Skirting Round My Life 2021 My Year On The Blog

As I look back on the events of 2021 I have to say that it wasn’t the year I or anyone hoped or expected it would be. These past 12 months have been a difficult year for us all and this continues to be reflected in Skirting Round My Life as it has in every blog, journal , magazine or other news outlets.

On looking at the statistics, this year has seen Skirting Round My Life on a bit of downward trajectory which I think was to be expected given the circumstances. Hopefully this will change in the next 12 months. Though that will, to a certain extent at least, depend on things opening up a bit post Covid and providing me with more opportunities to enjoy myself and post about my exciting experiences.

The first thing to say that Skirtingroundmylife gained 2, 507 views in 2020. This represented an drop of 16% from it’s 2020 total of 3,018. Though disappointed with the drop I am not in the least bit surprised as continued uncertainty from Covid19 played havoc with our lives and restrictions on what we could and couldn’t do meant opportunities for growth were very severely limited.

This lack of opportunity resulted in a very dramatic drop in the number of posts in the last twelve months as they fell by almost half from 98 to 50. It can also be said that the number of both visitors to the site and comments on posts are both down with the later dropping from 28 to 16 and likes falling by more than 60% from 83 to 36

Topics covered in the last twelve months included Acceptance, Age, Bisexuality, Childhood, Christmas, Coming Out, Ceilidhs, Concerts, Covid19, Crossdressers, Dancing , Dating, Death, Discrimination, Equality, Faith, Fashion,  Friendship, Grandparents, Holidays, Lockdown, Love, Memories, Mental Health, Poetry, Relationships, Secrets, Sensuality, Sex, Sexism,  Sexuality, Stereotypes,  Transition, Transphobia, Visibility, Women,

2021 again saw a slight dip in my global reach as visiting nations were slightly down from 31 in 2020 to 27 last year. The top five countries were UK , USA, Ireland, Germany and Finland, with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Guernsey, and Sweden. making up the top ten. There were also readers from countries including France, Croatia The Philippines, Denmark, Colombia, Peru, Norway, India, and Poland amongst other nations who paid this a visit

As all the statistics have now properly evaluated it is time to bring this review to its conclusion but before I do so I just want thank all my readers. Whether you subscribe to the site or read the posts on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter it doesn’t really matter, the main thing is that you read them and find them entertaining, enjoyable , thought provoking and maybe in some cases challenging. I really hope you’ll continue to do so as that’s what makes blogging so enjoyable for those us who put our opinions out there on the blogosphere for you to read. So all that remains is for me to wish you A Happy, Successful, and Peaceful New Year and I hope you’ll keep skirting round my life throughout 2022 and beyond .

Till next time

Gayle X

Scotland’s Messi (For Erin Cuthbert)

In this poem I remember the most iconic goal scored by any Scotland international footballer since Archie Gemmill scored against the Dutch in the 1978 World Cup In Argentina. It is exactly a year ago tonight since Erin Cuthbert scored that wonder strike in a 3-2 victory against Jamaica and a nation discovered that Scotland’s Messi was an Ayrshire lass and we took her to our hearts. This poem owes much to Erin’s international team mate Nicola Docherty who tweeted the memory that inspired it. I’ve given it the title Scotland’s Messi I hope you enjoy the read

Scotland’s Messi (For Erin Cuthbert)

I can’t believe it’s been so long
since the night Erin scored that goal.
you know the one we still talk about
and always will
when showing sublime, silky, skill
she thundered a shot which left
the Jamaican goalie rooted to the spot
and 18,000 cheers raised the roof from the national stadium.
to wish Scotland well in our last game
before boarding the plane to take on the world.

As our flags swirled in the southside evening sky
we knew we could trust the fearless one.
The bairn of the side stepped up big time .
And Scotland’s Messi showed the abilities,
I rave about at every chance I get.

That was the night the world learned she possesed the skill set to be a star on the global stage.
On that balmy evening her inspirational strike
gave us the goal of the game, and a double doze of optimism
as a country roared for change.

This was the game when our girls won the hearts of a nation
and unearthed a player with the combination of guile and flair
to dance past opponents like they weren’t there
and we realised Scotland’s Messi.
was destined for greater nights
far greater nights than this.

© Gayle Smith 2020

Skirting Round My Life 2019 My Year On The Blog

As I look back on the events of 2019 it’s fair to say that my second annual review has seen Skirting Round My Life find it’s place in the blogosphere. There has been progress in certain aress whilst others have been quieter but overall I would say that the statistics represented in this report are a good indicator of a blog which is developing a good core readership.

The first thing to note that Skirtingroundmylife gained 3,262 views in 2019. This represented an increase of six views from it’s 2018 total of 3,256. So with no massive increase or dramatic decline in post views and an average of eight views a day for the second successive year this has been a year of stability rather than growth. This I think was due to the fact I never promoted certain blogs and especially certainly poems anywhere near as much as I should and this is something I will work towards improving in 2020.

That said there is one area where has been noticeable growth is in the number of posts published which rose from 78 to 88 in the last twelve months. In contrast the number of both visitors to the site and comments on posts are both down with the later halving from 16 to 8, though there is better news when it came post likes which more than doubled from 36 to 74. This year also saw a new record for post views with Something Old Something New, a fashion post I wrote for LGBT Mardi Gla attracting 296 views.

Topics covered in the last twelve months included Bespoke Chocolates (yes they are a thing) Bisexuality, Bullying, Christmas, Coming Out, Concerts, Dancing , Dating, Death, Disability, Discrimination, Disruption (A topic on which co-wrote my first ever collaborative poem with my friend Emma Mooney), Equality, Family, Faith, Fashion, Kindness, Love, Letter Writing , Lesbian Weddings, Lingerie, Memories, Mental Health, Relationships, Role Models, Stereotypes, The Broga Frois, Taxation, Transition, Transhopia, Transport, Visibility, and last but not least Football,

This deserves a more detailed explanation than the other topics I’ve posted on in last year as I’ve covered both the men’s and women’s game. Though I think it has to be said that women’s football has taken over this blog in the later half of last year. This can be evidenced by the fact that there were poems not only for the Scotland team during and after the World Cup but also for the Under 19’s during their European Championships which we hosted , on individual games and for three Scotland players Erin Cuthbert, Lee Alexander, and Carly Girasoli , though Lee’s poem poem was written after a particularly memorable display for her club Glasgow City when her brilliance helped them qualify for the quarter finals of the UFEA Champions League for only the second time in their history.

2019 saw a slight dip in my global reach as visiting nations were slightly down from 38 in 2018 to 34 last year. The top five countries were UK , USA, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. With Spain, Hong Kong , Germany, France, and India, making up the top ten. There were also readers from countries including South Africa, The Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Turkey, Oman, Kenya , Algeria, and believe it or not The Bahamas. Yes readers my words reach glamorous places.

As all the statistics have now properly evaluated it is time to brimg this review to it’s conclusion but before I do so I just want thank all my readers. Whether you subscribe to the site or read the posts on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter it doesn’t really matter, the main thing is that you read them and find them enjoyable stimulating, thought provoking and maybe in some cases challenging. I really hope you’ll continue to do so as that’s what makes blogging so enjoyable for those us who put our opinions out there on the blogosphere for you to read. So all that remains is for me to wish you A Happy, Successful, and Peaceful New Year and I hope you’ll keep skirting round my life throughout 2020 and beyond .

Till next time

Gayle X

Double Bill ( Four Countries, Two Games, Two Venues, And One Very Busy Day)

As our girls prepare to play their final game of the Women’s Under 19’s European Championship, I look back on a busy opening day of games with this poem which saw me travel from Firhill to Paisley to take in the opening game in our group between Norway and The Netherlands then doing my duty at St Mirren where I was cheering Scotland on against France. I’ve given it the title Double Bill I hope you enjoy the read.

Double Bill

The tournament started with a double bill of silky skills
flying forwards and resolute defenders
as girls gathered from all across Europe
in persuit of a dream
to see which country
will be cream of the footballing crop
for their age
Firhill the first stage on this road trip
to see Norway play The Netherlands
and in pleasing afternoon weather
the Dutch were stringing quick fire passes together
before this latecomer had even taken her seat.
2-0 up and in easy street this team looked the part
and two more goals before half time
broke Norwegian hearts
and made this game look easier than it was
you had to admire their skills
total football in Maryhill
I never thought I’d live to see it
but I did and you’d better believe it
one more goal put the seal on a brilliant display
and as I made my way to Paisley
for what I thought was the big game of the day
I marvelled at the team I just saw play
as I looked forward to what the night might bring for Scotland.
running late, due to transport delays
I got a taxi to St Mirren Park
missing the start but I was only two or three minutes late
as I took my seat in front of a much bigger crowd
I was hoping the girls would do Scotland proud
that was all I could ask
they delivered sticking the task
against a French side with passion and pace
to match their ability
their wee number 11 had the trickery
to cause us problems
but our girls had pride in their jerseys
and competed for every ball
with the ferocious fairness
which is the Scottish way
and when a goalless first half ended
we were still in the game
still fighting and daring to dream
as the second half started
we were the better team
then just as I thought
we were imposing ourselves on the game
France scored
it was their wee number 11 Baltimore
the one I had worried about from the start
yet despite this setback our girls didn’t lose heart
we kept on keeping on and then
with just nine minutes left
Emma Craig rifled a shot to the night
we had scored the equaliser
I think our girls deserved
the super sub had come off the bench to get the goal
and the Hampden roar
had become the Paisley yell
I was beginning to hope
all would be well and we might just sneek a win
but then it all unraveled
it always does for us
we had one last chance to score
had we done it I’m convinced we would have won
alas it wasn’t to be
the shot went just wide of the post
then to rub salt in the wound
France scored an injury time decider
and held tight to possession
to play out the game and take the glory
it was such a shame
as I waited for the train
I chatted to a girl about a game we had both enjoyed
we gave credit to the French
but thought on another night
we could have won
I told her I had done the double bill
went to Firhill to see the Dutch
before cheering us on
she said I must be shattered
but to me all that mattered
was that I had supported our girls
and others
as they discover their talents
and play the game they love.

© Gayle Smith 2019