Ketiva ve-chatima tovah

May You Be Written and Sealed for a Good Year

Rosh Ha-Shanah, the Jewish New Year, will begin as the sun sets on Monday evening (September 29).
This new year will be 5769. Jewish time begins, not with the first ancestors of the Jewish people, Abraham and Sarah, but rather with the beginning of everything. On Rosh Ha-Shanah, the liturgy proclaims: "Ha-yom harat olam." (Today is the birthday of the world.)

There are actually two other significant new years besides Rosh Ha-Shanah: the new year for months is in the spring, starting with the month of Nisan and the New Year for Trees. Rosh Ha-Shanah, literally, "the head of the year", which falls at the beginning of the seventh month, Tishri, as the year turns, is the New Year for years. Because, you know, nothing is ever simple.

100 days wrap up

As I was gearing up for Rosh - paying off bills, apologizing to people or attempting to make amends, sending funds to charities, organizing my stash (I am a knitter), I realised that I had never done a wrap up of the 100 days.

So in no particular order here are things I learned (mostly about myself) during the 100 days:

• You can't wear granny butt undies to a cardiosculpt class if you wear Puma workout pants, the rise doesn't match.
• Some exercise DVDs need to be played in halftime for the first month, until you stop tripping over your feet. If a month goes by and you haven't graduated to regular speed, it needs to go back to the library, get real.
• When you first go to an exercise class, get where you can see the instructors feet, and don't watch the arms. The arms are lying sneaky things. The feet are what will keep you from being mowed down when the rest of the class changes directions.
• Keep trying different multivitamins. Eventually you will find one that not only makes you feel good, but agrees with your digestive system.
• When you are sick, admit it and lie down.
• If your hair flops in your face, cut it. If the cut proves to be darling, but high maintence, get a pixie. The amount you spend will be the same, but the sleep you gain may save your life someday.
• When you ask the teenybopper too young to vote, what size she thinks you should try on, and she looks you up and down then replies in a doubtful tone "You could try extra large", vote with your feet and leave. (I wear a 9)
• Get some friends 20 years younger than you, and go shop in a gaggle. It can be good for your wardrobe.
• Just as the Book title says "Money can buy Happiness". But it's not about the shopping.
• Dark chocolate M&Ms taste better eaten out a tiny tin that says "Love". And it's instant portion control.
• Eating 35 gms of fiber a day does make you lose weight. Until you stop doing it.
• Gauge is a tricky thing. And if you teach yourself a new knitting style, your gauge will change.
• A state of Shaker philosophy, where things are simple, useful and lovely, is a delicate balance.
• Chelle recommended the TamileeWebb workouts. I bought a great DVD. Someday I may get all the way though the 15 minute workout. I learned that I am in even worse shape than I thought.
• If you keep knitting, eventually you'll finish something.

Loopy slave labour

Little Loopy finished the Striped Hat from Knits from the Heart. Except we thought stripes-eh, so we skipped the stripes.

This little hat is more toque-like in my opinion, very nice for when you want a noodle cozy but don't want something on the ears. But that could be the Jewish heritage showing through.

I say Little Loopy made this because I certainly did nothing besides work and sleep this week.

Upgraded

To: Sick as a Sheep with a Wool Allergy.

Little Loopy did finish the Blue Comfort hat. We have now cast on a different hat from "Knits from the Heart" in a soft coral colour. I figure it's the same amount of postage to ship 3 or 4 as it would be to ship 2.

I did take something one night hoping that deep sleep would help knock this stuff down, instead I dreamed that TAO and I were frogs. I was a beautiful frog with orange eyes. Anyone know if frog dreams are a good omen or a bad one?

I obviously haven't been working out, just working and sleeping with some episodes of Season One of Columbo thrown in. However, I have mentally been gearing up for the 10 days of Awe. Making my list of things that need to be settled in order to start the new year fresh. This has included a financial review of sorts. I'm not making solid decisions right now, but reading and gathering info so that after I feel well I can make some changes. Which leads to yarn...

What is it's place in the budget? Entertainment? Hobby? Necessity? We settled that TAOs hobbies are working out and watching TV. Figured out what that cost every month. Agreed that my hobbies should have the same financing. TV is very expensive when you break it down to hours of watching (since he watches surprisingly little). It put my knitting into a perspective.

I'm also mulling over "Meticulous" as the word for the new year. That is a trait I would like to cultivate, without going overboard. What springs to mind when you hear that word? Positive? (detailed, concise, organized) Negative? (Anal, controlling).

Under the weather

Little Loopy (a go away bribe gift from co-workers) and I are spending the day consuming large quanities of fluids, watching knitting videos from the library, and finishing a second hat for the 7 Long charity. Other than that, not much productivity, unless someone patents a way to convert energy from a fever to a usable source.

7 Long

I get to cross one of my goals off for the year. A little hat for the 7 Long Project. It's a chemo cap for adolescents. In Berrocco Comfort, which while really soft, and washable was a little splitty for my tastes. I have another ball in a denim ombre, and the next hat is already cast on.

For Donna

I tried cajoling, I tried hinting, I even tried coming right out and asking but was unable to get Donna to crochet me a French Press cozy. So I did what any grownup would do:


I sucked it up and knit it myself. Made from a remmant of stash Lion Brand Landscapes, felted with the regular laundry, button attached, and press is snuggly.