The Land of Blog
Since I don't have any knitting that I can show you (other than a mini poncho that is getting a little bit longer, day by day, and you've already seen what that looks like), I'm going to dedicate today's post to how cool I think blogging is. The further I venture into the Land of Blog, the more fascinated I become. It's crazy to think about all of these people, all over the world, writing their thoughts for everyone to see, often on a daily basis. I guess it's a way for all of us who secretly want to be writers but don't have the time, inclination (or talent) to actually get published. Plus, who doesn't like talking about themselves?
For me, blogging scratches that writing itch that I've never been able to really reach before. For awhile, I thought about trying to become a published writer. I even wrote a couple short stories and sent them off to magazines (where they were promptly and rightly rejected). Problem is my writing is not very good. If I weren't me, and read a story I'd written in a magazine, I would not be impressed. But I like writing. I've also never been able to keep a journal regularly, probably because nobody ever reads it, so it seems pointless. There are other things I'd rather do (like knit, or read something written by someone who can write...). But here, where I have potentially thousands (or even millions) of readers, I'm inspired to continue forming thoughts into words. My daily writings are not profound, or even particularly eloquent, but I have fun writing them (unlike when I was trying to craft short stories, which I found similar to trying to reason with my 2-year-old).
The other great thing about blogging is reading others' blogs. I have found so many great knitters and just fun people out in Blog Land. I find gazillions of great projects and ideas that I want to try. I just wish I had more time to read other blogs - I could spend all day just reading what other people are doing with their knitting needles! You can see the blogs that I try read regularly in my sidebar, and I will be adding more as I have time (and find more cool ones - like Aloha & Oreos, and bits of knits, two great blogs from Hawaii that I've just discovered). I love the small blogs where the blogger (like me) gets all excited when I leave a comment and comes to visit my blog - this has been a great way to strike up little intra-blog friendships. I also have a few of the "hit list" blogs, like The Blue Blog and Crazy Aunt Purl, which are in everyone's sidebar and are great, but I find I don't visit them as often as I do my old standbys - Musings of a (mostly) self-taught knitter, Adventures of a Knitting Spazz and Neglecting my Kids - which I try to get to (almost) every day, even if I don't always leave comments (sorry, guys!).
To make a short story long...blogging is neat.
Now that I think about it, I guess I do have a little knitting to talk about. I got my Master Knitter Level 1 packet in the mail yesterday. It requires 16 swatches and a report (with references) on blocking. I feel like I'm back in school! It sounds like the judging is pretty tough. I've been taking the TKGA correspondence course Basics, Basics, Basics to prepare for the masters, and I've gotten good reviews on the swatches I made for that class, so I'm hoping that my knitting will be up to snuff. I can't wait to get started, but I also need to get my Christmas presents made up and finish writing up the Knitty pattern. I am running on no caffeine, since Owen decided that he didn't really like it, so sacrificing sleep isn't such a great option anymore...
For me, blogging scratches that writing itch that I've never been able to really reach before. For awhile, I thought about trying to become a published writer. I even wrote a couple short stories and sent them off to magazines (where they were promptly and rightly rejected). Problem is my writing is not very good. If I weren't me, and read a story I'd written in a magazine, I would not be impressed. But I like writing. I've also never been able to keep a journal regularly, probably because nobody ever reads it, so it seems pointless. There are other things I'd rather do (like knit, or read something written by someone who can write...). But here, where I have potentially thousands (or even millions) of readers, I'm inspired to continue forming thoughts into words. My daily writings are not profound, or even particularly eloquent, but I have fun writing them (unlike when I was trying to craft short stories, which I found similar to trying to reason with my 2-year-old).
The other great thing about blogging is reading others' blogs. I have found so many great knitters and just fun people out in Blog Land. I find gazillions of great projects and ideas that I want to try. I just wish I had more time to read other blogs - I could spend all day just reading what other people are doing with their knitting needles! You can see the blogs that I try read regularly in my sidebar, and I will be adding more as I have time (and find more cool ones - like Aloha & Oreos, and bits of knits, two great blogs from Hawaii that I've just discovered). I love the small blogs where the blogger (like me) gets all excited when I leave a comment and comes to visit my blog - this has been a great way to strike up little intra-blog friendships. I also have a few of the "hit list" blogs, like The Blue Blog and Crazy Aunt Purl, which are in everyone's sidebar and are great, but I find I don't visit them as often as I do my old standbys - Musings of a (mostly) self-taught knitter, Adventures of a Knitting Spazz and Neglecting my Kids - which I try to get to (almost) every day, even if I don't always leave comments (sorry, guys!).
To make a short story long...blogging is neat.
Now that I think about it, I guess I do have a little knitting to talk about. I got my Master Knitter Level 1 packet in the mail yesterday. It requires 16 swatches and a report (with references) on blocking. I feel like I'm back in school! It sounds like the judging is pretty tough. I've been taking the TKGA correspondence course Basics, Basics, Basics to prepare for the masters, and I've gotten good reviews on the swatches I made for that class, so I'm hoping that my knitting will be up to snuff. I can't wait to get started, but I also need to get my Christmas presents made up and finish writing up the Knitty pattern. I am running on no caffeine, since Owen decided that he didn't really like it, so sacrificing sleep isn't such a great option anymore...
posted by knittinmom at 10:47 AM
7 Comments:
Do not sell yourself short - your writing is GREAT!!!! You were the fist knitting blog I stumbled upon shortly after starting mine (and also my first blog-friend), and if you wrote poorly I wouldn't have been so addicted to your blog!! So enough of that. Hope you also know I tune in to your blog every day too - even if I don't comment (maybe you see me on your hit counter report!!)
Don't worry about your Master Knitters packet - no doubt in my mind your knitting will be up to snuff!!
I really enjoy reading your blog. I think you write really well, too, so consider it those magazines' loss that they didn't snatch you up when they had the chance. Blogging really IS neat. Except now I spend more time blogging and blog-reading than knitting. Which kinda defeats the purpose. Not to mention how much more I neglect the kids now than in pre-blog days. :P I'm so impressed that you're becoming a Master Knitter!! Sans caffeine, no less! I FINALLY weaned my (19 month old!!) daughter last week and got my first hit of caffeine in over 2 years, so I empathize with you. That first cup of coffee made me deliriously happy!!
yay for blogging! i concur: blogging is neat. :) i could peruse blog land for hours looking at what people made and adding it to my to-do list--which is quite long as of late, i'm afraid. i love reading your blog, too, btw.
blogging is better than writing for several reasons. i type much faster than i write, and i like to think of it as more exercise for both of my hands so i knit faster. hehe.
what is this master knitting thing? and when you do that report (with references) on blocking, i look forward to reading it. the whole blocking-with-wires thing is so elusive to me. how does that work? what do you use? where to you get "blocking wires"!?!? inquiring minds like mine need to know. cuz i mean, what if i want to diverge from socks and actually knit a shawl or something? i've looked all over blog land, and i haven't found anything that really explains that.
well, maybe not reading your report (with references) per se...i'm just dumfounded in regards to blocking wires.
comments make me so giddy :)
Hmm, it seems I've been a bit remiss in commenting lately. I too have gotten addicted to blogging more so than actually knitting. That might explain the lack of progress pictures, as there just hasn't been much lately!
I also read your blog daily, or at least whenever you post and the DF hasn't dragged me off to commune with nature. I almost always click on your entry first when it lights up in bloglines, at least before I go and read the standard ones from people that I don't really know. (blue blog, nona, aunt purl, glampyre, yarn harlot, etc.) Wait, can I say that I know you now? We've never met... but I feel like I do!
Also, I got all glowy from the special mention! ;-) Glad my blogging doesn't go completely unnoticed...
Hi there! I completely concur with your comments about blogging. (I was actually thinking about blogging about this exact topic soon!) I'm glad you sent that RAK, because I have enjoyed finding your blog and check in every day. So it was a gift that keeps on giving!
I just love you! I read you every day too. I even check a few times a day if you haven't updated yet. I know I have an addiction. I know just what you mean about the writing itch. I also like the mental challeng of doing something beyond child-care. I feel like I get a little bit of adult interaction every day from blogging on my blog, as well as reading other blogs. I think your work is funny and relatable. Thanks for the shout out. I'm completely impressed that you're going to be a master knitter.
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