dear blog,
September 22, 2012
i have some sad news.
it’s been more than a month since i’ve knit a stitch.
all hope of a rhinebeck sweater went out the winder after my first week.
even my as yet unmentioned handspun shawl sits untouched.
my wheel is gathering dust,
my loom lays loosely warped on the table.
unforeseen additions to an already inhuman workload means i have absolutely no time to ‘write for myself’ let alone create any actual content for the blog. in my desperation, i even thought about how i could turn the gift of a bath bomb from lush into a post. but once i’d finally deluded myself into thinking i could spin it in such a way that you all would actually care, i found i didn’t even have the time to write the post.
and so i’ve finally come to admit something i’ve been trying to avoid:
the blog must go on an indefinite hiatus.
it’s not that you’ll never hear from my again on here. i hope i’ll be able to pop in every now and then, and i am going to rhinebeck, which i plan to document thoroughly. it just means i can no longer be a ‘blogger’ and must content myself with being ‘a person with a blog’.
i realize this means i’m going to lose most of my precious readership that i’ve spent three years building up, but i see no other option. if you want to make sure you’re aware of those rare times when i may be able to post this semester, make sure to sign up for email notifications for my posts.
i hope to return in earnest next semester;
i’m working hard now so there will be a lot less work then.
fingers crossed, eh?
so this isn’t goodbye,
it’s see you later, bitches!
love,
steven a.
Bitches Get Stitches 
September 22, 2012 at 4:14 pm
This makes me so sad. I’ll miss reading your posts, and look forward to occasional updates. (You lazy Bitch!) 😉
September 22, 2012 at 4:51 pm
maybe i’ll run into you at rhinebeck! ❤
September 22, 2012 at 5:01 pm
So sorry to hear this, i hope you get more time, i can’t imagine no gime for knitting.
September 22, 2012 at 5:17 pm
I’ll miss you…I mean, as much as it’s possible to miss a guy I’ve never really met…ya know? Take care of yourself!
September 22, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Who said your loyal readers are going anywhere?? We can wait. . . .and remember to post a Mo picture with your Rhinebeck coverage!
September 22, 2012 at 6:41 pm
Damn work and life and priorities, always getting in the way! I totally understand. Just pop in when you need us, we’ll be here! 🙂
September 22, 2012 at 7:42 pm
There is no way in heck that you will lose your readership , we will wait patiently for news from Rhinebeck and the end of the semester.I agree with Nicole. Take care and be healthy.
September 22, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Dear Steven,
I saw a cloud on the horizon a while ago, but I hoped it would blow away.
A half baked idea. Can you put out a call to all your knit fans/readers/knitterati and see if they can do guest cameos? Didn’t Johnny Carson let Jay Leno fill in for him?
I just put in an email to see if there is room at Knot Hysteria in November. Are you going?
Your fan,
nparis
September 22, 2012 at 7:48 pm
well – i’m not going anywhere – i’m just going wait for your posts – rare as they maybe – they’re worth the wait…look after yourself
molly
September 22, 2012 at 10:54 pm
I’ll keep looking for you! 🙂
September 22, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Your wit and banter will be missed, but, you must do what must be done. Good luck to you as you work hard this semester. Hopefully the time will go by quickly.
September 22, 2012 at 11:22 pm
I will await eagerly for your return, but I am glad you are at least leaving for a worthy reason!
September 22, 2012 at 11:44 pm
i will be loyal and true and still be here when you can blog. Life is life and it gets in its own way when you least expect it. XOXOXO
September 23, 2012 at 1:26 am
I’ll miss your posts, but I’m not going anywhere. When you start posting again, I’ll be happy to read and see how you’re doing. Until then, I hope life treats you wonderfully and you do get some knitting time. Have fun at Rhinebeck!
September 23, 2012 at 7:36 am
aw, i totally understand. i hope your work goes smoothly. maybe our quilt will be done by the time you return!
September 23, 2012 at 10:48 am
This must be tough for you! Loyalty is an amazing thing… it last a long time. Good luck in this tough semester!
September 23, 2012 at 11:40 am
Good thing you’re in my feed reader or I might forget you, jk! Love your writing and look forward to reading whenever you can post.
September 23, 2012 at 7:51 pm
I really look forward to reading your blog and will miss you but life sometimes gets in the way. Best of luck with all you do. Hope you have a blast at Rhinebeck. We’ll be going Sunday and I am already too excited!
September 23, 2012 at 9:34 pm
I will find you at Rhinebeck this year. Even if there is screaming, running and flying-leap-tackling involved. (There was talk of this last year, as I believe I saw you, and definitely saw the Yarn Harlot from a distance and the pros and cons of said running and tackling were weighed before deciding it was unnecessarily creepy.)
In other news…good luck with this semester. We’ll miss you. I’m looking at PhD programs in CompLit myself, and with any luck I’ll be joining you in the Black Hole of Academia next fall.
September 24, 2012 at 1:22 am
Re: Your Twitter feeds at St. Stephen’s Green:
” @cauchy09 WAAAAAAAAA I WANNA MAKE A QUILT TO KEEP MY TOES WARM! 6 hours ago
someone wants me to take a break http://t.co/xQAZhVOM”
That someone wanting you to take a break is very wise. He knows how important it is to stop and sniff the flowers. Listen to him. He has a PhD in Life.
And the knitted version of a quilt is an afghan. They can most definitely keep your toes, and Mo’s toes, warm. There are many, many multitudes of patterns on the Net. Look for one that uses a soft, drapey yarn that can be machine-washed, just in case you or Mo has an accident. No, you probably won’t get one done while facing an inhuman, inhumane, and possibly illegal amount of work this quarter. Broomstick-sized needles and multiple strands of yarn might help you get one done at the Parental’s over X-mas.
September 24, 2012 at 4:28 am
I’m sorry you had to take this decision, hope that lush bathbomb helped to wash away any bad feeling you have about it.. 😉
Good luck with your work & take care of yourself
September 24, 2012 at 6:42 am
I really hate it when work gets in the way of my preferred lifestyle. However, since it supports said lifestyle and I’ve become accustomed to living indoors and eating, well, ‘nuf said.
As stated by others, I’ll still be here when you return. In the meantime, please do take little breaks now and then to take care of yourself – even if it’s knitting just a few rows to take the edge off.
p.s. Steven Ambrose Jr is finally in with the Big Boys now and holding his own quite nicely. (I’m really, really horrible at the weaning thing – should have done it a few months ago.)
September 24, 2012 at 9:11 am
I will miss your witty posts. Have a great semester and come back when you can. All the best in your real life!
September 24, 2012 at 11:41 am
See ya later! Have a great semester!
September 24, 2012 at 1:57 pm
You have explained your situation so well. We can all relate to the need to do what is best for the long term along with the disappointment of having to let something fall by the wayside. It almost feels like having dropped your favorite mitten on your way to school. Worrying and wondering all day in class, where did it go, did I lose it for good?
Lucky for you we are more intelligent than mittens. We will so be here, excited to hear how it all goes! Best of luck!
September 24, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I was a doctoral student and can relate to the terrible time pressures you are under. Please take care of yourself, make time to knit or write(for yourself!) or do whatever feels like it will nurture your spirit to help you get through. I’ll look forward to whatever you manage to post whenever you feel like it! Meantime, I’ll be sending you good thoughts and energy. Consider yourself hugged, bitch!
September 24, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Aww….. Sorry you can’t blog as much as you want and as much as we like you to, but life gets in the way of things we want to do. Just remember to do the things you like to do when you get the time! You will get you mojo back ~ you’ll see.
Take care and I will definitely be checking in once and a while to see if you’re back! Take care!
September 24, 2012 at 4:00 pm
A am a person with a blog and proud of it, it’s really not such a bad way of life. Blogging takes time and it’s simply not the biggest priority in my life. Whenever you post I will enjoy it.
September 24, 2012 at 4:16 pm
I’m glad you have decided to go on a break rather than drive yourself nutty trying to keep up something for which you have no time. You’re on my Google Reader, so I’ll catch you whenever you have time to post! (Hopefully that’s true for most readers. I love a RSS feed!)
September 24, 2012 at 4:47 pm
I agree with Carrie.. Seems silly to say I will miss someone I have never met, but I will miss you.
As sad as it is for us readers, you need to do what is best for you.
Will keep looking for posts.
good luck & take care
September 24, 2012 at 8:49 pm
They might be few and far between, but your posts are always gems, so I will be patient and grateful when each arrives. Take good care.
September 24, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Yeah, I know my comment wasn’t punctuated properly, but I’m tired and beyond caring . . .
September 24, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Sad! 😦 See you later.
September 25, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Sure, it takes me a while to get around to reading, but I get there eventually. Sorry life has piled on but you do what you need to do. I’m still subscribed & look forward to you coming back whenever you can.
September 25, 2012 at 4:11 pm
YOU RAT BASTARD.. COME BACK! and I L-O-V-E love bath bombs from Lush!! Take care – continue to blog when you can… we will always have our weekend in WA to remember….LOL..
September 25, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Don’t you hate when daily life gets in the way? You’ll make sure to have a Rhinbeck recap? Hope so. You know, for those of us who wil never make it in this lifetime.
Hurry and get caught up. We’ll be here waiting.
September 27, 2012 at 1:16 pm
STEVEN! I think you are wonderful and I will always read whatever you write. Grad school is ROUGH, I know. Sending you all the hugs, hoping your crazy schedule allows for some rest once in a while too, and thanks for everything you’ve written (and everything you will write in the fuuuuuuture!) I’ll be here to read it 🙂
PS. I am going to start spinning that crazy gorgeous gradient dyed fiber you sent me really soon. And I am going to send you way more photos of it than you want 🙂
September 27, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Dear Steven,
Even if it’s only weekly, I hope you’re able to carve out a little knitting time for yourself. I’m hoping to finish my Rhinebeck sweater I started for LAST year to wear THIS year. I doubt I’ll make it even though we still have several weeks. Because life is crazy that way sometimes. If you have time I’d love to see you at Rhinebeck. I’ll be at the Adirondack Yarns booth.
In the meantime, take good care and this bitch will be patiently waiting for you to pop in here when you have time.
Love,
Kerry
September 27, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Go write some shit so you’ll be back next semester! xx
September 28, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Come back soon!
September 29, 2012 at 4:16 pm
I entirely understand. I can’t imagine what working on a PhD and teaching at the same time is like. I look forward to your future posts, whenever they may be.
September 30, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Good for you!!! I will miss your consistent posts but look forward to your occasional posts. You have to take care of what life presents. Just don’t forget to take care of yourself in the process. Wishing you all the success in the world!
October 5, 2012 at 10:45 pm
I will miss your posts but can totally understand. When you do post I will be here to read it! Good luck with everything.