blog awards goals
February 28th, 2007
With the Irish Blog Awards getting closer I have been thinking about what I want to achieve by attending. I mean, I’m not going to win anything this year? So what better time than now to clarify why I even blog in the first place.
As mentioned before I started blogging out of a love of photography. The photoblog was started soon after discovering what a blog is – then I uncovered the vast nature of blogs, both photographic and written.
This blog was started in March 2006, originally as a place to voice my thoughts on my photography and gigs. Unfortunately didn’t get off to a great start as photography was taking up most of my time, ironically. Now that I have no camera, I have been using this space to write about whatever comes to mind.
I’ve been enjoying being a part of this small community of Irish Bloggers and try to read as many as I can. Reading blogs makes Ireland seem much more interesting than I ever thought it was.
I did meet a few bloggers last year and had a great time discovering that they are normal people, though this time I want to meet more – and learn more. Still being quite the novice, I know I have a lot to learn from all the techie folk.
I do have some thoughts on what I want to do with this blog; trying out various writing techniques and learning to write better is on the top of my to-do list. Getting away from personal rants is on the list too.
Saying that I have things I want to ‘achieve’ from attending probably sounds a bit odd. Surely I’m not just thinking about what I can gain from all this am I? Well, in a way, but not really. All day I read about all this crazy stuff going on in this great community of people who all seem to know each other. So if I don’t know at least 2 more people by the end of the night I will be quite disappointed.
Time flies doesn’t it, as it always does when something that was once way in the future isn’t anymore, and so its about time I got organised. Like last year I am making a weekend out of it. Quite last minute and in quite a panic of resorting to sleeping under a bridge, I managed to get a room Jurys Montrose Hotel I’ve never stayed in a hotel in Dublin before, normally hostels, so even that will be exciting. I have also persuaded a good friend to come along too (with the hope that he will catch on to blogging – I might need some of your help for that too).
Each time I visit Dublin I try to do something different. There won’t be too much drinking this year as Ronan is off alcohol for Lent. I don’t think I’ve ever been to any museums in Dublin, we might do that. Anyone have some good suggestions?
Meeting up beforehand would be cool (I hear mention of food – always a good idea before drinks). As for the After Party – with a DJ! I hope Rick O’Shea plays good music and takes requests, and with all the iPods that are bound to be floating around – iPod decks, anyone? I caught the last hour of his show tonight for the first time. I shall listen again tomorrow if I remember.
One essential service I will need РInternet! Last year I was surprised at the number of Internet Caf̩s. The first one I found last year was Global Internet Caf̩, it was a good find with decent PCs (firefox!) and nice coffee. Though is it the cheapest? What about public libraries, do they offer free internet?
Oh yes – I need my iPod repaired! Is there an Apple store in Dublin? Not exactly sure if it will be much use to me, and I still haven’t tried the DIY method, though I’m a little scared. If anyone wants to bring along a screwdriver and give it a shot you’re more than welcome!
Look forward to seeing y’all there! Anyway – I have a jar of Nutella waiting for me.
