I started my blog in 2009, which may feel like a million years ago except it’s only four. I had really good intentions when it began and I was so stoked to have a little place on the internet to call my own, to write about what I wanted, when I wanted. But then I kind of got side tracked by work for about three and a half of those years.
At the beginning it was cool, I was reading blogs almost every day – how awesome is it that it was part of my job? I read blogs and I followed bloggers on Twitter and Facebook and I read and requested many brilliant blogs for republication on Mamamia. But then the job literally swept me off my feet and all of a sudden I wasn’t able to read as much as I did before. As for getting involved and commenting – well that was just a distant, albeit very fond, memory
And while I tried desperately to hold on in the one hour a day I wasn’t working, I wasn’t able to keep up. The whole blogging scene was changing before me. It’s a funny thing how you notice things from the outside in when you aren’t on the inside. And it’s funnier still when you go back inside and look at it again from a different perspective.
Some bloggers monetised their blogs (which I think is fabulous and clever and good on them). Some bloggers became very serious about the art of blogging and decided that there was only one way to do it. Some bloggers formed alliances and created very cool collaborative websites of their own and some bloggers tried to distance themselves from others. Hundreds of blogging competitions popped up and people began attending blogging conferences/workshops and seminars. It makes me feel 107 to say “they weren’t doing that in my day”.
In essence I guess blogging grew up a bit while I was furiously paddling alongside it. Just not in it.
So where does this leave someone who was paddling during the change period?
I’m still blogging much like I was doing in 2009 but hoping to do that with a little more frequency now that it is one of my primary tasks. And I am thrilled about that decision.
They perform viagra prescription australia features at Manatee Funeral Hospital based in the area. Ed viagra lowest price frankkrauseautomotive.com degree is its providing job prospects in government and private sectors alike, which helps students a lot. There are men who are able to beat the prevalence of Sildenafil Citrate 100mg, it vardenafil vs viagra becomes obvious for men to achieve a strong and steady emotional set up. This situation can bring strong emotional pressure on man because buy tadalafil in canada of the fact that strong erections are a type of fitness workout for the penis and of course you can get a surgery, but that’s dangerous and expensive. I know a HEAP more about social media and building communities than I knew in 2009, my writing has developed (I hope) and I think I may have even become a little more confident after stepping away from a huge website. I also have a shitload of editorial experience.
But there is so much I feel like I may have missed out on because what I don’t have is the connection with the blogging world that I used to have. And I want it back.
I don’t want to be part of a clique. I’ve hated those since about 1973 when I started school, I don’t want to be part of some inner sanctum and I don’t even want to attend the seminars and conferences (unless breakfast is included – I love breakfast).
I don’t want to ask you who your favourite blogger is because I HATE competition as much as I love breakfast. The thought of putting people in order puts me off my food, but I’d love to know if there are any blogs you recommend I follow?
Also do YOU have a blog? Give me the address so I can follow you in the most non stalkery way possible.
Hit me with it – and thank you also for sticking with me.
Hi Lana, Just wanted to mention this blog (Thoughts and Biro Sketches) http://thoughtsandbirosketches.blogspot.com.au I’ve followed this one for some time now but it always feels fresh. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Tonia
Thanks so much Tonia – added it to my bloglovin feed this minute. What a talented woman! xx
I am trying to think of someone I love that you might not already follow … But I am so ‘mainstream’ when it comes to blogs I read, especially as I have so little time to find new blogging gems these days!
But an age old favourite of mine (that I suspect you know about already) is maxabellaloves.blogspot.com 🙂
Thanks Kell – even happy with mainstream suggestions, I am that much out of the loop! xx
I find it hard to find the time to read and comment. There’s so many amazing blogs out there and simply not enough time. I’d love to suggest new ones for you, but I’m stuck in a bit of crazy busy rut. Please let me know if you find any good ones x
You will emerge from this crazy busy rut! Hold tight xxxx
Read me! I’ve been going a couple of years and find blogging such a delight compared to the other media I have worked in.
Love it! So much to read and so useful as well! Liked you on Facebook as well.
Thank you!
RUBBISH. You and I are TOTALLY a clique.
Okay…. so there may only be two of us in it…. which possibly doesn’t qualify us to be a real life proper technical clique…. in fact it’s kind of sad, really….. I think I’ll shut up now.
We are NOT a clique.
We’re a gang!
Can I join the gang? You’re the only blog I follow – who’s got the time?
Flattered xxxxx You are already part of the gang
I love the world of blogging and I’m definitely a ‘stalker’/ appreciator of your posts. I spotted this update in your Twitter feed and it was the one link I clicked on this morning – kudos to you in this world of clutter. I blog at http://www.bubsweatandtears.com I hate the C word as well but I do need to recommend to you the inspiring Naomi from http://naomibulger.com/ – her posts always entertain, open me up to new things and a new way of looking at the world. I will read your comments field with interest. Cheers, Pip
Thanks Pip. Just logged on to your very gorgeous blog! Looking forward to being a regular there.
I know the beautiful Naomi from my time at iVillage where Naomi wrote for us – and I agree with you – she’s gorgeous and inspiring xxx
Lana, I love your blog.
And as a relatively new blogger myself, I reckon you would have known more in 2009 than I do today!
Seminars? Workshops? Gosh I only just worked out how to put Feedburner on my blog!
Feel free to stop by my place at http://www.mammasvida.com.au 🙂
Good thing you put that Feedburner in because I just signed up – now I never have to miss a thing xxx
Oh Lana dear Lana, how much I love reading what you write. YOUR blog got me going on becoming a blogger…as did commenting (with such great people, back then) on MM.
You know what I love(d) about the blog of yours… the PENCILS! Such a school teacher thing of mine. I even took the pencil idea with me for one of my logos. See? Inspired me you did. You are a blogger with an open heart and a beautiful mind.
I have continued various types of blogging and with much advice and confirmation I am going in the right direction..here it is: http://readysetschool.com.au which is a professional info site with warmth (I hope!) for parents to read about kids & schooling, teachers about being a teacher as readysetteach.and tah dah…the latest news, my much loved hub is back tutoring kids who have learning needs in Maths at readysetlearn. Love your work! Denyse xxx
Loved your comment and almost teared up (okay not almost) when you said that your husband is back tutoring kids. That’s just the best thing I have heard all day xxxxx
Gosh – I am a very spasmodic reader as I get too busy and then my inbox gets overwhelmed and I have to do a huge delete fest and I sweep out everything, but the days in between when I have a quiet moment these are some of my favs, other than you of course! (and I apologise to the ones I’ve forgotten):
http://thedesignfiles.net/
http://www.tinyandlittle.com/
http://notanotherslipperydip.wordpress.com/
http://lemonrhodes.blogspot.com.au/
http://simpledailypleasures.com/
http://fatmumslim.com.au/
Excellent – thanks so much Kate!
lol – I think I’ve been through a very similar journey…
I used to have a blog that nobody read…
Then I had some blogs posted on a major website that you may know something about 😉
Then I started a community blog with my friend T ( kikiandtea.com – everyone should read this site – and even though I’ve moved on, I still think it’s one of the best sites out there!)
Then I got disillusioned… I too hated the cliqueness of the Australian blogging community – plus I got bored with traditional blogging – one of the things I did during my time with KiKi & Tea was try and explore new styles of blogging, some of them successful, some of them not – but at least I tried.
Eventually I realised I wasn’t happy “running” a community blog site, so I dropped out and went back to blogging on my blog that nobody reads: http://johnanthonyjames.com/
I’ve continued my experimentation though – I’ve started to describe myself as a subversive blogger, because I continue to play with the genre and try new things… having my own blog given me a lot of freedom to do that.
And, now I’m trying to reconnect as well – I’ve started to read blogs again, and I’m participating more in the comments of the blogs I read (something that I was always good at – I’m probably a better commenter than blogger actually) – Blog comments are where the real community exists in blogging – that’s where you make connections with people.
So Lana, I’m enjoying your blog again – and I hope to see you over on mine too! Especially in the comments. 🙂 xx
I am all confused JJ.
I love reading about the monkey and the cat but there is no place for me to comment. And if I did I would just smile sagely and contentedly because that’s how I feel after one of those “stories”.
BUT I commented on a blog of yours the other day – about Mamamia! How did I manage that if there was no where for me to comment. My brain hurts because I am sure there was comments on that post and now there are none
If you’re on the main page, just click on the “Comments” link at the bottom of the post… or you can go to the post itself: http://johnanthonyjames.com/post/54585989566/monkey-boy-goes-all-caveman
It’s a Tumblr blog, so has some quirks… but it’s free, so I don’t feel compelled to monetize my site (something I never want to do…)
🙂
Oh – and I lost all my Disqus comments when I upgraded my Tumblr Theme – I have no idea why/how that happened – I can still see them in my Disqus dashboard, but they have vanished from the site 🙁
Hi Lana,
I’ve been reading your blog pretty much all those years and did miss your voice when you weren’t here as much. Your words on your son have always resonated with me in particular, though my boys are younger than yours.
I have to say that even though I’ve kept my toe dipped in the water so to speak I completely understand what you write about not knowing the “cool” things to read/do. A lot of my must read blogs are already mentioned by some wonderful women above but I would also recommend Naomi: http://www.undertheyardarm.com/ and also Megan: http://writingloud.blogspot.com.au – Kate mentioned a few I love too.
I blog intermittently at http://www.wouldntitbeloverly.com
x
Naomi and Megan of course! You see they were 2 of the people I originally followed and now I am going back to them. And following you too now of course.
Thank you for your kind words xxx
Well, I feel a bit old, too. I often think of the time when I ‘met’ you and Kerri and Mia as being the ‘glory days’…the very large handful of bloggers that I interacted with on a regular basis really did feel like a circle of friends. Nowadays, many of those bloggers are the ‘stars’ of the scene today and are doing amazing things.
What that time taught me is the importance of community and connection, and it’s something that I hold central in what I’m trying to do in my own little Canberra blogging world…not only with HerCanberra readers, but with it’s writers. We have a closed Facebook group where we talk, and throw ideas around, and enjoy the conversation – it’s that collection of a few dozen women that most reminds me of ‘the old days’, where we used to look out for the names we’d got to know through the comments, and keep tabs on their lives.
I do miss those days…xx
“its” writers, dammit!
I miss those days too! But you, Miss Bugmum, are doing it right! HerCanberra is an amazing site and you have done incredible things while staying true to your community xxxxx
xxxxxxxx
My reading time is precious like most of us, so my reading list is careful and select. I do love the gentleness of my lovely friend Sarah’s blog at http://www.thatspacebetween.com and I hope you have time to have a quick look at mine at http://www.givingbackgirl.blogspot.com. I think the secret is you need to know what you’re looking for – whether it be how to organise your shelves, or if you feel like a chuckle, or you want to read nice words put together in nice sentences – there’s something for everyone, we just need to find it. Happy exploring!
I love your lovely friend Sarah – know her beautiful writing from Mamamia and iVillage (and am stalking her on Instagram through Europe) 🙂 But why did I not know about your BEAUTIFUL blog before? Expect to see me there more often
Ah thank you Lana *blush*, I’m the world worst self promoter ever, but the lovely little group of peeps that read my blog are very loyal and very dear to me. Thanks for being one of them now.
Hi Lana, I’ve just come across your blog and am enjoying it immensely. It was interesting reading this post, because it gave me some background on blogging before I started. So I must have come in right when everyone was ‘monetising’, and there were definitely very established groups who’d discovered each other in the few years prior. I don’t want to recommend any one blog because I love so many and I don’t want to leave any out, but I will say that I have a guest post on my site today (I guess mine is kind of a community blog) from Louisa Simmonds from My Midlife Mayhem, and I think she’s hilarious. It’s also nice to read blogs from other over-40s 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Love the idea of a site for parents of teenagers! Well done you! You can expect to see me there more often ! xx
Now going to check out My Midlife Mayhem
I’d love that 🙂
Oh My God – of course I know Louisa I laugh at every single one of her Twitter updates! Duh! – thank you for pointing her blog out to me again – I think I remember it from my Mamamia days xxxx
Thanks for this post, Lana! I have sooo much reading of blogs ahead of me…very soon I’m going through all the comments and following the links on this post. I started blogging a few months ago, posted 2 blogs but am utterly hopeless at it. Actually I am fairly inept at all things technological but have a dogged and cheerful disposition so will keep plodding inanely along, dabbling in/on Twitter and blogging, connecting with nice, random strangers, expanding my horizons 🙂 I do enjoy reading your blog and a few others (comments too), but am open to reading and following more…
Thanks Lee-Anne – loving connecting with you on Twitter and in comments where you don’t come across technologically inept at all … xxx
I love your blog and I love many more. Like you, I don’t always get to read them as much as I would like. Every now and then, when I have time, I sporadically read and comment as much as I can. Sometimes I have trouble commenting on blogs with disquis, which frustrates me, because I want the writers to know I’ve read and appreciated their words. I think you are already familiar with the blogs I love, and if I suggest any I will leave someone out and feel terrible. A few of them have already commented here! I’ll be interested in who you discover though.
Thanks for your kind words Bronnie – I have that problem with commenting on some blogs as well! And there are also the times where I just loved reading but I have nothing to add to the conversation – unsure if I should just comment and say “loved this” or move on. I think you’re right though because the writer probably wants to know how much I loved reading their words x
Can’t believe no-one’s mentioned Edenland yet. Amazingly beautiful, sparse prose.
She is one of the people I have been reading since the old days. Still reading her now
There are so many blogs I love but I have fallen away from reading and commenting, so thanks for this post and for asking for links, I am going to go and check all these lovely blogs out. I always try to visit http://maxabellaloves.blogspot.com.au and I love visiting Kymmie at http://www.kympiez.blogspot.com.au/. There are so many great blogs out there. I blog, too, at http://beckyandjames.com though I am a bit all over the place! I look forward to reading more of your writing!
Wow Becky Just got lost in your beautiful blog. Lost in a really good way in your amazing photographs and stories. Signed myself up!
I positively love the idea of Wordless Wednesdays as well.
In a blatant attempt at “look at me” self-promotion I blog at http://shambolicliving.com Over there I still have an old-fashioned blog roll with some of my favourite blogs on it.
Love an old fashioned blog roll – heading over there now xxx (and of course to your blog which I know from iVillage 😉 )
My OH and I blog, but only when we’re on holidays …. which is fairly often, I guess. At the moment we’re doing a road trip around Scandinavia, then hopping on the Trans-Siberian Railway and flying home from Seoul. We’re currently in wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen:
http://www.gregspurgin.com/tents-trains-and-tales/
Last year we walked the Camino Portugues from Lisbon to Santiago
http://www.gregspurgin.com/walking-the-camino-in-portugal/
In 2011 we did a road trip across the US and back
http://www.gregspurgin.com/usa-road-trip/
And in 2010 we walked the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port
http://www.gregspurgin.com/walking-the-camino-de-santiago/
Wow! What amazing experiences – looking forward to reading!
What is ‘blogs’?
You know of the interwebz ? xxx
I have a blog! 🙂 and it was chosen as one of the “7 Great Singapore Expat Blogs of 2013”.
It’s sparodic and eclectic and is really for my own enjoyment but it’s a great way to find new expat friends (as the old expat friends keep leaving!). X
It may be sporadic and eclectic but I love it. Following it now!
Hi Lana, I discovered your blog through Facebook. You came up in the “pages you might like” bit and for once it was right! I’ve been blogging just over 6 months at http://www.theviblog.wordpress.com and it has been without doubt one of the biggest, steepest learning curves I’ve ever encountered. Luckily that was exactly what I was looking for – a bit like you really!
I don’t have a “niche” (*cue gasps of horror* ), I don’t have a regular posting schedule and sometimes I use the “F” word. I also create my own image to go with many of my posts. I’d probably post more often if I didn’t because they take ages to do, but they make me happy so I keep doing them.
Anyway enough self indulgent ramble about me. Here are some truly fabulous blogs that I love…
For Laughs – http://www.mum-abulous.com, http://www.slapdashmama.blogspot.com
For Thinks – http://www.memoirsofthemind.com, http://www.somedaywewillsleep.com
For Food & Life – http://www.keepingupwiththeholsbys.com, http://www.cookerandalooker.com
For Mental Health – http://www.musingsofthemisguided.com, http://www.babblingbandit.me
For a Male Perspective – http://www.daddownunder.com, http://www.theilliterateinfant.wordpress.com,
Happy reading 🙂
Absolutely loving your blog after you tweeted me last night! Signed up and checking out the rest today
THANK YOU
I love your interpretation of the changes in blog land and nodded along with you until ‘some bloggers tried to distance themselves from others’. Damn! I thought, no idea! But so intrigued!
Lovely to hear you are not into cliques and hate competition, that you are so approachable! I usually keep to myself (like I did in the school yard!) but as you are reaching out and connecting, here I am…
http://to-my-dear-angel.blogspot.com.au
Wow Kate
Thank you for sharing your blog with me. I adore the way you write. Poetic and enchanting. Also riveting. I’ll be back!
Lana, you have made me smile. I struggle to describe my writing, as I just write how I think… I love the way you describe it. Thank you!
And I actually came back to add I have thought of this post non-stop. The way you are warm and inviting, the kind comments you offer in reply… it is so refreshing, especially as a ‘nobody’, to feel welcome to join in and say ‘hey, I am not one of the cool ones, but, I am here’. Thank you.
I hate cliques too. Especially when you bear the brunt of one of them…it kind of makes blogging lose its shine.
I blog at http://www.musingsofthemisguided.com which the lovely Rachel has already mentioned.
I recommend all of the blogs Rachel mentioned as well as
http://www.oculusmundi.com/index.html
http://nessofboganville.blogspot.com.au/
Thanks Tegan – looking forward to reading xxx
Hello! It’s funny how quickly the blog world moves. I love ŷour blog, and connecting with you on twitter.
I have a few recommendations for you:
http://Www.sydneyshopgirl.com – she’s a young mum in Sydney, blogging about shopping and food and her gorgeous new baby. She’s become a good friend of mine.
Jouljet.blogspot.com – also a good friend. She’s a travel blogger.
Heidi at Apples Under My Bed is a lovely food blogger: applesundermybed.com – also a good friend
I love the friendship that you make through blogging.
My blog is carlyfindlay.blogspot.com 🙂
Glad to see you back regularly x
Thanks Carly xx
Been following your blog for ages and don’t intend to stop! Thanks for the other suggestions – going to check them out
Hi Lana, I would have commented sooner but got lost in the blog roll everyone has been adding to in your comments section. I blog at http://www.mummymanifesto.com. Most of my favourite blogs are above but by co-incidence wrote a blog post today with a few more blogs you might like to visit. Off to check out more of your blog.
Checking it out for sure – thanks so much xxx