I think this is probably one of the posts I’ve felt saddest writing, and it’s going to sound like absolute bollocks to anyone who hasn’t actually read my website (ie: peeps reading this on Facebook) so if that applies to you then feel free to click the close button now

It’s taken a few months to make the final decision of when this was going to happen, but it was always going to happen sometime this year… and now is the right time. Virtuallynicky is going on permanent hiatus.

So why is now the right time?

I’ve had the domain “virtuallynicky” since 2001 and have been blogging (or online diarying) in some form since 2002. In which time I’ve graduated, moved house several times, seen friends come and go, had minor (and not so minor) real life dramas and finally moved up here. Virtuallynicky has charted the “nomad years” of my life (I’ve changed address around 10 times since I got the domain).

That period of my life is about to end. I’m about to stop being that nomad and actually have a place to call home. I can finally leave behind all the shit that I relate (in my head) to that nomadic life. I can leave behind the scary ex-boyfriend, the people who tried to bring me down online, the people who betrayed my trust in real life… and yet I can choose, now, to take forward the good things that are in my life and make them part of “home”.

Virtuallynicky has not been one big episode of “bad” though. I’ve made some fantastic friends (you know who you are) and I can officially announce today that I raised £205 in my last blogathon.. which means over the past 2 years I have raised £405 for the Association for International Cancer Research. I’ve used this place to help publicise the odd environmental or ethical campaign and generally enjoyed getting my words out there. And that, really, is what blogging is about isn’t it? Getting your words said in the hope that someone, somewhere reads them and maybe has a little nod in agreement or a little twinge of empathy.

I’m not actually going to delete the site. She will stay online, for me. I’ve put too much into her creation (and yes, I know I’m talking about a website as if it’s a person, but to some people virtuallynicky is me) to just delete over a 1000 entries. Yes, it still needs tidying up, but that’s not important.. it’s something I can do for me, when I want to. The gallery will go and so will the email contact form, but that’s more to do with space issues than anything else. I will be back in some shape or form at some point, albeit under a new domain, so let me know via the comments if you want to be kept in the loop.

I’ve made a wee playlist to share with you all. It’s only 10 tracks, but it’s something I wanted to do as a “goodbye”. It has songs that I know most of you probably have so I haven’t made it downloadable but if you are missing some give me a shout. The songs or artists have been featured on this blog in the past and/or I’ve found through events related to or on this blog and are to be played in the following order:

i’m not in the next room but i’m not too far away

Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeah’s >>
The Crane Wife 3 - The Decemberists >>
Henrietta - The Fratellis >>
Single Girl - Lush >>
I Hear Noises - Tegan & Sara >>
We’re All Going To Hell - The Bastard Fairies >>
Govinda - Kula Shaker >>
Loose Mouth - Tigers & Monkeys >>
God Only Knows - James >>
Sing - The Dresden Dolls. >>

…and here’s the video of the track I’ll always relate to the end of the blogathon, and things ending which The Boy played for me as I relaxed in the bath after the first ‘thon finished last year, Embrace’s Ashes:

Take care, and see you around.