the project.

I am the type of person who believes in the sanctity of books. Books, to me, have always been temples, much in the way we consider our own bodies to be. As a child, I was often outraged at the unfortunate placement of price stickers, or the sheer balls it takes to stick loads of senseless STUFF all over pristine, beautiful, crisp smelling, friendly books. In the same way I love books, I also love bookstores. Recently, in one of my pilgrimages to my local BAM, one book in particular caught my eye. I am, admittedly, the sort of person who on occasion judges books by their covers, and this one held a particular magnetism.

THE book. 

The book was called Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith- an author with whom I am surprisingly unfamiliar with. I went home that night, possessed by the innate need to research this book. I liked its' facebook page, found the author's blog, website, amazon page; it's an understatement to say my research needs were fulfilled. I came to the conclusion that this book and I were destined to cross paths. And so, today, I made my return trip to that same BAM, my mom and brother included in my mission. After a somewhat frantic and irritated search for its new location, I proceeded to the check out, my paper-bound trophy in tow.

A bit of background information: I was recently complaining to my mom that my blog was feeling... empty. I haven't written in months, because I haven't felt like anything going through my head was SO interesting and crucial that it was necessary to post it online, for all the world to find. However, today at Books-A-Million, my mom provided enough inspiration for every day of the next few months. "Why don't you blog about your book?" So here I am, sitting in my June Cleaver kitchen, my dog in a diaper and Chinese food on the stove, hunched over my laptop, writing once again. Here's to hoping I keep up with it, and to hoping you keep up with me. Maybe by the end of this project, more than four people will know this blog exists. Ha.

this is a non-commital beginning.

i've been putting off the start of this blog for a long time. how long, you ask? ..don't judge, but i'm pretty sure it was six months. for some reason i felt that it couldn't be interesting without a clever and meaningful title that summarizes the whole of my person. clearly, that didn't happen. no clever phrase came to mind, leaving me with a feeling of inadequacy comparable to the feeling i got as a 12 year old who didn't know how to ride a bike. [it was real, seriously. i was a bit of a cautious cathy, okay? and the day i did FINALLY learn to overcome my fear of having to balance on something other than my feet, i crash landed into a pile of stabby long twigs. oh, childhood.]

anyway, i've decided to leave it up to the fates to bring a title to me in a dream, or whatever medium it is the fates use to deliver their mail. as for now, my blog will stand alone, title-less, only garnering interest by the bare bones of its content. maybe that's the way i want it anyway. oh well.

i think this first post would not have happened had it not been for some of these contributing factors:

1: i am a raging insomniac. seriously. it's 4 AM right now and i don't even feel a teeny tiny semblance of something like tired.

2: my dear friend katie beth encouraging me to "take the leap!" she's a blogger herself (check it out, it's musically educational and otherwise enlightening: http://katiebethbyerley.blogspot.com/ ), and i was complaining to her about my lack of subject matter and inspiration, and she says i should seriously just do it! [thanks, kb. if this sounds like insanity later, blame will go partially to you! only kidding! but.. seriously.]

and finally, 3: the idea of an empty page with my name on it was eating me alive!

at least now i can rest in the peace one can only find by filling up a page with absolute nonsense for all the world to see.

on that note, i think i'm finally feeling a little on the sleepy side. this officially goes out into the world as soon as i hit the publish button. fates, if you're reading this, a title would be lovely. if you're a human being reading this, maybe the fates want to ghost write through you. you should try some rituals or something to see if they want to channel their blog title wisdom through you to my cute little box for comments. just kidding, none of that voodoo business but seriously, dear citizens. ideas are welcome. as are friendly little love notes.

A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. ~Charlotte Brontë

thanks, charlotte, my brains are all ironed out. goodnight!

-ellie