I hate taking pictures, and this is a phrase I'm going to repeat at least a couple of times today. I may have also mentioned this before, but the intensity of the feeling is such that with every single utterance of the above phrase, it feels brand new to me.
I am also feeling rebellious (which, admittedly, happens often), so I'm going to celebrate this fact by producing an entirely pictureless post today. Just try and stop me.
The war between camera and me goes far back. I can count on my fingers the number of pictures that I actually look good on. Fine, a career in modelling is not something I'm striving for so who cares. But for this blog thing, I do need images, and lots of them, and my vocabulary fails me when I try to describe what a huge pain in the ass that is.
Reason number one: equipment.
You probably won't believe it easily in this tech-abundant age, but I hardly have anything that I could snap a picture with. My camera is ancient and while I can force it to spit out an occasional good image, I am usually thwarted in my efforts by ever-depleted batteries. I don't know how it happens, but this piece of junk seems to consume as much electricity as a fair sized village. The blasted batteries drain even when I'm not using it at all. Would you like to know the usual photo shoot script around here? I hasten to oblige. Here's me, with a brand new FO, wanting to take some pictures. I reach for my trusty *hear me snigger* camera, and
Option A - the batteries are already gone, which means postponing the photo shoot by some 12 hours which in the real world means 'indefinitely'
Option B - I turn the thing on, I line the shot, snap three pics and watch my screen go dark. See option A for further steps.
I am also one of the last few people on Earth who do not own a smartphone with a camera. I am close to the breaking point and I will probably get one in some not-too-distant future*, but I'm not there yet.
Reason number two: I am a filthy person
Rejoice those of you whose houses are less than perfectly clean. If you wonder whether your place is the filthiest spot in the world, stop. Whatever mess you have on your hands, my mess is certainly bigger.
99% of the time I am also blissfully not bothered by any of it. Some people in my life are (you should just hear the lectures my Tidy Sister gives me from time to time) but luckily, I don't share a house with any of them. My precious Other Half is wonderfully compatible with me in the mess department, so we're living happily ever after in our merry pigsty. Just don't ask me how long ago my sheets were changed**.
So far so good, but when it comes to taking pictures... Let's say I'm not too eager to broadcast my mess to the world and when I need some images, I have to either go outside or clean at least the part of the room that is going to be in the shot. If you know anything about Irish weather, you will know that it hardly ever agrees to outdoor photo shoots and while sometimes I'm vigorous enough to tidy up, too often the combination of cleaning and fighting my camera proves too much for me and I simply give up.
That, my dears, pretty much explains why my blog posts are so scarce. Things may change from now on.
You see, I used to think that a blog post is supposed to consist of many pictures and little text. That's what all the 'experts' out there are advising, and knowing the media-rich environment we are living in, they are probably right. Did I mention that I'm feeling rebellious today? Screw the experts! Writing comes to me much, much, MUCH easier than taking pictures. Why on Earth should I torment myself when blogging can actually be pleasant? If, as a consequence, Stitchsmart will not end up as The Greatest Blog There Ever Was, I can take it.
I am strengthened in this resolution by a recent development that brings a lot of mirth to my grey existence nowadays. You see, I've discovered Yarn Harlot. I'm pretty sure I've stumbled upon her blog before, but for some inexplicable reasons I didn't linger. The mistake rectified, I've been reading her archives for the last couple of days (yes! All 10+ years of it!) and laughing myself silly in the process. I love this woman! If, by some unimaginable train of events, you haven't discovered Stephanie's chronicles yet, go there now! You'll thank me later.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised how much pleasure reading her posts gave me. 'Reading' is the key word here. Not that there are no pics in the Yarn Harlot world. There are many, and nice ones too, but the blog is word rich and I loved it. Loved it! I can't say I forgot how I liked reading because that's impossible, but I did forget that blogs can be read as well as looked at. The revelation of it! Oh, the joy!
So, here's some announcements. I'm going to steer Stitchsmart in a slightly different direction from now on (and I only hope that my resolution holds and lack of pictures will not reveal itself as an excuse NOT to blog...). I'm still going to fight the fights and try to get as many images as I can squeeze out of my dying camera, but I am also going to write more. I may not torment you with long and pic-free posts (as today's) too often, but they will happen from time to time. The whole re-vamping may result in more posts - I hope it counts as good news. I will certainly result in this much happiness for me and for that alone it's worth it.
Oh, if you're wondering about knitting... Things are happening. The Ardrum Scarf is finished (although unblocked) and I'm hoping like hell that the transformative powers of blocking on lace have not been exaggerated. I may not have got back to my usual crafting frenzy, but (touch wood) the knitting block seems to be over and I'm back in business, halfway through the gloriously red aran sweater. I've designed it up to the armpits, I'll figure out what to do next once I get there. Not too long now...
I might even snap some pictures and post them here soon.
* As if I could afford it, hahahaha!
** Seriously. Don't.
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