I see that the portal is still open, so seems like reflecting on Holidailies 2024 is a reasonable thing to do. If I manage to finish these thoughts and get them posted, I’ll have 21 entries, which is both pretty good considering how many days I was away from home during that time and well short of the “post a day” goal implicit in the name of the project. Some years I’ve hit that goal, even with travel. But really Holidailies is not about writing every day. It’s about writing, and sharing that writing, and if you can manage to write more than you usually do, good for you.

There were 11 participants in this year’s project, well below the peak years. That’s a little sad to see. I know online journals and non-monetized blogs are dinosaurs of the internet. Still makes me sad to see them fall off. At the same time, I admit I’m not doing my part to cultivate the pockets of that ecosystem that still exist. I did make a few comments on other people’s sites early in the month, and popped a few likes on things in the portal if I couldn’t leave a comment, but too soon got back into my usual habit of writing and posting and then wandering off to social media, where new stuff gets pushed at me and leaving a reaction is super quick and easy. And I saw the same in my posts … got a few comments early on (remember when there was a debate about whether having a comment section on a personal journal was even appropriate?) and then nothing. Which is fine; I mostly write for me these days, liking having a searchable record of my activities even though it’s incomplete. But it sure is nice to get comments that aren’t from sketchy websites that are probably trying to scam people.

I intend to keep doing Holidailies as long as it exists. Next year, I really want to try to do better engaging with other folks as well as writing my own stuff.

*****
On this date in 2024: No journal entry
2023: A Week in Photos: 2022, Part 52
2014 to 2022: No entries
2013: Head West, Middle Aged Folks
2012: My Presence Was the Present
2011: Sock Monkey Goes on a Ski Trip
2010: Ombre Nails
2009: Evidently I’m a Graver
2008: New Year, New Socks
2007: No entry
2006: I’m All Out of Love
2005: Bargains
2003 & 2004: No entries