I see you admiring my artistic handiwork, well believe it or not, it only took me five minutes to knock this masterpiece up in Paint. It’s not for sale though so no amount of money would persuade me to part with the original file.
Eagle eyed readers will have noticed that I published posts 401 and 402 before the big 400 which is this one. So if you forgive my out-of-order posting style, I will begin this with an apology. After so many great ideas you guys put forward in the post Planning Ahead (For A Change) and a lack of time of late means I have not been able to finish writing the half a dozen ideas out properly so rather than a hotchpotch of messy half realised ideas I shall be mixing it up a bit.
Throughout the coming months I will be finishing all these wonderful ideas and posting them with a link to your sites and make the 400th post and make it a longer celebration with hopefully some more traffic to your sites in the process.
Meanwhile I have already decided what post 500 will be. This has been rolling around my head for over a year now but it will definitely happen and is set to be an interesting venture. Closer to the time I will invite you wonderful people to submit your names to the ‘prize draw’ and then on a certain day and time yet to be sorted out, I will turn up on someone’s doorstep for a natter, a photo and to take said person out for a meal to boot.
What better way to celebrate the next milestone (if you exclude reaching 50,000 views and over 1000 WP followers which I achieved recently also) than to include the people who have helped and encouraged me throughout my years. Perhaps their will be something else for a second prize as well but I will keep that to myself as I like to cultivate a bit of mystery which is why I only show a bit of ankle when out in public.
Book to the Future 
Sorry, Ste J, you’re behind the times–it used to be “a bit of ankle,” but we modern readers are more demanding. Now it’s “a bit of knee,” so break out those shorter chinos or Dockers and get with the program! Congratulations on all your recent successes.
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must be behind the times, I’ve never heard of dockers! Perhaps for post 500 there will be some form of knobbly knees contest which used to be popular at our sea side resorts back in the day before social media.
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Congrats on your milestone! I can’t imagine that far ahead. 😀
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I’ve slowed down in the last year but I didn’t see myself doing this many but then I dared to dream or rather it crept up on me.
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Congratulations Steve, those are some fantastic milestones to celebrate; which makes me wonder what post I’m on, I seemed to have lost track, though it’s not entirely surprising. Hope you’re celebrating this particular milestone with a glass cheerfully raised, with a smile on your face. I’m excited to see the next hundred. 🙂
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Luckily on your posts page WP has done the hard work of counting for you. I am gutted that I couldn’t (despite plenty of prep time) get the 400th sorted as I would have wished but 500 will be epic and hopefully the milestones will get steadily more insane with videos of me reviewing a book skydiving and what not. I did have a glass but went steady, because I am now mature…honest!
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Ahh yes the post counter, keep tracker, I should take a look at mine to see what post it’s at. So you couldn’t do your celebratory post exactly on the dot, so what, like you said the 500th will be epic. I’d like to see you doing a book review while skydiving; I feel like you’d keep everyone on the edge of their seat and holding their breath. Mature now are you? Well then your light years ahead of me in that regard, for I usually go full speed ahead.
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I would perhaps have to add subtitles to my video as my words would be sucked away and my grandiose gestures would just seem like frightened flailings lol. I claim to be mature but all I want really is a big slide and a ball pit.
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Congratulations on publishing such a quantity of posts! Time never seems to be a blogger’s friend. I make plans to write posts at a certain time, I write drafts to publish at a later date (not too far in the future) and then something happens and all plans are out the window. I hope you manage to publish the posts you want to, when you want to!
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I used to publish a minimum of 11 a month but with longer hours plus travelling to and from work has hampered me this last year but if I had more determination I could do it again, I need to be more committed, Stethinks. Like you I have loads backed up, some for years but if I can put some holidays in soon I am hoping to write one a day and then I have some posts in hand so the pressure s off slightly. I always say that though and it never happens, still if I can do ten posts a months then 500 would be a summer trip (depending on location) to meet a fellow blogger.
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All sounds good!
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Closer to the time I will invite you wonderful people to submit your names to the ‘prize draw’ and then on a certain day and time yet to be sorted out, I will turn up on someone’s doorstep for a natter, a photo and to take said person out for a meal to boot. I’m guessing that won’t include people living in Australia 😀
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I am open to travelling the whole world, I will make sure I take a week off work so I can be properly prepared because I am great like that!
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You’re a legend, my friend 🙂
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I was waiting for this post 😀 Congrats on the 400th post, 50k views and 1k followers…Yeah…time to celebrate… 😀
I should think of something to celebrate my 500th post… 🙂
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Yes! Make it something epic and exciting and that will be really memorable, then worry about how to top it for the 1000th post hehe.
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Hehe… 😀
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Congratulations! 400 posts is amazing. Sending you smiles.
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Thank you, I hope to have a huge library of books reviewed by the time we come to post 800!
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Sounds like a plan!
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It seems I returned just in time to congratulate you on the 400th post. May the next 400 bring you even more enjoyment, reflections, friends and traffic than these did!
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Thank you my friend, the valuable friends and insights gained have made me excited to see what happens in the next 400. Your timing is impeccable, I salute you on that.
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This is fabulous! I am a mere babe, approaching as I am my 200th post, so I bow down before you. I wonder whether you feel that the books you have read for your reviews are ones you would have read anyway, or whether you are now drawn to seek out ‘envelope-pushing’ books for extra interest, knowing what a, ahem, discerning lot we are? 🙂
Anyway, I always enjoy your posts and I am not surprised that many others do too. 🙂
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Like years, I find centuries of posts seem to come around quicker, which is good but also a little scary. I think the review books have been a mix, the more I read the more my mind expands and pushes me to read more books that may be out of my comfort zone. Having said that though the independent authors submitting their books and the general recommendations have brought me to worlds, fact and stories I would maybe not have come upon, part of that is of course how people talk of a book and that is the tipping factor around Bloggaria, the passion. I will admit though every so often I do a really challenging book to try and impress you all as much as for my reading benefit lol.
I look forward to sharing the many more posts and years with all of you.
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Congratulations on 400 posts…looking forward to the next 400…where I will learn new things, relearn old things and find fantastic books to read 🙂
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It seems like ages since I did a book review, expect one up next and hopefully it will be something enticing.
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Congratulations Ste, I’m on less than 100 so 400 seems huge 🙂
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Looking back I nerver expected to get up to 20 views in one day and then 100 sounded mad but these things have a habit of creeping up, roll on 1000 posts haha.
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Love this: > show a bit of ankle
By coincidence, WP informs me that my post about the secondhand bookshop that got me into secondhand books is my 50th. I didn’t think about things like this happening. Maybe I should. A former blogger who became a friend just spent the weekend at our gaff.
It’s great that you reach out like you plan to. It’s also great how you big-up Nottingham and its environs. I might do the same about Hadrian’s Wall country.
I’m sure your upcoming festivities will be a credit to the book blogosphere!
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I like to keep my modesty intact. Milestones are easy posts and I think doing something a bit special keeps it interesting to all. I should make an effort to meet more British bloggers as we are in a small nation and it would be interesting and scenic, it’s great to make these connections and I’d like to get maximum enjoyment out of the experiences that are had on WordPress.
I only big up Nottingham because I never seem to get two days off in a row to go anywhere else but it has its merits and there is always something interesting to find like the most ridiculously tall doors at a place called The Bodega in the centre of Notts. It has me in mind of one of those big sets of doors in fantasy films, what a waste of material. I think you should show off the beauty near you, I also like to see new things and gain different perspectives.
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Book bloggers can break the BBC monopoly on bigging up Britain. Maybe one day we’ll all pool resources and set up a YouTube channel?
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That would be a good idea, pottering around places and showing the best bits off to give the impression to everybody outside the local area and country that we live in a permanently beautiful land of rolling greenery and morris dancers.
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I was thinking along the lines that amid all the unemployment / crap jobs, skyrocketing cost of living, and tackily themed consumerism there’s a few oases where you can tool up and question your idea of reality for a few quid. No David Dimbleby, Penelope Keith, or Richard Wilson gesturing grandly and slowly announcing ‘would you just look at that view’.
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I may start taking my photos views through the bottom of a pint glass just for a laugh with the ‘would you just look at that view’ caption on each one. People do seem to always look to somewhere else to explore when there are many little things on the doorstep. I suppose it depends on how you look at things, I approach them like somebody desperate for blog material (and possibly a pint) that isn’t just about books and that stands me in good stead…I wonder what would happen if I hit on an idea for a real theme to my posts.
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Your pint glass view is sure to better than Terry and Mason’s Food Trip. Unlike them, you’re knowledgeable about what you write about, having things to say that interest because they’re interested. I can’t believe the BBC employs presenters with no obvious background, leaving us with statements of the blindingly obvious mixed in with throwaway cliche.
Anyway, my original thought was that discussion of books, bookshops, festivals etc. in the blogosphere is normally atomised and found by luck. I suppose though that the danger inhaving something centralised online is that it would get usurped by graduates looking for career fillips for getting into that fortress called the publishing industry. That would lead to just another online journal for industry experts. The thing is, what is it that distinguishes the enthusiast from the industry worker?
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I struggle with TV these days, its bland mainly for the reasons you stated, the odd football match and Doctor Who are pretty much the only things I can bring myself to watch, although I never miss a 9/11 documentary either for some reason. I wonder how ar they can dumb down before the majority of the population get offended.
I think you’re right, enthusiasts is one thing but when people exploit it for their own ends and the love of books gets sidelined in favour of other things it would ruin it. I like the idea of it being atomised though, it makes you feel like you have discovered a hidden gem and kindred spirit which is always better and the networking with other like minded individuals makes for a purer form of celebration I think.
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I’ve just replied to someone on my post about a book about the ultra-rich and I neglected to mention, on the subject of the fascination for bad guys (i.e such as oligarchs), that the UK has an obsession with Hitler documentaries. Strange where we look to spice up our lives.
Getting back to your original post above, I see where you;re coming from in terms of networking. I wondered: are you planning on putting together a book vlog from skype calls?
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I’m one of those people that tends to watch them, the fascination of how to get a whole country involved in politics is something I need to try and fathom, which is one of the reasons for my political apathy.
I did do a couple of vlogs which weren’t the best but were kay for starting out…perhaps I could start that back up again, I would hate it to feel scripted yet would equally hate to miss out a salient point…such is the needless pressure I put on myself.
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Happy 400!
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Thank you for your support, I shall raise a glass for you as I do for every blogger I know…which is why I need to stagger my drinking over a fairly long period of time to cope.
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Whowhoo to being in the 400s club.
500 will be here in no time. I’m ready to celebrate!
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You never know I could be knocking on your door!
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Well – if you don’t mind chaos…
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It’s not chaos, it’s character!
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Hello my friend! I have been trying to get over here all week, longer in fact since I ‘signed off’ from blogging. I am taking a break to get my memoir finished (first draft at least) and have a short holiday but I wanted to catch up with you before signing off for real today or tomorrow. And what a wonderful post to read! Many congratulations on your 400th, that’s awesome! And I hope I win the draw, ha!! I’m nearing my 300th post I think…but at this rate, it will take a while. And 1,000 WP followers, fantastic! You deserve it. See you soon and meanwhile, happy blogging and I’ll raise a glass in celebration to you 🙂
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I too have been trying to get here all week lol, life is strange and this island is small so you never know when we could meet up, he says sitting in a tent in your front garden hehe. I hope you have a great holiday and that the writing goes well, with your gift I am sure it will.
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Congratulations on reaching your 400th post. I’m intrigued to find out what your 500th post will be.
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Post 500 will be a visit to a blogger somewhere in the world, for a meal, a photo and a chat…which should be awesome.
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