These Two Hands

This blog is no longer what it once was.

I originally set it up in grad school, just for myself mostly. It was a way for me to write out my ideas and see them in print (I’m a very visual thinker), judge them and work them out before writing papers on them. I posted nothing of my daily life; it was just an academe’s thought space. Hence the title.

Now it’s a different beast entirely. What do I write about except things related to my daily life and things I make?

Brace yourself for a long-winded backstory.

Have you ever read Orson Scott Card’s Maker series? It follows the life of Alvin Miller, who journeys through an alternate US history where people have “knacks”, or special talents. Growing things, or weaving cloth that never frays, or knowing where to find water. Alvin, seventh son of a seventh son, finds that his knack involves the shaping of matter itself. His knack is for making things – he is a Maker.

So, well… our world doesn’t happen to grant us magical talents. Still, the urge to create is the same. Working at an art studio for two years introduced me to so, so many of these people. Crafters, glass artists, crocheters, sewers, gardeners: Makers all.

I’d like to include myself in that group. And what is this blog about, except what I’ve accomplished with these two hands? The title “Think Space” doesn’t fit any more. (Personally, I don’t think a recipe for homemade yogurt is a very intellectual subject. Is a tomato-basil salad worth of inclusion in a “thought space”?)

So I’m considering a new title, one that fits more comfortably. And it would be nice if it had the word “Maker” in it too. But I can’t think of anything compelling enough. It’s time to put it out there in the public arena. So come on, chime in… suggestions? Please?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 1:24 pm and is filed under meta. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.