Pass The Envelope
There are many things I wanted to write about before the year ended. As usual, time gets the best of me and I won’t be able to. I’m taking this opportunity to update this post, which was basically my way to say thanks to all of you who also blog and read this blog. You are an inspiration and a guiding light.
I know there’s some of you who read this blog but don’t blog yourselves. Fair enough, as they say over here. Still, I’ve always thought that unless you are one of those “professional” bloggers who get paid to blog, the kind of blogging that I practice requires some very basic form of reciprocity. Which means that I like being read by those who also blog themselves. In other words, this also means I really enjoy reading those who read me. Otherwise it feels like I am showing you mine, and you are not showing me yours.
A lot of people say “blogging is not for me”, but there are so many ways in which you can blog, and so many degrees of involvement to it that I think that there’s a form of blogging to be enjoyed by almost everyone. If you can read this it means you can also blog, so, why not give it a try? Of course that if you don’t really feel like blogging you are still absolutely welcome to read this blog, there’s not much I can do about it, really. But just be aware that then you are sort of peeping through an indiscreet window, and that you are missing a lot of the action.
It’s been a difficult year for me. It’s also been a very interesting one. I’ve enjoyed London very much; it’s certainly a place that I totally love and feel pretty much at home in. It’s been a dream come true. But at times, I cannot deny it, I despaired: my friends, geographically distant or close, were there for me, and they saved me from the abyss. You know who you are, I hope, and I thank you wholeheartedly for it.
I am optimistic about the future. As usual, I’m haunted by the ghost of uncertainty, but I hope there will be ways of turning that into an exciting and challenging journey. There will be a lot of blogging, and hopefully a lot of writing as well.
No man is an island. Happy New Year 2008 and thank you, dear friends, wherever you may be.
And now, ladies and gentlemen… it’s time for The Always Humble Never Neutral 2007 Blogging Awards!
The Divine Intervention Award
The Blind Chatelaine’s Poker Poetics
The I Wish She Posted More Often Award
Twofold
The Thy Name Is Beauty Award
Pocket Magnet
The Poet Turned Photographer Award
workhastobedone
The This Is What I Mean By Poetry Blogging Award
barbara jane reyes wants to believe
The Rising Star Award
Calle Alta 25
The Absolute Blogging Experience Award
The Cassandra Pages
The Life is Multimedia Life-Achievement Award
Blaugustine
The I Think You Are Cool Award
Shubidubi
The Uncanny Döppelganger Award
Oh, Mama, Can This Really Be The End?
The Música, Futbol, Poesía y Locura Award
Long-Forgotten, Well-Remembered Road
The I Wish He Doesn’t Stop Blogging Because He Is Always So Busy Award
Blindheit
The Life’s a Blog Award
Green Tea Ginger
The I Wish I Had Seen It First Award
Tasting Rhubarb
The How Do You Do It Award
Zeitgeist Spam
The I’m Glad You Got That Cool Job But I’m Sorry You Don’t Post That Often Anymore Because I Love Your Writing Award
Si alguien corta tu oreja, pon la otra
The Source of Poetic Inspiration and Encouragement Award
Ivy is here
The Always-Enigmatic and Endlessly Amusing and Very Moving Award
chi POM Pom pom
The Coolest Blogging Dad Award
Diario de un blogger intermitente
The O Brother Where Were You Award
Lorcaloca
The This Is a Wicked Idea Award
Comics: imagen & idea
The Hey Mr. Postman Unmissable Award
Gamma Ways
The O La La I’m Glad You Like Blogging Award
Escrituraleatoria
And, of course, The Thank You For Making My Life Better This 2007 Award goes to each and every one of the blogs listed on my sidebar…!
Thank you for my award, Ernesto. You are, of course, astounding in your own right. I’m happy to talk poetry and break bread with you at any restaurant in London. :)
Thank you for my award. Merci beaucoup.
Yo evoqué para este fin de año, a la famosa postal.
http://escrituraleatoria.blogspot.com/2007/12/live-mad_31.html
And I´ll be glad to descover the other blogs.
Feliz año
Thanks, E. But one problem w/this list: No award for Never Neutral? Too much modesty, bro.As Duncan said of Olson years and years ago, you are a Big Fire Source.
woowoo! thanks
happy new year, since it’s not morning where you are and the flip must be starting to weigh on you ;)
I am still pleasantly taking photos out my window like it’s just any other day
I’m honored, my friend! Happy New Year!
well, i have to say thank you very much for my award. im honoured. it´s been a pleasure to get older with you. do you remember those days at the uni when all of us used to sit on the cafeteria watching the girls passing by? well, well, well. thank you again for my award and happy new year!!!
No prob, Argel, actually I haven’t changed much since then… I think…
and also the non-blogging peepers are necessity. as are the blogging but non-commenting ones and the ones who steal your ideas and photos and the ones who think nasty things but don’t post them, and the ones who think them and do. peeping is as fun as commenting. reciprocity has so many forms. participation is hard to define.
are you sure you don’t love it all? I certainly do.
it’s the end of the year and I love everything! (also everything makes me cry)
thanks a lot for the award!!!
I can not believe it!!!
it´s been an extrange year of loving and detachment, thanks also for beeing there. You deserve a lot, but just for naming something: The Always Shining Bright in the Forest of the Night Award fancy for u??
you´re the apple of the tree, jajajaja…
best wishes to u and to this great, great work in never neutral!!
I am certain about the 2008, it will be a lot better!
Happy new year to you, dear Ernesto!
Big kiss and best wishes to you.
You are right, Lolabola. Im like you. I love everyone and everything makes me cry ;)
Thank you very much, Ernesto! Yes, you definitely also need some sort of award! Wishing you much love, health, happiness and poetry for 2008! Kiss, hug & kiss. Mua!
{Aw, Lolabola!}
comenzaba a pensar que era una mala idea. En mi tesis de licenciatura los agradecimientos solamente fueron: “ustedes saben quienes son” y lo considero una forma de pensamiento en la vena de: “some music was made to stay underground”.
En verdad deseo que estes bien (and chuky…of course).
Feliz Año, Ernesto y sinceramente los mejores deseos para este 2008.
Para mi también fue un año muy difícil aunque mi blog de la vida es color de rosa no lo refleje. Larga historia que ya le escribí por email al Argel pero creo que lo asusté.
En fin, esperemos que este sea un mejor año para todos y el fantasma del futuro incierto nos deje en paz.
I am very touched:) Thank you. I fear my life and my blog too often blend together. I can see why people don’t blog. It’s a rather dangerous hobby. But that said, I found a lovely community this summer.
My friend sent me this link: http://www.storypeople.com/storypeople/WebStory.do?storyID=1554. In honor of this: Wishing you all a Happy, intense, life learning New Year!
Thank you! But of course YOU are the Divine One!
love,
Eileen
muchas thanks por el award!!
i feel honored… and i’ll keep reading as long as you keep writing, and viceversa and the same is true for all the other bloggers here and elsewhere,
Happy new year y feliz año nuevo!
What a great list and tribute. Wishing you love and light (the days are getting longer, the days are getting longer!) in the New Year.
Hi Ernesto, I’m glad to hear you got through the year with a little help from your friends. I had a not too good year as well and my blogging was intermittent, also partly to do with travel (and no candidate for any award), but always enjoy visiting yours. Onward into 2008. Best wishes, Jill
Ernesto! What an honour! Especially as it comes from you, he who is the most deserving of honours.Thank you so much, wow, I get a *life-achievement* award! How can I ever live up to that?
Oh, Ernesto, that is so unexpected and so kind, and what great company to be in! I send you humble thanks from another of your cities, where snow is falling steadily and silently to usher in what I hope will be a calmer year. Much love!
just arriving from my girl’s place, and i’m reading this. i had a good laugh when i read my award. thank you so much, my dearest tocayo!!!
un abrazote, and you’ll see how this new year will turn to be great great great.
Wow! Me gusta el premio que me toco! Gracias, hartas. I am honored! Te mando muchos besotes y abrazotes. Felicidades y prometo ser una mejor bloggera este agno. Amor y paz!