One of my favourite blogs has gone. The Jolly Broom Man's blog '1642 and all that' is no more, I just get a 'This blog has been removed' message. It started as a blog covering an English Civil War campaign and went on from there. There were some side splittingly funny posts about living as an English ex-pat in rural France and other side trips into history and other wargaming periods. Postings had slowed down of late as JBM had been forced to move back to the UK following Brexit. I'm hoping JBM is OK and that he will pop up again in due course, some of those tales of rural France could brighten up the gloomiest of days and I was awaiting his take on life in his new home in South Wales with interest.
I suppose that this just goes to show the impermanence of blogging, which unlike a book which can be reread, leaves no footprint behind. Once a blog goes that's it (unless you dear reader know better) and it can't be revisited. The connection to the author goes with it.
The thing with bloggers is that over a period you can build a mental picture of the person behind the keyboard without ever actually knowing them and that image may have no relation to that person's reality. I know JBM had very similar interests to me based upon the blog and as far as I recall had worked in the same general area of business I do. But that is all I know, so it's quite strange that the blog vanishing should feel like a friend has gone missing. Hopefully it's just a temporary glitch or perhaps frustration with the new Blogger interface (which I am desperately trying to avoid having to use). So if you are reading this JBM let the blogosphere know how you are with a comment.
One of these days I suppose I may have to write an 'If you are reading this I'm dead' blog post with instructions for someone to push the publish button on my behalf as necessary. I'd like to think it might be appreciated by my readers, or not..........as if I will care by that point!.
I hope, like you, that it’s a technical glitch as I hugely enjoyed JBM’s blog.
ReplyDeleteI did a quick bit of detective work and he still has a blogger profile, but 1642 is not showing as his blog but there is a new named blog but no material (yet?) . See the link here:
https://thekingandthecause.blogspot.com/?m=1
archive.org is your friend if you want to historically look at the blog:
ReplyDeletehttps://web.archive.org/web/20200616191814/http://1642andallthat.blogspot.com/
I have a recollection of a post which did hint that he'd thought about deleting the blog as a response to personal issues. He'd resisted then, but maybe not this time.
ReplyDelete(I could be mixing him up with another blogger, though.)
I am sad to see it go, and hope it's not a permanent loss. I found a lot of inspiration and entertainment in that blog.
This is very sad news, it was one of my favourite blogs, written with real wit and style - as also were the games conducted. I think Mr 'JBM' did say on an earlier entry that he had considered stopping and deleting the blog - but of course I can't check that now! JBM if you are out there, please reconsider, your blog will be sorely missed!
ReplyDeleteI managed to exchange emails with JBM and he is fine. He had just run out of material to post about. As Nundunket spotted there may be a replacement blog in due course but in a simplified style.
ReplyDelete