Wool & Words

A very happy Mardi Gras to you all! I'm sporting my purple-green-gold striped polo and feeling a bit of sadness that I'm not on some street corner yelling my lungs out (but not baring my bosoms) to get a cheap string of beads.

Of course, Mardi Gras means that Ash Wednesday is on deck, and I've got to create a plan of action for my Lenten penance. In years past, I've refrained from icky gossip, which has been useful and good. This year, I think I'm going to focus on discipline.

A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I'm in a "good" place according to my doc--my sugars are slightly elevated and my pancreas is still working--it's just working too hard. I've been making dietary changes and trying to be more active so that I can keep medication out of my daily regiment. The dietary changes alone have really lifted a fog from my mind and I have much more energy to do what needs to be done.

I'm aware, though, that I've been horribly remiss in tending to professional areas of my life. I need to discipline myself to work during the hours I've set aside for working so that my "play" hours are more fun and, well, playful. So I'm going to hold myself to the plan and from 8-5 M-F will work. On my dissertation, on my grading, on all things academic. Sure, there will be some time spillover during particularly hectic weeks. But there's no reason why I can't treat my weekdays as workdays and weekends as weekends.

This application of discipline extends to my spiritual life as well. I am a secular member of a religious order and when I'm "off schedule" in my life, I seem to be off schedule all over the place.

And my knitting? Well, I'm working on the second sock of the second pair for my friends, so that is looking near completion. The Leaf Lace Shawl is 2 repeats and a border away from being done. I'm chomping at the bit to start on some real sweaters. I'm doing the Fisherman's Knits Knit A Long (considering Kinsale or Inishmore), and I've got to come up wtih a plan for Steve's sweater. And, of course, my SKFD is still active, so there are socks planned for mindless respite from Major Sweater Construction.

Oh, and my LYS is hosting Nicky Epstein tomorrow and I'm taking a class with her tomorrow night--how cool is that?

So today, I'm kicking back and enjoying my day. Tomorrow begins the push to discipline. I've got to work hard from 8-5 so that I don't feel guilty during my Epstein class!