159. Concresence, again

One of the unexpected pleasures in this blogging lark has been that other bloggers have started to ‘follow’ the posts. I generally try and return the compliment.

The original idea was to write myself through the wintertime blues and leave a record of my life for the kids. And perhaps to fill in some of the gaps that friends were not aware of. Above all to be truthful, which hasn’t always come easy.

I don’t write with any audience in mind. Just to please myself. But it has made life more interesting to begin reading the blogs of others, to see how they do it, and to become familiar with their styles and subject matter.

All of the people below have provided enjoyment, entertainment or education. One guy mentioned previously (Blog 110) is astijake John (https://astijake.wordpress.com/), who writes mainly funny and sad personal stories – and tells them very skilfully.

Similarly, the blogs from Mark Bickerton (https://markbickerton.com/blog) are either page-turning excerpts from his novel about life on the road or other witty and poignant insights into the reckoning with self that any of us avoid at our peril.

jason Scott Brendel’s blog (https://jasonscottbrendel.wordpress.com/) is also worth checking out. Irony and absurd humour that is right up my street.

‘Football Explainers’ does what it says on the tin, with regard to a wide span of soccer stories and issues, mainly concerning English soccer (https://footballexplainers.wordpress.com/).

William, who writes ‘a1000mistakes’ (https://a1000mistakes.wordpress.com/) is much appreciated because he writes about music, often reminding me of artists that I haven’t played in a while or opening a window onto Aussie bands I know nothing about. His art blogs are great because I know of so few of the painters he covers.

Another excellent reviewer – films this time – is The Arcane Nibbler (https://arcanenibbler.com/). His ‘Reviews and Assorted Crap for Your Engagement and Enragement’ are exceptionally well considered and laid out.

One unexpected source of help has been ‘2JustAnotherPost – Beauty, Health and Fitness’, whose blog (https://2justanotherpost.wordpress.com/) gives simple exercises for tired, under-exercised bodies.

Finally, ‘Kirilson’ is a real surprise package (https://kirilson.com/). Visits to some beautiful Italian and Bulgarian cities have provided readers with great photographs.

There are also many other blogs I have enjoyed, maybe to be mentioned another time.