I just realised, I’ve been edublogging for 4 years now. I started in November 2004, and while that doesn’t make me an early adopter, I was there the year it all changed.
It is interesting to look back and see elements of consistency in my writing, and not too many embarrassing moments. Needless to say (to those who do blog their interests) I have learned a lot through expression of opinion which attracts the odd helpful comment and citations; not to mention the learning just through multiple attempts to explain an idea; and the connections I have made with people around the world through this little reacher-outerer.
I still remember the morning Sean FitzGerald emailed to congratulate me on being cited by Downes 
who remains today, the only A-lister who consistently reaches back into the tail to bring forward new voices on a very regular basis. Good on you SD!
I’m not sure how to tell who my oldest reader is, especially seeing as I regretably moved from Blogger to WordPress back in 2006, but I know it was Kylie Rowsell who showed me my first blog and Adam Bramwell who taught me how (both Newcastle Australia folk). Them were the days. I suspect it might be Rose Grosdanic, Sean FitzGerald, Steven Parker, and not long after – Stephen Downes who are the longest term readers of this blog.. not that I hear much from any of them after that rather severe dose of NZ reality I dropped them in back in 2006
Others in that NZ reality say blogging is dead and even rejoice the day when some of us are killed off in the forward lines so they can pick over what remains.
Anyway, its been an intensly interesting 4 years and I’ll keep going at it. Especially adding to LifeSouth and 100somerville a lot more these days. Thanks for being there and leaving the odd comment or joining in a little chin wag with each other y-all
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November 16, 2008 at 7:48 am
Sarah Stewart
Congratulations for 4 years of blogging – I still read your blog, not that that means anything & I’ve nominated you for a edublog award to make up for all the time I don’t reference you in my work:
http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-nominations-for-2008-edublog-awards.html
What I wanted to know is why you regret leaving blogger and going to wordpress?
My other questions is: on your blog ‘Life in the south’ you have a number of tabs which brings all your blogs together – how did you do that? Is it a function of blogger? I would like to use it for my blog because I think it would help me develop my ePortfolio in that platform.
November 16, 2008 at 8:55 am
leighblackall
Hi Sarah, I saw the nomination when you made it
thanks. I appreciate your make up 
Why Blogger.. well, for one – the email notification on comments. That’s a great feature Blogger has. Secondly, it can take way more embed media codes than WordPress. Thirdly, its a matter of convenience because I have so many things running with Google, and so long as Blogger always offer’s an export option I think its safe to use.
The tabs are done by use of a particular template. Blogger has thousands of people and design companies making alternative free templates for it all the time. If you refer to the credit link in the footer, you’ll be taken to the group who made that template. So I have set up multiple blogs and assigned the same template across them all, and then linked them by those tabs. It feels like the same website, but the URLs change. I’d like to bring Learn Online back into Blogger so I can apply that template to it and make it seem part of the same site.
November 16, 2008 at 8:59 am
leighblackall
Oh, the reason I went to WordPress was because at the time there was some tension between some key people in OP about my blogging, and while I wasn’t going to give ground on the virtues of blogging, I was prepared to give ground if they were to set up an internal system and offer it as an OP blogging platform for staff and courses. Even though I think that would have been a silly thing to do, I was preparing with WordPress – getting to know it and how it works from a user point of view.
The other reason was because at the time I was trying to get a few staff at OP blogging, but Blogger was doing that transition into Google single sign in. It was a messy transition and was presenting some significant usability issues for some staff. So I started studying WordPress as an alternative.
November 16, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Sarah Stewart
Thanks, Leigh.
November 17, 2008 at 1:18 am
Stephen Downes
Nobody hears that much from me, person to person, simply as an artifact of time and numbers. I’m still reading, though.
November 23, 2008 at 1:38 am
Steven Parker
Hey Leigh, I occasionally think to myself what’s up in Blackall’s world? I’m still enjoying what you have to say, kudos for your tenacity, generosity of spirit, time, openess and willingness to communicate 4 years on.
PS. FLNW NZ was an excellent experience, good memories. Keep up the good work (Fight) working within education systems and in articulating your individuality .
November 26, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Tony from Myguideblog.com
Thanks 4 great post !
December 4, 2008 at 5:28 pm
roseg
:-p
December 9, 2008 at 9:00 am
Keith Lyons
Leigh
The insights you shared with me in Canberra have guided my blogging path. I am exploring some of the ideas that you discuss on a regular basis and your blog has a ’strange attractor’ role for me.
I noticed that you were part of early discussions about CCK08 and wanted to let you know that the course was fascinating.
Congratulations on your energy and passion.
Best wishes
Keith