The beautiful number: 100 (in this case, followers)
The church (my Dad’s office) in the small village of Fairlie, where I was born. Population 100 at the time? Maybe.
A few days ago, this blog gained Follower #100. I am still savouring the moment, even though I can’t swear exactly when that moment was, and I’m even uncertain about exactly which person was the 100th follower.
“Exactly which person” — what a crazy prosopagnosic phrase, as if all readers were a blur of clones. Quite the opposite! The beauty of having only 100 followers is that I’ve looked up every one, seen your face or avatar, read many of your posts, and been delighted to receive your comments on my blog. So I can state without fear of contradiction that you (we) are all fiercely individual.
I mean, look at the avatars of the four most recent followers! Could they be any more different from each other or clearer in their individual goals? I urge you to visit their blogs and see for yourself:
@AmySimonoff
100 is a tiny village
I can celebrate this number with all modesty because it’s not 10,000 or even 1,000. It’s a friendly, human number, the sort we can imagine, a lovely number which is nevertheless within reach.
When I was doing social media stuff for my company I was puffed up with greater numbers. 5,000 email subscribers and 3,000 Twitter followers are now in someone else’s hands. Those numbers are still modest, but far too great for me to recognise as individuals.
100 people is:
- The population of Fairlie (NZ) when I was born there in 1940 (that’s a creative but liberal estimate) — a place where every person in the village was known to every other
- A century in cricket (or years or whatever) — caps in the air, yippee, surely that guarantees a win! (Actually not but hey.)
- As a percentage, couldn’t be better, A+ and surely that means top of the class! (Actually not but hey.)
Thank you for being my WordPress village
My thanks not just to the latest arrivals but everyone who hangs out here now and again. You keep me going. You get me going. Right, that’s the happy 100 done and dusted — back to work, me!
Congratulations ! Looking forward to your future blog posts too.
And when I’ve done 100 posts on this blog, let’s have a party!
A lovely celebration of your tribe and village. Happy to be a part of it,
We’re all in this together. I’m not sure whether that makes us the Village People…
Congratulations! Reaching 100 is no small feat! I love your blog, and your clear writing, and will certainly be one of your faithful followers!
Yay! All I need now is a letter from the Queen.
Good work and keep it up.
So nice to be part of your virtual village Rachel. No ‘virtual’ about the sense of community though. Congratulations on reaching the magic ‘ton’.
Thanks Robyn. You are right, I am daily delighted with the real comradeship I find here.
Hi Rachel
Glad to help you notch up the ton, ( I am a fan of cricket ).
Aussie supporter, I hope you won’t hold that against me He He!!!
I am a fan of yours too, popping back to visit and read stories in your archives.
Hope you get that double century, and I will visit some of your “Community 100” as you suggested.
Cheers from
Annie in Australia 🌞 🌴 🌊
Annie, thanks for clocking in! Aussie Annies welcome not only in the village but in my family — My youngest sister has lived in Queensland most of her life. Thanks for the sun and palm trees.
there’s something to be said abou approaching our lives with an eye to that which is of a human-scale.
Exactly. I guess it’s also enjoying what you have.