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Saturday, April 25, 2009

WHY DO WE NEVER GET AN ANSWER? 

Today is the fifth birthday of this blog.  

I think I'm supposed to spout some vague platitudes about how blogging has changed my life in a positive way, improved my *career* and helped me make loads of new friends around the world so that we can all bask in the glow of positivity and smugness.

It would all sound a bit fakey though, as I hardly ever post these days.  Everything starts to lose its appeal after five bloody years, doesn't it?

In fact, I rarely comment on other blogs now and find that I forget to look on Bloglines for a few days at a time, which means a backlog of unread posts which ... puts me off participating even more, har har.

Still, it's not all been bad.  Remember the January 2006 blogmeet and the hilarious drinking game? Remember the bloggers' weekend at Camber Sands?  Remember the blogging fortnight camping in the Pyrenees?  Phew, that really was an emotional rollercoaster and a *journey* for so many of us.  It certainly made a man out of me.

One of my fondest blogging memories is the terse e-mail correspondence I had with an American woman who took offence to my description of Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.  I said that he had a face that looked as if it had been carved out of Mount Rushmore: she said that he was so uncomfortably handsome that it would take anyone's breath away.

Occasionally I will look back at the pictures sent on her e-mails of Justin wearing a variety of denim shirts, sandy chest hair poking out and I'll think - when did the fun go out of blogging?


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Comments:
May I be the first to congratulate your 5 years in the business.
 
Congratulations, Betty. The only thing that's missing from your blog is a gratuitous flute solo.
 
Congratulations!

Where else but in Betty’s Utility Room would I have the opportunity to see Demis Roussos in a kaftan?

Or be able to drool over Bill Werbeniuk and all the other hot men of snooker?
 
That Weekend in Camber Sands is still being talked about in Rye. The Blogger's Camping Fortnight was filmed by Mike Leigh with Alison Steadman playing you and Keith playing Geoff. What larks!

Let's see if you make 5 years on Twitter ... oh yes!
 
My first boyfriend changed his surname to Hayward by deed poll, in honour of his hero. (Well, he actually changed it to "Haywood", as he didn't want to be too obvious.)

We didn't last.

But you have. And hurrah for that.
 
Many happy returns, even if they're not as frequent as they used to be.
 
I guess it's like a marriage - first you have the honeymoon period where you can't get enough of blogging and then 5 years later it's like 'Oh no, not YOU again!'

Know how you feel Betty. Although currently redundant it has been all I can do to keep the blog going, let alone have the energy to visit my blogmates, much though I love them. Also I tend to feel guilty for a single moment not spent in the pursuit of new employment, which doesn't help.
 
Congrats! I wish I'd been around in the beginning.
Sx
 
You watch - blogging feeds Twitter. We'll survive. Oh, we'll survive..

Congratulations again on your five amazing years!
 
Do you think I should publish my e mail address - then the Derek Dougan fans could communicate with me directly.
Now he's a leading light in UKIP - I think it might be quite interesting.
 
I wish Rodney Bickerstaffe was still around to congratulate you.

He may even have performed an impromptu skiffle ditty to show his appreciation.

Justin Hayward was a big softy blonde poof and Rodney would have beaten him easy in a fight.
 
Istvanski - thank you. Haven't been able to turn the blog into a business, sadly. I could do with the money.

Tim - actually, I think that this blog needs more mellotron.

MJ - yeah, I've used this blog to publicise endless photos of *heavily set* men for five years. I think I'll spend the next five years promoting men with enormous feet.

Rog - I'm still paying off the bill for the Camber Sands weekend damages. I doubt that anyone will get to celebrate five years on Twitter, what with the swine 'flu and all :(

Mike - there's nothing wrong with idolising Nick Heyward (sorry, it was an obvious thing to say and I'm nothing if not obvious).

Z - thank you. The posts are rather less frequent too!
 
Laura - yeah, I don't tend to comment on blogs and visits are a lot less frequent these days. I do hope something turns up on the job front for you ASAP (I know you've probably been hearing that a lot of late but I feel for you. The vague threat of redundancy is hanging over our house at the moment and it's not very pleasant). Best of luck x

Boz - thanks, it'll be interesting to see if blogging does survive, despite the impending swine 'flu pandemic, holocaust, recession etc. Perhaps it'll just be the blogs left standing with the cockroaches.

Kaz - eek, I hate to have to tell you this but Derek Dougan died last year. In fact, one blogger on my links did a *commemorative* post explaining that he was a rather unpleasant person ... er ... although you shouldn't speak ill of the dead and he should be appreciated for his football skills etc., etc.

Garfer - I've received personal congratulations from Rodney, of course, and he performed a medley of Buddy Holly songs at the George in Bexley for me. Bye bye Miss American Pie ...
 
Happy B Lated Blog Birthday! You don't look a day over 2!

Some people get riled up for no reason. Seriously, who knew even crazy people had access to the internet?
 
Eroswings - thanks. I don't look a day over ninety. Yeah, there are A LOT of strange people who have access to the internet. You have to be careful what you say, and it's even worse if you're on Twitter.
 
well done - 5 years and I've just managed 2!!

Justin Hayward's hair in the vid looks as if it could live on Mount Rushmore on its own! I used to think he was seriously gorgeous (this was in 1969 so forgive me). But I knew someone once called Alan Hayward who looked just like him (Justin) but without a wild animal on his head. I always wondered if that was his brother but never dared to ask!

belleek
 
Five years (ish - don't know exact date) for me too.

Weirdly I stopped blogging within a month of starting, five years later. The anniversary wasn't planned or even noticed until a few days after I stopped.

So... Never say never and all that, but I suspect my blog died forever, five years after it started. I know the feelings you describe.
 
Rosneath - didn't all pop stars look as if they had a wild animal on their head in 1969? I suppose I can see how Justin would be considered good looking actually. Bet the hair is a lot thinner these days though.

Mrs BP - Hello & welcome. I go so long between posts these days that I almost didn't want to mention the five year "anniversary" because I couldn't be bothered! I think I tend to respond to comments from other bloggers, and less of them are visiting. Then again, I don't leave comments on other blogs, so it's a self perpetuating cycle! Still, I'm also on Twitter and am considering starting another side blog, so I must be a sucker for punishment ...
 
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