Kelly from KJ Pugs tagged me in this fun post – seven prompts that you pick an old post for. I had a lot of fun going through old posts – a lot which I had already forgotten about – to figure out what to share with you all again.
1) Most beautiful.
The Short List. This is pretty much my life well-lived plan, and it includes lots of beautiful places and promises. I’m not sure there’s anything more beautiful than that!
2) Most popular.
The post that has drawn both the most links and Google searches (even though it didn’t win) was my entry into Serena’s cooking challenge, my Strawberry Grape Focaccia + Perfect Lemonade. And really, it sounds oh so good right about now. It almost makes me want to do dishes so I can make some. Almost.
3) Most controversial.
This one was a huge surprise to me, but without a doubt it was this post about figuring out if we could afford to re-sign our current lease. I got not only a whole bunch of opinions and comments, but emails too. If anything I learned that what’s important in a place to live is so radically different to everyone that it’s a miracle I ended up with someone who agrees on apartment criteria. I heard from a lot of people who valued parking spaces, in-unit laundry, and square footage over neighborhood, and couldn’t believe that we’d choose a more central location over such amenities. And I got a lot of people reminding me that Chicago is still cheaper than New York and D.C. (On the other hand, try telling someone from the suburbs what rent is in the city. You’ll get a dropped jaw, especially if they’ve just seen said 650 square feet of living space.)
4) Most helpful.
For me, at least, my post on struggling with getting any sort of foot in the door with photography was the most helpful. I heard back from lots of photographers who had been there, brides who let me know what was important to them and where they looked, and all of you in general, who have been so supportive! The advice I received in that post really helped me to feel more confidence for the free sessions I shot initially, and later my first few paid sessions.
5) A post whose success surprised me.
Man, is that worded awkwardly. It makes the post sound like a person. Anyway, this is much more recent, but I was amazed that you all understood (and even agreed with) my rambling post on Why We Write. It was one of those posts that I didn’t plan, and it was exactly what I love about blogging – that it’s an outlet to not only push yourself and your own writing, but also to bond with others who are similar to you. And, you know, it’s good to know that I’m not the only one who still watches my Sex and the City dvds years later. (And no, I didn’t take this photo from my TV – it just was uncredited online. We actually don’t have a TV!)
6) A post I didn’t feel got the attention it deserved.
This little post, on being young and in love, was one of my very first posts on the blog. It was a silly little thing, written (I’m sure) in response to the zillionth person who couldn’t believe how young we were and our story. I’m honestly not bothered by peoples’ surprise, especially the longer I live in the city and see how unusual it is to be committed so young – and the more we grow, the more secure I am in our relationship. But I think that every stranger who interrogates (because it’s always strangers, for some reason) forgets that, you know, while they’re asking for the first time, we’ve been asked over and over and over. (And over.)
7) Post I’m most proud of.
Hands down, I’m most proud of my D.C. Recap, not because it was particularly amazing in and of itself but because of the experience. I loved our whole trip, my wonderful D.C. ladies, and going on the first trip that was 100% ours. This trip really gave us time to think about what we want with our futures, and realize that living in at least one other city is something that’s so important to us. It also made me realize that we can travel on a budget, and on our own terms, so that it fits into our lifestyle without being extravagant.
