NaBloPoMo: day 14

A perfectly rounded tablespoon of cacao

I started reading The Good People by Hannah Kent (author of the highly acclaimed Burial Rites) on Saturday, but I didn't notice until last night that my copy (from Booktopia) was signed by the author. It was a nice little surprise. 

I'm only a few chapters in and I'm enjoying it. Her prose is so poetic, particularly her descriptions of the landscape. Some sentences I have to read twice to wring full pleasure from them.  

I'm also astounded by her ability to write (again) about a different country in a different time, this time rural Ireland...a very long time ago.  I guess that shows my lack of imagination and aptitude for research. If I were to write a book, I'd stick to the maxim "write what you know". 

I get to have a little sleep in tomorrow - yay! - because instead of going to work I'm going to have a test done at the hospital which will take most of the day. Not so yay, but I get to lie down for four hours afterwards. A good reading opportunity. 

I'm still thinking about last night's cheese kransky and the cheese that oozed out of the burger I ate on Saturday. I love cheese. 

The joy of blogging

Curly cloud!

I can't believe I forgot to mention the best thing about yesterday!

Some of you might know that I've been writing a blog on Myspace since 2006 which has chronicled the ups and downs of my life. Among many other things, I have written about my adventures in online dating and the rollercoaster that was my previous relationship.

I've gathered a small but loyal band of readers on there and yesterday I got an email from one of them in response to the news that I was planning to move the blog from Myspace to Blogger.

She said that she read them back when she was "single and lonely" and struggling to balance life as a single mother to a special needs child.

"I would creep into my little room, while my son slept soundly and read your dating adventures and laugh. It was all exciting and I got a bit addicted at one stage of my boring life as I never got out that much because of [her son's condition], and my work and just basically balancing life as a single mum....So thanks for making me laugh and maybe feel a bit sad reading your blogs...I feel your frustration sometimes, and happiness. Thank you."

I was so touched. Blogging - particularly personal blogs - can be a very self-indulgent exercise, but it's so gratifying to know that your ramblings mean something to someone else, even if they are just a distraction and some light relief at the end of a hard day.

It's a wonderful feeling knowing your words - something you have created - can make an impact.