One year ago today, I burst onto the blogging world. Well actually, as I described it myself, I ventured out, putting my toe in the shallow end. What an adventure it has been. I have mastered an incredible number of technical skills, thanks to a lot of research but also thanks to the kindness of many who have helped me in the spirit of sharing. I've come a really long way down that road I'm glad to say.

I've learned a lot about my camera and although I still don't have "the eye" my photos are a lot better than they were. I also muck about with them a bit before I post them, so that's been quite the bonus, learning those skills. I have developed from no image posts to some with images from the web to the fact that now, by far the majority of the images on the blog are photos I've taken myself. Saturday Photo Hunt is great fun and has helped me tremendously to learn more about photography.

But by far the most positive thing to come out of this blog has been the online friendships I've developed over this past year. Four people came out of nowhere to comment on my first post and I'm still in contact with these people. I've developed many online friendships from this blog, some more casual than others but I think that has been the biggest bonus of all. What is so amazing is the variety of ages and nationalities and different interests that I have encountered in these friendships and it illustrates what a global village we are today. I think this is what makes blogging so valuable. It breaks down the normal barriers that separate us so that we find out how much we have in common with each other, how much people are the same, no matter where they live. Only good can come of that.

Now blogging is very hard work, if it's done correctly. It's not only writing your own blog to the best of your ability, but it's visiting other blogs and interacting with those bloggers with your comments and exchanges. In that spirit I joined a small group of bloggers at Blogpower doing just that during the past year and that's been quite the experience.

Blogging takes a lot of time and effort and many things in my life have suffered this past year. Reading has been one of them and it seems that I only read a book a week or every ten days now whereas I read a book every couple of days before, sometimes one in a day. I've only made a couple of small quilts this past year instead of the usual number and my house is a total disaster.

Lots of times along the way, I've been tempted to quit. I don't really have anything to say. I often wonder what the heck I am doing here. Sometimes I can't think of a thing to post and am ready to call it a day. But somewhere along the way, as it got closer to the time, I said I've got to do this for a full year at least. But somehow I doubt there will be a second anniversary for this blog. Nobody Important is the perfect title. This age challenged lady is playing at having a blog and nattering on about places I've been, books I've read and as it says above, going wherever my fancy leads me. Well, you never know, maybe I'll still be here next year. Chissà? Who knows?

Now a little word about stats. Yes, I check my stats obsessively, just like everyone else. Yes I know that more than 80 per cent of the visitors are google searches for one thing or another. Yes, maybe around twenty five visitors each day are return visitors. But a couple of times I've had huge daily numbers, as when I hosted the Advent edition of the Blogpower round-up. Sadly, I set a new record this week. The first time for over 200 visitors on one day to this blog. All because visitors from Brainhell's comment section came to read my tribute to him. For one day many of his loyal readers came to my site.

But I do want to thank the people who come regularly or intermittently to read this blog and comment, or not. Every one of you is precious to me and you have made this year very special. My family and friends all think I'm crazy with this blogging thing but I know that each and every one of you understands the lure of it all.

So join me in a virtual toast on this, the first anniversary of blogging for jmb. Cin Cin!

I can be found at http://nobodyimportant-jmb.blogspot.com/ most days. Come over and say hi.

And so ends 2007, the year in which I started this blog and made so many wonderful new friends out there in cyberspace. You have all enriched my life in so many ways. You've challenged my mind with your posts, you've helped me with my tech problems, you've taught me so much about your different worlds, you've entertained me with your humour. Some of you have shared your poetry and stories and your beautiful paintings and photographs. You've welcomed me into your lives and shared your innermost thoughts and I am grateful to each and every one of you.

I wish you all health, happiness and prosperity for 2008 and being half Scottish, I'll close with the words of Rabbie Burns in Auld Lang Syne and make a toast (non-alcoholic, of course) to you all.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.

or for the linguistically challenged English speakers

And there is a hand, my trusty friend!
And give me a hand of yours!
And we will take a right good-will drink,
For old long past.

Over the years I've become a big fan of certain Italian pop superstars. Originally I explored Italian contemporary music as my interest in the language grew. Some I can leave but some I quite like and listen to a lot, owning multiple CDs of each singer. One is Nek whose CD In Due I enjoyed on my iPod at the gym this morning. But I think my favourite is Eros Ramazzotti, one of the most successful cantautori or singer/songwriters in Italy today.

His popularity extends far beyond Italy for he releases every new CD in Italian and Spanish. I don't know how popular he is in the English speaking world but he has collaborated on recordings with Cher, Tina Turner and Ricky Martin. Usually I can get his CDs locally, one copy maybe in the World Section or I can always get them online.

Italian pop/rock music has its own definite sound. It's very different from British or American pop/rock and it doesn't seem to get much radio play in the English speaking world. Zucchero, another very successful Italian superstar had this to say in an interview, about releasing an album both in English and Italian:

"The radio in England or America will not play your music unless it's sung in English. That's the main reason, because honestly it's not easy to translate from Italian to English. Sometimes it's ok, but sometimes it's very difficult because you lose the poetry. You lose the harmony and the deep meaning of the lyrics sometimes because it's not easy to translate into another language. I personally prefer to sing in my own language but the radio in England and America won't play the music if it's not in English."

But back to Ramazzotti, for whom I have a slight preference over the others. I was delighted to hear that he had a new CD being released in North America at the end of October. I looked online first, as I usually do, but only available for pre-order. Recently in the music store I went over to the International Section and there it was. But wait, was it in Spanish or Italian? I've been caught before, so I always check carefully. No, Italian, great. It's two CDs. That meant really expensive and Italian CDs are never cheap here. $30 plus tax. It's only money, so I bought it.

I could hardly wait to rip off the cellophane and play it when I got home. The first song was great, the second.........what the heck? That was an old one. I grabbed the CD case and saw this little sticker.

The Ultimate collection on 2 CDs
14 classics plus 4 new songs plus 17 new versions.
New collaborations with....list

So basically it's a best of compilation with a few new songs, some old songs and some old ones reworked with new collaborators, like Cher, Tina Turner, the Chieftains. What a gyp Eros. Nothing new for two years and now this. Oh well, I do like it so I'll just enjoy it and forget about the fact that I've been swizzed, I've been taken, I've been cheated. I definitely have to read the fine print next time.

Apart from Welshcakes, I'm sure few of you have even heard of Eros Ramazzotti. However I think you might like this one with Ricky Martin, Non Siamo Soli, We are not alone. They won't allow anyone to embed the video but this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5L9-m-8Wgc will take you right to it at YouTube. Do click over and let me know what you think.

NB I don't know how to link here so just go to YouTube and look for Non siamo soli. It will pop right up.