April 23, 2004

One Year Later...

Wouldn’t you know it? On A Very Special Day, I feel under the weather and not much like writing, but I must write at least a little since this is, indeed, A Very Special Day—the one-year anniversary of the blog!

anniv.gifI want to dedicate today’s entry, short and blah though it may be, to my Dear Readers. A big thank you to everyone who has come on this 52-week writing and knitting journey with me, some of whom are New Dear Readers, some of whom have stuck around for a long time, some of whom stopped reading the blog 51 weeks ago, but all of whom have been instrumental in making me look forward to getting out of bed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to write and to post:

Amber, Anj, Angie, Anne, Aven, Barb, Barbara, Bea, Beth, Bill, Blu, Bren, Bron, Calissa, Carine, CarolineF, Cata (hi, Big Sister!), Ced, Charlotte, Chery, Cheryl, Childe, Cindy, Cuzzin Sarah, Cuzzin Tom, Dale, Debra, Dot, Emma, Fran, Greta, Janet, Janine, Jean, Jenna, Jessica, Jon, Justin, Kim, KarenK, Karen the Terrible, Kit, Lisa, Laurie, LindaK, Lori, Lubna, Maggi, MaryB, MaryD, Maus, Melinda, Melissa, Michelle, Mira, Myria, Nathania, Nicole (hi, niece!), Opal, Pam, Pat, Perclexed, Prudence Fiddletwist, Rachael, Rana, Rebecca, Robbyn, Roberta, Ruth, Samina, Sharon, Stephanie, Susanna, Sylvia, Tami, The Other Rebecca, Theresa, Tipper, Vaire, Vanessa, Wendy, Yvette, and, of course, all the Lurkers that I hope to “meet” someday.

A very special thank you to Sheila of FiberRavenSoiree who is not only a Dear Reader but also a knitting mentor, sublime hostess of the Soirees where I learned how much fun it was to knit with other people, the person who generously hosts Mossy Cottage on her server, and the patient answerer of my million MovableType questions that all started with, “But how do I…?”

And, of course, a special thank you to The Mysterious K, who, from the very first, supported the blog idea, unquestioningly put all of her digital photography skills at my disposal, and has allowed me to have a lot of fun at her expense.

So, what have a I learned this year?

  • If you wear your favorite shirt when you are dyeing, you will get dye on it. Your least favorite shirt will come through unscathed.
  • Dye gardens get as many weeds as any other garden.
  • Yarrow dye is the worst smelling substance on earth. Ever.
  • There is no problem in the world that cannot be solved with a pair of hand-knit socks.
  • Having a small stash, and feeling superior to other knitters because you have a small stash, is a very temporary condition.
  • The fact that everyone at your LYS knows you by your first name Is Not A Good Sign.
  • When your partner tells you red does not photograph well, she is right. Making faces at her behind her back won't make the photograph look any better.
  • Two-handed, two-colored, stranded knitting is possible. Who knew?!
  • Posting sock patterns for free is a kick—but nothing compared to finding out that a Dear Reader has actually knitted a sock from one of the patterns.
  • The sound a router makes sets my teeth on edge. The sound a router makes makes TMK think she has died and gone to heaven.
  • When you run out of things to write about, post a picture of the dog.

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"Mwah!" to everyone! And, on that note, off to find some coffee so I can feel not just exhausted and bleary-eyed but exhausted, bleary-eyed, and jittery. (Oh, wait; how is that better?)

-Ryan

Posted by Ryan at April 23, 2004 10:40 AM
Comments

*pfweeeee!* Happy anniversary! And thank YOU for having such an entertaining, educational, and altogether enjoyable blog. You've definitely brightened my days with your wit, humor and hysterically funny stories.

Posted by: perclexed on April 23, 2004 11:48 AM

Thank you, Ryan. For writing a blog that is fun, educational or just pure pleasure to read.

Posted by: Vaire on April 23, 2004 12:45 PM

happy blogiversary-

thanks to you for pointing us to kookie krafts, sharing patterns and yarn info, introducing some of us to the world of natural dyes, telling snorting good stories, sharing pics of frankie and the garden, and, most of all, for allowing us to share your blogworld-

i am entertained and enlightened by your presence- thanks-

stay happy-

Posted by: barb in texas on April 23, 2004 01:03 PM

Well, this blog facilitated my connecting with my long-lost cuzzin. And her being so smart and funny encouraged me to admit we're related, so's I could reflect some of the glow.

Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on April 23, 2004 01:30 PM

Happy blogaversary. If they don't have a card for that now, they will soon enough. Thanks for sharing with us. I look forward to checking in with you every day!

Posted by: Laurie on April 23, 2004 01:47 PM

Has it only been a year? I feel like I've known you longer. Happy Blogbirthday and thank you ,thank you,thank you for all of the great laughs you have provided. By the way, I also read most of your archives. I think you have become funnier over the months.
Hi TMK,Yanks play archrival Red Sox tonight . If we lose again, stay tuned and watched George Steinbrenner implode:-0

Posted by: Debra on April 23, 2004 02:04 PM

Happy year 1, Ryan - I hope there are many more years :) I don't get to make a new friend very often. And thank-you for being a "dear reader" to me as well!

Posted by: Robbyn on April 23, 2004 02:12 PM

Happy Year one!!! *whew* I slipped into Dear Reader status just in time to enjoy the big day!! Thank you thank thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us on a M/W/F basis, for inspiring me to want to knit again, and for allowing me to experience just how it feels to have a vanilla malt come out of my nose. Well, it's what I get for sucking on all that vanilla-malty goodness then reading your blog. I have learned a lesson.

Oh and thank you for understanding the reindeer leg thingy *shudder*. I love you for that alone! ;O) And a toast for many more wonderful blog days to come!!

Posted by: Angie in Tx. on April 23, 2004 02:33 PM

I need a new picture of the dog. I read you for the knitting knews and the dog. You are reliably witty, charming, and friendly. Snarky blogs are funny too, but yours is more uplifting. And it has a corgi sometimes (hint, hint).
--Sylvia

Posted by: Sylvia on April 23, 2004 02:42 PM

Yayyy! Happy Blogaversary!
You look forward to getting out of bed to write and post, I look forward to coming home and checking out what your day's been like. Everyone above has said it all, so it's just "Thank you, thank you, thank you"! (and to TMK and Frankie too, the cutest dog in blogdom.)

Posted by: Yvette on April 23, 2004 03:12 PM

Wow ! A year ! Happy blog birthday.Looking forward to many more. :0)

Posted by: Emma on April 23, 2004 04:10 PM

Happy Bloggiversary (one "g"? two?) I'm delighted you started this blog...and thankful that it is literate, funny and beautiful. A toast to Ryan's blog, long may it load!

Posted by: Stephanie on April 23, 2004 05:00 PM

WELL, Happy Birthday dear BLOG...
I look forward to the news from Mossy Cottage
and am PROUD to be a dedicated Reader!
email me your snail mail address and I shall
send the appropriate package...
It's CHOCOLATE for the first blog birthday,
right?

Posted by: greta on April 23, 2004 09:06 PM

Happy blog anniversary!! Just thought I'd take the opportunity to de-lurk as a LDR (lurking Dear Reader) and say CONGRATS! Yours is one of 3 blogs I read when I need a pick-me-up and a good laugh!!! And I've even hooked a non-fiber-addict friend on reading your blog. Who knows where THAT will lead? :)

Again, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

Posted by: Anne on April 24, 2004 04:30 AM

Happy Blogday, dear heart.

Hugs and kisses to you and the Mysterious K.

Have I been forgiven yet for that MobyhypenDick thing?

love love love

Posted by: Anne on April 24, 2004 10:03 AM

Happy one-year anniversary -- may there be many more! Thanks for entertaining us, and welcoming us all into your life; it's blogs like yours that make this community so warm and fun.

Posted by: Aven on April 24, 2004 12:15 PM

A year already?? Wow! I went on vacation, came back, go to catch up on my Knit Blog Reading and see my name on the list! I'm glad you consider me one of the reasons to keep blogging but even gladder that you do as I enjoy reading your posts.

Bought hollyhock seeds today and thought of your dye experiments...who knows, perhaps I'll be tempted to try it too!

Thanks (and keep blogging).
Best,
Mira

Posted by: Mira on April 25, 2004 05:24 PM

Happy blogversary! I've really come to look forward to MWF and reading everyone's delightful and diverting comments.

I had a strawberry danish at the Besalu in your honor on Saturday. You've got to try it, really.

*Mwah!*

Melinda

Posted by: Melinda on April 25, 2004 11:07 PM

Oh, Happy Blogiversary, Ryan! A year is quite an accomplishment. And I was so pleased to have made it on your list. I so enjoy reading about the adventures you and TMK get up to. Mwah!!!

Posted by: Nathania on April 26, 2004 12:27 AM

happy happy blogiversary! thanks for all the pleasure your blog gives all the faithful readers :-) and i hope you feel better soon!

Posted by: vanessa on April 26, 2004 04:05 AM

Here I am - a (few) days late, but hopefully not a dollar short. Happy Blogversary!!! And many more.....

Posted by: Bron on April 26, 2004 05:46 AM

No kidding, a year already. Happy blogday!

Posted by: CarolineF on April 26, 2004 06:18 AM

Happy, happy blogiversary, Ryan! Thanks for giving me the giggles as I sit in my cubicle, thanks for the knitting inspiration as you try new things I haven't tried before, thanks for the kooky crafts that make me laugh out loud, and thanks for the smart, articulate, warm way you relate to all of us Dear Readers! Keep it up!

Posted by: Cindy on April 27, 2004 09:22 AM

OM! Thanks! I didn't even realize that you knew I visited. I fell in love with your blog and you inspired me to have one of my own. I commented once a long time ago but wow, didn't think you would remember! Thank you! And congrats on your blog anniversary! I will be visiting here often!

Posted by: Calissa on April 29, 2004 08:41 PM
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