Twinfamy

I just got the numbers in today and I couldn’t believe it.

I double- and triple-checked them, just to be sure I wasn’t mistaken before taking the news public, but they were, indeed, accurate.

As it turns out, according to the year-end statistical report compiled by my fleet of information superhighway patrol robots, 2011 was Twinfamy’s biggest, best, most successful year to date!

And I have you, O Loyal Reader, to thank.

Since its humble beginnings eons ago in May 2011, I have watched this fine publication grow from absolutely nothing to the kajillions of you frequenting the site every day, and I wanted to take this opportunity to offer you all my sincere gratitude.

Many years ago, in a time before the Twins and even before my wife and I began dating, I was a Writer. I never did it professionally, but I did do it passionately, daily, and religiously, and will say that a few times, I came pretty darn close to a paid gig. However, it was only a matter of time before I needed a real career instead of a speculative one, and so as I checked American Dream Boxes and became a teacher, husband, and DVR owner I watched my writing time grind to a screeching halt. Ever since then, I’ve haphazardly logged hours on various unfinished writing projects I still completely believe in but just haven’t had the time to realize.

Then came my children.

It sounds oxymoronic (and possibly just plain moronic) to say that having newborn twins made me rediscover time to write, but I couldn’t ignore the inspiration they awoke in me, evidenced by my walking away from a six-year teaching career in the middle of a recession to become a stay-at-home dad, and ambitiously taking advantage of my unemployment by simultaneously pursuing a Ph. D. in order to better provide for them as they grow older. Suddenly, just like that, I had what I thought to be an inherently interesting story to tell, and the words began to pour out, just like The Good Old Days.

The rest, as they say, is history. (An enthralling one that can be revisited at any moment in this site’s Archives.)

But what’s really been so special about this is all of you. Never before have I had such an overwhelmingly positive response to anything I’ve put out into the world. As someone who’s been creating things for as long as I can remember, I can’t tell you how much that means to me (although that’s what I’m trying to do here), and as we complete this 2011th Anno Domini lap around the sun, I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for reading, for your comments, for your support, and for your friendship. I don’t know if I ever would have kept this up if it weren’t for you.

2011 was definitely my most challenging year to date, but it’s also been my favorite. While I’m a little sad to see it go–especially because it serves as yet another reminder of the breakneck pace at which the Twins are growing–I’m psyched for 2012, and am looking forward to sharing it with you.

Happy New Year!

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If not, maybe you need to take another lap around the sun.