This is the sixth anniversary of the blog, and I am proud to have been a contributor since its inception.  Although, initially I only somewhat reluctantly agreed to contribute.  I dislike social media with a passion, something to be avoided at all costs, and I saw this as yet more intrusive social media.  A dinosaur, perhaps, but one that has years of experience in the art of self-preservation.   Open up to the world and you risk ridicule and all sorts of backlash and yet, the blog somehow felt and feels different.  It is not a university blog, it is our team;s blog, it belongs to us and the contributors.  What is written are our own personal opinions and observations, it is not edited, save for the usual grammar and spelling faux pas, it is not restricted in any way save that there is an inherent intolerance within the team for anything that may cause offence or hurt.  Government, management, organisations, structures, and processes are fair game for criticism or indeed ridicule, including at times our own organisation.  And our own organisation deserves some credit for not attempting to censure our points of view.  Attempts at bringing the blog into the university fold have been strongly resisted and for good reason, it is our blog, it does not belong to an institution.

As contributors, and there are many, students, academics and guests, we have all been able to write about topics that matter to us. The blog it seems to me serves no one purpose other than to allow people space to write and to air their views in a safe environment.   For me it serves as a cathartic release.  A chance to tell the world (well at least those that read the blog) my views on diverse topics, not just my views but my feelings, there is something of me that goes into most of my writing. It gives me an opportunity to have fun as well, to play with words, to poke fun without being too obvious.  It has allowed us all to pursue issues around social injustices, to question the country, indeed the world in which we live.  And it has allowed writers to provide us all with an insight into what goes on elsewhere in the world, a departure from a western colonial viewpoint.  I think, as blogs go it is a pretty good blog or collection of blogs, I’m not sure of the terminology but it is certainly better than being a twit on Twitter.