Ah…where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday my blog was wearing diapers.
And now here we are three years later and my blog is fully potty trained, with still the occasional accident. (You folks are very good at letting me know when I’ve soiled myself.)
Three years ago today, I wrote my very first blog post.
I had no idea what I was doing.
Three years later…and I still have no idea what I’m doing. I will be a work in progress til the day I die.
Let’s take a look back at the past 3 years a bit, shall we?
- Number of blog posts written: 446
- Number of people who have come to my site: 1,727,503
- Number of pages viewed: 2,786,936
- Number of comments left: 22,798 (Seriously…thank you!)
- Number of people who found my site by Googling “gluten free steve”: 90. I have no idea what that means and no my real name isn’t Steve.
- Other interesting search terms people used to find my site: gluten free sex, gluten bullshit, what does miley cyrus eat, hate for celiacs, gluten dud, celiac disease pooed on doctor
(I’m still laughing about that last one.)
I frequently ask myself if I can keep this blog going. Have I said all there is to say about our wonderful little disease? Is it worth some of the angst I receive (a portion of it quite self-inflicted I may add)?
The answer is…I don’t know. The fact is I enjoy it. I enjoy being one of many strong voices within our community.
And as long as that pleasure continues…I will continue.
I cannot thank you all enough for hanging with me.
Next round is on the house.
Was it worth it? Oh WAS IT WORTH IT!!!!
You have brought us laughter, information and a safe place to rant and vent. You have created a haven from sites of recipes. A place where we can let it all hang out, and just be ourselves. Be ourselves with people like you, people that genetics has thrown a slight curve ball to. We all know there is worse than this. But sometimes we just need to be in the company of fellow travellers along this road. You gave that to us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You changed the journey for me.
Thanks Joyful 🙂
Hey, Dude- three years and counting. There have been ups and downs, belly laughs, belly aches, recipe exchanges, emotional pleas – the list goes on and on but always at the core is a forum where information can be exchanged and encouragement is generously handed out.
Thanks again for providing a place where we can stop off for a visit. I mean, where else can a person drink their coffee at the crack of dawn and watch Wilma and Fred?? This place has everything!
WWWWWWIIIIILLLLLLMMMMMMAAAAAA!!!!
You were the first page I read 2 1/2 years ago when I had to go GF! You also made me and my sweet Italian man one of you Love Stories on Valentine’s Day. Loved that!! Keep going, Dude! I look forward to your blogs and even just mornings with a one liner. We are all family here!!!
Thanks Sis 😉
Thank you Gluten Dude! I have really enjoyed reading your posts everyday since I discovered your blog about a year ago. I am devastatingly celiac tired this morning, so that’s as creative a comment as I can give you. Congrats on 3 years!!! 🙂
Been there…thanks.
The blog has been a huge blessing to me. Many thanks! Happy anniversary!
Thanks Thankful 🙂
Hi Mr. Dude!
Congrats on 3 years!!
Please keep going! We love you!
I’m the mom of a 7 years old with Celiac Disease (Eve). We live in Canada.
She reads your posts all the time and she actually said to me last month:” Maybe we could go visit Mr Dude sometimes, he sounds like fun and HE understands!”.
Cheers!
Genevieve
Ha. C’mon down 🙂
Congratulations on the 3 year mark! I am so grateful for the blog. Even though I’ve been Celiac since before it was ever called Celiacs 😉 , I find comfort in your blog and its emotional roller coaster (from happy posts and why this disease isn’t so bad to the people who just need a place to scream/vent to the anger when someone dare try to tell us we are fake/there’s a “cure”/100% gluten-free vital wheat gluten cookies/etc).
I love the GF community here and feel I’m really a part of something fabulous.
Keep up the good work! We are all so happy to have found you and we all feel like we are part of the Dude team.
You are indeed a huge part of the team!
Dude,
Happy Blogaversary! I’m with Thankful, you and your crew have been a great blessing to me & my health & I thank you from my heart!
Y mucho mas!!!
Back at ya Hap…thanks.
Congratulations!!! I have met so many wonderful people on your blog including YOU! Thank you for all the hard work and energy you put into making this a place with lots of good information, lots of good people and lots of laughter!
“lots of good information, lots of good people and lots of laughter!”
A perfect combo…thanks.
Dear Dude,
Please continue your blog even if it as not as frequently.
Thank you so much for the information and resources you have provided to our community and for making me laugh when I read many of your post.
Happy 3rd Anniversary and Cheers!
So how do I redeem my drink?
Sincerely,
Dawn B
Dang…I was hoping nobody would call me out on the drink 😉
GD-
As I have said many times on this blog-I so love you. Let’s keep battling my friend, we have so many more lives to touch/change/save.
xx-
Jersey Girl
——————————————————————
“But I – I guess it’s hard for some people who are so used to things the way they are, even if they’re bad, to change, ’cause I guess they kinda give up. And when they do, everybody kinda loses.”
Paying it forward indeed. Thanks JG…love ya.
Being a “baby” celiac patient (almost 3 months now)…and finding this website has been EXTREMELY helpful to me. The seriousness, the comedy, the information, all of it has helped me transition as smoothly as possible. Happy Birthday/Anniversary (??) GluteneDude!!
Birthaverssary?? Thanks.
Duuuuuude. Wish I’d found you sooner! Thanks for being there!
Better than never…thanks Melanie.
Congratulations, my friend. So thankful for your voice.
Ditto. Ditto. Ditto my GFF.
Perhaps some dippy celebs or Trump will say something ‘inspirational’ for the Dude. When it’s someone else’s heiny getting keestered I quite enjoy it.
Well, there is the Gluten Free South Park episode airing tonite, so there’s always hope.
Uhhh, here’s the press release for tonite’s ep.
http://southpark.cc.com/blog/2014/09/29/episode-1802-press-release
cannot believe
Always grateful to have such a great voice and advocate in the gluten-free community. Congrats on the 3 year anniversary! You’ve definitely inspired me in my blogging and helped a lot along the way. 🙂
Awesome Taylor. Keep doing what you’re doing.
I wanted to add my thanks for your blog too! It has helped me adjust to the gluten free life after having been diagnosed about six months ago. My diagnosis came as such a surprise since anemia was my only apparent symptom. Later on, I could connect a few more of my symptoms to Celiac disease but nothing gastrointestinal! Thankfully, my doctor had had another anemic patient turn out to have Celiac disease so she knew to look. Despite my doctor’s awareness of CD, I had to push to get my daughters screened and one of them (and not the one I was expecting) turned out to have it too. Your blog and so many of the commenters have been a good support for me as I’ve had to navigate this life change mostly on my own. Thank you, thank you, all the way from Vancouver, BC.
Thanks much Linsylu (love your name.)
Congrats – and job well done! I’m new to celiac disease the first of this year and yours was the first blog I somehow discovered. And I love it. You are so “real” and the people here give me hope that life will return to more of a “normal” over time. Thank you sincerely for the contribution you make to the celiac community.
You will soon feel “normal”…promise.
Happy Anniversary and thanks for the balanced approach whether it is funny, sad, angry, silly or loving. We have all been through the emotional roller coaster. I look forward to hearing the real voices of the folks who comment here. You bring out the best in all of us! Thanks Dude!
That’s a high complement…thanks Mom.
First of all…. Cheers, Congratulations and thank you for everything you do. Second of all… That anniversary song- it has stuck in my head since childhood and I sing it to unwilling audiences whenever the need arises, but I always thought that I was the only person on earth who got the reference.
Now that you say that, now I realize where I got that song from too. Too funny…I’ve been singing it for years as well.
You and your site have saved me from the nut house! It was such a relief to hear other voices and experiences from people I could relate to. Struggling through health issues and trying to eat gluten free can make a person feel a tad…alone. This community makes a person feel like they are apart of a larger family. So happy anniversary!! Your time and effort is truly appreciated!
Thanks tons Jennifer. Beautifully said.
Hang in there, Dude! Take vacations from the blog from time to time when it’s getting too much, then come back later with more of your special brand of commentary on the celiac scene. IMO it’s a real service to the community.
Dick
Sounds like a plan Dick…thanks.
Happy Anniversary Dude! I found your page relatively early on in my GF journey (I believe it was your post about how we shouldn’t eat “gluten free” foods) and I’ve been following you ever since. I love how you keep things real and you never sugar coat what it is like to live with this disease. A million thanks to you for your advocacy, efforts, and support!
Jess
Thanks Jess. You do great work as well. Glad to be a part of it all.
Happy 3rd! I just came across your site and am lovin’ it-had to share with my hubs who eats gluten free also and we are your newest fans. Keep it coming!
Congrats on three years – and here’s to many more! This blog got me through my initial depression over my Celiac diagnosis, and it has brought me comfort and LOTS of laughs! It’s such a positive place for all of us to vent, laugh, cry, and support one another. Thank you so much for all you do.
Thanks for providing such a great source of information and support. I am new to all this and enjoying (not) the energy zap phase with no social life, unable to get new biz off the ground, struggling to get to interviews (let alone do a job), facing eviction and no support from dr. Phew, felt good to get that off my chest!
I do find myself chuckling at many of your posts GD, so thanks for cheering me up. I also found this article about the benefits of red wine in boosting energy that also cheered me up – currently enjoying said “medication”. Thought you might appreciate.
http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/745/health-benefits-of-red-wine-antioxidant-resveratrol/
Like I need a good reason to drink red wine 😉
Me neither – but it’s the story I’m sticking to if anyone asks 😉
Congratulations Gluten Dude on a wonderful milestone,
Your message to the celiac community resonates strongly, is much appreciated, and greatly needed.
Today I think you should crack open the champagne, and feel free to act your shoe size instead of your age. On second thought, if you have more than a glass or two, go ahead and act your age or things could get a bit messy.
By sharing the ups and down of living with this disease, you make others in the celiac community feel like there is someone standing tall in our corner of the ring – comforting indeed, when we constantly need to have our dukes up.
Take good care of yourself, Mrs. Dude, and the Dudettes!
Colette Sullivan-Ledoux
Oh course it was worth it. While I am new to all this, I have found this place a great help with lots of comedic relief for the days I want to ball my fists up and scream noooooo! Just stop, when things are seeming crazy via other folks who just could not understand or get what someone with Celiac disease goes thru. Thank you for this site.
Not sure if it’s worth it? I sincerely hope you think so and continue to share with us. I was just diagnosed and this was the blog I found (google search for celiac rash) and the knowledge that I am not alone with this strange disease somehow makes it easier to face this next challenge in my life. I know it could be something much worse and am grateful it’s not. I would still like to have a 3 year olds temper tantrum about what I am going to have to give up and after days of reading — what I am going to have to learn. Thanks for this oasis – a blessing I needed.