Peaceful thoughts as the lights have faded
First of all I must give thanks once again to my amazing followers and WP friends for your support long before the de-facto lottery win last week. Without you I would never have been in a position to have been chosen to be Freshly Pressed.
I also want to welcome again all new followers to The Blissful Adventurer and thank you for your curiosity and interest in this work that I call a career. I hope you will stay with our journey here as we are going to exciting places and sharing the inner workings of Sicily, Bandol in France, Cambodia, Thailand, and more of the wondrous state of Colorado in the coming calendar year. In addition to real life experiences I will always be penning some edgy fiction from each of our destinations including the series on Piedmont, Italy which continues tomorrow.
In almost every sense the posting of my blog on FP was a boon; however, I want to tell a little bit about the process as I am confident those of you who have not yet been FPed will be.
- I learned that I had been FPed at around noon last Thursday from that point until about 3PM yesterday all things I had planned, all responsibility to my own established routine, and all detailed bits of writing I had expected to pen completely ceased.
- My email inbox on Thursday and Friday swelled by 10-15 notifications every 10 minutes. Of course I could have ignored this and pushed forward as planned but I knew this was a rare opportunity to gain support. My long-term goals for this blog are to assist me to being published and establish a base of wonderful friends and connections around the world. This was what I wanted and therefore I had to diligently respond to every single like, follow, comment, and/or query.
- What surprised me the most was that in all of this over 4 full days there was only 1 comment I could not publish as I deemed it combative and out-of-place with our constructive forum. I assumed there would be many along these lines and was pleasantly surprised there were not.
- In all I believe over the 4 days if my email serves me well that I received close to 2500 notes in my inbox and through 9pm last night I had addressed all but a few stragglers left for this morning. In essence, I slept little, ate when I had to, and lived here at the desk. This is why I am writing to you all today. If you wish for this (and I sure as hell did) know that it will come with preparation and life altering akin to a colonoscopy. By yesterday I had it in mind that my 4 month streak of continuous posts might end, and by the grace of God and the support of my wife I mustered a post I had planned to use while I was in Italy. Being Freshly Pressed will be exhausting. I would not trade it, and at the same time it was much more work than I anticipated. When this happens to you, take a deep breath, clear your schedule, and get ready to receive so many wonderful new people on your blogs.
- In the end I want and hope this little exposure bonus happens to all of my readers who want it. My work in no way was deserving of this fortune more than any of you. In many ways I have felt a little guilt for this gift from WP. This blog was before and continues to be a humbling exercise in the presence of wonderfully talented writers, travelers, photographers, craft makers, and cooks. We are all in this together and I cheer for each of you in my comments and my actions. You are the reasons The Blissful Adventurer is growing much more than anything I am doing.
My love and gratitude to you all. This is truly a blessed community.
Vi abbraccio,
Michael
I really need to get caught up instead of being a month behind. lol.
CONGRATULATIONS TBA!!
Thank you! It has been a wonderful whirlwind.
I have read a lot of FP posts and seen how the authors usually throw in the towel after responding to the first 10 or 20 comments! You were right on top of it throughout! Amazing! You deserve a break
Have a wonderful time in Italy!
Thank you Madhu! I plan to have a blast
I think that everyone has pretty much said what I wanted to say so I’m just going to wish you more of what you love and enjoy. Cheers
WOW, Michael. You are a gentleman if I ever met one. I don’t use that word lightly. I am so very happy for you and Juliet. Have fun and relax a bit on your visit. Everybody will be here when you return.
This is so encouraging George. To let you in on a secret, I have a very talented young lady who will be moderating TBA in our absence and I think all of you will enjoy getting to know her. Shhhhh
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I love that you took your experience seriously and took the time to answer all comments – it shows something of your character. And as I get to know more of you and your blog, I can see that this is not a once off thing. I can only celebrate with you in your first success.
Thank you Colline,
I do the best I am able and available at responding timely and honestly. I am sure I miss some things and this is primarily because WP does not allow more than 9 notifications in the toolbar, but I sure try my darndest
Congratulations…
Thank you Susie!
Don’t want to crowd your inbox further, but had to say congrats!
light and adventure
vicarious wandering
a breath for the trapped
images to taste a place
splash of color on the tongue
(You’re getting an impromptu tanka before I caved and left something cliche like Khayyam!)
you never crowd my inbox and if you did I would boot something I said in favor of receiving a beautiful created gift like this. I love my impromptu tanka..and if your poem refers to my work I am honored and humbled..wow..thank you! Cheers magpie! (you know the Magpie is one of my favorite birds la gazza ladra in Italian)
Of course it is for you, it’s lovely to have someone to follow and daydream of all these locals
I didn’t know there were magpies in Italy! (Well, I suppose at times the ancient Romans might have counted as such…)
yes, and we have them here in Colorado as well. I can never get a great shot of them when I want one. Perhaps I dont know the trick to getting a magpie to pose
it was actually those that followed the Romans that thieved there monuments to build ones of their own. The funny thing is that those successors wear garb similar to the magpie
Ah, I was thinking of the Romans nicking so much from the greeks and a bit from the egyptians.
That fact is crying out for a fantasy novel!
it is indeed..shall we co-author it?
Looking forward to reading about your adventures in Italy- it’s in the running for my honeymoon. Good food and good wine = good times. Thanks for writing!
what are your other honeymoon options? what part of Italy?
I’ve been dreaming of the Amalfi Coast, though all I know of it is from photos/movies. I’ve visited parts of Tuscany, just once. HEAVEN. Wine with lunch? Why, yes.
I’ve also always wanted to visit Santorini- or tour a few of the Greek Islands.
Then, there are tropical locales that look incredible- Fiji, Maldives…
Suggestions are welcome!
Maldives high on our list! Turkey big time near the top! I love your suggestions. You must get back to Italy
“On the chest of a barmaid in Sale
Were tattooed the prices of ale.
And on her behind,
For the sake of the blind,
Was the same information in Braille!”
Cheers to you Michael! Let the journey begin!
Lori
Ohh Lori a Limerick! Now we are getting somewhere indeed. Love this!
I am someone who is new to this and discovered your blog through FP and am thoroughly enjoying it! I wondered about the amount of email you got after FP because being new to this I mistakenly checked the box below that says, “Notify me of follow-up comments via email” when I commented on your FP post. My inbox was filled, I couldn’t believe how many comments you got…my heart went out to you! This post made me laugh out loud because of that. (I learned how go into my settings and remove the notification!) Keep enjoying it…it’s really great.
Thank you Jen! Yes, I learned that same lesson my first week into this. FP is an enormous boon and equally as much work to manage. I hope you keep at the blog and find it to be to your liking and edification. Thank you for visiting me here and I hope you will stay with us on our travels
Great! Thanks for sharing the details of this. And impressed by the followup work, think I’m starting to do the same already
Mac, it has paid off in so many ways I could not have anticipated. Thank you for your amazing support and kind comments!
You are quite simply amazing. I loved this post. Thank you for your generous and creative presence on WP and the kindness and support you bring to so many other bloggers.
One day Lemony we will shoot some shots together. I want to host bloggers in Italy one day
Reblogged this on Tracey in Maine.
Wow, that was really beautiful! Thanks for sharing your experience, letting us peek inside the window of the Freshly Pressed mind. Your humble attitude and gratitude really shine through. I look forward to reading more of your posts. Thanks again, http://www.artisticfamilia.wordpress.com (a wanna be freshly pressed blog
Thank you very much for this and I look forward to exploring your blog posts!
Although I doubt if I will ever need it, thanks for sharing your experience … and I look forward to Piedmont! (I love Barolo!)
never say never man…it could come at any time
I love Barolo as well 
(a lot!)
Meanwhile, cheers to Barolo!
always cheers to Barolo!
Very interesting.
In a good way interesting or a concerned way?
good way
Cheers! I am impressed by how you handle your blog and your readers, and responding to thousands in just 4 days. Thats more than nice, thats a full time job. And you do it so well, and entertaining. And enlightening. It is very welcome to learn how others are doing their WP.. And I love beautiful trees
Thank you as always. Just a little secret, this is my full time job
The writing part at least 
Beautiful and well-said, my friend! Again, I think you really deserve it and I am touched by your thoughtful words about how we are all in this together. Thank you.
As for the tips, I’ve already begun bracing myself for the load of blessings that day will bring to my blog… and it sounds like you handled it well.
Have a great day,
Currie
Currie,
I am so excited to see which of us is next. 
I will be celebrating right along with you on the day
I seem to have arrived late to the party. You have been subscribed to my blog for a while and I’ve really only just managed to visit yours properly and have now subscribed. I missed all the excitement of you being Freshly Crushed, so belated congratulations for – last week, was it? – and I hope that you manage to survive the fame of the Pressing.
That is a beautiful photo drawing the viewer towards the sky. It’s a good thing that there wasn’t a shaft of light as well, that could have been worrying…
Lady Marilyn,
Thank you for coming on over. It was indeed last week and ending the game yesterday. I hope you will find more posts here to your liking and I am always happy to see what you have in store. Yes, a ray of light might have felt like the stairway to heaven. Thank you for your kind compliment and for visiting. Cheers to a lovely week!
A well deserved FP’d to be sure- so pleased that they “got it so right”! Love that you did this post as an ‘inside look’ for those of us who have not been…it’s always fun to know what it was like behind the scenes of anyones “big moment”…also (naturally), absolutely stunning picture!
anne
Thank you Anne,
It was one of my favorite photos from last fall. I am so jazzed when I hear from you and pleased if my info provides any insight into the chaos
Exciting stuff, Michael! I can’t wait to get freshly stomped! er… I mean pressed, but your description did sound like a stomping, rather than a pressing!
Thanks for sharing the experience with us, and I love the picture and caption on this post! Perfect!
I got some good stuff goin on over here, too, part of which you will see in a post tomorrow called, “Uh-Oh, Here it Comes”. And then of course there’s the glamorous guest spot coming up!
Cheers!
I am excited charles…fedex both to me
you certainly deserved the FP! i for one, am very glad you got it because it brought me here
thank you! Wow, I have gotten the nicest responses and this is definitely one of them. I am just in awe of the humanity I have experienced in all of this. Cheers!
Congratulations again on your Freshly Pressed.
And this post is very humbling. Well done for being pressed but also taking time to greet new followers.
I wish you the best in your future with your blog ( and I am sure I will be following it in the future too
)
I hope so and thank you for taking the time to comment. It is this kind of effort for which I am most grateful to this WP community
ah yes . . . fame . . . you seem to be holding up quite nicely . . . nose to the grindstone, shoulder to the wheel . . . or is it “eye” on the grindstone . . . remember what Shoemaker said to Pat Valenzuela, “. . . we got a long way to go . . . ”
All the best sir . . .
Richard (bookindian)
we do indeed Shoemaker….a LONG way
that’s all about focusing on the positive. which you do well.
thank you Rich. I wonder sometimes if my optimism borders on being quixotic. I strive to keep that in balance and my mania at bay
Thank you for always being in my corner!
even if quixotic, it would still be with the best of intentions. i always say intentions are more important to me than results. if someone volunteers to carry a box, but then accidentally drops and breaks it, i try to focus on the fact that they wanted to help.
that sir is the right outlook, all the time. I love that
This tree shot is gorgeous
. Blogging can be stresful….
That is an Aspen tree in the beautiful forests near Maroon Bells here in Colorado. These are such peaceful components of our planet and I cannot wait to see them again this summer
Beautiful
And where did you take the header pic of a cottage?
sorry, I meant to answer that before for you. That was on a back road in Hinsdale County, Colorado last summer. It is the centerpiece 2 page shot of my first book…but dont tell anyone
It is interesting to hear about the aftermath on being FP, thanks for sharing that information. I’m very impressed that you made the effort to contact everyone and I do believe that if you are given the gift of being FP, you would want to make the most of it……now I just need to know how I can get FP.
Congrats again ~ well deserved.
I have no idea how it happens but I do believe it is likely at least a measure of effort (or at least I like to think so) and that diligence and growth will spark WP to take notice. However, it could be as arbitrary as a die roll. I hope so much it happens for you
I don’t want to make you work more by having to respond to my comment, but you are ever so gracious on my blog so I thought I would leave a small note here- You deserve it, and I am certain there would be many more. Keep sharing your amazing work with us. I definitely enjoy them
.
This is very sweet of you Boomie! I look forward to celebrating your FP day
Ha ha…that would be the day. Thanks
. I am just thankful anyone looks at my work at all. I am finding this is what I want to do
then just keep doing it. How long have you been at it?
I think I realized I could write at about 11 or thereabout and started writing…but stopped after a tragedy and started again after my twin girls were born in 2009, I don’t think I would ever stop again. It’s therapy for my soul
.
That was me too Boomie. I started early and it has stayed with me. I want to finally earn enough to live as a writer so we will see. Your story is one I would love to know more deeply.
Absolutely. I have a few posts on my “life”
. But if ever you are free, my story would make for a good story and or book 
i would love to read it
Are you in Italy yet?
May 8
Great day!! It’s my third wedding anniversary!
ahhhh! Mine is April 30 – my third as well…what a joyous time
Wow, we are six degrees to marriage …
more like 1
Michael – That’s a great idea to give people an idea what it’s like and how to handle it! Hope your day is blessed!
Thank you! Your trip is coming soon right?
Yes…on Sunday! You leave beginning of May?
May 7 – 13 crazy days from now
Woo…hoo!!
yee-haw!
Yipee!!
He ! you went to Bandol !!!
Have you tried the rosé wine from there ?
It’s excellent !!!
By the way, congratulation for the FP !!
Sorry but my first thought went to the wine
My first thought is always for wine my friend
I knew it !
I am going to Bandol this fall. I am working with a wonderful company in America called Bandol Wine Imports and I am going to photograph the vineyards and life in the region. Bandol Rose’ is the best in the world and I have a huge passion for those wines
Join me there
Nice !!!
I’ll go near Bandol (Aix-en-Provence) twice during the summer
If I can come back during the summer then that would be indeed nice to meet you !
It would be amazing. I will keep you in the loop for sure my friend. Perhaps you can join my photo project for Bandol
That would be great ! Indeed ! Let me know when you’ll be there ! (not during the first weeks of September, I hope because I’ll be in Scotland !)
I will hope it wont be then
Let’s cross our fingers !
I just spoke to my friend about Bandol who brings in the wines and we are both very excited about the project
I don’t find many follow-up posts about people’s experiences with FP. It’s interesting to know for sure just how much volume that generates. Of course, volume and interest are two different things, but if they never get in the door they’ll never eat the food.
Indeed. I was leery to discuss numbers overall on this but I will say that my subscribers took a real jump in the past five days. The metrics of this and how it will affect future growth is not lost on me and this will qualify I believe as a true catalyst in the end. Thank you as always for your kind and intelligent commentary.
You don’t have to answer this
Such a lovely acknowledgement! Cheers!
Cheers to you! You have been so faithful in following me
I know a good blog when I see it
I’ve heard it said that winning the lottery does not change a person, it only allows the person to become more of what he already is. Thus, someone who is foolish with money will in time, inevitably, once again find himself broke. I imagine the same is true of being Freshly Pressed, one who does not value their readership will, inevitably, once again find themselves short of followers. I have no doubt this will not be the case with you as you do not appear a foolish man in any regard.
This said…I hope you are enjoying the piss out of this!!
ahahahah!
I enjoyed the piss out of your comment Alex…you never cease to find ways to make me smile 
Thank you and for your kind belief in my character I will do my very best not to let you down 
Congratulations. You deserve it! Looking forward to your Italy blogs. We will be in that country at around the same time. I will post my itinerary tomorrow–Tuscany and Rome essentially.
Do you post blogs on your trip? How do you do it?
I am filling my blog mostly with the guests posts I have solicited here. In addition I can post small updates to WP from my iPhone when i have wi-fi. I have a wonderful friend who will assist me in monitoring the work while I am away
You dealt with the huge influx of traffic very well man! I hope it continues, and you figure out a system to work with it flawlessly, as I am sure you will!
thank you and I hope very much your strong efforts will provide you similar results
You have a beautiful blog, you deserve it! Both your texts and pictures are of high quality!
thank you so much. you are far too kind and I hope my work will not disappoint you.
It certainly doesn’t and I hope that my blog doesn’t disappoint you
I am confident it will not my friend
Lovely tree shot, very therapeutic….
thank you. Aspens really are peaceful and their hushed quivering in spring and summer are like the most wondrous white noise