Monday, February 22, 2010

Day 6: Cleaning Up

I've spent an inordinate amount of time today cleaning out email inboxes. We received an email at work telling us that our inboxes are just too big and even the scheduled deletions they do once a month are not enough to keep up with us! They recommended that we take time daily to filter through that day's mail. It's hard for me though - I used to manage weekly clean outs, but now I'm more like every few months. I did successfully clean out my school email before I came home today. There's just so many stupid emails that waste my time, like teachers telling everyone they let their class out late (so we don't mark the kids tardy) or emails soliciting us to join the school dodgeball team...

I came home and in just over an hour managed to clear out my personal email inbox as well. It was interesting getting back to pre-August 28th emails. I read through some random ones and thought about how much my life has changed since then with my mom's cancer diagnosis.

Anyway, I'm keeping up with my Lenten addendum: no knitting blogs or Ravelry. I also realized after the last post that I really need to include knitting podcasts as well. Wow - I didn't realize how much knitting had intervened in every crevice of my life! So as of today, I'm fully knitting-free. I reorganized my Google Reader subscriptions, so that all the knitting blogs I read are in their own folder that I promise not to open until Easter.

I'm hoping to post some pictures soon of what I'm doing without the knitting: cooking, embroidery (a little), taking pictures of Clint's growing hair and seeing A LOT of movies (we saw Shutter Island this past weekend and I REALLY liked it) - you know what I'm making. Afterall, this is a blog about making things.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Day 4: A Double-Edged Sword

Since I've been a member of Ravelry for a little over a year, I've seen it really grow and make a lot of my knitting dreams come true. Just now I was reading their "This Week on Ravelry - Issue 68" which is basically an online knitting magazine, and some thoughts started forming in my mind.

When I decided to give up the knitting for Lent, I didn't want to outlaw myself from Ravelry, plus I didn't see the point. I figured, if I'm giving up the actual knitting, what's the harm in reading about knitting? Well, there's a lot of harm. Obviously, when looking at other people's knitting, it makes me want to knit. I'm thinking that I'm not truly giving up the knitting, if I'm still spending time on the computer looking at all-things-knitting.

So here's a radical decision: starting Monday, I'm not going to look at Ravelry or knitting blogs for the remainder of Lent - gasp! I know this is a good decision because the thought of it makes me want to to cry - that's a good sacrifice ; ) Also it's just not feeling hard enough to only give up the needles. It's like all the online accoutrement is allowing me to give up the actual act, but all I'm really doing is living vicariously through other knitters.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Day 2: The Right Choice?


Obviously it's very early on in this event, but I found myself wondering this morning if I made the right decision about what to give up. I'm barely missing knitting! I know, I know - ask me in a week and I'll probably answer differently. Alright, I did stare at my green socks longingly today and admire for far too long how exquisite the stitches looked...

So far, some of the things I am doing to occupy myself are: reading, helping plan Candace's bachelorette party, helping Clint plan our spring break trip and staying later at work. I'm cool with all except the last. Every Tuesday and Thursday after school we have a yoga teacher that comes and teaches a class for all of us tired teachers. Typically after yoga, I go straight home, but both yoga days this week, I found myself back in my classroom after yoga struggling to catch up on all things school. It makes yoga less relaxing knowing I have to go back to working afterward. There's just so much going on right now. UIL is this Saturday, so after that, there will be one less thing.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Day 1: Lent

So ironically on this first day of Lent, I taught Carol how to knit during 7th period. She was a super fast learner and took to it like a spider to a web. I don't even know if it should count as teaching because I showed her one row (15 sts), she tried one row and had the hang of it. She was planning on going home tonight and knitting more, so we'll see what she says tomorrow.

Now that I'm free to pursue other interests, I actually feel distant from fiber in general and have been reading a lot more. I think that's good for now. I'm hoping to fall in love with knitting again. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Countdown Begins

Lent starts on Wednesday. 
It's Monday - 4:38 pm. 
The time is almost upon us. 

I spent some time yesterday organizing and putting away my knitting materials. All I left out was the citron shawl in progress and my knitting notebook, but I don't even feel like working on it. Knowing that even if I worked on it every waking moment between now and Wednesday and I still wouldn't finish it is causing a serious lack of motivation. I think I might even indulge in some embroidery tonight!

I've been a little jealous of all the Ravelympics that's currently going on, but I think it's good - I'm looking at it as an extra challenge. And hey, there's always next year...

So during Lent my main goal is to not work on any of my personal knitting, I will be teaching some people though - I've had several requests and I'm really excited. I will also be starting the knitting club at school after UIL is over. These are both good things and I don't see them as spoiling my sacrifice because I haven't taught anyone to knit in f-o-r-e-v-e-r! And my main motivation in giving up the knitting is 1) to make a sacrifice and 2) experience some things I've been missing out on because I've been spending so much time knitting. Plus, in the old days when I would teach people to knit, my heart was in it, but not 100%. I would teach and then want to work on my own projects - I could never give myself fully. So now that working on my own personal projects is not even an option, I can be a more devoted teacher!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Change of Direction?

After much anticipation, my very first sock kit arrived today. I am definitely pleased with the yarn and the patterns, but I think all of my yearning definitely got the best of me. Do I love the patterns? No. Do I like them? Yes. The good news is the yarn is gorgeous, but I'm already contemplating not making socks out of it! Why did I have to fall in love with knitting shawls all of a sudden?! They're all I can think about! 

When I first started thinking about not making the socks, I told myself, no - you joined this SOCK club and you are going to knit socks. But the truth is, life is too short to knit something you're not into - and I don't think I'm into the sock patterns this month : ( I'm a little disappointed in myself, but I don't regret signing up for the club at all. I love the yarn and I love even more that I'm expanding my color horizons. I figure I won't be able to complete a project with the new yarn until after Lent anyway, so that gives me plenty of time to ponder what the yarn will become.

I'm thinking I will have time to finish the blue shawl for mom before Lent. I completed 3.5 lace repeats today and that leaves 6 more. Definitely finishable in two weeks. 


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