365 True Things: 236/Stats

I find the statistics for this blog interesting. I have no idea what they really mean, and I suspect that these stats pale in comparison to anything Wordpress, say, has to offer. But I look at them occasionally, and marvel at some of the specifics (never mind the fact that I have any stats—i.e., followers—at all).

After all, I can count on one hand people who for some reason "should" be interested in this blog: my husband and my sister-in-law, for two. Then there are a few people who I know check in, because they leave comments: Cynthia, whose blog I modeled this one on; Susan, a Flickr friend whom I've done long-distance photography projects with; Kim, one of my writing partners; and a few scattered others, especially shortly after I launched this thing. Apparently leaving a comment isn't very easy with Blogger, so I know the remarks aren't indicative of anything. Except to be assured I do have at least a few readers. (And thank you to all of you!)

Yesterday I had 38 pageviews, today so far 7. Which I know is pretty pathetic in the grand scheme of bloggerhood, but the only "advertising" I'm doing is on Facebook every five days or so, so I'm astonished that there are even that many. (Those of you who know about this stuff probably think I'm pretty pathetic for not understanding any of this. Be that as it may.)

The most-viewed post so far? Bucket, about beautiful birds I'd like to see someday in the wild, with 58 views. (I wonder what people really thought they were going to get from that title. Probably not birds.) Exercise created some interest as well (45 views)—which, if you read that one, you will be amused to learn that I have not followed through on. Yet. It's (still) on my list.

Lately, the numbers have typically been fewer than 10 views, sometimes bumping into the teens. I wonder why they've been dropping—or rather, why they were higher earlier on. Or, really, why I have any viewers at all.

But here's the part of the statistics page I find most interesting: my readership by country. Here's this week:

And here's the breakdown, by country:

Last month, Russia showed up in second place, and Ukraine and Australia made a brief appearance.

Since I started this blog in 2010, the numbers look like this:

Norway's good showing no doubt has something to do with my having family there (though even they have lost interest, not too surprisingly).

But Ukraine? China? Portugal? Russia?

Who are you? Why are you here? I expect, rather than being "followers," you just stumbled on this blog once, gave it a look, and moved on. I'd really love to know.

But I guess some things (well—so many things) are destined to remain a mystery.

Meanwhile, I'll keep writing, readers or no. Only 129 days to go.