I began the Highriser blog, now the From the Highrise blog, on this date twenty years ago. The former blog was killed by Google for reasons unknown, perhaps copyright infractions in one of the sites in the Google empire. I have to accept that happened but I hated losing my history. Nevertheless, most of my old blog is archived, at least the written words. Things are just much harder to find.
This I think was my first post, on this day twenty years ago. Our friend received a heart transplant and is alive and well, retired and now living in Launceston, Tasmania after a successful latter career in sports administration. She has just turned 62. Once a year our medical system pays for her to fly to Melbourne and accommodates her for two nights to have a heart check. Launceston is not a big city with a big hospital where such health conditions can be best monitored. This in not uncommon.
I don't think I tagged initially but went back and added tags later.
I can't really remember how my blog looked at that time, but you can see it here. I remember this look. And this one. One of my blog templates featured an orange theme, but I can't find when that was now.
My first blog post.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Pretentiousness
It is not the first blog I have started. The first I deleted after one post. I only showed it to one person, a dyke friend and she found it quite amusing. It was a bit of nonsense about how to empty your toilet bowl of water by putting a long double length of toilet paper a bit down the S or P bend and the wick effect slowly removes the water.
Sadly her lupus medical condition has caused terrible complications with her kidneys and heart and she is at a major hospital awaiting a heart transplant. It is so sad for someone who is 42, so fit and so vital with so much to live for. I am not a religious person but before sleeping one night last week, I did say the Lord's Prayer for her, just in case I am wrong.
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I am so glad that your friend is still doing well all these years later. And am very glad that you continued your blog - and started this one when your other was so rudely taken away.
ReplyDeleteEC, her life expectancy is now a further ten years. Medical magic happens. Thank you.
DeleteYour prayers seem to have been answered. I'm so glad you continued blogging or I would never have made your acquaintance.
ReplyDeleteJB, I do believe in the miracle of modern medicine. It's good to know you too.
DeleteHappy Blogiversary! Cheers to many more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob. I wish I knew of your blog earlier.
DeleteHappy Blog Anniversary Andrew. I really enjoy your blogging.
ReplyDeleteThat's great about your friend.
Alison in Wales x
Thanks Alison. It has been good to make your acquaintance.
DeleteIs flying with a heart condition allowed? I sincerely hope so because without good health, we are nothing :( I broke my ankle last week which is a very minor issue. But life on the couch has been miserable.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say your old blog is archived, where is it? And can you get it back? Losing it forever would be unthinkable.
Clearly it is Hels. I am sure she had appropriate insurance. Oh gosh, I am so sorry to hear about your ankle. You've had a rough time this year.
DeleteOn the top right there are two links to my old blog. Trove has all my written words but only some photos. There is a six month gap where my blog was not archived between March and I think October when it was killed. Way Back Machine has also archived some of it. No, I cannot get it back.
I'm really impressed by your longevity. I do love looking back to my earlier more rudimentary days on my own blog. What a way to connect with the person I was and the life I was living! Always a pleasure to come here. Andrew. Thank you for posting. Aloha Thank you for posting. Aloha!
ReplyDeleteThank you Cloudia. You are kind. When I look back at very old blogposts, there are things I cannot remember at all, but I wrote about them and they are true.
DeleteI'm so happy that our friend Pants introduced us so very long ago. And glad that your friend is still alive. I remember when your old blog was removed without cause. Bastards.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Is that how we connected, WWW. Pants is a nice person and I hope to meet up with her again very soon.
DeleteI don't remember what your blog looked like when I first found you, I didn't start blogging until 2010, but was reading blogs about a year before that. Just Kath's at first until I learned how to find others by clicking on names in comments.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I've known you in blogland for a very long time. I should think since a couple of years after you began your blog. Learning the rudiments of blogging was a bit challenging, but you and I both got there. I think you should take some pride in your blog and I guess you will not stop, until you do.
DeleteNo idea when we first met…..but pleased we did.
ReplyDeleteOh I remember the fiasco of the ‘here today - gone tomorrow - and I know not why’
Who knows who’s watching what we write, so pleased you had the foresight (or luck) to have it archived. My goodness those were short posts you wrote in 2004
Cathy, there was another woman who commented on my blog about the same time you did. I had to work out who was who initially. My memory is hazy about it now, but no matter. It is good to have you as a blog friend.
DeleteThe cancellation of High Riser was cruel and possibly performed by misguided algorithms which arguably made it all the more tragic. I remain impressed by the fact that you had the resilience to go again with "From The High Rise". Many congratulations on twenty years of blogging Andrew! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteYP, you are kind. Onwards and upwards, but I do regret the loss of my blog and the infuriating aspect that I don't know why. I think I found you or you found me via Cro, who ditched me when my old blog was killed. You do have to be a bit hard arse in the world of blog at times.
DeleteThat is a wonderful achievement Adnrew, Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteYour friend did well with the heart and I do hope the other will be ok..
Will look at your old blog/s.
Thanks Margaret. We came so close to meeting but the stars did not collide. Who knows in the future.
DeleteAndrew, this is such a coincidence! I just realised that it's 20 years since I too started this blog. It was on Sept 11, 2004. And the post was 'Three years after 9/11"
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't my first blog. The earlier ones were trial or practice ones just to know how blogging works.
Though I started blogging to explore that medium, I have gone on to post quite consistently all these years. It has been an informal medium for self-expression and I have got many acquaintances and I have been able learn a lot from the posts of others.
Oh wow Pradeep. We began the same month. I enjoyed the setting up of a blog and then with the help of others, giving it a polish. You should have posted something to acknowledge your blogaversary.
DeleteCongratulations on 20 years. Few of us stick with it this long. Keep it up as long as you can.
ReplyDeleteTP, you and others encourage me to continue and I love the connections I've made, including yourself.
DeleteWell, I'm glad to hear your friend is doing better. And congrats for 20 years! I'm a mere youngster, at 18. :)
ReplyDeleteSteve, maybe that equals 20 years as I doubt I wrote much of interest for the first couple.
DeleteHappy Anniversary
ReplyDeleteCheers James.
DeleteThat is a great achievement. You are so good at posting regularly. I definitely don't want to give up on blogging but I don't comment or post as much as I should.
ReplyDeleteFun60, not to be soppy about it, but of course without blogging I would never have met you, three times, four days.
DeleteThat is a long time to be blogging. Congrats to you Andrew.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat.
DeleteThank you for sharing this heart-lifting news. And I swear this terrible pun only occurred to me before typing... ummm... well... I fibbed, but my imprudence conjured the word choice first. lol Perhaps that's how this 55-year-old adolescent mind works. ~hangs head~ Regardless, I wish you and yours all the best.
ReplyDeleteDarla, as happens I had to check what I wrote before getting the pun. Thanks.
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