I'm alive. Really I am.

I'm still alive. Really I am.

It's sad for me to realize how little time I spend on knitting these days, and sadder still for me to see what a state of neglect I've allowed this blog to fall into.

Here's what happened:

Last year, in late January, I joined http://www.ohiorollergirls.com">roller derby. Our season ran through September, and over the course of those months, three or four times a week practice and flyering and meetings got the better of me, until I was knitting next to nothing, and going to my own Stitch n' Bitch meetings hardly at all. Still, a little voice in the back of my head kept saying "at the end of the season, you'll have more time to knit."

Then came the unexpected things. First, I decided to run for a board position with the league, the end result being that I'm responsible for Media Relations, the website, art, what have you. Don't get me wrong -- I have a staff -- but it's a lot of work.

Then, the superunexpected: I made the travel team. So the practice commitment ramped right back up super fast. And I got to go to Minnesota and Detroit and will go to Philadelphia next month.

Then, my digital camera died a horrid death, making the blogging even less likely.

I wouldn't trade this stuff for anything --(close your ears if you can't stand the heresy of this next part) -- not even knitting. But still, I've run into my stitch n' bitchers out and about and heard that they miss me, and I know I certainly miss them, and I want so much to get back. Similarly, I feel myself falling out of practice with the knitting and I don't want that to happen. There was a disaster with a beret I made for my sister for Christmas, that I just don't think I would have let happen before.

So, I have vowed to start knitting now. Despite the fact that I'm super super busy during all hours of the day now, I still find time to goof off, which frankly, would be time better spent knitting. So, after re-knitting that red beret for my little sis, I started a sweater, out of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran and Kidsilk Haze. I will be going to Stitch n' Bitch meetings whenever I can, which means the Saturday meetings only, and only when they don't conflict with derby bouts or meetings, but that should mean I can make at least one per month.

As usual, my obsessive streak has taken over, and figured out how many rows I have to do in order to get this thing done on schedule, and I am happy to report that as a result of having started knitting during my lunch break again, I am well ahead of schedule. And, I have inspired a slew of coworkers to remark, "Look at the tough rollergirl knitting!" As if the two things are not possible to do! (In fact, you'd be surprised at the number of us who do crafty things. Two of us are even teaming up to make some roller skate-shaped baby booties for a former skater's baby shower next week).

So for now, I'm knitting away, hoping I get to wear this super-warm sweater this year yet, and crossing my fingers that my travels with roller derby bring me enough bonus points on my credit card to redeem for the camera I'm wanting, so you all get to see my stuff again.