"Dogs at Cards" cake (image from here).
It's crAAKKer's first birthday! I'm not one for birthday cake, but I'll pass around some Templeton Rye ...
I began this blog a year ago with no real set-in-stone expectations. I knew it would be primarily poker-oriented (since that's my major hobby), but I didn't want to be limited by discussion forum stylistics. I wanted to be able to do some longer, more in-depth analysis of various issues, an ability I may have abused from time to time in these spaces (it's my blog and I'll prattle if I want). I also wanted to be able to branch off from poker into other issues of interest to me, which some of you may have found less than scintillating (it's my blog and I'll bore if I want). Mostly, though, I wanted a place to share some personal writing, and on that account, at least, things have worked out fairly well.
I installed Google Analytics early on to track site traffic, more out of curiosity than wanting to hit particular goals. At the one year mark, roughly 120 folks subscribe to my RSS feed, and there have been over 36,000 visits to crAAKKer by nearly 8,100 unique people from 87 countries. Not particularly huge numbers, but way above my modest expectations. So, thanks for reading, and I hope you keep coming back!
Also, digging into the data a bit more, a hat tip and sincerest thanks to my Top 10 referring blogs / websites:
- Poker Grump
- I Had Outs (#3 on its own!) / Dr. Clare's Electronicorium Emporium / Clareified
- All Vegas Poker
- Three Rivers Poker
- Two Plus Two Forums
- Pokerati
- Very Josie
- Life of a Poker Dealer
- Hardboiled Poker (Shamus)
- Lair of Lucypher
While we're data-mining, here are some of the zanier and more head-scratching search engine queries that led folks to crAAKKer:
- Dutch minidress
- Cheese PPA
- Albarino telemarket
- Bestiality blogspot (thus ensuring more hits from that search)
- Dawn Summers birthday (people search for that?!?)
- Hate Dawn Summers (I get that search)
- How to kill a dealer (I get that one, too ...)
- Eeyore sayings
- Poker horror / Poker horror stories
- Evil East Germans
- Miniature stack of yaks
- Antique dildos
- Cat and sausage / Fun with cat and sausage
- Mickelson 6'4" tall
- Wife pokerslut photo
- Fish sticks poker (Alrighty then ...)
Humorous Poker Sessions:
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, "MadBrooklyn" World / "Dawn Summers" Does Des Moines
IMOP Memories: The Beatdown at Bally's
Wine & Whine O' the Week (v. 1.11)—The crAAKKer in the Rye
How Phil Galfond Got His Nickname—A Poker "Just So Story"
Personal Posts / Social Issues / Random Stuff:
National "Whatever" Day
A Bad Beat Bakes My Noodle
Poker at the Gas 'n' Sip
The WSOP Ladies Event—A Modest Proposal
My Roots Are Showing—St. Matthew's Cemetery
The Absurdity of Poker
Poker Legal Issues:
Tilting at Poker Windmills
Why Poker Litigation FAILS
The Company Poker Keeps
The Emperor's New Sunglasses
Baxter v. United States—Landmark or Mirage?
However, I think my best contribution to the poker blogging world was probably my series of posts regarding the Rousso poker litigation in Washington state. Being a lawyer with a lot of appellate experience gave me a different viewpoint on the case than for most poker players, and I hope I was able to add something new to the discussion of Rousso in the poker community:
Poker's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year (Part 2)—Rousso v. State of Washington
Recapping Oral Arguments in Rousso v. State of Washington
Down Goes Rousso! Washington Supreme Court KOs Constitutional Challenge to Online Gambling Ban
Justice Sanders, In the Conservatory, With a Con Law Hornbook
PokerStars Sells Out Its Washington Players
The PPA Throws in the Towel on Rousso v. State of Washington
Hopefully y'all enjoyed at least some of my posts this past year; please post a comment to point out your favorites that I overlooked. Thanks for reading, and drop by occasionally to keep track of crAAKKer II—The Donkeys Strike Back.
Grange:
ReplyDeleteCongrats on year one. I am a consistent reader, but not much of a poster. I really enjoy your writing style and appreciate the time you put into it. On a side note I am a huge dog lover and love the Berkeley stuff. I am trying to convince my wife that we have a desperate need for a boxer. So far, she's opposed, but you never know. Biggsy1969
Congratulations are in order...well done sir! Worthy of Templeton Rye and/or an omelet at the Grand Lux.
ReplyDeleteFJIMOP
Happy Blogiversary! Discovered your blog recently but it's firmly in my Google Reader now. Looking forward to the next year of posts!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogiversary. Good quality stuff.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your successful first year, Grange.
ReplyDeleteHappy to send readers your way, and I appreciate it when you send them back mine.
I'll be playing tonight, and I think the first time I get the Spanish Inquisition, I'll raise with it in your honor.
Is "blogversary" a real term? I'll wish you well. Though I question the judgment of a man who blogrolls my husband and not me . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat do I have to do to make you love me?!?!?!
Though having just recently found you, I love reading. And love Berkley. :)
BTW . . previous word verification was "ticklate"
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to CrAAKKer! Glad I made your top ten!
ReplyDelete@ FJIMOP: Grand Luxe omelettes always hit the spot before bailing folks out of Vegas jail.
ReplyDelete@Biggsy1969: If you need more help getting a boxer, I can send some great puppy dog eyes pics!
@ Jennifer: Love your work, it's an honor to have you on board!
@ Bob3RP: If you aren't raising the Spanish Inquisition every time, you aren't playing it correctly.
@ The Wife: You are now blog-rolled. I will no longer keep our passionate love affair private! ("Ticklate" is not as funny as "dicklate" would've been).
@ Josie: Love ya, you fabulous babe! We must get mojitos, and soon.
Congratulations on the milestone, have enjoyed reading throughout the year on all subjects.
ReplyDelete