A year to look forward to

Marking last week's second anniversary of my stroke caused me to overlook the fact that it was also the first birthday of this blog.

If you've been with me all through that time, you'll know that The Warrior was born as a means of helping me mark my first strokeversary and as a way to get my message about stroke education across to more people.

It's certainly done that. As of today (December 23 2015) this blog has had 5,901 page views; not an enormous number and certainly nowhere near enough for me to make any money out of blogging, but proof that plenty of people are interested enough in my story to seek me out.

As with every writer, I do enjoy knowing that people read my stuff, but that's been part of me ever since I got my first byline in the Tamworth Herald in March 1986.

In 2016, you'll also be able to see me. I'm putting to good use knowledge gleaned from those who know far more about the technical side of social media than I do and although I keep coming up against stumbling blocks (partly of my own making, I must admit), I will be on video through Periscope and YouTube in the new year. After all, every other journalist I know seems to have to do videos of their stories these days.

I am also keen to become involved in a new support group for stroke-survivors and their carers which a friend of mine is hoping to get off the ground. I cannot say too much, but anyone who knows The Warrior will know that improving the quantity and quality of support and help for those who have to live with and deal with us strokies on a daily basis is one of my passions.

Plenty to look forward to in 2016, then. But, of course, my mantra is that there is plenty to look forward to in every day if only you go and look for it. That's especially true tomorrow, Christmas Eve. There's whiskey to drink to celebrate Mrs Warrior's mother's birthday. And I've still got Christmas presents to buy.