Monday, March 06, 2006

Blog Trafficking


One hour to go, and today is my biggest hit day yet--51 hits! 51, people! I usually get 30 tops, 25 average. And this is from states all around the union, and countries far and wide. This blog has been open one month and 6 days, and I'm very pleased at how much it has grown and how many people keep coming back (thank you, thank you!). I know that the amount of my traffic doesn't compare to the dirt tracked in on the shoes of the readers of Talking Points Memo or Atrios, but for me, it's big! Plus, it's the quality of the traffic that matters--I'd rather have you good people reading me than anyone else! I had wondered if I should have informed more people about it (like friends from law school) since none of my closest friends from Arlington, VA; Evanston, IL; or Orange County, CA ever check in despite my daily blogging discipline. But, since I blog about my love-hate relationship with law school, I decided not to. So thanks for the validation that I don't need to beg people to read me, and that for some reason, people keep coming back to read what I write. Whither this sudden popularity? Why is it that I am only popular when no one knows who I am?

Sitemeter didn't show any referral pages, but a fair few show the entry page to be specific blog posts I know some cool law professors have linked to on their much more widely read blogs. (Thank you, Feminist Law Profs! Thank you, Concurring Opinions!)

That said, knowing that law professors actually read me, and knowing the solipsismI just wrote yesterday and today, I get nervous. Plus, they might put two and two together and realize that aspiring academic who emails them such great articles and who writes such great blog commentary might be this crazy Belle chick. (please, law profs and that person at the US DOJ, read the more substantive posts)

I never wanted to out myself to law people--this is why I don't even mention the cities where I went/am going to school. I just hope the cool law profs dont' put two and two together, and if they do, keep mum, and if they ever interview me, act charitably. So far, I haven't said anything too embarassing (on purpose, as a classic over-sharer, it is my wont to recount every funny/embarassing anecdote for entertainment value), so I don't mind that people know that I struggle with child care and a strict Asian upbringing--as long as they don't think that affects my scholarship, objectivity, and thus tenurability.

But so early in my career, and with so little googability (my real life alter-ego barely pops up, and it's about college since the law school stuff I was involved in refreshes their mastheads every year), I'm not too worried--yet. And the professors who may put two and two together are by and large cool, pro-blogger people sensitive to gender issues and the academy.

I'm walkin' the line people. It feels dangerous and vaguely thrilling.

51 hits today, tomorrow, the world!