J is for Journaling

J is for journaling, which I have been committed to since a teenager. I have different sorts of journals, boxed away (I couldn't find them this morning to photograph; the boxes are buried under the stored items we moved around this winter), reflecting different styles as the years went by... there are the illustrated ones from my rapidograph phase, with some drawings I like and many I think are absolutely awful.. I loved putting ink to paper and even tried ink in different colors but the constant clogging and cleaning led me away, to lined books from office supply store racks, during my period of living outdoors. There is the time period, when pregnant with my DD, that I was studying Jungian-Senoi dreamwork and kept detailed journals of my very vivid dreams. Another period reflects my reading A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 in the early 1990s, and keeping daily records of our accomplishments, along the lines of "1 pair of socks finished and 5 quarts of applesauce canned today". I was fascinated by how much she and her daughters contributed to the community income, in fact more than their husbands, and gained a lot of respect for myself as a single mother of three small children, keeping track of all I was managing to do each day and month. Journaling has been an important part of my life and my development as a writer.

J is also for Journalism, a subject which I taught for eight years, with great enjoyment. It was both creative and thought-provoking, and occasionally controversial. I don't really have the "qualifications" or experience at a big-time newspaper to go further in the world of teaching journalism, but do believe that it is an important area of the curriculum in need of teachers with integrity. My interest in journalism led me into blogging about a year and a half ago, which has deeply enriched my life. Now, I often write with my audience in mind, and with a clearer idea of who they are and why they come back regularly to read my work. I cannot tell you how gratifying this has been, to connect with people in other parts of the world I will probably never have the opportunity to visit. That is why I jumped at the chance to join a group blog, the Eat Local Challenge, and engage in a broader conversation on another subject that is almost as dear to me as knitting and burros, the topic of food. I have absorbed this year that I don't see writing in my life as a hobby, but as a passion, one that is integral to who I am and what my purpose here is. Thanks for being a part of my listening audience, and for giving me so much feedback.

Dye-O-Rama Update

I have not written much about Dye-O-Rama yet, nor have I put up a button (remiss, must correct that soon), and that is mainly because I am a bit afraid of giving myself away; turns out the person I am dyeing yarn for is a sometimes reader. This means that almost all of what I am doing will have to remain a deep, dark secret until the yarn has been received.... but, I can divulge just how excited I am today about this project! This is Spinning Saturday at Foothill Fibers, my local spin/weave/knit (love wool) guild, and during the week, I had emailed Sara, desperate for assistance in getting my yarn done in time... you see, I have a special plan. Of course, she and Beryl came to the rescue with data and recipes and sources to make sure that I will succeed. I will be documenting the process as I go, in anticipation of putting up a detailed post, and I can promise that my project will be unique.