Scattered Thoughts

 Happy St. Patrick's Day. Neal is cooking corned beef and cabbage for tonight's dinner. We have Guinness chilling in the fridge. I bought an Irish soda bread because the boys like it. We're not Irish. And corned beef and cabbage isn't either. The Irish adopted this food from their Jewish neighbors when they were living side by side in the lower East side generations ago. Fact! 

I got my first dose of my COVID vaccine on Saturday. It had to be one of the happiest days of this year. I was truly surprised that I was contacted to get this gift. I grabbed the chance to take it. My arm got slightly sore in the evening and I had some headaches for a day or two but I just popped Tylenol like I was told. I know after the second one that I may have a stronger reaction. I would rather have the side effects than COVID. Neal goes on Thursday. The boys do not qualify which makes me sad but maybe since things are picking up, they will be able to get vaccinated by summer. 

 

Everyone asks "What are you going to do once you are fully vaccinated and waited the two weeks after the last dose?" I don't know. Maybe have a cup of tea or a glass of wine with my friend across the street without masks on? Finally be able to visit my mother in Florida? I miss having breakfast at the diner and as the weather gets warmer and they put up a tent for outdoor dining, maybe that will happen. I have two friends who want to do that, too. I am not ready to go into a restaurant yet. I feel that it will take me a while mentally to realize that I am protected. 

 

I have been knitting and have too many projects going at once. First, in order to meet a challenge proposed by my group, KnitTalk, I am supposed to knit something blue or containing blue by March 30th. I finally started a baby sweater for my friend's second grandson who will be due in May. It's a new pattern for me using bulky yarn. I should have it done by the deadline. I joined a KAL for The Little Red Dress. I started the dress on Sunday and it's going fast. I finaly finished Ben's Spider Socks. I started the Hue Shift Afghan but will pick it up again after the baby sweater and the red dress. I promised my friend Maddy a pair of socks and picked out the yarn. I also started a surprise pair for Elijah for his new adventure in Albany. I also need to find yarn for Powder Wrap since what I had wasn't the right yarn. This is the kind of busy I like. 

I started to have issues with my sleep. I have been waking up in the morning around 4:30 for the past few night. I can attribute it to either looking at my phone before I go to bed, stres, or the little bit of coffee ice cream I had. I plan on not looking at my phone, going to bed at the same time every night, and tracking my sleep on my WW app. I tracked last night and saw that even with a 20 minute wake-up, I got over seven hours of sleep. Seeing that allayed my anxiety about the whole situation. I have always been the best sleeper. I could sleep on a rock so this is really weird for me. That's it. It felt good writing this all down.

I Think I am Back!

It has been quite a long time since I posted anything on this blog. That may be a good thing. The last few years were full of anger that is just starting to dissipate or change into more of an emotion that makes me want to act for change. I have discovered Craftivism and am just learning what I can do with my crafty ways to make a change in this world. I have unfriended people on Facebook who have insulted what I consider guaranteed rights for all citizens. The last administration has scared the shit out of me and I am still afraid of the hatred that has been unleashed by the rhetoric spewed. January 6th was the worst. I hope you are all well. It will be the one year anniversary since this pandemic started. I still remember the very first days of lockdown, sitting at my dining room table doing jigsaw puzzles, reading, knitting, and trying to hold it together. It was very frightening and I had no idea how bad it would be. I kept thinking that it would be over in May, by my birthday. I can have a good chuckle about that now. I remember how stressed I was going to the supermarket and wearing a mask for the first time and gloves because the CDC wasn't sure how the virus was spread. (As I am writing this I feel as if I am writing a science fiction story.)I wouldn't let Neal go because his immune system was compromised by medication. Elijah was still at school and we were just hoping there would be a graduation in May. There wasn't. This was the one thing that made me sob. But here we are now. Three vaccines are being utilized. The asshole is out of office. The governor who was lauded for his daily pandemic conferences is now being investigated for nursing home deaths and sexual harrassment. Most of the people we know are fine right now. We still wear masks and sometimes two masks due to the variants. We know how the virus spreads so I don't wear gloves anymore. I actually don't go anywhere anymore except to get food. We won't go into a restaurant but we'll take in. We can't wait for the warmer weather so we can meet our friends outside. Human contact has become a more of an event than ever before. And I continue to knit. And to have gratitude of all I have to keep me safe and sound. Stay well.

One Year and Three Weeks

I have been retired for 386 days.
It's life changing.
Sometimes I can't believe it but it's true.
Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

I smile for no particular reason. I don't feel the grips of stress from when I was working or even now because I would have to go back to work. I now consider myself a work-in-progress. I have time to volunteer for things without resenting the time it took away from me. It makes a big difference. I'm trying to be a better person by helping others when in the past I wouldn't because of the time factor. Sometimes I think I have too much time but I am learning to deal with it.

Just checking in.
Loving this new life.
Taking time for me and everyone else.
Time is on my side.

Retirement...2018

I've been retired since July 1, 2017.
I've been so chill since July 1, 2017.
I can't believe I'm not working since July 1, 2017.
I can't believe how much stress my commute generated.
I can't believe how my sons comment on how much happier I am.
I can't believe it.

Everyone now asks me, "So, what do you do now that you are retired? Do you make the bed everyday? Do you cook every night? Do you get bored?"

You can never get bored when you are retired because all the things you never had time to do when you were working are now easily done. Whether it's cleaning, organizing, cooking, bill paying, reading, knitting, socializing, it's done. And there's no rush to squeeze it all in a weekend.

I do make the bed but sometimes I miss a day here and there.

I do cook but not every night. Neal is the most amazing cook and he loves to cook the way I love to knit.

I am so fucking happy it's sick.

I am reading books and really savoring them.

I am knitting and knitting and knitting.

I am sad to look back on the stress I was experiencing and how it contaminated my family. I was tired, angry, frustrated.

I met with my former colleagues. Things are worse especially for special education. One of my former students writes me every so often. She was from that period 8 class that was the very best class I ever had.

I worked almost 36 years. I worked my ass off. I'm now sitting on that ass and smiling.

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

As promised, here is my big news. I am retiring from teaching. Yep. I am hanging up my dry erase markers and my bathroom key. After 35 years + of teaching special education, this hipknitta is calling it quits. Part of the reason is due to the fact that special education is turning into a lose-lose situation for both the students and the teachers. The self-contained classroom is being eliminated. Students who can barely read are going to be placed in a general education class with two teachers. The curriculum is to be differentiated so that all students can understand it. This year I had self-contained students whose reading abilities ranged from kindergarten up to sixth grade. They will all be placed in a team teaching earth science class next semester. You cannot find this work on such a low level. This really upsets me. These students would do so well if they were kept in a self-contained class for earth science. I'm teaching them living environment (biology) and I wish it was three semesters instead of two. I don't expect the lowest students to pass the New York State Regents but I want to give the others a fighting chance. We gave a measure of student learning exam in October and then a follow-up in May. It broke my heart to see these kids take a 9th grade exam when they can barely read or write past a 4th grade level.

Those are just a few of the reasons that I decided to leave. Obviously, financial aspects play a big part in my decision. I'll be bringing home a paycheck similar to the one I am bringing home now. Why should I continue to commute everyday for the same pay?

Here is the list of reasons why I am retiring:
1. Special ed kids are being fucked royally and the blame will be placed on the teachers who have absolutely no say in their education.
2. Parents are so fucking disrespectful to teachers that it's become scary. Their students are never wrong. It's always the teacher.
3. I work for assholes. I nicknamed one administrator "The Pedophile". Yes. You read that right. Yes. Reports have been made. Yes. She's still working in my school. I absolutely hate her. If I saw her touch my sons the way I observed her touch the boys, I would be on her like white on rice.
4. I work for an asshole who is a bully. He has no idea what he is doing but he takes the side of the students no matter what. However, if you question him, he can't handle it.
5. I was told by another administrator once, after a parent harassed me to the point where she was no longer allowed to contact me, "You don't feel safe anymore, do you?" Bitch, please. I'll never forget you saying that to me. You have major issues especially when you stop me in the hallway and ask me how are you doing as an administrator. It's like Ed Koch was reincarnated.
6. Thugs are coming into the once highly rated school. See #4. He takes their side. These are nasty, disturbed kids. They say to the teachers, "I can get you fired!" (See #3. She protects these shits)
7. Danielson. Charlotte Danielson did not want her rubric to become a tool for teacher evaluations but guess what? It did. When I am observed with my self-contained class, I am constantly told that I am not asking higher level questions. Excuse me! Did any of you assholes read their IEPs? My principal looked at my students' notebooks and told me that they were a mess. He was worried about what their parents would think? I told him that I give the kids pre-printed notes and that their parents probably know that the kids can't write. (See the paragraph about the students who can barely read)
8. It's time. Let the newer teachers help these children. I still have energy. I still have great ideas but I am tired of being denigrated by those who know nothing about my subject area.
9. The MOSL-total bullshit. A lot of our schools are doing away with it. Why are we still doing it? Is it because this is what the asshole in #3 does? We never see her doing anything.
10. The winters. I hate waking up on a snowy/icy day and worry whether or not I should drive in to work. It really messes me up.
11. I'm still waiting for someone with a teaching degree and experience to be involved in making policy that actually makes sense and is relevant.
12. I'm still happy. I'm not bitter. I still like my job. I want to be like Derek Jeter and go out on top with whatever reputation I have still intact.

That about sums it up. I am sure I can think of a few other reasons but I want to leave when I am still "young" and healthy.

Hipknitta as teacher-out. (drop mike)

YO! YO! YO! HIPKNITTA HERE!

So how long has it been since I have posted on this blog? TOO FUCKING LONG! So let me make this short and sweet. I will be making a big personal announcement on Tuesday and that announcement will directly affect the rate of posting I will be doing on this blog. I am still in love with knitting and everything fiber and arty. I still love beads and shiny things. I still love writing but haven't been doing much of that...no, DUH.

Let's just say life has been interesting and that I am looking forward to the changes that are on the horizon!

Quick Knitting For This Hipknitta

I've been busy and neglectful of my blog. But I've been knitting. My friend was selling some of her stash and let me tell you, she had a lot to sell which made me realize that she probably had tons more that she wasn't selling. I picked up two skeins of Noro Kuryeon for $5.00 each. One was #149 which looks like this:

and the other was #102 which looks like this:

.

I decided to make the Maine Morning Mitts designed by Clara Parks. One pair is for Ben and the other is for his girlfriend. (I like this one!) This is a quick and satisfying knit. It goes so fast. I finished one mitt in about 2 hours. I highly recommend this pattern. Now, the purpose of this pattern is to use it with yarns like Noro which are beautuful yet a bit expensive. The two mitts will not be identical because you are using only one skein of the yarn. That's how Clara designed this pattern. If you need to have both mitts identical, you would have to buy two skeins of the same color. I finished one of the girlfriend's mitts last night and will do the other one today. It's a small project so you can carry it around with you. I highly recommend this. It's on Ravelry.If you look on my project page, hipknitta, you will see one of Ben's mitts.


Happy New Year. Happy Knitting.

A New Knitting Book: KNITTED Wraps & Cover-ups by Annie Modesitt

I got this once in a lifetime opportunity to review a brand new knitting book and I grabbed it. The main reason is because I love the designer/author Annie Modesitt. Why? Well, if you ever get a chance to take a workshop with this person, sign up immediately and you'll understand why I love this person.She is so much fun to learn from. Annie has a wonderful sense of humor and is wonderfully creative. She has published amazing patterns in almost every major knitting magazine. She has written quite a few books of which I own.Her first book, Confessions of a Knitting Heretic has a place of honor in our powder room. I know what you are thinking but this is where serious reading goes on. My husband has his baseball statistics book, recent copies of Consumer Reports, and two National Audubon Society guidebooks for trees of the northeast and weather. Annie's book is entertaining and informative. It deserves a spot in the "office".

I was so excited when Annie's book arrived. The cover is graced with her daughter wearing a white cabled poncho set with matching hat and gauntlets. The set is knitted with bulky weight yarn. It is amazing looking. The directions include charts, a schematic of the poncho with measurements and tips. Don't let the word chart scare you away from making this set or any other pattern that has a chart. In the beginning of the book, Annie invites the reader/knitter "in" with her introduction and the thoughts that went into writing this book. The 24 designs include boleros, capes, shrugs, crop tops, ruanas, ponchos and scarves. There is such a variety of projects that you will definitely find one to knit for yourself or for someone else who is deserving of your knitting talents. The designs in this book show the sophistication of small knitting projects to provide a satisfying knit and beautiful results. The patterns include a variety of sizes which for this knitter is a good thing. (I once saw a knitting book that only had designs from small to large. Forget it if you were extra-large!)

There is such a variety of patterns in Knitted Wraps & Cover-Ups. From the different yarns to the different projects, it's like a buffet for knitters. Some of my favorites that are added to my "to knit" list are the Log Cabin Cardigan which is so unique and cozy looking, the Mitered Ruana with its beautiful fit over the shoulders, and the Cross Body Wrap & Scarf which can be worn in a variety of ways. I see gifts for members of my family. I believe my nieces would love either the Lace Knit Shrug or the Funnel Neck Twisted Float Armery which was previewed on Facebook and my first reaction was that it looked so warm and cozy to wear.

Kitted Wraps & Cover Ups is a wonderful resource not only for Annie Modesitt's designs but for techniques and chart reading. This is a very user friendly book. It allows the knitter to knit the way she wants to as long as she gets the results needed for the pattern. There is also a visual index for a quick reference to the patterns but you will want to peruse this book at a leisurely pace to really enjoy the work of Annie Modesitt. This hipknitta recommends this book...I give it 2 needles!

I'm An Artist!

I don't consider myself an artist. I guess I can be called a fiber artist because I do create with fiber but I think of an artist as someone who paints, sculpts, or makes big-ass things. Today I was called an artist...by an artist. It's amazing how that label made me feel. I stood up straighter and all of a sudden felt part of a larger group of creative people. I ran into a woman, Donna, who I know from various teams my sons and her son have been on together. Donna is an artist. She has studio space outside of her home. She paints. She, in my world, is legit. She is funny and I am secretly in awe of her talents. But today, Donna called me an artist. We talked about selling stuff and getting holiday things ready now so we can sell them effortlessly at holiday time. But she called me an artist. She talked to me about a new website to sell my stuff. She asked about my knitting because that's what I did during those games we sat through. So I guess one doesn't have to paint, sculpt, or make big-ass things to be an artist. I sort of knew this but I never said it out loud. Donna did.

Walking away from our very pleasant time together, I felt very energized as if my creative energy was buzzing to get out. I felt lighter and empowered. Could these few words make such a difference? That's something for me to watch for.

I have been knitting like my life depends upon it. My hands missed holding those needles when I was studying for my last exam. I finished a small scarf called Helsinki and started a pair of socks for Ben's senior year. I feel so great when I am knitting. I've also been doing a lot more reading of blogs and websites about knitting. The internet is so perfect for that. It keeps me fresh and excited for my next project. I'm trying very hard NOT to get startitis. I'm keeping to a maximum of 2 knitting projects at one time.

I've also been reading like a fiend as well. Nothing too heavy but to hold a book that isn't about phlebotomy or EKG is a pleasure.

It's good to be back.

I'm an artist. Donna said so.

I AM ON SUMMER BREAK!

Hello yarn! Hello knitting needles! Hello patterns! Hello everything knitting. I missed you so much. I've been busy. I've been working at my job as a teacher. Then I decided that I wanted to see what it would be like to work in the health field so I took a phlebotomy/EKG course. I am now a certified phlebotomist. I am waiting to see if I will also be a certified EKG technician. The results should arrive any day now. While I was studying for my exams, I would think about knitting and get such a feeling of joy. When I needed a break I would look at the patterns on Ravelry and save patterns in my library. I have tons of patterns in my library and the fact that I would eventually have time to knit any one I want when my exams were over. Well, that time has arrived. THE HIPKNITTA IS BACK WITH A VENGENCE!

It took me a few days to get back into the groove once my school year ended. I was surprised that I did not grab my knitting and start right away. I had to decompress and get into the zone. Yesterday, I got into the zone. I started an afghan but I needed some clarification on the directions. The friend who also made it left for Italy yesterday. Then I frogged the Catkin that I started years ago. I bought Periwinkle Sheep yarn in a tonal blue and a brown color. I couldn't stand the Catkin so I decided to repurpose the fiber. I bought a book, Free Spirit Shawls by Lisa Shroyer. I found one pattern, Basilica, which I started this morning. I realized that there wasn't enough contrast between the two colors. So I ripped that out and started Helsinki. The pattern works well with these two colors. So I sat on the couch, this first official day of my vacation, and knitted until I had to walk Shadow. I am so back. It feels great.

It's March...What Progress Has Been Made?

I just looked at my January blog post and whoa! I totally forgot all about that! I reread it and winced when I saw what I wrote, especially the part where I said that I will post two times a week. Okay, I didn't do anything on that list. I did lose about 4 pounds but I didn't exercise. I didn't get creative for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. I am reading before I go to bed almost nightly. I usually conk out after 2 or 3 pages but it's reading and it's a book! We didn't get an exercise bike yet and that's our fault. But I did go out of my comfort zone.

This February, I decided to take a phlebotomy class at BOCES. I always wanted to work in health care. I wanted to be a doctor when I went to college. I realized that I wasn't that great a student once I saw those pre-meds in my bio classes. But I always loved science. I am the team teacher in science at my school. I love it and I think getting back into it led me down this path. I wanted to work in a lab but you need to get a whole new bachelor's degree for that and I don't want to do that. So how about sticking a needle in someone's arm and drawing blood? Why not?

I must admit that the idea of drawing blood scared me. I wanted to bolt out of that classroom during the first class but I didn't. The book learning part isn't hard. It's easy and interesting but once we started actually drawing blood...I was drawn in. I couldn't believe that I actually did it on real person! I didn't get queasy or scared. I felt for the vein, stuck the needle in, attached the evacuated tube and there she went! I was hooked.

My plan is to try to work over the summer as a phlebotomist hopefully at a hospital. I would like to do it part-time and then transition into it as I get closer and closer to retiring from teaching. I think I could rock some scrubs and some Crocs!

So the big question is: what's with me and needles?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. A new year signifies new beginnings. Another chance to get something right. A signal to improve oneself. Or just happy new year. The news is full of ways for us to keep the resolutions we make. I haven't made any but seeing the news reports got me thinking. What can I do differently this year? There are obvious ones like losing weight and exercising more. But to be able to stick to my resolutions I have to be more specific. So here's some specifics:
1)I will lose 10 pounds by March
2)I will walk three times a week BUT if we get an exercise bike (for Elijah) then that will count as well

OK...health resolutions are out of the way. Easy to write, harder to keep but I will try. No wait. I will do it Using the word "try" means just that. You will try but it doesn't necessarily mean you will be successful. I want to be successful.

Now for the creative part of this resolution thing: I am happiest when I am doing something with my hands, mind and eyes. Sometimes at work I think about knitting and I get happy. Happiness sparks my creativity and being more
creative makes me happy. It's a wonderful loop to be in. I want to be in it forever! It makes me less bitchy. I'm easier to live with. I laugh more easily. You get the message, right? So here's some creatively-slanted resolutions which are subject to change:
1)I will do something creative at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
2)I will design my first shawl/shawlette and post it on Ravelry (no timeframe on this one but I will do it by the end of the year)
3)I will research, pick people's brains and step out of my comfort zone to sell my creations.
4)I will read more books (not just on vacations) and write more blog posts (at least twice a month)
5)I will keep my eyes and mind opened.

Hey, I like these resolutions. I believe this will make me smile more which means feeling happier which means it lights up parts of my brain and makes me feel alive.

Happy New Year!
Here's some previous results of my creativity!

Still Keeping Calm...

Just a short post. Work is getting to me. One of my supervisors sucks. Her opinions and observations of me are inaccurate. She does not take any criticism. I thought it was only me feeling this way but it is the majority of the staff. Even those young teachers are perplexed by her behavior. I have tried speaking to her but her famous line is "We agree to disagree". I found out that she was placed in my school as "a favor". In education talk that means she probably had to be removed from her former post for various reasons and placed somewhere else. I know what the reasons are. She doesn't know that I was at the wedding of her former principal. She doesn't know that I know what she tried to do. However, I will maintain my professionalism throughout this "crisis". It is a small speck in this great universe of my life.

I have started to bring knitting to work. I knit during the end of my day. It has made me a better person. It has destressed me. I am counting down the days. I usually don't do this.

Knit on.

The End of a Tough Week...

I was so glad today was Friday. It's been a tough week for this hipknitta. First on Monday, I was 15 minutes late to work. Don't ask why. I just was. I pulled up my big girl pants and clocked it in. I didn't argue. I didn't whine or complain. I was late. It did put my nose a little out of joint for the rest of the day but I think it was because I was definitely tired from the weekend. I had to get up at 5:30 every morning to get my son to the bus for the debate tournament. By 1:30 in the afternoon, I thought it was around 4:00. By Monday, it caught up with me.

On Thursday, I cracked the screen on my 3 month old smartphone. Don't ask how did I do that. I just did. My screen was 75% black. I ran to Best Buy and found out that my insurance deductible was $149! I won't be getting a new phone for 1-5 days. How much do you want to bet that it would be 5 days? I can still use the phone with my car's bluetooth but I can't unlock it, get messages, etc. I will be sucking up that deductible when the new phone comes in. I was so pissed but I must admit that I did not miss the phone too much today.

Finally, I read one of my observation reports from my assistant principal. She came into my class during the last 15 minutes over a month ago. She claimed that I was "insensitive to my student's needs" because I told a student to "Just adapt" to a seating situation. Me? Insensitive? I almost cried! That's how "insensitive" I was! I will be meeting with her on Monday to ask to have that subjective term taken out of my observation. We were supposed to meet withing 24 hours after the observation but that never happened. I can barely remember the reason why I said what I said. Me? Insensitive?

After my third attempt at trying to find this woman, I gave up and went to the teacher's lounge. Since I didn't have a phone to "play" with, I had my knitting along. I knitted a few rows on a pair of socks that I am making for Ben. My tension slowly slipped away and I felt a lot better. Knitting is my drug.

When Work Interferes With Knitting

I haven't knitted in over 2 weeks. I was working on a baby sweater and the baby was born on Tuesday. After texting congratulations to the new grandmother I added, "Gotta finish his gift" to which she thanked me for. Started socks for Ben. Barely made it past the ribbing. Feeling slightly guilty. But work interfered with my knitting. Someone once told me that he made himself knit for at least 30 minutes a day, like exercise. I think my health care professionals would prefer me to exercise for 30 minutes a day and I'm not talking about my hands. So how do I stop work from interfering with my knitting and overall creativity? Maybe I should schedule 30 minutes a day. Wait. Am I talking about knitting or exercising? Let me set my priorities straight.

I desperately need to exercise. I've been told my my doctor that I should and a cardiologist about 4 years ago. No, I don't have a heart problem but she recommended that I should start doing this. Maybe I should schedule 30 minutes a day for exercising, like walking and then knitting later as a reward for exercising?

Oh about work? I should really try to do as much as possible there, not at home.

I'll let you know how it goes.

My Second Career

I have been working for over 30 years. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. "Walk into the light, Carol Ann." I do want to walk into that light and I have been thinking,"What will I do then?" For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I feel the need to start looking for a new career. Ideally I would like to do something part time that would generate some decent bucks. It's all about the Benjamins, right? Since I have a BS in Biology, I am naturally drawn to science-y stuff. I also wanted to work in a hospital setting. Don't know why. Maybe I am a frustrated doctor but I would really like to try that. So I got it in my head that I would work in a laboratory doing whatever. I thought it would be a nice change from being in front of a classroom constantly talking. There wouldn't be any work to take home. It would all be left there. However, I was clueless. I had no idea how people became lab techs. I thought you just apply and the place trains you. That's a big N-O! After doing my initial research, I found out that I would haveto get another BS in Clinical Lab Specialist. Ok...still not so bad. I was a biology major (x amount of years ago) and not all of my courses are obsolete, are they? I was asked to send in an unofficial transcript to one college and they will determine what I would need to take to enter their program (other than the fat tuition). I called another place where I could do distance learning and then I could intern in my area since they are located in Brooklyn. However, I would be unable to sit for the qualifying certification exam since my BS was not in the right area. OK, scratch that. Then I looked up how to be a phlebotomist. I imagined myself sticking someone with a needle. I think I could do that. Blood doesn't bother me. I think the sticking part will bother me more but I could get over it. So I made some calls about that. I'm interested in a summer program so I have to call again in March for the summer schedule. I'm just glad I'm thinking about it and actually doing something about it. My next step is to contact my local hospital and see what advice they can give me. The worst thing they can say is NO!

My other second career is creating beautiful things from knitting. However, it's not the most lucrative thing I can do and it's not generating a decent amount of income but I'm still not discouraged. I just listed 3 new pairs of handknitted earrings and got 17 views in less than 3 hours. It really made me feel good. One pair was favorited by a person who I found out later sold beads. I guess she's hoping I become a customer of hers! She lives in the Czech Republic. I don't think so. The fact that people look at my stuff makes me want to create more. I know my designs are offbeat but that's what makes them mine. They are different. Who wants to wear the same thing that everyone else is wearing? Okay. Sometimes I want to wear what everyone else is wearing but not all the time. So if you are reading this, please take a look at my etsy shop. The link is right over there...to the right. Let me know what you think. This hipknitta wants to keep busy.

Mojo MIssing

I've lost my mojo. I don't want to use the words "burnt out" but my creative juices aren't flowing. I feel bad neglecting my blog. I feel bad about not enjoying my knitting right now but that be due to the project I am working on or just my mood. My mojo is waning. Maybe it's this winter. I am so sick of snow. We had another foot yesterday. Where the hell do I live? Definitely not in the mountains! We have colder temperatures and probably more snow than Sochi. I have lost 4 days of work due to the weather. I don't like to do that. I am actually feeling guilty about missing today. Not much I can do. The snow plows have undid all of the hard work I did yesterday. I walked over to my car today after shoveling the driveway AGAIN. When I saw the snow pushed up to my front bumper, I just said, "What the fuck!" I called in my absence.

So how do I get my creative juices running again? First, I have been spending a lot of time of Ravelry looking at patterns. That has been helped a lot. It even has me thinking of writing my own pattern for something and posting it. Then I started to think about all of the things I want to knit after I finish something I am obligated to knit. This includes my Samba Shawlette, socks for Ben, a slouchy hat for me, my mother's shawl and a new afghan. I'm not loving my present project which is a gift for someone so I can't write the details. When it is finished, I will post it on Ravelry.

Actually, writing about my mojo has been pretty helpful. Cathartic. I missed writing. Sorry for letting my followers down. See you all soon.

Did I Really Fail?

Okay...it's been way to long since I last posted but my work life interfered with my real life. Let me put it this way: It was the worst year of teaching that I have ever had in my long career. On the last day of school, I happily skipped out of that place, laid low for a week and realized that I am drinking a lot less caffeine than ever before. I have one cup of tea in the morning and that is it! I use to have 3-4 cups each day. I also gave up artificial sweeteners. No, this hipknitta is not pregnant. I saw some interesting facts that led me to give them up. I am good. And yes, I am still continuing my weight loss journey. Nine pounds and I lost 6 of them after I gave up the sweeteners!

Let's continue the thread about knitting and weight loss. When I knit, I don't eat. I do drink lots of water and yes, you have to put those needles down to get rid of the water but I have noticed that keeping my hands busy makes a difference. I also try to snack on fruits and veggies. I no longer have chips and pretzels in the house so if you think about it, a bag of chips that are not on sale can be around $3.49. I can take that money and buy a skein of yarn at a craft store or at KnitPicks. Which lasts longer? Chips or yarn? You get it? It's just adjusting the mental process. Also, another thing I learned is not to let yourself get super hungry! Eat every 3-4 hours. Snacks, meals...it works.

My big downfall is not exercising. It's been incredibly hot where I live and my goal is to start walking (without the dog because he hampers my progress with all that sniffing and marking his territory). My goal was to reach 10 pounds by the time my son's visiting day at camp arrives and I think it's going to happen. I can't believe I did it. I have a tendency to give up. Hopefully, I'll hit it this week. I try to do some dancing in the house when I am by myself just to get the heart pumping. Overall, I'm pleased with my results. Remember, listening to music and knitting puts you in the best of moods. One other thing I discovered was listening to books on these little players I got from the library. I'm presently listening to a book about getting rid of stress to open up one's creative side more.

Speaking of being creative, I participated in a flea market today. This is where the title came from. I did not sell one thing except some clay things my kids made years ago to 2 little girls. I had beaded jewelry, handknitted jewelry, baby sweaters and those damn ruffle scarves that everyone and their mother told me that their friends made them one. Did I mention that it was brutally hot? I believe that the weather was a detriment to people coming out. I wish I stayed home in the cool confines of my humble abode. My husband hung with me for a while and told me that I should be proud of my stuff and "Look, honey, no one else is selling anything either because no one is here!" I still wanted to sell things. I wanted to walk away with less items and more cash in my pocket. I wanted to send my things home with other people so they can enjoy it. I did get lots of compliments on my work which I truly appreciated. It's hard to be objective. The jewelry glistened in the hot July sun. But seriously, who wanted to look at scarves and baby sweaters in this weather? I didn't even want to touch them after awhile.

So did I fail? Selling? Yes! Gaining experience? No! I realized I have a large inventory and I am going to pursue craft fairs in the fall. After drinking a caffeinated ice coffee and getting that caffeine high, I wrote down a list of changes to make and am pretty psyched about it. So this hipknitta will get her shrinking ass in gear and start making changes.

Here's a list of some great music to listen to while knitting:
Rolling Stones (I am a big fan and when I listen to them while knitting, I just hear new things in their old songs. Read Keith's bio!)
Jazz-we lost our jazz station on the radio so I listen to CD's or find something online.
Beatles-fun to sing along and knit to...
Classical music-for some reason I like listening to this on a Sunday morning with a cup of tea by my side.

Hope this helps.

No Memory

Last week I wrote a whole blog about how I'm going to use my knitting to help me lose weight. Well, how did I do? It's like I never even wrote the blog! I completely forgot to knit my half an hour a day to prevent me from doing my after work munch out. In fact, I did very little knitting! Why? Because I didn't make it a priority which in turn means that I didn't make myself a priority! My job has become very stressful. When I get stressed out, what do I like to do? Eating is high on the list of activities. My second choice would be to sleep. There's nothing like lying down, closing one's eyes and just drift off. When one wakes up, it's as if my brain got reorganized and I can cope a lot better. (Sleep deprivation probably adds to my stress because this hipknitta does not get enough sleep. This is something I definitely have to work on!) While at work, I was talking to a woman who I know exercises. She told me that exercising is her release especially when she is stressed. She plans her whole day around going to the gym. That concept sounds great but it is so foreign to me. How many times have I canceled plans for myself to do something for one of my boys or my husband? Yes, I am a total stereotype of putting everyone's needs ahead of my own. I have to become more conscious about it and make me the main priority. Happy mom...happy family.

Getting back to knitting...when I am knitting it's as if I am getting a rush of endorphins through my brain. My mind starts to wonder and conjure up these interesting thoughts and images. I truly get lost in my own world. I know this is something runners get when they are working out. I wish I could run and knit. My doctor would love to see that! I don't eat when I knit. I do drink tea, water or seltzer but I do not eat. See? If I come home from a stressful day, ideally I should make myself a cup of green tea and knit for a half hour. I have done this twice. It works. I also noticed that when I am involved in cooking a meal, I don't eat while I am cooking. It works. But since this blog is about knitting, if you could sit and knit for a half hour after work, do it. It will be good for your mind, good for your weight and it will deplete your stash so you can buy more yarn!

Now how about some music? I am a big fan of live radio. I have satellite radio in my car but not in my house. That's okay. I like hearing a live DJ between the songs. When I'm in a radio mood, I listen to a rock station that plays a lot of new music. First by knitting, I find myself knitting along with the beat of the music. The faster the music, the faster I knit. Also, when a new song comes on, I actually sit and listen to it. If I was in my car, I would switch stations until the song was over. I like to think that I'm helping the music industry this way. Now it's not all rock for this hipknitta. I also love jazz and classical. Since we don't have a jazz station in this area anymore, I pop in 5 CD's and just groove my way through my project. It really sets up a nice atmosphere. I get lost in the music and in my knitting. I'll try to list some individual songs when I remember them. Go back to the title of this post: No Memory.

Next post: Guess who went back to Weight Watchers...

The hipknitta wants to lose her hips

You read it right. The hipknitta wants to lose her hips and some of her stomach. She will not be losing her hipness but if she loses some of her hips, her knitting will definitely get much hipper. The hipknitta had a very humbling moment in front of a tri-fold mirror while trying on clothes. First, the clothes I picked out in my size, XL, looked so big. They weren't. They fit me with very little room to spare. They didn't look great. I could see it from all sides...left, right and the back. My rear was never big but I did not like my profile. It was a good thing that it was in the middle of the day and no one else was in the fitting room. They would have heard a loud gasp. I could have cried but I didn't. It's reality. I really wasn't surprised. I was actually avoiding it and now there was no escaping the It will be set for 10 pounds at a time.

I'm not new to losing weight. Hell, I worked for a weight loss company. I was a Weight Watcher leader for quite a while. The only way one can be a leader is by losing weight on the program and hitting your goal weight. I did it. I trained and did lots of meetings. It was my third job at the time. When I got married, I quit. I didn't gain weight until after I had my second son. To maek a long story short, the weight kept creeping up and sometimes went down. I could never get it to where it was before I had Elijah. The main goal I want now is to walk into my internist's office for my annual physical and NOT have him have the "you-should-go-on-a-low-fat-diet-Robin". I always feel like I'm letting him down. I'm letting me down. After I leave his office, I vow to come back leaner and meaner. Well, not meaner but you know what I mean! I just got the reminder to make the appointment for this year and it hit me. I have to get some of this unhealthy weight off.

How will knitting help me? Most of the day I can stay on program. Yes, I'm using Weight Watchers again but I'm not going to the meetings. (Long story, not important now. Later.)I may actually do it online but right now, I need to get through one day. Back to the knitting...When I get home from work, it's as if someone unleashed a feeding machine in me and I go crazy. I start to pick around the house...chips, cheese, anything carbohydrate-ish, no fruits or veggies. Also, I realized that I'm not really that hungry. I really regret when I do this to myself. Why can't I just have a cup of green day and sit and relax for a while. How about knitting while sipping that green tea? Gee, Robin. What a concept!

Years ago, there was a yarn shop that wasn't my favorite but it was close and good for some items. The owner, also not the nicest man on the planet, once told me that he forces himself to knit at least a half hour each day. It's his therapy. I agreed with him and tried to do it, too. Lately, my life has become so busy that I can go for days and days without knitting. What if I knitted when I came home from work? Ideally, it would be good to do some exercise but right now, I want to change my routine and instead of eating, I will knit along with a cup of tea, of course!

This will be the beginning of me regaining some control of my life and my eating. Later I will post some music I enjoy knitting to, some projects that can be done quickly for some satisfying knitting and of course, some easy recipes that will help me stick to my program.

So wish me luck. Dr. Rizzi...hopefully the next time you see me, you'll say, "Keep up the good work!"