Happy Blogiversary to me!

Don't mind me, just wanted to take a short break from recapping my Russia trip to pat myself on the back for documenting the past year of my life. I know my mom appreciates it (Hi Mom, happy early Mother's Day), and I imagine it'll be a nice (or embarrassing) time capsule for myself someday. It was exactly one year ago that I posted this note, and so like my favorite retired blogger might say, Happy Blogiversary!

Since you've had the opportunity to learn about me this past year, I figure it is only fair for me to disclose what I've learned about you. Some of it is a bit disturbing (read on to see some of the searches that have led here). That's right, since about September of last year I have been tracking you while you read about me! Could you sense Google ogling you? They have a free Google Analytics service that has recorded the following:

Since September, 1,630 of you have visited 4,360 times and viewed 7,173 pages. You stick around for an average of 1 minute and 53 seconds.

Other than the main page, these are the pages you've read most often:

Note To Africa	246
Darrenisms	225
Facebook Freefall	122
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain	122
Gauley Lama	80

You've come from 699 cities (in 55 countries), with these being the top 5 (who do I know in Montreal anyway?):

Arlington	1047
Washington	879
San Francisco	186
Montreal	110
Falls Church	107

These were my biggest days and the posts that caused them (congrats Joel, your disaster Date Lab takes first place):
2/13/2008 Joel's Date Lab Debacle 74
12/19/2007 Holiday Party 62
1/2/2008 New Year's Cabin Camping 51
9/17/2007 Gauley Rafting 49

Those of you that don't know me most likely found this blog searching for something else (sadly there's nothing remotely useful here on anything but perhap the last item on this list):

1) 36 times you've wanted to know about "driving cross country"
2) 36 times you've asked about "Facebook's geography quiz" (with many of those asking how to cheat!—shame on you, learn some geography!)
3) 29 times you were looking for "skydiving shoes". My Keen's worked, but my one jump hardly qualifies me to recommend skydiving shoes.
4) 28 times you were searching for "behr deck stain". Again, a sample size of 1, but it's been a disaster for us. We stained it two years ago, then touched it up last fall, and this spring it's an embarrassment (I should post new photos)
5) 28 times you were looking for the quote "The Lord said Peter, I can see your house from here". This one baffles me. I know it as a line from a Roger Waters song, can that really be the source of all these hits (relatively speaking)
6) 27 times you came here for information on tying a "safety knot". They're important, keep searching
7) 23 times you wanted to find out about Hassan Bah in Doucki, Guinea. He's great! If you are in Guinea make the effort to visit him in Doucki and spend a few days hiking with him. My experience is here.

But the real reason I enjoy Google Analytics is because I can see what you searched for that got you here, and there are some funny ones (several frankly that I have no clue why they would link here). Since I'd rather not reinforce some of these searches I'll be posting a photo of this list:

Let's see what I learn about you before my second Blogiversary...