Circles

A new year and the hope of a new 'Blip'.  

It should be no surprise to anyone who knows me that my celebratory Blip is boardgame related.  The game is Carcassonne; not normally one of roadbuilding words!

It's 4 years since my eldest, M, introduced me to blip which he'd discovered at university; though it's my blipping that has lasted.  There's something of a circle here as, in a similar way, I introduced university-discovered archery to my parents and it was my father who continued shooting long after I'd stopped.

With the help of a relative I've just been able to make a substantial pledge towards the future of Blip. I do hope that, collectively, it's enough.

In a cold logical sense there is no real reason why it, amongst many photo sites, should continue.  I could easily post daily photos on Facebook, Flickr, 365Project, etc. I have the skills so I could even create my own site and do it there (ironically, as Joe did when accidentally founding blip).

But it isn't really the website that we're fighting for.

The Blip ethos is unique.  The simplicity of the idea, the simplicity of the site design, and the (typical) all-inclusiveness of Blippers is what this is all about. Having just written those words I realise there's a bit of my Quakerism in my love of blip. Maybe if the Quakers were to create a photo site it would look rather like Blip: a humble celebration of every day.

It's interesting to note how the wind went out of blip over the last year of ownership by (ostensibly) disinterested corporates.  Very different from when it was led by a few characters we felt a close connection with; people just like us.  I'm really hoping that BlipFuture succeeds because I believe 'ownership from within' will revitalise the blip spirit.

For me personally, it is utterly incredible I've managed a diary that has lasted this long.  The daily exercise has done wonders for my photography (OK, so that may not be obvious) and for my observation of the world.  It's great browsing back over entries occasionally - and reassuring that we are getting somewhere in this life project of ours, and a joy to be able to share it with friends and family.

So, what for 2016?  At the Dell House we're hoping for less reconstruction and more recreation! Photographically, I hope I can venture into areas outside my staple diet/comfort zone of subjects that sit there and aren't going to object.