A rose isn't always a rose

Last night was buddy run night. Several of the mentors were moving their runs to Walnut Creek so that they could go to Taco Tuesday afterward. That sounded like fun, so I packed my running gear so I wouldn't have to go home between work and the run. It meant staying at the office late so I -- yeah, I ended up going home. I decided at about 5:00 pm that on the second day of my diet it just wouldn't work to go to a Mexican restaurant and watch people eat tacos and drink beer and margaritas. If it had been a couple of months, or hell, even a week, I probably would have done it, but I know that my resolve and resistance isn't that good.

Instead of running I decided to do a lower body toning tape that I have. It's really good, about 40 minutes of various squats, dips, etc. and it totally works my glutes and hamstrings. I've always found it to be great training for running, but when I get lazy I skip it. This morning I can already tell that my legs are going to be sore, probably by this afternoon. I'm glad I did it with enough recovery time before the weekend run.

I'm debating whether to go to a Weight Watchers meeting today. I've always gone to the Wednesday noon meeting, mostly because I've liked the leaders. On the one hand, it's great to go and listen to the information, hear other people's ideas and suggestions, get very enthused about the whole diet -- er, healthy eating program. On the other hand, been there, done that, got the tee shirt (literally, a bright yellow extra large that I was given for, um, I think exercising regularly). I would go, sit there and knit, interject a comment or two, but I think sitting and knitting would be kind of rude. I dunno, I'll decide in a few hours.

I have, at last count, at least 7 wips sitting around the house (that's knitterese for works in progress). I've decided to try to start finishing them before starting another any new projects. Except for the mystery class this Friday, that is. I'd really like to get clapotis done before the summer, it's going to be beautiful and deserves better than sitting around for years, 2/3 done. There's the knitalong that I started last summer with the Temescal group, the one with the KPPPM, and I can't even remember the pattern except I remember I'm using 3 skeins of the yarn at a time. The multidirectional diagonal scarf that I'm making with Noro Silk Garden, the one skein easy lace scarf (which I haven't touched since the class), the super-long wrap in alpaca, the reversible cable alpaca, and a couple more I can't even remember right now. Except for the Noro, they all involve some thinking and I guess I keep starting (and finishing) easy non-brainers.

To me, zen knitting is just going back and forth and back and forth and not having to count, measure, read, memorize, think! I know that many others like the challenge of that, and to a point (like half a project), I do too. But after a long day of work and exercise I like to just sit and keep my hands busy while my mind wanders. Without having to unknit or frog because my mind has wandered too far! I guess it's time to challenge my brain as I'm challenging my body!

Today's Gratuitous Bear of the Day is Rosie. She's another tiny bear, just a few inches tall. I also got her when I was planning my wedding. I was going around to florists trying to find a place I could afford and there she was, sitting with the potted miniature rose plants. I can't remember if I ended up using that florist or not but I do remember that whoever I ended up using screwed things up on the wedding day. At least I got a pretty bear as a remembrance!