My Welsh Blogosphere - Valleys Mam

Thanks Dave for the opportunity to sit and reflect a little on blogging and the Welsh Scene.

I came into this goldfish bowl through two young people really; one was my daughter, who alerted me to this online phenomena. She loves to read the blogs, probably because she is not in Wales anymore and catches up more with the blogs than the media. The second was Blammerbell, who encouraged me no end when I first started and inspired me with his eclectic and very readable blogging.

I started my blog really to try and initiate some wider scrutiny on what was happening in certain sections of the Welsh political scene .I felt and still feel we have no demanding opposition, and this is why we have very dull politics. I am not aligned to any one party, but my leanings are left and democratic. I am also one of the few women in the Welsh blog scene, and may be one of even fewer who are not of politics or in politics.

It makes me smile that people think I am everything from a fella, no all woman here, to Lyn Neagle, no not Huw's wife, to Tory Mam, no definitely not a true blue.

The blogosphere has changed in the short time, two years in July that I have been involved. There are far more “staffers” blogging and far more Plaid people involved. Labour seems to have drifted off, and there have been no more notable Lib Dems than when I started. Tories –are there any now Miss Wagstaff has retired, with occasional re –appearances, than there were two years ago? Glyn Davies is still a must read for me though , as is Dylan Jones –Evans as he has some of the same sector interests as I have.

I blog on what takes my eye ,that is of interest to me and sometimes what is so in your face it would be rude to ignore it. I am not really interested in the theoretical debates that often take off between the young Turks. I studied political theory many years ago and came to the conclusion that “Politics is about People” hat tip to Shirley Williams there. You will see from my Blog roll that I range over all sorts of blogs to read and thoroughly enjoy ones like Maggie May and Menopausal old Bag for example. They are often much more of a political reflection than some of the blinkered ones that I choose not to read.

Our Blogosphere is a much nicer and more interesting place to be that the wider one. I don’t like bad language and character assassination that seems to permeate some of the better known blogs. To me it gets you nowhere. I think we have here in Wales the basis to grow almost a civic society mirror to the political scene that can make a difference. We may not reach the ordinary man or woman in the street, but what medium does; but we do have an outlet for free expression and a chance to throw ideas and comments out into the wide blue yonder.

Where is it going was another question you asked, my answer, where ever the hell it wants to go. I do think it has enough segments for us all to be happy to blog in, from the innovative three Dewi’s to those of us just OK with the written word. I enjoy comment with a purpose and may be sometimes some humour attached and that’s when people like Chris Glamorgan, his ilk are missed. Politics is a serious business because it’s about people’s lives; but humour is also part of what makes us real. I do hope that we don’t get advertising overload and the blogs become businesses that is not what I want to see. And finally do I care who reads what I write, I did when I first started, now I just hope that people find it an interesting place to drop by for a Paned and a Welsh cake.

(Written by Valleys Mam, Welsh blogger, creator and author of the Valleys Mam blog)

This is the seventh in a series of posts giving a chance for Welsh bloggers to have their say on the state of the blogosphere and where it's going. If you're interested in contributing place feel free to contact me at welshbloggers@gmail.com