Thursday 16 April 2009

There are always days...

when you should have just stayed in bed. Yesterday was one of those.

On my way to work, I got a flat tire. Me being me, I did not recognize that fact till long after a normal person would have noticed it and would have stopped. Thankfully Mr. Needles was only a phone call away and got AMA to come out and put on the spare tire. (Soon I will be able to call AMA myself but it did come with a cost attached.)

When I finally got to work, the parking area was full, so I parked on the street. Its OK till 4 o'clock, but you have to get off the street during the afternoon rush hour. I forgot. I avoid street parking like the plague because I know I'll never remember to move my car. Of course I got a ticket.

Sometimes I just shake my head at how tiny the cocoon I live in is. If my cocoon is shattered and the world isn't going according to plan a, b or c, if it isn't in front of my face, it doesn't exist. If my internal calendar is off, it isn't going to happen.

And yet, my brain is full of trivia. I can remember tiny little details about all sorts of arcane things I read blurbs on 20 years ago. I know things like how post its were invented, and how J. S. Bach had 17 children. I remember most of the books I've ever read by plot and I can usually talk about my favourite character even though the name of the book escapes me and the authors name never even registered.

I have a brain full of trivia and bits and pieces of useless information, but I cannot remember the simplest little unexpected details for the life of me. I have a pretty good brain, I like to think, but it sure isn't one of those brains that works from logic and form. It's lot more like a puppy brain. Its good, its eager, it has a big capacity to learn. Aim me in the direction you want me to go, and I'm off . It's also easily distracted by Frisbees, games and will slobber at the simplest little things. Wave a piece of string in my face, or throw me a nice ball of yarn and I'll follow you anywhere. Best Buddies forever.

With all that, there was no way I was touching my purple shawl. No way was I going to attempt anything with counting. I could have worked on the socks, but sometimes, even I clue in. The world was telling me to stop.

Days like this remind me why I love knitting so very much. If I mess up, If I get a flat knitting tire, or if a project has been on the WIP pile a little long and has a parking ticket (!!), I can pull it all out, I can start it all over. When I pull it out, all that lovely yarn is once again just a pile of possibilities and nothing bad ever happened to it. Its slate is clean and fresh and new.

Knitting is going to have to be peripheral today, but I take great comfort from it. I have a ton errands to do today, and you can bet I am working from a written list. It starts with' fix tire'

3 comments:

Knitting Alchemist said...

Oh, man...I sure feel your pain. My brain works like that too. Makes for some interesting days, but it also gives us the creative streak that allows us to enjoy all the yarny fibry goodness.

Sandra said...

None of my friends (including my husband) will play Trivial Pursuit with me anymore becasue of my brain stuffed with useless knowledge. But knowing where I'm supposed to be tomorrow? No idea...

Karen said...

I hope your week improved! Parking tickets aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrgh!!