Sunday, January 25, 2009

Knitting Priorities



As my sprinkling of readers may or may not know, I've been putting in a lot of hours at work lately. We're in a real crunch there on several incoming clients and projects. It's meant a lot of overtime. I'm not a person who does well with a lot of hours. This blog isn't calling "Hanging By a Thin Thread" for nothing, don't you know?

I have some stress coping mechanisms, but most of those involve having time off to meditate, read, knit, walk, do some yoga, reflect. With the time crunch, I've lost a bit of perspective.

But this coming weekend, I will have time to do ALL those things. Because . . . . The Studio Retreat at The Elms is finally coming right up. I'm counting down now. Five days to go. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday . . . then da da da DA - Friday I'm at The Elms. Three whole days to intermingle with my knitting peeps. A hot spa tropical bath treatment. A yoga session or two, lead by a yoga instructor. Sitting in the lobby, pictured here, of a 150 year old hotel in a peaceful setting. Nothing but TIME, TIME, precious TIME to share with my knitting friends. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm looking forward to it.

I was considering taking some classes there, but decided that the time to just relax and knit is more important than anything else right now. Learning a new technique would be nice . . . but not as nice as just vegging out. Remembering my priorities - yeah, no classes for me.

My knitting life, much like the rest of my life, has felt fragmented, confused, sporadic and unfocused. Though I don't want to put myself on any kind of productivity regimine, because knitting should be fun and not work, I nevertheless haven't felt relaxed even in my knitting lately, because I feel off kilter and unsuccessful at nearly every project I laid hands on in 2008.

Don't know why, but I produced a lot of duds last year, and 2009 started off with a frustrating experience trying to knit a Jane Thornley Organic Wrap that I ended up frogging. I had hoped to wear it to the Retreat, but no, forget that.

While I'm at the retreat, I'm going to reflect on what are my knitting priorities this year? What do I want to make, learn, do? What excites my knitter's passion in 2009?

5 comments:

Phyllis Bourne said...

Have fun!!!!

Ana Petrova said...

Have a great time, I'm totally jealous! Maybe next time!

Laura said...

I can't wait! I so need a weekend goofing off with pals.

LOVE your new haircut, by the way. :)

Unknown said...

Have a great time at the Elms, I've never been there. One of these years, I'm going to have to go this retreat, but it wasn't in the stars this year.

Elysbeth said...

How did it go? Did you have a marvelous time? Brain overload?