CTF at One

A year ago today I started writing this blog. I had learned about blogging from my friend Belinda who has had a blog for much longer. I visited her blog, Whatever He Says, and thought to myself, "I think I can do this." So I called up Blogger and set up CTF. Living deep in the country where computers connect to the web through dial-up, I know blogging was going to be a challenge of patience as much as it was a challenge to write every day.

When I begun, I decided that I'd write for a year and then at the end of the years, say "Good bye all" and hit the 'erase blog' button. I've considered this right up to this morning. I went to the page for erasing the blog even before I wrote this. But, I simply couldn't do it.

So what next? I don't know, I know I need to make some changes. But since I'm not doing what I intended to do, I need a week or two to think. So, I'll get back to you on CTF's future.

Until then, I thought I'd celebrate the year by telling you that I've found CTF readers an intersting lot. I learned that I can never tell when a post will be well recieved, oft commented on or completely ignored. Occasionally, I'll write a blog and think, I really like this one ... and it falls dead on the blog with no impact or notice. Then I'll whip one off and think, 'They'll know I took no time with this' and wham 15 to 20 comments.

Answers to questions I've been asked about the blog:

What's your favourite blog?

An early one, Poco Hor

How do you find something to write about each day?

Everyday is different, if nothing happens to write about, I'm reminded of something to write about from my past ... (which is a country littered with things to write about).

How do you deal with the negative comments?

I'm old enough to appreciate when someone says they don't like something. I find it more difficult when the negative comment is about 'me' ... when people don't know me. But then there are comments that are helpful ... Elizabeth's comment about my blogs begining 'depressingly uplifting' (or something like that) I understood. She's a writer, I value her comments and I know what she means, and in fact, next year I do want to pick at scabs a bit more. My personality is relentlessly optimistic, though, the 'there must be a pony' kind of guy.

Why did you decide to focus just on disability on this blog, will you be making it into a more general blog as you go along?

No. CTF is a disability blog first and foremost. Remember, I'd only been disabled for a year when I started, the blog was for ME TOO. I wanted to think about who I was now, how I was changed, things I do differently. I wanted to fully identify, in writing, with myself and my new community. Remember, I'm not a new writer, I've got over 30 books that are still in print. Not one of them written by the 'disabled' me. So the other voice is out there, this blog was to help me find that new voice. I find it difficult, even here in the blog I write as either 'helper Dave' or 'disabled Dave' ... one reader commented recently that she was seeing a shift from 'social work' to life with a disability in my blog. I was very happy. This is a new writing voice for me, I need to get hold of it before I write my next book.

Do you think you'll end up deciding to shut the blog down?

No. But I need a few days to think about what CTF will look like next year. I'll still write every day. I have promised myself time this week to think about where I'm going with the blog next.

There you have it, Chewing the Fat, the birthday interview.

Blow out a candle for me today!