I know that I should have stayed focused on one of my current projects, but here's how it happened:
On Tuesday, Alex (my DD) and I took a spur-of-the-moment run into San Francisco to check out some of the small art galleries. One was closed, but we did get to SF Electric Works (http://www.sfelectricworks.com/)... it was featuring a one-man show called "Out of the Grapevine" by Paul Madonna. Residents of the SF area who read the Chronicle's Date Book on Sundays know his strip called "All Over Coffee" (www.paulmadonna.com). Madonna's art is amazing - it really appeals to Alex & me both. Once you see his drawings of San Francisco, you can never look at the buildings again without noticing the glorious details of the unique architecture... it's amazing (sort of like having a child help you see the world with a new perspective).
Anyway, after spending time at the gallery, I pulled out my shop directory from Knitters Magazine (http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/universe.php) and looked up the address for Noe Knit (www.noeknit.com). I had wanted to check out their shop for a while, and finally got a chance to do so since they were open late that evening.
The shawl was hanging in their window and it just appealed to me instantly, so I decided a black version would be a very useful accessory to have in the coming months, and I bought the yarn. It's a quick knit and mindless, so I took it to a meeting with me on Wednesday night and got a good start to it. I've finished one of the 5 balls of yarn required for it, and working top down so it should go quickly.
One frustration for me with SF: I love the city so much and I want to spend more time exploring it, especially now with Alex since we share the love of art and adventure and such, but it is such a PAIN to park in SF. If you are lucky enough to find a parking space, it costs a fortune to feed the meters, and the maximum parking times are very limited. It wouldn't be so bad if the city had a decent public transit system. I have been spoiled by NYC and other big cities with decent subway and bus systems that are easy to figure out and utilize. SF really lacks in that regard -- it's a shame. Maybe if I make an effort, I can figure out the bus system so we can use it - I am also thinking that even taxicabs are easier than trying to drive to the various neighborhoods of the city and find parking. It may even be cheaper! Hmmm... maybe we'll try that next time we go into the city!
By the way, if you are a parent with school-aged kids and you have to go to a lot of parent meetings at school, it's a great way to get a lot of knitting done. As the school year starts, I will often set up and "package" a number of "no-brainer" knitting projects to take to meetings with me. They allow me to knit almost mindlessly while listening.
Another thing I set up for school meetings is new/stashed yarn with appropriate needles to work swatches at the meetings. The best part is that I will have the time to knit good-sized (and, thus, more accurate) swatches because I basically have nothing better to do than knit and listen. My goal is to eventually swatch all of my stashed yarn and document it in Ravelry. (I can dream, can't I?)
I actually "hear" better when I knit - it's not just me being weird - they have proved that there is a connection between your level of comprehension and the simultaneous performance of a repetitive act. They've even shown that school kids understand and retain more information in a class if they are allowed to chew gum - interesting, eh? See http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Holman2.html as one of many sources of information on this subject.
Okay, I have to get back to work. My big project for August is to finish updating my customer database to ensure that all of the information in it is accurate (and useful!). It is really amazing how much work one has to do when taking over someone else's business - even one year after the acquisition!
Hugs to everyone!
