Two Years of Shamelessness!

I was so wrapped up in my computer hassles that I forgot to mark the second anniversary of this blog. (The computer is fixed now, by the way, but I'm in Dublin at the moment and so won't have her hooked up at home until I get back next week. I'm still not sure how much data I've lost, but my fingers, toes and eyes are all crossed!)

Anyway, blogiversary! Yayyyyyyy! Yippppppeee! The anniversary is hard to pin down to an exact date because this blog got off to a "toes-in-first" start. It really took off in the first week of March, 2006, when I decided that I would invest the time and try to keep it going. If you're here reading this today, then it hasn't been a wasted effort. Like they say: without you, the reader, this blog really would be nothing. Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I've also loved reading all the other blogs I've discovered over the past two years and I look forward to a whole lot more of the same. Really, you are all wonderful sparks that fire a larger engine.

Now, why would I have a photo of a pen and writing books to accompany a post about my blog anniversary? Let me explain.

It's funny, but my blogging habits have evolved over the past two years. I started out posting daily, or at least every other day, but quickly realised I couldn't keep that up (there's this awful thing called "daily life" that gets in the way) and readers miss posts if they don't have the time to digest them. I now try to do about two posts a week related to my love of writing and reading, which seems to be just about manageable.

However, I also really want to have more time to do the creative writing that I talk so much about, some of which I feature here from time to time. I've had to really think about ways to guarantee that I have time for writing fiction and poetry in this age of distraction ... and that's where the pen and books come in. I decided to go out and buy a lovely fountain pen, so I can do a lot more writing away from the computer. I need to ensure that I'm not constantly tempted by all the amazing sites that dance and sing behind my computer screen. As well as a forest of superb blogs, there are deep valleys of unique information and entertainment.

A fountain pen? It couldn't just be any pen. I had to buy something that would be a pleasure to use, where the letters would almost appear by magic on the page, effortlessly, with strong, sure strokes. I've never been a fountain pen user, but my partner recently bought one and I was sold after a few tries. Now I have the tools, I just have to get on with it. I have to make sure that I switch off the computer and go and write in different places: lying on the couch, in cafes, in parks, places where inspiration is dripping. The new regime has begun here in Dublin!

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Speaking of writing, the latest instalment in Grace's story over at The Shameless Lions Writing Circle is up. Bonnie has done a brilliant job at preparing the stage for the final scene. The story is about to be wrapped up after an exciting, epic journey. Do go and check it out if you haven't already done so. It's amazing how something like this was possible, with so many different writers and styles blending together. I've seen these kinds of projects fall apart after just a few contributions, and I was thrilled to see this one go from strength to strength. The next project at the circle is in the pipeline.


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Someone also asked me in a mail about the Shameless Graffito series, and when the next one will go up. Wow, I'm thrilled it's eagerly awaited. There's been a slight break because of the fire inside the computer, and I'm really hoping the photos that were waiting in the wings haven't gone up in smoke. I will aim to have the next one up late next week, when I'm back from Dublin.