2020. What a year. For many it’s one of the worst years of their lives… the year they lost their homes, or their business, or their family. For many students going into and out of school it was a year of lost opportunity and the loss of traditions afforded to everyone else in their community before them such as proms and graduations and varsity sports championships. People’s weddings were postponed or cancelled. Vacations people had been planning for months or years or a lifetime were waylaid. The world was turned on its ear. I was once told, and it has always resonated with me, enjoying life is about appreciating contrast. Not in a philosophical sense wherein bad must exist to for there to be good or for people to appreciate good, but in an entirely pragmatic sense: good and bad experiences exist and in this context it doesn’t matter so much why. Sometimes we’re out in the daylight, it’s clear and sunny and pleasant. But night always falls (and the night always ends with the rise of the sun.) But even at night stars shine in the sky, the moon reflects our absent sunlight as a reminder of the coming dawn. It is in this mindset we focus today on the stars and the moon and the bright highlights of all the good things which happened around Neep Manor during the long, bitter night of 2020.
So I thought I’d look at the last year in the form of some top lists.
The Website
The website is really the “headquarters” for all the things I do and while I may be ostensibly more active on things like social media… a platform like Facebook is designed for community more than a website it. Nothing bridges all the different streams of content I do quite like this website.
Top Five Most Popular Pages of 2020
- The Medieval Merchant Roll
- The Pilgrim Progress Challenge (and we’ll do it again in 2021!)
- #stabthecovid Dagger Giveaway
- The Groups Billboard
- The Tutorials Resource
Three Most Popular Articles of 2020 were
- Settling vs. Good Enough for Now
- A Tribute: Brig Pilgrim
- Red Carpet: DOK 2019
- Researching and Commissioning a New Arm Harness
- Unique Portrayals (I.E. Why I Don’t Want to Be A Specific Person)
Videography
Since I post videos to both Facebook and YouTube separately, lets take a look at the Top Ten Most Watched Videos of 2020 across both platforms.
- Medieval Knights Don’t Rush
- Top Ten Medieval Clothing Must Haves (collaboration with Ylva the Red)
- Medieval Country Society
- What is a Reenactor
- Medieval Cooking with Kids – Armored Turnips
- Medieval Cooking with Kids – Barley Water
- Medieval Pouch Contents
- My Favorite Thing (Challenge Video from History Live North East)
- Researching a Name
- Quick Tips #1 – Small Garment Holes
Social Media
I spend a lot of time (probably too much time) kicking around on Facebook and Instagram, though it appears you all enjoy it.
The Top Five Most Popular Facebook Posts by Likes
(Excluding sharing my own content and expired contests)
- A funny Archery Meme
- A Halloween picture
- Expecting Announcement
- A medieval version of the lady yelling at a cat meme
- An infographic on the medieval moment
The Top Five Most Popular Facebook Posts by Conversation/Comments
- A conversation about what crazy living history stuff you would do if you won the lottery
- A conversation about the substrate of plaque belts
- A conversation about sewing machine recommendations
- A conversation about ecclesiastical impressions
- A conversation about fitting footed hose into shoes
The Top Five Most Popular Instagram Posts by Likes
- A harness with gold accents
- A gorgeously fluted harness
- A photo of a large troop movement
- A pair in full harness in a duel
- A humorous toiler paper raid
Now I have to take a moment to express a great surprise at this. When I first started on Instagram I had a fairly… shallow opinion of the platform and was certain this top five list would be exclusively attractive women, and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised at how the top of the list is all armor and medieval group content! Faith in humanity restored.
The Top Five Most Popular Instagram Posts by Conversations/Comments
See you all next year!
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