KNIT HAPPENS...

I taught myself to knit this summer. It wasn't hard, it wasn't time consuming, and it was fun to learn. Really, thinking back on it, I have no idea why I decided this would be a good hobby for me.
I am a crafty person to a certain extent. I stink at sewing, so any sort of project like that is out. I used to scrapbook, then I ran out of patience, and space. I used to create things with polymer clay. Yeah, other than the nativity scene I made out of that clay, there were very few useful things I actually made. They were all cute and lovely, but sort of silly and not of any worth or value. Then, I moved on to jewelry making. That was the cool kid craft at the time and I loved picking out really pretty glass beads and things. Problem was, I never officially learned how to make jewelry, and sort of made it up as I went along, so my bracelets always seemed to fall apart at the most inopportune times... in the middle of a friend's wedding for instance. So, I sucked at jewelry making, pretty much.
Then I got a new computer and realized that I could make movies! Oh, fun! I took all of the old movies of our annual New Years Eve events, edited out all of the stupid things I did, accentuated all the crazy things my college friends did, and created our own little "Best of" movies. Those were pretty cool. I still watch the trailer I made for them when I am in need of a hearty laugh. I still like making movies and already have two more movies to work on this year.
But, it is not something a person could do everyday as a hobby.
So, I needed to find a good use for my ADD and my hands. So, I picked knitting.
The funny thing is, it turned out to be less of a hobby and more of a study in people once I got into it.
I realized that there is an unspoken knitter's club. We have a secret handshake and password.
Once, I was staring at the needles in the middle of Hobby Lobby one day when I noticed a lady, in her 50s or so walking down the isle. I don't know what in the world compelled me to stop her and ask questions, but I did.
She was so nice and so helpful. I was instantly joined into the fold of knitters. She told me secrets and plans for taking over the world with knitting... I would tell you but ...
No really, she taught me all kinds of things! And by the end of the time, this once perfect stranger had given me her phone number and hugged me as she walked away. That was when I knew I was IN, baby!

Once you say, "I'm a knitter. I can purl and everything," you are an official card carrying member of the club. So, I thought I was pretty cool. I became a knitter... the hipster of the crafting world. :)
Then I made the mistake of telling my friends. I should have known that those you love would take things the hardest...

"Hey, when we go to the lake for the fourth, I am going to take some knitting. Want me to knit you a beer koozie? I just learned how to make them! What color you want me to bring?"
My friends were dumbfounded...
I might as well have told them I was putting myself in an old-folks home. Suddenly, in their eyes, I became like a million years old, the grandma from Loony Toons sitting in her rocker knitting. And I guess they thought I was kidding... because when I showed up at the lake with my little knitting bag and a blue knitted beer koozie just for them, they were all freaked out.
"OH, you really DO knit. You weren't kidding about that." Those were actual words from a few people.
I wanted to say, "NO, I really don't knit. I was just kidding. This bag, these needles, they are all a big plot to trick you...I guess it worked... ha ha to you!"
Ugh.
I have learned from that, that I need to not spring the news of my knitting all at once, but do it gradually. I have begun sneaking my knitting out of my bag during several occasions just to "feel the waters". You never know how people will take the news... but a big part of me wants to announce to the world... KNIT HAPPENS... Deal with it....you might get a nice scarf out of the deal.

It's a small world after all.

Yeah, I know... silly phrase makes you imagine those scary Disney dolls all singing and dancing in their syrupy sweet robotic, Stepford Children sort of way... sorry. Erase that image from your mind please and bear with me here...

Let's hark back shall we? (wavy screen) To a time about 9 years or so ago. The internet still had that "new car" smell and the world was not as harsh back then. Those were the good old days when kids could run out and play on the information superhighway unharmed. Back when, yes there was always porn, but it wasn't on every world wide web street corner.
When surfers were innocent. Back then... it was different.
My computer geek friends were scattered in all regions going to Grad school and I was in El Paso and I was bored... really bored and lonely, trying to find my place in the world, and missing them. So they patiently taught me about the world of chatting. They taught me to LOL and to ROFL. They taught me BTW, BRB, and even WTF (mom, don't ask about that one) and it was there that we caught up with each other's lives. I loved chatting. It was my way of reaching a big hand out and giving my college friends a hug. It was my way, as the only girl of the group, to keep tabs on those boys. It was new, fun, and exciting. I loved it.
And then I got hooked! I was chatting all the time. I was chatting the day the bomb went off in Oklahoma. I got to hear first hand what happened there and what it looked like, from chatters who were there. Made me feel like I was there too, feeling the pain, experiencing the horror right along side them.
And boy did I play with my "handle", my user name... we all did. LT would be Calvin, or Spaceman Spiff, or one of the other Calvin and Hobbs characters and so I settled pretty well on Susiederk... for Susie Derkins of course... nemesis to Calvin. LT would bug me and I would just shake my head and think, what a strange kid that one is... so it fit.
I was Susiederk. It was settled.

Then one day, as we chatted, some mysterious person came into our little chat room. His "handle" was BT224... and he seemed kind of nice. He was funny! That was what attracted me to him. He was funny!
He and I had the same sense of humor and we got along great.
We talked every night, like clockwork. Poor thing, he was working a crazy shift at work and would get 3 or 4 hours sleep a night just because he wanted to talk to me instead of sleep. He was a crazy man.
We talked about everything under the sun. We got to know each other... better than any couple would if they were going to the movies or dinner on dates. We became best friends. And I knew, I really knew that I loved him. He was THE ONE.
And he still is.
Ahhh. the world of chat.

And once we got together in real life, we didn't really need chat. We tried chatting again later on, but it wasn't the same. The place and people weren't the same. It was a different place. Those times, they were a'changin'.
And we hadn't really gone back to chat much since then... till now.

Oh that RLP! He challenges us all the time doesn't he? He changes things on us all the time.
RLP now has a chat section. It is pretty fun. I do it every once in a while...
Who I am I kidding? I am hooked! So is BT although I am sure he would never admit it.
I don't know if it is because it reminds us of the "good old days" of chat or what, but it is great.
We were just talking a few minutes ago about how it feels like a little family in the room. Everyone belongs and everyone has something valuable to input... well MOST anyway. And I have made such great friends! I think fondly about people in that room and would consider them a friend. I hope they would think the same about me.

So, if you are thinking of joining the RLP chat, here are some hints to help you make the choice...

Things you need to know:
1. Don't consider in any way that it is all religion all the time. It is not. As a matter of fact, when some people are in there it is just chaos. Trashing the place out and stuff. It is nuts.
2. There is a crazy Jetson's game going on there. You may join if you wish but you may NOT use the following characters... dj, or elroy. Those are saved for the creators of the game.
3. Hugh cheats. He is a cheater who likes to make up his own rules. Deal with it. You will be happier for it.
4. rlp will show up every once in a while. When he does, always say, "look busy"... he likes it.
Also, don't expect that he will want to talk about religion. He is a real person too. He wants to make up crazy games and be silly just like us. He also doesn't ever stay very long. Deal with it.
5. Be prepared to meet famous people... and realize because they are famous, they like to make up their own rules to things... (see also #3) Appeals for autographs are accepted but not always granted.
6. Realize that the later it is, the crazier it gets in the chat room.
7. Know that there is no age limit to chatting. Some people chatting are kids. Watch your language please.
8. Understand that I am the one and only president of the Hugh fan club... THE saint of the HULA BOOLA... do not try to take my title. I will wrestle you to the ground. It won't be pretty.
9. Don't do it if you can't take the pressure. :) We mess with each other a lot in there. If you are thin skinned, stay home, sissy.
10. While David and JoKer are chatting, don’t even bring up the words church, religion, orthopraxy. You will get a big lecture on the history of the church thus far with charts and graphs and everything! Danger, Will Robinson. Avoid Avoid… unless you are into that thing.
So, now that you have the cool kid's inside scoop... go at your own risk.
Enjoy the ride!!!
:)

Just a quick note...
There is a big possibility that The Story of Anthony will be published...
in a real live magazine!
Presbyterian Today is sending me contracts to sign and everything!
Wow!
I will keep you posted!