One Year and Counting!

My daughter, Maria Roth, joined Associated Content in July 2008 and I had enjoyed reading not only her articles but the comments by the other contributors here. In December last year, I decided I wanted to join AC myself, but wasn't very clear what I wanted to do here - I wanted to publish some slideshows and maybe an occasional article and get to know some of Maria's fans better.

My first piece of content was a slideshow of flower images that I was preparing to exhibit in a local one-man show. Then I wrote an article on living in the present moment. And the stage was set for what would be my pattern for my first year on AC (now Yahoo! Contributor Network) - publish several slideshows and then an article, probably with a spiritual or humorous slant (and, ideally, both). I have now published 183 slideshows and this will be my 85^th article.

I have gradually grown a fan base which now numbers 150. Many of these people like my flower slideshows and they have been dubbed "flora fans" by Nancy Tracy. I even wrote an article to help people write comments on my flower slideshows; you can read it here. I started having so much fun on AC that my wifeMary decided to join in February. She is also now "hooked"!

Two weeks ago, I received notice from AC that they had placed one of my slideshows on the front page! This slideshow of Christmas at Kauffman Garden has become my most popular content, with nearly 3000 page views to date (maybe more when AC corrects their recent PV glitch for slideshows). Until this happened, my most popular article had just over a 1000 PVs and my most popular slideshow was my very first, with about 300 PVs.

The last month has also brought me some recognition within the community, with Charlotte Kuchinsky giving me honorable mention as a Most Intriguing New Star Writer. Dan Reveal was selected for a November Best of AC award for creative writing and I was mentioned for my photography which has accompanied many of his poems over the last several months. And I had my first face-to-face meeting with an unrelated AC contributor this Saturday when Mary and I met Mae Wong and her fiancé. She also lives in the Kansas City area and was visiting her fiancé's family in Olathe, where I live. It is really fun to meet and talk to someone you have previously only known through their words!

Today marks the first anniversary of my first published content on AC (and the 59^th anniversary of Mary's birth). I can say now that this is a great place to express your creativity in whatever form it takes. But it is also a great community and social network. In fact, I hardly ever get on FaceBook anymore because AC (Y!CN) suits me better. There are many other contributors that I haven't mentioned becuase it would make this article too long, but know that I appreciate all of you who have given me a comment or sent me a PM!

After the PVs are corrected, I expect today to also be the day I reach Clout Level 8! Being a member of this community has been a wonderful way to spend some of my retirement time and I look forward to spending another great year of publishing more slideshows and articles and reading and commenting on those of yours! Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it and Happy New Year to everyone!