You know how they say some days you’re the windscreen, some days you’re the bug? For instance, on some days I seriously have to ask myself what insanity gripped me when I started to blog. As it is, I complain constantly to Nick about how there are too few hours in the day – how I would love to have more time to go to gym, get my photographs out of envelopes & boxes and displayed in an album, take a photography course, bake more stuff, practise yoga etc etc. So it was an interesting choice of leisure pursuit – something which will take even MORE of my already-lacking time. And then you spend an eternity squeezing out a post – thinking up a topic, taking & editing the pictures, writing and re-writing the text, researching and adding the links… and nothing happens!! No comments, no noticeable increase in traffic, a big fat nothing. And then I ask myself "are you possessed?? Find another hobby!! NOBODY CARES!". Those days, I’m the bug.
But then along comes a day like last Friday and *oh man*, I’m the windscreen. It started off with my remembering, on the train at lunchtime en route to do some shopping, that today was PD (publication day). Let me explain. Sometime in November I had an e-mail from a reporter who explained that she was doing an article on European food blogs and would I be available for a telephone interview in the near future. Being of the school of thought that any publicity is good publicity, I agreed and a couple of days later we had the interview. Publication was due to take place in December but was delayed until January. I had almost forgotten about it, what with all the dramas of Christmas, but an e-mail from the reporter reminded me that the 6th was the day. So off I went to the newsagents and bought a copy of the Wall Street Journal Europe and stood in the shop eagerly leafing through it – and there on page 17 of the Weekend Journal was the blogging article! (The article is available online, but only to subscribers 🙁 If you happen to be one of those, here is the link) It mentions me, Tim, Anne, Clotilde, Jarrett and Tana, and I was thrilled to be mentioned in such good company. Plus I got to call home and tell my dad "hey, guess what, I was in the Wall Street Journal!" ;-).
But it got better. I was also alerted by Christina (writing over at the Paper Palate section of the newly-launched Well Fed Network) to the fact that Cooksister got a mention in the Feb 2006 edition of Olive Magazine – so of course I had to go out and buy that too. What I found was that I was one of their top 5 food bloggers, as chosen by Tim from Fire and Knives. Tim is one of the people whose writing I respect and admire the most (hell, I wish I’d written some of his stuff!) so to be selected by him was a huge compliment and I was well chuffed. Also included in his top 5 were UK bloggers Meg and Johanna, as well as Bruce and Pim.
And now that I’m thinking & writing about it, I also never mentioned that back in August I was alerted by not one but two friends to the fact that Cooksister was mentioned as winner of a South African Blog Award in an article published in South African Express’ in-flight magazine. I never got to see the article myself, but my friend Craig blogged it here and the post includes a link to a scan of the article if you’re interested. Oh yes, and Anthony very kindly took it upon himself to mention Cooksister in most complimentary terms in an article he wrote for Spice magazine, the recently launched (and may I add very high quality) quarterly publication about the western Australian foodie scene. Thanks, Spicey!
So yes, every once in a while, I get to be the windscreen. Put the top down, baby, and let’s ride! 😉
I actively read all your posts and enjoy doing so – so congrats to you for you new world-wide acclaim and fame.
I got mentioned in the Henley Standard once. It didn’t mention the blog though as it was a small advert for selling the car… 😉
When is your book coming out? We want a book. Your public has spoken…
Congrats on the worldwide fame, hopefully fortune to follow…
Sally
Congrate Jeanne, your fame is spreading. Here’s a link to the actual post containing the SA Airlink article. http://jalna.blogs.com/my_weblog/2005/09/fame_and_fortun.html
Craig
See Jeanne? They LOVE YOU! I really appreciate your long and informative posts. My real interest lies in the stuff about your life in and out of South Africa… Are you planning to go home this year? My SA second cousin who came to work in London for a year told me that she couldn’t possibly contemplate a life in the UK as she needed to see the sky! It suddenly dawned on me that yes, what I called the sky all my life was actually CLOUD!
Anna.
Congratulations! About time Olive picked up on food bloggers, Lulu (the food editor) has had enough of them in her food writing class. Love the new banner, too – just in time for your millions of new fans!
Jenni
I love how you bring out the truth of blogging – the frustration of pouring a lot of ones day into a post and then seeing the stat counter go nowhere or down! Glad to see you are getting the readership you deserve! Have fun with the publicity 🙂
Nika
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http://nikas-culinaria.blogspot.com
Congrats! And you’re right about the rewards not being anywhere near the effort we put in.
I hope we can meet one day. When I visit London…or you come to San Francisco!
Cheers, and congrats on the good press.
Congratulations to you!! Your blog is awesome, I am very very proud that a fellow South African has received such wonderful recognition.
Congratulations! It´s agreat way to start the 2006 🙂
BTW, I’ve noticed you´ve got a new look for your blog….it’s fantastic! Hugs,
M
That’s just great stuff all round, it’s great to have a sense of worth regardless of others but facked if I can do it.
And thanks very much for the mention about the mention, did you think I would leave you crying when there’s room on my horse for two.
Hi Andrew
Thanks *blush* – am slowly adjusting to newfound fame. Squeezing past the crush of paparrazzi on my doorstep every morning remains a challenge… 😉 Re. the Henley Standard – better a car advert than a “wanted, dead or alive” advert!!
Hi Sally
Aaah, yes, book. Sadly, not yet. The Digital Dish will have to suffice for now. Thanks for inspiring my to start this blog & for all your comments & support!
Hi Craig
Thanks again for alerting me to this article – and keep on bloggin’!
Hi Anna
Really glad to see how much you are enjoying Cooksister! And if you like long posts, you’ve come to the right place 😉 I am hoping to do a series sometime this year focusing only on South African foods, so watch out for that. Yes, I am going home this year – two to three times!! Going for 2 weeks in Feb to see my and NIck’s respective families and lie on the beach a bit. Then I’m going in April for a school reunion (don’t even ask how many years!). And I have vowed to spend Christmas in SA this year. I also miss the sky – and the horizon!! But mostly the sun and proper rainstorms, not the drizzly stuff we get here, but the sound of rain on a roof so loud it wakes you up at night… Oh yes, and I miss hearing frogs and crickets in the night! (Do I sound homesick to anyone?? ;-))
Hi Jenni
Thanks! And glad you like the new banner. Believe me, it cost blood, sweat and tears – learning how to create (as opposed to edit) images in PaintShopPro and then struggling to get it to display… Don’t even go there! But having it noticed makes it all worthwhile.
Hi Nika
It’s the worst, isn’t it?!? But then you post something small or silly and suddenly everyone comments. So you just have to believe the lurkers are out there, reading but not commenting. Thanks for visiting & keep on blogging 🙂
Hi Lady Amalthea
Let me tell you, if I had a pound for every hour I sat swearing at the computer trying to get that banner up… or for every pencil-chewing hour I have spent looking up the links that pepper my marathon posts, I’d be a rich woman!! But then, even the posts that attract no comments give me pleasure when I look back on them later and chuckle to myself.
Hi Tana
Congrats to you too for appearing in the same article! Mmm, San Francisco! That is so definitely on my list of places to visit… If I have any say in the matter then 2007 sounds like the year for a trip to San Francisco & the Napa Valley – will keep you posted 😉 And of course, do let me know if you are ever heading this way – any excuse for a blogger get-together!
Hi Jacqui
Aww, thanks! It’s great to have more and more expat South Africans blogging their experiences – it’s such an awesome way of documenting your feelings and memories and staying in touch with friends and family both near and far. Keep up the great work on your blog!
Hi Melissa
Thanks! See all my remarks above re. the blood sweat and tears that the banner cost me…! But in the end it looks good and I’m happy. Now I just have to get to work on updating my typelists and then all will be well!
Hi Anthony
Don’t mention it (hah!) – this could be like a circle in a spiral of mutual backslapping, like the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream.
Oh, and btw, when we grow up we’ll both be bloggers – we can blog just as fast with two.
🙂