The long and winding road....

OK - its not winding or a road - but it seems a suitable metaphor to mark the end of my first year of blipping. It's been an interesting and rewarding journey, though not without its ups and downs. The high points were your amazing reactions to some of my photographs, which came as a great surprise and confidence booster. The low point, of course, was the sad death of Molly, a friend that I'd never met, and who I still miss.

Like any relationship, there have been different phases. Initially I felt a bit lost and unsure, but was given a guiding hand by more experienced blippers, who have now become close friends (you know who you are!). After that came a period of infatuation, which was wonderful in its own way, but was followed by a bit of a burn-out. Recently there's been acceptance and accommodation - if I'm going to stay the course I know I need to be gentle on myself, and treat blipping as a relaxing hobby.

So which way now? I plan to keep on with my journal - it's become a part of my day and I enjoy the writing almost as much as the photography. But if there are days when I'm just not inspired I'm not going to beat myself up about it!! Most of all I want to keep in touch with my new friends and continue to see all your wonderful photographs, and be stimulated by your thoughts and experiences. So on to the next year...who knows what it'll bring?

And of course, many thanks to Joe and all the boffins at Blipcentral who keep the whole caboodle running so smoothly. Where would we be without you?