"Fear is the mind-killer..."

Words to live by.

It has been over a decade since I read that book. If you were to have a look at the date card in the copy at the Mackenzie High School library, my name would appear at least six times, and more than likely ten. It is one of my favourites.

Behold, the Twined Von, shaping up nicely and mere days from completion. And please ignore the frizzy hair and lack of makeup....

“I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."

Behold, the Twined Von, shaping up nicely and mere days from completion.

Today's Earworm: Glosoli, by Sigur Ros

Waking Life

I do always forget just how busy life is at this time of year. Work aside, I'm up to my eyeballs in knitting, volunteering, socializing and planning not one, but two vacations -- oh, hell, make that three. But more on that later, this is about knitting today.

The Twined Von progresses slowly this week; I am working out how to knit an endless knot into the back of it using the technique in Viking Patterns for Knitting. Because I am twined-knitting, I have to go through some err... acrobatics and I am still knitting test swatches to be sure it's going to work as I hope it will. I have actually, truth be told, knit the body of this sweater three times before, to various lengths (most recently and heartbreakingly to my ribcage), since I am flying by the seat of my pants until I join the sleeves to the body to knit the shoulders and neck. I have learned so much though. That's what I tell myself, anyway. ;)

My Alchemy bamboo in Scarlet's Dark Secret arrived two weeks ago at Village Yarns and a big thank you goes out to Karen at VY and Gina at Alchemy for getting me on my merry way to knitting Intolerable Cruelty in time for my trip to Norway in May. The yarn is such a gorgeously decadent deep bloody colour... Now all that remains is for me to a) finish the Twined Von first and b) pick a size to knit. I am holding off as long as possible in choosing a size in the hopes that I'll be able to knit one smaller than I am currently. To the gym I go tonight.

I am also hoping to knit a Clapotis from stash yarn, perhaps the Alfabeto I got in San Francisco if there is enough of it, in time for my trip, since we'll no doubt be taking the train out to Bergen (windy and rainy) and be poking about some chilly fjords. I'm really looking forward to meeting some Norwegian knitters and the Clapotis seems to be worldwide, it would be a good icebreaker I think. I haven't worked up the courage to leave a comment on any of the blogs I read enquiring about Oslo stitch 'n' bitches, but I may become bolder as the date approaches.

Today's Earworm: Kathy's Song (VNV Nation Mix), by Apoptygma Berzerk