Whakaneke

I had intended to write an inspirational "wings beneath my feet, lead and I will fly away" post with a soupcon of wisdom gleaned while home in New Zealand. But nope, nuttin. Oh there is something. It's a wonderful Maori word we learned while tramping (hiking) for four days in the old gold-mining Coromandel Peninsula now home to hippies, boaties and tree huggerlovers.

Kevin and I on the trail to Stony Bay

Doing what the locals do....hugging a 1000-year-old Kauri  tree

The word is Whakaneke. The "wh" in Maori is always pronounced "f" so say it now: "fakaneke." Very rich and satisfying, it means to move or shift over. In the context of our tramping it meant to keep going, but make way for other trampers.

While we were walking along the green trail wrapped around the remote white sand beaches, it occurred to me that this was a good metaphor for journalism; which is how I made money in my old life and blogging; which is how I don't make money in my present life.

Driving back to Coromandel Town

At journalism school 25 years ago our tutor made much of competing, always pitting us against each other. You have to get that story first, we were told.

But working as a journalist in London, I realised there was another way of looking at it. The person sitting next to me and I could pitch different stories on different things or different angles on the same things and we would both get published. There were many, many stories to be told and there was room for us all.

Kevin in Coromandel Town

In blogging it's the same. And I've been touched by how generous people are to each other, helping each other along; commenting, linking to each other. (Except for the odd incident like the one I read about the other day where someone objected to a blogger linking to her, claiming she was "trying to steal her readers").

When I wrote my first post 18 months ago I thought delusionally that I would just go viral. Just like that! Someone said to me to me at the time: surely if you don't go big it means no one wants to read your stuff? No, I think it means not enough people know about your stuff.

Dad reaching The Pinnacles' summit

Anyway the viral didn't go and I'm still here plodding along. I'm hoping the blog will somehow lead to me writing for other publications and it has, but slowly, slowly.

The other day Cy, seven, was asking how my blog was going and I told him this. He said: "But Mum, you've been doing this for a while and nothing has really happened. Why don't you just get a job in sales?" My friend said: tell Cy that most people have to work at things for a long time.

Image The Pinnacles

Reaching the summit of The Pinnacles

So I'm happy to keep on keeping on. And I'll make sure to look out for you on the path. Whakaneke. I can step aside to make way for you or we can walk together and talk awhile.... Arohanui (much love) and thank you all for visiting, through all the great views and the dirty boots.