Did you ever put a lot of thought and work into something and it didn't come out the way you wanted?
I did a lot of research before casting on a sweater for my brother, who lives far away. I got his measurements. I swatched. I spent a lot of time with a pocket calculator. I took information from four different sources including Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker and Sweet Tomato Socks by Cat Bordhi. I thought I was ready to publish my first original design, a crew-neck pullover.
I began by starting from the neckband and it was beautiful the way the shoulder straps grew from increases. I got to the tip of the shoulder, started working the set-in-sleeve style which required me to put in some increases at a rate I determined, also using a few short rows in Cat Bordhi's style.
Then I did some color work off a chart from a sweater pattern that aside from that bit looked like it was 1980's dated. By then the stitches had increased to the point where they were jammed around my 24" circular needle and I was contemplating buying a longer one. I got down to the underarms, separated the sleeves from the yoke, then completed a few more rounds.
There was by then about thirty hours of work in this project. Hooray! I had completed enough that it could be tried on and I could see how the fabric draped around a human. So I ran across the street because I saw my neighbor's daughter's fiance on the porch, and he looked about my brother's size. He was a good sport about being asked to model.
You know those girly blouses where the fabric is gathered at the top of the shoulders to produce a puffed sleeve? If that had been my intention, I'd have nailed it to perfection. Grr-rrrrrrrrrr!
Oh, well, back to the drawing board. I've got plenty of this yarn. I'll set this attempt aside to complete someday for myself. I'm going to start over for my brother, this time a top-down raglan so I can be sure the shoulders will look right.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Passover Macaroons
I have been gritting my teeth trying to put up a link for something that ought to be online for free. The enemy opponent is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its jsonline website. I cut a recipe out of the paper I bought on April 1, 2009. This was published for the use of anyone who buys a paper, and as they are careful to tell us, one can share a recipe from a source as long as one doesn't share the entire source.
In other words, as I understand the newspaper, it's legal to share a recipe without express permission from a cookbook for promotional purposes as long as you only share a small part of the cookbook. Sharing most of the recipes from the book would be wrong.
So if I understand their position correctly, it would be fine for me to share a recipe from the paper, for promotional purposes, as long as I don't share most of the recipes from the paper.
They like to sell papers, so they have some of their recipes in a searchable database. I thought I'd link to my favorite in a Facebook share, which would be nice for them as well as for me. Guess what? The recipe is "older", so they want me to pay for the privilege of searching for a single article.
You might guess that my reaction included profane language. So, as agoose courtesy to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and jsonline, I will share the recipe here. I can link to this article from Facebook, accomplishing with a bunch of typing what I'd hoped to do with a few clicks.
The author of the recipe, Toby Colton, is an acquaintance of mine from way back and deserves to be honored as a brilliant cook. The newspaper folks were nice enough to quote her.
There were a few instructions omitted by the newspaper, my additions and clarifications are in italics. (I apologize for not retaining the name of the Journal Sentinel employee who wrote the words not in the quote, I'd like to be able to be precise in giving credit where it's due.)
So here it is, for promotional purposes, from the April 1, 2009 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food section.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"This is an absolutely fabulous Passover macaroon recipe," said Toby Colton of Glendale. "You will probably never want to eat canned macaroons again. They are best eaten soon after they are made, when the outside is crispy and the insides are tender," she said. "But they can easily be made several days ahead and kept covered until it's time to serve them." Colton adapted a recipe from a friend to make two varieties of macaroons from one can of sweetened condensed milk: one regular, the other almond-flavored. "Most people prefer the almond," she said. "I use the almonds with skins on, and that gives them a speckled look that differentiates the almond macaroons from the vanilla."
Passover Macaroons (Regular and Almond)
Makes 6 to 8 dozen
5 cups unsweetened finely shredded dried coconut (divided)
1 cup white chocolate chips or kosher-for-Passover white chocolate chips (divided)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (divided) (see note)
2 teaspoons double-strength Madagascar vanilla extract (divided)
1 cup ground almonds (see note)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (add more if your whole almonds do not have a strong flavor)
Parchment paper
Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
If using a microwave, melt stuff in medium bowl and add coconut to bowl later, this makes for one less dish to clean afterwards.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make regular macaroons: In medium bowl, place 3 cups coconut. In small saucepan over low heat, gently melt 1/2 of the white chocolate chips. I use a double boiler or microwave. Add 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and stir, removing from burner. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and stir. Add to coconut and mix well. Drop a well-rounded teaspoon of the mixture onto the parchment, using a second spoon to push the mixture off the first spoon. No need to leave a lot of space between cookies; they do not spread. With wet fingers, pat down the tops a little so they don't get too brown. Or, use a small cookie scoop of 2 teaspoons. Bake in preheated oven 9 minutes or until very lightly browned.
To make almond macaroons: In same bowl, place remaining 2 cups coconut and mix with ground almonds. In small saucepan over low heat, gently melt remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. This can be the same small saucepan. I use a double boiler or microwave. Add remaining 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and stir, removing from burner. Ad remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the almond extract. Stir. Add to coconut/almond mix and stir well. Drop dough as before onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake as before. I prepare both batches, preheating the oven before the second batch, and bake both at once.
Each flavor of macaroons makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.
Note: This is a dairy recipe.
Note: Process 1 cup whole skin-on almonds in food processor with metal blade until very fine, but not to a butter consistency.
In other words, as I understand the newspaper, it's legal to share a recipe without express permission from a cookbook for promotional purposes as long as you only share a small part of the cookbook. Sharing most of the recipes from the book would be wrong.
So if I understand their position correctly, it would be fine for me to share a recipe from the paper, for promotional purposes, as long as I don't share most of the recipes from the paper.
They like to sell papers, so they have some of their recipes in a searchable database. I thought I'd link to my favorite in a Facebook share, which would be nice for them as well as for me. Guess what? The recipe is "older", so they want me to pay for the privilege of searching for a single article.
You might guess that my reaction included profane language. So, as a
The author of the recipe, Toby Colton, is an acquaintance of mine from way back and deserves to be honored as a brilliant cook. The newspaper folks were nice enough to quote her.
There were a few instructions omitted by the newspaper, my additions and clarifications are in italics. (I apologize for not retaining the name of the Journal Sentinel employee who wrote the words not in the quote, I'd like to be able to be precise in giving credit where it's due.)
So here it is, for promotional purposes, from the April 1, 2009 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food section.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"This is an absolutely fabulous Passover macaroon recipe," said Toby Colton of Glendale. "You will probably never want to eat canned macaroons again. They are best eaten soon after they are made, when the outside is crispy and the insides are tender," she said. "But they can easily be made several days ahead and kept covered until it's time to serve them." Colton adapted a recipe from a friend to make two varieties of macaroons from one can of sweetened condensed milk: one regular, the other almond-flavored. "Most people prefer the almond," she said. "I use the almonds with skins on, and that gives them a speckled look that differentiates the almond macaroons from the vanilla."
Passover Macaroons (Regular and Almond)
Makes 6 to 8 dozen
5 cups unsweetened finely shredded dried coconut (divided)
1 cup white chocolate chips or kosher-for-Passover white chocolate chips (divided)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (divided) (see note)
2 teaspoons double-strength Madagascar vanilla extract (divided)
1 cup ground almonds (see note)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (add more if your whole almonds do not have a strong flavor)
Parchment paper
Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
If using a microwave, melt stuff in medium bowl and add coconut to bowl later, this makes for one less dish to clean afterwards.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make regular macaroons: In medium bowl, place 3 cups coconut. In small saucepan over low heat, gently melt 1/2 of the white chocolate chips. I use a double boiler or microwave. Add 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and stir, removing from burner. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and stir. Add to coconut and mix well. Drop a well-rounded teaspoon of the mixture onto the parchment, using a second spoon to push the mixture off the first spoon. No need to leave a lot of space between cookies; they do not spread. With wet fingers, pat down the tops a little so they don't get too brown. Or, use a small cookie scoop of 2 teaspoons. Bake in preheated oven 9 minutes or until very lightly browned.
To make almond macaroons: In same bowl, place remaining 2 cups coconut and mix with ground almonds. In small saucepan over low heat, gently melt remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. This can be the same small saucepan. I use a double boiler or microwave. Add remaining 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk and stir, removing from burner. Ad remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the almond extract. Stir. Add to coconut/almond mix and stir well. Drop dough as before onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake as before. I prepare both batches, preheating the oven before the second batch, and bake both at once.
Each flavor of macaroons makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.
Note: This is a dairy recipe.
Note: Process 1 cup whole skin-on almonds in food processor with metal blade until very fine, but not to a butter consistency.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Michelle's Chemo Comfort Shawl pattern
I had to take this down from ravelry for legal reasons, but I still wanted folks to have access to it.
Michelle's Chemo Comfort Shawl
Copyright © 2010 Mollie Jo Lazear
Use any soft washable worsted weight yarn, about 3000 yards.
No gauge swatch necessary, use size US 15 needles
This ribbed lace pattern is fully reversible when done in one color.
With two strands of worsted wt held together, CO 48. (For afghan, 148.)
Rows 1&2: Slip 1 knitwise (Sl 1 K), K3, (K5 P5) to last 4 sts, K3, P1
Rows 3&4: Sl 1 K, K3, (K2 tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, P5) to last 4 sts, K3, P1
Rows 5&6: same as row 1
Rows 7&8: Sl 1 K, K to last st, P1.
To change colors, end old color with a row 8, and begin new color with a row 7.
Work to desired length. End on a row 6, Bind Off loosely in Row 1 Pattern
I’m sorry to say that the recipient’s cancer got the better of her. We loved you, Michelle, and will think of you when making more of these.
The shawl has been donated to Gilda’s Place.
Michelle's Chemo Comfort Shawl
Copyright © 2010 Mollie Jo Lazear
Use any soft washable worsted weight yarn, about 3000 yards.
No gauge swatch necessary, use size US 15 needles
This ribbed lace pattern is fully reversible when done in one color.
With two strands of worsted wt held together, CO 48. (For afghan, 148.)
Rows 1&2: Slip 1 knitwise (Sl 1 K), K3, (K5 P5) to last 4 sts, K3, P1
Rows 3&4: Sl 1 K, K3, (K2 tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, P5) to last 4 sts, K3, P1
Rows 5&6: same as row 1
Rows 7&8: Sl 1 K, K to last st, P1.
To change colors, end old color with a row 8, and begin new color with a row 7.
Work to desired length. End on a row 6, Bind Off loosely in Row 1 Pattern
I’m sorry to say that the recipient’s cancer got the better of her. We loved you, Michelle, and will think of you when making more of these.
The shawl has been donated to Gilda’s Place.
Monday, May 16, 2011
A new scarf pattern
This was concieved as an entry to a contest in which I placed fifth.
Reversible Seaman’s "Health and Love" Scarf
Copyright © Mollie Jo Lazear 2011. Publication and distribution rights given to Knitcircus and to the WomenHeart group in Madison, Wisconsin. Copies may be made (with this notice included in its entirety) for individual use but not for resale. Scarves made from this pattern may not be sold except for charitable purposes.
Materials:
Any solid or semisolid DK or Sport weight yarn.
Size 4, 5, or 6 U.S. Knitting needles, pair of straight or a circular, or size to obtain gauge.
8 Stitch markers (optional)
Cable needle
Row counter (or paper and pencil)
Yarn needle
Size: Adult
Gauge: Whatever gauge required to make a fabric that feels right to you with your yarn. Swatch in Garter Stitch and adjust needle size until you are satisfied (or use the first 4 inches of the scarf as the swatch if feeling lucky).
Abbreviations
CN Cable needle
K Knit or knitwise
K2Tog Knit two together decrease
KFB Increase by knitting into the front and back of the same stitch
P Purl
SL1K Slip one stitch knitwise
St Stitch
Sts Stitches
Stitch Patterns
Slipped Garter Stitch: SL1K, K to last stitch, P1, every row.
Two knit over two purl crosses (timid knitters may substitute P2, K4, P2 ribbing):
Right Purl Cross (2/2 RPC) Slip next 2 sts to CN, hold to back of work, K2, P the 2 sts from CN
Left Purl Cross (2/2 LPC) Slip next 2 sts to CN, hold to front of work, P2, K the 2 sts from CN
The remaining stitch patterns are knit and purl stitch texture variations of rib, garter, stockinette, reverse stockinette, and moss stitches detailed in the chart.
Notes about the Design:
This scarf is designed to be reversible, there is no obvious right or wrong side. Please track each row for sanity’s sake. Use of sticky notes on the graph and a row counter on the needles is suggested. The following three-stitch border is used throughout the scarf: SL1K, K2, work to last 3 sts, K2, P1. This border is included in the chart.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to the Christmas at Sea program for popularizing and promoting the Seaman’s Scarf shape and for decades of collecting and distributing contributed scarves; and to Lily Chin for alerting all to the fact that cables can and in some cases should be reversible. Special thanks to Amy Detjen for teaching me the twisted slip stitch edging used in her A Beginner’s Triangle shawl published in A Gathering of Lace.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Beginnings:
Loosely Cast On 56 sts; work 15 rows of Slipped Garter Stitch.
Increase Row:
Increase 3 sts in the first 15 sts of the row and 3 in the last 15 sts of the row as follows:
SL1K, (K3, KFB) three times, K30, (KFB, K3) three times, P1.
Notes About Working the Chart:
Rows 1-32 have an extra K stitch in the edging. It may be helpful to place markers on either side of the work between the 4-stitch edging and the rest of the chart, and on either side of the center 22-stitch section, as this portion of the chart is designed so that aside from the edging and the center 22-stitch heart section, the even-numbered rows are worked by just knitting the knits and purling the purls as they appear. It may also be helpful to place markers on each side of the heart pattern as it emerges, between the heart and its background, as this is also true of the even-numbered rows within the heart.
If you've read this far and you're serious about actually knitting the pattern, email me at scoutrmom at hotmail dot com and I'll be glad to send you the Microsoft Excel file which contains the chart.
Next Steps:
Work chart rows 1-32, maintaining slipped edging, until scarf measures around 14-18 inches after a row 32 (depending on gauge). Note down how many times the chart was worked. Drop markers on next row.
Work chart rows 33-40 for an additional 18-22 inches, ending with one last row 33. Note that in this portion between the 3-stitch edgings, even-numbered rows are worked by just knitting the knits and purling the purls as they appear. (Alternate for those not comfortable with cables, between the 3-stitch edgings work a P2, K4, P2 rib on the right side, which translates to K2, P4, K2 on the wrong side.)
*Work a row 32, replacing markers; next work heart chart from top downwards to row 1 as many times as worked upwards. Don’t worry if gauge is slightly off, the scarf police are not running around with measuring tapes. If the difference in gauge could be noticed from the back of a galloping horse, rip back to * and adjust needle size until initial gauge is nearly matched.
Decrease Row:
Decrease 3 sts evenly spaced in the first 18 and last 18 sts of the next row as follows:
SL1K, (K3, K2Tog) three times, K30, (K2Tog, K3) three times, P1.
Last But Not Least
Work 15 rows of Slipped Garter Stitch. Bind off Loosely in Purl. Work in ends carefully, this is a reversible project. Enjoy, and please make another to donate to a worthy cause.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
About the Designer:
Mollie Lazear has a marriage of over 30 years duration, four grown children and one grandchild (so far), and has been knitting since her grandmother and mother taught her in childhood; she has been designing and teaching since attending Knitting Camp with Meg Swansen over a decade ago.
Copyright © Mollie Jo Lazear 2011. Publication and distribution rights given to Knitcircus and to the WomenHeart group in Madison, Wisconsin.
Copies may be made (with this notice included in its entirety) for individual use but not for resale. Scarves made from this pattern may not be sold except for charitable purposes.
Unfortunately, the chart in Microsoft Excel was too difficult to put in Blogger, so I've edited this for the fact.
The swatch was too colorful to show the stitch patterns well; I promise to have a photo of a completed scarf and its details up on Ravlery before Spring, 2012 (I've got commitments for too much deadline knitting to promise it any sooner, I apologise).
Reversible Seaman’s "Health and Love" Scarf
Copyright © Mollie Jo Lazear 2011. Publication and distribution rights given to Knitcircus and to the WomenHeart group in Madison, Wisconsin. Copies may be made (with this notice included in its entirety) for individual use but not for resale. Scarves made from this pattern may not be sold except for charitable purposes.
Materials:
Any solid or semisolid DK or Sport weight yarn.
Size 4, 5, or 6 U.S. Knitting needles, pair of straight or a circular, or size to obtain gauge.
8 Stitch markers (optional)
Cable needle
Row counter (or paper and pencil)
Yarn needle
Size: Adult
Gauge: Whatever gauge required to make a fabric that feels right to you with your yarn. Swatch in Garter Stitch and adjust needle size until you are satisfied (or use the first 4 inches of the scarf as the swatch if feeling lucky).
Abbreviations
CN Cable needle
K Knit or knitwise
K2Tog Knit two together decrease
KFB Increase by knitting into the front and back of the same stitch
P Purl
SL1K Slip one stitch knitwise
St Stitch
Sts Stitches
Stitch Patterns
Slipped Garter Stitch: SL1K, K to last stitch, P1, every row.
Two knit over two purl crosses (timid knitters may substitute P2, K4, P2 ribbing):
Right Purl Cross (2/2 RPC) Slip next 2 sts to CN, hold to back of work, K2, P the 2 sts from CN
Left Purl Cross (2/2 LPC) Slip next 2 sts to CN, hold to front of work, P2, K the 2 sts from CN
The remaining stitch patterns are knit and purl stitch texture variations of rib, garter, stockinette, reverse stockinette, and moss stitches detailed in the chart.
Notes about the Design:
This scarf is designed to be reversible, there is no obvious right or wrong side. Please track each row for sanity’s sake. Use of sticky notes on the graph and a row counter on the needles is suggested. The following three-stitch border is used throughout the scarf: SL1K, K2, work to last 3 sts, K2, P1. This border is included in the chart.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to the Christmas at Sea program for popularizing and promoting the Seaman’s Scarf shape and for decades of collecting and distributing contributed scarves; and to Lily Chin for alerting all to the fact that cables can and in some cases should be reversible. Special thanks to Amy Detjen for teaching me the twisted slip stitch edging used in her A Beginner’s Triangle shawl published in A Gathering of Lace.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Beginnings:
Loosely Cast On 56 sts; work 15 rows of Slipped Garter Stitch.
Increase Row:
Increase 3 sts in the first 15 sts of the row and 3 in the last 15 sts of the row as follows:
SL1K, (K3, KFB) three times, K30, (KFB, K3) three times, P1.
Notes About Working the Chart:
Rows 1-32 have an extra K stitch in the edging. It may be helpful to place markers on either side of the work between the 4-stitch edging and the rest of the chart, and on either side of the center 22-stitch section, as this portion of the chart is designed so that aside from the edging and the center 22-stitch heart section, the even-numbered rows are worked by just knitting the knits and purling the purls as they appear. It may also be helpful to place markers on each side of the heart pattern as it emerges, between the heart and its background, as this is also true of the even-numbered rows within the heart.
If you've read this far and you're serious about actually knitting the pattern, email me at scoutrmom at hotmail dot com and I'll be glad to send you the Microsoft Excel file which contains the chart.
Next Steps:
Work chart rows 1-32, maintaining slipped edging, until scarf measures around 14-18 inches after a row 32 (depending on gauge). Note down how many times the chart was worked. Drop markers on next row.
Work chart rows 33-40 for an additional 18-22 inches, ending with one last row 33. Note that in this portion between the 3-stitch edgings, even-numbered rows are worked by just knitting the knits and purling the purls as they appear. (Alternate for those not comfortable with cables, between the 3-stitch edgings work a P2, K4, P2 rib on the right side, which translates to K2, P4, K2 on the wrong side.)
*Work a row 32, replacing markers; next work heart chart from top downwards to row 1 as many times as worked upwards. Don’t worry if gauge is slightly off, the scarf police are not running around with measuring tapes. If the difference in gauge could be noticed from the back of a galloping horse, rip back to * and adjust needle size until initial gauge is nearly matched.
Decrease Row:
Decrease 3 sts evenly spaced in the first 18 and last 18 sts of the next row as follows:
SL1K, (K3, K2Tog) three times, K30, (K2Tog, K3) three times, P1.
Last But Not Least
Work 15 rows of Slipped Garter Stitch. Bind off Loosely in Purl. Work in ends carefully, this is a reversible project. Enjoy, and please make another to donate to a worthy cause.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
About the Designer:
Mollie Lazear has a marriage of over 30 years duration, four grown children and one grandchild (so far), and has been knitting since her grandmother and mother taught her in childhood; she has been designing and teaching since attending Knitting Camp with Meg Swansen over a decade ago.
Copyright © Mollie Jo Lazear 2011. Publication and distribution rights given to Knitcircus and to the WomenHeart group in Madison, Wisconsin.
Copies may be made (with this notice included in its entirety) for individual use but not for resale. Scarves made from this pattern may not be sold except for charitable purposes.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
More than an avatar
It has become a habit with me...each day, after walking the dog and logging my breakfast in a paper journal, I go to the computer and log in to the Weight Watchers website.
First I check for new friend requests...ah, there's one! Here begins my routine. Accept the request. Send him or her a token, the gift box, write a quick comment with it, "Thanks for being a friend." I then try to glean a little bit about them from their blog or their shared data, try to find something personal to say to this unknown entity. Try to find a way to remember that this screen name is really Linda and that one is Mark. Perhaps tell them about a challenge or a group or a message board thread of which their list of interests indicates they might like to be aware.
Next I'll check to see if anyone accepted a friend request I made. I often choose to invite people who've typed a comment somewhere on the Weight Watchers site that resonated with me, or who often appear in my habitual daily Weight Watchers message board threads. Same drill, try to glean something personal from some stats or a stated preference for home cooking. Find some way to connect the dots so this unknown entity becomes someone I can remember and relate to. Try to say something that will make them feel as if this stranger typing on their wall is someone they might enjoy responding to or knowing a little better.
Then I'll scroll down all the status updates since I was last online of those whom I've already listed as friends, to see who is posting something for which I feel I ought to write congratulations or encouragement. I'm afraid I'll feel guilty if I let a weight loss go unremarked or a gain unconsoled. The fear of guilt is as bad as the guilt!
I also try to find time to stay current with all the blogs on the Weight Watchers site that I have chosen to follow. I usually choose a blog based on the humor or on the quality of the writing or on the depth of personal feelings revealed. I try always to find something to comment upon in each blog I've read. If not, I try to find something personal to put on the blogger's wall so that they'll know that I connected with their thoughts or that they are an example for others.
In this way, I've learned quite a lot about a select few people, and at least something about quite a few more. I barely know Woodbee yet, but I can remember she's a female (at least I think I remember that correctly). I can rememeber that 1VirtualGenie is Stephanie and that she is married and has school-age children and works out of her home as a consulting project manager. I can remember that Lucy_Diamond is Heather and that she has a husband who travels, a younger child, an apparently close extended family, and a wicked sense of humor. I feel that many of us on the Weight Watchers site have gotten to know perhaps more than we expected to know about SoWhatSusan, an excellent blogger and very, very funny Canadian with grown kids whose husband George is temporarily posted in Annapolis and who is presently visiting family back in Canada. I can remember that Gregwoody is a sexy young man who can have a goofy sense of humor, is slightly older than my oldest son, and who has a big goofy dog and a heart the size of a planet.
Yesterday, I was catching up from a planned internet outage due to switching from Roadrunner to Uverse, and all of this clicking and typing seemed to become a chore. Here I was scurrying from message boards to groups to blogs to homepages to challenges, and feeling rather harried. Why do I do this to myself?
Then, as I was reading Linnea's blog (Scoutmasterand...), something she wrote struck me. I don't recall exactly what it was in her blog that did so, but I hope I never forget the insights it inspired.
I'd recently loaded an image of my Wood Badge beading ceremony from email to my hard drive, and it struck me hard that I was missing my old pals in Scouting whom I seldom run into anymore. I realized that I don't know many of them as well as I know Stephanie and Greg and Heather and Susan, and Cresent and Lars and Tim and Dean. I realized that each of us is a fully developed person behind the keyboard and monitor.
First I check for new friend requests...ah, there's one! Here begins my routine. Accept the request. Send him or her a token, the gift box, write a quick comment with it, "Thanks for being a friend." I then try to glean a little bit about them from their blog or their shared data, try to find something personal to say to this unknown entity. Try to find a way to remember that this screen name is really Linda and that one is Mark. Perhaps tell them about a challenge or a group or a message board thread of which their list of interests indicates they might like to be aware.
Next I'll check to see if anyone accepted a friend request I made. I often choose to invite people who've typed a comment somewhere on the Weight Watchers site that resonated with me, or who often appear in my habitual daily Weight Watchers message board threads. Same drill, try to glean something personal from some stats or a stated preference for home cooking. Find some way to connect the dots so this unknown entity becomes someone I can remember and relate to. Try to say something that will make them feel as if this stranger typing on their wall is someone they might enjoy responding to or knowing a little better.
Then I'll scroll down all the status updates since I was last online of those whom I've already listed as friends, to see who is posting something for which I feel I ought to write congratulations or encouragement. I'm afraid I'll feel guilty if I let a weight loss go unremarked or a gain unconsoled. The fear of guilt is as bad as the guilt!
I also try to find time to stay current with all the blogs on the Weight Watchers site that I have chosen to follow. I usually choose a blog based on the humor or on the quality of the writing or on the depth of personal feelings revealed. I try always to find something to comment upon in each blog I've read. If not, I try to find something personal to put on the blogger's wall so that they'll know that I connected with their thoughts or that they are an example for others.
In this way, I've learned quite a lot about a select few people, and at least something about quite a few more. I barely know Woodbee yet, but I can remember she's a female (at least I think I remember that correctly). I can rememeber that 1VirtualGenie is Stephanie and that she is married and has school-age children and works out of her home as a consulting project manager. I can remember that Lucy_Diamond is Heather and that she has a husband who travels, a younger child, an apparently close extended family, and a wicked sense of humor. I feel that many of us on the Weight Watchers site have gotten to know perhaps more than we expected to know about SoWhatSusan, an excellent blogger and very, very funny Canadian with grown kids whose husband George is temporarily posted in Annapolis and who is presently visiting family back in Canada. I can remember that Gregwoody is a sexy young man who can have a goofy sense of humor, is slightly older than my oldest son, and who has a big goofy dog and a heart the size of a planet.
Yesterday, I was catching up from a planned internet outage due to switching from Roadrunner to Uverse, and all of this clicking and typing seemed to become a chore. Here I was scurrying from message boards to groups to blogs to homepages to challenges, and feeling rather harried. Why do I do this to myself?
Then, as I was reading Linnea's blog (Scoutmasterand...), something she wrote struck me. I don't recall exactly what it was in her blog that did so, but I hope I never forget the insights it inspired.
I'd recently loaded an image of my Wood Badge beading ceremony from email to my hard drive, and it struck me hard that I was missing my old pals in Scouting whom I seldom run into anymore. I realized that I don't know many of them as well as I know Stephanie and Greg and Heather and Susan, and Cresent and Lars and Tim and Dean. I realized that each of us is a fully developed person behind the keyboard and monitor.
Wow! Each of us is a person! Each of us is so much more than just an avatar, or a set of statistics, or a photo, or a comment on a thread, or a blog entry! The realization stunned me. Each collection of bits and bytes represents a real someone who lives, breathes, eats, uses the bathroom, aches, thinks, and perhaps snores. Someone who went to school. Someone who might have run out of milk. Someone who cheers for a team or for a friend. Someone who might have an itch. Someone who might not like beets. Someone who might realize they need to put something in the dryer or to feed a pet. Someone who dozes off in front of the TV. Someone who might enjoy running or reading or knitting. Someone who feels joy, sorrow, frustration, fear, disappointment, elation, anger, thrills, pain, pride, insecurity, and most of all, love. Someone who connects face to face or online with many such someones, and who connects to my mind and often to my heart through those bits and bytes.
I don't know why this suddenly struck me so deeply. I am glad that it did. Now I can type it and mean it more deeply. "Thanks for being a friend."
Have a joyful holiday season, and a happy and healthy and skinny new year ...
with best wishes from ...
Mollie in Milwaukee, breast cancer survivor and diabetic, reader, walker, and knitter, mother of two grown sons and two grown daughters, soon to be a grandma (a boy!) for the first time, who recently adopted a two-year old rescued Shih-Tzu named Gordon, who has been married to Jim for over 31 years, who recently retired and moved her mom into her home to become a primary caregiver.
Each and every one of us is so very much more than an avatar ... may God bless us all.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Surprise!
This is adapted from something I posted on the Weight Watchers website October 11, 2009. Now that I am on Facebook, I wanted to find a good way to share this true story.
I live in Milwaukee, have been married 31 years to Jim, have a daughter, Bekah, 22 at school in Madison 2 hours away, another Naomi, 20 living 15 minutes away, a son Seth in Seattle, age 25, and another son, Hyatt in Dallas, age 28. This story includes them all.
I'd been excited for several days because Friday morning Seth was arriving, I hadn't seen him since Feb. I hadn't seen Hyatt in 2 1/2 years, and he said he'd be unable to visit at this time because it's a busy time at work. I'd dreamed of reuniting the immediate family, we haven't been together since March of 2005. It's become more of a wish since Naomi, the youngest, moved out, and I've got those empty nest aches even though DM moved in last year with me and Jim, DH of 31 years. I'm the primary caregiver for both.
So that's the background.I was also upset with Naomi because she said that she and her fiance Dan, 29 (that's another story) had plans Friday night and couldn't come see her brother. [Bekah and her BF Dan live in Madison and were on the way here as I typed.]
So...I picked Seth up Friday morning, and had a wonderful time with him. After supper, the door opened, and in walked Hyatt! I hugged him and cried. Naomi's plans had been to pick him up. He and Seth hadn't seen each other in 4 1/2 years, but they of course wouldn't get emotional in front of us. It turns out that Jim and the kids had planned this surprise for me, and they all kept me in the dark. I still get misty thinking about it. So with Bekah driving in, we'd all be together again.
Woo Hoo! Naomi put the photographs from our gathering in her Facebook album.
I live in Milwaukee, have been married 31 years to Jim, have a daughter, Bekah, 22 at school in Madison 2 hours away, another Naomi, 20 living 15 minutes away, a son Seth in Seattle, age 25, and another son, Hyatt in Dallas, age 28. This story includes them all.
I'd been excited for several days because Friday morning Seth was arriving, I hadn't seen him since Feb. I hadn't seen Hyatt in 2 1/2 years, and he said he'd be unable to visit at this time because it's a busy time at work. I'd dreamed of reuniting the immediate family, we haven't been together since March of 2005. It's become more of a wish since Naomi, the youngest, moved out, and I've got those empty nest aches even though DM moved in last year with me and Jim, DH of 31 years. I'm the primary caregiver for both.
So that's the background.I was also upset with Naomi because she said that she and her fiance Dan, 29 (that's another story) had plans Friday night and couldn't come see her brother. [Bekah and her BF Dan live in Madison and were on the way here as I typed.]
So...I picked Seth up Friday morning, and had a wonderful time with him. After supper, the door opened, and in walked Hyatt! I hugged him and cried. Naomi's plans had been to pick him up. He and Seth hadn't seen each other in 4 1/2 years, but they of course wouldn't get emotional in front of us. It turns out that Jim and the kids had planned this surprise for me, and they all kept me in the dark. I still get misty thinking about it. So with Bekah driving in, we'd all be together again.
Woo Hoo! Naomi put the photographs from our gathering in her Facebook album.
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