Some of you may be able to remember the phrase "burn out". This was the big catch-all term back in the late '80s and early '90s for people who has just lost it, specifically when it came to their jobs. Generally it meant one was no longer able to generate any interest in their work and just couldn't face it any more. One of the cures was to find a different career. Or take some time off, or maybe go take a seminar.

I think I may be in that place right now, at least in my knitting. So, while I'm not going to take any time off, I'm going to try my hand at crochet. (I think I may have already mentioned this. My mind is going!) I am also going to get back to more challenging knitting. The current shawl is just knit, knit, knit. My arms ache from the monotony. Looking at Cindy's UFOs and WIPs makes me realize how I've let simple knitting get in my way. And then there's Teresa's Roscalie project. And Alison's "double" knitting. And the inimitable Wendy whom we all love and admire and long to emulate. And I know there are many, many others that I could site as inspiration. Like Joe or Matt. I still have to knit some simple stuff for Skein. That's part of my "job" there. But I think I'll mostly work on those simple things when I'm actually at Skein. (They are supposed to stimulate sales and they do.) But the stuff I want to do now just won't work there. Most of my stash didn't come from Skein and I try not to knit with yarns that are not available at Skein. Plus, what I want to do now is not easy to pick up and put down in mid-row.

Speaking of Skein. We were moderately busy yesterday. It's really hard to ratchet down to a normal pace. We've been so busy for so long! A couple of folks came in for a little hand holding. One lady has been knitting for well over ten years and had never learned to purl. She's made at least ten afghans using Manos del Uraguay. Garter stitched every one. Now she's making a purse. Rowan Big Print. So she had to learn to purl. Awesome!