Let It Go . . .
I have often bitten off more than I can chew . . .
I have continued to downsize not only in my home, but also where and how I expend my energy and time. For seven years I have been nominally "in charge" of what we call Church Lady Knitting. It's not like it's a big job, but it's time for me to step down and for someone else to step up. I have a hard time with stuff like this, even when I know it's the right thing to do.
I was thinking this morning about all the things I have let go in the past six months or so . . . In November I stepped down as the newsletter editor for the Illinois African Violet Society. In December, I stopped regular production on my podcast, All About African Violets. At the end of December the Year of Stash Socks group that I co-moderated on Ravelry retired. Now I have given up Church Lady Knitting, and in early June, I will step down as VP of the Illinois violet society.
I also gave up - about a month ago - being strictly ovo-pescetarian. While it was exactly what I needed for my health, over the long term it became unsustainable for me. The fact that we had the most brutal winter since I was a kid, certainly didn't help. But I got the go-ahead to add meat back in once a week. I don't always have some every week (I didn't last week), but I really like it when I have it. I still follow the "rules" of the Strict Program for Three Months, but I get to have meat now. So - pretty much now we're talking about the Mediterranean Diet, which really makes everything a whole lot easier in my life.
I'm going to let another thing go - Project Zero. I originally planned for it to just be the last three months of the year, and although it continues on Ravelry, I have realized that here on the blog, it's really not where I want to be directing my energy. I continue to finish up knitting projects as I can - but spinning has taken a back seat since last July and Tour de Fleece. It's not gone forever, just resting for now. Many of the remaining goals on my reserve list pertain to spinning. They will get done - just not anytime soon :-)
So - all this letting go . . .
Clearly I am still being led to open myself up for whatever is coming next. I still have no true idea of what it is, but it looks more and more like it's piping. I continue to spend nearly all of my available time practicing. In fact, when I'm not working I think I'm either practicing, thinking about practicing, writing about practicing, listening over and over to the MP3s of my teacher playing my competition tunes, or dreaming about practicing. In for a penny, in for a pound - this morning, when I woke up at 3 a.m. to pee, I realized I was running my 2/4 march in my head. :-D OMG Seriously!
Nearly all my Highland gear has arrived. I have a few more things to do - like change out my drone cords and personalize my pipe case (there will be a million just like it at every Highland Games this summer), but I think I'm in the groove now. Another piper friend turned me on to a book called The Musician's Way. So far, it's awesome, awesome, awesome and it's really helping me.
I love piping. I always have. This last year is the first time I have ever had any desire to compete - I'm holding on for the ride and seeing where it takes me. I'm focused on what I need to accomplish in the next 6 1/2 weeks, and I'm letting go of all that might hold me back . . .
I have continued to downsize not only in my home, but also where and how I expend my energy and time. For seven years I have been nominally "in charge" of what we call Church Lady Knitting. It's not like it's a big job, but it's time for me to step down and for someone else to step up. I have a hard time with stuff like this, even when I know it's the right thing to do.
I was thinking this morning about all the things I have let go in the past six months or so . . . In November I stepped down as the newsletter editor for the Illinois African Violet Society. In December, I stopped regular production on my podcast, All About African Violets. At the end of December the Year of Stash Socks group that I co-moderated on Ravelry retired. Now I have given up Church Lady Knitting, and in early June, I will step down as VP of the Illinois violet society.
I also gave up - about a month ago - being strictly ovo-pescetarian. While it was exactly what I needed for my health, over the long term it became unsustainable for me. The fact that we had the most brutal winter since I was a kid, certainly didn't help. But I got the go-ahead to add meat back in once a week. I don't always have some every week (I didn't last week), but I really like it when I have it. I still follow the "rules" of the Strict Program for Three Months, but I get to have meat now. So - pretty much now we're talking about the Mediterranean Diet, which really makes everything a whole lot easier in my life.
I'm going to let another thing go - Project Zero. I originally planned for it to just be the last three months of the year, and although it continues on Ravelry, I have realized that here on the blog, it's really not where I want to be directing my energy. I continue to finish up knitting projects as I can - but spinning has taken a back seat since last July and Tour de Fleece. It's not gone forever, just resting for now. Many of the remaining goals on my reserve list pertain to spinning. They will get done - just not anytime soon :-)
So - all this letting go . . .
Clearly I am still being led to open myself up for whatever is coming next. I still have no true idea of what it is, but it looks more and more like it's piping. I continue to spend nearly all of my available time practicing. In fact, when I'm not working I think I'm either practicing, thinking about practicing, writing about practicing, listening over and over to the MP3s of my teacher playing my competition tunes, or dreaming about practicing. In for a penny, in for a pound - this morning, when I woke up at 3 a.m. to pee, I realized I was running my 2/4 march in my head. :-D OMG Seriously!
Nearly all my Highland gear has arrived. I have a few more things to do - like change out my drone cords and personalize my pipe case (there will be a million just like it at every Highland Games this summer), but I think I'm in the groove now. Another piper friend turned me on to a book called The Musician's Way. So far, it's awesome, awesome, awesome and it's really helping me.
I love piping. I always have. This last year is the first time I have ever had any desire to compete - I'm holding on for the ride and seeing where it takes me. I'm focused on what I need to accomplish in the next 6 1/2 weeks, and I'm letting go of all that might hold me back . . .
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