It’s been a year. Yes, it has.

To celebrate–we’re going to have music.

Enjoy listening to the 10, 000 Maniacs as you read, and I’d like to thank Natalie for her congratulations at the end of the song!

I’d been thinking about starting a blog for a while, but on Wednesday, September 3, 2008, around lunchtime, I decided to just do it. By the evening of the 4th, it was up and running.

Over the last few days, I’ve been looking back at all 156 posts, and just for fun, in case I might at some point discover a “big picture” to it, I’ve listed the titles of the posts below. If there’s one theme already apparent, it’s that one thing, in so many cases, does lead to another.

I’ve added a link to some of my favorite posts, but if you see the title of another one you’d like to explore, just pop the title into the search rectangle on the sidebar or go to the archives for that month, also on the sidebar. Oh, and if you go back to any, I would love for you to leave a word or two in the comments so I’ll know you were there. Oh oh, and if you have a favorite post, I’d love to know which one it is.

Back in that first month, I tried to post every day to get the blog going. Doing that was useful in that it helped me determine what kind of posts I wanted to make and what kind I didn’t. For example, very quickly I determined that I didn’t enjoy just reporting facts. So that’s when I created the UPDATE section.

Over the past months, I’ve learned to loosen up a bit with my words–not think so much about them. I’ve also figured out that it’s much more fun for readers to know why I like a particular passage rather than just that I like it. So I think my posts have gotten better. Still, I think it’s in the immediate nature of blog posts that some will be better than others.

A big thank you to all my readers for reading. And a really big thank you to all those who posted the 743 comments. You have made Catching Days better than it could have been on its own. As you peruse the words below, I wish for you fond memories and new discoveries.

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September 2008: catching days-the shape of things-sentences-playing with books-the day itself-that moment-two first novels-September 11th-no extra words-specious and torpid-playing with books again-twinkling leaves-until I see what I say-friday night lights-casts-sanctuary-first day of fall-like watching a house being built-the slow construction of a writing life-otherwise-like a wick-sheet rock-prosaic

October 2008: the doors between-life is meals–a gathering place-time going round in circles-a place for storing years-one story-all one thing-wordable awareness-collaboration and commitment-what’s in a novel-the kitten-wordsmitten-out of her head-a day in the woods-all its rich hours-circularity-family history-the last day of October

November 2008: the extra hour-explaining myself to myself-wordstruck-island eyes-truth in versions-who would you be-home-companion-wonder-folded-rough red brick-the yellow house-concatenate-having eaten-a mercy

December 2008: december 1-a good story-into the woods-something more-more than this-reading in slow motion- breathing in art-under her hand-send in the elves-maybe Christmas…-Christmas magic-the art of reading-full circle-frosting

January 2009: there it goes-last night-letting go of consciousness-women, why, and what-frost-frost finished-the street ran on-one book at a time?-the dawning of a new day-playing with time-the feminine mistake-beach music-dirt music

February 2009: word journey-row houses-russian dolls-a bent cover-February morning-a shape to view-first the facts-feeding the buzzards

March 2009: well…-about a marriage-it’s coming-that sinking feeling-from st. andrews-from the skies over Paris-from positano-from rome-the wash-before and after-every minute

April 2009: the first days of April-from seaside-from sausalito-from point reyes-four wardrobe trunks-in a lyrical way-a pattern of constant revising-Fitzgerald finale, part 1-Fitzgerald finale, part 2-out stealing horses

May 2009: sometimes in the open-stop time-when I’m not being a mother-your little brother’s red wagon-I want something good to read–why we go back-passion and patagonia-details, details-living out loud–digging for buried treasure

June 2009: summer reading-summer reading II: story collections-the odd shapes of life-one thing leads to another–reading under the sky-the vagrants-how do you shelve-some people buy shoes (a prequel)-apropos-not writing books but writing in books-I’ve found a book-are we losing our senses–the story behind the post-how do you record

July 2009: the writer’s notebook-infinite summer-my writing room-the writer’s desk-a room with a view–how we got here from there-faces in the distemper-sixty potential first sentences-the continuous life-in real book-some days-the missing bridge

August 2009:A Day in the Life of Pam Houston-a kind of fugue-the space for me-a detail hunt-hot tub in a walk in closet-the music room-making order

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As we head into year two, there’s lots more reading and writing and living to do. Also, on the first of each month we have the guest post in the “How We Spend Our Days” series to look forward to. This next twelve months, I hope that even more of you will join the conversation.

I’d like to thank the Perfectly Cursed Life for the idea for this post.