Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Internet Curfew (and hopefully more knitting)

Phildar Knitting

I used to quite like dinner time. A lovely home cooked meal, the happy faces of my family beaming back at me, the conversation flowing as we each chatted about our days.

But now I dread them. For I know that the Tyger will, at some stage, fix me with a piercing stare and ask "So Mum... did you get any knitting on my cardigan done today?" My only answer will be a head hung low in shame.

But tonight, tonight I am chaining myself to the couch and knitting like fury! The cardigan will...get...done! Before summer is over. I swear on the goddess that is Debbie Bliss!

Seriously, though, how did our grandmothers do it? In between all the washing and cooking and cleaning, and all without fancy new labour saving appliances. I asked my Dad recently about this, and he said his mother (a woman with a mere, oh, 7 children) just always had something in her hands that she was working on. Plus, I guess, they didn't have that marvellous time stealer called the internet. I know I personally waste too much time hopping from one site to another, not really being interested, just mindlessly clicking away. Better check The Age again, just in case there's a new headline. Oh look, there is - somebody went to court for embezzling something. Whoop-de-doo! Does it affect me? No. Can I do anything about it? No. Then why the heck am I wasting precious minutes reading about it?!?

Don't get me wrong - the internet is a wonderful place. I've met people through it who I now regard as dear, dear friends, gotten work from it, and am daily inspired by all the crafty goodness that is contained within my beloved blogroll. But I need to be more disciplined about the time I spend on it. My worst habit is slouching in a chair after dinner once the Tyger is tucked up in bed, and wasting a good hour at least just meandering through various sites. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but they are not even good crafty sites - it's usually bad magazines and gossip. This must come to an end. I want to be living my life, not just reading about what others are doing in theirs.

So less internet browsing for me, and more knitting. The evening curfew is a gogo! I want to look back at the projects on this blog and think "Boy! I really got some stuff done!" Moreover, I want to be proud of myself. It's hard to be proud of yourself when your evenings are often spend reading what Madonna is supposedly up to. And I don't even LIKE Madonna!

Just think of what I could be doing with all that extra time - I could be knitting up a storm. Or tracing out patterns. Or learning a new language. Or reading Simon Schama's entire back catalogue. But instead I'm reading about how weird Madge's face is looking of late. Nothing to be proud of there, but plenty to be ashamed of. It's not exactly setting a very good example for the Tyger, either.

What do you guys think? Do you waste a lot of time online, or are you more disciplined than I?

12 comments:

  1. Yes I am also a big internet user.. I waste alot of my spare time on there.... but its also the first place I go to to find inspiration and information... double edged sword really.
    I am trying to cut down on it at the moment, so far so good, I have done alot more crafting lately.

    Good luck on finishing the knit :)

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  2. Double edged sword - that's a brilliant way of putting it, Hootnz!

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  3. Waste time!!! And here I sit now...
    But you are right about wondering how people use to be able to whip up enough cardigans and jumpers for families in the past. Both my Mum and Grandmother were constant knitters. Bed socks, beanies, tea cosies (oh, dear), and winter garments, but I think the biggest difference is that they did a plainer style of knitting - the only excitement to the design was perhaps a stripe or two!!! They knitted for new born babies right up to the elderly needing a bed jacket. They never left home without the knitting bag under the arm.
    As for cutting down on the Internet...watch out for the withdrawal symptoms...secretly sneaking a peek to see what everyone is up to...good luck!!!

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  4. I do waste a lot of time on the internet. I used to worry about this, then my computer broke for a week. With all that extra time I didn't get more stuff done, wasn't more nurturing with my children...instead...I took up Sudoku. So maybe I just need the blank-out time.

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  5. AND there is a lot of guilt to be had on the interwebs... Not only am I wasting crafty time here but look at all the lovely things everyone else finds time to make! Cue additional distraction, feelings of inadequacy and more half-finished stuff...that cardigan picture is lovely btw - maybe I should make one for Issy :-)

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  6. oh yes, I usually turn the computer off after the kids go to bed... not before a little lookie at a few things. Surely there's only so much inspiration I need, but not sure when to stop looking!!

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  7. Oh I do have my days when still in pj's at 10.30am - yes you guessed it - surfing, internet that is, even have had to increase the gigs!!!! I'm so ashamed but then I wouldn't meet all these wonderful people and share in their moments. I still get all the chores done - 'cos I'm a bit speedy when it comes down to that. I also have something to do while watching the idiot box - hand-sewing or knitting. BNW - love those patterns!!!

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  8. Children have fortunately taken a lot of internet time away from me. Although recently I got into Pinterest - BIG MISTAKE!! ;)

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  9. I too love my blog roll. But I must agree how weird it is that my eyes glaze over and my fingers click randomly for hours, until I wake up and wonder where my brain was and where the time went!!

    I liked the post about Sabrina.

    I'm new in the blog world. Come by and say hi!

    http://lifesjewelsonstring.blogspot.com/

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  10. It's really hard to not be sucked in by the internet and all it's wonder but I try and limit my usage. I keep my reader to 20 subscriptions and regularly change them and I haven't got into Flickr and pininterest or Facebook really. It's like when you're watching a dodgy film into the wee hours and find yourself wondering why? Time just evaporates..

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  11. Anonymous8:54 pm

    Last week I read How to Save an Hour Every Day Guaranteed, and the first thing it tells you to do is a diary for a week- every quarter of an hour, what were you doing. Yup, the internet is pretty high up on the things I spend too much unnecessary time on!

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  12. It is a little addictive, but then how else would I have found your blog?? Love that pattern, I've ordered my mag's from Phildar and am so glad to found them via you - so many thanks for the inspiration.

    BTW, I am visiting Melbourne over Christmas and would love it if you could list some of your favourite wool and fabric stores close to the city. Perfect chance to add to the stash and plan a few more projects:)

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