As part of So About What I Said’s fifth anniversary a couple weeks ago, I invited you to complete a blog survey to help me better gauge the pulse of the blog as well as plan for its future. And, well, boy did you answer, friends! You told me what you loved, what you didn’t love and even gave me some awesome suggestions of future features you’d like to see! I loved looking over all the feedback. Here are some of the highlights…

*A new feature you’d like to see…

—“I really love seeing the world from your view since you have such a unique voice. Maybe you could write more about what you do as a writter. The whole process of what you are writing, submitting an article, what you look for in magazines that you submit to.”

—“DIY, maybe? You could try a craft, recipe, or DIY-anything (even something like teaching yourself cursive, french braiding, or some basic parts of another language!), and walk us through the steps. Book reviews, recommendations, and things you’re looking forward to or interested in reading.”

—“Perhaps a feature where Mr Melissa Blake writes to you?”

—“I would say a feature highlighting a good book or something fabulous that you bought and like. I love recommendations.”

—“I love your blog, but I think it’d be fun if you included a regular feature where you try new things and write about the experience. like speed dating, or a new food, a cocktail (!), a rock show. document yourself doing things you’ve never done before. I think it’d be really interesting to read about you on new adventures. you’re such a talented writer!”

—“I’d love to see you try an on-line dating venture and then have a subsequent feature journaling your progress, woes, and successes!”

*How you’d describe So About What I Said in 3 words…

—“Fun, lighthearted, honest.”

—“Real. Eloquent. Heartfelt.”

—“Refreshing, sweet, lovely.”

—“Edgy, smart, vulnerable.”

—“Comforting, wistful, sweet.”

 —“Quirky, carefree, engaging.”

—“Authentic, humble, and courageous.”

Thanks so much, friends, for all the wonderful feedback, and congrats to Laura for winning the free month of ad space. Love you all… xoxo

[Photo via This Is Glamorous’s Pinterest]

Well, friends, in the words of Mary Tyler Moore…it looks like we made it after all. So About What I Said is officially five years old today! Yes, that’s right. Break out the balloons! Cue the sappy ’80s power ballads! Start pouring that root beer! This baby’s come a long way. Let’s first look at the last five years by the numbers…

*Five years
*60 months
*260 weeks
*1,825 days
*3,865 posts
*3,230 GFC followers
*2,039 Twitter followers
*20,839 tweets
*1,152 Pinterest followers
*453 Facebook followers
*48 Instagram followers

And this morning, I was looking back through the archives, and I couldn’t help but smile when I came across some of the awesome posts that I’d forgotten about…

Like all those baby-fever posts, including this animal nursery, this hysterical baby video, favorite baby names and popular names by state.

Beauty bonanzas, like this lipstick how-to, ombre lips, summer nail trends, the beauty of freckles and holiday nails and pastel nails.

Open Letters, like My Letter To Valentine’s Day, wannabe hipsters, jealousy, younger guys, first crushes, temptation, my depression, the Class of 2012, Seventeen magazine, Marissa Mayer, my father, The View and to myself.

Letters To My Future Husband, where I daydreamed about things like the wedding proposal, the big disability talk, that moment, my making the first move, important questions and my hospital fantasy.

We mused about Love Lounge topics like those little lies we tell ourselves, before-marriage questions, relationship must-haves, romantic gestures, being single, our love of fictional characters, the Mrs. Robinson stigma, wacky dating advice, virginity, regrets and the quarter-life crisis.

I schooled those silly boys in MEMOS TO MEN, including feeling those sparks, frustrations of the friend zone, types of dating, evil cheating, marriage mistakes and the Don Draper Syndrome.

Gorgeous weddings, like this Mad Men wedding, mugshot wedding, beautiful civil unions, the Royal Wedding, country fair wedding, treehouse wedding and a Bohemian wedding.

I explored my ever-growing (and somewhat unexpected!) love of fashion, like colorful slippers, funny tees, Children With Swag, dresses and my love of polo shirts.

Great design inspiration, like color-coded flowers, illustrated lunch bags, vintage save-the-dates, Web site made of chocolate, fairytale posters and brass animal figurines.

Dream Home inspiration, like world map wallpaper, space bedroom, indoor swings and barn-style bedrooms.

And, of course, some Dream Vacation inspiration, such as glamping, Tunnel of Lights, reading hotels and clifftop towns.

A whole heaping helping of good food, like triple chocolate brownies, banana bread bars, mac ‘n cheese cups and my grandma’s famous almond cookies.

We got to meet some amazing sponsors and shop owners, like Julie Ann Art, Delezhen, Twenty Pages, Lilac Bijoux, Radiant Cosmetics, KOKOON and Umba Box (thanks to all my amazing sponsors and for supporting the sponsors that help make So About What I Said possible!)

And, finally, what’s always been at the heart of all our discussions and my writings: My disability. Posts such as my disability top ten, disability debate, storyboarding my life, dating and disabilities, disability bingo, my guest post for Glamour magazine and why disabled women can be sexy.

Whew! What a full five year! You can catch up on any posts you may have missed here, and one last thing…

THANK YOU, FRIENDS!!!! This blog wouldn’t be where it is today without your love, support and encouragement. Heck, I doubt I’d be where I am today without your awesome influence in my life. I love you all so much and just want to invite you all to a huge dance party. Let’s have an e-party, shall we? Thanks again, and here’s to five more amazing years!! xoxo