Time has a way of flying, doesn’t it?

Around this time last year I was debating how I was going to do something I’d been wanting to do for a good long while: write. Specifically, write about video games. My background is in musical theatre, not journalism, not writing; absolutely nothing applicable. I figured this was the fastest way I could go from doing nothing to doing something.

This website is my something.

A year ago today, I created this website. I decided I would create a schedule of writing about games every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’m proud to say I’ve never missed a day in the year I’ve been writing here.

It took far longer to get this site set up than I thought it would, and part of that was learning how to code in the changes I wanted. From the time I created rebekahlang.com, I treated it as a job and put in eight hours a day, each day, until I got the site up and running the way I wanted it. Thank you certainly goes to some folks out there who helped me along the way (you know who you are!) and who I solicited feedback from before I made the site live.

It took me about a week and a half of coding before I was ready to start posting, and my first test post (Muse Muse Muse) went up on August 20th. From that moment (it was a Wednesday), I started in on my schedule.

There were things about writing that I never anticipated.

The first to come to my attention was the technical aspect of creating pieces and getting them posted in the fashion I wanted. This took time to streamline. When I started writing, I didn’t use caps (I prefer not to, in general, aesthetically), but after a short while, I realized it was the way I had to go.

So long, caplessness. You are missed.

Choosing images to go along with pieces! Sometimes this is a quick and easy process, sometimes, it can take quite a while to find an appropriate image. My site is heavily visual (especially the home page), and imagery matters to me. I had this same problem today, actually! I couldn’t find an image to represent what I wanted to commemorate this occasion, so I ended up grabbing my graph paper pad, some neon Sharpies, and made that image myself. That was after looking online and not finding anything for a half an hour.

Social media! I just never realized how much I’d have to become involved in social media to get more eyes on this site. As anyone who personally knows me will attest to, I’m not a social media person. Any time I have to do any self-promotion it makes me feel entirely uncomfortable. I never, absolutely never, thought I would be on Twitter. I now have a page on Facebook, and can be found on Twitter. If anyone out there is inclined, please “follow” this site (the “follow” box can be found on any page at the bottom left) via email, “like” my page on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter. Those things absolutely matter in the world of getting content out there. I never thought they would matter so much.

But they do.

Onward!

Coming up with ideas has gone surprisingly well. When I started, I wasn’t sure how I was going to come up with content so often, but through a diligent system of emailing myself ideas, I’m rarely at a loss. I’m super grateful for that.

I am also entirely grateful to each and every person who has ever come to this site to read anything I’ve written. It’s sort of a miracle. Of the grillion pages on the internet you could be on, you are here, and I can’t tell you what that means to me.

Time is precious. Thank you for spending yours here.

I specifically have to thank two people:

T.P.: Without your support, I’m not even sure I would have done this in the first place. You believe in me, and that’s both remarkable and silly. I hope I can make you proud.

Colton: You have been so supportive since day one, and words can never express how grateful I am, both for your friendship, and your presence here.

I had no idea where this endeavor would take me. I still don’t. But in the year since I started, I’ve had some wonderful moments. I am quite active on the Game Informer website, and a handful of months back, I was “member herded” which was both flattering and mystifying. You can read about it here.

I was nominated for a Liebster award (and somehow got double-Liebstered!) by the lovely YvoCaro; you can read about my Liebster here.

But the most surprising, was when I was approached by 8-Worlds News to be a features writer on their website. They have been an excellent home to write for. If you are so inclined, pop in for a visit. I post there each Tuesday.

And friends, there you have it. I’m grateful to be here, and I’m grateful for each of you to be here (yes YOU!). The journey would never be the same without you.

Thank you. Sincerely.

Here is to another year and the adventures that await.

Cheers!