Work In Progress

Update on Goals II

Well, another month, so I'm going to keep checking in. Kate is probably right, and I should just pick one or two.  But, instead, I'm going to just look at it all, and remind myself that it's a process and not get down on myself.  Sooooo, here we go (and I'm sorry if this bores you... you can bloop bloop bloop down to 7 if you just want knitting).

Here is the list: 

 1, 12 and 16. Organization - in all it's decluttering; everything it it's place; reduction; recycling; stress-free glory - has not been going well. Yesterday Partner volunteered to go look for a bottle of wine in the garage because, "I don't want you to get stressed or frustrated" about what the garage looks like. He's so right and I'm really not sure what we're supposed to do about it. There are so many wonderful things down there, but damned if I can find them.

2. Stress.... I've got it and it's always festering. I truly believe that some people are naturally inclined to be either negative or positive. And, I feel that I tend towards the negative.  And I know that stress just makes that more evident. I wish I could figure out a way to be better with this, but I am a person that 90% of the time is scanning my environment to figure out what needs to be done. Frankly, it's tiring.  

Today is kind of a bad day, as I received some sad news - I have not decided if I will talk about it here at some point or not - so I think I'm more aware of that negative place as I process today's emotions.  I will say that I have found music to be so helpful as a destressor. In fact, a la Rachel, I'll share that I've been listening to Adele, Live at the Royal Albert Hall which has helped tremendously today. 

3. I am going through mail daily and there is always less paper in the house, but filing and shredding don't seem to get done.

4. I more or less do manage to get the house straightened each day, but it still feels like I'm just keeping up and not getting on top of things.  Oh well, I guess keeping up is better than falling behind.

5. Weight. Sigh. One pound in 3 months, as of 1 March. Things were looking better a week ago, but I found that pound and a few of his friends since then.  I am looking at putting together a multi month exercise plan, as I think I do better with those than playing it by ear.  Hopefully that produces positive results for next month.

6. I am sleeping 7 hours nearly every single night. I've had some bizarre @ss dreams this week, so they haven't been restful hours this week, but I think being strict about bed time is helping with all the goals.  I remember I used to get so much less sleep, but clearly at this stage in my life, I need more so I'm forcing myself to do it with positive results.  I think it's pretty much a habit at this point.

7. I had a very very successful month for knitting in March. Fortunately, one of my goals was not promising to blog more about said knitting as I'm woefully behind - lol! Here is my big knitting project of March. I am so happy with this knit and can't wait to tell you about it... hopefully Sunday??

8. Last month was a good reading month as I finally got back to a mystery series I've been enjoying for years. I found Susanna Gregory's Matthew Bartholomew series at Munro's - a frickin' awesome bookstore in Victoria! Last month I read the 13th book in the series and am currently reading the 14th. If you like 1) British novels, 2) mystery novels, 3) historical fiction, 4) a well written book with amusing dialogue exchanges, I highly recommend this series.  Set in post-Plague Cambridge (1350's), this is the first book in the series, the book I bought at Munro's:

9. Cooking and baking. This is low on my priority list until I feel I'm more on top of things. I'm okay with that and freely let it go as a goal.  I do keep trying to keep local and organic ingredients, but I'm not getting wrapped around the axle about it.

10. To be less angry. Hmm. I'm still very "Irish" in my temper. Probably being less stressed would also help. Partner and I are both working harder to communicate better and for me that is all about controlling the anger and not assigning false meaning or using my "razor-sharp tongue" in place of expressing my feelings.

11. No yoga since January. Since I have some running goals, i feel this will probably not be a priority in my life any time soon. That's okay.

13. We abhor this house. It is too small, not just for all our things stuff crap shit, but just because we're always RIGHTNEXTTOEACHOTHER. I am an introvert, as is Partner. We are happy with our quiet home together. But occasionally, we also need physical space from each other so that we can just BE and not worry about oozing into other people's space. I'd like a room in the house where I could read and not listen to video games or tv.  Or, that I didn't have to see another person moving in my peripheral vision. The only rooms in the house that you can sit in without seeing someone else is the bedrooms. I don't want to go to my bedroom to read a book in private. There is a serious initiative underway to get into our own house and stop renting this house. I want to be able to sit a garden, read a book, and have a quiet 30 minutes. I think we'll all be happier with a different place. So! Stay tuned!

14. Plans are afoot to get a trail marathon in this year. This is a big goal of mine so I feel confident that it will happen!

15. The professional article... hmmm.  Perhaps I should come up with a plan for this.  Rather like the exercise, I think my vague idea approach will not result in actual success.

17. The Buy Nothing in 2012 continues in pretty good fashion. I know that I owe a post just on this even though I think I promised it in January. I recently came back from a great business trip and was very very successful in not buying crap. I bought regional foods and sweets and I may have acquired some supplies for another hobby, but I think it's okay. And, shockingly, the no yarn buying vow remains intact. The WEBS sale was obviously a temptation, but I am very happy with what I have. If I still want DK-this or sport-this, well, guess what? Something similar will be available next year!

Alrighty, that's it for now. Sorry for some of the negativity, I guess I just have some of that today. Thanks for bearing with me.  We'll have more knitting content soon!

Update on resolutions

Forcing my way back into the saddle. :)

Thank you for sticking with me for 30 days (more or less).  It was kind of a fun exercise, but I felt like I couldn't blog and answer everyone's comments.  So, I doubt I'll do something like that again, any time soon.  On the plus side, I had fun coming up with new ways to stage stuff (taking hat pictures in the dark) so hopefully some of that will influence later blog posts.

I've decided that one way to keep honest about my 2012 goals is to provide little updates here. So, here goes.  You may remember the list, I numbered everything so it will be an easier reference. 

1, 12 - Minimizing and reducing has been slow. We did a lot of cleaning inside the house, but kind of stalled out after that. We were going to do a garage sale this weekend, but we weren't ready and wanted to run yesterday.  Our garage frustrates and stresses me.  I really want it to go away.

2, 10 - Stress and anger - I don't know. This has sadly been a tough one for me. I know that there are some things in my life that keep me at a heightened frustration level. I am not sure what to do about that when it spills into other parts of my life. I've become the person that mutters (or yells, if there is nobody around) at the mistakes of other drivers. I'd like to be a more compassionate person. I'd hoped my word for the year would help with that but.... ehhh... kind of mixed results. Partner did send me a quote in January and I've made a copy and put it on my page finder in my organizer since it captures the benefits of calm so well -

When we are angry we are blind to reality. Anger may bring us a temporary burst of energy, but that energy is blind and it blocks the part of our brain that distinguishes right from wrong. To deal with our problems, we need to be practical and realistic. If we are to be realistic, we need to use our human intelligence properly, which means we need a calm mind.
~ HH Dalai Lama 

3. Shredding paper - pretty good. I try to go through the mail each day and either put in in a bills or file folder and then throw the rest in recycling.  I've kept paper from building up, but haven't done much to fix the backlog of paper we've accumulated.

4. Straightening each day - I am doing well on this one.  A few weeks ago, I tried setting a timer for 15 minutes and cleaning something extra each day.  Usually I do okay, but I get derailed easily during the week.

5. Weight - ugh! I ran my second 1/2 marathon of the year yesterday and I'm 5 pounds heavier today! I've been weighing myself on the 1st of each month and I am down 0.5 pound since the year started. That's disheartening.  I know this would be easier if I could reduce my stress level. I have also tried to exercise 5 minutes a day, if nothing else. This I have NOT been consistent on.  I'll try harder this month.

6. Sleep - Nearly every night I get 7 hours sleep. Hurray!

7. 1 project a month, 4,000 yards this year - I didn't get any projects done in January, but finished 3 in February.  My yardage is only at ~400 so that needs to increase. I cast on for a project this morning. It's for my mother's birthday so I need to get it done this month. All I can say is the only good thing about casting on 363 stitches is that at least I know the rows will only get shorter! 

8. I've read 3 books this year! They are all mind candy (read: simple) mysteries, but hopefully I can keep it up and step it up.

9. I will cook and bake more.  Nope, no I won't. Partner has picked up a job with more hours, so I'll likely be doing more cooking, but I've been resisting baking. It's hard to make the decision to do more work for food we don't need - cookies, etc. - when there is always so much else that needs to be done in the house.

11. Yoga - we took one class in January and then... nothing. Hopefully we can do better.

13. House - we haven't made a move on that

14. Run a trail marathon - nope, not yet. I really need to improve my fitness, get more consist in my work outs - I have to run more than one long run every other week - and I think losing the extra 20 pounds would all help considerably in meeting this goal.

15. Write a professional article - ugh.  Not yet.  I've had the idea in my head for years. But can't seem to buckle down and do it!

16. All paper in the filing cabinet - Nope, that would involve cleaning the garage.

17. I will not buy any "wants" in 2012. I had a couple slip ups in January, but February was truly a month of only buying what we need - food and things for the house. I've been very critical and have stopped myself from justifying "nice to haves" for the house.  I hope I can keep it up.

18. Job - well, I've shared a bit of our struggle, and things have not been decided. I probably won't talk a ton about that here, just to be on the safe side. However, I thank you all for your encouragement and good wishes.

A New Year

Happy 2012! This is us in our tent New Year's Day morning.

The camera was too cold for the flash to work. I'm glad we were up at midnight so that Rocky's first words to me in the new year weren't, "What a miserable night's sleep. I hardly slept at all." Ha.

I'd have been here sooner, but we were in the mits of a cleaning frenzy here at Chez WIP. A couple years ago, I read about the YarnHarlot's attempts to clean the house each year to usher in good luck.  Of course, I'm too much of a procrastinator or not a good enough planner so housecleaning was even started until yesterday.  I think it will still work. 

I have a good feeling about this year. I think there will be a lot of change this year and I hope to keep up.

I know I'm so far behind on things to post - I know you're all looking forward to wedding pictures.  Don't worry, I have so many different posts planned, I'll cure you of that desire. Kidding!  I hope.

I have the last FOs of 2011 to show you. I was late with a couple Christmas gifts this year, and sadly still have one on the needles. Apparently my will to procrastinate is stronger than the elves desire to deliver gifts on time. 

But for today, I thought I would share with you a picture of my "I will" list for 2012. I've mentioned it before, but basically, I write out action statements for what I want to do this year.

I know it's a lot. It seemed a little overwhelming when I had them all written down. Several are carry overs from last year that I either still need some motivation to keep going or that didn't get very far last year. I hope to talk about each of them more through the year.

The big addition for this year is the second to last one on the bottom.  I'm still hashing it out, and I'll talk more about it later, but here is some idea of where it's going.

And just because it's a knitting blog, the last Christmas gift, on the needles.
Happy 2012.  I hope the year is full of joy and laughter and good health for you all.

I will: Knit

Just squeaking in at the end of January, my "2011 I will: Knit" list.

I was talking with Rachel the other day and casually mentioned that I think I'd hit about 1/2 my 2010 list.  Well, I pulled up the list to actually review it and, if you kind of squint and turn your head sideways so the details aren't quite clear, I'm pretty close to half of the stuff.  If you actually look at what patterns I was thinking of knitting, you'll see that I fell a bit short of that: cowl - check, but not what I intended; shawl - yes, but not using stash yarn or a lace pattern.  It's closer to oh, 1/4 of my list.

Well, I suppose that is okay, because at least it gave me a bit of a road map.  And I knit some stuff I'm pretty happy with, including my first me-sized sweater.  But there are still a lot of patterns that I really want to knit and didn't.  Such as Icarus, Olive Branch Yoga hoodie, Boatneck Bluebell, Textured Tunic with Side button, and Evening Stockings for a Young Lady.  I've kind of discovered that i get excited about things and cast on right away... i don't really follow to planned out knitting too much.

So, I'm going to try a different approach this year.  Rather than say I'm going to do this pattern that month, I'm going to put out some concepts or guidelines for my knitting. So here goes:

1.  I'm going to do some colorwork.  I took a fair isle class back in September and haven't even finished my sampler.  i've become so enamored of SpillyJane mittens and Kate Davies history-infused knits.  I need to get off my rump and do it!

2.  I want to knit from my pattern books!  It's really ridiculous the awesome books that I've received as gifts, but haven't knit anything from.  Partner bought me all new handspun handknit and my sister got me one more skein for Christmas this year.  I'm in love with nearly every pattern in Nancy Bush's Vintage socks and practically drool whenever Kelly posts another set of socks from the book.

3.  Knit from stash.  A new mouth in the house (not just of the kitten variety) has meant a little less fundage around.  While knitting is pretty much my only hobby (well, besides soccer/baseball games and wine, if you are allowed to call that a hobby), I have a pretty well-stocked stash.  And, when I look at it, there are few skeins that I truly would want to destash.  So, if I don't want to destash them, why shouldn't I knit it?  I fully subscribe to the Yarn Harlot's theory that stash has a lot to do with potential, and once we knit something from the yarn, it becomes a single object.  Even if it's beautiful, the potential is gone and it only is.  But that's okay, maybe a little less potential and a little more "is" isn't such a bad thing. 

    a. I had an unmentioned intention to knit from stash last year that didn't happen.  So, I've programmed cheating into the diet - Stitches West, Sock Summit 2011 (is anyone else thinking about doing this?), and the Eat.Sleep.Knit after Thanksgiving sale.  I was talking about with a friend the other day and realized I was scheming yarn diet cheats 10 months in advance.  I'm just going to embrace that.

4.  Go to Sock Summit.  As I asked... anyone else?  It's another reason to not buy yarn (and many other optional items) as I think the cheapest i've calculated it out, it will be $800... I think that is what I figured out from another retreat they did in Port Ludlow.

5.  Be more consistent in my knitting.  You may have noticed my 2010 yardage ticker at the bottom of each FO post.  I'm not tech savvy enough to have a widget so i just added the numbers myself.  But I knit 5,050 yards last year.  A lot of that seems to have come in spurts with long stretches of no knitting.  When you figure that I knit an average of 16.5 yards per day (figured that out with my nifty pencil and paper widget again), it seems that a little focus could go a long way. I think getting into the habit of always having a mindless knit project is important; the other day I had a headache and was trying to knit lace with dark yarn.  You can probably guess that I didn't get 16.5 yards in.

6.  Get my stash in Ravelry.  I started that last january.  Which was part of the impetus for the yarn diet since, when I divided my approx yards per year into my stash, I realized I was pretty well set until 2020.  But getting my stash in Ravelry might help me use it.

7.  Design my own pattern and publish it.  I actually started working on a prototype for a project in September but lost the mojo.  Which is rather silly since I think I've actually worked out all the kinks and just need to do one more test before putting it out there.  I also have 3 other patterns rummaging around in my head.

8.  Knit another rectangle shawl.  I think they are my favorite style.  I don't wear them often, but always feel very chique when I do.

9.  Knit some socks for me.  My funky store socks are starting to wear out.  I'd like to transition to socks i've made.  And, while I have a sock on the needles now, it's been almost a year since I finished a pair of socks for me.

10. Learn toe-up socks.  I'm kind of annoyed with always having yarn left over and it would be a great way to do socks when I'm worried about having enough yarn.  I tried it once, but ripped them out without doing the heel.

11. Work on the drop spindle.  My friend started me on it but the kitten love it (she EATS my roving!) and it cuts into knitting time.  That pull on my limited knitting time I'm struggling with, but I really like natural fibers and the idea of roving to FO is very alluring.

12. Post more.  Sometimes I find that I try to make posts too perfect.  The task seems daunting and I end up not posting.  And then when I post it seems to take longer than it should - correcting each spelling error, trying to get the turn of phrase just so, &c.  No knitting tonight, for example! And there were few WIP pictures this year.  So, I'm going to try to let go of the perfect and just get out there for the dialogue.

I'm thinking that is about it for the year.  Nothing too specific. A lot more focus on techniques and skills vice FOs. 

And, since I know you're always supposed to have a picture in a post (it's a rule, i'm sure), here is a picture of my WIP that is closest to being finished, aurora eyeballis

Half

So, I was working on a post on the knitting works in progress.  Only problem is that the camera with the last of the photos is apparently traveling with Partner at the moment.

So, I thought I'd give a quick update on our other WIP, the marathon training.  As of Sunday, we've run 176 miles in the past 16 weeks.  Over the next nine weeks, we'll run another 191 miles before the big day.  I can't deny I'm a little disappointed that I'm not at the half way point in miles.  I feel like we really ought to be by now.

Saturday was a big day.  We ran a trail half marathon.  I'd hoped to finish in under three hours.  I'm still nervous about making the six hour cut off for the Nike Women's Marathon and thought that if I could finish a trail marathon with 2,400 feet of elevation gain, I'd feel more confident about finishing a full marathon in under six.

Though I didn't make my goal, I did make nearly all my splits.  I "lost" nearly the entire goal in the third segment of the race that climbs nearly 1,500 in a couple miles.  So, we didn't finish in under three hours, but I still feel good and think we're on the right track.  After all, when we started training 16 weeks ago, two miles three times a week seemed tough.  More importantly, neither of us got hurt, proving that our slow training program is working.

Here we are, crossing the finish:

  

I will: knit

I'm still mulling this list over, so some months are a little vague.  I'm also finding that there is a lot more than 12 big projects I want to knit!  I had some general guidelines in my head while I was putting this together:

* Alternate small and large projects so I could catch up or start early.

* Leave a little time for surprise knits.  People just don't consult be about when they are having their babies so I have to give myself some wiggle room.

* Leave some room to finish the existing works in progress.

* I'd like to knit more gifts this year.  Fortunately for you guys, very few of my family/non-knitting friends read this blog so you won't get the "I'm working on something, but I can't show you."

* I want to learn or improve some techniques.

* Try to use my stash yarn, a little.

I really want to make strides in my knitting.  I'm not sure what that means, but I know I love knitting and I somehow have this feeling that this will be the year that my knitting will turn the corner.  So, here's my lofty attempt to knit a project a month (warning, this is a link intensive post, including Ravelry links):

1. January:

Organize and photograph my yarn stash.  Not really knitting, but it should certainly help quite a bit.  In the past couple months, I've dug around for yarn for hats and baby gifts and have too often said, "Oh! I remember this yarn! It's beautiful.  I remember how excited I was to use it when I purchased it." Why are these skeins now sitting dejected in the bottom of plastic bins?

In the mean time, I'm also going to try to get those Christmas slippers done.  Especially given that the intended recipient gifted me with a beautiful skein of sock yarn when we went to visit.  They've been washed two more times but it looks more and more that I will need to knit three to get a pair.

I'm also going to try to make a dent in those works in progress, though I'm trying to finish up a quick hat for a trip to D.C. tomorrow.   

2. February:

A pattern from my Ocean Breezes pattern book.  I have 3-4 yarns that will work and quite a few patterns I'm considering.

3. March:

A summer sweater.  This is pretty vague, but I want to make a cotton or other light weight sweater.  I will get to buy some yarn for this (!) as the only sweater quantities of yarn I have are wool.  Perhaps the apres surf hoodie or the Olive Branch Yoga Hoodie...

4. April:

Mystery Gift #1, the yarn for which was showcased last month:

5. May:

Socks!  I will knit something from Knitting Vintage socks.  I have a few ideas.

6. June:

A shawl.  Perhaps Icarus with my Schaefer Andrea in the Empress Wu Zhao colorway.  Afterall, I did buy the book in December (I had to buy it in order to get the free shipping!).

7. July:

More socks.  There are really a lot of socks I want to knit.  Perhaps Mintyfresh's Leyburn or Bellatrix.

8. August:

A winter sweater.  It's going to be Boatneck Bluebell or perhaps Textured Tunic with Side Button, I think.  But it might also be Still.  I also really want a simple ribbed pullover, but I haven't found a pattern I like yet.  I might just try to figure something out to make a simple ribbed raglan.

9. September:

Fiddlehead mittens. 

If I don't get a kit for my birthday, I may buy it for myself.  I really have become fixated on these.  Seriously, her yarn is beautiful, check it out.  I haven't worked with it yet, but I will!

10. October:

Begin Christmas knitting.  This furtive, stress knitting just isn't fun.  I don't know what this will be yet though.

11. November:

Well, I'm back at winter and I realized I don't have a cowl on my list.  I'm starting to become interested in these though I admit I thought they were a bit silly when I started knitting.  I was wrong.  So, perhaps Tapestry Cowl or Pretty Thing.  I have some charcoal alpaca that would be great for Pretty Thing.

12. December:

Some more socks.  I don't know why, but the past two Decembers, I've really wanted to knit socks.  Maybe it's because I'm in the throes of gift knitting, or perhaps because it's colder and I spend a lot of times indoors, curled up in my chair, thinking of warm socks.

This seems like an overwhelming list, but at the same time, there is so much more than this I want to knit!  Well, we shall see.  I'm off to D.C. tomorrow for work.  With 5 hours flying either way, I'm hoping to make a serious dent in some projects during the trip.

I will

All in all, I'm disinclined to make new year's resolutions.  I used to make them, year after year, and by the end of January, they would have fizzled.  Some years, I would take great care to write them out -- with very exact penmanship -- thinking this would somehow make them more likely to get accomplished.  Well, a few years back, I took a Franklin Covey class.  As part of that class, you are supposed to look at your values, goals, and roles (partner, student, professional, etc).  For each value, you then write a clarifying statement and it is really stressed that these be written as positive statements -- not "I would like to be a happy person" but "I am a happy person."  Another part of the class is to realize that it's important to make time for yourself; that all the other goals/roles/aspirations of your life will not get accomplished if you devote all your energies to others and none to yourself.  In that context, then, I began to re-think resolutions. 

For the past couple years, over the course of a couple of weeks, I think and write down what I call my "I will" list.  I read this about once a week and it helps me refocus on what is important to me.  For example, last year I said, "I will eat organic and local whenever possible" and I'm happy to say that I've spent more time at our farmer's market this past year than ever before.  Of course, it's not a recipe for 100% success and there are some things that I didn't do as much with as I'd hoped.  I know that some of you may be thinking, "that sure sounds like a resolutions list but by a different name."  And, perhaps it is, but it works for me.  I think mostly because I look at it often and it's written in positive terms instead of highlighting things that need/want to be changed.  Envision who you want be.

As I work on this year's list, I know one thing that I plan to put on there involves knitting.  After all, this is supposed to be a knitting blog.  Last year I tried, but was not successful, in knitting a project a month.  This year, I'm going to try again, but I think that I'll use this here space to evolve that attempt.  I have been thinking for several weeks about what I would like to knit in this coming year.  It will be too boring to be too specific and then in December to be tied to a project chosen in January.  After all, there are foreign trips, Stitches West, and dozens of as-yet unpublished patterns between now and then!  I am thinking that I will alternate hard and easy projects so that I can "catch up" in some months.  I don't think I will count 1-2 day projects as that seems like a cop-out -- look!! 12 stockinette wristwarmers for toddlers, mission accomplished!  I would like to learn a new skill or two -- including colorwork/fair isling/intarsia.  The lead up to that project may be to truly understand the differences between those three terms.

Anyway, if you're interested, come back in the next couple days to check it out.  Until then, look at all the wonderful yarn I got for Christmas.  My friends and family really understand me:

 

My final thoughts:

* I really do need to clean up a little before I take these pictures.

** This armful includes: Berrocco Seduce (3), Oregon handspun (2), Farmhouse Yarns bulky (6), and Ruby Sapphire sock yarn (1).