So, once again, as I did a couple of years ago, I have been going though my blog posts, our comments to each other, and even copied and pasted a few to some facebook pages.
Man, I miss this place.
Funny how lazy Facebook makes me.
It is easier to plonk on a few comments here and there rather than actually write a proper post it seems.
I really must change that.
And I miss us!
I miss the little private references, that while, as Anne-Marie once pointed out, are really not private at all on a blogsite, but if you have no history with the bunch of us, would make little or no sense.
The core of us... Luscious Lace, Sir Ian of Notthingham, Chaste Cheryl Ann of Chimcharooo, Madam Margie from Down Undah, Miss Mary-Beth of the Material World, Sir Koos that loves Val, Angelic Anne-Marie of Avonshire, Lovely Lannio of the Landtotheeast, Ravishing Rache of the Realm, Dashing Dale of the Dell, Vivacious Val of the Vale, Glorious Gypsy of the Glen… and of course, our Neil, whose presence we miss keenly, but none more keenly, I am sure, than by our darling Gypsy.
The core of us, we what gots silly together, cried together, shared and loved and debated and drew invisible but indelible lines to one another, are all still around in one way or another.
But I miss this place, this secret garden, this place we all got together and entered a world of our own making.
It is a longing, I suppose, of my own making. After all, there are only three months of 2013 that even have a post on them.
An update of sorts… Rache and I enjoyed a reunion of laughter and love earlier this year, the one we had dreamt of having in New York with us all ages ago! It seemed like such a long term plan, but now, it is past by and perhaps we can still plan another meet. Who knows!
A few of the blogs I have on my list are no longer published, a few are abandoned, but like an old house on a hill, I like to keep them in my site, and wander through the quiet, dusty hallways of remembrance from time to time.
I misses you. I misses us. But not in a sad, never to be seen sort of way, more a nostalgic sort of way.
And after all, you can always, always go home for a while…
Much love to you all as we head into another festive Chrimbo madness… I should pop about and visit you all… and perhaps, just perhaps, we can all meet again soon, at least here, in our own Wonderland.
Xoxo
Stevie
12 comments:
A lovely post, Stevie. I still blog regularly but have had to build a new circle of friends in blogland. I have and they are lovely, but yes, I miss the old, intimate and silly days too. Everyone went to Facebook...
Facebook... I alternately love and hate it...
Together In Electric Dreams.
I think we all have fond memories of those blogger days. Probably for a variety of reasons, but two of which were common to us all: Firstly, we were all satellites of Uncle Peter, although I can't remember now if his blog preceded us or not but it certainly reinforced the bond. Secondly, we were all creative, intelligent spirits, many embarking on new adventures, and wanting to express ourselves beyond the realms of what our daily lives and routines might have afforded at that time. Speaking for myself, and taking just three of many examples, seeing Koos's photographs, reading Anne Marie's then ambition to write, and Gina's posts, did boost my own creative motivation. Blogger also led to some important personal links in real life Nottingham. Both creative and otherwise. But it wasn't for everyone...
Blogger provided a platform on which the multitudes could speak, but proved all too soon that very few actually have a voice. Writing an articulate, interesting post, even on a weekly basis, is a skill above the norm. Behind the privacy of a shower curtain everyone thinks they can sing. When they hear the tape play back they have to accept they can't. Hence Facebook.
I never “went to Facebook”. I admit I tried. I think I've deleted about 5 accounts, leaving now just an almost blank page from which I can at least access information about local galleries, whilst being honest with prospective “friends” that I'm just not interested. If I had a large group of real life friends Facebook would be a good place to gossip and arrange meetings. It's success was due to the digital age's dominant faith system: “You are your Avatar”, click me, “Like me”, with brevity of post, whilst corporate businesses rake untold fortunes from a subterfuge of default account settings. I cannot abide the place. But it's my problem, and clearly not one I share.
Perhaps it's surprising then that I would gather 2,326 Followers on Twitter, and get such a meaningful, creative interaction there. My Twitter posts might often be a drawing, rather than the limited word count imposed, but for me that can convey much more. And I only follow back fellow creative spirits, hence my posts are not reciprocated with a stranger's holiday snaps. Local galleries, and other Nottingham establishments, have often engaged with my comments. So maybe (at last) I've found a networking site which functions well for me.
But yes, I do look back with great fondness to those times on Blogger. It always seemed to be this time of year. Dark nights, angle poise lights, and the glow of the pc screen. Blogger was a very important part of those times, leaving behind my life as a teacher, sharing my sketches and thoughts out there “on the wire” rather than the unseen pages of an end of day closed sketchbook. Good times not forgotten. Together in electric dreams.
Yours with a bookmark
Sir Ian of Nottingham.
x
Ian, I also use Twitter substantially to connect with other creative writers, but nearly all of them have blogs too, hence the broadening circle of my blogging contacts. Twitter is where writers post links to their blogs and it works very well for us all. Nearly all my new blog contacts are other writers.
Hi Val.
I am actually embarking on a writing project. Well, hopefully two, but I figure best to walk before I can run.
I got a fair amount done (and I'm pleased with it so far) but Life soon provided other obstacles & distractions. Something Life is won't to do. (As I'm sure we all know).
So, to get back into the routine of holding a pen rather than a brush, I have started a written blog in which to flex my muscles. At present it's not visible to the public. I find it very easy to share my pictures, less so to share my words.
But I will in due course, and be passing the invites around.
Very nice to hear from you again. Best wishes for the New Year!
Sir Ian!
You don't know how happy I was to read your comment!
There is a part of me that feels much the same way about facebook actually... but I have yet to cut the tie. I may never. But there is often a little niggle in the back of my brain that asks, "is this truly wise?"
Ah well.
As for twitter, I do have an account, but rarely go to it. To be honest, I find that I have TOO much to say to limit myself to the character count! But then, I have not been writing enough to use that as an actual excuse. I suppose though, I could write here, and link it to twitter. Of the electronic webs we weave...
While I know we can not truly jump back to the old days, certainly I can reintegrate myself to my blog again. It did get the creative juices bubbling. And shall again.
"Good times not forgotten. Together in electric dreams."
I like that.
Much affection to you both,
S
Thanks Stevie! And Ian, I'll look forward to that!
Oh and yes, best wishes for the new year to you both too!
So nice to read everyone's comments here, and with apologies for taking so long (end of term and holidays), I must say that the publication of my novels is what halted my blog here. We took a leap and made a website linked to the books, created a FB page and a twitter account for the books, and my better half strongly felt that my blogger account couldn't be a parrot version of what I was doing elsewhere as a writer. While I agree with his assessment, it's truly been too onerous to maintain all those presences and Blogger is what fell, ultimately.
For me, FB is a lark with some dear friends near and far, and a chance to see what my family and friends faraway are up to. Unlike Twitter, which is 'live' and timely, FB can be perused at my leisure and I can easily go back and see what I've missed. I must admit that many of the people I regularly interact with on FB are a fun diversion of banter and silliness, and for that, I love them dearly.
Twitter frustrates me a bit because doing so is not so obvious unless you are merely looking at a few close friends. Even though I follow Ian and Val on both Twitter accounts (my personal and commercial account), it's largely hit and miss whether I see something of theirs that I can respond to in a timely manner. I've also found that 'connecting' with writers is much more difficult than what you're describing, Ian. It sounds like you've engaged yourself in a community of artists, whereas my experience with twitter and indie writers is too much of a 'buy my book' and endless links to their book pages, and offers me little creative content. I've tried to engage readers with concert reviews (which is also an excellent way to keep my writing skills sharp and seems like a logical extension for a rock fiction writer), but the reader reaction is again largely hit and miss, mostly miss. Many indie writers are only interested in promoting themselves, and don't actually continue to follow you if you don't follow back. In that sense, it's a huge echo chamber that I've largely given up on.
Phew. What a mouthful and what a rant. :) That all said, I still pop around and check out what the old blogger gang is up to, still have many connections to a lot of them via FB, and while I wish we could roll the clock back, I just can't see it happening.
It's been nice to read this exchange, and I still think about everyone here often with fondness.
Ian, I may need to tap your brain one day to figure out how you've managed to be so successful with twitter. It's a source of endless frustration for me.
Cheers all.
xx AM
Hi AM,
You are right about managing Twitter, and gathering meaningful Followers. Took me a while to figure it out. Here's what I did:
1. Make lists / groups. I had a folder for “creatives”, and one for “artists”. In this way I could find their Tweets quickly in the folder rather than trying to locate them on the Home page. And people liked it that they were included in a group.
2. Totally suck up to local galleries by praising their exhibitions (something they cant resist RT-ing), and sketching local popular pubs / coffee bars that have a Twitter page, then Tweeting the sketch saying what a great place it is to sit and draw / write. (I'm such a tart!)
3. On most Tweets I include the hashtag #art at the end. This places me high on the Suggested Follow Twitter list which other artists see.
4. In Nottingham / UK, the prime time to Tweet would seem to be 1.00pm. (Google to find yours). Therefore, when posting sketches of Nottingham, I always posted at 1. During August it got so some people logged on at 1 to see what I'd done!
5. Hashtags. I belong to a community on Twitter who share a hashtag each month: #stilldecember, #drawingaugust, etc. By clicking the hashtag any interested parties could locate all our work at once, follow us, and take part. This more than anything else increased my Followers number, and most were art related.
I'm sure any or all the above shameless tricks could be applied to “writing”, “author”, “writer”, etc.
Happy New Year Everyone!
x
I am still not totally clean on hashtags....
CLEAR... I MEANT CLEAR!!
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