Friday 18 January 2013

Happy Birthday, Little Blog!

It's my blog birthday! And, as is traditional, I baked for the occasion and I know that, even if my blog doesn't necessarily appreciate it because it doesn't have tastebuds, my family and I will because mmmmm, coookies...*

Anyway. Enough of this talk about food! Although, I would like to share all my cookies with you and I'm not even good at sharing cookies, so that's how much I love you all. It's a lot.

It's weird to think how much a blog birthday actually means to me, and it's even weirder to think how much it brings things into perspective for me, even more so than Christmas, or my actual birthday. Maybe because there are no presents, none of the business of birthdays, that I can look back and see clearly how much things have actually changed. Last year I was in a completely different place to the year before, and this year it's different again, and if I really think about it, it's only getting better.

This past year, I started sharing more about my actual life with you all, much more for my own benefit than for yours, so that I would actually talk about things that were happening rather than just storing them up to freak out about them later. I don't think even I know how much that helped me, but I do know that your comments of love and support were amazing and helpful and so wonderful at all times, you don't even know.

I'm crying now while I'm writing this, so I guess that I know, at least.

And really, I say this all the time but I really didn't have any expectations about blogging before I started and I never ever expected to make friends through it, but the fact of the matter is, I think I'm basically more popular on the internet than I've ever been anywhere else in my life, and by popular I don't mean page views, or comments, but actual friendships, conducted via blogs and twitter and email and watching Clueless transatlantically and OMG through readalongs. Seriously, discovering WILKIE with the best bunch of people has been the best, and we're already having SO much fun reading Harry Potter, and, yeah, it's just amazing.

I've just finished reading Ready Player One (I love it so much. You'll see...) and there's this one quote that made me think 'yep. That's me and my internet friends alright.' It comes after the main character meets an internet friend for the first time:
"As we continued to talk, going through the motions of getting to know each other, I realised we already did know each other, as well as any two people could. We'd known each other for years, in the most intimate way possible. We'd connected on a purely mental level." 
And we do this all the time, every day, and it's the reason I keep coming back, far beyond just talking about books which, let's face it, is also a really really fun part. So thank you all, and let's keep having fun and being friends because you make the internet the best and um, did I mention that I love you? Did I say it in cookies?
So now you know.

AND. I was going to be all like
But dammit, I like to give away books and if you can't do that on your (blog) birthday then when can you? (the correct answer to this is, 'whenever.' But hush.) So, I'm going to give away a Penguin English Library book to someone I love, which could be any one of you reading this, I reckon. So just leave me a comment and tell me which one you want and we'll see what happens. (I can't be bothered to drag this out, so you have until... Sunday? At midnight? Yeah, that feels good.)

And thank you again for making the internet awesome. You're the best.


*I genuinely took about 50 photos of these damn cookies and this was the best one. Which is a shame because LOOK AT THE ICING MESS. But never mind. Cooooookies...

39 comments:

  1. Happy blogbirthday!

    I am a devoted reader of your blog firstly, for obvious reason - because it's a book blog!, and secondly, because I like your style of writing mixed with opinions on books, films and your own personal (may I say a little bit quirky?) touch on topics.

    I wish you many more years to come!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy 2nd Blog Birthday!!! *HUGS*

    You are awesome, and I love your blog and the silly few debates we had this year ;-) and I hope you keep blogging forever and ever.

    Also, your cookies look AMAZING and I really want one. The closest thing I have to a cookie right now is a Skinny Cow chocolate wafer bar thing. It's good, but I KNOW your cookies are better.

    Ahhhh and I can't wait for your Ready Player One review! I'm so happy you liked it. I want to re-read it, it was so different and so much fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahhh, I love our debates! They are awesome! Much better than just agreeing with everything all the time :)

      Hehehe, my cookies ARE pretty good. They're a Nigella recipe, so, yeah. Yummy. I would love to share! But alas, you are farrrr away :(

      IT IS SO GOOD! I'm seriously still excited about it! And I know what happens and everything! Hehe.

      Delete
  3. Happy blog birthday!
    I love you're blog and think you are lovely. So...compliments over, can I have a cookie? Thanks in advance. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can have a cookie if you can find my house. That's a good deal!!

      Delete
  4. HAAAAPPY BLOG BIRTHDAY *hugs*

    This is the sweetest post :) And I know I said this before but YAY for loving Ready Player One. Cause awwwwww

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *ALL THE HUGS*

      Aw, I am totally the sweetest, right?! Haha. READY PLAYER ONE WAS SO GOOD I'M STILL FREAKING OUT ABOUT IT!

      I'm totally entering all you commenters into the winning a book thing because NO ONE has said they want one and I'm committed to giving one away now. So HA.

      Delete
    2. Aww I forgot to say I wanted a book cos I was focused on how sweet of a post this is! I heart Alice and her Land of Wonder :)

      Delete
    3. Can I just tell you that it took an embarrassingly long time for me to work out WHAT you were talking about. We probably shouldn't talk about it. Let's not.

      Delete
  5. Happy blog birthday! I feel the same way for my own blog's creation date. It's a milestone, definitely.

    P.S The cookies look so cute! The Penguin English Library collection novels are so pretty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! It's totally a big milestone! It's just fortunate you can keep track of it cause blogger dates your posts, otherwise... I would almost definitely have forgotten by now.

      ps Thank you! I'm totally entering you to win one. I WILL GIVE ONE AWAY DAMMIT!

      Delete
  6. Those cookies are awesome!
    Happy blog birthday :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi hi! New follower here and (obviously) new fan! Happy blogoversary..or blogirthday...*shrugs* Anyhoodle, CONGRATS! May your blog prosper a LOT!

    Also, since those books are amazing looking I'll toss my name in the pot for North and South!

    Melissa Caldwell..is the name to toss in the pot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well hello and welcome! I shall indeed add your name to the hat. (There may or may not be an actual hat involved. We'll see.)

      Delete
  8. Aww, what a great post! I've followed you for most of those two years, but I feel that it's been in the last several months that I've gotten to know you, and what I know is *wonderful*.

    Also, great cookies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww, and you are wonderful tooooo! As is basically everyone I've 'met' online because, let's face it, readers are AWESOME :)

      And thank you! They're really tasty too! Cause obviously I have had to eat them just to check. Otherwise I'd LOVE to share them with everyone... Ahem...

      Delete
  9. Congratulation~ Would be even happier if those cookies are packed to Indonesia as well.. :p

    No, just kidding. Anyway, happy blogoversary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehehehe, honestly I'd love to send them places, but I don't think they'd last the journey! When someone figures out teleportation, maybe then :)

      Delete
  10. Holy Shiz! You've baked for your blog birthday!! That's seriously the best bloggiversary tradition I've ever seen. Happy two years. Hope you enjoyed the cookies. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yaaaaay! Hehehe, it's SO fun to do, plus, you know, I get cookies! Or cupcakes. Or maybe next year a pie... Mmmmmm.

      And thank you! I did enjoy the cookies very much :)

      Delete
  11. You made cookies for your blog! You are the best. Congrats to you, that's just awesome. I live the book blogging community so much and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. Also, I'm so in love with those Penguin books! The Dombey and Son one is particularly lovely. Congrats again! Here's to many more years and many more cookies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehehe, why thank you! I think my blog enjoyed the cookies the most, if we're being honest! I have noted your Dombey and Son love ;)

      Delete
  12. Your cookies look delicious! :) Happy blogoversary!! And thanks for the giveaway - those Penguin covers are gorgeous. I'd love to win Melmoth the Wanderer.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ohhhh, my darling. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. No, seriously, we're doing this. :P

    1) You are FRICKING HILARIOUS.
    2) Your blog posts always make my day, whether they're opinion-type ones that I can leave looooong comments on, or reviews that I can leave looooong comments on, or just general STUFF (that I can... etc).
    3) You always reply to my looooong comments, and have ALWAYS resisted the urge to go 'FFS Ellie, next time go take some sedatives, wait an hour, THEN comment!'
    4) You have ALL THE GIFS and have much wisdom in this exciting area of blogging life.
    5) When I say 'Laura' to my mum she knows exactly who you are and if she momentarily goes blank I can just say 'the one who loves Alexander Skarsgard' and THEN SHE KNOWS.
    6) You are somehow managing to give a book away even though you're not buying any. I'm going to ninja-treat you for that at an unknown moment in the future.
    7) You're such an HONEST blogger. You say things and other people are like "OMG ME TOO" and sometimes it makes me weepy.
    8) You made cookies for your blog birthday. I like cookies.
    9) That quote from RPO (which I HAVE to read already, it's right here staring at me) is very true. There is a very small and very select bunch of people on the interwebs that I consider 'my friends', not 'my fellow bloggers'. And when I MEET those people it always feels like we've been friends forever. You are one of them. OKAY YOU'RE MAKING ME CRY NOW.
    10) Don't forget that we are, to all intents and purposes, married. I looked well hot in my tux by the way.

    Now... *brushes tears away embarrassedly*... Am I allowed to get stuck into this draw thing or does that violate my No Books rule? This would be my first ever PEL book, how do I even choose? I'll think about it. In the meantime, DUDE WE LOVE YOU TOO, happy blogoversary honeybunch! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, this would have been better in sonnet form, but OMG you just did a '10 Things I love about you' so I shan't complain! Observe, my response:

      1) Right back atcha my little Northern one!
      2) Awwww, day making? That's the best! Do you leave long comments? I hadn't noticed...
      3) That's because I love comments! And because comments are the point! And because replying to comments>writing more posts. PROCRASTINATION IS THE BEST!
      4) Hahahaha, I sooooo don't have all the gifs! I just do a tumblr pilgrimage every now and then and sort through all the Justin Beiber and One Direction crap to find them!
      5) THIS IS THE BEST EVER! I am literally constantly going to everyone 'Have you ever been to Bakewell? My friend lives there!' cause you know.
      6) I meeeean, at least I get to BUY a book, right? It's especially useful since I'm not not buying books for money reasons (although it doesn't hurt) but for space reasons, so this is like the best of both worlds!
      7) Awwwwwww! This is the best. I always try and be a bit, like, open, because I think it's a good way to be!
      8) I looooove cookies. I made cupcakes last year, so maybe next year pie? I think sooooo!
      9) OH MY GOD, don't cry! I totally teared up when I wrote this because I LOVE EVERYONE SO MUCH! And by everyone, I mean, about... 15 or so people. Of whom you, obviously, are one. <3
      10) I KNOW you did. My dress was freaking awesome. Not like a normal wedding dress. :)

      Of course you get popped into the hat! We can totally WIN books, right? I'm counting on it ;)

      ps Oh no, you did NOT just say blogoversary, that's the DANGER WORD! The danger being that I'm going to have to kill you now.
      pps Love youuuuuu...

      Delete
  14. Oh man, your blog is a toddler! Although, technically I think blogs are kinda like dogs and have more years to each human year, so your blog is a teenager! You must be so proud!!

    Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA AND LAURA'S BLOG!

    I have so much time reading your posts, saying things to you in the comments section, and emailing you obsessively about True Blood and Breaking Bad (how are you going with The Wire btw? I'm a smitten kitten. Bubbles!) and yay for many more years of this!

    Being the selfish book lover that I am, I am totally going to jump on board the whole giveaway thing but HOW CAN I CHOOSE JUST ONE, THEY'RE ALL SO BEAUTIFUL! Can I say all of them? No, you won't buy them all, well then.

    In honour of your Wilkie love, which I am yet to discover yet but hope to remedy I'm going to suggest that "The Moonstone" would be my pick if I were to be the lucky lass who wins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So much time? I must have been attempting to multitask here because that clearly should read "I have so much FUN". Stop, shut up, IT'S HOT!

      Delete
    2. Hahaha, I'm so glad you amended this (and OMG I know it's so hot there right? I AM NOT AT ALL JEALOUS) cause it almost sounded like a complaint like 'UGH, you steal so much of my precious time, GOD Laura...' Hahahaha

      Anyway! My blog is either going to have its terrible twos or its awkward teenage years. Either way, I am concerned!

      I loooooooove our emails about ALL the important things in life, and like, I think that the things that go beyond the blog are even better than just saying stuff about stuff. Cause you can do *that* all by yourself. (Re: The Wire, I really like it but I haven't watched it AT ALL this week, which clearly means I'm not in an obsessional stage yet. Blame it on Les Mis, I say!)

      You may have them all, of course, but I'm only going to buy one! Hahahahahaha. But The Moooooonstone! Amazing choice!

      Delete
  15. Happy blog birthday Laura!
    I'm certainly very glad I discovered your blog last year as it is one of my most favourites now. I actually thought it was a much older, established blog because there's always a community feeling in the comments of your posts.
    Here's to many more years of Devouring texts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww, that's nice! I think... I just have a kind of established set of blog friends, and I like to reply to their comments and sometimes they come back and it's all good really! And awwwwww, thanks for saying I'm one of your favourites! I loves our chats on twitter :)

      Delete
  16. Happy blog birthday to one of my faaaaaaavorites! You've made my first year (9 months?) of blogging such a joy. You were my first blog fan who I didn't know in real life! I'm sure you understand how much that means to a meek first time blogger. :)

    And and and! I just got the Christmas card from you! So nice! It looks like it had a bit of a long journey, as it was a little worse for wear, but I absolutely loved it. You da best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :) I DO know what that's like, and I'm so happy I was your first anonymous (anonymous? Whatever...) fan! I remember my first one and even though she doesn't really blog anymore, I'm still just like 'awwww, your comments kept me going!' and I'm so glad they did!

      Ooooh, I'm so happy it got there! Even if everyone who handled it all trod on it or whatever.... Still, YAY! I'll always be happy that international post is a thing!

      ps you're one of my faaaaaaves too :)

      Delete
  17. Happy Belated Blog Birthday, Laura!

    I may not have followed your journey from the beginning, but I'm so glad I found your blog! (And you!) I love all your posts and just your general style. And awww for baking cookies!! You have one very lucky blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ohh yay! Sorry I'm so very, very late in commenting on this, I've had a really, stupidly busy week. The point is...

    *drumroll*

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEVOURING TEXTS!!!

    It makes me happy that you baked cookies for your blog. Makes me feel like there is good in the world :)

    I feel the same as you though - it's the people you 'meet' online that really make the whole experience worthwhile. I have friends in the real world who know me less well than some of my 'book friends.' I mean, I'd heard of people making friends online but I'd never really thought of it as A Real Thing until I set up my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy Happy Birthday to you Devouring Text Blog...
    My warm happy birthday wishes to you is for you to continue to flourish, together with the author.

    Thumbs up!

    ReplyDelete