The concept
This blog is meant to be a companion to my original SnoutBeagle blog. As mentioned in the header, it is inspired by a history of journaling, a tradition of lists, and a conversation with a dear friend.
The Conversation
I was having lunch with a good friend the other day when she mentioned the sweater she was wearing made her list that day. I knew for some time that she keeps a daily list of things she's grateful for. It's always struck me as such a simple and positive thing to do to keep things in perspective. That particular day I must have had blogging on my mind because it suddenly seemed to me that a blog specifically for the purpose of keeping such a list might be a nice thing to start.
The History
That same afternoon the idea of a companion blog to SnoutBeagle continued to formulate. I have a history of journaling. Since I was seven years old I kept a daily diary. Every year for Christmas my parents would give me a diary for the following year. I would fill it up with all that was important to me at that time of my life - my pet gerbils and our dachshund, Cocoa; the neighbor's horses; my high school best friend; my first boyfriend - the list goes on and on. I kept a daily diary religiously through high school. When I graduated, my dad gave me a card where he offered the advice that I continue keeping a diary. That meant a lot to me as I figured he didn't really notice my diary-keeping when in reality it must have made quite an impression on him.
I did continue journaling through college and beyond but not as a daily ritual. My journals went from being small locked and dated books to blank journals. The blank journals made longer and more in-depth entries the norm and therefore not as realistic on a daily basis. I stopped all together shortly after I met Mark in 2003. Keeping in contact with my new husband, then boyfriend, via e-mail across the pond became a new form of journaling. I wrote to him in the same depth I would write in a diary. I even scanned a journal entry and sent it to him at one point.
The SnoutBeagle blog has become a welcome way to express myself through writing again and it's a shameless way to dote on our dogchild. However, there have been a few times where I've wanted to blog on a topic that didn't have a beagle link (although, surprisingly, most of the time I can find a link in rather unexpected ways). So beyond the list of ten bests of the day (whether it be daily or not, I don't know) I will probably carry on some as well.
As far as my diaries, I still have them all in a box in our bedroom closet and if the house was on fire I would consider that box a priority to rescue. After the beagle, of course.
The Tradition
In 1995 I started the tradition of sending an insert of "Ten Bests of the Year" with my Christmas cards. This tradition was born of sheer laziness. I had been sending out quite a few Christmas cards prior years to college friends and past coworkers that I rarely saw. It seemed like a cop-out to simply sign my name so I was handwriting messages to each of them telling them what I had been up to that year. It was tedious and repetitive so, inspired by the form letters people often include in holiday cards, I decided I would put my graphic design skills to use and design a nice-looking list of the best things I experienced that year. Sending numerous Christmas cards was no longer a chore and the lists received great reviews from my friends and family.
Along came Mark and the tradition which was very "me"-oriented somehow seemed less appropriate. I discontinued the lists after 2002.
Life is different now anyway. Our "bests" are less glamorous and we have "bests" everyday. Which is exactly what this blog is all about.
The Conversation
I was having lunch with a good friend the other day when she mentioned the sweater she was wearing made her list that day. I knew for some time that she keeps a daily list of things she's grateful for. It's always struck me as such a simple and positive thing to do to keep things in perspective. That particular day I must have had blogging on my mind because it suddenly seemed to me that a blog specifically for the purpose of keeping such a list might be a nice thing to start.
The History
That same afternoon the idea of a companion blog to SnoutBeagle continued to formulate. I have a history of journaling. Since I was seven years old I kept a daily diary. Every year for Christmas my parents would give me a diary for the following year. I would fill it up with all that was important to me at that time of my life - my pet gerbils and our dachshund, Cocoa; the neighbor's horses; my high school best friend; my first boyfriend - the list goes on and on. I kept a daily diary religiously through high school. When I graduated, my dad gave me a card where he offered the advice that I continue keeping a diary. That meant a lot to me as I figured he didn't really notice my diary-keeping when in reality it must have made quite an impression on him.
I did continue journaling through college and beyond but not as a daily ritual. My journals went from being small locked and dated books to blank journals. The blank journals made longer and more in-depth entries the norm and therefore not as realistic on a daily basis. I stopped all together shortly after I met Mark in 2003. Keeping in contact with my new husband, then boyfriend, via e-mail across the pond became a new form of journaling. I wrote to him in the same depth I would write in a diary. I even scanned a journal entry and sent it to him at one point.
The SnoutBeagle blog has become a welcome way to express myself through writing again and it's a shameless way to dote on our dogchild. However, there have been a few times where I've wanted to blog on a topic that didn't have a beagle link (although, surprisingly, most of the time I can find a link in rather unexpected ways). So beyond the list of ten bests of the day (whether it be daily or not, I don't know) I will probably carry on some as well.
As far as my diaries, I still have them all in a box in our bedroom closet and if the house was on fire I would consider that box a priority to rescue. After the beagle, of course.
The Tradition
In 1995 I started the tradition of sending an insert of "Ten Bests of the Year" with my Christmas cards. This tradition was born of sheer laziness. I had been sending out quite a few Christmas cards prior years to college friends and past coworkers that I rarely saw. It seemed like a cop-out to simply sign my name so I was handwriting messages to each of them telling them what I had been up to that year. It was tedious and repetitive so, inspired by the form letters people often include in holiday cards, I decided I would put my graphic design skills to use and design a nice-looking list of the best things I experienced that year. Sending numerous Christmas cards was no longer a chore and the lists received great reviews from my friends and family.
Along came Mark and the tradition which was very "me"-oriented somehow seemed less appropriate. I discontinued the lists after 2002.
Life is different now anyway. Our "bests" are less glamorous and we have "bests" everyday. Which is exactly what this blog is all about.
posted by snoutbeagle | 9:20 PM
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