Phew!

G'day all!

Well the conference is over and done with. We have learned a few things about what works and what doesn't, and what can be improved (eg having an MC who can get everyone's attention easily and remembers to say GO loudly! LOL).

I also had some reminders about me. I've noticed in the blogging world, a lot of the northerners (and I am not talking banana benders from Queensland here!) out there are feeling rather introspective. I saw it happen last year, and when I read back through some blogs, it happened the year before. I guess it is because of a long winter and a need for spring to be sprung. I'm also seeing in it some local blogs. No excuse about a long winter here!

This is probably my most introspective part of the year too, but not because of winter, more because we are losing the long days of summer which I adore. Sunset is going backwards at a great rate of knots - about 5 minutes a day it seems. Winter has its own delights, but spring and summer are the best for me.

Then throw in a couple of days where I wander around seeing other people getting along famously and me on the outer... well it is normal! I am not the same sort of person as a lot of my workmates seem to be. I have never been Dr Popular, nor have I really wanted to. I can't be stuffed putting in the effort and doing the wheeling and dealing needed. I am not an extravert and don't want to be either. I can say that none of them understand my love of knitting and spinning. As far as I can see, none of them do any craft at all. If I knit with them around, they see it as rude. I am unable to convey to them the fact that I tend to get more chatty when I am knitting rather than less (unless I am doing something I have to think about). Their idea of a good time is loud music and lots of grog. (I admit that a few of them on Friday night said stuff this and went back to their rooms early cos their ears hurt.) I like different things. I like knitting and spinning and quieter music and conversation about silly things. I like playing with colour and dyeing stuff, not that I get much chance at present. I love growing stuff, ornamentals and practical things like vegies and fruit. I love getting in the car and going Someplace Else. I love finding new and different plants, whether in the bush or in a nursery. As long as I had my basic needs met, I'd be quite happy wandering around the country looking at stuff. I get excited about finding Pterostylis in our backyard! Yep, native orchids in our back yard! Nathan was looking at his plants when he saw some interesting looking leaves. (the house blog will have pics later tonight). We are excited but I am pretty sure that if I said to my boss tomorrow we found native orchids in our backyard, she'd say "that's nice!" in that fake sort of way and note it down as another odd thing about Lynne...

So what I am saying, in a rather round about way, is that like quite a number of other bloggers out there, it is great to find other people who like doing things other than watching the TV all day long or dragging around shopping malls or gossiping about who is shagging whom or whatever it is that these people do to pass their days. I'm not saying I don't watch the telly, or drag around malls or even gossip about people, but it is not what drives me. Creating colourful things in part drives me. Finding other like minded souls drives me. Finding ways to make a difference drives me. That is probably why I trawl the blogs for up to two hours a day. It's a lonely business working in a big corporate - you would think I'd find others to knit with but nope! Too corporate. I guess, and I hate using this word but it fits the situation, I am validated by other people who also get excited by yarn. I may be somewhat of a loner, but I still need people. So instead of finding them locally, cos they are a bit thin on the ground here (my knit buds are great but I can't live in their pockets), I look elsewhere.

If I ever get the chance, I will come and visit, bringing my enormous bag of gluten-free and dairy-free goodies behind me (trust me, it will be much larger than my clothes bag, and half the size of the suitcase for the yarn and fleece, LOL).

Oh and a reminder - big party early in November, most likely my place, cos I turn (mumble).

Competition


Get your guesses in for how much colourful sock yarn I have by hmm, let's say Monday night at midnight californian time. I'm guessing that that time will be the equivalent of about umm 6pm or so here on Tuesday, which is when I'll be reading email :-) The pic was in the last post. The prize? Enough hand-dyed (by yours truly) sock yarn to make a pair of socks in colours to your taste (unless you insist on black and white, cos I don't do black and white, or browns, cos I don't do browns either yet). If you don't do socks, I'll dye up two 50g balls of worsted/sportweight or DK or as we call it here 8 ply. (It won't have 8 plies in it)

Do you want to see what I am currently knitting? No? Well look away now.

Yes?

OK. Here's a bit of a melange of stuff


A sock - better picture later.

A stupid hat I knitted in about 90 minutes last week.


Some yarn I spun last night. Looks much nicer in daylight than it did under incandescent light - it looked plasticine purple last night. I think there might be some mohair in this blend co it has extra fuzzy bits.


A new sock! I'll show a better pic next time of it. Some bright and happy wool I am practising continental knitting with. So far so good. A muppet roadkill scarfy thing on 25mm needles - that is an inch diameter, folks! Even the poor old budgie (parakeet) would not be able to get his claws around this. Continental knitting again on the scarfy thing. Throwing the yarn around such honking big needles is impossible.


A sock, finished (almost, minus the heel) on the train last night. Do you like the colours?


How about Nathan's new African shirt? Is it groovy?


I am a bit worried about the things that look like sperm on it. M thought Nathan was joshing him when he said "I want one of those shirts - where can I get one?" Nathan also got a haircut - the guy did it with a comb and a razor - apparently the hair dresser got a lot of practice in the refugee camps....

That is well and truly your lot for the evening! I started this 12 hours ago and now Blogger is being naughty and it is time to go to bed! I have another full week of work ahead of me. We have to unpack the remainders of the conference stuff for starters.

anon!

Comments

  1. Anonymous6:53 am

    It sounds as though many of your workmates are typical in the sense that they are shallow and not very interesting. You're the interesting one! Remember that when they make you feel outside. I get like that too, and then I say to myself, why would I want to hang out with them?

    You've been BUSY on the fiber front whew. All so pretty and fun.

    As to your sock stash...I'll say 38 skeins.

    ReplyDelete
  2. If you come visit, your bag of gf/df goodies will be welcomed, but we will also walk over to the Wedge Co-op and buy gf/df muffins and some gf mini eclairs and perhaps a gf mini truffle cake.. :)

    I feel much the same re: my co-workers as you do yours. Good thing we have our virtual community, eh?

    Love your orange/yellowy sock - how cheery!

    Ok, I'm guess 71 skeins of sock yarn. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My work colleagues think I'm nuts/boring/weird delete as appropriate. Even weirder than you because I don't watch tv! I don't care though because I'm doing what I enjoy. You and your bags are welcome to come vist me anytime. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:14 pm

    Thank goodness we don't have to worry about what the co-workers think. They don't know what they're missing!

    I'm guessing you have around 70 balls of yarn, but around 52 if you're only counting the coloured ones.

    ReplyDelete
  5. God, I should know this, having been instrumental in the gathering of some of those skeins!

    Umm.... I'll guess.... 54 skeins.

    And you're right about the knitting at work thing - I got more than a few odd looks when I started bringing my knitting to the occasional two-weekly team meeting, but it actually really helps me focus and concentrate. On the whole, I have been more productive and contributed a lot more when I've been knitting during those meetings.

    And I don't wanna be introspective. It's scary in there!

    ReplyDelete
  6. OK, I'm going to say 56 balls/skeins. And as for labels - well, Lornas Laces and handdyed, but not sure what else.

    After reading about your horrible workplace I admit to being grateful for "not working" and for having inlaws who are as obsessed with things crafty as me. Plus now doing Studio Stitch Textiles at Box Hill TAFE means I spend one day a week with a whole room of people who are as obsessed too! Funnily enough, though, when I worked in libraries a great many people knitted or did other textilely things (and a number of SnBers are ex-librarians).

    My inlaws would also be excited about your native orchids.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous2:31 pm

    Poularity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I think I prefer to be 'popular' with my friends, rather than people I just know!!!
    I a lucky that all of my friends like craft in one or more of its incarnations...so we always have something interesting to share!!!
    Yopu have so many things on the go!! I usually have as well, but I only have 3 at the moment : very slack of me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. So many of us identify precisely with what you've just posted. I could have written all of that :-) I think we're very lucky we have this great global community of like-minded individuals. I do feel somewhat sorry for those whose idea of fun (and the limit of what they do, quite often), is going out drinking and getting totally pished. I find it a very negative thing to be doing. I love to create and to enjoy the process. I think I surprised someone at work last week when I mentioned knitting for charity (my idea for "Lent" was not giving something up for a few weeks and then going back to exactly the old bad habits - rather why not DO something positive and creative). The fact I'd give up my off time to do stuff like that takes people aback, let alone the fact I knit anyway :-) It's a different story when they see something you've made and you know they'd love one by their reaction *grin*.

    Anyway - knitters rock :-)

    ReplyDelete

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