RED BALLOON

I used to belong to a Portland writers group with kendallishere, who sometimes shared with us her fine Blipfoto photographs. I decided to try posting 30 photos in 30 days as an experiment. I figured I might find photography to my liking since my father had been an avid photographer. 
April 10, 2013 was my first blip. 

Thirty days turned into five hundred days without a break. Then I needed to cut myself some slack. Now I post every day when I can, and when other tasks call, I sometimes leave blanks in my calendar. I try to respond to the people I follow and the people who visit me. I hope you all know that I appreciate our exchanges and I’m doing the best I can.

I’ve been on Blip five years as of today, an iPhone photographer among the DSLRs. For a meandering achievement like mine, nowhere near the official 1,825 blips, Blipfoto doesn’t give red balloons. Hence I’ve decided to give myself one. 
* Hooray for taking a chance. 
* Hooray for improving my photographic skills. 
* Hooray for meeting lovely, talented people all over the world. 
* Hooray for lessons in the other English. (You blokes turned me into a swot!)
* Hooray for persevering. 

As waipushrink in New Zealand commented to me: 
“In a society notable for its mobility and transience, 
the constancy of one's virtual friends is very rewarding. 
And therefore maintained. 
And missed when unavailable.”
I’ll try to keep that in mind when I get busy or lazy.
When you're not here, I miss you.
When *I'm* not here, I miss you.

RED BALLOON
Here’s to five good years. 
Here’s to the next five, blipping. 
Hope you’ll be here too!