October Daily 2020 MEGAAA thread

I was just reading about appropriation and I think one of the first steps is to understand the reasons why things are done, where they came from, what they mean to the people whose traditions they are. And then to ask, who is profiting. I have some colorful calavera pillows I made from fabric that did nothing to honor or respect the people of Mexico, their religion or traditions, and that they did not profit from. Now I see that as appropriation. Everything you can buy at Target or the craft store is probably appropriated. I avoid that stuff now. 

I'm not sure I can speak to America (or even NZ) generally because I think there are regional, family, religious and cultural variations.

My family is a bit weird because we don't generally care much about ritual at all, or about what comes after death. My grandfather insisted that no notice be placed in the paper about his death until after his burial or cremation (? I'm not certain which, which illustrates my point, and he just died in the past decade). He didn't want any ritual or religious words said over him, he wrote his own obit, and I think a gravestone was placed for him next to his mother. I think I know where that is, but more because of my interest in genealogy. I've never visited either of them, or any of my grandparents' graves. I have never visited a cemetery to mourn anyone actually. My parents didn't agree with my grandfather - they feel that the gatherings after death should be for the comfort of the people still living, whatever they need, so if they want to pray over a grave what business is it of the dead person? They don't seem to believe in ghosts, or possibly even souls. I'm from some generally atheistic/rationalist/humanist people, which I don't think is typical. 

Anyway, I definitely know people who visit graves regularly, but I'm not sure if that's regional/cultural, religious, or what. Outside of organized religion, which is sometimes heritage-cultural and sometimes Ameri-generic, I don't know that this culture has many rituals for remembering those we came from and those we've lost. 

That big picture has journalling inside. The other side is below, with a big picture of a Jeremy Deller work on the side of the Royal Festival Hall and also a breakfast in bed made by my daughter and a recording of The News Quiz (the programme isn't being recorded in theatres anymore, obvs, so it's being recorded over Zoom and it's an interesting experience being an audience member)


Japanese page. Coffee, book and snacks from a treat box that I spent far too much money on.


A mug! The view from my office!


My daughter's birthday. I made the pumpkin cakes, the top picture flips up to show a picture of her birthday party (a Zoom party where they all played Roblox) and a bit of journalling:



There are a few more photos here if you fancy a look: www.flickr.com/gp/cornybeard/W48dap I'll update when I get round to it. joblackford and sleepingbooty your albums are incredible!

My grandmother died at the end of September and we had her funeral during Oct. Funerals are funny things, aren't they? This one was pretty emotionally charged and there were only a handful of us and while the funeral was hard, afterwards was nice. We couldn't have a wake which was a shame as Grandma still has a few surviving sisters and it would have been nice if we could have all got together but my parents, sisters and I did manage to have a nice meal together and that was lovely and realy helped dad, I think. It ended up being so lovely that the waiter asked what we were celebrating, which was a bit awks, but dad's answer of "we're together for the first time since Christmas" was also true. Anyway, I don't know how to journal any of this. I have made an enveope to put in the album and I think I'll print off some photos and add some journlling and just keep them in there so it's a mini album in my OD. I might not add journalling, I still don't know what to say really. Anyway, hi, my name's Charlotte and I like to overshare.

Oh, I love that movie! Haven’t thought of it in ages.

Charwee ....I only just discovered this GREAT thread, so I'll start with what I saw first---all your layouts a few posts above. OMG---I LOVE all of them !!!!!!!!!!! I can't say enough positive things about them.  (sidenote:  I'm sorry for the loss of your grandmother! )


I can't wait to delve into this entire thread---it's gonna take a while!

You're in good company here

Love your album. I'll head over and take a look at the rest soon.

Here's my take on spilling my guts here and then saying "I don't know what to write." I cut and paste what I just wrote in the thread into a document. I ask myself, would this make sense in the album? I mess around with it a bit, add some extra private details (names, etc), take out stuff I don't need to explain to my family, whatever. Then I print that as my journaling. It may not look much the same when I'm done, or it might be the exact words I shared here. Depends on the intended audience. But I usually approach journaling as "if someone random picked this up, what would I say to explain what they're looking at?" which is pretty much what I write here. Your mileage may vary, but maybe that will be somewhere to start.

I'm sorry for your loss. How old was your grandmother? I think we're about the same age (?) and my family is losing that last of that generation too. They have been pretty long lived. If I had been in NZ this year I could've visited with my last great aunt on one branch at another aunt's funeral. When I was home last time I got together with two of her big sisters, who have since passed away in their mid-90s. She's the baby - only 93 or 94 I think. She looks about 70-something so might be the one who makes it into the 100s.

Interesting times. I want to sit and have a natter with you about politics and government, maybe after US Election Day.
To quote a Kerri Bradford embellishment "I miss precedented times"

Wow, thanks for sharing this video. I just subbed to her channel. So talented and fun to watch

Haha! Yay. I've been meaning to make time to watch that wonderful seasonal clip. A perfect way to transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving. I recently read a pretty good history of the Pilgrims... there was no table, or shampoo... eye roll. 

Ha, as I pressed "post" I had a thought of "oh, there's my journaling"! Would love to talk to you about politics and goverment one day, Jo. Grandma was 94 I think, the same age as the Queen she would always say, so she had a good innings! That Kerri Bradford quote is PERFECT.


I really did. I always forget that creating is a form of self care and I should really do it more. Your Grandfather's funeral sounds lovely actually, I've not ever come across putting the screws in before and that and closing the casket sounds incredibly special, I would love to have a conversation about how funerals differ around the world, but that would be derailing the thread even more, but I find it fascinating. And comfort food all the way, we went for Italian.


scrappintoee welcome to the thread! It's a good place to be

lostwithout2peas love it! I neeed your mug!

That October album that I did not do daily is realllly close to being finished! I wish other life would stop getting in the way, BUT I was happy that I left it a little while because I got an opportunity to capture a spiderweb picture to tell the story of seeing a giant spider shadow on Halloween night. One of our little spinners was re-making her home right in front of the security light! I didn't get a picture at the time, but a finished web in the same spot will work just fine.

joblackford That is fabulous! I love that you included a selfie and called it the plague. I call it the plague, too.