NENO'S AWARD

Well I never!

Thank you so much, When I am Rich, I feel honoured and humbled.

Okay, honoured, but maybe not humbled. Can't really see what makes me a worthy recipient, after all, I only write what comes into my head, when it comes into my head.

All the same, it's great to be accepted amongst the blogerati; it makes blogging even more worthwhile.

Why do I love blogging? Why have I become a blograt?

Funnily enough, I was actually thinking this morning, how quickly I have become addicted to blogging and why that should be so. I only started to write proper posts in January.

I started off rather hesitantly, not really knowing what blogging means (actually, I still don't);

would I stick to it? would I have anything at all to say which would interest anybody at all?

what if nobody ever found my blog? would that matter to me?

And then, what sort of people would I find in blogland? would I want to be one of them? could I be myself, rave and rant, complain, write about painful subjects, silly subjects, serious subjects without laying myself open to ridicule? (always a consideration for me)

So, what decided me?

The desire to get back to writing, in a non-committal way, finding out if I still have the knack after years of writing nothing but letters, a journal, travelogues, came first.

I have always been sad that nobody in my family ever seriously got down to putting family history in writing; Words were used as weapons, to educate, to fight, words were not for writing down. My grandfather, the one I take after, was the most loquacious man amongst them, a real tub-thumping orator, a rabble rousing trade unionist - a very dangerous thing to be at the time in Germany - so when one of my brood expressed an interest, I thought, now's the time. Courage, my girl!

Lastly, living deep in the countryside is lovely in many ways; however, the countryside is not the most stimulating place. A lot of my life happens inside my head, so putting it on paper, i.e. a screen, was the next logical step. Blogland is the place to meet people who might or might not be interesting. no commitment necessary, but satisfying communication possible. The safe place to be from which to venture forth to test the waters.

A bit mixed, metaphorically, but then this is only a blog and blogs don't matter, do they? Or do they?

One more thing: since I started this blog, I have changed the way I look at things, literally - through my camera - and in my mind's eye. I look at people and actions and events like a writer does: in a "could-I-make-something-out-of-this" way. It probably will not lead to serious writing, except for pleasure, but it is helping me to become more observant again, to experience things more deeply, to enjoy them more.

Not bad going for the humble blog, eh?

So, here I am, still a little hesitant, but determined to carry on. With or without readers.

Because, quite simply, BLOGGING IS FUN.

SORRY, When I Am Rich, if you got more than you asked for, but I did start out saying, that I had been thinking about this.

I love your reasons and would certainly agree with all of them. But I couldn't just repeat them, could I?