Not busy

I like being busy. I know that when I am actually busy I complain about how busy I am and how there's not enough time in the day. But I do enjoy it. It prevents those moments where you think of other things you could be doing and that you'd rather be doing (like yarn shopping or knitting). It makes days you dread speed along and you don't even realize they're over until you're home and finally catching your breath. I like stress to a certain degree. Not to the point where I'm so stressed and frustrated that I start crying, but that stress that keeps you awake and moving. That's the kind of stress I like.

The problem is, I don't have enough of that going on at work. January to April flew by because it was one project after another and there wasn't enough time to do everything. And while I hated certain moments (working on weekends, for one), looking back on those 3-4 months doesn't fill me with extreme relief that it's over. It makes me want something like that to work on now.

For the past 3 years I've learned that my job has cycles. I'll go from being really busy to having almost nothing to do and no desire to do what I do have. I have months of boredom sometimes. I'm hoping that that won't be the case now that I have a new manager who seems interested in me being involved with things. But right now I'd love something time-sensitive to do. Just so I need to move faster and elevate the stress levels a little.

Maybe that's why, no matter what I tell myself, I always seem to have multiple kntting projects going at once. All I had left was to finish Kelley's socks. But then I needed a break from tiny needles and decided to start a Clapotis in laceweight on US 4s (looks lovely so far). And why I finally gave in to that skein of Malabrigo to make myslef a wonderfully warm and soft wool scarf. In May. I need the excitement and the variety of new things and multi-tasking and deadlines.

Of course then I go overboard and take on too much for the time I have. And I end up still working on my friend's Christmas present when it's 80 degrees outside and Memorial Day is right around the corner. And she has absolutely no need for wool socks in that weather. And I've got two baby blankets to make this summer. It'd be nice to find the middle ground.

I think next Friday (well, probably Wednesday so I can wash and let them air dry) will be the deadline for the socks. We'll probably see Pirates of the Caribbean on opening day and it would be a good time to give her a present. I will probably even wrap her socks up in Christmas paper, because I'm a huge dork that way.