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It’s my Blog’s Birthday

First of all, Happy Birthday Dad. Thank you for tolerating me for the passed 19 years congratulating myself on YOUR birthday each November 28th and how fucking annoying that probably has been for you (coupled by moments of pride of course maybe hopefully).

Secondly, today is the day 19 years ago (in the year 2000) at the age of seventeen I started up LIFE HAPPENS TO RAYMI and began manipulating my way through the world wide web. I knew I wasn’t pretty enough alone to snatch your focus. I knew I was an egotistical big mouth and figured a steady systematic stream of daily, hourly, blog rants, showcasing my amusing insights and witty insults would amass a following. I transferred my popular “brand” from the VICE message board forums to my own little blog and the rest is HERSTORY. I didn’t care about grammar. I adopted my own style and my voice evolved over the years, people “got it”. I predated trolls, got good at fighting them, then good at fleeing them.

Things I did and shared online weren’t commonplace back then. Yes I paved the way. Yes people cared. No I don’t have a big ego (as much) anymore. Would I do things differently? Yes of course, who wouldn’t? Yes I am aware of my bitchy persona, half-hated, emulated. Everyone hates everyone on the internet, social media. It’s a game. Everyone is phony. Everyone talks shit. Facebook is so out of control I bet many can’t remember a life without it or that it outright conquered blogs. I remember when I used to blog more frequently alongside Facebooking and twitter all that, someone I knew was like BUT how do I SEE YOUR BLOG THOUGH??? People forgot that the web is wide open and that you can navigate outside of Facebook. The simple act of having to click a fucking web address is foreign now. The world has gotten a lot dumber, and how.

This blog domain expires in two months yes I’ll renew it. How insane would that be to just be like, bye. Very. Yeah I know I seldom update and that I have said I would more and then I don’t. Life gets busy. I know journaling, diarying, is good for my mind which is what started this beautiful mess in the first place. Yes I know I waste my talent and that when I write, when I speak, people listen and they like it or at least are entertained by it and I can write circles around ya and I’m funny and sharp and quick and and and… so. This is another check-in reminder that we still here and I am honouring this milestone today so thank you for being a blog nerd fan girl boy for all these years still that was good on you.

We’ll be in touch, til then take care all the best. Your pal Raymi.

ps. do you know anyone who has blogged as long as me? I don’t. #First #Swish.

12 thoughts on “It’s my Blog’s Birthday

  1. I’ll keep coming back! I love reading your blog and allllllllllll lllll llllllll lllllll llllllll of your photos!

  2. Blogging for such a long time is a real accomplishment and I’m proud of you for doing so. Thanks for being my friend, I always feel like I know a celebrity when I hear from you. You’re a Canadian legend! Love from out west. xoxo

  3. I moved from Ottawa to Toronto about a dozen years ago. It was exciting coming to the new city, so large, vibrant and unexplored. I am not sure how I came to your Blog, but it ended up embodying the city for me. It was life in the streaming arteries, culture as it lived and breathed in the day to day, and it was always smart and surprising and sexy and funny and authentic. You are an artist, and I hope that one day all of this is assembled into some sort of show or retrospective. You’ve done great work, and I thank you for it very sincerely.

  4. Congratulations on so many years of writing and returning to your true calling. Be young. be passionate. be fearless and don’t let the world take the shine from your penny. Love you, you’re beautiful. <3 m

  5. been reading since 2004
    actually met you IRL in 2005 or so? cannot remember. i do remember seeing Px on street at queen/ossington, i was driving, and you were with him. and i was checking out Px bc he is “my type” when i realized it was HIM and he was with YOU and i was MORTIFIED for checking out your then BF. LMAOOOO

    then you had that red party on college street and so many of us other low tier blawggers came and met up, i made friends that night i’m still friends with.

    you are one of the most real people i know, and i’m glad that you are still here, kicking it, whether you write once per day, once per year, whatever. just a rad girl that will always be my friend.

    here’s to 19 more years!!!!!!!!!

    peace
    HKD

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