My First Week...And What A Week It Was!

      Well, I did it!  Yay for me!  My very first week is now complete on Gather.  It was a week of not knowing what to expect and being somewhat overwhelmed at the results I ended up realizing.

      It took quite awhile to even get going on Gather.  My best friend signed up on Gather first and invited me to join him, as he does with pretty much everything in his life.  (Some have probably noticed by now, I mention my best friend quite a bit.  He's the only one I have who cares; the only one who's there, so he's a very big part of my life!  You'll hear me talk about him all the time and over the course of future posts, you'll come to learn the whole story.)  I knew I could write; maybe not all that well; but when you have to write, things just don't come.  When I let my mind go blank (okay, even more blank than it usually is)...here comes the "writer's runs" I've mentioned before.  And if I did write, who would really care?  Nobody wants ot hear my opinion; everyone already has their own.  I am but one man out of millions; my words would just get lost in the shuffle.  I would come up with the excuse, "Why bother?" when my time and efforts will just be wasted.  And I sat idle for months.

      As it was, a couple of weeks ago, my best friend decided to make some positive changes in his life to become the very best he can possibly be.  I was extremely happy he came to the conclusions he did.  One of the things he wanted to make a change about was ME.  I've written several things just for him in the past and he praised them.  I knew they weren't all that, at least not as much as he was making out of them, but that's what best friends are supposed to do.  Based on what I wrote for him, he sincerely invited and encouraged me to start utilizing my "talents" on Gather; he wanted me to become a partner with him in this venture, no longer being his side-kick or second banana.  That was the clincher that motivated me...my best friend really wanted me to join him.

      I thought about it hard...I didn't really know where to start...or where to go after that.  But I took the plunge and just went for it.  With my first attempt debutting on the "Sweetest Day of the Year", I went with the theme "love".  And when I think of love; I think of my best friend.  So it was only obvious my first post should be about love, Scott and Valentine's Day...and my first attempt at "publishing" on Gather was born last Wednesday.

      I hit that button once I typed my final word, and whizz...bam...bing...there was my article, my words, my thoughts..."printed" right there on the screen before me.  And here I am, staring at my monitor reading the words I just wrote...and looking like a dork smiling from ear to ear.  (I'm so glad no one was in the room at that moment as I'm sure I was acting like a 5 year old child on a Christmas morning!)  And that was just the beginning.

      The firsts and milestones were on their way and each one that passed lifted my spirits, gave me joy and prodded me to go on...do more...reach for the next...the sky's the limit and every star is there for me to grab.  I grabbed another cup of coffee, checked the morning news on television, went into a chat room I frequented on a daily basis; and I just HAD to take another look at my article.  Wait...what's this?  My post was longer than I had written.  Someone made a comment!  And look...my Gather point total had just risen by one.  With my mission accomplished, I was content I could die happy now.  Well, maybe not at this very second, but when my time comes, I had another successful moment I could flaunt as I entered those pearlie gates. 

      But before I made it to heaven, I had another set of gates to navigate...the flood gates of Gather had opened and the response started rushing in.  Someone requested to join my network, which consisted of a whole one person thus far.  (And I bet you can't quess who that solitary soul was in my group of friends.)  More comments, more points, more people.  What's going on here?  ME???  I start exploring some of the other features on Gather and ran across the daily/weekly/monthly lists.  I went to "Highest Rated" looking for Scott and before I got down in the numbers far enough to find him, there I was!  Huh?  I was #65 on the Top 100 with a "10" rating.  This was far better than I had ever hoped for...take me now, sweet Jesus!  As I continued to review the lists, an utopic feeling spread through my entire being.  I was on all three!

      Now, I realize this wasn't unique just to me.  Others have gone through the same thrill of that "first time".  Many have done better; many haven't done as well; others were going through the exact experience I was enjoying.  Day one was complete and I had accomplishments to prove I have been here...ranked on all three daily lists, I broke the 100 point barrier, my network had swollen to seven people and I was now in two groups.  But like in the movie "The Posidin Adventure", "there's got to be a morning after".  (And PLEASE don't let Shelly Winters land on me!)  Day two...now what do I do?  You got it; clear my mind and come down with a case of the "writer's runs".

      One day turned into two.  Two days turned into three.  The days turned into a week.  Before I commenced with today's post, I checked my numbers just to see how I did overall.  I'm not bragging; just sharing...keep that in mind.  But this is my own personal accomplishment, something I haven't felt in quite some time.  I just ask you to let me have my little moment in the sun here so I can bask in the glory.  Each day, I managed to be on all three lists; Highest Rated, Most Read, Most Disgusting...err...Discussed.  I know they're only numbers, but most of us have to admit it gives us a good feeling to be listed.  The highest ranking I had during the week was making it up to #12 on the Most Read list.  I never professed to be the best, but maybe I at least have a fighting chance.  By day four, not only was I making the daily lists, but now I'm also showing up on the weekly Most Read and Most Discussed categories.  I have broken the 500 point level, others have made over 200 comments on what I've written, I now have 58 friends in my network, and I'm a member of 5 groups.  Not only have my "numbers" grown on Gather, but my own personal life has, as well.

      I have come to the conclusion that the writing is enjoyable...it gives me something to do occupying my spare time and allows my creative juices to flow; something that hasn't happened in a long time.  The writing, though, is only secondary to what is really important.  That's you...the people...my peers.  I've connected with others from as close as Canandaigua, a town just one half hour from where I live, to several foreign lands as far away as China.  You were all "strangers waiting to be friends", yet I have learned so much about many of you from reading what you write and the comments you leave.  Your unqiue personalities come shining through and I'm developing a rapor with many.  I've recieved private messages thanking me for something I've said that has affected you in one way or another.  I've had some request that I review their work before they publish or to critique their work to assist them in becoming a better writer.  You've praised me in your kind words posted and complimented my work.  You've laughed with me...and at me.  You've cried.  You've learned.  You've felt and you have loved. 

      And it's to you, the people of Gather, MY people of Gather, my friends, that I owe what success I have experienced.  I only put down words.  You interpret them and decide if they were worth the time reading.  And as long as you keep feeding me, I have a feeling I'm never going to be cured of the "writer's runs".  And the one I thank the most is...you got it...my best friend...my catalyst not only here, but in all I do in life.  You really are the BEST, Scottie!