The first blog I ever wrote was on 1 January 2012, some seven years ago. Since then I have written just under fifteen hundred pieces and since the middle of that first month have had at least one person read my blog every day. I try not to worry about the numbers, some days they are pitifully small, yet as I approach another year I wonder if I should carry on.
When I semi-retired in the middle of 2017 I decided to go down from five blogs per week to three and I am contemplating making it two a week from the new year. That would still be over one hundred pieces. It’s not that I have nothing left to say, just that I don’t have the variety in my work that I used to and am in danger of repeating myself.
Having said that, 2018 has been another eventful year. It was the first full year of trading for my company since I left more steady employment. I have ended up working in some exciting and interesting places. I have been on the roof of Alnwick Castle, visited Blyth Harbour and its Offshore Renewable Catapult site, as well as spoken in front of audiences at Dance City, The Crowne Plaza and the University Technical college in George Stephenson’s original engine shed.
I’ve worked with universities, local authorities, combined authorities, private sector and charitable organisations, covering subjects as wide as cake making to Low Powered Wide Area Networks. I’ve even had an introduction to R.
I have become a director of both Dynamo North East and the North East Initiative on Business Ethics, while being involved in supporting women into tech through Leading Ladies and fDisruptors.
With a lot of help and support I fronted CyberFest, the North East’s leading cyber festival (we’re doing it again next year) and published my second book, Paradigms Lost.
If 2019 is half as busy then I should be able to continue writing for another year.
See you on the other side.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 