Lighten Up

(I'm just going to sneak right back in here with a post and we'll all pretend like I haven't been gone for absolutely AGES, ok? Great, thanks.)

I've been making small steps lately to lighten up my load in a few areas:

24lbs lighter...
Freecycle - my new favorite organization.
As tough as things have been in the last couple of years for many people, it feels good to make a small contribution by giving away things that I will no longer wear to someone who can really use them.

There are multiple 2-piece suits in there, a dress with the tag still on, and a pair of silk pants that would make any woman feel like a superstar on a workday. This kind of giving really benefits giver and receiver. When I walk into my closet now, I feel lighter!

13lbs lighter...
Since July, I've been doing regular exercise almost every day; biking with a great partner, walking, jogging, and at home strength training. I'm 5lbs from my ultimate goal weight (target was set early this year), and I don't miss a single ounce of what I have shed so far.


6lbs lighter...
We all have it. That mass of supplies that we bought when we were new to the craft, and didn't know better. Didn't know that squeaky acrylic is not well suited for most projects. That good color selection does, in fact, play a part in the final product, and that "cheap" and "good value" are usually mutually exclusive when it comes to your raw materials.

This yarn is headed for The Interim House.. My stash will not miss a single yard of this yarn, but I suspect it is off to do some good in another home.

What will you leave behind before the New Year rolls in?

Hello Weekend

What did you get in to?

2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibers

Have you heard about this? I just happened to come across it while reading one of Adrienne's blog posts at The Dye Garden (of A Verb for Keeping Warm fame).

According to the webcast summary,

"The United Nations General Assembly declared 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fibres. IYNF 2009 aims to highlight the importance, significance and continuing relevance of a sector that produces close to 30 million tonnes of natural fibres worth some $40 billion annually."

As an excerpt from the website, here are the objectives behind this initiative:

• Raise awareness and stimulate demand for natural fibers;
• Promote the efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibers industries;
• Encourage appropriate policy responses from governments to the problems faced by natural fiber industries;
• Foster an effective and enduring international partnership among the various natural fibers industries.

I found the associated webcast to be pretty interesting too, and I feel generally inspired by this to keep stitching away at this love I call a hobby. It feels good to be taking my part in contributing to production in this industry and to supporting developing countries.

Plus,

How cool is it that we now a totally justifiable, socially responsible reason for acquiring more yarn??

Sharesies

I did this out on Facebook and thought it would make a good blog post.
The orginal rules are:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

Here are my 25 things - mostly deliberate, but some very random...

1. I used to bite my nails ALOT. I don't think they've ever recovered.

2. I have crowd deafness.

3. My secret wish is to sing professionally. Oops - now it's not a secret.

4. I don't think I know myself very well. This makes me feel hopeful and sad all at once.

5. According to recent tests, I"m allergic to wheat, corn, dairy, eggs, vinegar, and chocolate. I've become quite the meat and potatoes girl since (hold the potatoes please).

6. I grew up less than 2 miles away from my husband but never knew him in childhood. We left the island the same year and moved thousands of miles apart, then met back in that same place 13 years later. The rest is an ongoing history.

7. I hate green peas.

8. I use the term Best Friend to describe 4 people in my life. I have no issue with the fact that it doesn't fit the literal meaning of the term; it fits each of them perfectly.

9. Often my brain works like a CD Player on repeat, with images, conversations, and thoughts that run continuously over and over. It's the reason I can't watch horror movies.

10. Not once in my career have I felt completely settled in my professional work. This drives me and frightens me.

11. Red is my power color.

12. My daughters are the only thing that I'm truly 100% convinced I've done right and to the best of my ability so far.

13. I envy people that can completely relax.

14. I would do my college years all over again, and change very little.

15. This year I have a goal to eliminate all foods from my diet that I know for a fact don't agree with me.

16. Pilates has changed my self-image.

17. My two worst traits are my over-eagerness to please and my fear of confrontation.

18. My two best traits are my ever-ready smile and my patience with others.

19. I have way more ego than most people think, and certainly more than I usually admit to (ha! there goes that little secret too!)

20. I could drink hot (caffeine free) tea all day every day, happily forsaking any other beverage.

21. My sister is the funniest, most talented person I know. She's also the most fragile, which makes those other 2 things even more admirable.

22. There are a lot of dichotomies in my life. Here's another one...the number of online sites and "communities" I'm part of often makes me feel very connected and in touch. That is until I stop and really think about it. Am I really?

23. I'm pretty impressed with the fact that I made it to #23. For a self-proclaimed open person, I'm actually very secretive.

24. I'm a big softie and cry VERY easily - happy or sad tears - they flow freely either way. I even tear up sometimes when I'm talking about something that I am passionate about, even if it's something benign.

25. Dancing and laughing are two of my favorite things; I find joy in opportunities to do both. Sometimes...when things really line up well, my dancing illicits laughter from others, and that is a very sweet thing.

Your turn!

2009 Goals & Come See Our New Shop!

If you make a list of items you intend to work on, strive toward, and (gasp!) successfully accomplish within a certain time frame, but you do it in December - can you avoid calling them Resolutions? Well, if it's your blog, I would say the answer is yes! :)

The following "2009 Goals" are all related to my craft. The Life List is a work in progress...don't ask.

I may or may not come back and update this, but here is what I've got so far (with some knit pics mixed in to add some color):

Reduce my carbon footprint:

• Print patterns only when I'm ready to actually make an item; this is one of the lynchpins to my ultimate goal of keeping a cleaner more organized work and craft space (somehow the craft bleeds over into the work area quite consistently, go figure.)
• Use more naturally made and animal fiber yarns; I really don't know the science here, but if a yarn is 100% plastics-based and flammable to boot, I'm open to all options that will justify me replacing it with a woollier or furrier alternative.
• Get at least 3 more sweaters from Goodwill to unravel and re-fashion into something great.
• Go one full quarter without buying a magazine, pattern booklet, or knitting book.
• Go one full quarter without printing a pattern; naturally I can make things by viewing the patterns on screen, but similar to Goal #1 this will mean less paper stacked up around me - and perhaps more FOs will be piled up around me instead?
  

Find my style:

• Select projects from each of these categories to knit for myself: socks, sweater, hat, shawl/wrap/stole. The intent here is to find just the right fit and style for my body type and my (sorely lacking) fashion sense
• Swatch, knit, repeat
  

Branch out:

• Learn and try at least 5 new techniques in knitting and/or crochet. I anticipate that this will go hand-in-hand with the previous Goal of finding my style
  
• Attend a workshop or class through my LYS or a store I find while traveling.
  

and of course...

Grow the business for my new Etsy Shop - Taaa Daaaaaaa!!



A joint venture with my girl Tangodiva. Think outside the brand - buy handmade!


That's as far as I've reached in the thinking process. I'm sure there will be more to come because overachieving with list MAKING is one of my specialities.

Your turn!!

A Thank You Card for America

You were right, Sam


Some of you know that I'm not an American citizen, but I have lived here for more than half my life, and I'm proud to call this home. I know the importance of contributing all I can to be part of what makes this country a great place to live. I have my reasons for not yet pursuing citizenship, but that's potentially a topic for another day. I will say though, that my Permanent Resident status had me completely GLUED to the election proceedings last night. I was certainly as nervous/anxious/excited as many of you. Naturally I felt a significant (and maybe obvious) investment in the outcome, but there were many other factors that added to my feelings last night. Here are just a few of them -

I live in Florida, a battleground state with 27 electoral votes to contribute to the winning candidate. Yes, the state of hanging chads and cheating scandals. In my particular neighborhood there was a hate crime against a neighbor not 3 streets down from me who displayed an Obama/Biden lawn marker. My daughters are now old enough to understand so much more of what we tell them about the world around us; about it's history, it's progress and how the meaning of that story becomes more and more important to their own futures. I'll tell you - my heart was fit to burst with gratitude last night when I woke them with the news.

And lastly - I can appreciate the fact that Barak Obama is now our President-elect because of what it took to get him that title. It took MORE. More registered voters, more campaign time, more open-mindedness, more discussions, greater access, more organization, more funding, more hope, bigger issues, more crises, more interest, and a broader historical foundation on which to rest this victory.

I know that some of you may not have supported him, and some of you may not even have voted. We already have our common bonds, I know that through my messages and conversations with you, so I am not hear to judge any of that. If you voted in this election - THANK YOU. If you encouraged/reminded/took someone to vote - THANK YOU. If you had open and honest discussions with anyone - friend, family, or stranger - about the issues that surround us - THANK YOU. What I saw last night is that every bit of that counts.

This election was not just about what one man was willing to do to become leader of this country. To me, it was much more about what WE are willing to do for ourselves and for each other to make the changes we so desperately need.

From the Mouth of Babes*

*a recurring feature here at The BBC

Setting - At home...living room...the girls are watching a science video about the body...

Adachi: Mommy, what are kidneys?

Me: Kidneys? Hmmm...Well, they are organs inside your body that help you to eliminate waste. That's the stuff you don't need for nutrition.

Adachi: Oh. I'm glad you told me that.

Me: Why is that?

Adachi: Because I thought they were parts of our legs.

Get it?
Kid. Knees.

Yeah - I keep telling you guys - I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

...and she knits too!

It's the Little Things

• A yarn ball with the yarn end sticking right out the top so I don't have to dig for it
• A husband who never ever complains about spending 85% of his time with 2 people 1/8th his age and just over 1/2 his height
• A job that almost never requires that I sit in a cubicle
• Instant Messaging
• A mother/sister prayer team
• Paid time off
• 2 people 1/4 my age and 1/2 my height who were born with a surplus of creative energy
• Second chances
• A contacts address book that is nearly full
• Just the right yarn for just the right project at just the right time

Your turn!!

They Like Me, They Really Like Me

Well...okay...they liked my knitting - but that's an easy way into my good graces too :)


See my KnitScene Magazine debut at this link.


Have a great rest of your week!

This Life is Not Yet Rated

I had one of those completely unpredictable moments down at the city library today. The girls are in a Saturday program for Creative Dramatics (think moving sculpture exercises and Styrofoam props). After their one hour session, I make a point to take them to the restroom before we leave because (a) when they are with me in public places I turn into a frantic germaphobe, and (b) we live a long way from...well..everywhere, so stopping to "go" first is just part of the routine.

The ick factor of public restrooms is very high in my opinion, and though the girls are getting to the age where they can do most things by themselves, I still get into hover mode in the loo - I just can't stomach the thought of a misplaced hand touching something I don't dare think about. Of course, if we all thought this way, maybe these public places wouldn't be the heebee jeebee haven they are now...but I digress.

What struck as me as so amusing was that I had a very distinct moment in there today, some variation of which has probably happened a thousand times, and seemed perfectly normal, so it almost went by without my notice. Picture this...

On my left arm, I had my backpack dangling by a single strap. It's dangling somewhat perilously because it's crammed full of all the Just in Case items I take whenever we do outings. With it's weight, I'm willing it to stay on my shoulder because if it touches the floor in there, well then mommy will just about lose her marbles. In my left hand, I have a bag of the DVDs and books I've collected while waiting for the girls to finish the workshop, just enough to keep in them entertained in case we never make it back to the library again - or at least enough to hold them until next Saturday. At the same time, I'm using my left hand to turn the very stiff metal tap/spigot thingy on the sink and holding it in the on position (because you have to to keep the water flowing) and cheerleading my youngest through washing her hands. "Scrub the back...no you're not done yet...that's it honey...between your fingers...now get some more soap...". The soap dispenser is rusty and old and so with my right hand, I am jamming the spout back and forth so that she can get the very necessary second helping of soap.

The only reason my right hand was free at that time was because I had just finished doing a one-handed lining job of the seat in the stall that my oldest is about to use. Not having both hands to work with...I have to do the lining job twice. And I tell her to just squat anyway...after all, that lining can't be trusted. While my little one takes her sweet time lathering up...I find that the stall door where my oldest is about to perch, doesn't actually lock properly. Thank goodness I have a foot free! My right leg and foot work perfectly as a door locking mechanism. And why shouldn't I be able to hold the door closed with my leg to protect child #1, balance on the other leg, keep a backpack on my shoulder, keep the library materials in the bag and off the floor and keep the faucet going so that child #2 can scrub the ick off her tiny hands?

Had anyone walked into the restroom at that moment and looked at me with well-deserved concern, I'm almost sure I would have smiled and said, "This is motherhood. By definition, it's a physical comedy."

I Like to Knit and...

...read books.
I've recently discovered that if I sit in the bed cross-legged I can put an open book under my feet and read from the pages. Yes those lines in the corners do get a little bit tough to see, and I have to do some real maneuvering in order to shift the toe-sies around and expose the words there, but that's just a minor inconvenience to allow me to enjoy what used to be my favorite hobby and combine it with its most recent replacement.

...read blogs.
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, someone already invented the handy dandy tool we call the computer mouse, and then someone else went and upped the value of it by adding this nifty little rolling ball thingy on top! Naturally I use mine all the time to scroll through pages of things that I have to read; but imagine my glee when I realized that if you press on it and then move it ever so slightly downward, it will automatically scroll through a page FOR you! Using this new little trick I'm able to sit, and knit, and roll on down through the wonderful things that you all have to say. Gleeeee!

...look at pictures.
Like many of you, my obsession with photography of my knitting warranted that I get some more storage space. Enter Flickr! What a great site... imagine that they anticipated the needs of we the Fiber Fanatics, and made it so that we could upload umpteen photos of any object we please and then come back later to add just. one.is more. I have tons of fun browsing over there. And using the tag search and slideshow features allows me to sit, and knit, and covet all the beautiful photographs of what ever it is I feel like viewing (ooooo - lace!). Full screen mode baby - a feast for the eyes.

...listen to podcasts, music, and stories.
I know I'm not introducing any of you to something new on this front. Between iTunes and Yahoo Music and online streaming radio there is no end to the amount of audio stimulants one can indulge in during stitching time. I count myself very lucky to live in a county where the library system provides free audio book downloads online - and it's a great selection of titles too! Check your local system; if you can't audio books online, I bet they at least have some great stuff on CD for check out.

...work on my tan. :-P
When the weather permits, one of my favorite places to sit and knit is out on our back screened porch. Getting some outside air, listening to nature's orchestra, and often keeping an eye on the girls as they play. It's a wonderful combination of stillness and activity all at once. And the view? Well thanks to my live-in gardener it is really quite something.

Now all this might make you think that I just crave simultaneous activities because I just can't be satisfied with one thing at a time. That I just have to be constantly multitasking , and that I will find any excuse to drift around from one distraction to another. Well that's just not so! Why just the other day...

Receiving is Pretty Good Too

You know the saying that it is better to give than to receive? I firmly believe in that, and like many of you, I get a whole lot of joy from giving. I mean real grin-a-kool-aid-smile kind of happiness. In fact, I'm such a fan of giving, that I started a whole blog adventure about it. One of the things I like best about giving someone something out of kindness is that moment when they realize that, at some point, you stopped alllllll the other things going on in your life to think about them. And then you didn't just think about them, you acted on that thought. You put your feelings into something tangible. In the case of giving something handmade, you put your time, your energy, your creativity and a little piece of YOU into that gift. And when you see that they appreciate it, or that it does them some good - man oh man. It's hard to beat that warm and fuzzy.

Well it's by that same token that I would now like to celebrate the wonderfulness of receiving...Yesterday I received two packages and you can just guess what was in them....

Mmmmm hmmm - some of my favorite stuff to give AND to receive. Yarn! This gorgeous, colorful, Knit! Me! Now! kind of yarn.

This one is Grandma's Blessing from Briar Rose fibers.
I received this as a Thank You from Kim - the wonderful organizer of the Hope Lodge Charity Blanket Knit-a-Long. I told her that being a part of something so meaningful was definitely thanks enough and I took that as my gift when I took part. But this squishy lovely bonus?? Why thank you very much, I receive it humbly and with much gratitude.

This next one is a yarn I've heard about for a long time, and never actually tried (I believe that counts as a double gift - new yarn, new yarn knitting experience).



This came in the mail from one of my all-time favorite podcasters, Nicole. Get this - I actually won this as a prize for knitting from my stash and decreasing it by over 1000 yards in April's Spring Cleaning Challenge [ravelry link]. In fact, I think knitting from our stash is a gift we should all give ourselves more often. And adding back to the stash through the kindness of others like Nicole and the lovely Ceylun (our challenge administrator) - now that's just good receiving! Oh what to make??! Send your suggestions pleez! I welcome them.

Sigh...I'm happy as a lark. (Why don't people say that anymore? It's just so fitting.)

The Post That Almost Wasn't

Hello my darlings!

This is the post that almost wasn't because I actually found myself hesitating about whether or not I should come out here - to my own blog - to post something. Now you may wonder, why in the world would you have to ask yourself that, Marce?

Well... I view this blog like many other things in my life - I have a great deal of patience with everyone else, but I am a perfectionist with myself. So even though this is my own private space out here in blog land, and even though I am the master of all most of what goes on here, I really wasn't sure that I was comfortable coming out here to post until I was absolutely sure of what I would talk about. Seems strange, right? The thing is, sometimes I am actually conflicted. I ask myself, should I come out here and post some things I think you might want to read about? Or should I come out here and just write the things I want to talk about? Much of the time I am so lucky in that those two things are actually one and the same. But in the last few days, I've come to a realization. I've realized that ( in my mind) I have really strayed from my original reasons for creating this space.

My original reasons included finding a creative outlet (check!); encouraging myself to write more often (check!); and connecting with others who are doing the same (a very grateful check!). But sometimes I find myself actually NOT posting even though I want to. Not because I don't have something to say-if you know me you know I ALWAYS have something to say - but moreso because I wasn't sure if I had a "complete" post ready. And that kind of thinking bothers me a little bit. This is my personal space, and because it's personal it should reflect my personality. Part of my personality is that I don't always have everything put together before I leap. I get by on ideas, plans, conversations and many things that are unplanned and not quite fully formed, but still oh so good.

So once again, you my darling cyber friends have come to the rescue. I spent the last few weeks visiting many of your blogs. Lurking on some, commenting on others, and e-mailing with some of you that I haven't talked to enough in some time. What an enlightening and refreshing experience! I learned by stepping out of my own writing space here and by stepping into yours that this blogging thing isn't about perfection, it isn't about being always precise or prepared, and it certainly isn't about only writing what others want to read. It's about keeping the personal in a personal blog, and it's about just plain old sharing.

As with all great epiphanies, I'm sure that this will be at the forefront of my mind for a good long time (three solid days at least) and then it's urgency might start to fade. But until that time I will make a greater effort to not wait until I have all my photos lined up, or all my project notes listed out, or all my links ready and set to go. If I have something I want to share, I'm going to just come out here and share it.

Just like I did today.

Sail On

Greetings my dear readers!

I'm dropping a quick note here with just a few words and a smidgen of eye candy. The shots are random, but sometimes that's all you need for a brief distraction, no?

In a few days, my darling husband turns 40, and though he doesn't look a day over 29 - we've decided a celebration is in order. A dear friend is dragging us kicking and screaming on a 5-day cruise to the islands, and we thought it in good taste to accept this gift and go get some sand in our toes.

The Neck Poncho or "Things to Knit When Startitis Hits"

Plymouth Alpaca Grande chunky yarn, size 10 1/2 needles; wooden buttons by Mission Falls

A coupla carousel cuties at the Fair

Aaaaaaaaaand......Welcome nephew #5!!

8lbs 10 oz of sweetness

Baby RJ, Born February 11th

Who wouldn't knit for those cheeks this kid!?

I'm pretty sure there will be no blog entries until I return late next week - but know that I will come back armed with a renewed spirit - and possibly more eye candy :)

Be well darlings! While I'm gone - go see what Anna's giving away at her blog!

Share This Message - Yes We Can

Please watch this. Then watch it again. Then share it. Then share it some more.

Also, check out this message from one of the Producers, Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas.

This is not about politics. It's about possibilities.

BIG Love

If you're a blogger, you know that sometimes you can get wrapped up in what's going on in your own private space, what your posts are about, what you'll write about next, when you'll get that next set of pictures loaded and captioned. If you're a blogger like me, these things can sometimes take over the brain space that should be reserved for slower, calmer, more open contemplation. And for gratitude.

I read a lot of blogs - even more since I discovered the wonder that is Bloglines. This is my escape at times - a small screen peak into the world of other people that I've grown steadily to like and admire, laugh with and care about. Imagine my joy at taking that peak this week and finding this:

Del, Amanda, Julie - THANK YOU for this - you make my day too! I'm sending this right back to you (virtually and with a hug to boot).

I totally support this kind of cyber love fest, and I'm happy to pass along this award to:

Nancy, Sarah, Deborah, Tiennie, Franklin,

Sean, Mau, Cindy, Mrs4444, Arleta, Sharon

You Make My Day! :)

Let's keep this going...The rules of the award are : Give the award to 10 people (or more) whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times.

If I've visited your blog (and even left a comment), believe me, the pleasure was mine to do so! If you're reading this blog (and if you leave comments), you ARE the main reason I keep coming back here to share. Thank you for that. I'll keep writing in the hope that you get back even a fraction of the joy I receive from this.

Happy weekend all!

From the Mouth of Babes

An excerpt from a conversation that took place after a television character asked "What's the secret word?"

Adachi: I Do!

Me: I do is the secret word?

Adachi: Yep

Me: Why is that honey?

Adachi: Because...Everything happens when you say "I do". Your life happens. "I do" is the secret word.


Would you have corrected her to tell her that I Do is actually a phrase?
Nah. Me neither.

She is small this one, but she is wise.

You Can Thank Me Later...Go Go Go

Knitting Daily is having a Contest for a Shopping Spree at your favorite Local Yarn Store. Go enter. I hope you win!!

Clapotis update...I'm in the decrease rows and the light is quite visible at the end of this tunnel. What is it about that segment of a pattern that just makes you fall back in love with the knitting? It must be that sense of "Oh yeah. I can totally do this."

ETA: Zeee Clapotis is FINI (ends weaved in at 4pm on Saturday...with time to spare)

Have a fantastic weekend darlings!

We Speak Their Names

I've talked before about my desire to stay more in the present and to acknowledge things (especially the good things) as they are happening. I'm more naturally a past and future dweller, and sometimes that means missing out on the full potential of some feeling or experience. Like most things that are positive, I think this effort to be more aware of the Right Now becomes that much better when it's shared and multiplied. This is where you come in....

I thought the other day about all the people that I have met in the last 2 years just because I went into the library one day and came out with a stack of books about knitting. There are people now that I call friends, and when we first met, knitting was the only thing that we knew we had in common. Now, several stitches later, I can say with certainty that my life is better because I have them in it. I would never have guessed that a "hobby" could bring that to my life, but it has, and that deserves some moments of focused gratitude.

One way to honor someone or something in your life is to speak or write about it, and by doing so, you give it a place in your thoughts and in your experience for that moment. So I'm going to list out here (in no specific order) the names of the people that I have met because I knit. By making this list, I mean to say "thank you" to them and "welcome to my life". I can hardly count the many many Internet and blog friends I have made, so for now this list is only of those I have met in person and that I have spent time with in these last two years. When you read this list - and I hope you do - you too will be acknowledging these people and the good that they have added to my life experiences. After that, why not make YOUR list of names in the comments and enjoy a few moments of remembering those people, and what you have shared with them because of this great love of fiber and needles.

Kathy, Sarah, Cindy, Deborah, Maureen, Sean, Shelley, Jody, Robin, Becky, Sharon, Tanya, Rochelle, Judy, Nan, Nancy, Sharlene, Suse, Wendy, Gabrielle, Pam, Kelly, Karen, Andrea, Angelia, Julie, Vickie, Hilde, Michelle

As I think about more of these names and the memories that go with them I will keep adding to this list. I hope you'll do the same.

A special THANKS goes out to Deborah today for letting me know that our gathering place here has been featured in Black Purl Magazine. What a treat!

BrownBerry Chronicles: Year 2

Sometimes things occur to me while I'm doing the most mundane activities. While washing the dishes tonight I had this stream of consciousness-type moment that went something like this.

What was my last blog post about? Oh yeah, the second part of the Round Table. Knitting bags. Did I put that knitting bag back in my office? I really should get working on my next post. Those comments were really good, should check my notes for the next topic. What day is it? Geez, it's October already. Feels like something is happening this week that I'm forgetting. A birthday maybe? Wait. It's October. I think I started blogging in October. Hmmm...Seems right. I think I missed my blog-iversary!

Dishes done, hands dried, and I ran in here to check. Yep. My first post was written in October of 2005. Back then this blog was called Living My Why. In retrospect, that title would still fit most of the current content, but admittedly, it was much less a knitting blog back then. I like what it was though, and I also like what it has become. The word "knit" still doesn't appear in the title or description, but you all know what I go on about - I'm still out here retelling my life tales and working through the yarns of my stash. For now, that's just the way I like it.

I think the best way to appreciate something is to really revel in it while it's happening. That's something I'm working on doing better - being more "in the moment". My more natural inclination is to look back and to look ahead. In my view, celebrating a blog-iversary is about all of those things, so I'll chronicle some of that here.

Then
At the beginning of this second year, I still wasn't too set on who I was writing for out here. Me? My readers? I was just as likely to post pictures of family as I was to post pictures of fiber. No themes, not many recurring topics, and certainly no commitment to this being just a "knitting blog". I've even looked back at the way I once posted project information. Let's just say I was not the detail fanatic I've turned into now. Back then, there was no Ravelry, so my project selection was a bit more hit-or-miss. My posting was more irregular too. I do notice, however, that many of my readers from that time are STILL loyal visitors today - THANK YOU for that.



Now
Simply put, I'm a knitting blogger who spouts off about life in general. Now I've got the Round Table, and From the Mouth of Babes, Super Saturdays and These are the Good Old Days as recurring topics. Now I can't wait to photograph an FO and fill in every little note I can think of, in the hopes that it will help the next person who might want to make what I've made. Now there IS Ravelry, and that has shaped my current To Do list for crafting in a BIG way. I'm suddenly very aware that what I post here about a project can be seen by hundreds (thousands?) of other knitters and crocheters at any given time. Now I feel funny when more than a week has passed without a new blog post. A special treat is that my blogger buddy list has grown too. It still catches me off guard just how much time I can spend peeking into the world of others through their writing. What a treat! Now I feel more adventurous in what I'll say and do in general here at My Place. I think I owe that last part to those of you who keep coming here and sharing your thoughts and encouragement with me - THANK YOU for that too.


Next
Another year of blogging feels like the right thing. I'm in no way tired of this habit, and I'm grateful for where it has taken me. I'm positive I wouldn't write this much if it were just left to filling pages in a journal. This feels like a good direction, so I'm going with it. Next in knitting? Who knows? So much more is out there. That's at the heart of this art - it really could unfold forever. What promise that thought holds! Next hobby? Methinks a podcast! Would you believe it? I've had this bug in my bonnet for a while now, and I've come up with a name, an outline and a Master Plan for a podcast to run next year. It's my goal to do it as a one year project exploring our Creative Community (oh yes my non-knitting friends, this will most certainly include you too). I get all goose pimply just thinking about it.




Thanks for reminiscing with me. This journey really IS more fun with you along for company.

Happy Blogiversary toooo meeee....