not-doing is so much harder than doing, but doing is pretty hard, too.
Stopping all at once – from following 435 blogs to not reading any blogs at all – that is tough. Since Google Reader doesn’t provide a suspend option, I just eliminated the gadget from my iGoogle home page. The choices are either to quit following, or see all the posts. I wish they’d provide a vacation option or something, but they don’t. So I know they’re all there, accumulating, showing up in the Reader that’s there but just not on my home page. They taunt me, the posts. I know there is beautiful knitting, gorgeous quilting, interesting thoughts, amazing design, fun and happy and curious and melancholy, all there just behind my screen.
But I am not reading. It’s hard. I wonder what you’re up to. Not reading hasn’t yet transformed my mornings, although I have done more knitting. I’ve also done a bit more writing. I think I have to overcome the thing underneath, the thing that made sitting and reading all the blogs so appealing, such a good alternative to doing. Inertia, laziness, general procrastination, fear. And that last one is such a funny thing – fear. I’m afraid to try toe-up socks. WHAT? Afraid to try toe-up socks? What is there to be afraid of? Afraid I’ll sit at my table and start writing and … what? It won’t be good? Does it all have to be good, and perfect, and finished, with my first effort?
Of course the answer is no, and of course the answer is yes.
I hope it’s okay to comment during your reading break! I really enjoyed and related to your last post and thinking about it has encouraged me to be a little more active in the past few days. Good luck with the toe-up socks if you try a pair…I started my first pair recently, always having knit cuff-down before, and at first I liked it, and then I got frustrated, and then I made a huge mistake that I can’t even figure out, oops. It’s an adventure!
SURE! I’m happy for comments! They don’t feel like a procrastinating distraction at all, but instead help me feel less alone, so thanks for your note. When I finally get up the nerve to try toe-up socks, I’ll commiserate. Have a wonderful weekend, Kate, and I hope we both do what we really want to be doing.
there is nothing hard at all about toe-up socks – in fact, they are my preferred way to knit sox – what’s the issue?
that’s not really the point – it’s really just about getting outside the comfort zone, you know? it’s so easy to stick with the familiar.
Ah, yes, I recognize the perfection/non-perfection thing. I find that I’m getting better and better at diving into the “draft” stage, knowing that the first couple versions of anything are most definitely NOT going to be perfect
That’s the thing to keep in mind, isn’t it: to actually EXPECT imperfection. Oy, easy to say, and so so hard to learn….for me, for sure!
Oh, comme je te comprends… You’ll probably smile when reading that I’m afraid to knit the Ishbel shawl ! Yes, Ishbel. Knitted 6300 times on Ravelry. It looks like climbing the Everest to me…
I do smile, but in understanding! Isn’t it funny how those things happen? We get an idea in our heads and it just stops us cold? One day you’ll decide to try it anyway (just as I will try toe-up socks) and we’ll both see that it wasn’t as tricky as we’d imagined.
For now, though, comme je te comprends aussi!