This was a happy sight to see today!
Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!
You registered on WordPress.com 10 years ago.
Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.
It’s kind of wild to think about – I started with WordPress to continue the passion that was kindled during a college assignment. In my Computer-Mediated Communication class in 2009, we were assigned to start a blog, on any topic we chose, that we maintained for the entire semester. That original blog, on a different platform, was about movies that I found in the college library that I figured my classmates had never heard of. It wasn’t much at the time, but it planted a seed.
Ten years ago, Hot Shot Headlines didn’t exist. I started, and then deleted, at least two other blogs. I lost my way, and my passion, for a while.
But, I stuck with it. I never really stopped writing, even when I wasn’t blogging. And it’s been an incredible journey.
Thank you, everyone, for your contributions! I truly appreciate all of my readers and followers. Every comment you write is significant to me. I try my very best to respond to all of them!
Best of all, I have made some amazing friends through the WordPress community. So, here’s to you, Kristian, Jenna, Tony, Simon, Ariel, Vinnie, Antonio, Lori, Sara, Didi, Tiana, Destiny, Greg, and others. Thank you for the words you write, the stories you share, and your friendship!
Cheers to 10 more years!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Hot Shot Headlines 
Congratulations on your blog and for including me in this special post. Keep on blogging!
Thank you, Tony! And you’re welcome. Cheers to many more years for both of us.
Congratulations! Thank you so much for including me in this. Someday when I get a chance, I’ll check out some of your other friends you tagged.
Thank you so much! And you’re welcome. I’m sure they would appreciate it. I look forward to more posts from you.
I’m working on it, but I’m still working full time (thankfully), and working from home is very challenging, partially because my job doesn’t translate well to working from home, and partially because I haven’t been using my time well due to distractions and more dark thoughts going on in my head than usual. I had the next episode almost ready, but I had to ask someone (Catherine, one of the few people I knew in 1995 whom I’ve actually shared this writing with) about something that happened 25 years ago, and she said she might have a more definite answer if I wait about a week until the next time she makes it to her parents’ house. In the meantime, I was looking through my own stuff from 1995 and decided I needed to write something else (the episode you tagged, about letters from friends) before I write the one about Catherine’s performance. I might change my mind again, because there are two other relevant things from the summer of 1995 that I could write about, but one of them isn’t really as relevant to the story moving forward and the other one requires some thinking about how to integrate real life with my story. I’m thinking I can write more about that another time, after I’ve decided exactly which parts to share and not to share.
So I guess my point is, unless I do something drastically different, I’ll probably post the story about Catherine’s performance and my 19th birthday a few days from now.
I’m working from home full time as well, and it’s been challenging in its own way. I’m hoping to get a company-issued laptop and equipment soon, something I should have done weeks ago when the rest of my team requested them. I’m grateful to be working and to be safe.
I’m looking forward to your posts, whether it’s a few days from now or later than that. You are very talented!
Thank you! 🙂 Good luck getting your stuff from work set up.
Thank you! Everything is backordered, no surprise there. I give major props to our IT department!
Yeah… I know… a lot of people are working hard behind the scenes with everything going on.
Absolutely!
Congratulation Laura Beth!! I appreciate you & your friendship so much!! Love you!! ❤❤
Thank you! Love you too, friend!
This is the sweetest! Happy 10 year anniversary!!! That is absolutely an incredible milestone. I am so happy to have developed a wonderful friendship with you over this wonderful world of blogging. Here’s to many more years for the both of us 🎉
Thank you so much! Cheers to many more years.
OMG! 10 years shows SO much passion and perseverance 👏🏻🥰 Congrats on this great achievement 🎊✨
Thank you so much!
Happy bloggiversary!!
Thank you!
Happy blog-iversary!! 10 years, wow!! Laura Beth, you’re amazing and your blog is one of my faves ❤🤩❤
I hope you’re staying safe and well through all the chaos in the world right now!
Thank you so much, Didi! Your words mean so much! We are staying safe – Grateful to both be employed and working from home. It’s been hard on my extroverted side, but the benefits have outweighed the anxious times!
that so great to here!! 😍😍
Congratulations!
Thank you!
10 years! Wow! Congratulations! Well, I certainly hope to be there one day, being at 10 years of blogging.
Thank you, Brendan! I have no doubt that you will be celebrating 10 years of blogging. Thank you for being a part of the community.
Congratulations on ten years. That’s fantastic!
Thank you so much! Hope you’re doing well.
I am doing well. I hope you are doing well also.
I am, thank you! I’m working from home, so I’m grateful to be employed and having other benefits.
I’m in much the same boat. I still have my job–though I really do not like teaching online.
Keep up the good work.
You’re not alone. I have many teacher friends, and almost 100 percent of them are losing their minds. They miss their kids and their colleagues. You, and other teachers, are amazing to me! Thanks for educating the future. Thanks for your kind words as well!
Thanks for the kind words as well.
Absolutely!
AW! Thanks for mentioning me in your list!
How are you & the family coping?
You’re welcome!
We are doing well, thank you! We are both working from home. It’s certainly been an adjustment, but there are so many things that could be worse. There’s been other benefits as well. It’s going to be hard to go back to the office! How are you doing?
Ah, we’re making due, I suppose. I have had at least 3 friends diagnosed & 1 who was in a medically-induced coma (she woke up just as the lockdown started), but never had a test.
Unfortunately, I’m in a “hot zone.” So, we just opened up state parks this past weekend. Have they opened up your state any?
Oh my goodness. Wow. I feel terrible for your friends! We worry about my sister-in-law. We’re super proud of her because she just became a nurse, but she’s also on the frontline every single day.
Virginia is slowly starting to re-open. Elective surgeries are starting again, and dentist offices are opening for regular appointments. The rest of the state is beginning “Phase One” next week.
Luckily, it seems my friends are on the mend. Being closer to the epicenter of the outbreak, NJ is … not opening up yet. We did just open our state parks again a week or so ago!
The governor had to close them because people were congregating. They were still doing it recently. A friend’s fellow bridesmaid is a cop in Newark; she had to break up a bunch of congregating people on my friend’s Zoom baby shower. 😒
How is your sister-in-law holding up? I’ve heard nurses on the front-line are … beyond amazing. But, they’re suffering too. 😢
I can’t wait until my dentist’s office can reopen. I was supposed to have a cleaning in March!
Wow. We are starting phase one on Friday. It’s going to be … interesting. I’m a bit nervous about church opening up again.
My SIL is on cloud nine to be done with school. Her attitude might change a bit when she starts her work shifts in June, but she’s been loving the ER.
I was supposed to have a cleaning on the 14th. I’ve rescheduled my annual dermatologist visit twice now. And I’m not ready to schedule it again.
Do you know when your church is going to open up again? Have you heard if the church has any safety plans in mind going forward? It gives me great comfort to see public places taking safety into account when they reopen.
Your SIL is loving the ER? She must have a heart of solid gold. Please tell her that I said, from the general public, that she ROCKS!
UGH. I’m jealous if you actually had your teeth cleaned on the 14th. I had to reschedule my dental cleaning from March 18th to… Well, we still don’t know. NJ JUST cleared elective surgeries & invasive procedures for the 26th of May. &, of course, that’s subject to change.
We’re paying close attention to the numbers, though. I hope your state is doing the same!
I asked one of the church leaders this past week, and there are no plans to reopen anytime soon. The bishop of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church is developing a list of “pioneer churches” to re-open, and our leadership does not want to be one of team. So, I have a feeling that we will continue online services for a while.
I will let her know! She loves the adrenaline rush.
I didn’t have my teeth cleaned this week. I got a text on Wednesday stating that my appointment was scheduled for May 27th. Wow. We just re-started elective surgeries two weeks ago.
We’re watching everything, too. People are already being idiots with Phase I that just started on Friday the 15th.
Your church is doing it smart. I’m happy to hear it!
I’m kinda bummed about not being able to go to my regular blood donation site – I need to make a donation ASAP. My best friend, who’s also the same blood type as mine, needed a transfusion recently. I need to do a donation in her name. 🙂
I have to agree that, in waaaay too many cases, the re-opening of states has been a freakin’ free-for-all. I feel, unfortunately, leadership has failed from the top down in a LOT of places. Also, people do not seem to understand basic health issues…. which is scary.
Same here!
We were able to relocate our June blood drive to the local YMCA. I’m so happy. Our 20th Anniversary Drive in April had to be cancelled. I’m happy your best friend got the transfusion she needed, and I’m happy you’re donating in her name.
Yeah, I doubt my regular Red Cross location will be re-opening anytime soon, unfortunately. It was on the 2nd floor of a library… & I doubt libraries will be re-opening here too soon. But, there are other locations, thank goodness.
I’m a bit upset that they delayed my friend’s transfusion, but happy she got it! Further proof of maternal ward not getting taken seriously, in my eyes. 😒
When is your June blood drive? Will you be attending? 😊
Yay for other locations!
I’m sorry the tranfusion was delayed – Boo!
Our June blood drive is Saturday the 6th. My dad is picking me up early and I’ll be volunteering from at least 5:30 to 11:30, but possibly the whole day. I’m hoping my iron will be high enough to give!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for your iron levels!! Go eat some spinach, quick! 😉
Thanks! I’ve eaten a salad every night this week. And Al is grilling steaks tonight – I can’t wait!
Hey! Didja manage to donate?
Yes! My iron was 14.3 – So I flew past the mark. I struggled with the actual donation. I didn’t drink enough water. I’m bruised on both arms. But, finally, we got a full bag. Having my favorite phlebotomist, Spencer, there made the difference.
Oh, man! I’m sorry about the bruises, but I’m glad you got them donating blood. I may be weird, but I think donation bruises are a badge of honor! Good for you! 🙂
Thank you! I think they’re pretty cool, too. Most people think it’s terrible, but I’m proud to say that I got them from donating blood. My dermatologist noticed them, I told him about giving blood, and he asked how often you could give. I think I recruited a more frequent donor!
Huge congrats on reaching this milestone
10 years?!?!?! WOW! What an accomplishment! My goals! And you’re so sweet! Thank you for everything. I remember when I first started out, I had NO idea where to begin. But you helped me out so much and I was so grateful for that — and to make a new blogger friend! Here’s to many more years of blogging and fun times!
Thank you so much! I was thrilled when you arrived on the blogging scene. I was more than happy to help out. I’m grateful for our friendship! Cheers to many more years!
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Thank you for the tag, Jenna! Can’t wait to do this one!
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Thank you for tagging me, Jenna! Can’t wait to do this one.