Blogging has changed my life in some obvious, and some not so obvious, ways. It has changed me as a person, and how I see the rest of the world.
You may ignore the rest of this post if you wish, unless you are in Toronto – in which case read the last paragraph

The moment that I realised this was when I decided to fly out to Toronto for Joey deVilla's birthday – a year ago I would never have thought of doing something so spontaneous. While I was once happy to 'float' through life, blogging has changed that, and made me a more active participant in my life.

For example, I've met great people from the blogging world, people who I would never have met, let alone shared drinks with. And that is not counting the people who I know only as online personas.

I'm sure I've missed people in the links above – I can only apologise

If it wasn't for blogging, I'd never have taken part in the Zone One tube challenge. When I was stuck in my flat, ill and worried about becoming HIV positive, this blog kept me sane, and let me work through what should have been a very stressful time.

I have had a small (very small) amount of fame, I've been written about by the Guardian three times – and yet I still have my privacy. I've even managed to inspire one or two others to start up blogging – the latest of which is an FRU paramedic in the north of England, I wish him well and hope he is able to get the same things out of blogging I have.

So – If you are in Toronto between the 4th and 8th of November, and want to have a chat, you can drop me a quick email. (My special dream for this trip is to have a look at a Canadian ambulance station, which I know is perhaps depressingly geeky, but I plead guilty to that charge).