View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Retrospective

Every once in a while, I do a retrospective on this blog, and today you're going to get one from me again.

I started blogging in October 2004, as a way of keeping a travel diary. At the time, I was flitting back and forth across the north and west of Scotland, until I settled down in Stornoway. I became aware of a community of journalers on AOL, and was propelled into that when I learned that one of their number, Pamela Hilger (his1desire) had died after a lengthy struggle against breast cancer.

In the two years following that Easter Sunday in 2006, I came quite actively involved in J-land - until AOL decided to commit corporate suicide and pull the plug on various services, including its journals. Since then, most people who wanted to continue blogging went to Blogger, but quite a few have given up. Or moved to Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or other social networking sites.

I was very pleased to note the response to an appeal on Call for Support and Facebook for one of the former bloggers, Joyce, who lost her daughter last week. It only goes to show that the community spirit is still alive, although the blogging and commenting has fallen off.

6 comments:

  1. I hadn't realized you've been blogging for so many years. You are quite a seasoned pro! I enjoyed reading this entry and how you became such an important part of our blogging community. I think the blogging spirit is alive but it's sad to think how it used to be when we were on AOL compared to now. Oh well, time marches on.
    Lisa

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  2. Thankfully, yes, the community of bloggers is alive and well. Many have left but still keep in touch. Hopefully they'll return someday..

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  3. And I have been here since 2005 ,and enjoyed the chat room you set up Guido ,..love Jan xx

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  4. I have always thought that we who began blogging on AOL were part of something magical, that I've never quite seen with any other blogging community.....thanks for reminding us of that time!!

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  5. I too miss the ethos that we all had when we were on AOL journals. It was 'Home' to all of us and so devastating to be shoved off without thought or care.
    If I could find another provider who has the same download speed then I would leave them altogether.
    That is all that is stopping me.
    I wouldn't like to wait for ages to download someone's journal entry if it is heavy with graphics.
    I think I began to enter my journal around May 2003 but I could be wrong as 2005 rings a bell too. Oh well! Old age and all that! lol

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  6. Yes, I think the community we built up at AOL Journals is still around. We're just like distant cousins who don't see one another as often anymore.

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