Friday, February 01, 2008

Time Marches On

Here it is February already! It’s amazing how fast time goes and how little one can accomplish during its passing. I’m considering the end of December and the whole of January pretty much a total write-off so this month had better be a big fat improvement. I’m starting to get back some of my lost energy and enthusiasm anyway. But I’m thinking I should join the Society for the Deceleration of Time. Based in Austria, you can tell they move slowly because they still have the link for the 2005-06 issue of their magazine (in German) and the link for the 2006 international symposium up and haven’t updated them. For some reason that cracks me up. I feel much better now.

I don’t have to be convinced that slow is better. I already evince much of that philosophy just by accident more than design. Nearly everything I do is done slowly in its own time. It takes as long as it takes. Luckily I don’t have a boss standing behind me with a big whip like a lot of folks do. They need to learn how to work smarter and more efficiently rather than trying to work faster. I’ve sure noticed how impatient many people are in traffic, in the stores, in the doctor’s office, wherever. They don’t take time to eat or sleep properly or to get where they’re going on time without having to speed. They resent any little blip in their way because it’s slowing them down and they’re perpetually running behind. They get angry and resentful and stressed and upset and it just seems to go on forever accelerating. Until something stops them in their tracks such as serious illness or an accident. I can’t live like that. I won’t live like that. I just refuse to play the game. I wish more people would see that they don’t have to play the game either. Really.

On to the crafty stuff. Not that there’s much to report. Nana’s sock cuffs are twice as long as they were yesterday. I’m trying to decide where to start the heel flaps so that I don’t run out of yarn. There is no more of this because I dyed it over some boring Confetti self-striping leftovers. If I run out these socks will have some very interesting toes! I love it when my knitting has a daredevil attitude.

Yesterday I washed the bedroom curtains and although they aren’t exactly pristine white any more they are much nicer than they were. Unfortunately the crocheted lace edging that was in the other small high window disintegrated in the same wash. It gets a fair amount of sun on the west side of the house and the thread was cotton not cotton and linen blend (cottolin) like the curtains so it became weakened over time. An excuse to make a new one! Now that there’s a much taller house next door on that side I might make a full window curtain, but lacey so light still comes in. None of their windows are directly across from this one except for the stained glass ones but it’s right over our bed. Maybe I’ll use pure bleached linen this time. Woven, crocheted or knitted? Decisions, decisions. Won’t happen soon though. Several other projects take priority.

3 comments:

Kay-From the Back Yard said...

Louisa, I'm enjoying your blog. I stumbled over it looking for the link for the No Tears Socks. I am working on a pair from that pattern but am leaving out the back cable, I think for comfort but it may be out of laziness.

Michelle Boyd said...

Thanks for sharing your philosophy on time management--glad to know there are others out there who don't have to be faster, newer, bigger. I just wish I could convince my spousal unit--maybe I'll sic you on him!

Susan said...

I think that the close cousin of that organization is 'Procrastinators Anonymous'. :)

I ponder how fast time passes daily and actually find myself trying to slow my life down more and more. It seems to be the younger folk that hurry, scurry.... you know, the ones who think they have endless time! :) There is too much emphasis on getting social status and material goods for those poor souls to slow down. The ones that do are called lazy.... geesh.

I vote for new *woven* curtains!

Hugs, Susan