Three Years of Damage Done

Today marks the third anniversary of that day in November 2012 when I set up The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done and hit publish on my very first post. I looked at my first and second anniversary posts in preparation for writing this one and I found that on my first and second anniversaries I had a lot to say about how my approach to this site had evolved over the previous twelve months. This year I don't have much to say on that topic, which probably means that the site has matured and I'm more or less fully launched and sailing on an even keel... or to use a more appropriate knitting metaphor, working even in stockinette. I suppose that's not a bad thing as long as I'm careful to keep an open mind on new ways to improve the site, and am taking an occasional mental step back to look at the site as a whole and make it's the site I want it to be. And am listening to what my readers have to say, of course. As always, your suggestions are welcome.

I know I haven't been very good about sticking to my posting schedule for the past year. It's often been all I could do to keep up with writing magazine reviews and posting the occasional fun video, and I didn't get around to writing the more in-depth original posts I'd like to do. I wish I could give you my word I'll do better, but the reality is that I have chronic fatigue issues and I have to make money to live on, and this site makes very little money. I only have so many good working hours in a day and often have to prioritize work that actually pays, or basic housekeeping tasks, over this site. All I can say is that I will do my best to do better. I will also say I have a concept for a book in mind, though I don't know when it will be written, let alone published. But I am collecting material for it, and I might get to it within the next year.

If you'd like to help support this site and make it possible for me to spend more time writing content for it and getting to writing that book, I can suggest a couple of ways for you to do so. This morning I added Interweave ads to the site. If you've been thinking of buying something from them, please consider visiting the Interweave store site via the button on the sidebar. I'll get 10% of whatever you spend during your visit at no extra charge to you. I have also added a sidebar link to Amazon.com. If you're ever planning on doing some shopping on Amazon, you can help me by visiting Amazon either through that sidebar link or through any of the Amazon links in my posts. I will get 4-8.5% of whatever you spend during your visit, and again there's no added cost for you. There is also a donation button on the sidebar.

And of course I want to conclude by thanking you all for taking the time out of your busy lives and especially, away from your knitting, in order to visit this site and read what I have to say. It's the highest compliment you could pay me, and I really appreciate all the emails and comments and the enthusiasm you show for the site, both here and on this blog's Facebook page. I think if my only reward for this site were the small amount of money it makes and the lines on the visit tracker graphs, I would have quit by now. It's the positive feedback and connections that make writing this site gratifying.

Thank you all, and I'll try to keep serving up the knitting snark as often and as well as possible.