Post Debt

Since I started this on May 2nd, I’m doing an extra post today to make up the numbers.

I actually have a confession this week, I cheated. I wrote all the posts for this week on Tuesday and just scheduled them to automatically post throughout the week. Because it has so totally been one of those weeks. I have just walked through it. And as all the pieces start falling into place, I forsee a lot more walking through weeks in the near future. After that, hopefully things will calm down. But until then, I feel like taking a very long vacation where there are no phones, computers or appointments. Ok, I probably couldn’t live without my computer. No phones though. And a biiiig stack of books. And a white sand beach and frou frou drinks. With umbrellas.

Anyway. Let’s shoot for some form of normal, yes?

Today’s Blogs:

A Beautiful Life: Pictures, pictures, pictures. Awesomeness.

Pancakes & French Fries: This is Jules. I first came across this post through some random googling and have been a reader since.

WIPs:

These haven’t progressed much: Favorite Yoke, Lizard Ridge, Rainbow Red socks.

This is the only new thing: Sahara in Sirdar Baby Bamboo in Waterbaby. Which is… I think it has the potential to be lovely. And the potential to be a disaster. Although at the moment it doesn’t seem very important because the temperature has dropped back down to 50F. And it’s cloudy.

And now the weekly thing.

Things I Am Loving This Week:

I’m rather short on things I am loving this week.

There’s this blog post by John Taylor. (I am seriously considering renaming this spot “Duran Duran Thing Of The Week”.)

And this interview (youtube link) with David Tennant.

The best bit of the interview?

Jeremy Clarkson: What’s the top speed of the Tardis?

David Tennant: It’s relative.

Geek humor!

Something Good: A new-to-us car. And there is coffee in my very near future. Coffee is good.

Knitting: See above.

Reading: The Once and Future King by T H White.

Writing: Working on character stuff. Also started a new story but that’s dragging a bit. My head’s just not in writing mode this week.

This Week’s Plan: Get into defensive scheduling mode. At the moment there’s something on Monday and then the new car needs the exhaust fixed. But it’s one of those weeks where you just know it’s gonna get filled up with odd little things. I need to remember to find balance between outward pulling important stuff and inward creative stuff. I’m going a bit too far outward at the moment.

How about you?

 

Winchester

A car-ride tour of Winchester.

My favorite bit of Winchester is this long arch of trees. I think it would just be fantastic to walk down it in all seasons and all weather.

My favorite bit of real estate in Winchester. From this view it isn’t much but those apartments are severely grand. They back onto the castle and have a huge fountain and lawn to look out onto. The penthouse was recently for sale for oodles and oodles of money.

The Castle. Winchester was the ancient capital city of England. This castle is now home to all the government offices of the county. And what is reputed to be King Arthur’s round table. I like the doors in the hall more than the table itself.

This is across the street from the Castle. I have no idea why there is a statue of a hog (it’s decorated with Christmas lights in winter) but through the trees is the castle gate and the top of the high street.

The front of the library.

The Royal Oak pub which claims to be the oldest pub in England. However there are tons of pubs that make the same claim.

Not everything is so different, after all.

This was just a quick jaunt around the one way system you have to use to get to the library. I hope to take better and more interesting pictures of Winchester over the summer.

Hope you enjoyed this little slice of England.

Today’s Blogs:

House of Turquoise: Exactly what it sounds like, pictures of turquoise features in interior design. Lovely.

The Plucky Knitter: This is Sarah. She’s currently knitting cowls (I understand that impulse!) and handdyes yarn. I am currently waiting for my first skein of her sock yarn (in Hippie Chick) to arrive.

 

Expat Life Part 2

Pictures! (Excuse the dirty windshield in some of these.)

They drive on the wrong side of the road. Looks weird, doesn’t it? What’s weirder is that Mr F sits on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road.

Fuel prices are a bit crazy. That doesn’t look too bad but then you have to remember that a) it’s in pounds and b) it’s per liter.

Road sign for a roundabout. They’re not quite “look kids, Big Ben!” but some are a bit mentaler than others. The craziest roundabout ever is in Swindon. (Video here.) It’s five mini-roundabouts in a single huge roundabout. Mr F and I went through it (at night) laughing in hysterical panic. It was crazy.

If it’s a straight road, it’s a Roman road. I took these types of roads for granted in the beginning, as someone who has driven those endless roads in California (Foothill comes to mind). After awhile you begin to see how straightness has never governed the road builders in this country since Roman times.

This is rape. I mistook it for mustard when I first arrived here. It’s the local crop and it is grown for the oil it’s seeds produces. Rapeseed oil is in everything here and it took me some time to work out that rapeseed = canola.

Next up, a photo tour of Winchester proper.

Also, check out Quantum Tea’s blog post about the flip side of this, she’s a Brit living in America.

Today’s Blogs:

Tiennie Knits: It’s fitting that Tiennie be one of today’s blogs since this series of posts was her idea. Tiennie knits like the wind and has a penchant for knitting a bazillion of a single item in all colors of the rainbow.

Dogged: This is Ashley who takes awesome pictures and makes jaw-droppingly beautiful quilts. She knits too.

 

Expat Life Part 1

Tiennie asked me to write about expat life for some blog fodder for this post a day thing. I always find it really hard to explain what being an expat is like. I know a lot of people back home think that because I live in England I should have no problems, no niggling day to day worries. “You live in England,” they say. “What can you possibly have to complain about?” The funny thing about that is that people over here say the same thing about living in California. How could anything ever be bad in California? Life is life, no matter if you’re living it in your hometown or 10,000 miles away from it. And sometimes life is just a big pain.

There’s the language differences, of course. Two countries separated by a common language and all that. And it’s true. The first time I came to England I spent a train ride in a hilarious conversation about paste. I was thinking of the kind we used in kindergarden that some of the kids ate. They were on about pate-like paste that you put in sandwiches. Mr F and I have to clarify our shopping list because I’ll write chips for both french fries and crisps. Sometimes just the pronounciation is enough to get everyone confused. I say leeesure, Mr F says lesure (leisure). I get made fun of for being posh because I say pasta and taco with long As instead of short ones.

Cultural things are a bit odd too. I eat with my utensils in the wrong hands. I don’t use a knife for everything. And while this may just be a family thing, my left hand is usually firmly in my lap at the table. Tea really is refreshing. After coming out of surgery a few years ago I was offered tea and biscuits, which I accepted with vigor. There’s paper hats at Christmas and crackers that you pull and get trinkets and really bad jokes out of. Soccer is the sport everyone watches. People drink in an entirely different way than they do back home. Binge drinking is very normal here. Up until recently smoking was allowed in public places. Everyone’s got a local pub where they hang out. Mother’s Day is in March.

Then there’s the practical differences. They drive on the wrong side of the road. Sit on the wrong side of the car. England is closer to Moscow than it is to New York. I sometimes have to remind myself that I am currently on the other side of the world from where my brain’s map puts me. Everything is in celsius, metric (except for road distances, they’re still in miles) and stoves have gas marks (gas mark 6 = 400F). There are kettles to boil water. Cold water washes on washing machines are 30C (86F). When the sun comes out you find Britons in the tiniest things they own and absolutely glued to the sun. It always rains on Wimbledon. Sundays and bank holidays usually are rainy too. It rains a lot. A lot a lot. Over the last three days it was been in the upper 70s. It has rained all three days.

Food is mostly different. American chain fast food places are very popular though. That bland awful food everyone complains about is well, bland and awful. The Chinese food tastes nothing like it does back home. But the Indian food is compensation for both. I was raised eating curry but those childhood curries don’t even begin to compare with Madras, Ceylon, Dhansak or even Tikka Masala (which is an English-created dish). I spent a lifetime eating plain lentils when dahl existed in the world. Of course, there are the downsides, in terms of food. I have yet to find a good Italian restaurant. Lasagne always features bechamel sauce (ick). Once I even got it with brown gravy on it! (I should state that my lasagne is kick ass, has four cheeses and tomato based sauces. I prefer Southern Italian cuisine to Northern.) I can think of one good Mexican restaurant. ONE. And it’s in London (well, Clapham). It’s showing up in supermarkets in those awful Old El Paso kits but that’s still classed as good Mexican food. Thank goodness I can cook nicer food than I can buy!

You would think that because this is an island country, fish is the big thing to eat. But it isn’t. It’s meat based, definitely, but lamb, beef and pork are the most popular proteins. You can’t find anything sugar free in the shops. No proper pudding, no Cool Whip, no Girl Scout cookies, no entire shopping aisle devoted to ice cream. Much better chocolate though. Starbucks is the same. So is McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC and the ilk. Apparently there are Taco Bells on the American bases but I don’t know anyone who works on a base to get me in. I do miss Taco Bell.

I don’t mean for this to come across sounding negative. I love England and I love living here. I love the trains (especially the old ones with doors that slam as opposed to slide shut). I love that London is so close even if I can’t often get there. When we see the Yarn Harlot this year it will be our first time in central London for about five years. (Thank you wheelchair.) I adore Winchester. I love the cathedral, I love Midnight Mass even if I’m not Church of England. There are local steam train lines, harbors and docks of historical, military and civilian use. Portsmouth harbor = awesome if you are into military ships (like me). There’s even a submarine museum that I am dragging Mr F to. Up until recently one of the Royal Navy aircraft carriers sat in Portsmouth harbor. I LOVE aircraft carriers and have been kicking myself for putting off seeing it for so long as it has sailed off to duty now. (Yeah, not so girly now, am I?) Southampton harbor = lots of big cruise ships. We’ve seen the QE2 docked and Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas which is the biggest cruise ship in the world and currently there now. It’s where the Titanic took off from as well as innumerable classic sea voyages. In fact, if you love maritime history (like me), the south coast is the best place in the world for it. I love the stately homes’ gardens that are open in summer. In fact, both Blenheim and Wilton are on our to-do list this summer. I love British strawberries. British asparagus is so fantastically good that we don’t eat asparagus at all when it’s not in season and then have it about six times in six weeks, just to get our fill. British summer as a whole encapsulates the British mentality perfectly. It’s odd, weird, hot and showy in the best of ways. I love Trooping the Color and the Queen’s birthday. I loved seeing all the royals board a bus at Prince Charles’s wedding. I love the British sense of humor. I love all the good natured rivalries in Europe. I love that Europe is so close. I just love being here, living here and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I have had this opportunity to do so.

Next up, picture tour of Winchester! I would like to expand this idea and get picture tours of bunches of local cities and towns like Salisbury, Portsmouth, Southampton, as well as those further afield. It’s a fun thing to do and hopefully you all enjoy it.

Today’s Blogs:

Fairieknits: Aimee is knitting one of those mitered square sock yarn blankets.

Two Swallows Blog: Rhian knits for dolls and herself and has the best blog layout in the world.

 

What You Keep

After going through ye olde jewelry box, I found that most of what I had in it to begin with were things I never wore but still wanted to keep. Memories in shiny form.

The tiara I wore on my wedding day. I had all these grand plans for my wedding (like you do) but nothing seemed to work out quite like I had imagined. But I had always wanted a tiara and by gum, I was bound and determined to get one. About the only thing I liked about the day too.

The earrings my grandpa got me for graduation. Gold is not my metal and I don’t wear earrings (even though I do have pierced ears) but these just hold so many memories of my grandpa. He always used to smell of wool flannel, curry and dirt. He thought I drove too fast. He would eat an onion like an apple. Once my grandmother made some chili colorado with some of his super hot Indian chilies and I had to drink an entire gallon of milk and eat half a loaf of bread to get through a single bowl. It was good though.

The teensy tiny pendant I have had since I was a child. It was my princess necklace. My aunt would build grand forts in the living room and pin the necklace into my hair and we’d make believe I was a princess and she was a knight. Silly but fun.

The necklace I have had since I was about 4. My dad bought it for me in Mexico.

The enamel pin I picked up at the Goodwill for 50 cents and was wearing in my hair the day I met Mr F.

The necklace I got for my twelfth birthday. My best friend was wearing one like it and I exclaimed over how great it was. She pointed to my gift and there was a matching necklace draped across the top. It has lost a link and is currently being held together with a safety pin but that’s ok.

A dollar ring that I keep because for no discernable reason.

Blog fodder and nostalgia. Not bad.

Two more good things for today:

1) Books!

Books are good. Friends who send you knitting books and cookbooks are better. Friends, who upon finding that you have never read the Anne of Green Gables series, send you the entire series are best. B is, as ever, full of awesome. Thanks B!

2) Yesterday’s mad dash to go look at a car turned out to be a good thing as we drove it home. It’s the same make and model as our old car (Vauxhall Corsa) but seven years newer and silver to boot. We were most joyful to find that the glove compartment on the new car has a door (ours didn’t) and we now have a cigarette lighter for charging stuff! Other happy making stuff: suspension, a radio with a non-broken tape deck, right side working speakers. Yes, we are easily pleased.

Today’s Blogs:

Folk and Fairy: This is Jessica who takes magical pictures and links to awesome stuff. I am particularly enamoured of these tiny doors…

Snowangels: I read it for the pens. Pens are friends!

Aaand that’s about it. Hope your Tuesday is going well.

 

What I Did This Weekend: The Girl Version

Not in chronological order because I’m not that anal today.

1) Took pictures around Winchester for a later post on expat life. (As suggested by Tiennie.)

2) Dug out an ancient copy of Color Me Beautiful (I can hear the groans now) and had a good look through it. As I was asking my mother yesterday, “do you ever look in the mirror and see Frump Woman?” I have been seeing Frump Woman a little too much for my liking lately. I mean I get that I don’t often wear more than t-shirts and pj pants/sweats but there was an underlying current of ick running through my closet. This (according to the 1980s fashion bible) is because I am a Dramatic/Classic Winter who has been dressing like a Sporty/Natural Summer. This has been remedied.

This weekend I went through my closet and jewelry box. My around the house wear hasn’t changed much of course, but my wearing out wardrobe is currently without icky colors that don’t suit me or anything overly casual/sporty. Well, almost. I need to find a pair of tailored linen cropped trousers.

One big surprise was jewelry though, how much of it was too delicate, too casual or the wrong metal (I’m a silver girl yet I had quite a lot of gold for some reason) for me was sort of astounding. I was onto something when I started making Signature necklaces though, they suit everything perfectly. Ditto buying Wyrding Studios pendants, they just suit me very well. (I have just bought two more because they’ve lowered their prices. How cool is that?)

3) I found the perfect red lipstick. I have been on a quest for the perfect red lipstick since 1997. My main problem has been that every makeup counter I have ever been to wants to put me in shiny purple-burgundy or orangey red. But I have discovered the proper formula of variables for the perfect red:

• BLUE red. Orange red = ick.
• If it’s dark, matte is best.
• If it’s light, shiny is best.
• MAC is good.

So the perfect red? MAC’s Ruby Woo. It’s very shocking to see myself in red but it’s got a 1940s flair that I am absolutely loving. When I work out this whole self portrait thing, there will be pictures. (Hi, I am a complete girl.)

4) I finished Kat’s shawl.

• Name: Kat’s Mint Chocolate Hooded Shawl
• Pattern: Hooded Shawl (Rav link)
• Yarn: 2 skeins Cascade Ecological Wool plus a tiny bit of Fleece Artist Aran Alpaca in Spring Awakening
• Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Needles in
• Notes: Fast and easy. I really liked the Cascade Ecological Wool.

This was a 2am grafting job across the hood but it’s done now and I am happy for that. Hopefully Kat will take much better pictures of this on and let me share them here.

5) I made a necklace to go with my Wyrding Studios Intent Pendant.

Those gorgeous green Swarovski crystal beads were a gift from B. Thanks B!

6) Put two new items to list on the FNKS page.

7) Fangirled some more.

Today’s Blogs:

A Room Somewhere: Another design blog, this one features fantastic old pictures as well.

Yarnstorm: This is Jane Brocket’s blog. I adore the pictures, the knitting, the tulips, the everything. I’ve been saving up her book to read for awhile now, I think it will be fantastic just-moved-reading.

Hope your Monday is going smoothly. Mine’s been rather manic and it’s not over yet. (We’re going to look at a car this evening.)

Eeesh.

 

Good Things

Firstly, thank you to everyone who left such kind comments yesterday. My default mode is to try to hide how unwell I am but sometimes it does get overwhelming. I want to be doing instead of just watching. That’s hard.

However today will be cheerier. At least I hope so. To begin right, a bunch of good things for this Mother’s Day Sunday (well in the US anyway).

Good thing 1: To celebrate passing my test I bought this from the Duran Duran store. It is completely not weather appropriate at the moment it will be come winter.

Love.

Good thing 2: The laburnum tree outside my window is in bloom. Click for huge.

Good thing 3: Because I keep forgetting there are four blogs today for your perusing pleasure:

Not Just The Work Blog Anymore: Blog of Kythryne (of Wyrding Studios fame). Jewelry and cat stories.

Belle Epoque: Nancy’s blog. I got my favorite lemon cookie recipe from this blog.

My Fashionable Life: Anna Bell’s blog. Need I say more?

Making It Lovely: Another design blog which is very snazzy. Full of house stuff, decorating.

Good thing 4: Another square of Lizard Ridge is done.

I’d forgotten how quick these squares were. Just what was needed with a fingering weight sweater from the bottom up and one giant hooded shawl.

Good thing 5: I have sparkley purple toenails.

Hopefully good thing 6: We’re going to attempt a photo-jaunt around town today. Which will include writing time at the local Starbucks and a trip to the library to pick up my reserved books (one on the voyage of St. Brendan, one on polar deserts, one on ancient America and one on King Arthur). Let’s see if resting yesterday means I can sneak in some fun today. I need fun.

I hope your Sunday is full of good things.

 

One of Those Days

Today is definitely one of those days where everything just feels slightly inclined to sadness. Everyone’s blog entries seem low, it’s grey outside and I for one feel like a left out soul. Mr F’s off at band practice and I’m sitting here. Like I do everyday. The fatigue is absolutely kicking my ass from this week but there’s a real difference between being sleepy and being exhausted. Sleep helps one but not the other. I could really use some caffeine right about now but since Mr F isn’t here I’m pretty much stuck with things in this room (the kitchen is downstairs and I cannot manage the stairs even on the best of days). And unless I munch on coffee grounds, I’m out of luck caffeine wise. I absolutely hate that because of this week’s craziness I have to cut back on next week. And that because I have to cut back next week, I totally want to go do lots of stuff today. Only I’m not up to it.

Sometimes I get very sad about being sick. It’s not fun or what I wanted or expected and the worst thing (for me) is that I’m not mentally depressed. I suffered from depression when I was at university and the difference really is night and day. Being depressed I couldn’t mentally get up enough ooomph to do anything. Being sick I am mentally ready to go do a million things but my body won’t cooperate. I spent my entire life taking my healthy, working body for granted. And now I don’t have it. And that makes me angry and very, very sad.

I hate being sick. I hate being unable to make my own food, to drive, to just get up and go do stuff. I hate being pushed around in a wheelchair when I’d rather be running. I hate having to completely cover up if I’m going to be in the sun instead of lying under it and soaking up the rays. I hate always being thirsty, I hate having dry, painful eyes. I hate hurting for no reason. I hate fatigue with every fiber of my being. I hate that there is no cure, I hate that I am staring down the barrel of the rest of my life being like this (or worse). I hate that I had to give up lots of dreams and plans and hopes. I hate that everything changed and that I can’t control any of it. I really hate that I can’t control any of it. I hate that I can’t force myself through the pain and fatigue to just do it anyway. I hate that people don’t want to or cannot understand that I don’t like this one single bit. I hate it.

But I have a choice, don’t I? Something I can control. It’s called pacing. Don’t do too much today in the hopes that come Thursday when I have a dentist appointment I’ll be able to function well enough to get there. Rest when I am fatigued as opposed to trying to ignore it and then blacking out or falling down and hurting myself worse (which I did lots before I learned that brick wall fatigue in the face means stop now or else). Don’t spend all my time and energy chasing up everyone’s idea of the magic cure. Find what works to get even a smidgen of normal life back (like the wheelchair and medication that helps but does not heal) and deal with the waves of antagonism and lectures on giving up. Do you know there are some people in my life who are convinced that I like this way of living? Can you imagine? I sure can’t.

This is how I am feeling today. I hope you’re feeling boatloads better.

 

Stuff And Nonsense

It’s Friday again! Actually, somehow this seems more exciting when Monday isn’t a holiday. But that’s ok. It’s Friday anyway.

Firstly, I passed my test! While it took me 5 of the allotted 45 minutes (4 to finish, two to check my work), it was a difficult test. So that’s done. To celebrate I bought a skein of sock yarn. And maybe a little something from the Duran Duran store. Maybe. (This is forward thinking, actually. I’ll bring ££ to see if they have any nice shirts in my size and if not, I’m good. Plus, schlepping concert swag around said concert doth suck. Yea, verily.)

Secondly, my last Clapotis has taught me a valuable lesson. Knit for people who will love and appreciate it. No one else.

Thirdly, there’s some knitting. Well, actually, there’s talk about knitting. But! Knitting blog. So.

I sometimes dislike posting about my knitting because of the aforementioned indecisiveness. I am constantly changing my mind about knitting.

I started Sprout in a colorway of Cascade 220 that both Mr F and I were fighting over but I changed my mind. I only had four balls. I saw a really great one on Ravelry with lots of negative ease but a worsted weight wool shrunken cardigan? When on earth would it get worn? It’s been hot for the past two days (I say hot: today it was 70 degrees. Which, yes, I know is not hot. But this is England. There is no air conditioning to be had in most people’s cars or homes. So hot = ick. Today was ick.) and knitting worsted wool anything is off putting.

But I am still knitting Kat’s shawl. Because there’s a deadline on it. And I am getting baked goods for knitting it. But mostly because it’s for Kat. Who appreciates handknit items. Unlike some people. *ehem*

To give my hands a break from the all-wooden needle fest going on at the moment, I’ve picked up Lizard Ridge again.

I’m thinking of a bamboo/wool Rosalind but I’m not entirely sure on that yet.

Today’s Blogs:

Allsorts: Home of both the Post A Day In May and On My Desk blog activities.

Flint Knits: Pam is cool. Can I be cool like Pam when I grow up?

And since it’s the end of the week (again), it’s time for the weekly thing.

Things I Am Loving This Week:

• Wind Tunnel Dreams “is an experiment in cyberfunded creativity” (’Song’s words). This month it’s been Shayara stuff. Because of this I have found the house I see myself in: House Lhri’nahr. Elemental energies, woot!
• Phillipe Starck. This pretty much sums up my ideal design aesthetic. Glamourous and sleek with a few odd ball touches thrown in. In real life though I like design much more low key.
• this office.
• this kitchen. Futuristic mid-century = win. It looks like I’m going to have to see Speed Racer if only for the decor.
• this interview with Nick Rhodes. What is the opinion on Russell Crowe’s looks anyway? I can never decide if he’s good looking or not. But it amuses me that Nick thinks Simon’s type is pretty. (Yes, I am fangirling again.)

Something Good: I passed my test! Otherwise. Um… it’s Friday. There might be ice cream in my very near future. Ice cream is always good.

Knitting: Lizard Ridge, Kat’s shawl (nearly done!), Favorite Yoke (I can see this one taking forever) and I even got a few rows done on my Red Rainbow Socks (remember them?) before my hands cramped up.

Reading: Listening to The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton on Librivox. It took me awhile to recall where I had heard that voice before. I mean, duh.

Writing/Crafting: working on character stuff at the moment. Need to get my bead stuff out tomorrow.

This Week’s Plan: Relax. The stress of yesterday plus the sun plus doing too much overall this week means I can take it easy now. Except for a dentist appointment next week. Ick.

How about you?

There’s lots of links today. Also, if you’ve gotten any FKS lately it has been mailed.

Have a good Friday!

 

The Nature Of Blogging, Apparently

Firstly, I should clarify. It’s not that I’m not liking blogging, it’s that I’m not able to think of things to write that are as low key and superficial. I’m bad at superficial. And a month of deep and meaningful posts would just give us all a headache. Or at least make us all need ice cream and cookies. It’s finding a balance. Balance = the watch word of my life. Seriously.

So. Today I am thinking about blogging and why we do it (which is a natural progression from yesterday, yes?).

Why do we blog?

I read (somewhere, I’m awful at remembering sources) that we all blog because we were one of the first generations where we were told to expect to be heard and listened to. Or because we weren’t listened to. Because no one ever took us seriously or because they did and now we expect the world to do so as well. Because unlike being a celebrity, blogging is our little section of star and glory where we shine. But then celebrities have blogs too. Don’t they get enough star and glory? Or maybe what it comes down to after all is just that we like to have our say. All of us. We know that our ideas or opinions are transient at best and we like to have a home for them as they pass through our lives.

I like having a blog. I couldn’t really say why. Most people I know in real life don’t understand it unless it’s there to sell something. And a blog is nothing like those awful little bios you’re expected to write when you want to submit something. Market yourself. Marketing was a required class for all art majors. For good bloody reason too. But if this was like those awful little bios, I wouldn’t enjoy it. Would I?

Is this the typographical equivalent of the ubiquitous camwhore? Look at me, look at me! Maybe. But I’d reckon overall, that’s a no. Maybe I blog for the same reason as I write: I have a story to tell. Maybe blogging is just a story of knitting but it’s still a story.

One of the hardest things for any creative outlet or talent is the monetary value that is immediately pasted on it the instant it’s recognized. “Oh you paint! You could sell them and make enough money for me to retire on…” “You’re a writer? You know that JK Rowling woman made millions off of her books, you should too…” “You knit! You should sell your handknit socks, you might get $10 a pair…” Raise your hand if you’ve gotten this in any way, shape or form. *raises both hands… and feet* My blogging doesn’t make money so automatically it’s worthless. Like the painting. And the writing. And the knitting. Or Mr F’s music. None of that is about the money at the outset. But how many of us fall into the trap of thinking that without the money to show, there’s nothing to be done about it.

Knitting is a hobby for some. It’s a passion for others. We know this. Can someone dabble in writing? Or is it always a passion? Maybe I blog because I write. Maybe I blog because in doing so I have met awesome people from all over the world. People I consider friends, even though we’ve never actually met. Maybe I just like to talk. Or type, as it were.

Is Ravelry the death of the blog? From a pure knitting point of view, yes. My blog has changed (at least in my mind) now that there isn’t just the blog to share knitting on. But I think I’d miss blogging if I decided to stop. But why I’d miss blogging I can’t quite figure out. There seems to be no reason for it besides I like it. I suppose that’s reason enough.

Why do you blog?

And since I forgot yesterday, here’s Today’s Blogs:

s i x o n e s e v e n: Recently found due to the Dolores Park Cowl insanity. Great pictures.

Stash, Knit, Repeat: This is Amy, home of the utterly adorable everything. Go look, you’ll see what I mean.

And now, a picture.

I got a new lens! Yay!

Happy… what day is it anyway? Ooooh bugger. Today’s my test. My brain is not helping me by thinking up comic book plot lines for one subject of the test. It’s the Super Justice Cabinet and their arch nemesis, the Shadow Cabinet! *cue theme music*

Yeah, brain? Not helping. Amusing, but not helping. Wish me luck!