Well, the heater came on and it works and we are all glad. Now we can turn it off until we really need it. I am a big proponent of the "put on a sweater, we're not supporting the gas company" philosophy. Pk is alright with that, he has the "blanket with arms" that I made for him a few years ago. This is the largest sweater that I have ever seen and he loves it. The sleeves are way too long but he likes that because he can pull them down over his hands when he is at the keyboard and it is almost a wrap sweater on him. The fact that he likes it is all that really matters. That and not wearing it out of the house.
I spent some time working on his socks last night. I have come to realize that I will never reach the perfection that is Thorlo socks but I can make nice, soft, warm socks for him. The yarn is thicker than fingering but not quite worsted and I'm using 2.25 needles so I have tight, thick fabric. And they're plain feet with ribbed cuffs. Boring, yet comforting to knit.
I ordered some books and they came yesterday. It was a nice surprise since I didn't expect them to even ship until today. And yesterday was a less than stellar day at work so the surprise was doubly nice. I ordered It Itches by Franklin Habit and Free Range Knitter by Stephanie Pearl McPhee and Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard. Franklin's book is like his blog only better because it's expanded. The cartoons are funny and his prose is laugh out loud worthy. Stephanie's book, which I've just started reading, is her usual well written and observant style. It is a "book about knitters" as she puts it. And Wendy's book is full of patterns for fun and comfortable sweaters. The best part of it for me, as a beginning knitter, is that she gives advice and lots of hints on how to take a pattern and alter it to suit your body and style. And it's not condescending but entertaining. So, I'm set for a little while.
It is what it is. This phrase seems to be coming out of my mouth with increasing frequency and I can't decide if it's a good thing or not. I remember reading something somewhere that said that situations are neither bad nor good but it's our perception of them that judges their quality. I think that's true sometimes. But I also think some situations are bad (abusive relationships and the like) and should be avoided or changed if possible. I am using the phrase at work more often because I feel frustrated with a situation within which I find myself. It's hard when you explain your position over and over and it's misinterpreted again and again. I don't know how to make myself any clearer but it's not getting through. So, I say to myself, "it is what it is" and walk away. I was called into a "meeting" with my two immediate supervisors yesterday so they could tell me that they don't want me to volunteer to be a trainer for our new computer program that we are rolling out in January. This was hard to hear because I like to teach and I'm good at it. And I'm one of the few people in the building who supports the change to computer records and is really comfortable with the computer as a work tool. I can't really fight it, I won't win and I'll just get frazzled. So, I say to myself "it is what it is". And I will let it go.
I'm off to the dentist to (finally!) get the crown put back into my mouth. This should end the dental saga. Yay!! Have a good Wednesday everyone.
7 comments:
And office politics being what they are, it probably has very little to do with you and a great deal to do with someone they have chosen to be a trainer because she can't do anything else right and they can't fire her and this is a position where she will do the least damage, but of course they can't SAY that, so . . .
Hooray! Your time will not be tied up, and you can always slip the newbie a few points here and there in casual conversation.
Hooray for the new crown!Hope everything is perfect and will last for the rest of your life!
Hope this is the end of your dental work. My husband got a crown a month ago and now is having a root canal on the same tooth. Sometimes it seems like it never ends.
From personal experience, I think the "it is what it is"philosophy slowly saps the enjoyment out of life. It is certainly a survival mechanism, and when you just have to endure, it works for a while.
Take good care of yourself and know this blogging buddy thinks you are great and your bosses are fools :-)
I also bought Custom Knits and can't wait to make some of the patterns.
Office politics are the worst - and I also find myself saying the same thing - I hope things get better for you there!
Yea on being at the end of the dentist saga!
I think Custom Knits is a great book - especially the info about making your own top down garments.
I agree with you that a lot of experiences become good or bad through how individuals perceive them. Sometimes it is not worth getting worked up and fighting a battle - and sometimes it is. You just have to make the choices wisely. I think you did the right thing in this case - as Roxie noted, the training thing might have nothing to do with you at all.
Asi es la vida! I know what you mean in using that phrase!
I love that Custom Knits...I just wish I was more of a multi-skein stasher!
And I love that PK loves his big floppy sweater. Isn't it great when they dig not even the most perfect handmade things??
There's something to be said for the 'it is what it is' attitude. I think people who can say that more often than others are probably more able to deal with the ups and downs of life. Like RoseRed said, it's about deciding when that's the right attitude and when it isn't.
You'd like to teach, but you've been told you won't this time. It doesn't seem to make sense since you sound like the right candidate for it, but letting it go is probably going to save you a lot of grief.
Another time, it might not be right to accept how it is.
I'm getting better at it--I think 'It is what it is' helps us deal with things we can not change. My phrase is, "That's not my cross to die on.'--it makes me feel better, because I HAVE my crosses to die on and I choose them carefully. "It is what it is" is your way of differentiating from "It is what I can change."
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