ADD and the Crafty Internet

I have been perusing the blogosphere this winter as the cake business is in it's slow season and I am surprised by the many unfinished blog pages that are out there.  Their authors have stopped submitting posts for months, perhaps years, and they are left to dangle in the internet world, incomplete.  Where have these people gone? What has happened that the recipe they promised is not posted, or the details of their trip have gone missing?  Did they forget their password?  Are they hurt?  Are they DEAD?

I am also surprised by how many bloggers, upon returning, mention a mental illness, or a syndrome as an excuse for the long/short-term absence. "I'm so sorry I haven't written, as I have been in an emotional low right now," or "OMG, I can't believe it's been three months since I wrote, my ADD has certainly kicked in! LOL!"  Okay, I am slightly exaggerating, and realize that I may, in fact, fall under one of these categories if I am not careful.

I come from a long line of "starters."  We start something, fly high with it, and then, when we get bored, walk away from it, and leave it unfinished.  From ridiculous collections, to absurd hobbies, many in my family have tried several jobs, activities and projects only to be overcome with lethargy, and answer, "Oh, I'm not doing that anymore" to friendly inquiries.  Ebay has taken over several of these lives, and their purses.  Etsy is another, with all of its handmade wonderfulness.  But Pinterest has got to be one of the best feeders of us attention deficit and obsessive compulsive consumers.  We find ourselves clicking away, pinning and repinning our next project, our "get rich" scheme, and all the possible ways to DIY.  Delicious!  The living room fills with the tools we need: modge podge, hot pink yarn, various colours of felt, googly eyes, owl shaped buttons, and sisal rope.  My heart rate increases as I turn a rusty bowl into a piece of art, or knit a sweater that looks like a puppy.  How many ways can you turn a piece of paper into a flower?  Bags and bags of hot glue and cloth remnants cover the coffee tables.  By January, the vein in Mr. Man's forehead strains itself each time he walks into my "crafting corner."

I sincerely tried to complete most of my ideas.  Some I've completed but they fell apart.  Some I've thought I finished but realized I did not know how to knit.  "Oh, well, I guess I'll donate that..."  And yet some made great gifts for friends and family.  I will soon be known as that aunt who made the weird container gifts for Christmas.

But I promise I will continue to bless you, readers, with my nonsense.  I will work hard to not leave these pages unfinished and alone.  And if for some unforeseen reason I must take a permanent leave of absence I will leave Mr. Man with explicit instructions to announce the end of this blog.  I will not leave you hanging.

Consequently, I have since turned to craftgawker, foodie blogs and twitter.  Just as my father continues to collect tractor parts and bows down to the Massey-Harris god, and Mrs. Google continues to seek random information, perhaps I will become a foodie or a jewelry maker, and quit this silly cake business.  Hmmm.

And, if I am completely organized, you can hear all about it on my twitter account.  But don't tell Mr. Man.  His heart can't take it.

*****

The picture above contains one of my successful projects, a sisal rope basket (yes, the oranges are real.)