Cheating

I have a confession to make: I've been cheating on my knitting.



But let's back up a bit. First you have to know that I've always had a bit of an obsessive personality. If there's something I like, I tend to fixate on it. Knitting is only the most recent obsession.

For years and years, my entire childhood and all the way through college, I was a voracious reader. I went through books quickly, sometimes getting through as many as one a day when I was on vacation. I frequently read more than one book at a time; even during high school, when I had a heavy English reading list, I was still reading for pleasure.

Then I started my current job. After reading all day, the last thing I wanted to do in the evening was look at more words, especially in the early days, when my eyes were still adjusting to work and often wouldn't focus at night. It was about this time that knitting started to consume me. I discovered knitting blogs, started one of my own, and amassed a rather impressive stash.

A year ago, I was bitten by the spinning bug. Fortunately, spinning didn't supplant my passion for knitting, so the two pursuits filled my free time nicely.

About two years ago, I started reading for pleasure again, from time to time. It would take me much longer to finish a book, however, because for one thing, I didn't want to put down my knitting, and for another, it was hard to read without subconsciously editing (so much for leaving work at work). I really needed a story that would grip me and make me forget about other things, even typos. The last book I'd read that did this was probably the last Harry Potter book.

So, last week, when I had my "spring break," I decided that it would be good to give my hands a break from the knitting and spinning I planned to do and add in a little reading for pleasure -- something light and entertaining. My friend had mentioned that she'd read some of the Twilight series and was willing to lend me the first book. So, last Thursday, I sat down to eat lunch and opened the book.

And then it was all over for me: I'd been sucked in (pun intended). By Saturday, I'd finished -- having not picked up my knitting all day. (And that should tell you something. The last time I'd put down my knitting for any significant period of time was when I had my appendix out.) Sunday morning, I went to buy the second book in the series. I finished it Tuesday night. Last night, before Hurricane Knitting, I bought the third and fourth books. I have no doubt both will be finished by the end of this weekend. I'd also say there's a very big chance I will have bought and watched the DVD.

Obsess much? Me?

Lest you think I've completely abandoned my knitting, here is some proof that I have not. I've insisted on keeping my reading at home and maintaining my practice of knitting during my lunch break, if only to give my eyes a rest. And look, a nearly complete Endpaper Mitt!

I also have some deadline knitting to do, in the form of a Mr. Foster that will be a birthday gift for my favorite little cousin. After last night's knitting group, he now has two arms and part of a leg.

I'll be chugging along on these, but if you don't see me on the blog or answering e-mail for the next several days, you'll know why.