Last Week Was So Much Better

I just seem to thrive in an office environment. Seems silly maybe, but it's true. Give me just about anything in an office short of numbers to analyze and I'm clam happy. Not so much as a hint of welling, and the person I'm supporting is thrilled to have me.

So, anyway, Rhinebeck.

I went Sunday only. It's a little less than two hours from Kripalu. I got there around 11 and left around 3. I met Claudia, Julia, Laurie, Wendy, and Elisa, and saw tons of others I was too shy to introduce myself to. I bought a beautiful yellow (pau amarillo) Bosworth spindle from Journey Wheel, and got a very thorough lesson from Sheila Bosworth to boot.

I bought roving from two different sources, one I can't remember off-hand and Spinner's Hill at Claudia's suggestion. I made a tiny bit of yarn from some of the Spinner's Hill roving the evening of my Rhinebeck trip, and, since I have the day off, I think I'll give it another try today.

I thought I was settled in here, but I think I'm still settling. I'm not as weepy as I was the first couple of weeks, but I am missing the comforts of home, and the lack of people, more than I thought I would less than three weeks in.

My toe is still bothering me, and the weather is sort of grey and raw, but I feel like I need to go out and take a walk at some point today.

I hope all of you are well, safe, and warm.

Kripalu

So, I've been here for thirteen days (rather than twelve as noted earlier), and not only am I not entirely sure of my place in the community, I've also already found myself counting weeks and days until I go home.

I don't hate it here, and I am enjoying the experience to an extent, but I don't think I have figured out entirely how I'm supposed to be here and what I am supposed to be getting out of it.

I came to step away from my life for a bit, figure out how I wanted to approach things, and gain a new perspective on work and life. I'm not entirely sure that's going to happen.

I'm living in a dorm with 20 women, eating meals in a dining hall three times a day, and working a job I'm not particularly suited to. I guess that's what makes it a learning experience.

The worst thing is the crying, or the feeling of being about to cry. I don't particularly like to cry, but it tends to happen when I get frustrated with a situation. I wasn't on the work schedule in my department until halfway through my first day of work, which was five days after I'd arrived. I was faced with the prospect of addressing large groups of people on a regular basis, the thought of which terrifies me (unfortunately, they're really big on facing one's fears in this program)...I didn't necessarily burst into tears at these prospects, but I felt that I faced them weakly, which isn't really a problem as far as the people in the program are concerned, but it is a problem as far as I'm concerned.

I've had the past two days off and haven't had the urge to cry once. I'd say that fact doesn't bode well for the time remaining between now and December 6th.

I am working on a sock, which I cast on within mere hours of arriving here, and am on the gusset decreases. It is Mountain Colors Bearfoot Sock Yarn in Crazy Woman, quite appropriate as far as I'm concerned.

I'll get into Rhinebeck another day.

Back and Mobile

Hello out there, surprised to see me? Yeah, me too, sort of. I decided I hadn't spent enough money at Rhinebeck yesterday, so I went and got a laptop today. It wasn't quite as spur of the moment as that, really, I think.

I have been sporadically using a very slow community computer since I arrived at Kripalu twelve days ago and I just couldn't take it anymore. I know I'm supposed to be here to take stock of my life a little, but not being able to do some of my normal activities wasn't helping my frustration level, so I took the plunge, and here I am.

This is going to be short because I have to get to dinner and do some other odds and ends, but now I know I'll be able to check in here periodically over the next month-and-a-half, and that makes me happy.

And She's Off!

I'm about to walk out the door a few times to load my stuff, then get on the road. I decided on the sock yarn stash and the mystery lace weight, though I don't know whether I'll actually start the FBS, but I'll have it at hand if I want to.

 

Also taking a couple of manuscripts to possibly poke at from time to time.

 

Don't know how much access I'll have while I'm at Kripalu, but I'll see what I can do, and tell all when I get back if nothing else.

 

Happy Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving to all who observe.

 

Enjoy.