20 November 2007

This, That, and Not Much Else

First things first:

Melanie has tagged me for a meme: I am to open the book I am reading, turn to page 161, and read the fifth sentence. After I share it with you, I am to tag five other bloggers.

I'm currently reading Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. Here you go:

"The rest of the formula was kept secret, but as best doctors and chemists could tell, the solution included substances that imparted a pleasant state of euphoria and sedation trimmed with amnesia - an effect the Chicago post office found problematic, for each year it wound up holding hundreds of letters from Dwight that lacked important elements of their destination addresses."

I'm tagging Kim, Mary, Lorette, Brigitte, and Carol in Florida. Whether or not they care to participate is up to them!

Next:

Claudia included me on her list for the You Make Me Smile Award.

I am very pleased, as over the past few months, I feel like she has become one of my very closest friends. We of course first "met" related to knitting - and she is quite a knitter! - but realized that we had the same weird sense of humor, we have both suffered through Notre Dame football this season, and we have similar tastes and sensibilities in so many things. Plus, Mr Puffy is so adorable, I would love to meet him in person as well!

Now I'm supposed to name anyone else that makes me smile. I chose the first five people who came to mind when I thought about the name of the award, and that's as good a "system" as any, so here are my choices:

1. Carol, of Go Knit in Your Hat - because she is completely nuts, and so much fun, both cyber-wise and otherwise! I mean, who else finds sites like Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians???

2. Carrie, of My Middle Name Is Patience - because she cracks me up with her writing style, the funny pictures of her cat Hezekiah (who she claims is "a pill" - even that makes me laugh!), and because I feel like if we ever met in person, we would get on like two people who have been friends forever.

3. Lorette, The Knitting Doctor - because, like me, she writes about knitting, but also everything else, all served up with at *least* a glass of wine! I just think she is the best.

4. Kim, of hand eye crafts - because of her celebrity crushes, and ongoing "feud" with her friend Rox on her blog. Earlier this year, she had a contest to determine The Knitter's Hunk, and it was a blast! (I think I have talked her and her two kids into visiting us in Philadelphia in 2008!)

5. Melanie, of Tea Leaves - because during The Knitter's Hunk contest, she was willing to let me give her a hard time about nominating Jeremy Irons, and because she will be writing along, and all of a sudden, there's a zinger! She was also one of my first knit-blogger friends, and we hit it off immediately after being paired for a swap.

Odd But True ...

Over the last year (plus a few months), it has occurred to me that I feel as close, and sometimes closer, to my various knit-blogger friends than I do to most of the people I see every day. I've been thinking about it lately, and for me at least, part of it is that if I have a day when I just really don't feel like having to talk to anyone, they are not offended or upset. Whereas, when you see someone every day in person, you have to actually interact with them in some way, even if just to request that they leave you alone (which of course usually guarantees that they won't).

Does anyone else find this to be the case with them? Just wondering.

10 comments:

Ann said...

I love that book! Creepy and yet so interesting ...

Maureen said...

You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes you just want silence, no conversation, no "how are you", or "did you have a good weekend?". With bloggers, you can just peak into the blog, hear (read) what they have to say and move along. Does that make me sound grumpy? Probably, but some days I just don't have genial conversation in me.

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

What on earth is that book about? Never mind about football, I think it's time to think about basketball season! I've got UC Santa Barbara for undergrad and ND for grad. I appreciate having you as a friend. Have a great Thanksgiving :)

teabird said...

Absolutely! I often feel closer to my knit-blogger friends, and my pen-friends, than to anyone around me who is 3-d. Of course, I'm really quite the hermit (and mildly agoraphobic, to boot), so of course I'd be more comfortable with friends who don't feel put off if I'm quiet. You put it very well.
And thank you for the award! You have made me smile since we first met!

Brigitte said...

I completely agree - my blogging friends are as dear to me as my "in person" friends.

:)

Anonymous said...

*blushing* Thank you so much!! You make me smile, too, my dear.

And, absolutely, I am closer to my Internet friends than some of my flesh-and-blood ones. As for the people with whom I hang out every day: they're my students, so. . .

(Consider this a "Complete the Sentence Yourself" exercise.)

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just saw this! Thank you, Bridget! I skimmed, that'll teach me.

How're you liking Devil in the White City? I keep meaning to read it but never have.

And ITA wih you (and Maureen, Melanie, Brigitte, Kim) on blogging friends. Is it blogging that does it or is it the personality of bloggers?

Anonymous said...

Whoops, didn't close the parenthesis. You'd think with my liberal use of them, I'd know how.....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Forgot to add yesterday, in my fluster, that I think Larson is a very entertaining writer. I've not been disappointed by him yet.

Carol said...

OK, see how far behind I got? Imagine how cranky I am in real life. Yes, cranky. I too find the same to be true with in person and blog friends (who I do consider to be real friends also). True shouting leave me alone, I'm trying to contemplate the sky will get you stared at. I'll get the meme done for sure, but don't expect Shakes Beer out of me;)