Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Quiet Knitting

Is it just me?

I have been feeling stressed out, frazzled, irritated, agitated, high strung and overly anxious for the last 2 months. This last week I simply just hit a wall, I had enough. I was strung out from not sleeping soundly at night and having random thoughts that would interrupt my sleep. I have been miserable.

I think it is the cumulative effects of all the bad news about the economy, anxious about the unemployment outlook, the 401K looking more like a hole in my pocket, money going in balance going down. Getting our taxes done and ending up owing instead of getting a return and the government telling us that the $13.00 a week the feds are giving us is like this magic tax cut....but for those of us in California we are getting reamed at the State level with higher taxes and fees for just about everything. Not really feeling the "Golden State" right now if ya know what I mean.

I don't think I'm isolated in this crap bubble. Everyone seems to be pissed off and have hair triggers. More people are driving aggressively and tailgating for no particular reason rather than just changing into a passing lane and going by. In the grocery store a woman had a minor freak out last Sunday because she had to stand in line. Who doesn't expect to stand and wait their turn at the check out? I really don't think there is a magic happy pill for what is ailing all of us.....

This last week I stepped away from watching so much news coverage. I replaced it with DVDs like JAWS, Aliens, and tonight I'm watching Volcano. It appears that I'm comforted by watching movies of natural disasters, beach goers being eaten or a slobbering alien beast splitting the crew of a space ship to bits.

The other thing that I have been doing is whipping out smaller knit projects. This last weekend I knitted up two scarves both using the Just Enough Ruffles Scarf pattern.

Ruffle Scarf Light weight scarf

One made in a really soft worsted weight Malabrigo and the other made in a Cashmere Merino Wool blend. I really love the way they turned out and found the pattern to be very relaxing and quick knit. Perfect for gifts!!!

I am lining up some more disaster movies, like Dante's Peak, Leviathan and yarn to relax with in the evenings.

I am feeling better now.

5 comments:

Tammy said...

Awww... I think maybe you're missing some Ravelry friends. ;)

We were just talking about that movie Volcano tonight. I think my sons would like it... cuz really, who doesn't love a good volcano in downtown L.A. (wasn't it).

I love your scarves. I have two balls of Malabrigo just waiting for that pattern.

Gale Bulkley said...

Oh no - it's not just you. Hopefully you'll catch a break soon.

Warrior Knitter said...

Also chiming in with it's not just you.

And with Dante's Peak there's Pierce Brosnan to look at and listen to. I miss his Remington Steele days.

KnitsAtTrafficLights said...

Thank you for the encouragement gals.

Tammy, I AM missing some friends on Ravelry, any chance they'll return?! Volcano is an okay movie, but Dante's Peak is better I think.

Gale, don't you think everyone seems more stressed? We are stepping back and regrouping and I'm starting to feel a little stronger now.

Warrior Knitter, Funny, I was an extra in a movie with Pierce Brosnan once. I ran over his foot with a bicycle because the director didn't yell "CUT" in time and I am SERIOUS about following direction. LOL

Tammy said...

Awww... no returns for at least 120+ of us. We've been BANNED or "permanently suspended" in Casey-speak! We are apparently "very vile" and horrible rule breakers (they just won't tell us what rules we've broken).

Fortunately, my stacks of patterns and bins of yarn will keep me plenty busy without Rav... and my bins are strictly troll-free! :)