Vignettes: Reflections

Be brave, be true to yourself, be someone who loves others.

“Whatever 2020 threw at you, here’s hoping that 2021 brings you whatever combination of magic, adventure and peace is just right for you. Find moments to pause, but remember to occasionally throw caution to the wind. Be brave, be true to yourself, and be someone who loves others.”

2021

It has been strange looking back at my notes from the last decade or two for this notebook. There are so many things I didn’t remember until I read my notes, and a handful which I didn’t remember even after I read through them. Most of these relate to skits and amusing happenings that, at the time, me and whomever I was with found hilarious enough to record in the briefest of notes, but which clearly didn’t survive in my long-term memory, however funny the incidents were at the time. I didn’t share any of these.

In some cases, I didn’t want to delve any further into some of the memories. I was quite happy just recalling things in broad brush.

It is interesting how the structure of my notes has evolved over time, and I found myself less inclined to share some of the older observations - not least because the more lengthy notes (often threads on Twitter) were political, or related to activism of sorts. I didn’t really want to share all that, to relive it. Part of me wonders how I had the energy to live it all to that extent the first time around.

My style of writing has changed, too, as did what I wanted to record. I’m interested to know how my writing style will continue to evolve over the years that come.

It has been an interesting experience hosting this notebook. I didn’t find it as fun as I thought it might be, in a way. It wasn’t as alive and, though I followed up with some observations or contextual comments, I didn’t want to dissect everything.

I think, for me, there needs to be something more current for these notebooks. Something more immediate, something living. I think it is more exciting that way. Perhaps I should have made the focus the additional commentary, and used the original notes as the initial spur.

Having said that, I’m still glad I chose this notebook. It was an interesting exercise in understanding how my writing and I have changed over the years. And, reflecting, it has left me with a feeling of profound gratitude for things that have gone before, but especially for who and where I am now.

Thank you so much to everyone who has joined in the conversation this month by commenting or messaging. These discussions are always my favourite parts of these notebooks.

I’ll be back on the first day of February with an update on the theme for my next seasonal notebook, which will run throughout March.

Lydia Crow
Orton, Cumbria

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Find Me Elsewhere

My newsletter, Vignettes, will always include a round-up of the various digital haunts I have been frequenting over the previous months, as well as an indication of where I might be the following month.

My year-long project, Simply This, featuring suggestions of fun and interesting things to do, came to an end yesterday. It contained bursts of nostalgia, old-fashioned fun in its simplest state, and a not insignificant amount of cheerful daftness.

I have just launched my new project for 2026: TessaHedron: A Writer’s Notebook. I’ll be sharing weekly posts from January 2026, all associated with my fiction project, TessaHedron. It will be an exercise in creativity rather than specifically chronological storytelling, including all manner of things relating to worldbuilding, writing, editing, and distribution in their broadest forms. It’s free to sign-up for a handful more hours.

All of my latest updates will be either hosted or shared on my website. There are a few other projects and essays planned for the site in the coming weeks.