Thursday, February 13, 2020

3 things I'm thinking on


1- THE COINS Oh, the coins. My knitting brain has been taken over. I adore knitting sweaters in winter yet I'm compelled to keep coining ever  onward.
Putting this scarf aside for a sweater might mean the coins rest unfinished till next winter... and I don’t want that!! I am falling short of my stripe-a-day plan but I figure I can block it to a longer length so I need less stripes in total, or so I have convinced myself.


2 - VALEDICTIONS  You know, your signoff at the end of an email. I'm focusing on the lameness of my options, specifically for  a work related email. Although I'm friendly with many of my clients, XO seems a little too... I dunno. Like I might dot my i with a happy face.
"Sincerely sounds cold, "Best" is vague (though I use it a lot). “Cheers!” is my standard but perhaps overly chipper. I brought this topic  up with two writers I photographed recently for author shots. They admitted they are similarly befuddled, so at least there's that comfort.  One told me she defaults to "Thanks"  ... and the other goes for “warmly”. It reminded me of a photographer I used to exchange notes with who signed off with " Camels and cocktails".  I always pictured him in a 1950's safari field jacket in an expat bar in  North Africa.  When I shared this with one of the writers, she signed her next  email “ Lattes and llamas"  Which isn't so bad. What do you use????
 
3-BREAK SHOT
I just finished listening to this and was surprised by how moved I was. I am not a super fan so I wasn't expecting how it touched me.   I mean, I grew up with his music, and some of his songs take me straight back to significant moments and many feel so personal. To hear him recount his life to age 21, when his album Sweet Baby James released, with the self-actualized hindsight he brings to it....I'm not sure how to sum it up. His story is pretty amazing,  just give it an ear.  Best 1.5 hours of listening I've spent in a long time. 

13 comments:

Juliann said...

I’ve been thinking about that James Taylor audio book. I was quite a fan in high school

Kathryn said...

I use “thanks” - sometimes with an exclamation point, sometimes a comma.

Sarah said...

Now I feel like I should come up with a snappy sign-off -- perhaps "yours in wool" for knitting friends?

Kym said...

There was an article in the NYTimes fairly recently about email sign-offs (I can find it pretty easily if you want to read it; I'm sure I saved it). My sign-off depends on the "who." For friends and blogs, I always use XO -- but for more "professional" stuff I use "as always" (which I think came out of the NYTimes article????). If I'm asking a favor, I usually sign off with "many thanks." (Now you know!) I understand the addiction of the coins! As I was stuck with my (boring) gray cardigan, the coins were calling to me . . . loudly, loudly. And I am looking forward to listening to James. XO

AsKatKnits said...

I LOVED every bit of that James Taylor audio book! And, yes, there were such moving moments (and I am a JT Super Fan!)

I think those sign offs are a conundrum... but this struck me: Sheep and Shots! (and it kind of covers what you do! XO)

Carole said...

I tend to close emails to family/friends with XOXO and to others with either thanks, if they are doing something for me or, all the best if it's generic. I"m knitting a coins cowl and I love it and I'm pretty sure I will cast on another just as soon as I finish this one. The James Taylor audio is new to me, thanks for that.

Kay said...

Coinzzzzzzz have still got me. Gonna listen to James on my flight this weekend.

Ta ta for now is underrated as a sign off!

TTFN

Vicki Knitorious said...

Coins would make a fabulous sweater!!! Just sayin'...

I close my work emails with "Thanks!"

Thanks for the James Taylor rec... it's now in my Audible queue!!

XO

Brenda said...

I have trouble signing off emails as well and usually default to “thanks”. I had a colleague that was a fan of the Grateful Dead (as are me and my husband) who used “gratefully”. I told my husband about it and he started using it. I no longer work at my old job and could start using it, but my husband has used it on every email for about 15 years, so I guess it’s his now. I read that NYT article as well and have been looking at what people use to sign off emails since reading it. I just haven’t found one that sticks.

Ellen Bloom said...

We're quite friendly out here in California. I usually sign off with "Hugs!" I like it. It's so Hollywood (which I am not, but strive to be).

Hugs!
Ellen B.

cal patch said...

love those coins. they do look positively addictive!

i use "xo" but always question whether it gives the right impression to people i don't know... i used to use "best" which i liked but then heard someone describe it as cold or impersonal and it changed my perception of it.

cheers to 3 things posts!

Sam said...

I use "thanks" for 98% of emails. Generic and safe. LOVE the coin knitting. After JT try Vance Gilbert for grown-up folk with a jazz spin.

Michele/pdxknitterati said...

Carry on with those coins; they are fabulous!

I’ve been signing off emails with “Cheers,” ever since the 1990s and saw someone using it on the KnitList. Vickie? Vickie Starbuck? Lost in the fog of time.