What did blog camp ever do for me in the style of Monty Pythons Life of Brian "what did the Romans ever do for us"?

 So what did blog camp ever do for me?  Well knowing how we all love a list here goes:

• I learnt lots of blogging stuff that a newbie like me is too afraid to ask; like about sitemeter and how to cross out because I had a carefully prepared list that I went through item by item Polly remembered to ask.
• I remembered what it was like go away sans children, sans partner, sans friends; an experience I will defintely be repeating.
• I said yes to an opportunity that presented itself and my life became richer for it.
• I got to laugh till it really really hurt and then just a little bit more.
• I learnt a whole bunch of random stuff - how to sip tequila under instruction from extranjera; that I always have my mouth open in a photo; and I am rubbish at throwing sticks at other sticks or whatever that Danish game that I suck at is called.
• I got to feel like this about a whole bunch of people I had never met:

Connected

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• And not just about those I met.  There are real people behind each and every blog to paraphrase Polly.
• I started to get really excited about taking photos and now need (NEED I TELL YOU) a decent camera.
• I learnt that sometimes when you are having an amazing time the days can stretch out so that you feel as if you have been away from your real life for a gloriously long time.

So yeah, what did blog camp ever do for me I ask you?

(Clearly not how to write a short and snappy title for a post....)

A blogging journey

Sometimes its weird where life takes you. How seemingly small decisions can take you off in a completely unexpected direction.

On 21st April I started blogging. Exactly two months later I was waking up in Denmark on the final day of blog camp. The bloggers who I had met less than 48 hours before were real. Not only that but they were just like the voices I had read in their blogs; creative, talented, funny, intellecutal, interesting.... and did I mention funny?

I started to blog just for me. I didn't expect anyone to read what I had written. Even when I started to discover other blogs and found moments of perfect clarity I didn't expect julochka to first joke about blog camp and then to make it a real offer. I didn't expect that there would be room for me when I surprised myself by saying that I could go. And then I ended up in Denmark and the rest is history.

So I hear that Blog Camp 1.5 UK is in the offing.... so I will be grabbing

the camera

the converse

and the wine

and I will be turning up. I wonder what is going to happen next.....?

Things to marvel over on a Tuesday

• White horses carved into the hillside. I'd be hard pressed to draw that on a piece of paper.
• Impromptu acts of kindness. My new neighbour bringing me a bunch of sage from her garden this evening.
• The genorisity of those you have never met. Like Jules who is sending graham crackers and julochka who is putting up a host of bloggers for Blog Camp.
• A burgeoning sense of community. My street has decided to organise a street party this summer. Road closed, bunting, sausages, homemade cakes, kids activities, music - the works.
• A burgeoning sense of belonging here. In the blogging world that is. Looking forward to reading your comments and hearing what you are all doing, what you are laughing at, what games you are playing, what is making you sad or happy, what creative things you have been up to.
• Growing stuff. How something that looked so dead I was going to throw it away can now be so green and full of life.

• And how amazing the raindrops are on the leaves.

Introspection

I've been thinking about blogging a lot and about why I enjoy it so much. One of the reasons is that it makes me focus on each and everyday. It's so easy to get caught in a frantic routine that gets you through the days but leaves no time for appreciating the moment. For me at least blogging has helped to alter my perspective. I begin to watch myself and the world around me more closely. My internal record button has been switched to on. What before might have been a fleeting thought or sight is stored for future use.

So today when I woke up tired and the sky was slate grey and overcast I also noticed all the small stuff that contributes to cheering me up. Among my passing thoughts for the day so far have been the following:

1. (Upon staggering out of bed) thank god I'm not a kid - at least I can crawl to the kitchen and make coffee. How on earth did I ever get out of bed without the promise of black coffee to entice me?
2. (Upon finding out that stepson has an exam today) again thank god I am not a kid. I'm not sure I could do exams any more.
3. (Upon finishing off youngest's breakfast) I'm so pleased that she only ever eats half a boiled egg. Somehow eating half boiled egg makes me feel much better than eating a whole one.
4. (Upon reading 50 page court judgment which I have to summarise by tomorrow) phew - not only do I understand it but most of it is irrelevant (in my humble opinion).
5. (Upon putting the washing away) ALL SOCKS HAVE PAIRS!
6. (Upon making more coffee) oh look there's a bagel left for me for lunch.
7. (Upon noticing roof terrace through my bedroom window) bloody hell - I have managed to keep those plants alive for a whole year. Not only that but it looks lovely out there...

Of course there is a lot more than just monitoring my own internal monologue. There is the chance to reach out and to be reached to. There's other countries and experiences and lives to wonder at. Anyway before this turns into an ode to blogging (which I feel deeply unqualified to write given the short time I have been doing this) I am going to go and eat that bagel.