Quarter Of A Life Blogging

Today, 5 years ago, I made my first post to this blog when I was a spotty-faced sixteen year old. I am an almost spotless twenty-one year old, which means I have spent nearly a quarter of my life sharing my ranting through the medium of writing. It was a bit depressing when I realised that fact, and makes me feel old.

However, I am glad I started and glad to have carried on. It has shaped me into the type of writer I am. I feel I now do reasonably well at taking a sly look at the news stories and general things that happen or exist. My particular favourite this year has to be Major Congestion Reported Getting Into SimCity from March. One of a number of blogs that I posted this year for dual purpose: University and this blog.

Last year I suffered from a lack of motivation, due to spending all of my time writing for University. I came up with the ingenious idea of posting the occasional piece of work in my blog. I was lucky enough to be doing a Creative Non-Fiction module, which was essentially a module in writing blogs and columns. I was quite good at that, if I do say so myself.

Over the next year, I will carry on doing this, but in a different place (the location of which will be revealed in due course). I am currently in the process of creating a new blog where I can hopefully extend my dissertation work, about how to survive in London as a misanthrope. It should be good. I am really looking forward to starting, and sharing it.

But anyway, that's a few weeks away yet. Let's get back t the matter in hand - I've wasted nearly a quarter of my life sharing my rants, reviews and self-indulgent, weak writing. Overall, including this contribution, I have written 197 blog posts, which is 213,436 words over the five years. Time well spent? That remains to be seen.

One thing I do know, is not all of those blogs, and not all of those words, are very good. Some I am very proud of, and they still make me laugh, whether it's a few months or a few years later. Then, there are others which make me cringe when I read them. Partly because of bad grammar or bad spelling, but some because they are just written awfully. They make me cringe when I read them, and the really bad ones make we want to gag, before ripping my face.

Regardless, despite the occasional mistake (my writing isn't fool proof), I am pleased with how my writing has progressed. I can express myself much better, and have a lot of fun exploiting the English language. That's the joy of writing. I like to find different ways of saying various things. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I may not blog as much as I used to, for example I wrote 58 blogs in 2009, and last year I only managed 18. However, to use an overused phrase: it's quality, not quantity. I definitely think that's the case in this instance, but I'm sure others might not agree.

How many I will manage over the next year, I am unsure of; especially if I begin to focus on writing this other project of mine. However, as long as I keep seeing things I enjoy at the theatre, in the cinema, and on TV, or hear music I like, I will continue to write reviews. For as long as things still happen in the world, I will continue to write about them from my own unique perspective. And for as long as people still piss me off, I will continue to vent my rage. This blog is my baby, and I promise that when my new blog-baby comes along, I will love you both equally; it's just the new member to my family might need more attention.

Other than my Lego city that I had in our living room from the age of seven to thirteen, this is the longest I have had a project which I have persisted with and still enjoyed. I love writing. And hey, if I hadn't have started the blog, I wouldn't have come to University to study Journalism and Creative Writing. I like my little joys in life which is ultimately pretty horrific to endure.

And when I have the space again, my Lego city will rise again!

P.S. The pictures came from the following blog: Crackers Blog. It looks like a really cool party!