Sometimes, there's so much to say I don't want to say anything at all. That pretty much sums up the month of January -- posting irratically, going weeks without saying anything at all, not mentioning important things, missing anniversaries (my blogiversary was the 24th). But it's a new month, and I'm tired of putting off blogging because I have too much to write. So I'll begin with the news I've not been writing for the last two months.
I'm moving back to Philly.
This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, given the number of trips I've made up there recently, although those trips have very little to do with my ultimate decision. This was an incredibly difficult decision for me to make, and one that even after I made it, I still didn't tell people about for months. I was ready to stay down here in the mountains for the long haul (y'all might remember), but the inherent isolation of dissertation-writing, combined with my physical isolation from friends and family, really took its toll this winter. Add to all of that the difficulty of writing what is turning out to be a fairly theory-heavy dissertation while three hours from a major research library, and... well... it's a recipe for slow writing. I'm ready to finish my dissertation and I'm ready to get on with my life. I love living here, and the thought of moving away makes me want to sit down and cry. But at the same time, I know now is the time to go. I've got to go back to Philly, a city I once loved with all my being, and face the ghosts that remain there. I've got amazing friends up there, a wonderful community, and now a terrific apartment waiting for me. It's just time. And if I wait until spring? Well, I'll never be able to go. It's just too damn pretty here in the spring. So... that's my news.
Despite not blogging, I've been knitting quite a bit. I have lots to post. First, and most proud, I learned to darn. Remember these?
I returned them to my mom looking like this:
Not beautiful, but wearable. And I felt so old timey and resourceful while doing it. The first new skill of 2007... Thanks Theresa for your tutorial!
In other knitting news, I'm on the toe of the first pomatomus (please note gratuitous photos), I'm almost done with the first "batman sock," and while in Philly, I broke my no-yarn rule (hey, I was depressed from the apartment hunt -- I deserved it!) and bought myself some beautiful Cascade 220 for an Elizabeth Zimmerman seamless hyrbid (that I think I'm gonna steek into a cardigan... we'll see if I have the guts to do it). I'm already through the waist decreases for that. But, my patient friend Shane asked ages ago for a pair of "manly mitts" and mentioned recently (in woeful tones) that he's seen no progress pictures on the blog and did I forget about him? So Shane, this is for you (just a hint, and the shade of green is sooo much nicer than I could capture here):
9 comments:
I've enjoyed all of your posts about rural living, but if you gotta go, you gotta go! I'm sure the dissertation writing will go much smoother in a big cities with huge libraries (not to mention friends!).
well, congratulations on making what must have been a very tough decision. i have an idealized vision of living out in the middle of nowhere (i've never done it, but would love to!), but i can see how it must be really hard and isolating, especially if you are trying to write a big dissertation! here's to your new life in philly and all the good things that will come with it. :)
My heart just leaps for you whenever I think about the idea of you moving back to Philly. I'll definitely be down for another visit in the spring; we'll have to get together. It's "home" for me, too, as you know.
love the p sock! and the colorway is sublime!!!
well now you'll definitely have to name that elephante Dante, but pronounce it in the local way!
I will miss (more than you would imagine!) your photos of the hills. I'm sure you'll always be an appalachian at heart, if not by address!
Having friends around you makes such a world of difference.
Congratulations on finding a new apartment. If moving is the thing to be done, then having that checked off the list makes it that much easier.
And D.C. is just a couple hours away by train... If you find yourself here, visiting the LOC's music library, for instance, I'd love to put a face with the writing...
Good luck with the move. Maybe we'll get to meet up whenever I get home to Bucks Co. And the knitting is lovely, but I have to say that I like the darning better. Warms my heart, it does, and it is too beautiful!
Excellent job salvaging your sock! Love the pomatomus, such a beautiful pattern
Hi Jennie --
I'm another knit blogger/grad student and I recently decided to more from Appalachia (Knoxville, TN) back to the Philly area this summer. I am convinced that my move is going to be fantastic and therefore also blindly convinced that yours will be great, too.
Right now, my laptop wallpaper is a photo I took of the Ben Franklin with the words "It will be ok" scrawled across the sky via photoshop. It will be ok :)
(I'm usually not this sunny and optimistic. Shhh, don't tell anyone.)
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