Geeks Vs Loneliness: In the blink of an eye

Sometimes time goes by in the blink of an eye. It’s been six months since I became custodian of Geeks Vs Loneliness. I would like to repeat one of the key messages I made in my introductory post back in November 2018:

“I feel it’s important to say that Geeks Vs Loneliness belongs to all of us – the writers and our editors, the readers, the commentators, the people who read quietly and engage in their own way. Going forward I’ll be writing the majority of the weekly columns and you guys are as always welcome to suggest topics for inclusion, to pitch to tell your own stories as you want to tell them and to highlight areas which could be made stronger.”

There have been a number of excellent guest posts to the column each month, and I’ve picked up on some ideas on articles including finance, creativity and ageing, all of which were initially suggested as topics via social media.

There have been some lively comments, some great suggestions and positive feedback on each article. As we move into the next six months it would be great if you could give a shout out to any topics we’ve not covered here that you would like to see. Some it would be appropriate for me to write, others in which it may be more suitable for a guest to pick up – we all have a story and they are not all mine to tell. And please tell me what hasn’t worked for you and what could be made stronger – constructive criticism is always welcome.

So in the comments this week please let me know what you would like to see in future GvL columns. You can talk to me over on Twitter @Gingerdolly if you prefer – I post a link to the featured article on my Twitter feed every week. Make your suggestions as geeky as you like. I can’t promise that all suggestions will be picked up over the next six-month cycle but I will do the best I can.

Already on my radar are columns about living with asthma, being a carer and about the benefits of having a pet (suggested to me by a reader). One of the first columns I ever wrote for Den of Geek was about losing my dog, and I’ve never forgotten the huge outpouring of love and memories from our community that followed it in the comments. I have also never cried so much following an article – but it was hugely cathartic both as a piece to write and then to reach out in collective memorial for our lost fur children.

So shout away at me. Tell me what you want to read, what you might even like to write (though do note that all article publications are subject to approval following a pitch to the Den of Geek editor).

Also, this week feel free to drop a hello or a comment about anything you want to under the line. For example, I’ve just watched the first four episodes of Black Summer and while mildly diverted I am not sure if I want to continue on. Any spoiler-free thoughts? Or shout out if you need a virtual hug.

Finally, Easter has been and gone, leaving the echoes of good weather behind it and a blockbuster summer to come. I hope you all had a wonderful break and are racking up those bright stepping stones into the future that we talked about in the last article. Writing this column is one of my bright spots. I hope it’s one of yours too, and that together we can take it forward in a positive and supportive manner.

As always, thanks for reading.