Even as the year 2013 runs to an end, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year in advance.
On the 3rd of March, 2013, JimCaddy's Blog was born, and I will say it has been by the Grace of God that we are able to run the blog up until this very moment.
Saying that things have been easy for us thus far will be an overstatement.
Going nine uninterrupted months, delivering juicy stories making the rounds haven't been easy, especially despite all the numerous challenges I have been facing.
Personally, I haven't been 100 percent impressed with JimCaddy's Blog, and I'm sure some of my readers won't be as well, even though I haven't gotten any negative report thus far.
I am someone who looks at the bigger picture, and I try not to allow so many negative things distract me.
The sole purpose of JimCaddy's Blog isn't to make money, though money comes into the thick of things.
Need I remind you that I outlined, in specific terms why I started JimCaddy's Blog in my first ever Personal Diary- How My Passion For Blogging Came To Be.
If it were solely for money, JimCaddy's Blog won't be in existence any more, because honestly speaking, I haven't made a dime from blogging thus far.
The high points of blogging for me are so numerous, but I will share some with you all.
Firstly, I have really improved my vocabulary skills as I learn new words everyday in the course of my writing and reading.
Secondly, I have met so many nice people especially in the world of blogging. I have made new friends with notable bloggers such as Linda Ikeji, Stella Dimoko Korkus, Laila Ijeoma, Emeh Achanga, Moji Delano, Adeola Awojobi, Kemi Filani (who we went to the same University), and several others.
Meeting them, relating with them, and sharing ideas have been so fabulous.
Thirdly, blogging has really opened my eyes to the world of professionalism, as I tend to be more professional in what I do.
Last, but not the least, the world of blogging has really made me to take a keen interest in something entirely different from what I studied in the University. I have learnt some skills in reportage and verbatim.
All these wouldn't have been possible without the birthing of JimCaddy's Blog.
As much as the high points have been great, I have also had so many low points, especially challenges managing and running this blog.
The very first and foremost challenge I have is the fact that I started this blog without having a personal computer to use.
My former laptop developed several faults, and the cost of overhauling was almost equal to getting a new one, so I had to dispose of it. That was three months before I started JimCaddy's Blog.
It may sound funny to you that a blogger doesn't have a laptop. When I tell this to people, they do not believe me. Their next question is 'How Do You Blog Then?
I make use of my mobile phone to post stories via Google's email to blog functionality.
That way, I tend to post breaking stories on the go without having to look for a computer to use.
This method is really quite easy, but it comes with so many challenges.
I can't modify my posts after posting them, I can't add links if I want to make reference to a particular story, I can't arrange pictures or caption pictures. I can't arrange the layout of my blog, and so many other technical things I can't do unless I make use of a computer, or have my good friend do it for me.
So what I do is to always go to a nearby cyber cafe and do those things I can't do on my phone. And that costs a lot of money at the expense of my privacy.
The second challenge I'm facing is the problem of comments.
I have really stressed this several times, and I have personally appealed to readers of JimCaddy's Blog to always endeavour to drop comments each time you read a story.
If not for anything, at least to continue to encourage me to keep doing what I'm doing.
Believe me, comments do matter, and it gives that first impression to anyone visiting my blog for the first time.
No comments turn people off instantly.
I can liken the situation to a teacher in the classroom teaching, and all his students just look at him and what he has said so far, and no one asks him a question or says anything to him. How stupid the teacher will look eventually.
The third challenge I faced was the issue of legal threats. Sometime this month, I had a US based Nigerian lawyer mail me and express his 'client's displeasure' over a particular gay scandal report which went viral a couple of months ago.
I remember I carried that story, culling it from other blogs, and quoting my reference.
As if that wasn't enough, the lawyer threatened to work in conjunction with Google to close down my blog if I did not remove the said posts within 10 days notice.
I had no choice but to duly respond and take down those posts, but not without me giving him a candid piece of my mind.
I could have remained defiant and take up the matter with a lawyer friend of mine in the UK, but I decided to take down the posts.
Then lastly, one of the challenges I'm facing is the financial running cost of maintaining JimCaddy's Blog. Like I earlier reiterated, I have had to spend hours in the cyber cafe when I need to sort out some technical aspects of my blog. Also I have had to squeeze out monthly data subscription just to enable me to continue to stay online and serving you guys the best of juicy stories. All these costs so much money, and not helped with the fact that I am not earning money yet.
If I was set to make money solely, JimCaddy's Blog would have passed on to the great beyond a long time ago.
Well I hope that all these challenges go along with 2013.
In 2014, I have huge plans for JimCaddy's Blog.
I want to turn the blog to a world class news blog.
I am thinking of the possibility of owning a domain.
I'm also trying so hard to get a laptop to make things a lot easier, but that is proving really difficult, as it has always proved. But I'm believing God to make a way for me.
I'm also planning on having exclusive contents on JimCaddy's Blog, that is why I'm trying to encourage participation from readers of my blog. If I can lay my hand on two to three exclusive stories monthly, the page views on my blog will multiply in leaps and bounds, and my blog will start becoming a force to reckon with.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Some of the popular bloggers in Nigeria didn't just start today, they started from the level I am now too.
Also, I will like to appeal to my dear readers, if you have suggestions on how to make JimCaddy's Blog improve in 2014, please feel free to contact me, and we'll discuss. If you want more features added on JimCaddy's Blog, send me an email.
I do not want to despise the days of humble beginnings, as I am willing to learn new ideas.
Together, we can make JimCaddy's Blog one of the best in Nigeria in 2014.
You can contact me via these channels.
Email- jimcad007@gmail.com
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/JimCaddysBlog
Twitter- http://twitter.com/JimCaddy
Google+ http://www.google.com/+GbenupoCadmus
BBM: 21E03AAD
Happy New Year in advance once again!!
JimCaddy
More grease to your elbow.