Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy Birthday, Blog!

            An Experiment With the Well-Educated Mind is one-year old.  I vaguely remember what prompted me to chronicle my journey through great literature to the classical education I never had.  I had known about Susan Wise Bauer’s The Well-Educated Mind for some time, but something caused me to finally order it, read it, and implement it.  I finally determined that I could no longer wait to find quiet time to read.  No more excuses.  I needed to just do it. 

            In addition, since my homeschool group was preparing for our next school year through the Renaissance, I found information on commonplace books.  Commonplace books were popular for recording poetry, important book notes, favorite quotes, and the like.  Someone somewhere suggested doing a commonplace book online.  I figured I could record my “book notes” online as I read through The Well-Educated Mind list.  I began on January 1, or a few days thereafter, in 2012.  And so my blog was born.  

My tower of accomplishment
             This may seem silly, but I really do expect there to be some kind of transformation of my mind as a better reader and a deeper thinker, as well as a discerner of great literature.  And after a year of vigorous reading, which for me could be an hour or less a day, I have come to find that somehow it is working because those questions are always on my mind.  I find that I am even applying the questions to movies I watch.  It makes for a more worthy experience.  However, I must admit that I am only scratching the surface, and it may be many more years and many more classics before I truly reach my goal of obtaining that classical education I never had.

            One last thing: after making the commitment to read through The Well-Educated Mind list and beginning the blog, I had no idea I would meet up and read along with several other bloggers on the same or similar mission.  In fact, The Well-Educated Mind encourages a discussion of viewpoints.  So, I am most grateful to know others on this journey, and I look forward to many more years of sharing and exchanging ideas.
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12 comments:

  1. ToniaJanuary 1, 2013 at 2:23 PM

    Happy Birthday to your blog - and your accomplishment. I'm so glad to have found reading companions for this journey too! May we read many more pages this coming year!

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    1. An Experiment with the Well-Educated MindJanuary 1, 2013 at 5:45 PM

      "Hear! Hear!" I think your blog was one of the first blogs I found on TWEM mission.

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  2. Adriana @ Classical QuestJanuary 1, 2013 at 4:19 PM

    ♫ Happy Birthday dear An Experiment With the Well-Educated Mind! ♫

    Thank you for being an encouragement to me, Ruth. I am also looking forward to many more years of sharing and exchanging ideas!

    I hope that someday when we finish, we can all tour the English countryside together. Wouldn't that be fun?

    p.s. I'm right behind you. My blog turns one on January 27th.

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    1. An Experiment with the Well-Educated MindJanuary 1, 2013 at 5:51 PM

      Well, your posts have been an inspiration for me. Thank you for your extensive insight.

      That would be an amazing trip. Imagine visiting every place we read about on our journey, excluding Gulliver's Travels.

      Looking forward to our next year of novels together.

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  3. ChristineJanuary 1, 2013 at 6:32 PM

    Happy Blogiversary! That is an impressive stack of literature. Congratulations!

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    1. An Experiment with the Well-Educated MindJanuary 2, 2013 at 6:14 AM

      Thank you, Christine. And I am certain that you guys have an equally impressive stack of literature, too.

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    2. ChristineJanuary 7, 2013 at 4:03 PM

      Well, the titles are the same, but your stack towers over ours. 13 books in one year?! Amazing.

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  4. FandaJanuary 1, 2013 at 8:35 PM

    First of all, Happy blogoversary Ruth! Congrats for your achievements on 2012, and I'm eager to follow your development on 2013. This blog has introduced me to The Well-Educated Mind, and had encouraged me as well to start my self project. I have read 3 books now, and am just beginning the fourth: The Portrait of A Lady, I'm looking forward to read this with you this month... :)

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    1. An Experiment with the Well-Educated MindJanuary 2, 2013 at 6:21 AM

      Thanks, Fanda.

      So there should be several of us reading through Portrait of a Lady this month. Awesome!

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  5. Christina JoyJanuary 3, 2013 at 8:02 AM

    Happy Belated Blogiversary, Ruth! Thank you for your wonderful wrap-ups, detailed summaries, speedy paces, and classic companionship. Here's to many more books!

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    1. An Experiment with the Well-Educated MindJanuary 3, 2013 at 8:58 AM

      Thank you, Christina Joy!

      Frankly, my journey would not be the same without the outside connection of other WEMers, especially the encouragement from the humorous, creative, and intellectual posts by the marvelous ladies at Classic Case of Madness.

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  6. Kathy LorcanJanuary 13, 2013 at 7:44 PM

    I missed the actual "birthday" of you blog. But better late than never so here's my warm happy birthday wishes for you and your blog. Happy Blogiversary!

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