I Is This Many

Today the Bat Cave is festooned with streamers, balloons, and oh look - there's a game of pin the oily pectorals on Fabio over there in the corner. That's right kiddies - today The Misadventures Of Super Librarian is five years old. Which I guess means we're now ready to ride the school bus and learn how to read.

It's been an interesting five years. In the beginning I don't think anybody was reading this blog that wasn't blood related. It was around the time I moved to California and had really interesting (and downright bizarre) library stories to share that some of you started showing up. And when I got a "boring" job in administration (albeit a pretty damn cool job as I get to buy adult fiction for an obscene amount of libraries) some of you actually stuck around. I'm not even serving punch and pie. Who knew people would actually care (or pretend to care) about anything I had to say? Of course The Boyfriend is convinced I could talk a brick wall to death - so maybe some of you are simply in some kind of shocked-induced stupor.

Lots has happened here in our little corner of Romance Bloglandia since 2003. By my counts, back in 2003 there were three of us. Rosario, LLB and me. And what a motley crew we made. Then something really cool happened. More of you started showing up. Interesting individual voices crying out from the wilderness. Collective and group blogs began appearing. Professional, silly, controversial, diverse, thought-provoking - you all started arriving, suitcase in hand and a box of books under your arm. You set up camp. You staked your claim. You carved out your own little piece of wilderness.

(Amazing, I can even evoke western cliches in a benign post about my blog anniversary. It's a gift I tells ya!)

Over the past five years there have been cries, gnashing of teeth and much caterwauling about mean girls, the shrinking barriers between authors and readers, and the rising author vs. reader debate. But me, I say bring it on. Because five years ago, there were only three and we were lonely. More voices isn't always a bad thing. And even if it is? I can steer the Batmobile away from your camp site and move further down stream. Amazing how free will works huh?

This is one of few instances where I think the Internet is a truly amazing thing. I have met so many wonderful, interesting and intelligent women thanks to blogging. We all come from different backgrounds, have different beliefs, but one thing units us. The "silly" and "trivial" world of romance novels. So while critics may sneer, and our friends and family marvel at our insatiable book habit - nothing that can bring so many people together can easily be dismissed as "silly" or "trivial." Because despite our differences, we are united. Heck, we could damn near take over the world! ::insert maniacal laughter here::

OK, maybe not. But it's still pretty dang cool. I'm glad I got bored one day and decided to try blogging. Cuz honestly, it's still fun even after five years.