Looking back...
I was all excited when Alice tagged me with this Archive meme. But I've found it much harder to do than I thought. I found that my posts in isolation make me cringe slightly - the same embarrassed feeling that prompted me to throw away all my teenage diaries a while back. Now that was cathartic decluttering!
I am meant to revisit my archives for something relevant to the following headings:
Family - well, here we are. The best thing about my family - they know me. There's no escaping the truth with them around to point it out to me. Keeps me honest.
Friends - I don't write too much about real life friends. I figure they are entitled to a bit of privacy. Blog friends are free game and I'm lucky enough to have heaps of blog chum meet ups and parcel exchange posts in my archives. But for me the purest example of blog friendship was the Minimoopy love experience. For my 100th blog post, I asked for some help with a charity project and was totally overwhelmed by the support which bloggers gave. That's friendship for you.
Yourself - This is the category I find hardest to revisit. Some of these posts are the most personal and painful, but they are also where I know from your comments that my ramblings have reached out and touched other people. Focus on the comments not so much the posts if you read these. Because the wisdom and support of the people who come and visit me here is a beautiful thing.
Something you love - Place - glamping. I just booked to go again (in April - brrrr). Object - my dovecote. Culinary labour of love - these.
Anything - The most commented on post? This one - because I guess blogging or reading blogs is the one element of what appears here that we all have in common. And it taught me humility, because replying to and connecting with all those comments took a very very long time.
Now if you made it through all those linky links you deserve a nice cup of tea and a sit down. Cupcake?
Tagging folks feels a bit like doling out work because this took me a loooong time. But perhaps I'm just slow and you may enjoy taking a trip down through your own archives. So if you fancy doing it, I'd love to see your highlights. But I'd especially love to see the things chosen by Florence of Flossie Teacakes and Megan from The Scent of Water. The reason? In common with Alice, who tagged me with this, they write things which often stick in my head and flavour my thoughts for the day.
Well I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed your trip down memory lane - there were things there that I hadn't seen or read before. Thanks for posting it all. x
Posted by: Kitty | 13 February 2008 at 20:34
Great post Ali - it's great to look back over some of your previous posts. You are such a lovely blogger - so honest and real -and it's always a treat to read your blog :)
Hope I don't sound creepy!!!
Lesley xx
Posted by: Lesley | 13 February 2008 at 21:30
A lovely and poignant post Ali! Lucy x
Posted by: Lucy Locket-Pocket | 13 February 2008 at 23:41
Really interesting meme this one - must be hard to pick posts when you have such a huge choice of wonderful writing and ideas! Thanks for sharing your favourites.
Posted by: Lina | 14 February 2008 at 02:01
Thank you, Ali, for doing this. It is a treat to go back and read these posts. You have an ability to identify and focus on important issues in a way that give me a valuable new perspective.
Posted by: Alice C | 14 February 2008 at 07:37
what a treat to have a look back at your blog from your perspective, I hope with time some of the posts have become clearer for you. I know what you write often makes things clearer for me, if that makes any sense..
oh and the cupcakes look delicious!
Posted by: driftwood | 14 February 2008 at 08:25
It's lovely to get re-acquainted with your blog. I think this exercise really demonstrates how honest and truly representative of you this blog is.
And I have to tell you that a bunch of my friends and I are going glamping in April for my hen weekend thanks to your recommendation- maybe we'll see each other there!
Posted by: the pesky bombolino | 14 February 2008 at 08:25
Goodness, that must've taken a while to get together! It made great reading and it was good to revisit your earlier posts - thank you!
Posted by: Dragonfly | 14 February 2008 at 09:13
oh so many good links, I almost forgot to come back.
your blog often gets me thinking for the day! :)
Posted by: tiel | 14 February 2008 at 10:12
You put a lot of thought into this and I appreciate everything you've shared. I struggled on the personal aspect, too, because it's an extremely painful subject to me. However, I do believe this exercise was healthy for us in a number of ways.
Thank you for sharing this post as well as your entire lovely blog.
Posted by: June | 14 February 2008 at 15:09
what are the lumps on cupcake number 2?
Posted by: hazeljoy | 14 February 2008 at 16:36
Oh, this was great, thanks, Ali!
Posted by: Ginnie | 15 February 2008 at 06:36