I think I need to play along and do the first lines meme I saw over at Classical Bookworm. The idea is to post the first sentence of each month from your blog. Perfect timing! Things have been very hectic around my house since the middle of last week. Hopefully after tomorrow life will be back to normal, but I've been away from the computer and am behind in everything (and have been lucky to post daily this last week). When I finally got around to logging into Bloglines last night I had well over 200 posts to work my way through. I haven't read most of them--they are tagged for later, so I will be having a reading and commenting fest soon. Here's my year month by month:
January - With snow finally on the ground, it now officially feels like winter.
February - I was going to make this a "thursday thirteen" post, but I wonder if you are getting terribly bored with my incessant list making?
March - Another aimless day at home thanks to near blizzard like conditions here!
April - I have dragged out my little book of essays by Anna Quindlen, How Reading Changed My Life, long enough.
May - In her post today, Susan hopes her recent purchases will keep the "buy-the-books-now demons" happy.
June - As yesterday's post was so long, today I will make it short.
July - I found a couple of books and this very cool postcard at my favorite used bookstore this weekend.
August - I am looking forward to Fall for more than just the cooler weather.
September - I'm sorry. I know this blog post title is bad. I just couldn't quite help myself.
October - This weekend I read two short stories by two female British authors whose novels I've read before and enjoyed.
November - How about a Booking Through Thursday on a Thursday?
December - I'm a bit late coming to the discussion of the latest Slaves of Golconda novel, Alan Garner's The Owl Service.
Hmm. I talk about the weather rather a lot, don't I? And my first lines aren't terribly exciting are they? And I am sure I probably do make too many lists, but as this is sort of my online reading journal I tend to treat this space as I would if I were writing rather than typing. Perhaps I'll have to work on jazzing up my first lines a bit in the coming year...
The contrast between January and March is amusing!
Posted by: Sylvia | December 10, 2007 at 05:38 PM
This is one meme that scares me to death...I don't think I want to know what my first lines were. It would, I'm sure, be embarrassing.
Posted by: Sam Houston | December 10, 2007 at 07:45 PM
Ooh, now I need to go back and read you thoughts on How Reading Changed My Life, since I read and enjoyed that one a few months ago.
Posted by: Andi | December 10, 2007 at 08:00 PM
Sylvia--Once winter kicked in last year it was here with a vengeance. This year it has come earlier--we already have snow and tomorrow we get freezing rain. Oh yay. I'm not very good when it comes to weather extremes!
Sam--I swear not all my posts start out like this, but then I never pretended to be a writer! :) There is a sort of cringe factor sometimes when you go back and read your writing--I try not to do that!
Posted by: Danielle | December 10, 2007 at 08:01 PM
Andi--I should have linked to the posts, but I was too lazy! I loved that Anna Quindlen book, but it was really more of a longish essay. I would like to read more of her work--I know she has some essay collections out there.
Posted by: Danielle | December 10, 2007 at 08:03 PM
What a fun idea, think I might do the same thing on my blog tonight. But I only started in April.
Posted by: Simon | December 11, 2007 at 08:57 AM
I like this meme and I've borrowed it for my post today. It's true that first lines don't convey the full flavour of the blog, but the exercise does represent the sweep of the year nicely!
Posted by: Kate S. | December 11, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Ah this is good. Don't worry about too many book lists - I love them so keep them coming :)
Posted by: iliana | December 11, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Oh, I love the book lists too -- they are very useful and interesting. I'm considering doing this meme too -- it's an interesting way to think about one's blog.
Posted by: Dorothy W. | December 11, 2007 at 02:54 PM
Simon--Do it anyway. I think these sorts of posts are interesting and fun in their own way.
Kate--I think you're right. First lines are not always very representative of a whole post, but I like seeing what I used to draw people in. I'll have to go and read your first lines!
Iliana and Dorothy--I don't think I'll be able to give up making lists, so I'm glad they are well received!
Posted by: Danielle | December 11, 2007 at 08:46 PM
I've just tried this meme on my blog too; your first lines are much more intriguing than mine!
Posted by: Melanie | December 12, 2007 at 09:26 AM