“Keep a diary and one day it’ll keep you” – Mae West

The start of November and the post a day challenge inevitably prompts me to consider whether the required battle to inspire some creativity in my writing is worth the effort. 

One of the advantages of only ever blogging during November (which now seems to have become a habit over the last few years as regular readers may have noticed….), is that in theory the events of the preceding 11 months should provide a fertile source of material for the 30 odd posts that tradition decrees should be written. 

It also - again in theory - allows the events of the previous year to be recorded and put into a proper context. However, in riffling through my memories of 2021, I have to say that whilst plenty has happened on the work and family life front, there is not a massive amount that is likely to be of much interest to the the wider public (if indeed the wider public are every inclined to make their way to this corner of the blogosphere). 

Of course, that has never stopped me blogging before although in previous years I was not keeping a separate diary recording the more mundane events of the day so there was I guess a little bit more scope to record everyday life without the risk of feeling that I was simply repeating myself.

What makes good blog content is quite the conundrum. I originally started this blog (in fact its predecessor  http://www.taitamtales.blogspot.com/) as a means of keeping our family back in the UK updated on developments in Hong Kong following the arrival of V just over 16 years ago. Needless to say, given my infrequent posting the preferred mode of communication of the progress of the Grandchildren became telephone and Skype so Tai Tam Tales and Al Safa Stories (both named for where we lived although our current location has yet to be reflected in the blog name) became more of an opportunity for me to memorialise matters that seemed worthy of record (or in any event, activities/incidents that I was more likely than not to forget).

In consequence it has become very hit and miss. It generally alludes to important events  but equally when I look back, it makes fleeting mention of significant changes (the fact that we had moved to UAE is only recorded some 18 months after the event when I finally got around to updating) whereas some seemingly more ephemeral matters (the Rugby 7s being one) are a regular feature in posts pretty much for the entirely of the 16 years I have been blogging - although I guess this in part might be explained by the fact that it takes place in November so neatly coincides with the one post per day (and never fails to provide decent content).

And when I re-read earlier posts, it does indeed prompt memories. I have no doubt that if Mae West  had kept a blog, it would certainly have been a rich source of publishing rights (and income). Whilst that is most unlikely to be the case with AlSafaStories (to put it mildly….), nevertheless the fact that I keep returning to it every Autumn probably means that I will continue to persevere with it.