This whole blogging thing

I’ve been meaning to write something like this for a little while, to “celebrate” hitting 50 blog posts, which I did in April, but things got a little busy at work.

April was quite a “successful” month so far as this blog’s modest stats goes,  receiving almost as many views, visits and likes as each of the last three years did.  It was also the first time I flagged to my wife, with a little trepidation, that I had started updating the blog this year. Perhaps that justifies a little self-indulgent introspection. Perhaps not, but I’ll indulge anyway…

As anyone who has read more than one of my post (a small, but hopefully merry, band of people I am sure, and thank you to those who “follow”) will quickly realize that this blog does not really have much focus. Yes, there are frequent posts about diving and wildlife I have been fortunate to see, but the only central theme is things that I have found interesting.  After starting the blog four years ago, and a brief resurgence last year for a couple of months, I decided to put more work into it this year as a creative outlet and set a series of scheduled posts. I admire people who have blogs so focused and dedicated on one topic, that can be avidly followed, and turn out regular creative and quality content.  However, I think like most people, I flit from one interest to another, one week I will be processing wildlife photos and want a better camera, another week culling lionfish, a different day not able to take my spear but wanting to photograph everything under water.  I think that most people are like that and people who enjoy my posts on one topic, forgive (or even find interest in) my forays into another.

By and large, the response has been gratifyingly positive, measured in terms of kind comments and likes gratefully received. In turn, I have explored a bit more of the blogging world on WordPress, and found many posts on similar topics that I have enjoyed and commented on: much of which easily matches the level of professional journalism, much of which seems to have decreased in quality as it saw an increase in quantity.  I keep meaning to add a page of blogs I enjoy/admire, and will get round to it eventually.

I have never been comfortable being too open about my thoughts, feelings and emotions, which has often led people to regard me as a little arrogant or aloof. I have always been more open in email and writing, more chatty in this forum than I am in real life, until I’ve had a few drinks as social lubricant. This strange process of sporadically posting a random selection of thoughts and ideas, and receiving positive feedback, has actually encouraged me to be more open in life and more confident about expressing ideas with friends, family and work colleagues.

In short, I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to read, like and comment on my various tales.  So far this year the blog has received more visitors and likes than in the past four years combined, I hope that people continue to enjoy an occasional story, follow if they have any interest, or drop comments.

Let me know if there is anything you would like to see more of, or less of.  It probably won’t affect what I can do, but will be interesting to hear.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.