Elements of Style Blog

I had a really bad morning.  I woke up to find my car broken into and my iPod stolen.  I was also running late to my morning meeting, hit crazy traffic and could not really deal.  I stopped by my office to pick up some stuff for the meeting I was so late for and found Winstons Florists waiting outside. Figuring they were for someone else in the office I let the delivery guy into the studio and began walking towards my space.  He then asked where to put the flowers, for one Mrs. Erin Gates.

Whaaaaaaaaaat?

Shocked, I opened the card and all it said was “Happy 5 Year Anniversary EOS!”  There is only one person who would think to celebrate such an important date that I had so promptly forgotten in the whirlwind that is my life as of late. Sweet Andrew. I stepped back from my shitty morning to reflect on that. FIVE YEARS. Wow. It has gone by so fast and yet I cannot remember a day when I did not start my morning by sitting down to my computer to blog. It’s just become part of who I am, as Pavlovian of a response to waking as my cup of coffee. While some days I get up and have no clue what I’m going to write about, there are others in which I am so super psyched to post something and share with you what I’ve found or done or felt. And I love that feeling more than anything.

1,954 posts, counting this one.

This little blog has not only provided me with a platform from which I can communicate, but also has been the true catalyst in changing my life for the better.  I get to be my own boss. I get to employ a wonderfully talented assistant. It’s introduced me to some of the most important, wonderful people in my life.  It’s opened doors, windows and walls for me and my career. It’s gotten me published, pushed me to write more (possibly even a book) and let me figure out who it is I want to become.  And made me who I am now.

There aren’t enough words in the English language that I could string together that would describe how I feel about you, my readers.  I wake up for you. Work for you. Respect you. But above all, I am ever so grateful for you. So thank you. Thank you for showing up each day and reading and commenting and making this such a great place on the big, crazy internet.  And thank you to my sponsors who help make it possible for me to devote so much time to publishing this every day.

But back to that sweet fella who remembered this date before I did and recognized that it was so important.  You’ve gotten to know him through his posts, which delights me to no end since I have always thought he was such an amazing writer with such incredible spirit and enthusiasm for this crazy life. He’s my biggest cheerleader and supporter who has talked me off cliffs and hugged me when everything just seems like too much but also high fived my successes and pushed me to do even more and never ever felt threatened by my success. I am a total pain in the ass, and I’m glad he hasn’t thrown up his hands in defeat. Yet. :)

So cheers everyone, and here’s to five more!

xoxo,

Erin