beginnings

So I've been thinking about starting a blog for awhile now. Kind of like Sharon -- 'all my cousins are doing it' -- and plus I find them interesting to read. But even more, there are all these moments in life that are so good - happy, funny, important, or none of the above but still good --that I tend to forget since I'm really bad at remembering things that happen in my own life. So in an attempt to capture some of these fleeting moments and put them in a safe place, I'm starting this blog, with hopes that I will continue writing in it somewhat consistently, unlike the half dozen diaries or so that I've begun pretty much since I was like 8 yrs old.

Other reasons why I'm writing a blog:
1) I'm partially inspired by all these personal papers I've been reading for my research -- Churchill's letters, the Foreign Secretary's letters to his sisters, the other Cabinet Minister's diaries, etc. It's important to keep a record, I've realized. Of course, it's much more important when you're high-up in politics, but still, I think this is one of the things I can learn from.

2) Diversion. Basically I need something to do to distract myself from my research. So I guess I'll write more the more boring my work is.

Btw, the picture above is from London, St James' Park. I guess it fits with the theme, Phoebe in London, for lack of quintessential London pictures of Big Ben, Parliament, Red Buses, etc.

Ok, we'll see how this goes...