“I’m writing my story so that others might see fragments of themselves.”
– Lena Waithe
As we approach January 4th and the release of the first edition of my ‘Wanders’ for the world to see, I’d like to take a moment to explain how the blog entries, notes, and post-notes function.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
- Disclaimers
To begin, at the start of each week’s blog post, there will be disclaimers covering the following:
“This blog is a personal diary, and the content shared here is based on my own experiences, thoughts, and opinions. I am not a professional in any field, and the information provided on this blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only.
I do my best to ensure the accuracy and validity of the content I share, but I cannot guarantee the completeness or timeliness of the information. The content may evolve or change over time as I continue to learn and grow.
Please keep in mind that any advice, tips, or recommendations I provide are based on my personal experiences and should not be considered as professional advice. Before making any decisions or taking actions based on the content of this blog, I recommend consulting with qualified professionals or experts in the relevant field.
I am not responsible for any consequences that may arise from following the information provided on this blog. Your use of this blog and its content is at your own discretion and risk.
I value respectful and constructive discussions, so I welcome comments and feedback. However, I reserve the right to moderate and remove comments that are offensive, spammy, or violate the blog’s policies.
By accessing and using this blog, you agree to abide by this disclaimer and all applicable laws and regulations.
Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I hope you find it interesting and enjoyable.”
I feel this is important to have as, whilst I do remember a lot and have written lots of notes, it’s probably not fully accurate and is based on my perspective, not of others.
- Trigger Warnings
Alongside the weekly disclaimer, in the event that a post delves into a particularly distressing topic, I want to ensure that I provide a trigger warning for individuals who may have experienced similar hardships.
This blog post contains content that may be triggering to some readers. I will be sharing personal experiences and thoughts related to previous abuse, self-harm, alcohol issues, and mental health difficulties. Please be mindful of your own well-being and consider whether you are in the right emotional state to continue reading.
If you feel that these topics might be distressing or harmful to you, I strongly encourage you to prioritize your mental and emotional health. It’s perfectly okay to skip this post or come back to it when you feel better prepared to engage with these sensitive subjects.
Remember, you are not alone, and there are resources and people who can provide support. If you or someone you know is struggling with any of the issues mentioned in this post, please consider seeking help from a mental health professional or a trusted individual in your life.
Please proceed with caution, and take care of yourself as you read further.
This example will be adjusted based on the subject matter of the blog post.
- People
Since the ‘Wanders’ are personal diaries, they include interactions with other individuals. To respect their privacy, I have altered the names of those who appear in the Entries, Echoes, and Endnote. I have also made modifications to aspects of my own previous name to safeguard the privacy of individuals associated with my former names.
When discussing my blog verbally or referring to individuals within it, I will use the names I’ve chosen for the blog. Even if individuals from the blog choose to reveal their real identities (provided it’s their choice), I will still use their blog names to ensure the privacy of others who prefer to remain anonymous.
- Entries
The ‘Wanders’ entries will be set in the then-present time, corresponding to when I was in the country mentioned. For instance, ‘My American Wanders’ took place in the summer of 2022, so the dates will align with that timeframe.
Each entry will be accompanied by a date and a unique number. If you happen to forget the specific date but remember the entry number (e.g., Entry #12), you can easily locate it.
To enhance readability and prevent overwhelming readers with lengthy entries, I’ll be dividing some of them into multiple parts. This will be indicated by a decimal next to the entry number and another number (e.g., Entry #12.1). The number of parts in each entry will vary based on its length, but the longest ones will typically be split into four parts.
- Echoes
The ‘Wanders’ echoes are memories from past events in my life that will enrich the week of entries that follows. These echoes will typically appear at the beginning of each week, though not necessarily every week. They will be included when necessary to offer additional context for emotional moments or insights into my behavior.
Similar to ‘Wanders’ entries, these echoes will also be numbered (e.g., Echo #3) and roughly dated.
- Endnote
Finally, The ‘Wanders’ endnote serves as the epilogue for each ‘Wanders’ edition. It takes place after the conclusion of the travel entries and delves into the aftermath of the entire experience.
In contrast to the previous two sections, the endnote is not numbered but will include a date.