Absence

It has, officially, been an entire month since I last posted. Shame on me.

Here's the thing though. I go to work every day and spend eight hours or so staring at a computer screen. When I go home at night, well, I don't really feel like doing the very same thing.

There are, of course, other factors directly and indirectly responsible for my absence from this blog. The weather has played a large part. When the heat index is in the hundreds and I break a sweat between my car and the front door, well, wool does not rank highly on my agenda. This is not to say I haven't been knitting at all in the last month, because I have, and even a little crocheting, too. In fact I have two active projects and one on the back burner, and there are even two FOs that I haven't posted yet. But I haven't been knitting fiendishly like a woman possessed by her frosty toes; just maybe an hour a day, for the sake of restless fingers more than anything else. The disinterest, if you want to call it that (and, frankly, it would be accurate to do so), is largely attributable to the Florida heat, and also the overall lack of time in my day - damn full-time job, seriously takes away from my "me time." But I feel there is something more sinister at work here...

Because, to be honest, this same disinterest has not just been affecting my knitting, but my general state of being. I have entered a sort of stagnant period, where one day is pretty much the same as the next day, and little changes from week to week. I haven't been working *toward* anything, pursuing any goals. I don't have anything major going on in my life, and my job, while alright, is not really what I'd call stimulating, or even particularly satisfying, in any meaningful way. I'll put it this way: With the knowledge that I'm only going to live in this area for another year before the Navy moves us again, it's fine, and I am not planning to actively seek alternatives. If it were open-ended, that's a different story. My coworkers are for the most part pretty likeable, and I get along well with my boss - but there are massive communication issues and a terrifying turnover rate. There is no challenge, and probably no chance of promotion (since they know how long I'm going to be here, too). I wake up Monday mornings anxious for the weekend, and with every day so predictable, the time flies by.

Among the symptoms of this stagnation has been a withdrawal, not just from this blog, but from a lot of my social outlets. I have lost touch with my knitting group, mostly because my Saturdays are typically overbooked, since I don't get much free time during the week. I have barely been online to keep up with my old friends in other parts of the country, mostly because of the lack of desire to spend all day AND all night on a computer. I have basically stopped reading other knitting blogs, with the same excuse.

I don't mention all of this for pity, or for anyone to get worried about me. It's just a slump. I'm sure it's even common in early adulthood - periods of being either stagnant or overwhelmed before one works out a good balance. Anyway, I've been working on setting myself up for a brand new challenge: getting a Masters in Library Science (online). I'm hoping to start it next spring, which means I'll soon be getting into the application process. I've ordered myself a GRE prep book, and last week I submitted an application to volunteer at one of the libraries a couple weekends a month, to get some hands-on experience before diving headlong into this - and I mentioned in my cover letter to the library that I would be open to accepting a paid position (don't tell my boss!). Now I'm waiting for those things to materialize before proceeding further.

I really believe that once this new project is really in motion, once I break out of this lull, then my interest in other things (like blogging!) will be rekindled. I'm going to try to get at least one, hopfully both of those FO posts up this weekend... but I wouldn't expect any real jump in my postings until the temperature backs down a bit.

Sorry.

My Present

Lookit what my husband made for me!! He's got his crafty streak too.

Here it is folded flat for easy storage... Did you guess what it is?

A hand-made swift! Hooray! It's pretty fantastic. My husband must love me. I think he may be worth keeping around.

(Now if I only had a ball winder...)

By the way, curious about that skein being wound? I just got it. It's....


ShibuiKnits Sock in "Sand."

Now... I ordered this and received it about a week before reading this recent article at Knitters Review. I was a little surprised to read that ShibuiKnits is "just making its debut" and their yarns "will be making their way to a yarn store near you in the not-too-distant future" - since I already had 2 skeins of it in my hands. Then I discovered (in the same article) that the Knit Purl yarn shop, where I happened to have purchased the yarn online, was operated by the people behind this yarn. Who knew? I was just online buying sock yarn at a website where I have previously bought other sock yarn, and thought this ShibuiKnits looked pretty yummy. I hadn't heard of it before, but didn't realize it was 'exclusive.'

I do have to say, they have a lot more colorways listed this week than they had up 2 weeks ago...

Harry's "Got Style"

*A sweater by Ann R.*


I am very excited to post these pictures of a quite striking version of my Doggy's Got Style sweater. Harry (the lucky dachsund recipient) certainly looks handsome in his new duds!


As you can tell, from the cables, rolled collar and button belt, Ann took my pattern and made it her own. And I must say, I have been outdone! Hers certainly is chic. I am impressed, and proud to have inspired such lovely work.


Perhaps Ann and Harry may encourage others to flex their 'creativity muscle,' whether it be with one of mine or any other knitting pattern. There is no limit to what you can make with a little bit of imagination and a lot of persistence!

(Just so we're clear on this, these pictures were posted with Ann's enthusiastic permission. If you think Ann did a fantabulous job, make her day and LET HER KNOW it!)

Eye Candy Friday

Roseate Spoonbill.

(Photo taken by my husband, Monday May 28 at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.)

Ouch! They Got Me!

I have been tagged! Don't I feel special.

((( Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I've been tagged by outdoorknitter at The Local Needle. )))

1. I like the color pink way more than can probably be considered healthy. Purple too. My husband fears the day I buy pink paint for the house.

2. I was born in Georgia, and have lived in North Carolina, southern Virginia, North Carolina again, southern Virginia again, and now north Florida. I am a bona fide Southern Girl. During the 10 weeks I lived in the Northeast, I gained an entirely new appreciation for the South and missed it a lot more than I expected.

3. In spite of #2, I do not have a noticeable southern accent - and I am very proud of this fact. However, any time I talk on the phone with my mom's relatives, this ceases to be true.

4. I love food. I love going out to new and different restaurants, as well as cooking at home. I watch the Food Network all the time. Alton Brown is my favorite Food Network personality.

5. Because of #4, I spend about half of every year trying to lose 10 lbs. A quarter of each year is spent indulging and not caring, and the other quarter is spent trying to lose 20 lbs instead of 10. There is a cycle.

6. I am terrible with plants. I have no trouble taking care of my dog and my cat, but I can't seem to keep a fern alive. I wish I had a garden where I could grow my own veggies and herbs, but, well, I don't think it would work out.

7. I drive a pickup truck. Yep. A little blue one.


How's that for random? Now, who to tag...

Bethany
Corgimom
Dove
Jen
Skully
Stephanie
Teresa