Monday, January 07, 2008

Odds and Ends

I went to the fiber store this weekend and bought a bunch of flosses that I needed for my Monthly Mania charts. I got back to work on February today which means I have finished neither April nor February, as you can see. While I was at the needlepoint store, I found these Nano cover needlepoint kits that are still not shown on the AMH website. I got the pink and green one.


My at home project is Mirabilia's Emerald Mermaid. I am working on this as part of the SAL with Michelle. So far she's just an arm (the mermaid, not Michelle). She does violate the "Selfish Stitching in 2008" mandate, however. Maybe I'll start something new and selfish this week.

Thanks to all of you who kept a good thought for my sister. Last week, we finally found out that she does have a spindle cell tumor, but it is benign. The pathology took so long because spindle cell whatsit is so rarely benign that no one in the lab had seen it. They had to send it to a pathologist at Harvard. Of course, my mother thinks it was the nuns in Canada that Father Rick had organized. I think the diagnosis just confirms my feeling that my sister is a freak of nature.

It's supposed to be Delurking Week, but I can't find anything on that for this year. Last year I found out about it on, like, Friday so I didn't participate. Now I am ready but the nation, nay, the world is not. Why so cruel? I know only about 10% of the people who visit here comment. I know I don't always comment because sometimes I don't have anything new to add to the "conversation," but still 90% of you? Recently, I wrote in response to SharonB's post about commenting that commenting rarely feels like entering a conversation. I know how difficult it is sometimes to respond to the comments. There are lots of things that keep me from responding, the main one being which medium to use? It's a pita to e-mail partly because of the yahoo address Anna has and partly because you sometimes have to search out a commenter's e-dress; or if you respond in the comments, you worry that the original commenter won't reread the comments to see your response; addressing comments in posts just makes my posts too long...and on and on. But I will ask you one thing: lurkers, would it kill you to comment?

24 comments:

Unknown said...

It wouldn't kill me to comment, but I'm with you on the not-commenting-unless-I-have-something-to-say.
When I do have something to say, I always sign up for follow-up comments just in case. Anyways with gmail it's so easy to organize the replies so they're not overwhelming in my inbox. I cannot recommend gmail enough :-)

Great news about your sister! Lol, bet she was never so happy to hear you call her a freak of nature.

Good luck with delurking week!

Anonymous said...

I will delurk for you Anna. I've been lurking ever since I met you at Cathy's little stitching get together last year. I've never commented before because I'm an ashamed voyuer. I'm an stitching addict who needs to get her secret stitching fix by reading stitching blogs because I can't stitch myself. I am so busy and exhausted from raising two little boys that I have to live vicariously through you and the other stitching bloggers. I'd love to be an active part of this vibrant blogging community but for now I think I'll keep lurking.

Karen

Anonymous said...

I love reading blogs, but I don't often feel compelled to add comments. Mainly it's because I'm really shy, and think I'll say something stupid, so it's just easier to not comment.

mainely stitching said...

Hooray! Here's to freaks of nature and to nuns both!

Anonymous said...

I'll happily comment so that you know we're out here enjoying your posts. I can almost always count on finding a new post on your blog.... I love that. It's a drag when someone lures me in then doesn't post for months!

Anonymous said...

Excellent news about your Sissy! Who cares how/why it turned out like it did, just be thankful - and I know you are.

Does she have to have surgery to remove the benign tumor or do they just leave it?

And now - what about your foot?

dd

Cathy said...

Geeze, are we supposed to be responding to our comments? Yikes, I almost never do that...That makes it all seem more complicated, doesn't it?

Adrienne Martini said...

So will your mermaid be smoking a cherry-flavored cigar?

xeyedmary said...

De-Lurking to say I'm glad your sister is OK. I'm sure you're all breathing a huge sigh of relief!
I don't comment too often- see Stacey's comment. I usually check back when I have commented in case the blogger has replied, and most replies I've seen are more often than not, in the comments, not the blog itself. I try to limit my response to replies because then I'm paranoid the blogger will think I'm a stalker- which brings me back to Stacey's comment above....damn stupid Catholic guilt thing.....back to lurking status......

Annemarie said...

Ha! Semi-lurker reporting for duty. In times of extreme busyness (like always) I only comment when I think have something new to add. So there you go.
Glad your sister is a freak of nature!

Anonymous said...

Delurking for a while, just for you. I'm glad that your sister's tumor was benign. Thank goodness for not-so-small favors!

Anonymous said...

Very, very good to hear about your sister, that's nice to hear.

It is sad when people don't comment, isn't it? I do appreciate you commenting at my blog, even if I don't always say :) Even if it's not a conversation, sometimes blogging feels like I'm talking to a blank wall when no one comments, even if I know people have read it!

glamlawlib said...

Great news about your sis!

I'm with you about the responding to comments thing, where to do it?

Ruth said...

So, how does the Mermaid violate selfish month? Is she a gift? So SALs count as unselfish? lol I'm still trying to figure out if I can fit in any "selfish" stitching at all this month... so many RRs and other duties call my name.

You've made me all thoughtful. I never know how to reply to comments either. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

If I don't comment again soon, you'll know that this did indeed kill me.

Unknown said...

Glad to hear Sissy's going to be OK.

So far, I've only responded to comments in the comments. I figure that's what the "send me follow up comments" check box is meant to address.

Anna van Schurman said...

Karen! Hey, girlfriend. Aren't you glad you told me? Because now I know.

Ruth, it's in violation of the selfish stitching because it is indeed a gift. Mom's 65th in 2009.

And, everyone, if you say something stupid, I'll just do what I did when my students said things I didn't get...move on. Plus, it's cross-stitch not brain surgery!

Anonymous said...

I do not comment all that often, usually only if I really have something to say or when I have some wishes to share :)

And as much as I understand the need for the anti-spam checking, if all I have to say is "congrats", I'm sometimes too lazy to type the crazy letters ;)

But, of course I'm de-lurking :) for you now :) :) :)

Sharon said...

Hi! I'm de-lurking. I have noting to add to the conversation though. :)

I am glad that your sister is ok. I almost never comment, but I'm trying to be better about it.

By the way, I'll let you know if de-lurking kills me :)

Anonymous said...

test

Anonymous said...

Anna, I love your blog but I have been unable to leave a comment not sure why. Finally it goes through and what is my comment "test". I love seeing your projects. I don't have a lot of stitching time so it's fun to see what other do.

Happy New Year

Anna van Schurman said...

Don't worry about the test. See the garbage can in the bottom of your comment? Just click it. Gone. Forgotten. I'm just happy you're here! All of you big lunks.

Michelle said...

Your monthly musings are cute. But, I do agree, March is creepy. So far I'm not doing so well with my selfish stitching either - still working on stuff for Eric and an RR. No rest for the wicked (or is that the weary).

Lelia said...

Awesome stitching ... I did 'april' last year. As for comments ... well, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't ... but I usually do read all your posts : )

I'm not sure about a frame for Moon Garden. Were you thinking to use the green frame? Or, something else?

Enjoy the week-end!!!