Given that I’m someone loves writing and likes to keep a bit of a record of whatever I’ve been up to, I don’t usually tend to go any longer than a couple of days without partaking in a spot of blogging.

Now I first got into blogging in a big way back in early 2007 - a period of my life which saw me decide to jack in work and bugger off abroad for a few months... armed only with a  rucksack, passport and balls of steel!

Naturally, I didn’t want my nearest and dearest to have to worry about whether or not I was still alive – and so from a variety of internet cafes as I meandered around Australia, New Zealand and Asia, I began dispatching regular updates on where I was and whatever shenanigans I’d been up to.

Initially, I thought it’d be only my immediate family who’d be keeping tabs my travels.

Much to my surprise though, I quickly found that my site was getting hundreds of hits per week – a lot of the visitors being complete strangers, who had somehow stumbled upon my inane witterings and decided to become regular readers!

Encouraged by this, I decided to continue blogging even after I eventually made it home in the summer of 2007.

And despite the fact that I haven’t had as many exciting things to write about since this return to a largely humdrum ‘work-eat-sleep’-type existence, my blog has maintained a fairly healthy readership of complete strangers!

It’s slightly creepy in a way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the strangers in question all be lovely people if I ever happened to meet any of them in real life. Nevertheless, it does a bit like having a small legion of online stalkers!

But it’s flattering too I guess. And it’s actually for the benefit of the ‘online stalkers’ really that I’m writing this latest entry!

Yes, people who actually know me in real life have probably heard from me recently enough to be happy that I’m actually alive and well.

However, as far as my ‘online stalkers’ are concerned, it may well be a different story!

After all, my last blog entry was way back on 18^th August – when I wrote about the fact that I was about to go to Finland to check out the World Air Guitar Championships.

And with over a month having passed since, without me having blogged a single word, I dare say there are a fair few people out there wondering whether I maybe decided to run away and join a Scandanavian circus or something!

Happily, I’m pleased to quash any such fears.  For the reason for my complete lack of blogging activity over the last few months is simply because I’ve been so bloody busy!

In fact, I honestly can’t remember a month of my life when I’ve had so much on – both in the name of work and play!

Of course, this was probably the last thing I needed really. After all, having only returned home from my Mongol Rally adventure in mid-August, my body and mind was probably in need of a good rest.

Still, that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes I guess…

So what exactly have I been up to?

Well work-wise, the beginning of September saw me return to work to start my first full school year as a fully-qualified teacher.

Needless to say, this has been ridiculously hectic and quite stressful – with numerous occasions, if I’m entirely honest, where I’ve felt hopelessly out of my depth.

Which really isn’t a nice feeling at all.

Still, I guess everyone feels like this when they’re starting out – and I’m hopefully I’ll manage to just keep my nerve and make it through the pain barrier.

Meanwhile, I’ve also been busy at play as well as at work!

Obviously, I went to Finland for the World Air Guitar Championships!  Which, as you can probably imagine, was an absolute scream…

Meanwhile, I also had a weekend away in Barcelona at the beginning of September, where I watched the England footy team play against Andorra… and also ended up blagging my way into a sold-out Coldplay gig, by bribing a security guard to let me slip through the gate!

Coldplay hasn’t been my only gig action of late either – as in recent weeks, I’ve also been to see R.E.M., Stevie Wonder and, um, The Krankies!

Oh, and I've also somehow found time to move house too..!

So it really has all been happening!

I shall endeavour to write a few more words about the air guitar championships Barcelona and the various gigs at some point over  the coming days.

In the meantime however, I have stuck some photos online of the air guitar championships online!

If you’re reading this on my blog site at www.softbulletin.co.uk, then you can view these in my gallery section.

If, however, you’re reading this on Facebook – well, simply click here to be redirected.