I have had a brilliant day in London, which included being filmed by the BBC for a report on political blogging to be broadcast on the Andrew Marr Sunday 
AM programme this weekend.
I was chosen to speak about women bloggers because their producer Libby Jukes 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.
I met the film crew at an internet cafe in Millbank and my interviewer Spencer, quite dishy in a black open neck shirt, fired away the questions. I described how I become totally engrossed in my posts and they end up as mini research projects which can take up to an hour each to write. After bloggers leave comments on my site, I always try and reciprocate on their blog which is time consuming, so I can easily spend two hours or more each day on my blog. Is that shocking? How much time do you spend on your blog?
I told them how Geoff started me blogging (almost a year now), and the supportive Blogpower community I am part of. Here is a very thoughtful and astute testimonial which one of their erudite members recently wrote about my blog. Tom Paine spent more than eight hours reading my posts from day one.
After filming me, they went off to interview Nick Robinson, Iain and Harriet Harman. I naturally feel very flattered, and astonished, to be included in such an illustrious line-up.
I then met up with some blogging buddies for lunch and afterwards picked up a call asking me to step in and be filmed for another BBC interview in Cambridge – I obviously had to decline as I was in London. This followed a press release I issued yesterday for the brain injury charity Headway Cambridgeshire of which I am a trustee, outlining a whopping rent rise which they cannot possibly meet. Fortunately, their Chief Exec Kate Lewis was able to leave her meeting and give the interview for BBC Look East.
I also spent yesterday setting up BBC radio interviews in the Eastern Region for my MEP Robert Sturdy on the bird flu crisis. I must admit, I am more used to being the fixer and arranging interviews rather than being the subject of them, but I do seem to have had a run of it since starting blogging, and I do find the media interest in my site quite extraordinary.
I’m afraid I had a bad hair today so won’t look my best on the screen, as well as a burnt lip from eating some hot food at the weekend. I also accidentally deleted the best pic, but I have posted the next best.
I’ve just remembered I have a networking breakfast tomorrow, so another early start to the day. It means I shall switch off my computer now and enjoy a blog free evening, I am in need of some R & R and would like to catch up with some reading or watch a dvd.
Oooh, Andrew Marr, eh? I often watch that, I must keep an eye out!
So two hours a day, eh? Yes, I know what it’s like to be in a “blog ring” but it’s quite fun to do the circuit calling in here and there…
Well, I have fits and starts, I can be away from it for several days, and then spend several consecutive days at it going well into the small hours. But then I don’t have to get up in the mornings any more to go to work (except I do often to go bird-ringing instead!). But I’m watching much less tv these days so I guess I’m just switching one screen for another.
Don’t give up, yours is one of my fave’s!
Congratulations, Ellee! You are doing great work and great things for all of us. What a busy day! You deserve a relaxing evening. By the way, your interviewer does look easy on the eye and you don’t look as if you are having a bad hair day at all!
Now Ellee, the truth – how many hours sleep do you get per night?
I shall watch out for that. You can expect a massive surge in traffic on Sunday, I s’pose.
I am a bit nervous about it now, I can think of better answers I could have given which I thought of afterwards, I guess that is always the case. I may be so embarrrassed about my performance that I will want to crawl under a rather large stone and hide for the rest of the day.
And Jim, no need to worry, I have no plans to give up blogging, I enjoy it too much, especially all the people that come my way.
Yes, better think up a good’un for Saturday posting (or Friday if you are being serious about taking time off).
Two hours is about right for me.
Glad to hear you had a good day.
Pleased you had such a great day Ellee. what a year its been for you!
I wondered where you were. You are certainly a blog I would recommend to a wide audience. I look in everyday and like opining .
I spend ages blogging because I also get into rows on other sites and debates and so on ( for no reason except interest). Its way to much and I `m not sure which way to go with it . I also spend a lot of time reading and filing material so I can be confident of knowing enough to comment .I have started reading in a disciplined way around political matters . For example I `m reading England , an Elegy , now by The Scruton. I used to read poetry and fiction.
Then I have party responsibilities without which I feel like a fraud doing a right wing blog . Last night eg I was at the Conservative Office planning AGMs .On top of that I have family , a full time job , obviously , and a mortgage. I also meet Croydonian and other bloggers quite often and local political people.
I get little sleep.
I `m not sure what to do , that was why I very much responded to your thoughts about the pressure of another layer of life.
…and ( somewhat unchivalrously) I can`t say I don`t feel slightly peeved that every female blogger there is ,bad and good, gets endless attention when many many good blogs get ignored. I can see you are a long way ahead of most in many ways but others are simply dreadful bores with nothing to add except femaleness.
I look forward to hearing what you have to say about a balance. I could use the advice
…and you always look very pretty indeed..so no worries there
Newmania, Maybe like me, you need to step back from time to time for a breather and spend more time with your family and doing other things. Look at it this way, when it is our turn to pass through those pearly gates, I doubt we will wish we spent more time blogging – but we might wish we had enjoyed other experiences, spent more time with people close to us.
I don’t judge other blogs harshly, either they interest me or they don’t, but it is important to whoever created it. Fortunately for me, there are plenty to keep me amused, including your own – too many, in fact.
Can`t wait to see you anyway, a lot of people who are used to working with text find extemporising quite difficult .I think its a practice thing. I found making a speech suprisingly difficult the first time
Newwmania, My problem was remembering everthing I wanted to say in a short space of time. Obviously my answers will be edited. They liked the line about my son saying on New Year’s Day that he wished I would make a resolution to spend less time blogging, and that my husband calls me a blog bore. You have to be a blogger to understand the culture of blogging and how addictive it is, we must seem absolutely crazy to those who are not into it.
One point I wished I had put across more strongly was that I do not mind constructive criticism at all because it adds to the debate, you can learn more by listening to opposing views which can be very helpful.
Well it certainly sounds wonderful for you, Ellee, and I hope your TV appearance is well received. Congratulations.
I’ll be watching you on Sunday morning, Ellee!
[…] My day of BBC filming […]
Ellee, please try not to be too disappointed if you end up on the cutting room floor – it happens!
[…] He was very charming and said he remembered me being on the Andrew Marr Sunday AM programme along with himself and other political bloggers and happily posed for this photo with Julian Sturdy and his constituency supporters Joe and Bill. Nick handed my camera to a photographer from The Observer who took this pic. […]
[…] time and was regaled as the first Conservative woman blogger. This led to me being filmed for the Andrew Marr Politics Show alongside Harriet Harman and Lynne Featherstone and being praised by Iain on Radio 4 Woman’s […]