16 Years of Blogging

Today is my blogging anniversary. I have been inflicting my thoughts upon the world for 16 years. I started writing online regularly in March 2007, although my early blogging projects were somewhat scattershot as I struggled to find an appropriate niche. August 16th standouts because it was the date I registered my first domain name, in a fit of enthusiasm. In the previous seven months, I created and abandoned three sites before I finally found a subject that I could focus upon and that would sustain my writing. Hence for practical reasons I consider August 16th my starting date as I spent money on my hobby, which I believe shows some kind of commitment. I won’t bore readers yet again with my origin story as I’ve covered that before. To keep things short and sweet, I’ve kept writing this long because I enjoy it. Maybe in a different life, I would have liked to have made it my career.

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Welcome to Blaugust 2023

Blaugust Festival of Blogging is finally here. A month long celebration of blogging and bloggers that is open to all. The idea is to encourage those who are just starting out with writing online or those who are returning to the scene after a break. It is also about those who already write online content and who might be feeling a little burned out, renewing their enthusiasm. Blaugust is a community driven event that encourages people to express themselves in the way that is best for them. It doesn’t advocate a “one size fits all” approach and is very much about horses for courses. There is advice, support and activities available and participants are at liberty to do as much or as little as they wish. Blaugust has been running for a decade now and I’ve participated in all previous events as I find it an invaluable experience, each time.

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Blaugust 2023

It is a fact of life, like death and taxes, that our passion for our hobbies will wax and wane overtime. All too often, the realities of daily life just get in the way. The enthusiasm you have in the morning for a great idea, may vanish by the evening when we finally have time to do it. Furthermore, if you do something often enough, sooner or later you’ll either want to (or need to) take a break. Regardless of how much you may love that particular pastime. Hobbies take time, energy and discipline. Sadly, not only can these factors take a toll upon your ongoing participation but they can also potentially stop you from even starting. I suspect that I am preaching to the proverbial choir and that many of those reading this will have experienced both scenarios. You’ve either struggled to sustain a “passion project” and have burned out, or you’ve fallen at the very first hurdle and not progressed beyond your initial excitement to try something new. 

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