Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Very interesting ideas out in cyberspace today. At Enchanting Juno (enchantingjuno.typepad.com/knit)there was an invigorating post about women/men and the language we use when we talk about/to each other. I graduated from college with an english major (and we all know how useful that was in the workplace!), and I am still fascinated with language. I am a social worker, case manager, and I see everyday the importance of the words we use when we talk to someone or about someone. The push right now in the mental health field is toward the semantics of "recovery" and to stop using phrases such as "mentally ill". If I tell someone often enough that they are mentally ill, they will believe it and be ill. But, if I tell them they are on the way to recovery they can begin to see possibilities for themselves. I have seen words make a difference in people's lives. So, if young women call each other ho casually, is it that far a step before they see themselves that way?


Over at A Few Stitches Short (afewstitchesshort.blogspot.com) Susan had an interesting post about editing blogs and the honesty of it all. Do people really want to read blogs and see warts and all or do they want to be entertained? And can't warts be entertaining? I know I edit my speech to spare people's feelings and I try to be aware of my audience but life is sometimes nasty and dirty and that's just reality. Do we want our blogs to reflect what life is or what we would like it to be? If we focus on the positive in life, will we eventually have a positive impact on the world? I like to think so (thus the title, what you think on grows!).



Enough profundity for the day. And now for a yarn shot. This is a picture of the grey yarn someone gave to me this week and two colorways from my sock yarn of the month club (castleman fibers on etsy). The orange one is so pretty and vibrant. I am not sure which sock pattern will speak to it but I will wait for inspiration. I also have to finish the waving laces socks. Yes, I am still working on them. I am on the toe of the first one and then I have to start number 2. Hopefully it will go quicker than sock one!
I know I take awful photos. I will have to practice more. I also can't figure out how to make the blogs I mentioned links so you can just click on them. My daughter tried to show me but it didn't work. I need to work on my technical skills!

6 comments:

Bells said...

hey Donna - my English major proved useless too - but I loved it.

When you're writing the blog post, up the top of the box there'll be a little green symbol that kind of looks like a paper chain. Write, for instance, Name of Blog, then highlight it, click the little green symbol that looks like a paperclippy thing, put in the url of the blog in the box that comes up, say ok, and next thing you know, you've got a hyperlink!

Anonymous said...

As a Sociology instructor, I am forever begging my students to look at language. It does shape our realities.

Anonymous said...

i am really glad you posted this. the question of how much reality to post on knitsane is one i think about a lot.

i want a positive place where people can come to see beautiful things and read stuff that inspires them or is encouraging.

so i leave all most all of the hard things in my life off the blog. but then i worry that it looks like i am a pollyanna type person or that i have an enchanted life. neither are true.

it's good to know other's who blog also think about this and struggle with what and how much to post.

Taphophile said...

Ah the power of language. When we complained about the term "right-sizing" for the sakcing of 30% of our staff we were told it's only words.

Management toned it down about when I insisted on calling their consultant "the toe-cutter".

And as a bullied child, I'd have preferred to sticks and stones to the names that did hurt me.

Sheepish Annie said...

I often think about blogging and the whole idea of writing for an audience vs. writing for myself. Early on, my site was much different, less censored. Now I tend to lean more towards caution and entertainment value. I guess I'm more comfortable with the Blog Lite version of the genre. :)

That said, I wanted to thank you for your comment on my last post which was a bit more serious in places. It means a great deal to me to have people support this cause. I was proud to "represent" and hope to do it again!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you like your sockyarn...

rita n/
castle fibers

Happy Sunday!  I am sitting here working on my sweater made with the cashmere yarn my husband gave me for my birthday last year. I’m further...