the Village Knittiot

…with the Olympics. I haven’t watched anything in a couple of days now and only half-heartedly glanced at the online results. I didn’t even watch the men’s figure skating short program. I think partly it is the coverage. I don’t like the flipping back and forth between events. I don’t like the commentators or the hype surrounding certain athletes (who, when they then monumentally fail to perform, are all anyone can talk about — yeah, they screwed up, let’s move on). Meanwhile, the ones who do perform get very little coverage. Everyone loves a tragedy…

Then I saw this segment on the “technology” behind the athletes — computer analysis of their performance, special equipment, etc., etc., etc. They did a really good job of helping us truly understand that it isn’t about who is the best athlete anymore, but about who has the best toys. Let’s translate that to — who has the most money or the best sponsors. I know I must sound like a broken record with all my railing against the most insidious ways that corporations make their way into our lives and everyday vocabulary, but it really is alarming. And once again, it is another tale of the haves and have nots. Which is not to say that there aren’t tales of the “have nots” making it, however, how often do they have access to the facilities and equipment?

I vaguely remember hitting this point the last time around. And I seem to recall now that I stopped watching then too. Hmmm. How soon we forget.

I have not, however, fallen out of love with the Knitting Olympics. I am making great progress on the sock and have completed the main body of the foot. I am ready to head into my toe decreases, which brings me smack up against that problematic little pointy toe I want to create. It isn’t enough that the slippers come out to a point, the point needs to curl upward, like little elf shoes. So, after an impromptu design discussion with Mr. Knittiot (I’m so glad he understands the creation of three dimensional shapes), we came up with a plan to create a “toe flap.” This is exactly what it sounds like — a modified heel flap for the toe, which, when turned, will draw the point up over the top of the toe. The curling in will (hopefully) be accomplished with a larger number of decreases in the right spots). There is still much figuring that needs to be done, and potentially some heartbreak and frustration, but once I am over this hump, well, the next one should just fly. *knocks on wood*

Work has recently become very busy. This is mostly a good thing — I tend to be more productive when I am busy. However, I sometimes find that I start feeling very rushed and pressured about everything in my life. I don’t take the time to breathe as much and I start fostering crazy expectations and living in a state of perpetual disappointment. That is not a cycle I want to continue. Still, I find that it is sometimes difficult to locate that fine line between being realistic and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones to expand and press further than you think you can.

As I have been reflecting on what is realistic and still challenging, my Olympics project keeps coming to mind as a good example. It was a small endeavor in ways, because after all, it is a pair of slippers. I worried about that for a couple of weeks leading up to the start of the games, thinking that I really ought to have picked something more challenging. You know, like designing my own sweater and knitting it out of yarn I spun by hand. I mean, that’s realistic, isn’t it? Despite my fears — both of not having picked a “better” project and not having the skills to complete my tiny little project — I managed to get started (with much encouragement from Mr.Knittiot and Kaizerin, both of whom are invaluable to my creative process).

As I became more involved in the project, just how challenging it really was started to sink in. As I have consulted a myriad of tutorials, patterns and so forth, I have really had to think about how a garment comes together. I have had to learn about how three dimensional shapes are formed and created. Also, I made a commitment that is not so monumentally difficult that I am unable to complete it in the allotted time.

So, as I am tempted to be sucked back into the mire of personal disappointment from time to time, I am going to cotinue to keep this experience in mind.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 17th, 2006 at 8:22 am and is filed under these knittiot olympics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.