Blogarch. Me. Costello Syndrome. Depression. And that other fella.

Wow. It's been busy in here! All those re-entries put a lovely smile on my dial and I thank you. I've been a bit MIA but a bit more on that later.

For regular readers, the 7 day challenge was indeed a great success (much to R's infinate delight and chuffedness and chest pumping) and the love has continued to flow over in to March. Noice. Haven't managed to get him to agree to telling his side of the story (probably hard for him to talk with all that grinning going on) but I'm still working on him.

The other point I have to make about March is that I've renamed it. It's Blogarch. Yes, it's the time I take to regroup, rehash and redeliver this thing that started off as fun and has since lead me towards many 'too late' nights. Not because I'm blogging (yes I know *shakes head in shame*) but because the whole problem with blogging is that you get caught up discovering other peoples blogs. Some are bloody funny. Some don't go anywhere. Plenty track journeys that amaze, delight or have you reaching for tissues and clutching at your heart as you realise how big and wide the whole world is and how much we still manage to hurt and love in much the same ways. For some, pain digs deeper and wounds are heavier. Then you discover the others, the creative types that colour your cyber world in ways your inner world never will be (unless, you buy something from them which I inevitably do - problem solved :). Hello Retro Mummy!).

So Blogarch is about two things. One is that I will indeed rehash and redeliver.

The other is that I thought I would lead you over to some other favourite posts in this early part of Blogarch. Oh there are hundreds of them. So I'll just pick a select couple. Ok. 3. And if you do find yourself over at these cyber addresses, please make sure you make your way back over here to let me know what you thought. And if you don't have time to have look right now, come back when you've poured yourself a nice warm cuppa. It'll help. And be worth your time. Promise.

Living in Invisible Cities

A few months ago I nearly choked on my vegemite sandwich as I received an email from Dan Niblock (my blogging idol). He was asking me (ME!) if he could include my post on Bella (over here) in his compilation of 'the best of the best' of DS posts. The best thing about being featured was that when I ventured over for a squizz I discovered some wonderful posts. And then I discovered one blogger for whom I have no words. I have a heart that beats heavy with every word of hers I read, such is the power of her writing. And yet that is not enough. I know very little about her but I know so much now as a result of her writing. She is a mum. Her daughter is Willa. Willa has Costello Syndrome (a 1 in 30,000,000 chance - yeppo, that's million). Willa also has cancer. I don't even know which post to link to. So here was December.

The space that occupies your heart will never be the same.

Lisa and Mini Ginger

I sometimes suffer from anxiety. Not often, but sometimes. My guess is that most people I know have/do. For me it feels like someone has pulled the cord on a chainsaw and let it go right in the middle of my insides. It thrashes around ripping and tearing and shredding on all that is sitting and pounding beneath my skin, and there is not one damn thing I can do about it. Nudda. And it doesn't penetrate the skin so you would never ever know. But I do and it's awful. Awful with a capital A, W, F, U and L.

Recently I read the post of a girlfriend who suffers from depression. Never, in one zillion years, would I have guessed. Because I suspect that same thing happens. What you see on the outside will rarely reflect the extent of the turmoil that sits on the inside. I've lived around depression. But never have I come across anyone so openly willing to talk about that journey. I thought I kinda got how it operated depression but I only understood a smidgen. Then I read this post. I had no idea what Lisa was going through. Now as I track her journey she continues to inspire me right in the middle of it all. I hope, and especially if you are travelling a similar road, that she inspires you too.

Five Thumbs Down

I have one purpose and one purpose only for including this blogger. I came across his blog randomly one day and laughed my belly off. And now I want him to write more. And he hasn't yet. So this is my way of letting him know I'm waiting :).

That's it for Blogarch for today.

Til the refresh,

Dovic xx