) and online activities so they blend well, and I’m still working on it, although much closer to getting it figured out. Yes, definitely a fantastic cookie moment, my friend! 🙂
Excellent. Trying to get these timings right are always a work in progress aren’t they?
Congrats penny. I wish i could write one percent like you. Your post are very inspiring.
Thank you Indira and don’t be too hasty with your opinion of your written words. You do have considerable talent and your words and photographs do convey this! Yes they do! 🙂
How encouraging. Thanks .
I always enjoy visiting your online home– good luck with your projects!!! 🙂
Thank you very much! Having fun, feeling good (being creative) and sharing with others – summing it up, I guess! 🙂
ciao! just the best…you did it 🙂 keep at it.
thebestdressup
Thank you. I’ll do my best, and thanks for stopping by and your warm wishes! I do appreciate them! 🙂
Congratulations my friend xxx
Thanks, not what I expected when I first started, so quite a year of change. Wish I had some of your tekky skills my dear friend! xo
need a tech? what’s going on? maybe I can help
Thanks Roxi, let me think on this, may need an email to explain! All good, just figuring out the connections of a few things. lol
Congratulations penny, You have accomplish so much! 🙂
We support you penny. 🙂
Hi Charlie, thank you, I apologize for not having been by recently, I haven’t been joking about being very busy, my friend! 🙂
It’s okay….I wrote something so inspiring and touching. It’s based on true events on me being bullied. You should read it.
I will Charlie! 🙂
Wow Penny! What an accomplishment my friend. I am so impressed that I have been rendered wordless…. 😉
Nah … you wordless Nancy … I think not 😉 Thank you though, for your kind thoughts my friend! I’ve decided to move Richland to Portland as a suburb! 🙂 xx
Woweeeee & Yay on all of that!
I’m happy to be one of your 75,000 visitors. I appreciate your time in blogging & sharing part of you here. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, knowledge, heart & soul. Thanks for being YOU!
xo 🙂 🙂 xo
Yes, quite amazing how fast this year+ has gone, RoSy. Couldn’t have done it without you, neighbor and pal of mine! You’re one of the special ones that I totally adore (in case anyone is reading this, I do not play favorites … well except for …) 🙂 xo
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.
Thank you Jueseppi! So very, very appreciative of you, my friend! xo
Always my pleasure and I forgot to say congratulations.
Thank you, Jueseppi by the by if I can help you reach your goals (numbers) just let me know! Friends help friends! 🙂
Oh I’ll be just fine, numbers are not really what this is all about. I love what I do, just like you do. The numbers are the foam on the glass of beer. 😉
Oh I like that! A great quote in fact!!! 🙂
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Congrats on milestone
Hi Carl, thank you so very much! What a year it’s been, by the way I think you’re super! Just sayin’! I’ve watched you cheer up and support so many other bloggers this past year, my friend! 🙂 xo