A Serious anniversary: Thoughts on blogging since July 14, 2014
On July 14, 2014, I started this blog, Margaret Serious, with three posts. Now I’ve written more than 600 posts. All three categories — Words Worth Defending, Sustaining Books, and Browsing Through Bartlett’s — have endured as I’ve worked to find words, books, and quotations to describe the past eight years.
I didn’t start out believing that Words Worth Defending would change from “this is an odd word that should get more use” to include “the meanings of all words should be defended from misuse by those who just don’t care.”
Nor did I start out believing that Sustaining Books would be as much for defending the art and practice of reading as for reviewing books that I love, books that sustain me. But then, I never believed in 2014 that I would be “in Great Tightness,” as A.A. Milne wrote when he defined the term Sustaining Books, for so long and in different ways.
I had a copy of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations from the mid-`1950s when I started. I would have laughed at the idea that what I now call my new copy, a gift from another blogger, was published in 1980. “Familiar” is itself becoming a word worth defending, so I turn to Bartlett’s less often than perhaps I should.
But ChicagoNow itself has changed in eight years, as well. Many who wrote for the site then have moved on, whether due to intrusions by real life or because of other commitments to writing. (Gee, if they need an editor… .)
Longtime readers will recognize that we have far more advertising than we did — not always a pleasure, but it keeps our posts coming out.
I can’t tell the future — but I can say that these eight years of creativity and conversation have been far more than I thought about in 2014.
I wanted a collection of writing samples; I gained over 600 of them.
I wanted a group of writing friends; I found two, my fellow bloggers and the Imaginary Writers’ Room‘s committee, which had been in my mind all along.
I wanted to learn more about how the community worked; I was the first blogger selected to edit the monthly Best Posts lists, and I learned about the variety in the community and the complexity of the WordPress software we use.
I wanted a reason to write; I discovered that ideas are all over the place, just waiting for a “click” that says “There’s a post in that — seriously.”
Many thanks to all, whether you’ve just discovered the community or you’ve been here since Day One.
The future is uncertain in so many ways, but let’s keep sharing our interest in words and stories to keep us together and see us through.
Filed under:
Writing
Meet The Blogger
Margaret H. Laing
I moved to Chicago from the south suburbs in 1986. I have diverse interests, but I love writing about what I’m interested in. Whether it’s a personal interest or part of my career, the correct words to get the idea across are important to me. I love words and languages — French and Scottish words enrich my American English. My career has included years as a journalist and years working in museums, and the two phases were united by telling stories. I’m serious about words and stories. So here I am, ready to tell stories about words and their languages.
Subscribe by Email
Completely spam free, opt out any time.
Monthly Archives
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
Latest on ChicagoNow
A Serious anniversary: Thoughts on blogging since July 14, 2014
Chicago’s Craft Beer Weekend, July 15-17
Summer Fitness Tips
The Black Crowes Live in Highland Park, IL on July 12, 2022
Mac Saturn Live in Highland Park, IL on July 12, 2022
Posts from related blogs
The Quark In The Road
Most recent post: Hindsight of the Iguana
The Chicago Board of Tirade
Most recent post: What makes a gun an assault rifle?
The Amused Curmudgeon
Most recent post: Why No Late-Night Talk Show on Fox?
More from News: Opinion
Read these ChicagoNow blogs
Cubs Den
Pets in need of homes
Hammervision
Read these ChicagoNow Bloggers
Carole Kuhrt Brewer
Dennis Byrne
LeaGrover
About ChicagoNow
•
FAQs
•
Advertise
•
Recent posts RSS
•
Privacy policy (Updated)
•
Comment policy
•
Terms of service
•
Chicago Tribune Archives
•
Do not sell my personal info
©2022 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team
1 comment