Bon anniversaire

Today is Harry Rud’s first birthday. Bake him a cake and post it to Kabul if you wish, he’d be very grateful.

This alter ego thing is getting a bit much. I had a long phone call a while back with somebody who knew me as, and addressed me as Harry (not my real name, by the way. See the ‘about’ page for an explanation), and it was decidedly confusing and not a little unnerving. In the end I cracked and confessed all.

I digress. Happy birthday to me. One year ago I wrote my first post, having just been on a trip to Lal war Sarjangle. As it happens, I’ve just peeled off my long-johns having got back today from a trip to a place not so very far from there, with the same cold smell of winter in the air, the same barren mountain ranges. More of that in the days to come.

Since that momentous day, this blog has had 10,072 visitors, currently averaging about 350 a week. God knows who you are or why you bother, but thank you for dropping by. I started this blog and continue it mainly to have something to do on otherwise boring evenings, and as a way of sorting out my thoughts through trying to express them. But I must confess that checking out the stats pages on this thing can become slightly addictive, while having people take an interest and comment or email, and getting to know other bloggers has been a wonderful bonus. Besyaar tashakor, as we say round these parts. I do dislike all the blogging related neologisms, but it’s been a good eye-opener, getting to know the blogosphere. Fucks sake Harry, stop rambling.

Despite having two egos to contend with, modesty forces me to realise that out of that number of visitors, the vast majority will have moved on just as swiftly as their internet connection could carry them. Still, mustn’t grumble. Most important is that it’s been fun.

Right then, we’re off to celebrate by going to sleep.

Tags: blogging