October 26, 2020

Wow...Seventeen

Seventeen years ago, around 3:30 in the afternoon, I started this blog. I had no clue, really, what I would do with it other than make fun of my people. The Woman had notions that I would share my world views, but really, what's funnier than people and the stupid things they do?

I think it was after we hit "publish" on the first post that we began searching for other cat blogs. I mean, if I had one, there must be others, right? We spent hours looking and found lots of blogs about cats, but none written by a cat. It felt like I'd stumbled on a private island, which is cool and all, but private gets boring after a while. I wanted more.

The very first post...typo included

Visitors trickled in at first. Friends of the Woman poked in to see what was going on, and some of them shared the blog link. But it didn't take long before the spread of it was more organic and people to whom we had no personal connection began visiting. Some got in the spirit and commented as their cats. Some got the joke and started blogs for their own cats. It became a thing unto its own self: there were suddenly tons of cat blogs as others followed, and before I knew it there were cat blogs started by cats who had never even heard of mine.

There was a real Cat Blogosphere, and I made friends.

More importantly, I think, the Woman made friends. Friends that have turned into genuine, in-real-life friends, some of the best friends she could ever hope to have.

I wish the commenting system I used in the beginning was still there--Blogger originally didn't have their own and we had to use third party commenting--because there were some great conversations that happened in the comments. 

As the Cat Blogosphere exploded in size, it turned into Way Too Much Fun. There were house trashing parties--of course we teleported to each others' homes where we enjoyed niptinis and mountains of food--and we even had the Cat Olympics. We opened chat rooms so that we could talk to each other in real time. We celebrated together, not just holidays but the birth of sticky people, new furry household additions, marriages, and milestones. And we mourned together as the friends we grew to love left us early to run off to the Bridge, as our People lost treasured family, and we cried together.

Some of you guys have been here from the beginning, from the time after I lost Hank the Dog (which happened a few months before the blog began) and were here when Buddah came to live with us and damned near killed me with his cooties. You saw him grow from Buddah Butt to Buddah Pest, and listened to all my complaints about him.

I miss him, doods. I never thought I would, mostly because I never thought he would go first, but here we are.

You suffered through all the M-words with me. And there were a lot.

I gotta admit, the idea that I would still have this blog even five years from the day it began, never occurred to me in the beginning. I especially never would have thought it would launch a career for me, even if I did piggyback off the Woman's. 

I never could have conceived of all the friendships that would come from it, not for me and not for the Woman. She loves her friends. Not just, like, the way people love Cheetos or new shoes; she loves them.

Doods...I am so grateful.

For every one of you who found me so early on, who have stuck with me, who stumbled in along the way and who played along, got the joke, for whom this all became real, who helped their own kitties begin their own blogs...I am grateful.

Thank you for 17 awesome and amazing years.

Now let's squeeze out a bit more...


23 comments:

Random Felines said...

We are glad to call you and the Woman our friends

Ann & Jim said...

Max, I've been a reader of your blog and then FB pretty much from the beginning. The joy, the laughter, the tears you've shared have made me feel like I'm part of a huge family. When Buddah started his own blog, my teacher husband would use bits of both your blogs to explain "voice" in writing. Thank you for it all. Even though most of us have never met, you made us all a family. ❤️🐱❤️

messymimi said...

How i wish i'd been here sooner, i mourn for all i've missed. You rock.

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

You bring us joy!

rn_damia said...

I've been with you for many years, and have loved every step, you seriously make me LOL on a regular basis. You are all very much loved and a part of my life that keeps me laughing when there is not much else to laugh about.

Pufferoonie said...

I believe I came here from another blog. It was just prior to you getting Buddah. I'm sorry he's gone. YOU stay well.

Diane S said...

I’m not sure when I started following you Max. I long time I think.
But 17 YEARS ! Yes, a Big Celebration. 🎈🎈🎈
Congratulations Max ❤️❤️❤️

NitroStitch said...

I'm so glad you're here and doing your blog, Max. I'm not sure when I found it, but I always enjoy reading your thinks. You make me laugh a lot and sometimes cry, but I always love to read what goes on with you and your People.

NitroStitch said...

I'm so glad you're here and doing your blog, Max. I'm not sure when I found it, but I always enjoy reading your thinks. You make me laugh a lot and sometimes cry, but I always love to read what goes on with you and your People.

Summer said...

Happy blogoversary!

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Happy blogoversary, 17 years is a wonderful achievement, Max! I first discovered cat blogs in February 2006 when I was laid up with a broken leg. I googled "big ginger cats" and discovered Fat Eric, and from there I discovered you and other cat blogs. Because I had Big Eric or Big E as we used to call him I contacted Kate via the blog. She persuaded me to start our own and in the July I plucked up courage. You left one of my very first comments. Like you, I have made a lot of very good friends through blogging, and some I have met in person. Those were good days!

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

TBT discovered you around 2004 something and enjoyed reading about snarky Max at the office. When he retired in 2006, he saw a "free blog" button and DARED to press it. The rest is OUR history.

Max has been an inspiration to us all our lives and some of Skeeter and LC's who started the show here when they were "eldish".

The whole concept of cats speaking for themselves was a wild idea. But it has kept TBT going for 14 years and us as we came along losing the originals and gaining others.

Without Max, we would just be a few happy kitties in a house and yard. WITH Max, we are world-famous (in our opinion) but more impawtantly, we have FRIENDS.

Eastside Cats said...

Love you, Max!
Happy Blogoversary, dood!

TurtleLover said...

happy blogaversary! I found you when my mom brought me her newspaper with an article about you ... and I've been reading ever since. I don't know how long ago that was. Now I'm just the crazy cat lady who reads cat blogs HA HA H AHA HA HA HA

Mighty Kitty said...

I second you idea of continuing as you are still able!

catladymac said...

Oh Max - concatulations ! Please keep going as long as you can, Buddy ! We need you

Hnossa said...

Congrats, Max! My human and I always check out your words of wisdom, and we hope for many more.

Lynn said...

I have been following your blog for many years. I never started one of mine own but have enjoyed yours so much. I love you, the Woman and the Man.

Just Ducky said...

Concats on your blogoversary! Derby always told me it was your fault he started blogging, so thanks. For the memories and friendships.

da tabbies o trout towne said...

happee 17 dood & heerz ta de next 17.... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

bak then we wooda been at catster....& it waz one rockin awesum time ther
two....

we R sorree we haz knot been a long with ya de entire journee, but glad
we hopped de cable car when ya posted sum thin that we saw coz ya posted it when we saw it...???

any way N joy ☺☺

Ivan from WMD said...

Concats, Max! Even though the three of us came way later, our old bro William told us all about you and told us you should be revered. So happy 17th--that is quite the milestone!

Taz's mom Meg said...

I found your blog when the Woman was carrying around a Flat Max and posting about that. That was after you got Buddah, but we read all your books so we know about his cooties and the Woman's Brain Zit (isn't that what it was?) and the M-words and games of THOE and the Man passing gas. Happy Blogoversary, Dood!

purrmonster said...

Max, you're the greatest--I'm so glad I found your blog about midway along. How else would I have had my views of the universe set straight!