Monday, November 14, 2005

fun with incoming searchers

My creative well seems to be running dry these last few days; I haven't thought of any compelling new subjects to blog about. Or maybe the fingertips on my left hand are too sore to type because I've been playing mandolin so much! I've probably played more in the last four days than I have in the last four years combined, and it feels wonderful. I'm getting psyched for the mandolin workshop with Mike Compton and David Long at Fred's house this Sunday.

So, taking an idea from one of Troutgrrrl's recent posts, I have investigated some of the search terms that have led people to this blog. In the last 100 visits, at least 22 people came to this site by using a search engine. The top search terms, tied at four hits apiece, were "deer butchering" (What an incongruous picture: someone sitting in their remote deer shack, with a freshly killed deer hanging up outside, searching the Internet with their wireless laptop for instructions on what to do next!) and "snowball launcher" (And Calvin probably provided detailed enough plans to satisfy these folks).
The remainder of the searches I have grouped into four categories: Music (4), Literature (4), Wildlife (4) and Other (2). Four people, from California to the UK, were treated to my set list by searching for "kate wolf red tailed hawk chords" (simple--A minor and G), "home by bearna", "bouzouki", and "john prine fair and square tour set list (By the way, I saw him on Austin City Limits Saturday night. Awesome show!) I don't write about literature much, but Aldo Leopold brought in two hits, "Leopold Sky Dance" and "a sand county almanac agree". Yes, I agree! The other searches covered "the river why david duncan" and "on the road the dharma bums". I wouldn't be surprised if both of these searchers were first led to the dharma blog, and learned more there than they did here.

Under "wildlife", I had everything from "owls minnesota" to "game bird gazette how to protect pheasants from owls" (I hope my great gray owl post gave them a good idea what NOT to do!) to "ferns" to "ruffed grouse". And, now for the "Other" category, whose search terms certainly defy categorization:

"carpe momentum" (from my very limited knowledge of Latin; I hope it means something similar to how I used it!)

AND...

"paper on why nascar is like a religious experience"

hmmmmmm....on THIS blog?

Strangely, the last 100 visitors did not have among them a single one searching for "I hate dogs". I usually have one of these per day, thanks to my tribute to Lady and Annie.

7 comments:

robin andrea said...

This turned out to be an interesting post, even if you felt like your creative well had run dry. I like reading how poeple get to different blogs. I should really check our site meter and take a look at this data. It is so informative.

Playing your finely tuned mandolin is a very good distraction. I wish I could hear you play.

TroutGrrrl said...

Yeah, the NASCAR one is a real head scratcher.

R.Powers said...

If your well runs dry, you could always keep us posted on the house progress.

I don't get the Nascar connection either.

Deb said...

I think it has something to do with my comment in the last meme about "the NASCAR-ization of fishing". But NASCAR as a religious experience? Maybe somewhere I have used the terms "religious" and "experience". I think google is really reaching here!

Not much new to report on the house progress. Money, or the lack thereof, is an issue. Weather also has not been cooperating. We had about half an inch of snow last night, and are supposed to get more tonight. But that's the way it goes, and we have to keep looking ahead.

Jim said...

Deb-

How do you do that?

Find out how people founfd their way to your blog, that does sound like fun!

But this is going to trip you out (old hippie term).

You and I have the same books, the same music, the same upholstery in our living rooms, enjoy the same kind of beer, have friends who build mandolins, and now this...

Mike Compton & David Long are giving a workshop at your friend Fred's place. Well guess what, Our musician friends Chris & Tiffany Clark host house concerts in their home in San Diego, and Mike Compton & David Long played there last year. Peggy & I were supposed to take the train down there but she was not feeling well and we couldn't make it but I hear it was a wonderful evening.

I'm sure Mike & David will remember Chris & Tiffany if you bring them up, and our world grows smaller & closer all the time.

Fascinating...

Anonymous said...

okay, so i did this too after seeing everyone else doing so. only i've been collecting the funny/bizarre ones for quite a while -- since the last time i posted some.

anyway, mine are at:
http://milkriver.blogspot.com/2005/11/com-googling-milk-river.html

Deb said...

Jim-Wow. I AM tripped out! :) Add to the list, you are the only other person I know of who owns a copy of "Lonely Are The Brave". It is comforting to know that there are others in this world who appreciate similar things.

I get all the info from Site Meter, a free Web statistics service. If you scroll down the sidebar, you'll see it. Just click on the icon, go to the home page, and create an account; they email you the code to paste on your template. It is interesting. And tony g.- I always like reading others' strange Google searches.