There are certain patterns I follow when I start writing a blog post every day, including searching through my old posts for my working title.
Just now, when I searched previous posts for “Patterns,” I found these:
Day 658: Missing and Coming Back
Day 423: Teaching an old dog new tricks
Day 325: The Anniversary Connection
Day 192: Random thoughts at 4:17 AM, July 11, 2013
Day 94: What sticks, what doesn’t, and putting things in perspective
If I had to write a ten-page paper today about the patterns I see in those posts above, I would probably include the following points:
- The percentage of posts I’ve written with the word “pattern” in them increased precipitously between days 652 and 725.
- At some point between days 423 and 525, I started using more initial capital letters in my titles.
- Day 325 shows an exception to that Initial Capitalization Trend, but that very well might be The Exception That Proves the Rule.
- Another observable pattern in my posts, over time, is increasingly shortening titles.
- I continue to be amazed that I haven’t used important and obvious words (like “Patterns” or “Pattern”) in the titles of my 740 posts.
Thank goodness, I do NOT have to write a 10-page paper about this or anything else today. Why? Because I’m not in school any more!
Here’s another personal pattern of mine: When I’m happy about something, I smile (which you can’t see right now) and I often say, “Yay!”
Yay! I just broke a pattern there. I’ve never tried to use an animated gif before on WordPress.
Another pattern of mine:
- I decide to try something new.
- I research it, somewhat quickly.
- I get impatient with the research.
- I give the new thing a try.
- It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.
Where was I? Oh, yes! I was celebrating — with Kermit the Frog — how I’m not in school any more and I don’t have to write papers.
However, I do need to write a blog post today, about Patterns.
Here goes!
As human beings, we tend to see and follow patterns.
As a human being, I see and follow patterns, too. In my blog posts, these patterns include:
- lots of lists.
- numbered lists (only if I don’t plan to interrupt that list, since numbered lists here will start re-numbering from 1).
- bulleted lists (like this list) when I plan to interrupt the list with something like, say, a photo that reflects the title and subject of the post.
- Links to previous posts, especially the latest one.
- Digressions.
- A balance of old and new.
- Images of animals, especially our two cats (that’s Oscar, above).
- Photos I’ve taken recently (usually the day before).
- Images I find whimsical and interesting.
- A stand-in for myself like Penny the Pen (a New Year pattern).
- Images and words that form some sort of pattern.
- Different sizes of pictures, to indicate importance or just because I like the way they look on the page.
- An emphasis on people, especially ones who seem kind and helpful, like Gianni, who appeared previously in this here post.
Aren’t there some interesting patterns in that picture?
Another pattern of my posts: music!
But what possible piece of music uses “Patterns”? All music uses patterns, I suppose. So I can choose anything I want!
Yay!
Another personal pattern: I have trouble making decisions, especially about routine matters and when I have a lot of choices.
I know! I’ll see what musical piece the music app on my phone chooses randomly now. (I’ve used that decision-making pattern before, here.) (Hmmm. Do two occurrences of anything create a pattern?)
(Donald Fagen performing “Weather in My Head” found here on YouTube.)
If you’ve observed any patterns remarkable or important to you in this post, please comment below (even if that’s not your usual pattern).
Thanks to Gianni (who works at a great store in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA whose name I can’t remember right now) (another pattern, for me); to Kermit, Oscar, Penny, Donald Fagen and all others who helped me create this patterned post; and to everybody everywhere who sees or creates patterns (including you, of course!).
Kermit is wonderful. No idea he was named after a shade of green.
Was Kermit named after a shade of green, Alex? You know who else is wonderful? You!
Thanks. His quote on my site is one of the most popular posts haha. I’ll raise a glass to all three of us 🙂
Did you see my post from yesterday, when I mentioned you, Alex? I wonder if that will become one of my most popular posts!
So honoured (blushes)
Patterns help us make sense of things, don’t they Ann? Happy Sunday! ❤
Diana xo
Patterns — and you, Diana — help me make sense of things. Thank you!
Changing it up and adding Kermit? You can’t go wrong with THAT.
I see a pattern here: positive messages from David Kanigan!
You have priceless patterns, Ann.
FYI, I think you posted a YouTube clip, not a gif.
I’ll try here, because I have never attempted the gif pattern on my blog, either
Maybe?
Yay! Gif success.
Yay for you, Kermit, and me, Mark!
Yes, Mark. As is my pattern, I googled “gif Yay!” and I posted something I found that I liked (which was not a gif, at all). Keeping with YOUR usual pattern, you noticed the problem and helped me out with it. My patterns also include (1) relying on others to help me improve things and (2) guessing who I think those people might be. Thank you, as always.
You’re welcome, as always, and thank you for the kind words, as always, and you were right that I could not resist but go search for the gif myself, as always. 🙂
More markedly helpful patterns!
I love patterns!!… and yours especially Ann 🙂
I love kermit too.
Thank you to you and Mark for bringing some of the K magic today!
I love your patterns, Val (and Kermit’s, Mark’s, and … mine, too!) Yay!
I think pattern create comfort. I like patterns or using known patterns 🙂
I agree. Patterns and routines create comfort. Thank you for bringing your comforting pattern here!
I see patterns in leaves, trees, clouds, sand, ocean waves, and in bird’s flight, as in these ‘Starlings Murmurations”:
I know I’m human, but a lot of my patterns follow after nature; it’s just hard to put into words (things that repeat themselves, or have a certain way of recurring). Oddly, these “Starling murmurations” have only been sighted in the UK.
Beautiful patterns and music, Maria. Thanks so much for sharing them (and your humanity) here.
I think I am a bit of a drifter. I find it often difficult to stick to patterns as far as writing is concerned. I usually end up drifting into some kind of writing and amazingly while I am writing I may just come across something I wrote or have been thinking about in the past that I can use in a new way. I feel writing and getting on in age can be liberating by learning to express feelings and opinions that could not be expressed all that well at a younger age.
I can relate to what you wrote here, Aunty! Thanks for bringing your perspective on patterns here today.
Love your patterns, Ann. And your digressions! I’m learning the patterns of the Everglades today.
Hi, Emilie! I love your patterns, your digressions, and your travels (especially your travels here).
Hmm, I see a pattern in my life that after Christmas it is DIY. I live and dream about whatever my current project is (covering our thin walls with Wallrock wool liner) and get behind on everything else… like blogs.
Another pattern of mine: I can overlook comments that come in after the initial comments create a pattern after my post. I’m glad I saw, today, how you added to and improved the pattern here, Hilary.
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