Sunday 5 January 2014

Celebrating 5 Years of Blogging

5 years ago today, on 5th January, 2009, I started my first blog: The Island of the Voices.

“After some trial and error, it seems I have created a blog!

In choosing the title, I had in mind the Island of the Voices in C.S. Lewis's The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, where Lucy enters a Magician's House to find the Magician's Book, and within that book A Spell to make hidden things visible.

She read it through to make sure of all the hard words and then said it out loud. And she knew at once that it was working because as she spoke the colours came into the capital letters at the top of the page and the pictures began appearing in the margins. It was like when you hold to the fire something written in Invisible Ink and the writing gradually shows up...

I really have no clear idea yet what hidden things I want this blog to make visible. But maybe if I start writing, I will find out...“

3 years ago, for technical reasons, I had to move the blog to a new account, and in connection with that I also changed the name to Beyond the Lone Islands.

What I wrote then also still remains true:

“My very first blog post has remained kind of prophetic to me. I had little idea back then how hooked I would get on blogging, how much it would inspire me to keep up both writing and photography, and how many new friends I would be making around the world... And yet I obviously sensed the "magic" and the spirit of adventure involved already at the very beginning; or I would not have chosen the names that I did.”

Something I consider really amazing is that after five whole years, I’m still in touch with several bloggers that I came across very early on, back in 2009. A special thanks to you. I won’t name names, as time is far from the only factor in friendships. But please know that I’m really glad that you’re still here!

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Happy New Blogging Year
to all old and new blogging friends

Monica / DawnTreader

PS. The photo was taken at an art exhibition I visited yesterday together with my aunt and uncle. There will be a few more photos from that occasion coming up in a separate post.

11 comments:

  1. I'm so glad as one of your Newer readers and friends I get to be first today to congratulate you on 5 years. In the few months I've been following you, I have enjoyed your posts very much. I love seeing a picture of you...What a nice picture and the background is just perfect for a portrait.

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  2. It's good to be reminded of posts from early days in a Blog. Sometimes we miss posts and sometimes we forget (okay perhaps I mean 'I' because you rarely forget anything) posts and things that have happened. And, yes, some lovely friendships come out of blogging: friendships as valuable as any made in other ways may be.

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  3. Keep it up. I really enjoy reading your posts each day and I have widened my understanding of lifestyles in other parts of the world. I also enjoy the comments by other readers.

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  4. Congratulations and he's a toast to the next five years.

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  5. Congratulations to your blogoversary! My 5th is coming up in March, so we started more or less around the same time - and like yours, I had no idea when I started what direction it would take and how many wonderful people I was going to "meet" through blogging!
    The picture is great - you look so good, and I like your style with the colours of handbag and necklace matching perfectly.

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  6. Grattis till dina fem år som bloggare. Åren går så fort.
    Ha en skön Söndag!

    Eva

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  7. i saw your photos on FB and they were great... glad you got to spend time with family and in such a wonderful place.
    i started my blog about the same time you did, and i think i met you in the first part of 2010... it amazes me how fast that time has flown. I have very much enjoyed your friendship and all your photos of your beautiful town.

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  8. Congratulations on your 5th year of blogging....and you know what....I'm glad that you were still around when I joined the blogging world.
    I enjoy reading your blog, so hunker down and keep on writing for a long while yet.

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  9. Dear Mo,
    thanks a lot for 5 your blogged years, always so personal!
    I found your blog in our beginning year via the link "next blog" in the bar on top of the blogger page.
    Wishing you many more inspiring years and many creative photo-excursions.
    Last not least:
    Have a happy new year, full of unexpected magic and friendly wonders
    :-)
    mo jour

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  10. Always enjoy your blog, congratulations on 5 years of blogging.

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  11. Thank you All for your kind comments! :)

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