Me, Myself, and I on the 4th of July: New Pattern Previews, Meme, and More...
Peony Head Band (one of my new crochet creations!)This morning I decided to visit all of the blogs on my list (at right). It's been a while since I did that, though it was a daily habit just a year ago. Cara's probably right...Ravelry is wonderful, but it has had a questionable impact on the knitblog community. Head on over to January One and read her posts from the past few days. This conversation is interesting and thought provoking.
On My Fashionable Life, Anna wrote about post-partum depression and her fears about losing creativity and inspiration. Her words really touched me, and reminded me, again, that I'm not alone. I have neither children nor PPD, but I do have CFS/ME -- an illness that affects people physically/emotionally/spiritually. Some days, I feel unable to even daydream! Difficult situation, considering what a head-in-the-clouds, dreamy child I was. Back to blogs, though.
Anna is a thoughtful writer, and shares so much of herself on her blog. Plus, she's an amazing designer, who deserves notice and great success. Take a look at My Fashionable Life...You won't be disappointed.
Coming attraction: "Freesia" sock pattern in gorgeous Shalimar hand-dyed sock yarnWhile I was on Anna's site, I came across this meme, and just couldn't resist. So, here are a few things about me that you might not have known (or wanted to know!)...
1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I was working as an assistant manager in a retail store, married to someone who was very angry, resentful, and abusive. With an Ivy League degree and lifelong wish to be a “real writer,” I felt stuck and hopeless. But I started fiddling around with a story, never knowing it would turn into a novel (still unrevised). I had three gorgeous cats and two lovely dogs, all of whom I lost when I had to flee the house for my own safety (literally barefoot) two years later. It was a dark time. [Things are MUCH better in my “new life” :-) ]
2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
1. Figure out what to make for dinner considering all we have in the cupboards are rice, beans, lentils, cornmeal, tomato paste, and one can of tuna.
2. Crochet several face scrubbies and start on a child-sized market bag, in preparation for my first-ever stand at the Farmer’s Market’s Arts in the Park this Sunday (scary!).
3. Finish plying the sock yarn that’s on my bobbins (also for Farmer’s Market).
4. Take a nap...I got less than 6 hours of sleep last night.
5. Call my sister so we can have a nice chat.
3) Snacks I enjoy:
M&Ms, warmed up to body temperature, so the inside is all soft and gooey; whole grain toast with jam and ricotta cheese on it; cupcakes/cakes...anything with that sugary white icing; leftover steak, eaten cold with my hands; leftover fried chicken strips, also eaten cold, with my fingers; homemade chocolate cookie dough; hummus with fresh pitas; warm scones; home-made hot chocolate; whole-milk lattes; freshly made chai tea from Teaism, preferably with one or two salty oat cookies; brown rice topped with garlic Gomasio; tortillas topped with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, toasted under the broiler; spun-honey ice cream.
(Carbs, anyone?)
4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off our college loans and other debts; buy lots of groceries; buy a house on 20 acres of land, not too far from the ocean; arrange annuities for our nephew, niece, and God-son, so they'd always be taken care of; give my father-in-law a gift certificate for the Ferrari of his choice; buy tickets for every Formula One Grand Prix for the next 10 years, plus many tickets for soccer games for DC United and abroad; travel, travel, travel (I've never left the U.S.); help re-build New Orleans; fund continuing assistance for the hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia whose homes, communities, and lives were decimated by the 2004 tsunami; give money to CFS/ME research; enjoy all the time my husband and I would have together; support family, friends, and philanthropic organizations as much as possible.
5) Places I have lived:
California: Walnut Creek, San Bruno, Burlingame, San Mateo, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, on “The Peninsula” south of San Francisco; Mill Valley, Larkspur, in Marin Co.; Nevada City, in “Gold Country”; Citrus Heights, near Sacramento
South Dakota: Spearfish
Washington (State): Seattle
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia (many parts), Pottstown, Reading
New Jersey: Lindenwold, somewhere in North Jersey when I was really little
Washington, D.C.-metro area: Georgetown, Dupont/Scott Circle, Hyattsville, and western Maryland
6) Jobs I have had:
Communications consultant; retail management; daily-news reporter; sandwich maker at a deli; hotel front-desk clerk; travel agent; real estate agent; knitting teacher; nonprofit marketing specialist; currently full-time artist/writer/editor (freelance)
7) Bloggers I am tagging to do this, whom I would like to get to know better:
Hey, if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. I’m that glad to have any readers at all after my six-week absence! Please let me know if you do this so I can have some fun reading all about you.
Happy Independence Day to my friends in the U.S.! I hope the holiday affords you all some quality knitting/crocheting/spinning time!
Ten years ago I was working as an assistant manager in a retail store, married to someone who was very angry, resentful, and abusive. With an Ivy League degree and lifelong wish to be a “real writer,” I felt stuck and hopeless. But I started fiddling around with a story, never knowing it would turn into a novel (still unrevised). I had three gorgeous cats and two lovely dogs, all of whom I lost when I had to flee the house for my own safety (literally barefoot) two years later. It was a dark time. [Things are MUCH better in my “new life” :-) ]
2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?
1. Figure out what to make for dinner considering all we have in the cupboards are rice, beans, lentils, cornmeal, tomato paste, and one can of tuna.
2. Crochet several face scrubbies and start on a child-sized market bag, in preparation for my first-ever stand at the Farmer’s Market’s Arts in the Park this Sunday (scary!).
3. Finish plying the sock yarn that’s on my bobbins (also for Farmer’s Market).
4. Take a nap...I got less than 6 hours of sleep last night.
5. Call my sister so we can have a nice chat.
3) Snacks I enjoy:
M&Ms, warmed up to body temperature, so the inside is all soft and gooey; whole grain toast with jam and ricotta cheese on it; cupcakes/cakes...anything with that sugary white icing; leftover steak, eaten cold with my hands; leftover fried chicken strips, also eaten cold, with my fingers; homemade chocolate cookie dough; hummus with fresh pitas; warm scones; home-made hot chocolate; whole-milk lattes; freshly made chai tea from Teaism, preferably with one or two salty oat cookies; brown rice topped with garlic Gomasio; tortillas topped with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, toasted under the broiler; spun-honey ice cream.
(Carbs, anyone?)
4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off our college loans and other debts; buy lots of groceries; buy a house on 20 acres of land, not too far from the ocean; arrange annuities for our nephew, niece, and God-son, so they'd always be taken care of; give my father-in-law a gift certificate for the Ferrari of his choice; buy tickets for every Formula One Grand Prix for the next 10 years, plus many tickets for soccer games for DC United and abroad; travel, travel, travel (I've never left the U.S.); help re-build New Orleans; fund continuing assistance for the hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia whose homes, communities, and lives were decimated by the 2004 tsunami; give money to CFS/ME research; enjoy all the time my husband and I would have together; support family, friends, and philanthropic organizations as much as possible.
5) Places I have lived:
California: Walnut Creek, San Bruno, Burlingame, San Mateo, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, on “The Peninsula” south of San Francisco; Mill Valley, Larkspur, in Marin Co.; Nevada City, in “Gold Country”; Citrus Heights, near Sacramento
South Dakota: Spearfish
Washington (State): Seattle
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia (many parts), Pottstown, Reading
New Jersey: Lindenwold, somewhere in North Jersey when I was really little
Washington, D.C.-metro area: Georgetown, Dupont/Scott Circle, Hyattsville, and western Maryland
6) Jobs I have had:
Communications consultant; retail management; daily-news reporter; sandwich maker at a deli; hotel front-desk clerk; travel agent; real estate agent; knitting teacher; nonprofit marketing specialist; currently full-time artist/writer/editor (freelance)
7) Bloggers I am tagging to do this, whom I would like to get to know better:
Hey, if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. I’m that glad to have any readers at all after my six-week absence! Please let me know if you do this so I can have some fun reading all about you.
Happy Independence Day to my friends in the U.S.! I hope the holiday affords you all some quality knitting/crocheting/spinning time!
4 comments:
The Freesia and Peony patterns are lovely. Glad to have you back. I did the same meme a while ago at:
http://twinset.us/?p=728
It is amazing what a difference 10 years can make.
I see a tuna/lentil/tomato concoction over rice in your future. Sounds pretty good to me!
I love the eggs and nest you showed in your 7/2 post. I'm glad you updated your blog -- it's always fun reading about the amazing work you do. You're also a fabulous writer, which makes anything you write interesting to read!
Love, your sis
hey hannah. What you do is amazing compared to as if i tried, i have um it diddnt work out to well lets just say cats dont liked to be dressed up by 9 year olds especially if its something that does not fit. I adore what you have made for me i cant tell you how much i love your gifts. Anyone can go to the store and bye anything but you take the time to put your heart and amazing skills into your gifts and those are the ones that are truely priceless
Love, your niece shelbs
Hi! I came to your blog from Ravelry and have enjoyed reading! I did the meme and it was great. Here it is, if you are curious:
http://anitahavelsblog.blogspot.com/
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