It's not a Blog. It's a Substack...
A new beginning [ED - replace with something less pretentious later]
OK there’s an elephant in the room. I’ve used the B... word to talk about this newsletter.
Blog.
Instead of Substack.
Here’s the problem. I’m about a thousand years old in IT-years and when I was still in IT-years-short-trousers and had IT-years-spots on my face, a thing like this was called a Blog. It just was.
As with dog years, there is a formula to work out how old you are in IT years. It takes into account whether you were “online” before the internet existed, then adds on a multiplier if you remember switching from CP/M to Microsoft products because they were the young, hungry upstart. A factor is applied if you ever handled an 8-inch floppy. Finally, there is a bonus addon if you personally trained the Duke of Edinburgh to use the Internet (True story - although I probably signed something to say I wouldn’t tell you that).
Using that formula, I’m a 1000 IT years old.
Those Two Point Five Blogs
In those 1000 IT years I've actually started 2.5 blogs before. I know I probably shouldn’t even be typing this but should instead be teaming up with the Chinese Secret Service to publish 30-second clips of my ugly mug droning on, whilst you wonder why I have a Kylie Minogue calendar from December 2004 hanging over my shoulder in my home office.
But as I am a thousand IT years old I won’t be Tick-Tocking1, I’ll be typing. I won’t be going viral, but I will be discussing viral infection. Finally, thankfully, I’m as likely to be on camera this year as Lilian Gish.
Anyway, the 2.5 blogs...
One blog was business-related and got off the ground quickly. It soared for a couple of years, spluttering a little towards the end. Well, I say "end" but as most bloggers know the "end" is never really intended to be the end.
It starts as a temporary pause that becomes a long-term to-do item that endlessly finds itself at the bottom of the page under all the other to-dos until it finally becomes an almost-certain, but not-quite-permanent hiatus.
Another blog hit about six entries before time and motivation moved on and the 0.5 blog got discussed with a co-worker down the pub but unfortunately, the creative energy that the Punk IPA provided didn't make it to the keyboard the next day.
This time is different
When she was about eight, I remember my daughter saying to Mrs Bletch and me that she wanted a rabbit. We reminded her of the horrible end that her hamster had met largely due to dereliction of duty on her part.
"This time will be different", she opined.
I'm reminded of those words as I think about embarking on another blog Substack. At that time, this blog was still the 0.5 glimmer in my mind’s eye that I hoped one day might nudge me past three in total. I wondered if my new blog would stand the test of time.
I've given it a lot of thought and I know now that this time is different.
It's not that I’ve found a new energy or cure for procrastination. It’s not that I'm certain that I will be posting here in many years to come. It's more that I've got a finite list of things that I need to cover and then I'll consider it finished. That doesn’t mean it won’t be going forever, but I don’t care if it does or doesn’t.
We never did buy that rabbit but you are reading my third blog.
An Outlet - Why This Time IS Different
The reason that this time will be different is that I know that this time I need an outlet.
I need to get some thoughts out. I need to share some of the, as far as I know, unique experiences I am going through. I need to convey to those close to me, those who work/worked with me, and those that I have never met but might be interested, what "post-COVID syndrome" has meant for me.
The way I experience this disease/syndrome/series of symptoms is so personal and the symptoms are so unique in my life experience, that I need to share.
Lastly, I'm sick (literally) and tired of updating friends, family and colleagues who, with I'm sure well-intended concern, just force me to listen to myself restate the same things again and again.
They listen as I detail the same recurring patterns, we share the same expressions of wonderment at how my body and brain have become like strangers to me and, conversation by conversation, I am forced to sound like that friend / family member / co-worker who never stops moaning about their health.
I hate it.
So, friends, family, co-workers and strangers, if you ask me how I am from now on, you'll be redirected to this blog - my third blog. (well 3.5th - if that is the correct way to write the fraction)
Once I’ve got Long-COVID off my chest (no pun intended) I will attempt to keep updating this blog with news about other things that interest me - technology, software development, Southampton Football Club, Indie Beer/Craft Ale, child behaviour management, Minecraft and politics. But as these are things that I do not need to share, there’s no promise.
I might be 1000 IT years old, but even I know it isn’t spelt that way.