Achievements, introduction, Musings

My 1st Blogiversary

Gemma - Wheelescapades


It’s been a year to this day since I posted my very first blog post ‘I’m blogging‘ and the page ‘This is me‘. Wheelescapades was born.
I feel it’s a huge achievement for me to have made it a whole year as a blogger. I’m not a quitter, I don’t often let things beat me, but this blogging lark is much harder work than I ever imagined. I’m proud and grateful that it has grown and grown, me picking up writing momentum and hopefully continuing to write interesting tales, the following is gradually growing every week.

Writing about my adventures has also begun to influence my life more than I expected. I take a lot more notes when I am out and about, often actually taking notes (on my phone) to remember details or thoughts that I know I’ll forget later! (I learned this the hard way!) It builds memories for myself as well as telling my tales to others. Blogging pushes me to think about what I’m doing, look at my surroundings, and treasure the funny moments with family and friends. Like a journal in a way where I can look back on the hundreds of ‘on the move’ photos on my phone, re read a post, and although you don’t know all the moments and thoughts and ‘behind the blog’ stuff that happens that day, I remember it. And looking back over Wheelescapades spark those memories.

Proof that I’ve made it to a year!

As is the tradition with my actual birthday I am not just going to celebrate on the one day (my birthday can span from a week to a month!). This blogiversary is going to party on!

To celebrate Wheelescapades surviving it’s first year I am going to do 3 things.

Thing number 1

As my first blog page was titled ‘This is me‘ and didn’t actually say that much I’d like to invite you to ask me some questions or give me some prompts on what I could add about me. I’ll endeavour to answer as many as I can (as long as we keep some boundaries!) in the comments here or on social media.

In a few weeks time (as long as you all help out!) I shall expand and revamp my ‘This is me’ section including some of your best questions! So here’s your chance to ask anything you like!  

Thing number 2

Fact Friday.
Starting tomorrow (because tomorrow is Friday) I am going to start a # on Twitter. I know, what’s come over me, this girl never did tech! #FactFriday and #FactOfTheDay already exist as #’s (although I will link to these too) so I want to create a new # to allow for people to join in and follow.

Drum roooollllll #WheelOfFact sorry I know that’s bad, but I like it, and that’s that. #WheelOfFact will have a theme in that it has to relate to my blogging. So basically a lot of the facts will be tea related! And of course highlight issues of access and disability.

I’ll be providing a fact every Friday for the foreseeable future (let’s just see how this thing rolls, pun intended), and you can interact however you feel the need. Just make sure you #WheelOfTruth so that I and others can see!

If you haven’t yet discovered Wheelescapades on Twitter and want to then click Twitter. You don’t have to, but you should!

Thing number 3

I will leave you with a list of the 12 things I’ve learned in these past 12 months – 

  1. Writing things for the world to read is daunting, exhilarating and hard work.
  2. I have some of the best friends a person could ask for.
  3. I rant a lot more than I realised. But that’s fine, they are justified rants. Mostly.
  4. Although I’ve always had a disability, blogging about it with a view to other people with disabilities reading it has made me think about it more. Not in a negative way. Naidex.
  5. I need more girls holidays!
  6. Predictive and corrective typing makes me realise how slack I’ve become at the written word. What did we do when it was just pen, paper and possibly a dictionary?!
  7. Although it doesn’t seem like accessible toilets are improving, I discovered the Porta-hoist-a-loo.
  8. Until recently I blogged alone, did my thing, read some other blogs. Then I started interacting with others and discovered how lovely the blogging community is. This has really spurred me on.
  9. Laughter always will be the best medicine. For me anyway!
  10. I must take more photos, and write notes while they are fresh in my mind.
  11. Although access to venues is improving. Tickets purchasing isn’t. Yet. The Elusive Golden Ticket.
  12. I still and always will love tea.

Here’s to another productive 12 months!

Published by Gemma - Wheelescapades

Whenever friends and I are out we always end up discussing, critiquing, analysing where we are and what we are doing. From talking about the food we are eating, the soap in the toilets, the awful bus journey to our destination, anything and everything we encounter. Because of my disability (SMA type2) many of the situations we get into, issues we discuss and laughs we have can be due to wheelchair access. Often me getting stuck in mud or shingle, or me making my way through the most cram packed shop you can imagine, wondering how I am ever going to find the way out again! I aim to write a blog that describes these dramas, tells stories of our laughs, adventures and frustrations, while giving detailed information on accessibility and wheelchair access. Also I like tea. ALOT. The quality of the tea often determines my return just as much as the accessibility.

61 thoughts on “My 1st Blogiversary”

  1. Happy Blogaversary from another wheelie! I am seriously glad you’re here. Sorry I missed the actual day. I was travelling, drinking coffee, and complaining loudly about access issues in our hotel room! 😉

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  5. Congratulations on a year of blogging! seems like a long way off for me to achieve that goal (only been blogging a few months!) and I hope you make it to two years 🙂

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  6. Congratulations on 1 year of blogging, that’s such an amazing achievement !! Well done!

    I love the idea of This is me page! My questions to you for this would be:
    1) Where are you hoping to go with the blog in the next year to come.
    2) Tell us more on why you started blogging and what it means to you from a day one perspective and a n=present day perspective now 1 year on
    3) What you will do this year that you didn’t do last year… Knowing all you know now in comparison to what you knew when you first started out?

    Looking forward to seeing whats to come
    xx

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    1. Thank you!
      1) I hope to continue to tell my tales of life with wheels, and would like to get get connected to other bloggers/people with wheels.
      2) I spoke in an above comment about why I started blogging. I would say that to begin with it was much more a casual hobby. I now look at almost every situation from the point of view of a blogger. I write a lot of notes. I analyse situations more than I did at first. And am always looking at access, whether it affects me or not.
      3) I will, and slowly am, interacting with the blogging community more. At first I just did my thing, read others blogs but didn’t really interact. I feel this is important, to gain knowledge and spread my blog.

      Thank you for your questions.

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      1. This is such a good idea I really do think you should bring it all together in a blog post with all the questions and answers! I know I’d love to read that ❤️
        100% agree with you on looking at things from a blogger point of view! I do that now to!! From days out to photos and everything thing else I now do in my normal life!!
        Keep at it lovey your doing great xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you!
      Well if I had to choose just one tea to only have for the rest of my life that would be traditional (builders without sugar) everyday tea. Personally at home I use tea bags, who has the time and money really for loose leaf when they drink 7-8 cups a day! However that just makes it more of a treat when I’m out and get served loose leaf. The taste of loose leaf is by far my preference, but you can have too much of a good thing hey!

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      2. Ooh I haven’t had Ceylon in a while! I think I should make more effort and use loose leaf in a pot sometimes. Any tips on keeping it as hot as possible?

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  14. You have squeezed so much into your blog in a year. Yes it’s harder than we think starting off isn’t it! It’s so time consuming but also very addictive. I enjoy reading everyone’s blogs. More fun than TV. Congrats on your Blogiversary Gemma.👏👏

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    1. Thank you!
      This is a tricky one… all the posts mean many different things to me, and mark some fantastic times and opportunities. However if I had to choose one it would be Wimpole Estate – down on the farm (I’ll link at the end), not because it was my favourite place or day, but because it highlights one of the reasons I wanted to start blogging. The subject of this post was me being invited to rate, review and discuss the accessibility of an attraction, and to give my opinion on how access could be improved. I would really like to do this more. Although all my posts do this in a way, they are just my ramblings, whereas Wimpole Estate was me being ‘asked’ for my ramblings!

      https://wheelescapades.com/2016/10/31/wimpole-estate-down-on-the-farm/

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  16. Congrats on your 1st Blogiversary! Just reading a post about restaurant accessibility opened my eyes. I think a lot about visually impaired because I used to be classified as legally blind. I think about different improvements that can be made. You were pointing out importance of table seating for wheelchair accessibility. My question is what message would you give to ensure the importance of living life to the fullest.

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    1. Thank you for your comment. Although I have a disability myself it is difficult for me to put myself in the position of someone with a different disability, and understand their needs in detail, such as being visually impaired. So I can understand why the finer details of accessibility are sometimes overlooked. I think it would be great to have a group of people with various needs to assist with the design and development of venues and events.
      As for your question, I would say to people that nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow, where you will be or what you will be able to do, so if there’s something you have the possibility and urge to do now, then do it. Also there are ways around almost anything. So don’t think you can’t do something. Everyone is different, do it in your way. Just a very small, mundane example of this – I can’t type for long on my laptop, my arms just don’t like it anymore. So I (with the power of technology) sometimes, type on my phone and it appears on my laptop screen. There’s always a way.

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      1. I agree with getting a group of people together “various needs” and collaborate on design. I lived in St Louis for a short time and one thing that stuck out for me is it’s public transit. I saw a dangerous crossing and had to speak up about it. So much more needs to be done. You answered my question very well. Actually provided some inspiration for myself. I like that you said “do it in your own way”. I’m learning that lesson slowly but surely. It takes a huge weight off my shoulders.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. Hi Gemma! Here’s my question: What are three things you do or plan to do every day that bring you joy?

    And: If you ruled the world what one thing would you insist the people you lead always do?

    Happy one year!

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    1. Ok so I’ll start with ruling the world! Although I’d hate the job to be honest, I’m not much of a leader. However if I were in charge I would request that every human had to do one kind thing per day, kindness is such a simple thing, yet often in a busy world so sparse and overlooked.

      Now the three things I do or would do everyday to bring me joy.
      Drink tea, (probably an obvious one) it’s the first thing I do every morning. Partly routine, partly comfort. But I am not nice to be around until I’ve done this ritual.
      Interact with friends and family. Be it in person or via text/FaceTime/phone, the people close to me bring me joy, make me laugh and feel content.
      I try, but this does depend on my mood and tiredness, to do something creative everyday. Be it crochet, cross stitch, writing or anything crafty. Making things is something I enjoy, find therapeutic and have to do. I often miss being around the creativity of when I was at Art School.

      These are brilliant questions thank you, and really made me think! I’d love to know others answers.

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      1. I love your answers! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I’d love to hear what others would respond too! My three things would be: Coffee and alone time. Cuddle with my husband and son. Move the needle, at least a little with my writing career–either by actually writing, framing a story, researching a story, or investing time in getting to know the industry.
        As far as ruling the world I’d do a daily radio show where a smart, self-aware, humble, leader of some kind from all kinds of different fields (science, spirituality, business etc) would do a ten minute talk. Everyone would get a tax credit if they could prove they had listened to at least a talk a week, every week.
        I don’t think that’s a lot to ask. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Happy anniversary! I’m happy to have discovered you and your blog, and couldn’t agree more with #8. I’ve met some wonderful people via the written word here on WordPress. However terrifying it was to click “publish” those first few times, I am so glad I did. Looking forward to your continued writing here!

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  23. Happy Blogiversary!
    Love #WheelOfFact! Will help you make it a thing.
    I’m trying to get my #iwozere out there and played with.
    My question to you – what made you start blogging and have you achieved so far, what you had hoped?

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thank you!
      I shall check out #iwozere, be great to support each other.
      In answer to your question- I get into some awkward, funny and difficult situations mainly due to my wheels. I also get different experiences and treatment with/from people due to having wheels. My friends and I would always joke about this, the good and the bad, as a way of coping I guess. Sometime you have to laugh or you’ll go crazy. Often saying if only people could hear us, I should write a book of all this drama. Well I guess a blog was born.
      I also wanted a serious side to the blog. Not many websites give you the gritty details of accessibility to a venue. I wanted to chart good and bad access. To get people to look at it more.
      I had a comment recently from a Mum of a son with a disability similar to mine. Saying I’d helped her think about what could lay in his future as he becomes more reliant on wheels. That’s when I thought I’d achieved something!

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