Happy Birthday

Some 365 odd days ago I sat down to write my first ever blog entry. It feels like a lot more. I have to admit that I only did it so a friend would stop pressuring me – It’s good to have friends who not only suggest new experiences for you but actually force you into them. I fully expected to write three or four entries, get bored and stop. That’s how things usually work with me; I have a short attention span. For years I kept diaries and journals – I still have them. In some cases I actuall made it as far as February, in others there’s a six month break before a couple more pages are added. That’s me – the king of good intentions.

But here I am after a year.

I realise that I haven’t written everyday – I know that, in some cases, I went weeks without adding anything; but I have written 174 entries, almost 64,000 words, of sometimes asinine, sometimes juvenile, sometimes irrelevant, sometimes completely misguided comment and opinion; that for me is an achievement. Consider my other current writing projects: A screenplay of which I am ridiculously proud; I completed scene 6 this week, I started it in 2003. Then there are the many lyrics I’ve written waiting for music and the music I’ve written waiting for lyrics. And there’s my novel, I just about have the title sorted. Oh, and my autobiography which I began when I was in 2S at Dalriada School (aged 12) – I have the first chapter sorted.

You get the idea.

This blog has amused me, I have enjoyed writing it – the biggest surprise to me is that there are people out there who read it. I know the vast majority of my readers stumble upon it during some random internet search (The search phrase that has brought the most visitors from google is “foot vasectomy” – there are people out there who want information about vasectomising their feet and they find my site! I can understand about all the men searching for revealing pictures of Sammy Winward and Kate Silverton – I even understand about the ones looking to join the Free Presbyterian Church, but foot vasectomies? As for the people who found me by typing it “Macosquin UDA” and “qualifications to become an astronaut” – they must have been severely disappointed. My personal favourite is whoever it was who came to this blog by asking “Where do I buy stab proof hoodies in Dublin?” if anyone sees them let them know I have a contact who’ll do them a good deal.) but I’d like to thank you all for dropping by.

This year has been an eventful one for me and the world. I’ve met a lot of awesome people, had some awful times, seen some amazing sights, given up all hope of ever owning a house, moved out of a job. One of my favourite moments of the year is actually related to this blog. It was when the Guardian quoted my comments on the death of Steve Irwin. Now I know a lot of you will be underawed by that but the idea that thousands of people could possibly have read something that I wrote - even if it was only two sentences - made me feel quite special. Will I still be writing this in a years time? I have no idea. Where will I be in a years time? Will I have the perfect job? I have no idea. All I can say is (DV) I will be talking about my 345th irrelevant post and my 128,000th asinine word.