3 years

I hope my maths is right today, because if so this is my three year blip! Woop.

That means it's only 95 days since the last time I popped up on your notifications, the last time you hoped you'd got a favourite or a spotlight only to see my name there. Oh well, at least there's a minimum of 365 days until the next time.

On my 1001st blip I put this long, rambling blurb about how blip had changed my life. Yup, on my 1001st, which meant the usual 20 or 30 people read it. Therefore I thought I'd put it again for you below, so if you're interested in a 30 something middle managers perspective on how blip changed his life please do read on.

In the meantime I'll barely dazzle you with a photo of my partner in crime, my weapon of choice and my greatest ever investment.

I'd planned to write something deep and heartfelt about this community of which I am a part, and to which I have contributed 1000 images and many more words. However I really wanted to touch more uupon the things that Blipfoto has contributed to me.

Back in October 2010 when I joined this site my life was considerably different. I was drifting along aimlessly with no real direction in life. I'd ended up stuck in a terrible job, I had no passions other than Lincoln City and I had nothing to focus my creative juices on. I originally joined after seeing the photos of a friend who drifted into and out of my life very quickly, the only noticable mark she made was to leave me with a profile on here.

I started to try and grow my own photography skills. I started to gain more of an insight into this creative world I started without realising the power that this community could have on me and my life.

My life went down before it went up, but blip was there all the way. For a short while I must confess that the only reason I had to get out of bed was to find a create an image for my subscribers to look at. Mostly they came for the self loathing prose and mildly offensive ranting. Eventually I think they came for the soap opera that was unfolding. What mattered to me was that you came. You came and paid an interest in what was happening in my life... not just a passing 'Facebook' style interest born out of a form of social voyeurism, but a genuine interest with genuine care. My images and words hopefully painted a picture of what my life was like at the time, and you guys understood this. You helped to drag me away from the despair I felt, the hopelessness that seemed to fill those dark days.

So blip helped me through those dark days and slowly I began to find my feet again. I met some tremedous friends, one of whom I believe deserves a special mention. Barbie from the journal Barbies World made an entrance around the time I lost my job in July 2011 and literally provided support I couldn't have expected from my closest family. Once again Blipfoto had been the source of something life changing for me. I found myself positively seeking fresh employment, which I subsequently found.

Around this time I also met a lady whom has a journal under the name of Bryher. Again like with everyone else who I met on here it started with a photo, a snapshot of my world and a snapshot of hers. Our correspondence grew and developed and she became very important to me. She became my partner in photographic crime and very quickly my partner in so much more. She became my girlfriend and my best friend. She became all this because of Blipfoto.

My tree shows many branches and my photography enabled me to form bonds in my new place of work, Lincoln Jewson. My good friend Brian became a blipper and I found I'd come full circle - I was no longer the photographic novice seeking help and praise for my early work, but I was now someone whom others looked upon as a half decent photographer. I don't think Brian really realised how happy I was that I could undertake this role, but seeing him take the same route I had a couple of years before gave me great pleasure.

So where am I now? I'm living in a different county with that wonderful girl. I work for the company I was spurred on to join by the support of my blipfoto friends. I keep in touch with some of my very good friends courtesy of their blip passion, inspired by me. I have family on here, both my actual family and my new 'family'. Sure I don't post every day, sometimes I post a half hearted pic from my phone. I don't get around to comment all the time, but the fact is I'm here. I'll never do a 365 project as such, because Blip for me isn't a project... blip for me is now part of me. Blip has helped me to achieve everything that I've achieved since October 2010, and it's influenced many of the people around me as well. My brother is now seeking a career from photography after a blipping session with me back in 2011.

So ultimately I'd like to thank you, each and every one of you who has popped by to witness my journey. I'd like to thank those of you who have become part of my life, those who I've exchanged texts and emails with and those who have made me laugh. I can't over state the influence this website, nay this community has had on me and the influence it will continue to have on me.

I wish I could mention everyone on here whom had that influence on me and have helped guide me and mould my photography as well as my life. There's Barbie, Scotchlass, RtCph, Tadpole, Snappy, Damnoni, Bitters, rxs, annie, as starters for 10. youngpoet has always kept me on my toes but I've loved the work of shielwill, drtwitcher, Lady La la, and a million more. If I haven't mentioned you then I apologise, its purely because I'm getting an ache in my fingers from typing so passionately and with such glorious intent. It's been a while since I've been moved to write much at all! In 1000 blips I've gone from nowhere to somewhere and it's all thank to you.

Blipfoto. It saved my life, one day at a time.

Thank you.

As always love to Fe, my guiding light and a constant source of inspiration, motivation and something else rhyming with '-ation' that I can't think of now.