Tuesday 24 June 2014

Gains and losses

I have just been checking through what I, rather grandly, call my communication archives to see what changes have taken place in the last 12 months.

GAINS

The Facebook Social History group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/609806292391471/

I am the Administrator of this group which has enrolled nearly 850 members in just 8 months. I try hard to post one or two items of interest every day.
Happiness factor - 8/10 

My cemetery related blog
http://grave-mistakes.blogspot.co.uk/

This was started back in July 2013 and it gets between 500 and 2000 visitors a day.
Happiness factor - 10/10 

LOSSES

AC/DC - a young blogger and E-pal of mine who remained cheerful and upbeat despite money troubles and the sudden arrival of her live-in boyfriend's sister to share their tiny flat. I sometimes hear how she is getting on via Eve and Ella but I do miss the first hand contact.
Sadness factor - 4/10
 
 
Old Timer - His "matter of fact" approach to life was like the proverbial breath of fresh air in the world of blogging. He is a widower but has just got engaged to his first ever girlfriend from way back in his school days. He now seems, perhaps unsurprisingly, to be too busy to stay in touch!
Sadness factor - 5/10

 
The Astro-CynicsFour years ago there were five of us who shared a common interest in astronomy and also in being a proverbial thorn in the flesh of the astronomical "movers and shakers". We used to exchange emails a couple of times a month and I used to look forward to hearing all the gossip. Then Hannah died and we were down to four and in 2013 two other members gave up on the hobby as advancing years and retreating finances took their toll. Now Charles, my friend and sounding board in the USA, has decided to retire from the world of science to take up golf and fossil hunting.

And that just leaves me - the last man standing

Sadness factor - 9/10

  
So I seem to have gained 18 points and lost 18 points which rather confirms my view of the last 12 months - "Moderate but not more".