I haven't blog-faded...

It's been a challenging year. It's been a challenging almost two years, to be honest. Let's hope that 2014 ends up being the year I thought 2013 would be.

I'm sure I'll be doing some catch-up in the posts that will follow, so a long and drawn out post now isn't going to happen. I am still knitting, I am still reviewing books, and I am still drinking a lot of coffee.

I wasn't sure what I wanted this blog to be, since I now publish my kids' book reviews at my site, Mom Read It and my comic reviews at WhatchaReading?. But I think I still want to keep a place on the Web to talk about life, knitting, and everything in between. I've had this little nook for a long time now, and I'd hate to see it fade away. I'm on Facebook and Twitter, but there's something to be said about talking for longer than 140 characters. So I guess my first resolution for the new year is to visit with you more often.

For now? I'm knitting a pair of mittens for Wee Gozer, my 18-month-old. I'm working on a cabled blanket for Will. Pictures to follow. I'm experiencing a renaissance in reading, thanks to the Nook I received for my graduation. It helps when I'm running after Wee Gozer all day long, and it comes in really handy when I want to read in bed at night and not wake anyone up.

That's about all for now, but there will be more to come.

Of Superheroes, Comics, Knitting, and Life.

So last year was... interesting. I was dealing with a lot of pressure, not the least of which was having a baby 9 years after my last one was born, and all the adjustments that come with being pregnant again. Oh, and finishing up graduate school while pregnant, with the impending stress of my final two semesters coming while dealing with an infant, and all the sleep-deprivation goodness that comes with that territory.

Bottom line: I needed something to take the edge off, because it was ON, and it was on, big time. There was no time for novels or knitting anymore, two things that I always turned to for stress relief. I wasn't working anymore - a part-time schedule with a full-time infant? It wasn't in the cards. I was climbing the walls.

And then a friend - a fellow fangirl, mom, and knitter, who would become an even better friend in the days to come - casually mentioned that my favorite comic book character, Gambit from the X-Men, was back with his own title.

I hadn't picked up a comic book in years, but Gambit? Well... that may just be worth a trip to the comic book store. And what's one title a month, right? I could read a comic in no time. I missed my comic books, especially since losing my mind when The Avengers hit movie theatres that May. Of course, my friend upped the ante by sending me the first two issues, so now I had no excuse. I hit my local comic book store, feeling very freaked out about my 12 year absence. And I walked out with Gambit, and a few other titles.

Almost a year later, I review comic books. I go to conventions. I have a lot more than Gambit on my pull list (it's a reserved title file at your comic book store). I love superheroes. They make it all better, no matter how bad the situation seems to be. There are days when I really need them, and they're always there with their iron suits, enchanted hammers and mutant powers, no matter what time of day or night I need them. 

So, knitting. Well, that's been a journey back, too. I don't get much in the way of knitting time at home these days, but I am lucky enough to have friends who take a night out of their week, when we converge on a small coffee shop in the city and knit for a few hours. We talk about crazy things, we talk about geeky things, we laugh a whole lot, and we knit. Some days, most of my week revolves around counting down to knit night. I've been working on a scarf for almost three months - something I'd normally be able to whip out in a week or two - but I'm learning that it's all about the process. Kind of like being a new mom again. 

Returning to Life, Kind Of.

So here I am, after four years. I've finished my final project, and will be receiving my Master's degree in about two and a half weeks. I mean, I won't be at graduation - a flight to California just isn't in the cards right now - but I will be graduating, and bringing this journey to a close. Or a crossroads, depending on how you see things.

So what happened over four years? I went into grad school. I lost one job. I found another. I had a baby. I lost another job. I rediscovered comic books. I started a few blogs for class, one of which I'm keeping. I knit a lot. I juggled.

So yes, I'm back, and yes, you can expect to hear from me more often. But there will be a few changes, so here's the obligatory housekeeping post to tell you what's what.

This blog will be the place I talk about life, knitting, and overall, books and comics that I'm reading. This is the "Roe Blog", if you like that sort of thing.

The book reviews will be updated at Mom Read It. Right now, I'm posting the ages 0-4 book reviews I worked on for my Materials 0-4 class, so if you are interested in that sort of thing, that's where to look. Reviews of middle grade (ages 9-12) and teen/YA books and media are already there, so feel free to wander around and check it out.

In other news, I review comics now! I've been reviewing comics on my friend Chuck's blog at What'cha Reading for a few months now, and having a blast. Again, if you like that sort of thing, come on over and visit, there are some great people reviewing some fun books.

More to come soon, I just wanted to get this sorted out.