Achievements, lifestyle

4 Celebrations – 4 Years Blogging

Gemma - Wheelescapades

As the title suggests, to celebrate my four years of Wheelescapades, I have four things to tell you.

I’ve learned some stuff

Who’d of thought I’d make it to year four?

When I pressed publish on this very first post I didn’t know what would happen. Not many people saw it, nobody knew it was there. That’s the thing about blogging. It’s takes work and promotion and determination and consistency. To be read anyway.

There so much out there. You need to have a thing and know your thing and do it well. I’m still not sure I do.

I started blogging four years ago with an aim of changing the world. Ha. Not really. I just wanted to change bits of it. To highlight the access issues faced, that are often so easily solved, but more often not even considered.

Access is law, I don’t think people realise that. Although it should be a given it isn’t. And although not everyone feels it should be praised, I do. Without knowing what’s right, how do you realise what’s wrong.

It’s been a funny year writing wise. Life wise really. I haven’t been anywhere exciting, or anywhere. So the writing has changed a little and maybe become more personal. Thoughts and feelings.

I’ve always wanted my writing to have a part of me in it. Personality. I don’t want it to just feel like lists. Although I have done some of those.

Humour. That’s how it started. Tricky situations, inaccessible access, laughs with friends.

I received a comment recently from a reader that says she enjoys my humour, how I talk about serious subjects but with character that makes it light.

That’s when I knew I was achieving what I wanted to. To be accessible myself. Not distant and from another world. I still feel like a newbie though.

I’ve always listened and taken things on board when they are relatable, comforting or amusing. Hopefully I can continue to be those three words.

Words are difficult. In the writing and reading. Like with a text. It’s can be hard to provide context, emotion or empathy. I’m sarcastic and have an odd sense of humour. Sometimes I come across wrong.

My people are out there, though, and they are who’s important.

I’ve discovered I’m not alone in my thoughts. There’s a whole blogging and social network community out there.

Sometimes others articulate things better and say the things I’m thinking better than I ever could. And that’s ok. Celebrate and share those things too. Life’s just one massive multifaceted conversation.

There will always be a need to highlight access issues and campaign for equality. I hate to say it but I can’t see a time when access issues won’t be a thing.

So you can expect more precarious predicaments from me. Such as getting stuck in lifts, or rating a mass of bums.

There’s the new look

So, if you’re a regular you’ve probably noticed the new look. I thought after four years it was time for a little spruce up and redesign.

We all know how indecisive I am, so last week I invited you all on social media to choose from a shortlist of logos I’d designed. It was a closer vote than I expected (maybe my indecisiveness was called for), but the winner was design number 1.

The new chosen logo for my blog. It’s a circular design in pink, orange and turquoise.

I then worked over the weekend on finishing touches and to create the header that now tops the page of my blog and social media pages.

I’ve dropped the ‘Tales of a life with wheels’ bit, because we know that now. Or you will soon enough.

I adjusted the theme of Wheelescapades blog to reflect the same colours, and feel it’s done great to brighten the place up a little.

What do you think?

Twenty Questions is back

If you’ve been around a while you’ll remember that a couple of years ago I ran an interview series creatively titled Twenty Questions. The title says it all. If you’ve not been around for a while then head on over to take a look and discover some fab bloggers.

After a break of almost two years I missed the series, getting to know the nitty gritty and sharing some bloggers I love.

Twenty Questions will be kicking off again next month and I’m looking for participants. If you’d be interested in taking part drop a message in the comments or contact me on my various social medias.

Come on over

Lastly I’d like to invite you all over for a brew. That would be a struggle at the best of times, with my tiny house and some of you living on the other side of the world. But with social distancing and all that it’s best we stick to a virtual party.

So instead I ask that if you’d like to join me in a toast head over to Twitter or Facebook where I have started off the celebrations in the pinned post. Share a photo of your chosen beverage and come over for a chat.

Thank you to those old and new, those who’ve stuck around from the beginning and listened to my rambles. Thank you to the fabulous blogging community and those that read each and every post.

Don’t forget you can subscribe by email below or in the sidebar for all the latest rants, reviews, rambles and round ups.

An image to pin. Title text 4 Celebrations - 4 Years Blogging is in grey on a cream background. A photo of a floral cup of tea on a windowsill takes up the top third of the image.

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.

42 thoughts on “4 Celebrations – 4 Years Blogging”

  2. Pingback: Twenty Questions with – Fleur Perry – Wheelescapades

  4. Huge congrats to you Gemma, for four years of blogging, the spruce up and I love the logo. that’s the one I voted for! You are doing things your way and helping others understand your world with humour and honesty. Thanks for that!

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  7. Congratulations on four years of blogging. I’m so happy I found your blog and as well as it being good to have allies who also want to make the world a more accessible place, you make me smile – and think – as well! I will virtually clink tea mugs with you and offer some virtual cheese scones!

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    1. Thanks Kirsty and back at you. It’s good to have allies but also with different perspectives. I’ve learned a lot from yourself and other bloggers. It can be a great community.
      Cheese scones sound good to me. I had some chocolate ones the other day (more on that coming soon) and thought of you and the love for chocolate!

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  8. Woop, a huge congratulations, Gemma! HAPPY BLOGGIVERSARY!

    I’ll second that on your humour, along with likely every single reader of Wheel Escapades, or is it Wheelescapades, or WheelEscapades? 😉

    I must have missed that on social media with the logo but I love the new look, the logo & the colour-scheme. Bright, funky, distinctive. I like the sound of more 20 Questions, too. Exciting blogging times, it all sounds ‘wheely’ good! xx

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  9. Hi, I’m one of those that you caught somewhere along the way – possibly by your guest post on another blog – and I’m really excited for the return of 20 questions, after having read through your bak catalogue 😉 I would love to be part of the 20 questions series – I have a facebook blog called blind faith: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=141687793215556&ref=content_filter My main thing is writing about running. If you were up for it, I’d love to share a blog of yours about why you love big crowd events like concerts and theatre shows – it mirrors my love of big running races. All best and keep writing, Agata >

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  15. Happy birthday to your blog. I love your logo.

    “I’ve always wanted my writing to have a part of me in it. Personality.” Gemma, you have succeeded. Your blog has personality. I always love reading your posts and was just thinking as I read this that it feels like you are just sitting chatting to me. So I’m just going to pour a cuppa and join the virtual party.

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  19. Looking good after the spruce up. I like your new logo. I enjoy your posts, as alluded yo a nice combination of informative, amusing, and yes, sating what has to be said. It would be great if people didn’t have to be regularly reminded about things like accessibility, but they do!

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