This blog's most visited posts: Wasilla's Lisa K beats Wasilla's Sarah P; the wedding of Soundarya and Anil leads the long haul
Monday, November 29, 2010 at 12:41PM 
These past couple of weeks have been intense ones for this blog - starting at least from my post on Lisa Kelly, the Ice Road Trucker, pulling into Metro Cafe on horseback with some of her friends. Perhaps not coincidently my average number of daily visits have come pretty close to doubling in that time.
As I have stated before, I figured out a long time ago that if I were to do regular segments featuring or blasting my hometown's most famous resident, Sarah Palin, my readership would soar. I conducted a few experiments to test this theory, like dropping Palin's name into the headline when the post actually said nothing about her, or by dropping words like "pit bull" into the title of a post with such a dog in it.
And always, those few words drove my numbers way up for those posts. Then, of course, just because I live in Wasilla and this blog is in part themed on Wasilla, I figured that I had to have at least one post that was not a trick but actually covered her and so last December, I attended Palin's Wasilla book signing and blogged it.
Boy! Did that post bring in the numbers! Like I had never seen before! No other post had drawn numbers even close. And people still drop by to visit it regularly.
But guess what?
My post on Wasilla's other famous lady, Lisa Kelly, the Ice Road Trucker, has smoked Sarah Palin for drawing in the most readers to a single post. Not merely beaten her, but smoked her. It happened fast. It took just days against a post that has been up for nearly a year.
This is a small blog with a very modest number of readers and no real influence, but still, I thought you might want to know that.
Yet, there is another post that consistently brings in readers every day and has for a year-and-half now. Every day.
And that is the post of the wedding of my own beloved Soundarya and Anil. Every day, every single day, visitors come by to view their wedding. Usually, the daily numbers to the wedding post are modest. Ten, 15, 20 - but occassionally and inexplicably they will sometimes surge into the hundreds of visits on a single day.
Most of these visits come from India.
When all these daily visits are put together, then this post, the wedding of Soundarya and Anil, has drawn in more visitors than any other.
Very recently, shortly before I went to Barrow, I let Sandy know this and she was pleased.
Now I will tell you why I am here in Family Restaurant, having breakfast by myself.
I can't sleep in the mornings. I go to sleep very late when I am so tired that I can no longer stay away and then I wake up just hours later. I try to go back to sleep but I can't. So I get up and go to Family Restaurant, by myself, because Margie is asleep.
At least, this is what I have done for the past two days.
All these Family Restaurant pictures, by the way, are of reflections in the window. If it was light outside this wouldn't work, but since its dark, the window becomes a mirror of sorts.
Yesterday, I stated that I would write no more about Soundarya in this blog for awhile, but I have made an oversight. Another person died in the accident with Anil and he must also be acknowledged - Sandy's longtime best friend, Nick Hill.
At first, I did not realize that Nick had died, too, but I had met him at the wedding and he became a Facebook friend, so after the accident I dropped into his Facebook page to say "hi" and to see if I could learn more but instead found that his friends were leaving RIP messages on his page.
Then Sandy died and everything else disappeared in front of me. I could see nothing but Sandy, and her immediate family and my family. Everything and everyone else just disappeared. I could no longer even see those loved ones who died just ahead of her.
Sandy was all I could see.
So I also want to say something about her devotion to Anil, as she most recently expressed it to me. She told me that Anil had recently found his passion - photography - and that however hard she had to work to do it, she was going to be the breadwinner for the house so that Anil could pursue this new passion.
Not everyone agreed with this decision, she told me, but that's how she felt about it and that's what she was going to do.
She was going to send some of Anil's pictures to me, but she never got the chance.
Now I'm done blogging about this.
This morning's breakfast at Family - a Jeep outside the window.
A customer pays his bill with a smile.
Shrock Road.
Whatever. I don't know. Just people at Family.
The Jeep is still there.
This is a place where a driver could take his Jeep to get it gassed up.
He could get himself tanked up, too, but it wouldn't be a good idea.
Family Restaurant.
Now I'm on the other side of the window, headed to my car, looking back in. I see the bus girl cleaning up the table that I just sat at.
Tavra.
That's all I have to say today.
Maybe I will blog lightly for awhile.
This might cost me some of my new readers.
I feel pretty weary right now.
Reader Comments (7)
For many days now I've wanted to write something in comments, but every time my words fail me. They just don't seem like enough. I feel your sadness through your words and I just want to reach into this computer and wrap my arms around you. Strange as it may seem as we are strangers to each other. But that is what your words do, they make strangers feel like long time friends. Know that all over the world we are thinking of you and wrapping you in a virtual hug. May your soul find peace soon Bill.
i like coming here and reading about your take on life, your family, the people of Alaska and your travels...stay as you are!
Bill, Having lost a mutual dear friend recently (Patty Stoll) I know what your going through.
I wish I could give you words of comfort in your time of need. You never get over it just learn to accept it.
Someone once said "Time heals all wounds", unfortunately I think we both need more time than we have in this world. I never met Sandy yet I feel I know her from you writings.
I want to thank you for the comfort you bring others with your Blog , I wish I could return the deed.
Take Care
Otto
All I can say is this stranger has had tears. Every dang day when reading your posts. We are with you Bill (and with everyone else affected by these horrible events) Amazing what a blog can do, remember that OK?
You might lose some of your "new" readers, but the rest of us "old" readers will remain as faithful as ever. Take good care. May you find peace and blessings.
Thinking about you these past coupla days. Wishing the best in your healing processes.. I hope that you know you are well thought of always in North Pole Alaska..
I threw a snowball today.. my first one of this year.. in honor of you and those who won't have the chance to.
-28 tonight.. burr!
very nice blog , love it.
Anjalovesit.blogspot.com