Saturday 28 July 2012

Happy First Birthday - divacultura celebrates!

Today is divacultura's first birthday! On Thursday 28 July 2011, I wrote "Beginnings", the post that outlined my vision for divacultura's incarnation as a blog.

Looking back on that first post, I struggle to remember what my original title choice was.  After some hard thinking I remembered.  I'm glad that my longed-for title wasn't available.  I have the right title!

One of the reasons I started blogging was to create a daily writing habit.  I had had one many years ago, but had lost my match fitness.  I needed to start exercising my writing muscles regularly; they were a bit flabby.  I was also interested to see how my writer's voice developed and whether I could be as compelling on the "page" as on the stage.  I'm still exploring that question and I think it depends on the subject matter.  I've been delighted to receive feedback from you, my readers, about my written voice.  It's fascinating.  Also a wonderful reminder that applies to any artistic/creative practice, that one's work takes on a new life the moment it is handed over to the audience.

I've done pretty well establishing my daily writing habit.  366 days after I started I have produced 348 posts.  That's roughly 18 days I've missed.  I'm counting that as success on meeting my commitment.  I've had holidays and been travelling for work where it hasn't been possible to post.  When this has been the case, I've flagged it.  (I'm still mystified as to why one of these posts is my third most popular post of all time.) I do acknowledge that some posts are purely pictorial and contain no, or not much, writing.  That's okay with me.  I've started to take photographs again and have noticed myself being more observant and sensitive to the world - ingredients essential for nurturing creativity.   More importantly, I now feel the compulsion to write each day - confirmation that I have successfully ingrained a habit.  


At the beginning I wasn't sure whether many people outside my immediate circle would read.  I thought some of my Twitter followers would come over and read, because divacultura is also my Twitter name, but wasn't sure how long it would last.  While I'm always conscious of audience, in the beginning I was largely writing for myself. Now, I write for my audience and am always curious to read comments on the blog and also on facebook.  So please, if you feel the urge to say something, I'd love you to act on that impulse!


My other commitment was to produce copy that was error free.  I've remembered how hard it is to proofread and sub-edit your own work and from time to time posts do contain typos and other errors.  I'm very lucky to have a very diligent and eagle-eyed post production editor - my Mother.  Mum reads everything and gives me feedback and reactions.  She will also provide feedback on corrections.  Sometimes we have an arm-wrestle when I've made a stylistic choice that clashes with formal grammar/usage.  I win those ones, but it's always provocative and I appreciate having the opportunity to read my work from a different perspective.  My writing is better for it.  Thanks Mum!

A year on, I'm taking stock and thinking about how this body of work is relevant to how I position my business.  A year on, I've become much more aware of other bloggers and have enjoyed learning from their experience.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY & YOU GET THE GIFTS!
As I contemplate renewing my commitment to divacultura for another year, I feel excitement and affection.  Thank you for sharing some of your time with me. As a thank you gift - and so I can gain a better sense of who's out there - I'll be giving away a pair of my hand knitted socks to two very lucky readers, where ever you are in the world (ie two readers will receive a pair of socks each).  To be in the running, leave a comment on this post by Friday 17 August 2012, stating why you like reading divacultura. My favourite responses will receive the prize (my decision is final).  Why not take the opportunity to sign up and follow too!


*****
In the meantime, here are some stats:


divacultura's biggest audience is in the US, followed by Australia, Russia, Ireland and the UK.

You can see the top five posts on the home page.

The next five posts which complete the top 10 are:

6. Photo a day - June round up and July list  (My interest in the July list waned and I haven't followed through on this one.)
7. Secondhand fumes - ever come across someone chroming on public transport?
8. Challenge accepted - the challenge in question was the first Photo a Day I participated in.
9. Prayers to the Goddess of parking
10. Question Time - who is the Lazy Civil Servant?  The launch edition of this regular feature.  It was fitting to feature the person who inspired me to start blogging.

And just for fun, here's one of my favourite pieces - The Man on the Steps.  A purely creative piece sparked by a glimpse while I was out and about.  It highlights the importance of being in the world with my head up and my eyes open and a preparedness to shamelessly eavesdrop!

17 comments:

  1. Flushed with the success on the Hysteria competition, I'll join the fun of this one.

    I started reading divacultura because you announced it on facebook. I have not seen you in person for a scary number of years and I was interested to see what you would write and what you are doing these day. I'm rather glad that there is someone I know still blogging rather than just using the odd status update at facebook. The longer format of a blog allows a story to unfold properly. I've also enjoyed the photos. Some of the images are very pretty and I'm impressed that you see details that we often don't have time to appreciate.

    Happy birthday blog. Wow. The time has flown. It doesn't seem like a whole year.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your insight and birthday greetings Mousicles! It doesn't seem like a whole year at all!

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  2. Congratulations on a great year of blogging! It looks like you've achieved what you set out to do. What is the next goal?

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    1. Thanks Merryn. I have a few plans up my sleeve. Just in the refinement phase. Stay tuned!

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  3. Thank god I made the Top Ten!!! I was worried there for a moment. Well yes congratulations. To be honest I can't stand you because you have been doing so well at it. Every time I open your posts, I see yet another brilliantly written piece, a gorgeous photo or some outstanding knitting. You're like the Oprah of blogging. Now it's time for you to starting earning Oprah like money from it. I want you to write a book. While you're at it, can you write mine as well?

    John B Cahill aka The Lazy Civil Servant.

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  4. Well that's the nicest salutation I've had from someone who can't stand me. I love the idea of being the Oprah of blogging, although, wouldn't it be Oprah? Surely she blogs? She does everything else! Given the power you have over me, your request that I write a book may well come true. It's getting closer!

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  5. Congratulations on Divacultura's birthday! I think I've been there for most of it and its been a great experience for me too. I look forward to the email which I usually read on my phone either in the car or still in bed - something to look forward to. I strive to be as good as you one day! Now when are you throwing in a free trip to Australia for us non-australians?

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    1. Thank you Corenne - for your greetings and for sticking with me! I can't throw in a free trip to Australia, but promise to look you up when I travel to South Africa. Any good? Your birthday must be coming up too...?

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    2. 4th of January is my birthday - still a while but definitely! if you here or I'm there we have to get in touch! Just be warned, public transport here is just about non-existent in most areas and totally unsafe to use in others ... and driving here requires some skill but mostly blind courage! But it'll be a blast!

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  6. Congratulations on your first birthday! I love reading Diva. It's one of 3 that i read regularly (one of the others of course being LCS). I got a bit overexcited at the prospect of being in possession of your handmade socks and left my comment god knows where in the blogosphere... but it was something along the lines of 'you inspired me to knit'!! of course i should have said something along the lines of...'you had me at socks'....

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  7. Thanks Danielle! It's great to have some insight into what people like - and it's people like you who make it fun! I hope the inspiration to knit its something you'll thank me for and not curse me for. I did find your other comment to - love it.

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  8. Well..it does amaze me how much you create (your creek bed scarf would take me a decade).. whereas i'll be knitting this damn scarf until 2015. I curse the overpriced alpaca wool and 4mm needles (and especially the woman in spotlight who told me it would take a few days)..but i suspect i'll feel smug when it's finished! I need to get some other needles and try a new project at the same time..i also need to learn to branch out and pearl - crazy times.

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  9. Hip hop happy birthday Diva!! Bravo & kudos to you for your massive creative exercise that has honed many of your talents and been a pleasure for us to share in. Very generous of you.
    I particularly like your photos, especially the series around inner city Melbourne up alley ways and back streets etc. I like your perspective/viewpoint on the little things that catch your eye and make it to pic stage. Please keep it up! I also very much like your introduction to someone you interview/talk to eg the gorgeous Rose Green. More please!!

    With great thanks & high regard
    Cat Black
    XXX

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  10. Congratulations!! So dedicated!

    Oh, the ways I love reading Divacultura. There are so many. A comment doesn't cut it. I've written a song!

    You can listen to it here: http://soundcloud.com/rosewintergreen/divacultura

    These are the lyrics:

    I wanna read Divacultura
    I wanna be Divacultura

    She's there almost every day
    Writing things I wouldn't know how to say
    Seeing things differently
    Sprinkling colour on everything

    I wanna read Divacultura
    I wanna be Divacultura

    She turns spam into entertainment
    Shows that creativity's all how you frame it
    Seeing things differently
    Sprinkling colour on everything

    I wanna read Divacultura
    I wanna be Divacultura

    She digs deep with her juicy questions
    Shining light on things people wouldn't otherwise mention
    Seeing things differently
    Sprinkling colour on everything

    I wanna read Divacultura
    I wanna be Divacultura
    I wanna read Divacultura
    I wanna be Divacultura

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  11. Genius! I LOVE your work Rose. And I'm so supremely pleased at the seriousness of your silliness.

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  12. Happy birthday! I'm a sometimes reader, long time stalker. You continue to ablaze me with your dedication, wit, passion, vocabulary and all round delightful ness. I am so pleased I can call you my friend. Here's to many more years of blogging and Sox xx

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    1. I never think of you as a stalker Warwick. I'll add that to my list! Thanks for your wonderful words.

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