I woke up this morning, and as the sunlight crept through the cracks of my curtains, the realisation struck me like a hammer, prompting me to open my eyes wide, after I’d swiped my phone alarm onto the floor. I’m Eight. 8.
I, Paris B, am 8 years old today.
Naturally, in human years I’m not (I’m a lot older) but my blog existence and online persona today celebrates the 8th year of existence, with just as many hiccups.
As I do at this time, I tend to reflect on how I’ve survived the blogging jungle and what I would do or do differently. In my 6th year I confessed my blogging sins and in my 7th year I talked about passion. I didn’t know what to talk about this year, because I almost didn’t make it to my 8th.
I’d toyed with the idea of closing the doors and drawing the curtains last year. The feeling lasted a while, as I tried to get to grip with things. Perhaps, what I wanted to deal with was disappointment and failure and not a small amount of frustration with the way things were going. But then, I realised just what it was that I had, that I knew would carry me into my 9th and hopefully 10th year of blogging.
I had you.
Yes, you. You, reading this blog post.
You, ‘talking’ to me through the comment box. You may not think a lot of the comments you leave, but every comment tells me that you relate to what I blog about, whether you agree or disagree, and I appreciate it. In fact, I welcome it and encourage it which is why I love the discussive posts we have, where you share your thoughts, and give me your ideas and suggestions. Unfortunately, this does not include you who leave nasty comments (thankfully just 1 or 2 that I bin) 😛
You, who may not comment on the blog, but who ‘talk’ to me on Instagram. It’s a social media medium I’ve chosen to cultivate above all others, because I’ve realised how much more interactive and personable it is and everyone loves a pretty picture (which isn’t saying that I take pretty pictures, but I try 😛 ). Naturally, I mean you too, who respond to me on Twitter and Facebook, the latter of which, I try but fail to grasp 😛
You, who write me emails of quiet support, and ask me questions and force me to think of the right answers. I appreciate your trust in me and it frightens me sometimes when people tell me they trust my recommendations, because I’m not a trained expert. I can’t tell you if an ingredient is good or bad, or if your oily skin would benefit from using XYZ product, or how to apply eyeshadow without looking like a panda. I can only tell you what I have experience with and I never know if that might translate to the same experience for you. Yes, it frightens me to bits.
You, who most recently, subscribe to my email newsletter and who reply and ‘talk’ and respond to my email newsletters, telling me about your experiences, your day, your festive preparations, and sharing your plans and fears, and hopes and dreams. (I have Tine to thank for giving me the push to start the newsletter) It’s my fortnightly highlight to send it out and receive your responses.
I have You.
You uplift me, you make me smile, you make me think, you give me blogging ideas, you frighten the bejesus out of me, but although I say that I blog for myself, I and MWS would not be celebrating our 8th year of talking about beauty, skincare and makeup, without all of you.
For now, that’s enough to keep me going. Thank you 🙂
xoxo
Paris B
8 years is mighty impressive! Congratulations! I enjoy reading your blog and following you on instagram, and I am happy to hear you enjoy “speaking” to all of us 🙂
Thank you for continuing to be a source of honest reviews, blogging inspiration, meal ideas (I’ll never forget your salad suggestion of scrambled eggs + apples!)… and a more than a few laughs!
Thank you Shana 😀 Yes, I love “chatting” to everyone who’d chat to me – after all, that’s what this is right? Not a one way street, because it can get mighty lonely if it was 😀 Ooh I haven’t made salad with apples in a while – thanks for reminding me! 😀 I’m glad the foodie posts don’t turn you off 😉
Happy 8th birthday love. It’s an incredible milestone. I understand wanting to quit but I’m really glad you persevered on and found a way to make it work for you. I would be quite lost when the day comes that you actually stop blogging!
And happy 8th to you too my dear! Gosh, it’s been yonks hasn’t it, since that first day or at least since your wedding lol! 😉
Good to hear that MWS will continue! Happy 8th!
Thank you Jennifer! 😀
Happy 8th birthday Paris B.. what a good reason to celebrate. I always think 8 is my lucky number, hope it will bring good luck to you too. I will follow your blog as long as MWS will continue \(*v*)/. It has become part of my routine to read your blog to get through my day.
Thank you Tracy and wow! Since it’s your lucky number and I’m 8 this year, maybe I’ll get lucky too 😀 Thank you for pledging your support for my blog – it’s one more excuse to keep going 😀
Thank you for continuing to write. When I stumbled upon mws I was 2 jobs, 2 motherhood n a migration away! So thank you for being a constant 🙂
Wow… Charlene, it’s amazing that we go that far back! :O Thank you for continuing to make me your constant through your changing times too 😀
Happy blog birthday, Paris B!! Ooo… I didn’t know before by stating I trust your recommendations I am in fact frightening you. So sorry! But don’t worry! So far all your recommendations that I choose to trust (see? I have responsibility too! haha) have all been great! 😀
Reading your blog is like coming to talk to a long time friend, and friends (your other readers as well!!). It feels very relaxing. A cyber place to chill out really, and get excited about. hahahaha
Hope you have some plan to celebrate this special occasion, or at least, put up your feet and chill with a glass of bubbly while watching your comment boxes go crazy! 😀
Haha Thank you Ting and yes, it really scares me when people tell me they place great score by my recommendations, because it can go really wrong right? But yes, research is key so I’m glad no one takes my suggestions on blind faith. At least I hope not 😀 I’m glad we’ve had the chance to meet and I’m glad you enjoy your stay at MWS – I love it when readers interact too, because it tells me I’m doing something right making this a comfortable enough place for people to chit chat 😀
I like that you cover many topics, not only makeup and skin care. Some of the questions or topic you cover really jiggle my brain cells – a good thing really! 🙂 I actually learn a lot from your readers too, when they contribute their experience with certain products / brain-jiggling topics. hehe (p/s: I had taken your suggestions on blind faith on many occasions before. HAHAHAHAHAHA. No pressure, girl. The decisions had been solely mind. :p)
Haha it’s the other topics that I really enjoy sometimes especially when everyone starts chipping in with their views on things. I mean that’s what a discussion is about right? And I’m glad that most of the time, everyone is adult enough to disagree without it descending into chaos LOL 😀 I’ll think up more brain-jigging topics. It always amuses me 😀
And oh! Plucking up the courage to meet you was a major milestone of mine! I am so shy I could never imagine I would ever do that. And thank you for agreeing to meet me too! 🙂
It’s always nice to know we aren’t axe murderers right? LOL 😀 If I’m back in your neck of the woods, I’ll let you know k? It’s always nice to make new friends 😀
Happy 8th Birthday!!
Oh no no pls don’t stop. I’ve been bad luck enough as ever since I discovered this beauty blog thing and follow some few years back, quite a number of them go on a hiatus or just go silent. I remember when you announced your break from blogging not long ago, I was so worried you never come back. But thank goodness you did !
As you thank us the readers, I (we the readers) would like to thank you back. Seeya around *wink*
Thank you Bugs! I have noticed that many long time bloggers have slowed down or disappeared altogether and it does make me sad because some of them were my friends. I mean, we’re still friends except they don’t blog anymore but we all met while we were blogging. Otherwise, the blogs I know that were around during my time are all big timers now, and terribly intimidating. So thank you all for making sure I stay grounded and hanging around coz it’s just so easy to fade away right? 🙂
Hearty congratulations Paris, this year has passed so quick. I remember enjoying your 7 year milestone post not so long ago, those tips were so helpful. Thank you so much for all the wonderful posts 🙂
Thank you so much Lana! 😀 I’m happy you’ve found the tips from last year helpful and you’re right. Time does really fly! All the best on your blogging journey too 😀
Happy birthday and congrats to making it to 8 years! I’m so glad you didn’t decide to stop – love your blog – I always look forward to reading all your thoughts and review
Thank you Petrina 😀 It’ll get hard to stop now I guess haha! But I will try to keep it going as long as I can and as long as people want to keep reading 🙂
Congratulations and wishing you 88 more years, at least! 😀
LOL!! 88 more years will make me the oldest person alive! 😀 Thank you FA 😀
Happy birthday Paris! If the blog is a child, she would be the prettiest kid in her class 😉 I have enjoyed your blog and it’s one of the greatest companion and possibly “thing” that has happened to me over the last few years. Thank you for the continuous dedication, effort and commitment. Lol, while those that you shower into the blog are priceless, the enablement is also priceless coz for everything else, there’s MasterCard 😀 Here’s to another fabulous year!
Aww you’re too sweet, thank you Jennifer! 😀 I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the blog and that you’ve taken all the time out to comment and share your thoughts. It’s always nice to know what others are thinking because not everyone agrees and I don’t ever expect everyone to agree with my sometimes, strange views 😀 Thank you!
That’s epic, Ms. P! Congratulations.
I’d like to say that you’ve set the bar high for other beauty bloggers but you know, it’s not just that, you’re really above and beyond the bunch.
Your independence and your commitment to dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s have made your blog a pleasure to read. You’re a true blogger in every affirmative sense of the term.
In truth, I have not always cared for every product you have blogged about – we have such different skin types…and budgets too – but for what it’s worth, you have been a blogger worth her weight in gold…and there are so very many in this industry that may glitter but are not gold.
So, I hope you continue to blog…forever. Happy 8th Birthday to you, Paris B!
Thank you Shopgirl! I appreciate your kind comments and also your understanding that just because I’m all effusive about something doesn’t mean it’s the bee’s knees for everyone 😀 It’s been a pleasure meeting up with you as well (and a privilege to see the person behind the very elusive SG) and I do hope we’ll both be around for a while.
congrats PB! And cheers to many many more to come 😉
Thank you Plue! 😀
Happy 8th blog anniversary, Paris! Please do keep on blogging. Let’s (both) aim for another 8 years! 🙂
Thank you PJ and I hope to see you around when we both turn 10 too! 😉
Happy 8th birthday and keep going! Thoughts of killing the blog probably hit most bloggers after a few years especially with a change in life priorities but blogging to me is a combination of passion, motivation and endurance and the last factor is what many do not major in. Sometimes a change of style, focus or even pace helps to renew receding interests. I’ve also discovered that taking a different perspective in life may help prolong the blogging mojo. Like a few years back, I’d thought it’s silly to run a beauty blog into my 50s but now that I’m closer , I think that thought was silly. HA.
Thank you Sesame 🙂 I remember when you too had that conflict and I’m glad we’ve both come to terms with ourselves and our blogs. You’re right, this is a marathon, not a sprint race and our interests will change and wax and wane as the years pass, but you’re also right that a change in perspective helps with the blogging process. After all, it’s open to us to evolve our blogs as we see fit, and hey, our readers will grow along with us too – can’t stay 20 forever 😉
I’m late in saying this, but happy birthday! I absolutely love reading your blog and love that everyone interacts together. May you never lose this wonderful spirit that you have!
Thank you Christina! Appreciate your dropping by and thank you for taking part in the interaction – you all rock! 😀
Happy 8th anniversary! (I’m sure that’s 100 in blog years – worth super celebrations!) Well done and I look forward to reading MWS for 8 more 😀
Thank you Sam! It’s been my pleasure having you on this roller coaster ride! Maybe I should start planning a party for the 10th eh? Give me something to look forward to hehe