Tuesday, June 26, 2007

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER SWAP QUESTIONAIRE


Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting? I do both. I've been crocheting since I was 6 or 7 and just learned how to knit last year in October.

Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before? Just the ones for round one Spring Into Summer swap.

What are your favorite cotton yarns? First time I used cotton was for SISS so don't have a favorite

Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? Haven't worked with linen but would love to try it.
Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with? Not yet
What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic) I currently use metal but want to try wood just haven't had courage to try. I'm afraid I'd break them. Total hate plastic except for speed stix.
What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I like making accessories for my son and baby blankets. Just started making baby booties.
Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? I like to cross stitch and quilt.
What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts? CHOCOLATE....
What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any? My kitchen is dark blue and hunter green and my bathroom is peach and sage green with palm tree accents.
What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike? My favorite colors are light pinks and light purples but not orange or hot pink.
Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? Tea and mountain dew...
Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? I have one son (5) one large child...my husband, a border collie, and 3 cats
Do you have any allergies? Dark chocolate.
Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting. I can read upside down. I work 3 jobs. I was in the newspaper for being in the last swap and online communities.

Monday, June 25, 2007

My newspaper debute

Monday June 25, 2007


Making connections online
Posted: Monday, Jun 25, 2007 - 11:37:29 am CDT
By Ashley Rhodebeck
Daily News staff writer





Area residents join Internet groups for different reasons

“You make it sound like an addiction,” 28-year-old Alexis Haenel said when asked if she can go a day without checking the Internet communities she belongs to.

Visiting the Web sites has become second nature for the Beloit resident, who spends up to three hours a day reading her groups' activities and replying to postings after checking her e-mail.

And it seems Haenel is not alone.


Because of the Internet's enormity, it would be impossible to know the precise number of Stateline Area residents involved with online communities, but judging by membership counts from two Beloit-specific groups it appears as though area citizens - both public and private - have joined cyber groups in droves.

At a friend's suggestion, City Councilor Marty Densch viewed the Beloit Yahoo! Group shortly after joining the council five years ago and has been lurking - and sometimes participating - on it ever since.

“It puts (your opinions) out there for everybody to see,” he said, “and other people - people you don't know - will be reading it and will respond to it. That's what makes it truly interesting.”

The group, which began on Nov. 14, 1998 as a Yahoo! Club, had 368 members as of Thursday. Though not all reside in Beloit, Densch said the message board has been “very helpful,” especially when more controversial issues arise because many of the participants don't attend city meetings or submit letters.

“It's one more ear to the ground to find out how people feel about things,” Densch said, adding people give their “unvarnished opinion” because users don't have to post under their legal names.

Densch mainly uses the community to gauge public opinion but said there's an entertaining element about it, such as when diverse viewpoints crop up. Usually the discussions are “quite civil,” he said, but sometimes talks turn nasty.

Rarely will Densch post a new topic thread, he said, noting his participation mainly includes him replying to discussions started by others. But, he added he will try to initiate dialogue “If there's an issue that's come up and (the members) haven't had a discussion about it.”

While Densch mainly uses online communities for business, Haenel visits hers to pursue hobbies. The para-educator began participating in Internet groups after getting a computer about four years ago. At first she simply searched for key crocheting terms on Yahoo! and asked other members questions.

Her involvement soon expanded, though. One day as Haenel tried to update her Yahoo! page she stumbled upon LiveJournal, a free journaling and blogging site that lets members form groups based on interests, and quickly joined.

“It's kind of cool to meet up with people who have the same interests as you,” Haenel said.

Through her online knitting, crocheting and crafting communities Haenel has bridged the generation gap by forging friendships with teens and people in their 60s.

“You're able to visit with them and realize you can still connect with people who are not in your group,” she said.

Sometimes the connections transcend the Internet. Besides meeting a few of her online friends in person, Haenel has participated in a “swapping” group, in which members mail packages to each other.

The most recent swap Haenel received contained a gift for her son, and the items were individually wrapped, something Haenel called pretty special.

“I overly enjoyed what I got,” she said.

Though Haenel has become acquainted with several people out of state, one of her online groups, the Beloit-Stateline Freecycle.org community, connected her with someone much closer to home.

Of the 752 members, one was giving away some clothes, Haenel recalled, saying she took the woman up on it. It turned out the lady lived across the street.

“I had no clue,” Haenel said.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Celebrity me

Guess what guys I am going to be in my paper. And it's all about online communities. I'm just too excited. I'll post the story when it runs.

Monday, June 18, 2007

What finger are you???

You Are the Thumb

You're unique and flexible. And you defy any category.
Mentally strong and agile, you do things your own way. And you do them well.
You are a natural leader... but also truly a loner. You inspire many but connect with few.

You get along well with: The Middle Finger

Stay away from: The Pinky

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Spring into Summer Swap



I received my Spring Into Summer Dishcloth swap. My spoiler was Patty in Florida. Here are pics of the stuff she sent me and my son with the stuff she sent for him. I got 2 crocheted washcloths, 2 disco ducks, a frog key chain, soap, teas, yarn, candles with holder, two pattern booklets, bath salts, relaxation mask.
My son got a Pirates of Caribbean water bottle, a lollipop, and 2 ice cream scented bubbles. But the thing he liked the best was the bubble wrap. lol

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Pictures of my family







This is me and my friend Ronald.......... My son and nephew who are 5 and 4 refused to take a picture with Ronald unless I did too.







Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Virtual Vacation Questionaire

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why?
I would like to visit Florida because I would like to take my son to Disney World.
2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why?
I would like to see Ireland... it is where my family is from.
3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries?
Yes On trips from Wisconsin to Tennessee and Mississippi and also from Wisconsin to Texas.
4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it? No
5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why?
I always like driving to Texas to see my grandparents and oodles of cousins.
6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain. Now that I have a son we do a lot of this because he's never seen things I take or took for granted.
7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker?
I love museums and amusement parks...sometimes I think I'm stuck in the middle...I like having fun but I'm also ok being quiet and thinking.
8. What's your favorite type of yarn?
I've only used acrylic and cotton because I'm on a limited budget.
9. What's your least favorite type of yarn?
Not to keen on the eyelash and furry yarns.
10. What items do you like to knit/crochet?
I knit and crochet. I like to make things people are going to use a lot, so mostly blankets, hats, dishcloths, want to try a sweater for my son soon along with socks.
11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?
I usually pack a couple projects because I'm not usually driving when we go on vacation. And plenty of extra needles and yarn.
12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet?
I also quilt, and cross stitch along with knitting and crocheting.
13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise)
Dark chocolate is all as far as I know. I also do not care for anything grape flavored.
14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite?
I really like pinks and purples but not hot pink or hot purple. I'm not so into browns.
15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)
Sweet.
16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?
I have a 5 year old son.