Back to the Beginning Meme
Posted on June 17, 2008 - Filed Under Meme
The Vaguetarian Tea Room was a year old on May 17 this year. I meant to have a big celebration but got caught up in other things and then forgot about it. But it really doesn’t matter because every day that I blog and interact with good blog buddies is a celebration for me. 
I’d like to turn this into a meme and would like anyone who has been blogging for any amount of time to join in and use this meme as a way to introduce new readers of your blog to some of the earlier posts if you would care to join in. Give us a little background and links to some of your earlier posts. Come on, you know you want to! Here’s mine.
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The Vaguetarian Tea Room all started with an observation and a quest.
My first post was this one where I introduced myself and my quest to make a meat-free hot dog without using soy.
I ended up naming my hot dog creations “Mimic Mutts,” and kept experimenting with a recipe for them. Eventually, they ended up looking like they do in this post. As a newbie blogger, I had read somewhere that posting about a controversial subject could increase views and comments on your site. So what better thing to do than to see if anyone agreed with my observation that one of our local newscasters looked like a puppet? I didn’t get any responses to that but I don’t give up easily because I realized she looked more like a different type of puppet and posted about it here. I got one response and then I was hooked. Not content with picking on one local newscaster (who I honestly feel is very pretty even if she did remind me of the puppet), the puppet twin series here at the Vaguetarian Tea Room was born. I went on to find many more famous people and puppet twins for them. There is now a category for them in my subject box.
So, how did all these things turn out? Well, I gave up my quest for making my own meatless hotdog after that last posted attempt. I found it was way too much work for the amount of time I spent eating hot dogs. So now I have found a wonderful grass-fed, organic, uncured, nitrate-free beef hotdog that I resort to when I am having a real craving. They are not inexpensive, but they satisfy and as long as I don’t eat them often, I don’t feel too bad.
As far as Frances Rivera goes, strangely enough, there were many hits on my blog searching for info on her. Many hits may have come from her publicist or the stations’ publicists or agents. But the really strange thing is that since my posts about her appearing very stiff and puppet-like on television, she has seemed much more relaxed and animated on screen. I would say it is a change for the better. She really is a beautiful woman and doesn’t remind me of those puppets as much anymore.
And as for the rest of the puppet twins, well, I retired that “series” after about four months because I started having trouble finding pictures of puppets who reminded me of any famous people. It was fun while it lasted, but I always seem to find things to do and blog about. I have gone on to have little series of tips, trivia, volleyblogging, and lots of other fun and games. I love to keep the tea room’s topics interesting and varied and I love audience participation from my blog buddies. You guys have made this one heck of an awesome trip for me. Thanks a bunch! Hugs to you all! And by the way, I do still occasionally search the internet looking for cool puppets who might have people twins. 
So, anyone want to take me up on this meme? This was really fun for me and I enjoyed looking back and revisiting those early posts. I’d love to read yours too but will not specifically tag anyone because I’d love to see EVERYONE’s. No pressure, as always, however.
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30 Responses to “Back to the Beginning Meme”
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I would do your meme, but not too long ago I did something similar, but nowhere near as much detail. It started with this post which later resulted in this page. Yeah, I took the easy way out of this one.
Great post and great idea for a meme. 
Yeah, you took the easy way out, but there is no sense in redesigning the wheel!
I LOVED reading those posts! I know I had stumbled on them once before while being nosey at your site. But I took some time to read more of them this time around and really enjoyed some of those “pure gold” posts. I love your wit and humor and the way you look at things. 
Thanks for participating, Spidey!
Haha, I’ll have to think on this one Teeni…and go dig out some old posts!
Oh, I bet you have some good ones, Hay! I would love to see them!
My internet keeps telling me that it cannot display the webpage - so that either means my internet provider is feeling puny or you are getting tons of hits on this?! or something else entirely - what do I know? I’ll try again to read about the puppets later, I know I’m a newbie here at your tearoom. Good meme.
Oh, I hope it was just a glitch and works fine if you try again. I haven’t heard anyone else mention it. So hopefully it was just temporary.
All of my early posts were on Slyde’s blog as a contributor. Mostly movie and book reviews, but I go back and read them from time to time. I think I took more time with posts back then.
Hmm - Yeah, I suppose I would spend more time on posts if I didn’t have to do all the maintenance, moderating, and commenting too. But that’s half the fun of blogging, aint it?
I would like to compare your older posts with your newer ones to see why you think that though.
That’s a great meme. And I loved the way that you pulled yours off. I will think it over and do one myself. Possibly for this weekend.
That would be awesome, Evyl! I’d love to read some of your earlier posts along with their back stories.
But no pressure, of course. This one took a little time, but it felt good, like tying up loose ends or something.
I remember reading about them puppets. Good times, Teeni!!
I’ll have to give this one a go.
I can always count on you to jump in with my meme challenges! That’s just one of the things I love about ya, Red!
see, now this is where i wish i jumped to blogger or wordpress… its so hard to link to old articles for me (ive made it easier now but old stuff that i never converted is a pain)…..
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that Slyde - I know I would have liked seeing some of your older stuff. Hey, maybe you could just do a new post and give us a recap of your humble blogging beginnings and revisit/update some of your old topics. Just an idea.
Oh that was great. I am quite a recent reader I suppose (can’t think when I found you?) of your blog so it was great to hear how you started.
I will give this some thought. In a way I am not keen to revisit the beginning of my blog because it was not a good time for me but I think maybe I could do this as I think I have changed a bit in the way I use it and my commenters these days are just superb. Today my comments were one million times better than the actual post I wrote - yours being one of them!
Maybe I should save it for when my blog is a year old?
Aw, RB, I would never want for you to revisit if it makes you uncomfortable. You know there is never any pressure from me on these things. On the other hand, if you do feel differently and feel changed then maybe you could do a post just updating us on how things have changed since you first started blogging. You do it any way you like or not at all.
And thanks about my comment at your site (but your post was great). I do try to put a lot of thought and feeling into those comments and your site always has topics that make me think too. 
You’ve only been blogging for a year? You’re such a Pro! Well Happy Belated Blogoversary! Hugs, cheers, the whole bit!
Oh, I’m definitely not a “pro,” but I wish I was. I think I’m slowly getting better though. With me it’s baby steps.
Thanks for the good wishes, Paige! Hugs and cheers right back at ya! 
I would, but then I’d be outed. My blog is totally not what it was intended to be. But I love it.
Hmmm. Now you have me all curious. LOL. Well, I’m glad you liked it anyway.
what? has it been a year already?? where does the time go!?!
Happy blogoversary teeni!!
Yeup - a whole year! Can you believe it? As I said on your little rock star blog, “time sure flies.” Wow. But I think it flew by so fast because I spent it with such cool bloggers!
I think this is a great idea for a meme. My blogoversary is in August, so I’ll do it then. I was trying to think of a way to celebrate and you’ve come up with a great way!
Thanks, Wendy! I’m glad you liked it. Oooh - I can’t wait until I get to read yours.
mine doesnt turn that til october
but i would do it if i could 
Your blogger blog started way back in May of 2007, so you could go back that far if you wanted to do it!
I don’t think that I ever read back to the begining of your blog so this was a good way for me to learn how you got started
Wow. I can’t remember when I ran into you, Mark. I know I found you through Red though. Anyway, glad you could take a gander at the Tea Room’s humble beginnings. LOL.
i felt like i travelled in time with your posts!
congratulations on blogging for a year, time flies when you’re having fun.
i’ll think of this meme, and will try to do it soon. take care!
LOL. Thanks Odette! Oh, that reminds me, I’ve got to send you my snail mail info. I do hope you get a chance to do this meme. I’d love to see yours.
Wow Teeni, I had no idea you wanted a meatless hotdog - what a coincidence…me too! Haha I’m just kidding. I got grossed out on hotdogs while back and can’t seem to eat them anymore. I read your 1st post! It’s nice to read about how you came about in blogging and I am so lucky to have you as a friend. I think you’re just great and I’m crazy about you and your blog:)
Aw, you are sweet and the feeling is mutual, buddy!
Wow, Teeni, what a great idea. Happy Anniversary! Mine is coming up in Oct. so I think I will save this meme for then. Thanks!
Thanks, 2LD! I would love to see your blog beginnings!
I did one like that but it was also far less detailed… It is a great meme for getting your older more notable stuff read!
Thanks for the congratulations and for the positive thoughts through the limbo time, it meant the world to me!
I’ll have to go look for yours. I would love to see your early posts! And no problem about the positive thoughts, my friend! I’m just glad to see some good coming your way!
True my memory is nt very good
Teeni; I didn’t know that you had started your blog just a couple of weeks before mine!
You seemed such a pro(still do, only more so!)
I remember the puppets! LOL!
MY early blog was over at Blogcity and really I was a terrible hostess; hardly ever posting.
So it wouldn’t be very interesting.
But you have always been inspiring to me(and to many others as is evidenced by your comments!)
Aww, thanks so much, Merri! That was really sweet! I am sure not a pro, but I’m learning!
Just between you and me, I miss the puppets and wish I could find more. LOL.
Cool post! I am also a new reader so it was cool to learn how you got started. Why hot dogs though?
Hmm. Good question! I think it may be because when I first changed my diet a few years ago to be mostly vegetarian, one of the things I missed was hot dogs. Yeah, I know. Rather than a good cut of meat, hot dogs were the things I missed. LOL. I went through a lot of odd cravings. I also was trying to avoid soy products and it was impossible to find soy free vegetarian hot dogs. I found I could make faux meats from scratch at home using wheat gluten so that is what I used to try and make hot dogs. Another odd craving I had was for doughnuts which was weird because before I changed my diet, doughnuts were not a regular thing for me. But once I decided to eat healthier, I suddenly wanted doughnuts. I could do a whole post on my doughnut quest and I think I may do that sometime.
Dang it, Teens - now I want a hotdog. I mean I really really want a hotdog.
You’ve had a great year because you are a great blogger. That’s the truth.
Love,
Annie
PS: BTW, that stumble has created an avalanche. Unreal.
I’m so glad the stumble brought new readers to such a fantastic blog post. You got the avalanche because the post was definitely avalanche-worthy by an awesome blogger! You are awesome Annie and loved by all of blogland (but especially ME)!
Oh, and sorry about the hot dog! I know that feeling!
I just spent 2 hours trying to figure out how to add a digg button … but I like yours better, it’s cute and small. Tell me how to do it Teeni, please?
Aww, I feel bad because I’m not sure if you can do it exactly the same as I have because I’m on a hosted WordPress and you are using the free version. I am not too savvy when it comes to these things. This was just one I could turn on or off through a plug-in in my hosted WordPress and was pretty automated so that even I could do it! Does anyone else know of anything that can help us out with this?
Congrats Teeni! This is great! I had fun reading your older stuff. {{hugs}}
Thanks, JQ! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hugs back!
Happy one year blogiversay!
Thank you Kami dear! Time sure flies with such wonderful blog buddies.
Happy blogging anniversary !! I’ve only been blogging since Oct. and I didn’t blog much at the beginning but I think I will do it at some point. It’s a great idea.
I actually have a good recipe for seitan. You have to marinate it in all sorts of good stuff like ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, sherry, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce then you saute it and use it in a macaroni salad. better than tofu because I like the texture better.
I love the puppet twin series. That is too funny.
You ended up with a great blog, my dear Teeni!!!
Thanks so much Joan! Your seitan recipe sounds wonderful! I love all those ingredients!!! I actually loved the puppet twins series myself - it always cracked me up. It was one of those things, though, that I thought would really take off and I don’t think it did because I had a small readership back then. Who knows? If I start finding more puppets on the internet that look like famous people I can always start it up again to torture you all with. Muhahaha! Thanks so much for the kind words. They truly are a compliment coming from someone with as fabulous a blog as you have.
Oh, it’s ok Teeni …
I will keep my eyes and ears open on this, anyhow.
Well I really can’t answer this one cos I only started blogging last week! But its good to have found your site……..oh yeah, and I am a non meat eating person too, so was very amused by your mimic mutts. Happy anniversery anyway!
Thank you for the good wishes, Justme! I hope you will share your blog URL in the future so I can return the visit to your site.
Ummm do I HAVE a blog URL??? Doesn’t Justme find me? EEK I am hopeless at this!
LOL. You are not hopeless at all - I’m so glad you came back to see my response. Your blog URL is the web address of your blog - you know the http://www.whateveryourblognameis.com. If you go to the home page of your blog - then look in the web address box and it will be there. When you comment on my site, it should give you a place to enter that information in so I can find your blog and visit you! Or you can cut and paste the address into the comment box and I’ll find it. It’s all a learning process and you are doing great (you found your way here, after all).
Well, I THINK its http://justme-randomramblings.blogspot.com But I’m not sure! There was a box that said that on it….. Everyone else I have commented on ( not that many I admit) seems to have just found it?
And I cant find a place on the comments bit to fill it in….. So…..let me know if it works! I am feeling very clumsy and slow at this. Really I need someone to sit down and go through it all with me, but since its my own secret place, I can’t really do that can I! Thanks for the help. Will be back!
You are right - that was it and I was able to find you and comment at your place!
The other blogs you commented on may have been Blogger blogs so it may be easier to exchange info with each other. I have a profile with Blogger but not a blog. I think if you view my profile you can see a link to this blog from the “my website” link on the left.
When you leave a comment for me here at the Tea Room, there should be a box for your name, your email address, and your website. You can put that same address that you put in this comment in the website box and then I’ll have a direct link back to you!