Happy New Year!

My, doesn’t time fly when you’re enjoying yourself? It only seems the briefest of moments since we were all preparing to ring in 2008 and, now, here we are again, on the brink of a fresh, brand spanking new year.

So, here’s wishing you a healthy, fulfilled and safe 2009 — with heaps of good fortune and freedom from superstition!

Normal Gary William Murning Online service will resume in a day or two. Be good or, if not, at least be careful. 😉

© 2008 Gary William Murning

Blogoversary!

As Teena in Toronto has kindly reminded me, today is my blog’s first anniversary — its “blogoversary”.

One year ago today I started the WordPress incarnation of Gary William Murning Online with this post and I haven’t really looked back. I liked the feel of WordPress and its flexibility from day one, and unlike the other platforms I’ve used (MySpace and LiveJournal) I can foresee no reason why I will ever up sticks and relocate.

It’s been an interesting year in the blogosphere for me. I’ve met some incredible people — fellow bloggers, new readers, one or two crackpots (I don’t attract anywhere near as many as you might expect!) and even one of Elvis’s old buddies, Marty Lacker (which I still get something of a kick out of) — and gradually developed my blogging “voice”. Given that I’ve blogged just about every day, I’ve made surprisingly few mistakes and have, on the whole, got by without making a complete dick of myself. People seem to like what I do and so I try to keep doing it.

But, of course, it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if people like you didn’t drop by and, on occasion, comment. Sometimes, I’m sure, my posts can seem rather acerbic and satirical — and I possibly come across as being a little intimidating and inflexible. But I’m not, as some of those who have contacted me would probably agree. I’m even quite patient with crackpots… for a while, at least! So never be afraid to comment, even if you don’t agree with me. Healthy debate is always welcome. It’s that that makes this worthwhile.

That and the megabucks some sucker publisher might offer me off the back of it one day!

Finally, I’d like to leave you with a reply to a question I was asked in an interview that I, along with many other bloggers, did for the Pakistani Spectator. I was asked what role bloggers can play in making our world friendlier and less hostile. To which I replied:

“Oh, this is where I believe the real strength of blogging lies! It is true that there are and always will be argumentative people out there in the blogosphere, people who just want to cause trouble. But on the whole, I find that serious bloggers — consciously or otherwise — make a huge contribution to breaking down barriers of nationality, political ethos, religious belief and so on. Great things can come of this if we only remember to treat each other with respect.”

A little “Miss World”, I know — but blogging is a powerful tool. With such freedoms, however, come responsibility. From an initial respect for the individual’s right to express their views (which isn’t the same as having a respect for the views themselves — it’s perfectly acceptable not to respect another person’s view) some of us, at least, can learn things we never otherwise would have.

And if that doesn’t make blogging valuable I really don’t know what does.

© 2008 Gary William Murning

2008.

A Very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year!

Post-Christmas Post.

And so it came to pass that in a small, former ironstone mining town, a sigh was born…

I know, I know — not exactly the best start to a blog post, but I’m feeling especially uninspired today, so you’ll just have to grin and bear it. Christmas was nice. There’s no disputing that. It was quiet and relaxing, with a pleasant Boxing Day (the day after Christmas Day, for my American friends) trip to Whitby. But I have to admit, I’m looking forward to getting back into my old writing routine — the new novel already demanding my attention, nagging me to get on with it.

And so, Monday is pencilled in as Day One of My Writing Year. Yes, New Year’s Eve, which I’m even less inclined to celebrate than Christmas. New Year’s Eve but also the beginning of the week, and I like starting a new project on a Monday so…

At this point, I was going to write something about the tragic mess in Pakistan, but I’m not sure I have anything especially original or insightful to add to the other, far more informed commentaries, other than to lament the possible outcome. I’ll leave the causes and implications to the analysts, but I have my pet-theories, as I’m sure we all have.

To finish on a lighter note — Christmas TV. To the Manor Born, anyone? If this is the best the BBC can do, then I give up, I truly do. Badly written, badly acted nonsense with forced relevance and not even a whiff of nostalgia to save it. A good reason to cancel Christmas next year, in my opinion. Utter rubbish.

There. That feels better 😉