Writing a new post every other day for the last couple of weeks, nothing to compare with the blog a day Sara of NB Chertsey managed to achieve for well into 2019. What this has/did impact was my position in the UK waterways rankings site. For a brief time I was up there with the Freespirits, Rockers, Ahabs and Seyellas, grand company indeed. When I self indulgently clicked the ranking tab to see who was around me in the great and the good list I realised there was a filter to show the rankings in just blogging sites.
Looking through the now dribble of blogs I was sad to reflect on how few there are now, all lost to that new fangled vlogging community. They serve a purpose, mainly to give us all some vicarious cruising, some better than others. Not sure why they do it, it must be time consuming, this blog is my record for my own future consumption and I welcome any one else to seek out its entertainment crumbs.
It did get me to think about my first engagement with blogging - Snecklifter a blog of several years living afloat penned by Mike and Liz Holloway. Mike was a silken ink writer detailing the life afloat to an envious work laden fella who was dreaming of his time afloat - thats me btw. So when pondering this blog post I eagerly sought out the Snecklifter web/blog site to find it not longer exists. Using the way back archive I did find some sporadic captures and when flicking through them found the last post after their boat was sold. Click me It's so sad that so much history and experience seems to be lost. Ok, its a personal record and maybe Mike and Liz have copies salted away they review every now and again.
It has rejuvenated my plans to get my blogs converted to paper - I did one (Waterlily) blog post here but then it got shelved - literally and no more were printed. That was in 2008 ! so that means I have 11 more books to get printed..... at a cost but worth it for the legacy and for my personal reading when I can't get out anymore - cheerful sod !
So the 2009 'book' is compiled and ordered and due in the New Year. I have been so energised to have got the 2010 book lined up and will get that one published later in the New Year. They are not cheap but memories to me are so important. It's not lost on me more and more people are living to meet their expiry date shrouded with dementia, simple in my mind (oops) that now medicine is keeping our bodies going ever longer its our brains failing before our hearts. So memories and easy access to them via my building library of blog books is essential.
5 comments:
Gosh... I also remember reading Snecklifter's blog along with Granny Buttons and No Problem.
Hi Nev,
Interesting your comment about the lower number of boating blogs now - before we bought our boat at the back end of 2013, I read lots and lots of blogs; and I went back and started reading them from their earliest posts. It kept me busy every evening before I went to sleep for the whole of our NZ winter, I seem to remember.
I cannot remember all of the ones I read but I do know that some of them are no longer going.
I still enjoy blogging - and like you, it's a record for me, our kids and grandkids, and any other family or friends who are interested. I enjoy looking back to when I started blogging and remembering (being reminded actually) of the places we went, the people we met and made friends with, the funny things that happened, the mess-ups we made and how we rectified them (or not). While we are away in the UK on the boat during the NZ winter, friends and family here can keep up with what's happening; and when we are back in NZ our UK friends get a taste of our lives here.
I've been reading your blog regularly for some time and always enjoy it, so please keep it up!
Warm regards, Marilyn McDonald (nb Waka Huia)
Tom, Yes they were my daily reads and maintained my momentum and planning for an early exit from workdom but sadly not the boating they all engaged in.
Marilyn, thanks you for your comment and lovely words. You seem to run your blog for many of the reasons I maintain mine, and yes I'll keep blogging as i hope you will.
Hi Nev,
I, like you and Marilyn write my blog for memories more than anything and we love to look back at where we've been and who we've met and like you, love to read what other boaters are up to too. We get lots of good tips and information on where to moor, where to eat eat from other bloggers too which I like. I did a photobook of the build of Still Rockin' and have planned to do more, including our 7 years on Rock 'n' Roll but time seems to run away with me and I really must make more of an effort to get going again!
I too have noticed the decline in bloggers, it usually slows down a little over the winter, but even more so this year and I miss reading 'something new!
So ... keep on blogging all you out there!
Hi Carol, another excellent blogger ‘on my page’ so as to speak. The past years reflections are priceless to me hence the conversion into books. Happy belated birthday btw .... there is a still a small core of us as much for ourselves as others but the sharing of interests is very valuable to all readers I’m sure.
Post a Comment