2008 Resolutions in Review

It’s only a few days before 2009 rings in, and I have decided to update you on my 2008 resolutions. I think I did pretty well overall, but you be the judge:) It's a bit lengthy! So grap a cup of tea and a scone, wrap a warm blanket around your shoulders, and enjoy!

Craft Related:

1. Knit every item on page one of my Ravelry queue to get closer to 90% Hand-knit wardrobe.

Well page one of my Ravelry queue changed quite a bit as my tastes changed and yarn was purchased willy nilly. The first page holds 30 patterns, though, and I have successfully knit 29 objects, and crocheted 2, so I am counting this resolution achieved!

2. Knit something for charity once a quarter.

Umm…I only knit the baby booties, which means I fell way short of this goal! I think this year I will shoot for one small baby items every two months so that I can donate them all to a local hospital in December. This should be doable, and my friend’s having a baby soon, so I can also test out patterns for her boy!

3. Frog all WIPs that either are ugly or made from yarn I don’t like anymore.

I finally did away with the Sans Distraction socks which were one of my biggest disasters of my knitting life. A skintight calf with wonky stripes…no, no, no. I rewound the yarn and will be using it for a nice pair of regular socks. I also think I will frog Rhiannon and make it without the fold over cuff. Life will be much more pleasant without that cuff…especially since I still have to make the second one!

4. Finish all non-afghan WIPs from last year or beyond!

Well, I forked Scala Socks, Nantucket Jacket, and Gentleman’s Railway Socks. As mentioned above I am frogging and restarting Rhiannon Socks, and 1930s Striped Sweater has been hibernating most of the year. I better really crack down on this one in the new year.

5. Learn three new techniques: intarsia/fair isle, steeking, and felting.

I learned to felt by hand early in the year, and then learned machine felting thanks to a friend in the spring. I also have been doing lots of colorwork. Alas, steeking still frightens the bejesus out of me, but I will bite the bullet and start Venezia in the new year so I can finally learn how to do it.

6. Use more of my sock yarn stash. 18 miles is too much to just have sitting around!

Okay, are you ready for this? This year I finished 11 pairs of socks! Granted many were not for me, but what difference does that make? Right? I made 11 pairs!

7. Knit my mom tree jacket in time for Christmas 08

I couldn’t face down another Tree Jacket, so I hinted and prodded, and decided to make my mom a Central Park Hoodie instead. And yes, it was forked Christmas morning!

8. Work on only three projects at a time: one portable, one complicated, and one mindless.

Hmm…I didn’t really pay attention to this one at all. I doubt I was able to adhere to this in any way due to gift knitting, but maybe? At any rate, I’ve decided that this one wasn’t that important to me anyway, as I managed to get all my gifts finished on time and I completed 31 projects in a single year. Must be doing something right:)

9. Learn to crochet for real. Not the mess I currently call crocheting:)

Check! Haven’t really used it for anything except to small cosmetic bags, but one day!

Life Resolutions!

1. Be more positive! I’m a die-hard pessimist, but I am going to try to be more fun-loving.

I think I did pretty well with this, especially where school was concerned. As far as men go, though, well, read on for my crazy year!

2. Be more understanding. I find it hard to relate to people sometimes, but I will try to see things from new perspectives this year!

I don’t think I did very well with this one at all. I had the best intentions, but I was probably just as annoyed by people as last year. Though, I did have larger periods of understanding, even if they didn’t last:)

3. Lose 75% of the weight I have gained in grad school (28 pounds in 2008, 9 pounds in 2009). Dissertation is about to begin, and I’d like to leave school like I started.

Ack! I joined a gym and everything, but lost no real weight. Each time I did, I gained it back. So, I guess I will have to really make a plan and stick to it. My work/class schedule made life kinda frantic for working out. This semester I have no classes, and I have downgraded my work hours, so I should be able to workout more during the week when the bus runs. I also need to get back to my swim lessons!

4. Find a nice boy to date. Not sure how this will work:)

Take a seat… this is going to take a while.

The boy I started out with in January, my friend who was giving me mixed signals and making me crazy is no longer in the picture. I think he eventually came around and wanted to try dating, but by then I had decided he really wasn’t date material, and made it very obvious that I was looking for something else. He’s been weird lately, and we haven’t really spoken in months. Typical behavior really.

In June, I was pursued by a grad student who I actually liked. After a hiatus due to a trip he took for school, we went out a few times. All told the “dating” lasted about 2 months. After him buying me drinks every time we went out, picking me up, walking me home, hugs, and sharing work space at our local coffee shop, he told me that he didn’t like himself and the next day started to ignore me. After I emailed him a confrontational email, he said, ”I’m not romantically interested in you. Though, I can see how you might think that we were dating.” Umm…yeah. We no longer speak, because he is beyond lame.

Next came a 41 year old local, who seemed like a nice guy. Liked basketball, wore a cowboy hat, and was generally a sweetheart. He also seemed really smart, and like to discuss politics and religion. Turns out he was a close-minded born-again Christian who didn’t have any real interest in basketball or any other sports I like! We dated for about a month before I got the truth out of him.

Somewhere in between, my friend Katie and I went to a local music/art space where I was approached by a guy who ended up being a guitar player in the band I was there to see. Score! I love music, and I play guitar. He was an amazing artist too! After inviting up to his city, offering to buy me a drink, and rubbing my bare arms (with no invitation), I found out (via a friend) that he was set to be married in October! Umm…yup! Not making this stuff up.

So I am still single, but I did meet and date “men” this year which was the goal. There is one other option that I am considering, and he seems interested, but he’s also a very popular (upright) bassist, so that may be asking for trouble. I need to live a little this year, though. I’m 29 and I never really take risks. So I’ll give it a shot, IF he’s available the next time I see him…

5. Finish at least half of my dissertation!

Does a chapter and a half count? No…it does not. So I fell short on this too, but I have decided that trying to finish in one year is insane, and I refuse to do so, even if it means getting a full time job outside my field!! I need time to think and process. So I am taking it!

So there you have my year of resolutions in review. In a few days, I hope to make and post 2009 resolutions that I can work on!

Happy New Year!