I was delighted to join Iain and fellow bloggers Rachel from North London, Caroline Hunt, Kerron Cross and Andy Mayer on his squashy sofa at 18 Doughty Street last night.
We discussed why more women are not blogging, ethics and fake blogs. I found the hour flew by and we had run out of time before I knew it, and there was so much more I wanted to say.
I had expected to be a teeny bit nervous as I have a fear of public speaking, but it was a piece of cake after my unexpected appearance on BBC News 24. I felt very relaxed.
Having bumped into Estelle Morris waiting for a train at Kings Cross Station when I arrived in the city, I knew she would not be tuned in, but she can catch up with the show here as well as anyone else who missed it.
I had a very entertaining train journey home after being spotted by my former Cambridge 
Evening News Editor Robert Satchwell, and now director of the Society of Editors and planning a conference on ethics too. He had just seen Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, give a lecture, a rare event as he said Paul does not like public speaking either.
Our fellow passenger’s ears pricked up when we started talking about blogging and it turned out she had read my site. That’s because Rend Shakir is not only a geek, but a friend of Geoff‘s who created my site and introduced me to blogging. We exchanged phone numbers and I am looking forward to meeting up with Rend again and learning more about her and her family, some of whom are still in Iraq.
To mark the debate on women bloggers, I have added some of their pics at the top of my site, hope you enjoy them. I did include Antonia and Jo too, but seem to have run out of space.
P.S. Just remembered that yesterday was Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. Thankfully, that was not the case for me, I had quite a bit of fun, but how was your day?
[...] On the train from Cambridge, I met my former Cambridge Evening News Editor Bob Satchwell, now executive director of the Society of Editors- “Captain Bob” – as he was affectionately known then – who chided me for not writing more about him on my blog, something I did after last meeting him on a train on my way home from 18 Doughty Street. He was on his way to London to help pick the shortlist for the British Press Awards. We hope to meet up for lunch one day. [...]
FYI Rend Shakir also has a blog called RendsWorld. I was just doing a keyword search on Rend Shakir (I’m writing an article on women’s rights) when I came across your blog. I can only say “WOW” and how do you do it? And how long did it take you to learn all this stuff???
[...] Welcome to Blue Shark TV, the inspirational new multimedia blog launched today by a bunch of very proactive young Tories. [...]
[...] I was chosen to speak about women bloggers because their researcher Libby had seen the recording of me on 18 Doughty Street talking about the impact blogging had on my family life, how my younger son wants me to spend less time glued to my computer. As a result, my weekend blogging will be considerably lighter from now on. [...]
[...] My appearance on 18 Doughty Street [...]
Ellee -
“I do always try and respond to comments, that’s the fun of blogging.”
I totally agree – I guess there’s an optimum size for a blog. Once one reaches Iain Dale or Guido proportions, inevitably some of the personal interaction is lost.
Thanks for identifying the names to your row of pics – two or three I recognised, the others are new to me.
Peter,
I remembered recommending you some lovely coastal pubs for your holiday in North Norfolk. I do always try and respond to comments, that’s the fun of blogging.
Here are the names, left to right, all Conservative unless otherwise stated. And as you will have read, Lynne Featherstone was knocked off quite unceremoniously:
Antonia Bance (Lab), Andrea Leasdom, Vicky Ford, Suz (Lib Dem), Claire Palmer, Nadine Dorries, Esther McVey, Karen Allen, Caroline Hunt, Rachel of North London (unaligned) and Martine Martin.
Ellee – You have a good memory. I may not have been posting of late – but I have been watching. Your traffic seems to have doubled over the past few months – perhaps this has something to do with the fact that you are always willing to respond to others’ comments.This must take up a lot of your time but I’m sure is greatly appreciated.
Peter. It’s been ages since I heard from you, not since the summer when you went to Norfolk. I am heading there this weekend with the Cambridge Rambling group, no time for lovely inns.
I will write a follow up comment tomorrow with all the names (I was hoping I wouldn’t be asked) there’s only a couple I’m not totally sure of. I have a sick son to attend to this evening, etc..
Ellee – It would be great if you could provide some names to the faces at the top of this thread.
Very interested to read these comments and glad y’all enjoyed the programme.
Why do you hide behind anonymity?
I don`t there are pictures of me on my blog from time to time there is one in the October Archive …um I probably should hide but there we go .
Thanks Ellee! I’m honoured to be amongst such company.
Ellee I saw it earlier on this evening- I’m always late with 18DS- good performance- you did very well I thought- I thought all the people on were good and Iain Dale is a good presenter- its nice to see a conversation rather than a confrontation. But one of the rewards of teh blogosphere and actually of Doughty is that sometimes we all get less partisan than the MSM I definitely think that’s true of your blog. Well done though- sorry I am meandering tonight- too much struggle with seventeenth century literature- but well done.
I tried hard to watch, but the new system doesn’t work for me in Moscow live (it stalls and needs relaunching every few seconds) – and I can’t get “on demand” at all. I have emailed 18DS. I am sorry, because I wanted to see how you got on. By the sound of the comments, you did fine!
Dunadan, It’s true, that’s why I joined Toastmasters, but I was with very friendly company which helped tremendously.
Elle,
If you have a fear of public speaking you did very well last night – well done. I enjoyed the show very much and thought also that it went very quickly. I hope you are able to appear on 18DS again some time.
d.
I got to watch it here. An interesting discussion. A good performance by all. Even the lefty chap with the glasses.
James, Sorry you are unable to see it, but I can tell you that Rachel is absolutely fabulous, she did a great job.
I’d wondered about the Rachel and the people who praise her. Pity I can’t get Doughty here but it seems to have been great and so well done, Ellee.
I had feared that I was the only one… as far as Rachel’s blog goes. I have to concur with my learned friend, the blogger for Izlington.
I too hide behind anonymity. No choice, I’m afraid in this part of the world.
Welshcakes, Yes, Iain is a great presenter. I think he was a bit speechless when I came out with the line about men “faking it”. If they want to know I mean, they will have to listen in:
http://doughty.gdbtv.com/player.php?h=805ab2bc1993e4b1c05dd89effa2c039
Thanks, Ellee, for the link you sent me earlier. I watched it all and found it very interesting. Iain is such a good presenter and you looked amazingly relaxed and spoke well. I loved your crack about “men faking it”!
Yes well done Ellee , i saw it and you were Brill.
By the way glad you liked my post about the Banana Gaurd, afraid i dont have one !!
See you soon…
Newmania, If you send me your pic, I’ll add it my gallery next, what do you think? Why do you hide behind anonymity?
Well done, Ellee! What an interesting day you had! I am trying to find it on Doughty St now.
Newmania, there is no way I can take on the might of the London Blogging Mafia – I surrender.
Thus do we understand the use of power.It is good
No Jeremy CJ Rachel is a blot on the landscape and has only become faintly bearable by being reminded of this fact on at least a weekly basis. Its a charitable role have taken upon myself to fulfil.
A few babes in your gallery Ellee are going to get into Guidos territory with top Tory totty ?
None so lovely as yourself of course , but not bad not bad at all …overall.
You did indeed do excellently, Ellee!
Good to meet you Ellee, good show I thought.
Jim, All the bloggers I have met have far exceeded my expectation, so go for it. If someone writes a dull blog, the chances are that’s what they will be. If it is an anonymous blog, I would be more cautious.
Newmania, there is no way I can take on the might of the London Blogging Mafia – I surrender.
Thanks Croydonian et al for your kind comments.
Hurrah for Ellee! Now that’s what i call service!
O.K. David, I’ll try and amend it specially for you.
Glad it went well _ will try and watch it later. But can you reconsider your bloggers’ gallery at the top of the page? Kick the dreadful Lynne Featherstone out and put Antonia or Jo in instead. Featherstone is the most monstrous egotist and self-publicist, and, living in her constituency, I have to suffer endless, (and strangely flattering, having met her often in the flesh) nauseating headshots of her everywhere. But many other sites catalog her awfulness, so I should probably shut up now!
Newmania, I do get the impression that Rachel is full of herself however, she came across quite well and got my joke I e-mailed in. She had to explain it to to poor Iain.
Just listening to you now Ellee on my shiny new ADSL connection here in France. You sound really good, Pleased that you met Rend last night.
Caught up with 18DS this morning, well done
I missed it Ellee but I`ll pick it up soon.I keep hoping that Verity will come over and slap that Rachel horror on behalf of the free thinking people of the world .
I suppose I can assume she remains un slapped
Sigh…when will my dreams come true , they say if your really wish hard enough…..
An idea floating for a London Blogging Mafia to take on the East Anglia one ( but you can join anyway)
Jeremy, steady on! Fortunately, I didn’t need to follow your advice about breathing deeply and imagining the others were naked. I will email Bob and see if he can get a copy of Paul’s speech. He said it was excellent too.
Magnificent even
I knew you’d be fine, and having watched it as video on demand last night I was right…. More than fine, actually, you were excellent.
Well done again for last night Ellee.
I heard a snippit of the paul Dacre speech on Radio 4 this morning. What he had to say should worry the living daylights out of all of us. Or those of us who cherish freedom and democracy.
Can you get a transcript of the speech?
I have never met in the flesh any bloggers that I have encountered initially through their blogs.
Do they sometimes turn out to be not what you expected from their writings?