Tuesday 19 July 2011

It's My Turn To Drive

Driven to the margin of error
Driven to the edge of control
Driven to the margin of terror
Driven to the edge of a deep, dark hole


Healing continues. I'm amazed that I'm actually starting to be able to listen to more music without turning into a hysterical blubbering mass.

Oddly enough, I'm listening to a great deal of RUSH, thanks, I'm sure, in large part to one of the digital movie channels running Beyond the Lighted Stage fairly often. They started out just after I began university many years ago, and I've been aware of them in the "oh, they're Canadian, Geddy Lee has this high voice, and they're fabulous musicians" kind of way, but I really never sat down and listened to them.

I have now, and become a big fan. Driven, with the chorus lyrics by drummer Neil Peart I've quoted above, has turned into my anthem of survival. The truck (also known as the big black hole with four wheels into which has been poured a lot of money) is back on the road, and it's given me more than a modicum of freedom which I've desperately needed.

Saddle bronc 3

Cowboy on the right has heard the horn, signalling the end of his eight-second ride on a saddle bronc, and is about to dismount with the assistance of the "pick-up man"

Well, another bout of craziness (aka The Calgary Stampede) is over: as usual, I did my collection of volunteer hours down at the grounds. Mostly good weather this year, with it getting warm -- for Calgary -- near the end.

Baa!

My favourite part of Stampede is getting to hang out with the farm animals. This little cutie is a six-week-old Cheviot lamb, who was as friendly as could be, as was his/her ewe, who was always close by. It looks like next year, I'll be splitting my time between the Heritage Cabin and Sheep Showcase, giving demos and telling city folks about sheep and fleeces.

Dust devils

Life isn't as much of a whirlwind as it was back in the spring, even though I haven't posted for almost a month. I'm still crazy-go-nuts-busy, now with the second set of deadlines for residencies and such, as the first batch I've sent out haven't provided me with the opportunities I was hoping for.

That being said, I am applying for things that take just one person: in some ways, it's not much different than applying for a job where there's but one gig to be had, and they are attracting folks from around the world. I'm doing better in them, making it further into the jurying process (or so I've been told by some), but not nailing the big prize.

Yet.

And then there are the other plans for survival. The best part of all is that I no longer see the "deep, dark hole" at the end of July that I had seen for far too long in March.

And April.

And May.

And the overwhelming better part of June....

Project #1

But progress is being made on other fronts. It's my fourth Tour de Fleece, a spin-along event on Ravelry that parallels the Tour de France. I had three projects I wanted to finish by the end, which is next Sunday, July 24, and here's the first one "before": 100 grams of moorit Shetland roving surrounding a 2 oz. batt of merino/alpaca/mulberry silk/bamboo/flash.

Project #1 completed

And now the "after." This is a fairly nice skein of finished yarn, but I also have 75 yards or so of three-ply all Shetland that I'll use as trim.

Project #2 is spun but not washed, and I'm not finished spinning and plying Project #3. All will be revealed, eventually....

Books for Sale

The shop is currently empty.