The colder weather has arrived. I know that from looking out of the hatch window as the leaf and seed start to spiral down from the nearby sycamore trees. The other indicator is the number of blog hits that I record. The blog has grown and has slowly built up to around nine thousand page views a month. So it's averaging around the 300 page views a day.
Earlier in the month when the weather took a turn for the worse. The numbers of visitors to the blog took a significant upwards rise. I had a first ever 1000+ page views in a single day. With 1097 page views in total. This was on the 19th of the month which was characterised by heavy rain and the first biting cold and windy day of the autumn.
Not a good day for boating, and especially as we are reaching the end of the cruising season. Add a wet muddy towpath on top of the weather. Plus the shorter daylight hours. Its a day for saying aboard, keeping warm as the rain runs down the windows. Out come the laptops and dongles which is a much better alternative to (nursing home TV) also known as afternoon television.
On the 31st the strong winds had subsided and the trees who were still enjoying a prolonged warmer autumn managed to hold on to most of their leaves. There was another one of those days, this time it was 1565 page views.
Its all part of a rising and falling trend pattern that goes up and down throughout the year. I can see all this from looking back over the last four years of the blog. At the same time there are one or two postings that are seemingly ever popular on the blog. In the main based around the types of people you come across. One typical posting is 'Lurking on a forum near you' and its follow up description of the individuals 'Boating types you will find on forums.' Both postings seem to have caught the imagination. (The two postings alone have been copied many times to other forums) This was all part of a tongue in cheek swipe at forums and what approximates for life on the internet in general.
There are also one or two other posts which are contained on fixed pages that have been written with a similar sort of 'cause célèbre' in mind. One is 'Blog ethos, disclaimer and copywrite' which explains the 'raison d'être for the blog. A flavour of the ethos is contained in the first paragraph reproduced below.
Power Hosing Premium Calibre, Satirical Hogwash Over The Inland Waterways Since 2010. Rose of Arden is one of the universe’s leading satirical Blogger blogs. Since its birth in the 1st of January 2010. I have dispensed a daily dose of satire and bullshit to an estimated potential global audience of 7 billion people. I have left no watery hot potato unbuttered, and have presided over, and/or caused, and/or commented on (delete according to preference) the end of several of the world’s least desirable despots and dinner companions. RoA is independent of all waterways organisations and hoping to carry on blogging until the end of time (logistics permitting).
The occasional use of French in various parts of the blog is another long running joke with my regular readers at my total lack of mastery of the English language never mind French. But I have my own reasons for why I blog. Much is contained in 'Why I write this blog.' Then there are the surprise pages. Intended as a place where you can bring to the attention of your friends (for a finger pointing chuckle at their expense). The World Champion Pessimist Award is one such posting. Another is the ASBO which is to a point self explanatory.
In a nod to fellow bloggers there are times when you have to admit to admiring some other bloggers work. The Golden propeller award, is one such way of achieving it. You can also make suggestions for other waterway bloggers of note.
Last but not least is the list of excellent BW / Canal and River Trust trustees, directors, managers and employees of note. Where you get the chance to nominate and outstanding commitment to customer service, skills, knowledge and commitment.
CaRT People ‘caught’ giving outstanding customer service to customers.
CaRT People who come up with the best cost-saving ideas.
CaRT People who come up with the best name for a new product or service.
CaRT People who inspire their teams to new achievements.
CaRT People of the Month.
CaRT People of the Year.
- Resolving a customer complaint.
- Submitting a great idea.
- Working late to finish a project.
- Being a buddy to a new employee or volunteer.
- Helping a co-worker finish their work.
- Recruiting a volunteer.
- Compliments from co-workers.
- Resourcing donations.
- Fund-raising for a project.
- Implementing a cost saving procedure.
- Never saying, “It’s not my job”.
- Favourable feedback from customers.
- Learning a new skill.
- Improvement of interpersonal skills.
- Organizing a special event.
- Doing two jobs while another employee is sick.
- Fixing broken equipment within 24 hours.
- Calling a disgruntled customer back.
- Picking up or clearing litter.
- Going above and beyond the call of duty for a customer.
- Locating a lost item.
- Preventing theft.
- Just for being an important part of the team.
There have been no nominees since Jan 2010!
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