5 years of TTaT!

To mark five years of blogging, I decided to pick a post from each year, one that would reveal the quintessence of me or my writing at that time. Choosing just one per year proved too difficult and constraining. To ignore all of my photography posts would be to ignore a huge part of myself. When I got to 2009, I hadn't even selected my favorites from the year yet (it's done now, oh ho). And finally, the weather has been unseasonably spectacular for a couple days and I couldn't bear to waste it inside. Nonetheless, I was able to cull a trim list I'm happy with.

To read and/or look at these posts is to learn more about me, as a writer, photographer, storyteller, and artist. When I look at the list I chose, I see so much inspiration, much from other bloggers. Thank you all for reading, commenting, and blogging yourselves.

Five years of Taller Than Average Tales, ultra-condensed
2005:
Goblets of beer: a tale of perception, paranoia, and standing out.

Hamlet was my undoing (Part I, Part II, Part III) and its sequel,
The Prom: Take Two (part 1, part 2, part 3): an epic tale of teen love, angst, and rivalry. (Every blog should have one!) This is the first writing I recall doing that was specifically inspired by another blogger; Helena Lazaro's Blood and Guts was a must read for me in those days. Within 6 months, she'd pretty much stopped blogging. I'd link to her archives, but it's behind a sign-in wall now.

2006:
Blue gloves: a trip to the dentist, revealing unexpected connections.

The Road is my Favorite Place: Day 3: I love being on the road, able to stop and photograph whenever I choose as long as there's somewhere to pull over.

2007:
Formalwear Claire: the trials of finding formal wear last minute. (You'd think at 36 I'd have clothes to cover all the basic formal events, but I'm sure there's more frantic shopping in my future.) Inspired by Jenny of Run Jen Run's post, Never a Bride. Thanks, Jenny! Your writing and photography continues to inspire and amuse me.

2008:
In motion: a video of my favorite thing I've ever built, a kinetic sculpture.

Claire's Bears: the ultimate backyard bear sighting. These bears and Dave of Blogography's DaveToons inspired the bear cartoons I started to draw. Thanks, Dave! Your far-flung travels, logo design post-game breakdowns, and DaveToons continue to entertain me and have taught me a lot.

2009:
Before dinner...: the camera at hand. Look at that sky!

After dinner...: I love this serene sequence of photos so much, I made it my twitter background so I can see it every day.

Gettin' My Groove On... (vol. iv): Jenny's Photobooth Chronicles inspired my Groove series. Thanks again, Jenny! My Grooves are a reminder to embrace silliness and celebrate activities that absorb my attention.

*****
5 years in 10 posts (ok, technically 15), not bad, eh?

Please take no offense if I didn't name you. If you've commented, your impact has been felt and appreciated.* Thanks again to you all, lurkers included.


*unless you were a spammer or a jackass.

A year ago on TTaT: iv, quattro, 4, four, quatre !!!!