Snarfle

Hello, darlings. I'm sorry that I haven't been more regular about the blogging, but I've been suffering from a horrid bout of tendinitis and writer's block. Since I mostly blog about knitting, the tendinitis and writer's block might just be more connected than I realize.

This is frustrating on a number of levels, but I'm going to just let it go now. Please think good thoughts for my hands/wrists/hurty bits.

I don't want to totally rip off the Yarn Harlot, but what the hell is wrong with people on airplanes? I try to be courteous and polite most of the time, assuming that everyone around me is exactly as miserable as I am, and that I don't need to make it worse. I smile, I'm polite, and most importantly, I say "pardon me" when passing, and "thank you" frequently.

The YH has already ranted about the jerks-with-cell-phones issues (which I've now encountered twice in the last month), but on my most recent plane ride, I've seen people be rude to the flight attendants for NO REASON. Being on a plane for my job is my version of the worst kind of hell, so I have nothing but respect for these hardworking folks.

In the "people to be nice to" category, let's include every single person who works (in any and all capacities) at the airport. After close to twelve miserable, sleepless, crunched hours in airports and on uncomfortable planes, I walked to get a cup of coffee in the most unloved wing of JFK. After I sang praises to every God I could manage to dredge up in my sleep-deprived state, I had a bucket of coffee in my hand, waiting to be paid for and appropriately doctored.

Behind me in line, stood two fresh-to-the-airport people. They were clean, their clothes were pressed, and they clearly had not had the same 12 hours I had. The entire five minutes we were in line, they bitched about EVERYTHING. The man in front of me was juggling two cups of coffee and an INCREDIBLY well-behaved toddler, and yet, this couple bitched about HOW HE WAS HOLDING THE COFFEE.

Really? You want to micro-manage how people hold their coffee? I considered turning around and telling the two of them to shut the hell up (sleep deprivation brings out the best in me), but the rational side of me decided that anything I really want to do when exhausted is probably ill-advised.

I feel so naive, thinking that people should be polite whenever possible. I find that in most unpleasant situations, being polite is always more effective than being rude and obnoxious. Squeaky wheels do get oiled, but you'll get the minimum that they are required to do. Being polite bears many rewards, really, really. I think it's redundant to talk about it here. Obviously, if you read this blog, you're smarter (and decidedly more attractive) than non-Better Than Yarn readers.

After my most recent flight, I told Andrew that I am never, ever, ever, leaving the house again. Other feature of this flight included a rabid-looking hairpiece, no sleep, an open-mouth-breather, and me catching a wicked ugly flu. The world can come to me, if I never see another airplane again, it will be too soon.

The wicked ugly flu has wiped out all of my brains and energy. Before I left on the trip, I finished the body of my Not-Your-Standard-Issue-Sweatshirt, and cast on the sleeves. I estimated that the sleeves should take me about two days to complete. Not so much. I can knit about 4 rows (total), and then I'm too tired to knit.

The upside of the NYSIS is that it's on size 9 needles, which are the ONE SIZE of needle that I can knit with the tendinitis. So, it seems that once this is done, I'll be knitting all of my malabrigo up, since I can't manage the three lace shawls or any socks that I have on the needles. Essentially, if it's not on size 9's, I can't do it. Period.

I feel a little bad about this, since I promised a sample lace shawl to a friend (to be a booth sample which is returned to me), but it's on 2's, and thus, impossible to knit. Please ignore the fact that regardless of the tendinitis, I don't have enough brains left (due to the airborne influenza of death and destruction) to knit anything more complex than stockinette stitch in the round.

Oh, and "Walker, Texas Ranger" is great to sleep through. Wierd, huh?

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