Monday, August 29, 2011

The Name Game: Pings and Needles


I'm so happy to have Sarah here today from Pings and Needles. You will enjoy reading about how Sarah chose the name for her bog. Trust me. She is creative and funny. Welcome, Sarah!
Hello *waving* ... thank you for having me over.  I totally love this series.  So, here goes ... 
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Hi, I'm Sarah and I live in Brighton, on the south coast of the British Isles.  I'm only telling you this because I want to include one of my all time favourite photos.  It was a hazy late spring, late afternoon. Delicious.
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And ....  back in the room ... 

How did you choose the name for your blog?

Well,originally I had planned on calling my blog 'pins and needles' but obviously it was already taken. How naive I was back then (back then being a year ago this Tuesday! LOL)  


I really liked the word play of 'pins and needles' as a sensory experience.  It also captured the emotional discomfort I was in at the time as I started my blog two weeks after my brother's funeral.  I needed to be lost in words and fabric and pictures.  It didn't (doesn't) block the pain, but creativity in any form really does help to numb it.

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I've since discovered that 'pins and needles' has different connotations in different countries!  


In British English it's a noun for the tingling numbness that you get in the tips of your fingers and toes when it's cold, or when your foot's gone to sleep.  Acute yet quite pleasurable too, like sneezing. In Australia & the US, 'pins and needles' is used much more frequently as an idiom for nervous anticipation.   who knew? not me.


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Also, I really wanted to find something that wasn't too 'cute'.I don't really do 'cute' in my space.  I can appreciate it in others' but not mine. Maybe I'll admit to 'modern cute' !?  


In my other (more offline) life I am an IT teacher and teacher trainer.  I've always been nerdy and geeky, so that's when 'Pings' came to mind.  

A 'ping' is the nerd word for a test message sent to check the speed of an internet connection.  I thought it was a great way of bringing my nerdiness in straight from the start.  I also like that it's a sound word too ... the 'Ping!' of a creative lightbulb moment  ... hence the tagline: "the exquisite pain of nerdy creativity" So now you know!  


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Were there other names you considered, and can you share any of them with us?
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I did that random thing when you just type a whole load of rubbish in to see what it would look like on screen (we all did that, right?)  like 'bongs and poodles', 'strings and noodles' 'bowls and ladles' 'cats and cupcakes', seams and warbles, you know the kind of thing ...  


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I also have a nerdy blog on wordpress for work and non pings stuff, called wikibloggia. I should use it more really, but Pings took over!

Now that you are recognized by Pings and Needles, are you happy with it, or do you wish you could change it to something else?


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Nooooo ... I wouldn't want to change it ever ever ever ... My alter ego is most definitely Pings now (or Pingaling as Lynne @Lily'sQuilts calls me!) 

(NOTE: How cool to have a nickname chosen by the fabulous Lynne. Could you possibly come up with something for me, Lynne??)

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My blog is very important to me.  PingsAndNeedles  is now an integral part of my being more fully me. I write much more than I post and I sew much less than I want to, but I love the friends, connections, and inspiration that I find on a daily basis.  


Thank you for letting me witter on.  Do come and visit if you haven't before, or indeed if you are secretly stalking me.  All are welcome!   I've got a fantastic blogiversary paying it forward giveaway going on - you could win 16 FQs of Jovial from Moda ... and it's fun ...  runs till Weds 31st! 

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(please don't leave a comment about how awful it is to be really stalked and that I wouldn't joke about it if it happened to me, because it has, so I can, but that's for another post ... another day ...) 


Thanks, Sarah! Please stop by PingsAndNeedles and say hi to Sarah.

There are a lot of interesting blogs in the fall line-up of the Name Game. And remember--if there is someone you would like to read about, either request it in the comment section or send me an email.

8 comments:

05 08
Mary said... #

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sarah!!! She has a great blog and is a rib tickler to boot!!! Thanks for featuring Sarah:)

Archie The Wonder Dog said... #

Another great feature! I love Sarah's blog, she has a wonderful view on the world and really makes me laugh!

Lizzie Allen said... #

Sarah's view of things is guaranteed to make me laugh and her blog is a joy to read.

Mrs Flying Blind... said... #

Loving the Pingo lingo Sarah xxx

Cindy said... #

Fantastic little snapshot of Sarah. This series is such a great idea. Well done, Sarah!

pinsandneedles said... #

Thanks for introducing me to Ping and Needles! I'll be visiting!

Sarah said... #

I love Sarah! Her blog is always a fascinating and wickedly funny read :-)

Nicky said... #

Totally agree! Great fun @Pings & needles and pleased to know the idea behind the name!