A year ago today I started blogging about Walthamstow. On my first day, I had two visitors.

I asked myself the question, 'What is it about the bottom end of the High Street in Walthamstow?'

I am still not sure that I know the answers to that question.

I do realize more and more that it is an incomplete question: it should really have a little clause at the end to complete it '..that I_____?'

The _______, will be a series of verbs, such as 'love', 'admire', 'find amusing', 'despise'. Some of these should be more than one word: 'am excited by', 'am disgusted by', 'am afraid of (or for)', 'am disappointed by'; even 'am proud of'.

Being amused, afraid, disgusted, proud, disappointed. These are the kinds of emotions which the supporters of most of the football teams in the premier league feel over a season. I have a permanent season ticket to this game. Where in the past I would go about my business oblivious to my surroundings, now I get to feel these things every time I walk out my front door or talk to my neighbours. Sometimes, the doings of local people become national or even international news. At other times, I expect no-one but myself to be bothered.

Since the first post, I have written about 400 more. Thousands of people have read them. Nowadays, I even get tip-offs from local people about news. Some of it I have used, but some I have not. Yet. Some things have also been told to me in confidence.

Will I write about this place as intensely in the coming year or years? I have no desire to emulate this fellow and be writing in 25 years time. But as long as there are things to write about that interest a resident of Walthamstow, they ought to be written by somebody. If not by Technomist, then who?