Closing the Gallery - Ready for a New Chapter

This was not an easy decision but as Bob Dylan wrote 'times they are a changing' and so it's time to close the gallery. What some of you know as Ramon Writes has evolved over 15 years, the creation of  a middle aged former journalist wannabe (a qualified I add) going through a rediscovery. So much has changed in that time, some of it documented here, not as much as I planned - difficult to balance two jobs after all. Ramon Writes will be moving to a new platform to undergo a major facelift balanced with high quality content.

I've always prided myself on my mission to give insight (and sometimes incite) ideas that would either educate or entering, sometimes even both. That mission remains so it's not farewell but it is goodbye. Before the final page is closed on this chapter to make a way for a new story, let's take a quick look back on the origins and evolution of Ramon Writes.

Opening The Gallery

The year was 2008, a particular somber yet poignant part of my life; jaded with my job, fitness was poor and my brain was racked with regret that I hadn't pursued my one career goal - to be a journalist. In the 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' episode 'Tapestry' Jean-Luc Picard was given a glimpse in true Capra-esque fashion, of what his life would be like if he could replay key events in his life that he regretted. When pulled a loose a thread on his life's tapestry he didn't like what he saw. Sadly I was the alternate Picard - a man with lofty goals but never quite achieved their potential. It was a thought that swirled in my head repeatedly to the point of distraction and depression. I stayed up most nights over a few glasses of whisky reflected on where it all went wrong, tears in my eyes, aching for another shot at my life's ambition. Believe it or not it was social media that saved the day. 

Through Facebook I connected with old friends and it was there I discovered the art of blogging. It hit me if I wanted to call on my old training and skills to report on events, and write features and opinions I could set up a blog and publish my own work. Without any plan or road map I played around with Blogger and created 'Ramon Writes' - well actually the first name was 'Ramon's Random Ramblings' but I decided that was too hard to remember and not descriptive of my writing style. I changed it to 'View from The Gallery' - 'The Gallery' for short - based on the 'Babylon 5' episode of the same name. I started tinkering with a few short op-eds that went by largely unnoticed until August 2009 when Banksy came home. With his exhibition in town and an invite to a private tour in hand I stepped into Bristol's City Museum and Art Gallery snapped a few shots and recorded my thoughts. That post was 'The Banksy Supremacy'. The review gained some traction and notice but nothing too numerous. Then Twitter came calling and I saw this the perfect forum to promote future work. With the 'Gallery' now open for business it was time to greet the visitors.

Making Friends, Opening Doors and a Life Changed

I started posting regularly once or twice a week on a variety of topics; reviews, op-eds, brief local news, even a brief charting of the start of my writing journey. I was desperately trying to find my voice, trying to different styles and tones until I found one that would fit. I came upon a magazine site called 'Suite 101' where I could publish on any topic of my choosing and earn money from ad revenues. The appeal however was that I had to go through an application process with samples of my work submitted as well as two writing tests. I was accepted and my first few submissions subject to an editorial process. This gave my writing some creditability since there was a gate keeper barring poor quality content from getting in. Anything that passed the editors' red pen first time round vindicated my work and suddenly my journey went down an interesting path. Now I had two outlets from my writing. These opened up opportunities to work for other platforms around the world; I was a journalist again. My social media following grew and I had (and still have) a network of people who take in a interest in my work. Through my friendships, my life changed. 

'View from the Gallery' picked up followers and continued to serve as an outlet for local based content - mainly exhibition and film reviews. Through my connections I made new friends and was opened to possibilities and opportunities for which I felt I was too old. I took up running and ran in my first Bristol 10K. I was hooked and set off on a mission to beat my initial time of 1 hour 20 minutes. The personal best currently stands at 1 hour and 1 minute, and evolved to running 10 mile races and half marathons - at the Run Bournemouth events I would run two races over the weekend and peaked at a 10k run on a Saturday and Half Marathon the next day. My writing expanded my interest in things I barely noticed - such as art, food, and some world events to which I paid no attention. Whilst I was evolving as a runner I stretched myself as a writer expanding to posts on Fair Trade, Web 2.0 and politics. I was left however, with an insatiable yearning to pursue this passion full time. Sadly an attempt years later proved futile due to short sightedness and bad planning on my part. At this point the 'Gallery' became 'Ramon Writes'

Fewer Regrets

I might not have made it as a full time freelance writer but I live in hope the door to my ambition can be levied open. My taste and passion has evolved over the last decade and propped me up through family grief and a break up after 20 years. Since then I have written for various clients, travelled the country and interviewed people from all over the world - some of them I even ticked off my bucket list. I also took up Aikido and Karate pushing my mind and body to levels I never thought possible, and finally got married. Today I'm a husband, stepdad, grandfather, and human dad to a grumpy cat and a happy soppy dog. Through all this 'View from the Gallery' which became 'Ramon Writes' has been there reminding me of where it all began and how far I still had to go. Though I was tempted to call it a day on my writing ambitions numerous times I never did, and through my other platforms 'Crowdsource Gazette' and 'Cine Bijou' I continued to find stories of interest and share them with the world. I even approached the founders of one of my favourite film studios with a proposal to write a book about them. I hope to pick that up this. 

Leaving this platform, and all the work that went into it, behind was a hard decision and the profession has changed, so 'Ramon Writes' has to change as well. The new platform will continue in the same vein as before but sharper and more focus writing about media, language, literature, arts and culture. I will also pick up my book project where I left off and achieve another writing ambition. I am both sad yet excited as to where the next phase of this journey will take me, cautiously optimistic that before I really do become too old I will achieve my ambition and leave behind a proud legacy. Thought it's called Ramon Writes to reflect my side gig enterprise it will always be 'The Gallery'. Goodbye old friend.