The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.
Crunchy numbers
About 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year. This blog was viewed about 58,000 times in 2010. If it were the Taj Mahal, it would take about 7 days for that many people to see it.
In 2010, there were 42 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 187 posts. There were 21 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 6mb. That’s about 2 pictures per month.
The busiest day of the year was July 8th with 575 views. The most popular post that day was “Orthodox Constructions of the West”: Report (2).
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were ad-orientem.blogspot.com, byztex.blogspot.com, theanglocatholic.com, sergesblog.blogspot.com, and orthocath.wordpress.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for eirenikon, gabriel bunge, santa maria antiqua, pistevo, and to pistevo.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
“Orthodox Constructions of the West”: Report (2) July 2010
43 comments
An ecumenical reality check May 2010
80 comments
Gabriel Bunge, OSB, received into Orthodoxy September 2010
117 comments
Pistevo eis ena Theon June 2008
3 comments
“An insider’s view of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue” February 2010
41 comments
Irenaeus,
I have visited this site from time to time, and have nearly always been disappointed by the direction of the comments. Unfortunately, the discussion does not typically consist of inter-church dialogue. Rather, the discussion is usually *about* dialogue.
Rather than aiming to understand the other, or explicating one’s own position, the conversation typically consists in pointing out how triumphalistic, smug or parochial the other side is–punctuated by the occasional relegation of the other to the outer darkness. When this happens, its rather a waste of time from both sides. That’s alright if it were the intention of your blog (I simply wouldn’t show up), but it’s sad because I don’t think that’s what you want for ‘Eirenikon’.
As an Orthodox Christian, I grow as weary of hearing from Catholic commentators how we ‘constantly define ourselves against Rome’ as they do of hearing from us what they ‘really believe’. I’m afraid these are two sides of the same coin, and it is really annoying. Most Orthodox don’t care what Catholicism does or teaches inasmuch as their Orthodox life and self-understanding are concerned.
I propose that if there are some loud-mouthed commentators on both sides, it does not have to define our discussion here. I do believe we should explain our teachings clearly and unapologetically (in the modern sense). If we disagree with teaching or praxis, perhaps we can explain what our understanding of it is, and ask them to clarify. If the comments followed something of this model, and avoided the cheap shots and distractions, the blog’s true ‘health’ would dramatically improve.
-Lucas
I have to agree with Lucas,
I too frequently check this blog because, frankly, you post some great stuff. However, I had to check myself recently as I began to get very angry and frustrated reading the comments. It is not the content of the comments that gets me, but the attitude of blatent disregard of the other and a deep sense of not wanting to move on that bothers me. I would love to see you post more posts, especially as of late, and for there to be less picking and conversation about conversation.
I am sorry for my agitation, but I am a regular reader, and just felt that, as you evaluate the effectiveness of the blog you can take these concerns from your quite majority into the equation.
Thank you and forgive me a sinner.
-Ben
Quiet, not quite. Sorry:)
A suggestion as a person who is committed to this blog: Maybe in the future when a blog-worthy post is made an official position could be placed at the end of the article of what the OFFICIAL MAGISTERIUM Roman Catholic and Orthodox Catholic teachings are on the matter if possible. This could possibly end misunderstandings, and give a solid basis for conversations to work off of. However, I do understand this might not be possible in all cases.
Keep up the excellent work Irenaeus!