Can you believe it? My two year Blogoversary.

It has just occurred me that today is my two-year blogoversary.

I know, I know. To think that I almost let it pass by unnoticed.

And yes, I hardly write these days and I'm a crap blogger friend, so what's there to celebrate you may ask?

Well, any excuse for a glass of champagne...


And simply because I love to trade off my former glories (have you see my 'new' Facebook phot0?), I am going to celebrate by leaving you with my top ten favourite posts. I was going to make it five, but I just had a quick scroll back through the archives and they're just too good, I tell you.

And it's my blog so I can say that.

Go on, have a read. I used to be funny once...

The one where my child got a baked bean stuck up her nose.
The one where I said 'congratulations' to a woman who wasn't pregnant.
The one where I farted during a massage (sorry I mean the one where a 'friend' farted).
The one where I ate some poo.
The one where my friends named their child Helga. Except they didn't.
The one where my child learnt about the cruelty of death whilst watching the Grand National.
The one where we dropped poo in the car.
The one where I realised sheep have it much easier than us during childbirth.
The one where I found a grey pubic hair.
The one where I stepped on dog poo. Only I thought it was dog poo.

Now where did I leave that bottle of champagne?

Laughing out loud - it's good for you

This morning I laughed out loud.

In a coffee shop.

People may even have turned to look.

Part of me wanted to share with them exactly what had made me laugh so loudly, because, d'you know what? It was such a wonderful feeling. Laughing out loud. That sudden, taken by surprise exhalation. No wonder there's such a thing as laughter therapy. The amount of endorphins I must have released would be enough to keep the whole of Brighton happy for a year.

I wanted to stand up and read the article to all those who would listen*. I wanted them to laugh as well. I wanted us all to laugh together. But I didn't think that the middle-aged lady sipping her Chai Tea Latté (I'd been in the queue behind her when she'd ordered) would appreciate Frank Skinner's take on Wayne Rooney's dalliance with a prostitute. But then again, I may have been wrong. It was extremely funny.

So instead I re-read the article, needing to replicate that feeling. The laugh out loud didn't come, obviously, seeing as I had completely taken away any element of surprise, but I smiled nonetheless, happy with the knowledge that I had, albeit for a milisecond, felt on top of the world.

And it got me thinking about what I've been missing this past year because you may or may not have noticed that I have been the world's worst blogger. Not only has my output been shameful, but I've also read a whole lot less than I used to. And I miss it. I miss the poignant posts, the heartfelt ones, the beautifully written ones and the engaging ones, but most of all I miss the funny ones. I miss the ones that make me laugh out loud and spit my PG Tips or my Sauvignon Blanc, depending on the time of the day, all over my keyboard.

However, and this post does have a point...somewhere, I aim to change all that. I aim to laugh every day and if that means blogging more and reading more, then so be it. And by way of celebration, I will be attending the MADs on Monday. And, get this, I will also be presenting an award. Guess what for? The funniest blog. I do so love it when a post comes together.

If you're also going to the MADs, do please come and say hello. I look forward to laughing out loud with you.



*And in fact I wanted to share the article with you too, but The Times wanted to charge me £1 a month to subscribe and I just couldn't do it. So you'll just have to take my word for it. Or go out and buy The Times.

A comment without a reply is like a blog post without a comment...

Can I just scream?

Aaaarghhhhhhhhhhh.

Thank you.

Damn blogger, damn the Thai Internet connection and damn this friggin' concrete bench that I have been sitting on for the past two hours. My bottom now has no feeling in it, whatsoever, and in fact, it probably never will have, ever again.

I wanted to write a post about comments and about how important they are to a blog and about how, since I've had my little blogging break, I have totally neglected replying to anyone's wonderful comments and about the constant daily guilt I have felt as a result.

I wanted to say, well the guilt has been lifted.

I am now totally guilt free.

Because as of now, I have replied to every last comment I have received since I stopped replying to comments which just so happens to be four months, 11 posts and 318 comments ago.

That's what I wanted to say.

That's what I was planning on saying.

But I'm just going to stop and re-group instead. Take a breath. Because I have typed and re-typed the same long reply eight times (yes EIGHT) and each time I have lost the connection, and thus the comment too. And it is driving me crazy. And my bottom is numb.

And I need a drink.

And I can't keep typing it again because I may just go insane.

So please, bear with me.

While I go back and attempt to reply to every last comment that has been un-answered (and I promise, on pain of death, I will do), tell me something.

Tell me about comments.

Do you reply to every single comment you receive? Do you feel guilty if you don't? Do you go back and check if someone has replied to your comment?

In the past, I have always replied - I like to - I like to feel that people feel heard and listened to. And I'm sorry if I haven't made you feel like that recently. I have been reading them. I just haven't had the energy to reply. But I do now. I just don't have the frigging technology.

Typical!

And if you have commented on my previous posts and haven't yet had a reply, then please do go back and check...I need it to have been worthwhile!

Thank you.

Is blogging bad for your relationship?

Well is it?

I need to know what you think.

I need to know that I'm not the only one out there who, and I quote a very famous blogger here, is prone to say,

"Not tonight darling, I'm just in the middle of tweaking my avatar".

I read a very funny article recently on Fuel My Blog which stated that the number of blogging-related problems has risen by more than 3000% over the last three years.

But aside from mental health problems brought on by paying attention to visitor counters or hurty fingers for people who can't touch type (both of which were quoted as symptoms), the real problems that I'm talking about are those which concern relationships, specifically marital ones.

Now it's no secret that I've been a bit down in the dumps recently (don't panic - I won't bore you with all that again), besides my husband would never forgive me if I told the world that we've been having marital problems.  But, you know what, we have.

So there.  I said it.

But what I want to know, is if it has anything to do with blogging.

As the Fuel My Blog article recommends,

"Involve your partner with the process.  For instance, get them to make you a cup of tea while you're blogging and say 'thank you' nicely."

Now, all jokes aside, how many of us have spent an entire evening (or erm, evenings) in front of the computer reading about other peoples' lives while ignoring that very person who we've chosen to spend our own lives with?  And how many times have we preferred to stay in and blog rather than go out and, erm not blog?

Are our other halves happy that we've found something to keep us occupied and supportive in our writing, or are they hurt and upset that they don't have quality time with us anymore and exasperated that we prefer our virtual friends to our real ones? 

I'm not saying that blogging is solely responsible for the friction within my marriage.  I mean the fact that we've seen each other for ten days out of the past 64 could have something to do with it. But seriously, as much as I love blogging and all the things that it's brought me, wasn't life just a little bit simpler before I discovered it?

I'm not sure. I'm still thinking about it.

Can we make a difference?

There are various reasons why people blog. Some say it's a way of honing their writing skills, while others find it a place to let off steam in an anonymous environment. Most bloggers love the community feel of the blogosphere and have made genuine friendships across cyberspace. But perhaps the most important aspect of blogging is the feeling that you can actually make a difference, whether it be empathising with someone experiencing the same difficulties as you, or in this case, on a much wider scale.

No one will ever be able to forget Madeleine McCann, least of all her parents. It's now been two-and-a-half years since the almost 4 year old disappeared from her appartment bedroom in Portugal. And no one is any nearer to discovering what actually happened to the little girl.

I watched this video and I cried. There's nothing new in it. I've seen all the footage before, but nonetheless I still cried. As a mother of two little girls, I can't possibly even imagine the devastation that Maddie's disappearance has caused to her family.

My heart truly breaks for the McCann family. Please, somebody, somewhere, help find her.

A Few Thankyous

Ok, so I've been saving some of these up a while, but it's getting silly now and I'm just going to post them before, well before I decide to go to bed...because that's the only other option I have tonight and it's looking very tempting.

Thank you to the amazingly wonderful and talented David McMahon who writes Authorblog. If you haven't ever visited him then do pop over because his blog is enthralling and to use to the words of Rebel Mother, he's also really rather dishy. Anyway, back in May I was a nominee for 'Post of the Day' - for Responsibilities and Head Wounds. I may not have won, but just a nomination is cause for celebration in my eyes (have you seen how many followers he has?). So thankyou David....it's an honour.

Way back in June Pippa at A Mother's Ramblings gave me this award, which although I already have, doesn't stop me from passing it on to five other 'Lovely Blogs'. Now this award has been around for a while and I think most of you have it already so I'm going to choose five blogs which are fairly new to me, and thus possibly don't have it? Forgive me if that's not the case.



Chic Mama
Lost in Translation
2 Brits, 2 Yanks and a Dog
Hot Cross Mum
The Life of the 20-Something Mum


Next up, this award was given to me by Josie at Sleep is For the Weak. So I'm passing it on to five other blogs that I deem to be a great read. If you haven't read them yet, then what are you waiting for?

Flower Fairies and Fairy Cakes
40 Not Out
Single Parent Dad
NixdMinx
Baby Baby



Almost finally, this award is my favourite of the day. Given to me by Kathryn at Life in Italy it is explained as follows...

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all."


So here are my five worthy recipients...

Sleep is for the Weak
Notes From Inside my Head
Home Mum of 2
WAHM-BAM
Who's The Mummy



And finally, Joanne Mallon at Parentdish has awarded me something special (Best Blog Pic of a Ginormous Poo). There's no award picture as such, but if you missed the original post which inspired the award then click here. You won't be disappointed.

A huge, huge Thank You to everyone for the awards.

Now I really am off to bed.