November 23, 2007

What I'm working on right now for this blog

Though this is very clearly a blog (hello, Blogger :D), in some respects, you can view it as a traditional website, because I am planning to create numerous posts which will become like (website) pages in the sense that they will be displayed all the time on the side of the blog (much like the achieves, etc are).

Some of the ideas for such pages that I've begun work on already are:

-A directory of all the 144 countries which currently belong to WAGGGS (the World Association of Girl Guides [and] Girl Scouts), including their respective founding dates, websites, and WAGGGS pages

-An information page about my own personal Girl Guide patch (crest) trading and collecting (what I have so far, what I trade, what I'm looking for and so on)

-A directory of links to other sites about patch, badge, crest, pin, etc trading and collecting

-A directory of links to sites (including Yahoo groups) that focus on SWAPs (trading, creating, collecting, etc)


I have several other ideas for “static” pages (and oodles of things I want to write posts in general about!), which I jot down as soon as they come to me. One such idea is to create a post with links to all of the Canadian provinces who have online Girl Guide stores (and/or provincially specific items which can be ordered off of the web by sending an order form via fax, email or snail mail).

Most, if not all, of these sorts of pages will be updated and added to often. I will put a “created on” date on each post which is likely to be added to or edited often and a “last updated” date, too. That way you will always know how if there are any new changes to a page which may of particular interest to you.

What do you think? Are there any sorts of topics that you'd really like to see covered here? I'm always open to suggestions and would love to hear your thoughts, which you can share in either the comments section or by emailing me directly.

November 21, 2007

About this blog

What's this blog about?

This blog is all about the vast and wonderfully interesting world of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. My own firsthand experience with Guiding took place between the ages of 12 and 15. During that time I lived in British Columbia, Canada and was a Pathfinder and a Juniour Leader/Brownie Helper of my little sister's Brownie troupe. Though I may not have always realized it back then, the time that I spent in Guiding was amongst some of the happiest and most fulfilling of my youth. I learned a tremendous amount of skills and genuinely enjoyed the caring, inspirational feeling that I always got when I arrived at a weekly meeting. During my time in Guiding I attended numerous camps in British Columbia, including SOAR 1998, which took place in idyllically pretty Sooke, on Vancouver Island. I completed my three years of Pathfinders by achieving the Canada Cord.

Though I have not been enrolled in Guiding since my teens, I've never lost interest in, or felt as though, in some way, I wasn't still a part of the Canadian Girl Guides. It's been said before, “Once a Guide, aways a Guide”, and my heart truly echoes that sentiment, for Guiding has been with me in one way or another (from knowing how to tie a clove hitch to first aid training) everywhere I've gone.

My life has been chaotic, busy and sometimes too strange to believe, but I like to think that (fingers crossed) in the coming year (or so), I'll be settled enough to enroll again. This time as either a Link or a Leader. In the meantime though (and certainly once I've joined up again!), I wanted to start this blog as a way of gathering information pertaining to Guiding, both here in Canada and internationally.


What topics will be/are covered here?

If it pertains to Girl Guiding and/or Scouting, there's no topic which is beyond possible mention. I know that like myself, a lot of you out there love to collect and trade patches, crests, badges, pins and other insignia and memorabilia relating to Guiding, and so some of the focus of this blog will be towards the subject of collecting and trading. In addition, there will be links, articles (blog entries) and other information pertaining to Guiding (Canadian, US, and international) as well – from WAGGGS to World Thinking Day, Our Cababa to the history of Guiding. (If there's something in particular that you'd like to see covered, please email me your thoughts and suggestions.)

Guiding is all about bringing girls and women from around the world together, it's about learning new things and having fun, these are spirits which I hope this blog will share in, too.

November 15, 2007

First day of this blog's life

Just a little note to say that this brand new Girl Guide and Girl Scout blog is under construction. It was started on November 15, 2007. Hopefully within a few weeks it will be suitably presentable :)

If you've found your way here, a warm welcome to you! The theme of this blog is Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and is being created by a (former, hopefully soon to be current again) Canadian Guiding member.

Please bookmark this site and check back often, I promise, it really will be up and running soon.


Yours in Guiding,
Jessica Cangiano


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