Blue rhombus shawl + Bloganuary: how I communicate online

Happy New Year! We are two weeks into 2025 already, and looking ahead to the Year of the Wood Snake in eastern astrology. The snake is thought to bring wisdom, adaptability, and a sense of transformation. Our long-suffering, beautiful world is in dire need of wisdom and renaissance, so welcome, snake.

I haven’t checked in since before Christmas, as things got a bit hectic toward the end of the semester. The grading period is now behind me, so I’ve had time to dig into my class prep for spring, as well as finish another rendition of the Rhombus Cross shawl.

I love this original pattern by Wardah Crochet. I made a deep orange and ecru version in the fall, using the same Alize Diva yarn and two hook sizes (3.75mm for the body, and 4.25 for the rhomboids).

The shawl isn’t difficult stitch-wise, but it has a lot of parts that are sewn together, and that takes time. I’ve had to put down this work often over the last month, so my momentum lagged a little. I plan to make yet another version in persimmon and pale pink. These beauties might be for sale in my Etsy shop in the near future.

The above photo shows two shawls side-by-side, with my bear throw pillow that I found in Korea. The bear resembles the one on the California flag.

This winter, I’d also hoped to do a third year of Bloganuary, the WordPress blogging challenge that offers up a new prompt each day. So far, I’m failing at keeping up. I did pretty well the first year I tried it, and blogged almost every other day. Even though I’m already half-way through January, I’ll do as many as possible on the days I have time. Writing is so enjoyable for me, but I often prioritize it way behind activities I do for others (that includes work).

Today’s prompt asks how I communicate online. My short answer is that I communicate more online than ever, and in so many ways. I’ll grant that communication is quicker now, but it’s not as simple as it used to be. When I compare present-day communication with my habits 20 years ago (before the advent of smartphones), it’s astonishing how much has changed. I used to think email was so cutting edge; when I was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, letters and landlines were pretty much all that linked folks to one another at long distances.

I have mixed feelings about all those changes. Some new ways to communicate have become necessary evils. I remember writing a post a couple of Januarys ago that waxed nostalgic about letter writing. I did a lot of letter-writing and card-making as a young person, using cursive no less, and these activities are now viewed as quaint. Although I hope, like vinyl records, hand-written letters might one day experience at least a mini resurgence in popularity.

The main ways I communicate in the 21st century revolve around two machines that I rarely go a day without – a computer and a smartphone. I engage in email, texting, blogging, Zoom and messenger calls, and for work, I add Slack and the university LMS. These are all technologies that I had to learn as an adult, and I’m still learning new applications and features as they roll out.

There are many aspects of technology to be grateful for. The ability to reach out to loved ones at a moment’s notice gives incredible peace of mind. Staying up-to-date with colleagues at work is greatly simplified. And the power to gather people together during a crisis is invaluable, as we teachers managed to conduct classes on Zoom during a pandemic.

One counterpoint is the effort one takes to manage it. I’m one of few people in Korea who don’t ride the subway or negotiate the sidewalk whilst scrolling my phone. As a teacher, for as much time as I’ve enjoyed using communication tech in my classes, I’ve also had to spend time crafting policies for the use of these devices in class, and spend class time to monitor. And now that I have so many lines of communication open, it’s harder to completely disconnect in those times I need a digital “cleanse.”

This week I’ve had news of friends in Los Angeles whose lives are on the verge of being upended by the wildfires. In these times, communication technology brings at once an immediacy, and an anxious helplessness. No matter where one is in the world, it’s possible to know all the good and bad that’s happening in real time, and the distractions can be overwhelming if not managed well.

For one more thing I remain grateful – to be able to spare some minutes with my blog, to share my crafting and simple thoughts with whomever passes by. Hoping you’re safe and well wherever you are.