Monday, April 19, 2010

Unrelated bits and pieces

Mostly, I find it more difficult to find time to blog than to find topics I want to blog about. But over the last week I've completely lacked any blogging inspiration. So, to avoid blogging block, some unrelated bits and pieces from my life.

I've been knitting, of course. It feels as if I've been knitting and knitting and knitting but without any tangible outcome.

Knitting April 10

My lack of outcome might be partly explained by having three projects on the go - the 'Tweed Baby Blanket' by Jared Flood, Mona Schmidt's 'Embossed Leaves Socks' (ravlink) and (less actively) the 'Sage Remedy Top' by Sarah Shepherd (ravlink). The sensible thing to do is apply myself to finishing something but, in a behaviour pattern well-known to knitters, I feel the desire to cast on yet another project. I'll let you know what happens.

I'm reading (of course). Latish last night I watched an episode of the wonderful and much-repeated Forsyte Saga and couldn't resist starting reading my very shabby second-hand copy of 'To Let'- the volume of the lengthy family saga that deals with the events of the TV episode I'd just watched. I first encountered Galsworthy many years ago when the first volume of the series - 'Man of Property' was the novel set for study for the Leaving Certificate. Such an odd selection for a group of very unsophisticated pre-TV Australian country kids. I have no idea what others thought of it, but to me it was the height of sophistication. Reading Galsworthy now, the writing is heavy-handed and the themes rather laboured. But I'm still captivated by the way the novels depict the conflict between the desire for property and possession on one hand and generosity of spirit and holding with an open hand on the other.

I've been to the movies. I've seen 'Brothers' - an American re-make of a Danish movie of the same (translated) title from 2004 that I thought was wonderful. Re-makes of European movies make me very nervous, but this one had been greatly praised. I discovered it's been justly praised, though I think I still prefer the original. It's smaller in scale than the re-make and I remember it as having a tighter focus. The American movie is on an altogether grander scale - wonderful cinematography that I think gives it more grandeur than the original. Great performances from Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal as the two brothers.

There will be lots of changes for me in the next few months. I'll be finishing up at work, selling the family home, and moving to a smaller apartment that needs to be renovated. So I'm currently spending lots of time making lists and decisions and feeling generally unsettled. I guess one of the upsides is that all these changes will provide rich pickings for blogging.

7 comments:

Rose Red said...

You can finish those knitting projects, I know you can! (but maybe you could allow yourself to start a new project once you hit a milestone in each of them - eg finish one sock and the garter stitch part of your blanket - start something new.

But here's me, started a new project last week when I have two others on my list to finish this month! So maybe you should ignore all advice from me!

Anonymous said...

im not surprised youre feeling unsettled in your knitting too with all those impending changes! so much going on... i do usually start something new when i desperately feel like it, but i try and get one other thing finished before i do. even if its just one sock in a pair. im looking forward to seeing where your life, and knitting, takes you in the next few months!

missfee said...

all that stuff going on - big changes - that is unsettling!

I think a weekend of knitting may knock some of those projects over - concentrate on the one that is either due first or nearly done. And bring a new thing to cast on at camp....

I do love that blanket!!!

Cecilia said...

I am about to move and doing renovations and all I want to do is start new projects! I say there is definitely a connection there.

Have you seen the movie of "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"? I really want to see it but am afraid it will ruin a book I loved reading.

Village Books said...

You can do all of this! Just keep breathing (and knitting!)

Bells said...

i've been re-watching The Forsyte Saga on my Tuesdays off (on iview) for weeks now and have been loving it so much. The epsiode this week had me sobbing for so long. Sean picked the book up (a combined volume) on sale a couple of days ago and yes the first para or two, at a glance, alerted me to the fact it'll be quite dense and heavy going, but I'll look forward to seeing how the book and show are different and how they are the same.

Brendaknits said...

I am so glad to have discovered your blog - I think - as a result of a comment you left on one of 'regular-reads'. I love your red shawl/scarf. I hadn't noticed the pattern on Knitty so appreciate being directed to it.