I decided to celebrate Spring, 6 months of blogging and my 10,000th visitor with a substantial change in the look and feel of the site.
I’m really pleased with the results though I’m a little nervous as I was quite attached to the old look, though I think this looks much neater and sleeker.
Hope you like it too!
Celebration tag
By way of celebration I decided to respond to a ‘you’ve been tagged’ by Hayden Tompkins of Through The Illusion.
I wouldn’t normally respond to this kind of thing but I’m feeling in a good mood and I love Hayden (if Monica or Chris are reading – it’s purely platonic. More like respect and admiration, in fact. Don’t know why I used the word ‘love’, at all. Have I said too much?).
The rules are:
* Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post
* Share 7 facts about yourself in the post
* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names and links to their blogs
* Let them know they’ve been tagged.
So here we go
1 I’ve never visited the USA
All my family have. Most of my friends have. Many of my friends live there. Yet, somehow I’ve managed to carefully avoid the land that gave us MacDonalds, the nuclear bomb and Barbie.
I blame it on my passport which is of the old fashioned variety without even a bar code and I’m sure there’s no way they’d let me in because I look nothing like my picture.
2 My passport expires next year
Which by itself has no real importance. But I’m sure you’ll agree, when combined with point number 1, takes on much greater significance.
3 I am a tennis ace
My greatest sporting achievement is a trophy I won as runner-up in the tennis doubles competition in my local village. I should also add that there were very few entrants that year. So few in fact, that my partner and I got straight into the final without playing a single match.
We lost in the final 0-6, 0-6.
And my partner was a much better player than me.
I still got a trophy!
4 I once had a small collection of dead birds
I feel a bit nauseous remembering this, but around the age of 10 or 11 I developed a morbid fascination for dead birds. I can’t even begin to explain, but I did learn how to preserve small birds and even had a board with the wings of around 15 birds pinned to it.
In my defence, I never killed a bird, they had already shed their mortal coil when I got to them. Also in my defence, I did wake up one morning with a clear realisation of the horror of this ‘hobby’ and promptly gave them all a tearful burial.
5 I have a tattoo
Yes, it’s true! Despite being passionate about nonviolence and despite once being an accountant (it was a LONG time ago), I do have a cool and edgy side. To prove it, I have a small tattoo of a scorpion on my left shoulder.
For anyone reading who has body art on a larger scale, all credit to your tolerance of pain.
For anyone who is considering getting a nice picture painted permanently on your skin, let me just say one thing. IT HURTS! They use needles, and those things are sharp! If someone had told me just how much it hurts, I might have thought twice. There’s a limit to what the human body can tolerate in the interests of being cool!
6 I’ve never had an operation
I think I must be either very healthy, or phobically terrified of doctors, but I’ve never had any kind of operation. Not even a minor one. I intend to live another 45 more years that way, as the idea of putting my body into the hands of a stranger with a sharp knife is very unappealing!
7 I nearly killed the Prime Minister
That’s a slight exaggeration. Well, OK, it’s a huge exaggeration.
Some years ago I was running a workshop in the Hotel Bristol in Warsaw (a very plush hotel, next to the President’s palace). I wasn’t watching where I was going as I came out of the lift and nearly bumped into John Major (who was PM of UK at the time).
We didn’t actually make contact, but if we had then he clearly could have fallen over and fatally injured himself on the marble floor. After all, he’s much smaller in real life than he looks on TV. And I’m much bigger.
So there we have it! 7 fascinating facts about yours truly.
And to continue the game.
Before I go on – I’m only doing this because it says so in the rules – if you want to ignore it, then please do. I won’t take offence. I can only pick 7 and I chose those who are consistently nice to me. If you’re not here, and you think you should, then you need to either be nicer or more consistent.
Michael at Love to Spare for being one of the most cheerful and positive guys I’ve ever met!
Carlo Gabriel at Condomzone for sending me my first fan mail. I love you Carlo! If I was ever in the market for condoms, I’d be sure to buy them from you
Nadia at Happy Lotus for the warmth that exudes from every pore of your site
Juliet at Life Made Great for having the good sense (and courage) to ask me to guest post a few weeks back
Suze at Abundant Mama for being with me pretty much since the beginning
Daphne at Joyful Days for always beating me to comment on other people’s blogs and for being such a ray of sunshine
Diana at Bebelissimo for the great site and for not being upset that I didn’t eat your lasagna!
Jenny at The Bloggess for consistently making me laugh out loud and just to see if you ever visit my site.
That’s all folks!
PS One other thing I should have revealed about me is that I can’t count!
Similar Posts:
- Success: I received an award and other celebrations
- How hard should you smack your children?
- What To Do With Naughty Kids
- Language of love
- The Miracle Of Birth
- Do I Look Good …?
Hi Ian,
First of all, congratulations on the 6 months of blogging! I love the new look of your site. May you have many more months of happy blogging!
Thank you so much for including me in the seven and for the kind words! It is always great to get positive feedback.
Just so you know, I will do a similiar post on my site per the rules listed. I just need to figure out the seven things I want to share! I thought that would be easy but it is not! I just cannot think of the seven that I really want to share…the joys of having too many options!
Thank you Nadia! I fully intend to have many more months happy blogging. I’ll look out for your tag post.
Oh gosh, Ian,
So many of your posts having me laughing out loud. I don’t know if you’ve considered it, but non-offensive humor is a great tool for non-violence. Clearly, you use it well.
Regarding the site change: it took me a moment to realize that I was in the right place. I like the openness and simplicity of this theme, but I didn’t mind the old theme either. It’s all good.
Congratulations on hitting the 6 month and 10,000 visitor mark. That’s impressive! Your practical, down-to-earth advice for living a peaceful (and, yes, evolved life) is highly accessible and appealing. I fully expect that there are many, many happy months and visitors ahead for this blog.
One way or another, we’re going to have to get you into the U.S. – perhaps to do a seminar on non-violence. I’m sure there’s plenty of work here for you.
Finally, thanks for including me in this “You’ve been tagged” celebration. Feels kind of like a chain letter; but since I got it from you, I will consider it an honor.
BTW, I know what you mean about Daphne beating you to comment. I’ve experienced the same thing with her, and increasingly now with Nadia too.
I know what you mean about the chain letter thing. I’ve been tagged before and I generally like this kind of thing, but it’s still nice to be recognised. And I had some fun with the post. And I really like Hayden. So all in all it’s not such a bad deal!
And thanks for the feedback. Seems we’re developing something of a mutual fan club! I’m always open to offers for seminars, even if it means having to upgrade my passport. I’ve been meaning to do it as it’s very scruffy by now!
Hi Ian!
Fantastic new look to your site, clean simple and easy to navigate! Congratulations on 6 months of blogging and 10,000 visitors that’s wonderful! I enjoy your articles and look forward to many more in the months ahead.
Well done on having fun with the 7 facts about yourself. I love the tennis ace confession…congratulations!
And thanks for the heads up on the tattoo…I thought it might hurt a bit but now I know better. 
I look forward to reading the 7 things from the others you’ve tagged!
Thanks Sherri! And for the feedback. As for the tatoo, the pain is like a burning sensation (I nearly passed out! what a baby!). Having said that, I really like it and the pain was worth it. My Mum hates it .. but then I’m old enough to cope with that!
Ian,
I never knew you had such a wicked and amusing sense of humour! I should have known after your tennis ace point that I shouldn’t believe you almost killed the PM yet you had me hanging on to every word!
Thanks also for the honour of receiving a tag. I’m flattered you thought of me!
Sense of humour? Me?
I’m actually a pretty serious guy, but there does lurk a mischievous sense of humour underneath. I let it out to play from time to time. I do try to see the light side of everything, though that’s not always easy with my subject matter! But then I imagine if I was all ‘fire and brimstone’ and preachy then no-one would listen. Or they would and they’d get all defensive.
And how could I not think of you in a game of tag? Seems like every blog I look at, there you are. You are one of those precious gems that keep the whole blogging world turning, and I very much appreciate it!
Ian,
If you ever go out of your country to share and spread your beliefs, go to places where they are needed most.
Hey, my country still recognizes those vintage passports. You’ll be most welcome here.
Carlo Gabriel
I do leave Poland quite often, but only those places that welcome an old British passport! I would love to visit you and your country and spread a little peace and understanding. In your country, I mean. You have plenty of peace and understanding yourself!
Hi there, Ian!
no worries about the lasagna, more for me
thanks for including me in this tagged-thing, I’ll be posting about that soon.
Actually I blame Dragos about the lasagna! I’m certain I told him I don’t eat meat! I was tempted to change though when I saw Bianca asking for a second helping.
This was great! I love the new look. Yes, love. Unafraid to say that. You’ve given us a secret peek into the world of Ian and it makes us love you more. There. Said it again.
And thanks for the tag. Big question now is, will I still write like nobody is reading?
If you’re ever in Canada…
Awww! For some reason ‘love’ seems to be like a taboo on the web. I often see people replace it with ‘heart’ as in ‘I *heart* the comment’. I guess it’s the younger generation! Ha!
And if I’m ever in Canada …
Not much of a meme player, eh? They can be fun and a nice form of “Linky Love.” I like the new look of the blog.
Hey, thanks for the recommendation on Twitter for the blog post about “difficult child vs. difficult parent.” I hope the author considers submitting it to THE BLOG CARNIVAL AGAINST CHILD ABUSE. Have any posts that would be good for April? You know, here in the US, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
I didn’t know that about April in the US. Does that mean during the rest of the year it’s OK to abuse kids? Sorry, poor joke!
And anyone else reading care to submit to a very worthwhile carnival? I encourage you all to support it.
Well, hey… Ian!
I sure do hate to admit this, but today is my first visit to your site (so I don’t know what they old one looked like, but I like this one!) In my defense, I did spend most of March away from my computer, including a little entanglement with Costa Rican immigration… but that’s neither here nor there (another passport issue.)
Now that I’m HERE… it looks like I picked a good day to start! What a fun post, and I can see why you chose your 7, I mean 8, or was it 7? I’ve landed here based on glowing recommendations from Michael and Nadia. When they talk, I listen. They were so right. I can’t wait to look through your archives and see what I’ve been missing!
=-)
Well, hey to you too! Better late than never and I hope you enjoy digging around! And you are so right to listen to Michael and Nadia, 2 of the shining stars of the blogging world! Great to have you here!
Tattoos do not hurt that much
You must not have been drunk enough.
I mentioned Jenny, The Bloggess, in a post once with a link and she came by and commented. It was so thrilled. She’s funny, nice and really awesome.
And I’m just glad you don’t still have the collection of dead birds …
Are you reading this Jenny? See how just a small comment from one of the immortals can make the day of us mere mortals? Don’t be shy now!
And Kim … I think women in general have a greater pain tolerance than us men. Most of us are just big cry babies! Next time I’ll make sure I’m drunk enough!
Oooh, just lovely. I’m such a minimalist; I TOTALLY :heart: the newness.
(In all fairness, though, I should disclose that I really dislike brown….unless it’s chocolate…in which case, carry-on…but it’s probably best NOT on your computer. You should take my word on this.)
It’s very fresh and easy on the eyes, easy to read and zips you straight to the content. I do miss, however, your featured photo of a leader in nonviolence. Mayhap that would fit in the bar on the right hand side, similar to the old site? (Like a photo with borders and a curling edge if I recall correctly?)
As for your unfettered love of ME, and me of YOU (no matter what Star Trek you love deep in the marrow of your bones), the platonic-ness of our awesome crushitude knows no bounds.
I was never really happy with the non-chocolate brown either but it was beyond my novice level coding skills to change it. I’ll remember your words in case I ever think that a chocolate website would be a cool idea! I know what you mean about the Mandela, Gandhi and King pictures. I’ll think about it, but my immediate thought is that I prefer the uncluttered look I’ve got now. If I can find a way of getting them in without clutter then I will.
And I’m blushing reading your last sentence.
Wait …
I read it again and it’s OK. No need to blush.
Ian, April comes spriding its wings away so happy spring.
I liked the 7 facts about yourself especially the 7th; Oh I remember when I was young -I’m in my 30s- when I used to see him on the TV
Thanks Hicham. Spring is my favourite time of year. Creative, fresh and full of hope. From the brief meeting with him, he seemed like a nice guy. I’m happy I didn’t kill him!
Hi Ian
Aw, already been tagged – you can read my post on my blog if you interested. But, thank you for the thought!
Mmm, dead birds and prime ministers. I thought you were in favour of non-violence?
Juliet
I wasn’t always a peaceful, nonviolent guy! I’ve seen both the dark side and the light side! You can be tagged more than once, you know! Just because you did it once doesn’t mean you can escape so easily. As it’s you .. I’ll let you off the hook!