So let me catch you up. This blog, it's about my life, the things I think, the places I go, the food I cook, the pictures I take. I did think you might need a crash course in 'me' as it were in order to read the blog and get you up to speed.
I did start writing a potted guide to all things me, but then I realised that I was just babbling about random things (is that not the point of a blog in general though?!) and not really getting down to the business of actually just writing some entries and seeing if this is something that I'm going to enjoy which will bring together all the other crazy things I've been thinking about doing. Also I realised that actually you will need basically no background knowledge of me at all to read this blog, you just need to be the sort of person that likes life's random thoughts, good food, mundane but lovely photos, creativity and a bit of cake now and then.
But it did leave me thinking that it might be a good idea to explain why I want to write this blog and what I plan to do with it. And maybe the thinking behind the name...
I've written a diary every year since 1989. I've never written every day, some years there are a few scribbled months, others there are books filled with the minutae of my teenage years, but I have found writing relaxing and cathartic for as long as I can remember. I keep having wild ideas of blogs that I will write, charting my progress on some kind of lofty task - I thought about a dating blog when I was single (that doesn't really meet the lofty criteria but I think I thought I could be the next Bridget Jones!), this year my new year's resolution is not to buy any new clothes, shoes or accessories and I was convinced there was a blog in that somewhere too - and I often think of cool names for blogs, register them, write one post and then delete them.
This time however my approach is different. Armed now with an iPhone and a twitter account I've been posting little messages and photos, making photo stories with our cuddly toys and sending them to my boyfriend (yes, that is very soppy, you can vomit now if you wish), snapping dumb things I think my best mate would get a kick out of and the random stuff I see everyday. Before I wanted to be more creative so I was opening a twitter account, and a flickr account to put up random thoughts and showcase my photos. I was thinking of writing a blog about one thing in my life and then trying to write a novel about another part of it. But now I think, why not do it all but all together? Why not post photos, writing, movies, thoughts and see where that takes me.
And so, finally, to the name. Well, I have a bag from the Unicorn Grocery in Manchester, a Christmas present from a friend and it says on it 'Make do and Mend'. It is one of my favourites, which if you could see the out of control collection of reuseable bags that I have (tempered now only by the new year's resolution preventing me from buying any more) you would realise is actually high praise indeed. I thought about calling my blog that, but clearly it was taken. And then I thought, well why not use a bit of present continuous instead? I mean, this is my life, Make do and Mend, it's quite me, so why not make the name more about the fact that this is what I do everyday. And it's not just in a housework sense. I'm very happy with my life the way it is but I do believe you should be grateful for what you have. That is a version of 'Make do'. I'm not saying put up with something that is dreadful but there is everything to be said for counting your blessings.
And the Mending? Well, 2009 didn't exactly start in a fun way for me. Right now I'm not 100%, life isn't quite the version of normal that I'm used to. But I'm getting there, and I think 'Mending' is a good way to describe me at the moment, I'm certainly on my way, but I think elements of the blog will reflect the bit that I still have to go.
Thanks for reading. :)
I did start writing a potted guide to all things me, but then I realised that I was just babbling about random things (is that not the point of a blog in general though?!) and not really getting down to the business of actually just writing some entries and seeing if this is something that I'm going to enjoy which will bring together all the other crazy things I've been thinking about doing. Also I realised that actually you will need basically no background knowledge of me at all to read this blog, you just need to be the sort of person that likes life's random thoughts, good food, mundane but lovely photos, creativity and a bit of cake now and then.
But it did leave me thinking that it might be a good idea to explain why I want to write this blog and what I plan to do with it. And maybe the thinking behind the name...
I've written a diary every year since 1989. I've never written every day, some years there are a few scribbled months, others there are books filled with the minutae of my teenage years, but I have found writing relaxing and cathartic for as long as I can remember. I keep having wild ideas of blogs that I will write, charting my progress on some kind of lofty task - I thought about a dating blog when I was single (that doesn't really meet the lofty criteria but I think I thought I could be the next Bridget Jones!), this year my new year's resolution is not to buy any new clothes, shoes or accessories and I was convinced there was a blog in that somewhere too - and I often think of cool names for blogs, register them, write one post and then delete them.
This time however my approach is different. Armed now with an iPhone and a twitter account I've been posting little messages and photos, making photo stories with our cuddly toys and sending them to my boyfriend (yes, that is very soppy, you can vomit now if you wish), snapping dumb things I think my best mate would get a kick out of and the random stuff I see everyday. Before I wanted to be more creative so I was opening a twitter account, and a flickr account to put up random thoughts and showcase my photos. I was thinking of writing a blog about one thing in my life and then trying to write a novel about another part of it. But now I think, why not do it all but all together? Why not post photos, writing, movies, thoughts and see where that takes me.
And so, finally, to the name. Well, I have a bag from the Unicorn Grocery in Manchester, a Christmas present from a friend and it says on it 'Make do and Mend'. It is one of my favourites, which if you could see the out of control collection of reuseable bags that I have (tempered now only by the new year's resolution preventing me from buying any more) you would realise is actually high praise indeed. I thought about calling my blog that, but clearly it was taken. And then I thought, well why not use a bit of present continuous instead? I mean, this is my life, Make do and Mend, it's quite me, so why not make the name more about the fact that this is what I do everyday. And it's not just in a housework sense. I'm very happy with my life the way it is but I do believe you should be grateful for what you have. That is a version of 'Make do'. I'm not saying put up with something that is dreadful but there is everything to be said for counting your blessings.
And the Mending? Well, 2009 didn't exactly start in a fun way for me. Right now I'm not 100%, life isn't quite the version of normal that I'm used to. But I'm getting there, and I think 'Mending' is a good way to describe me at the moment, I'm certainly on my way, but I think elements of the blog will reflect the bit that I still have to go.
Thanks for reading. :)
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