Retrospection

I've been tagged by my friend Zoanna for a blog post survey of sorts. Kind of like the Senior Superlatives section of a high school year book...but for my blog. Get the gist?

So, after wading through 444 posts from the last 4 years...

First up, CATEGORY 1: MOST BEAUTIFUL
I'm going for the most literal interpretation here.
Favorite Pictures From 2010

CATEGORY 2: MOST POPULAR
Because I have no idea what my non-commenting readers liked the most I picked one that DID have a lot of comments. It was a particularly fun post to write too.
Sorta' Crunchy

CATEGORY 3: MOST CONTROVERSIAL
It was a toss up between the book review post that included THE SHACK and my first post detailing OUR EXPERIMENT in raising pastured poultry. In the end, I chose Why We Do What We Do--Part 2 because it's likely the post that informed people of what they really didn't want to know, and/or they misread my intention for posting it in the first place. I hope they go back and read Part 1 and hear my heart.

CATEGORY 4: MOST HELPFUL
I hope Part 1 of the Why We Do What We Do series I just mentioned was helpful. It was constructive for me to struggle to articulate what I was learning and mulling over. I find the questions section something I go back to again and again.

CATEGORY 5: THE POST WHOSE SUCCESS SURPRISED ME
Homemade Condensed Soup. Recipe posts usually do not generate a lot of comments. The timing of it was just right I guess.

CATEGORY 6: THE POST MOST IGNORED
This one was hard to choose, because how do you judge, really? It's not the only time a post didn't receive any comments. And that doesn't upset me.

The Warmth of Other Suns was a book review that either came at the wrong time (right after Christmas when people were thinking of other things) or ...well, I have no idea. I really enjoyed the book and relish the mental challenge of writing an interesting and encapsulating book review. Maybe now it will garner a second look.

CATEGORY 7: A POST I AM PROUD OF
I would say the post(s) I am most proud of are the end-of-the-year "What I Read" posts, namely this one and that one. And while I like being known as a bookworm, I am aware that at times my voracious reading can take priority where it should not. So I sort of cringe at the word "proud"...because it is revealing.

BUT, being well-read is also a good thing, I'd like to think I've moved beyond just fluff, and while my other hobbies have taken a back, BACK seat to mommying, reading is a feasible form of recreation for this season of life.

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And, because I just waded through 444 of them, I'm adding 3 more categories to this meme:

CATEGORY 8: WHY I LOVE HAVING A BLOG
How else would I get such prompt feedback from wide-flung friends when it comes to things such as this?
Now everybody sing, "I get by with alittle help from my friends."

CATEGORY 9: KEEPING IT REAL
Blogging can easily become a portrayal of all that is "pretty" or "glamorous" in your life and essentially a betrayal of who you truly are. I've tried to blog with balance. To be mindful that anyone can read this stuff, and to show good cautionary restraint about what I reveal. But, at the same time, I want to be real with you all, because if I'm not that, what's the point?

This particular post was hard to share, but I'm so glad I did. It's the real me...flaws and all.

And, CATEGORY 10: WORDS THAT WERE TIMELY THEN...AND NOW
I loved reading back through a number of these old posts. This particular one caught my eye and fit the bill for this category.