I have met some truly awesome people thanks to this blog. I have hosted a VRWChristmas party with people who I am in thrall to, and woke up the next morning thinking it must have been a dream, because how could they all have shown up just for me?

I've made some great real-life friends that I see regularly, too. The blog has ceased to be anonymous, and has become the center of a social world which I am so lucky to inhabit.

But every once in a while, I feel as if I'm writing for them, instead of for me. Would so-and-so like this story? Ooh, I'll write about this topic because I know it interests her. Did he read that? What does he think? It really came home to me today, when I'm Not Paranoid commented on my Women's Day post. I thought to myself "I've had lunch with that man, and he's reading a post about my vagina!"

Then I realized that I don't care. I started this blog for me, not for anyone else. I wrote better when I had 7 readers a day than now when I have hundreds. I'm not going to temper myself to please my readers - both anonymous and friendly. If the day comes that I am at a social engagement with my readers (and it happens very regularly these days) and I can no longer meet someone's eye because of something I've written, then I'll know it's time to quit

the friend, not the blog.

I am going to go on blogging as if no one were watching me.