Thursday, December 31, 2015

New Year- the obligatory 'Blog summing up introspective!'

It's funny, the concept of New Year- really it is just a certain date like any other to signify that 365/6 days have passed, I supposed we could celebrate a new year most days, like Unbirthdays, but anyway, it is nice to have a little moment to take stock. I'm not going to say much as that takes far too long and I am far too lazy (couldn't be doing with all that faffing through old blog posts!) but it is also nice to celebrate some things

One thing I thought I MUST share from this year is the kind and generous accolade I received from my dear blogging friend Ally.  Ally hosts blog awards every year called the Bloggies and awards a trophy and prize to the lucky winner.  Last year, my blogging favourites, Minnesota sisters, Megan and Nora, the Two Birds won the award.  This year, to my amazement and delight, Ally awarded the prize to me and the amazing Suzanne Carillo, stylist extraordinaire.  What touched me the most was the comments that Ally made about me over on her blog. She acknowledged those things that I do well, particularly my trying to comment as much as I can on people's blogs.   This is something, I Ialways try to do where I can as I think it is so important to acknowledge you've read something and also enjoyed it.  I've mentioned here before, I do get a bit despondent when I constantly comment on someone's posts and they never acknowledge my existence, even when they don't get many comments from elsewhere, but they comment on other people, but to hear Ally acknowledge that I try to do that, was really heartening and made that despondency recede somewhat! I will try my best to continue to uphold that aim!

It was wonderfully exciting to receive the parcel from the USA from Ally with this wonderful trophy, a present and a card featuring Ally Cat!  Thank you Ally and I want to say that Ally too, is a wonderful force for good in the blogging world- she constantly supports, has fun and acknowledges the good of people in a constantly supportive way and shares a true journey of her style evolution. If you don't know Ally, head over!

In other blogging matters, I have blogged more than any other year previously (319 posts) which is almost 30 more than in any other year!

I've met up with several lovely bloggers- Melanie , Sophie twice and Hazel and had a very lovely time on all occasions. I also briefly met the lovely Vix at a vintage fair!

I've even cohosted a link-up TARDIS Tuesday with the lovely Maricel who I miss for her cool, quirky and amazing outfits and Doctor Who equal fandom. I will try to do some more TARDIS Tuesadaying next year, there's plenty left to do!

I did Blog every day in May and did fairly ok with it- got to know a few more bloggers through it! I met some lovely new bloggers including Sarah by the Sea, Polka-Dot Pink and the lovely Penny-Blossoms,

I wore lots of things, bought too many clothes, lots from charity-shops and made a fair few things!

I've continued and started new regular features- What is it? reached its 30's and then went off the radar as interesting clouds left the skies and 5 brooches came along has reached its 13th post at least and the world has wondered how many brooches I own!

My number of followers reached the lofty heights of 169 GFC and 111 Bloglovin and then sadly dropped- current state of play is 167 and 112 respectively!

UPDATE:  I forgot to include reference to my book log- I read 81 books in 2015 which, though it is not my 100 books of 2009, isn't bad! I read MANY murder mysteries of a historical nature but also read some different books from my favourite genre!

When people discuss whether they should continue blogging, that isn't even a question for me- I like blogging too much for that and I count too many of you as friends to abandon it so I say, I hope to keep it much the same here in 2016, I am not one for dramatic changes and never have been. It might be quite nice to get a better header and template but I'm not going to bank on getting around to doing anything!

In the real world, I'd like to make a resolution to get to bed earlier by 10 if I can (pah!) and try and stay tidier (double pah!)

Now, enough about me, the word 'I' has appeared far too frequently in here, particularly in sentence openers, tut tut, so what about you? What does the new year in blogging mean to you, if anything!

Thanks for your friendship in 2015 and God bless.
x

P.S.  Dental update:I got a dentist appointment for this morning at 9. It wasn't my usual dentist who is away until 4th Jan.  He asked what the problem was and I told him and he asked if it had happened before. He asked me to open my mouth, looked at the back where I told him and then wrote me a prescription for 2 lots of antibiotics without doing anything!  So, I hope those start to take effect soon as the pain is not getting any better and I had awful ear ache today and my jaw is exhausted as I seem to be holding it in a certain way to avoid touching the gum with my teeth.  Hoping for some better sleep tonight as I haven't slept properly for days now! Clove oil has proved useful for numbing the gum for a while as is sleeping with my face on a hot water bottle! CBC has been kind and made me nice dinners and made me go ice-skating to try and avoid staying lying down ALL day.  We're going to a swing dance ball tomorrow night so I hope that will be ok.x


43 comments:

  1. I hope the dentist fixes the problem. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you dear Pom! I'm glad to have some antibiotics! Same to you!x

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  2. Wow excellent post yes it's good to celebrate few things so Happy new year to you. And nice to know your progress with the blog. This calender change gives us an option to turn back and review ourselves and move better. Nice to know about Ally as well kudos to his works... which keeps us going.

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    1. Thansk Bharath! The same to you! I agree it is good to see progress on our blogs! Ally is wonderful! Nice to meet yoU!

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  3. So glad to hear you have a possible solution to your affliction and glad you are so well-tended to in the mean time. A nice little tribute to the year that was here on the old blog. Just FYI, I have been stealth playing What Is It on here without saying so. I am up to episode 72. Of course mine are not often cloud pictures, mostly British type words. I do not really celebrate/acknowledge this silly "new year" concept but I certainly wish you another 365 days of love and peace.

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    1. Thank you. I decided, what the heck, I might as well jump on the bandwagon with the introspective! Ha, you have been playing a game have you? I shall endeavour to include many strange briticisms in future! Yes, I always feel New year is just a marketing ploy- usually I don't subscribe to but we fancied some swing dancing!

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  4. You're right about commenting - I often don't, just because I don't have anything to say to add to the party, as it were, but I love getting comments so I imagie others are the same. You do indeed comment frequently which is lovely, so your award is well deserved. In 2016 I shall try to comment more.

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  5. You are a well deserving winner of Ally's blogging award, congratulations x

    Here's to an awesome 2016 with some fabulous experiences and lots of smiles.

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    1. Thank you Zoe! I did think you deserved the award too!!
      Hurrah for 2016!x

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  6. The antibiotics should work their magic fast and you should feel better pretty soon. Congrats for the trophy, you deserve it! Happy New Year Kezzie xx

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    1. I hope so! Thank you for the acknowledgement Anca! Happy new year to you too!x

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  7. Hope you feel better with your toothache soon
    Julie xxxxxx

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    1. Thanks Julie and thanks for all the Advent fun!x

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  8. Oh no, sounds awful! So yucky being sick when all the drs and dentists are away. How dare they! Hope you feel better soon!
    Have enjoyed our interactions this year. Will definitely keep following you next year, 2016...which is only 50 minutes away!
    Xo Jazzy Jack

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    1. I know, it was TOTALLY heinous timing! It's been LOVELY getting to know you- and I shall definitely continue following you too! Happy New year in the Southern Hemisphere- we've still got hours!x

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  9. You have all my sympathy Kezzie. I hope the meds kick in soon and that you start to feel a bit better. I've so enjoyed following your blog and am glad to hear that you'll continue to share your lovely ramblings with us. I have to agree with your gripe about bloggers not returning the favour when you comment - it's hard not to feel hurt. The only answer is to kill them with kindness. Happy New Year x
    Anna
    Anna's Island Style

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    1. Thanks Anna. I agree, the bloggers I talk about, I still comment on them because their content is good and they need feedback, it's just not nice to continually feel snubbed!
      I hope to meet you in August!x

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  10. You have all my sympathy Kezzie. I hope the meds kick in soon and that you start to feel a bit better. I've so enjoyed following your blog and am glad to hear that you'll continue to share your lovely ramblings with us. I have to agree with your gripe about bloggers not returning the favour when you comment - it's hard not to feel hurt. The only answer is to kill them with kindness. Happy New Year x
    Anna
    Anna's Island Style

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  11. Congratulations on your award. You are really deserving of this award and it was nice of Ally to do this. You are a treasure Kezzie...

    I know how it feels to always leave supportive comments on followers blogs and they ignore you most of the time. I do like you and take this commenting on my followers blogs seriously. I've learned to not take it personally because as I see it, it tells us how self absorbed the follower is. They want others to comments but are unable to reciprocate and soon their followers will drop off. If they don't sow, they will not reap...It's not our problem but theirs.

    I hope that the antibiotic will take care of the tooth infection and that you'll be pain free very shortly and will sleep better. So sorry this has put a damper on your Holiday celebrations but you're a real trouper and blog on, play music and do much more...

    I can't believe that 2016 is knocking at my door and I'll be marching toward my 70th birthday in November.
    Wishing you God's Choicest Blessings for the new year.
    Hugs,
    JB

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    1. Thanks Julia, you are a true and kind blog friend. I will endeavour to reply to all your comments this year since you don't post that often as I'd never want you to feel ignored but I LOVE it when you post!!x
      70?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!??!?!?

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  12. Blegh - the dentist is always a horrible experience. My obligatory 2015 post is coming out tomorrow haha!

    Lizzie Dripping

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    1. Ha, it has to be done! At least he didn't poke around.I've reserved that particular pleasure for 14th January when my Dentist is back and I can get away!x

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  13. Happy New Year Kezzie... I hope that the antibiotics have started to kick in and that you have a lovely time this evening. Jx

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    1. Thanks! Today, the pain is much less- I am so grateful!

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  14. I hope the antibiotics work quickly. Congratulations on the award - so very well-deserved. You are always so interesting and entertaining :) I haven't made any blogging plans for 2016 other than to try to keep it going and I'm going to start a weekly series inspired by a calendar I bought recently. Hope you enjoy the dance and have a very happy new year. x

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    1. Oh thank you Julie, that is so kind! Nice to be thought of as interesting and entertaining! Your plan sounds like a good one!x

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  15. You deserve the award so much. Well done you. I went and read what was written about you and I couldn't agree more.
    Keeping all crossed that those tablets kick in soon and you ar able to be more comfortable and get some sleep.
    Happy New Year to you both.
    Lisa x

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    1. Thank you! That's very sweet!Today, the pain is much less- I am so grateful! Hope the swelling will go down soon too!x

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  16. Ouch, that doesn't sound too good. I hope it all works out.

    I hope you have a happy new year!

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  17. I shall try and be an annoying Pollyanna here by saying at least your dentist didn't just give you more painkillers. I hope the antibiotics KILL the evil that dwells in your gums and you will be grinning with relief in no time at all!!
    I am so happy that you won Ally's Bloggie with Suzanne, another great friend. Your posts are always a delight to read and you sport some mighty fine style along the way, and brooches too. Happy New Year - or did I say that already? If I did I say it again! Hahaha!

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    1. Yes, I am grateful he didn't just tell me to stop being a wuss! yes, DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEE evil gum monster!!!!
      Thank you, that is very kind!!!x

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  18. Ah Kezzie, you really do work hard to comment and I appreciate every little comment you leave. You've inspired me to get better at commenting, your award is truly deserved! Hoping the antibiotics kick in soon x

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    1. Thank you! I am glad you like the comments, I love your blog and thank you! I just like to comment but it is always lovely when there is an occasional comment from friends- I do post quite regularly though so I know not everyone does!x

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  19. I really relate to the comment about people who don't comment. I get that it shouldn't be a transaction - you comment so I'll comment - but I always make an effort to comment when I've got something to say and I find it a little weird that some people who I regularly comment for never seem to stop by my own posts.

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    1. Yes, you've hit the nail on the head exactly- I don't expect a comment for a comment definitely not, esp as everyone posts different amounts etc but it's the total lack of response of awareness that perhaps it might be nice once in sixth months to acknowledge the existence of your very regular commenter! Even if someone comments on my blog once in a few months, that is still acknowledgment rather than complete ignoring-grr! Glad you understand x

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  20. Happy new year to you and congratulations on your award, you deserve it :D xx

    Hope you're toof gets better soon too, sounds awful :(

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  21. An award well deserved!
    It was lovely to meet you this year - don't forget we have a maze date in 2016!

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  22. Anonymous12:57 pm

    Congratulations on the award! And it was so lovely to have met you at last, you're one of my favourite bloggers and I truly value your friendship xxx

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  23. Wow, you've had a busy year! Here's to exciting times in 2016 and more brooches! I want to grow my blog and maybe have a new design but like you I'm a tortoise not a hare and I like things to grow organically.
    http://petitesilvervixen.blogspot.co.uk/

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  24. Happy 2016 to you and well done on your wee blogging award! I also wanted to say thanks so much for all the lovely comments you have left on my blog over the new years break, I'm slowly getting up to date with people I follow (which now includes you!).

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Greetings! Welcome to the maaaaaadness! I am so glad you came to visit and leave me a pretty comment!! Would you like tea and cakes? The books are over on the shelf! I have sofas a-plenty so leave us a friendly comment and I'll pretty much guarantee I'll come a-visiting to you at some point soon!! This blog-post will self-destruct in 2 minutes. Go, type, type, type!!!!! (and put a hat on!)