Row by Row

Men's Socks for Giving Away

I, like so many, tend to let my professional responsibilities take over 100% leaving any shred of creative ability I may have to sit in the corner, facing the wall, waiting for a ‘safe’ time to come out and play.

I get involved with creative pursuits and organizations, but I don’t make enough time in my schedule to really work this (as well as many other healthy pursuits, i.e. yoga, biking, etc.) into my weekly routine.

Lately, I have been inspired by friends who, while doing many other things both professional and personal, manage to chronicle their passions and their productivity regularly. I hope that I can join these ranks.

For instance, Melanie has been creating beautiful knitting which she shares so articulately and with a great sense of story on French Knits.

David discusses his search for and education about mushrooms and other foraged items, as well as his yoga practice and sponsorship of the arts in Cambridge at the aptly named, Forage, Art, Yoga, Music.

Candice funnels her knowledge, interest and expertise about food and papercraft into Candice Cooks and Shortcake Scraps, respectively.

Alex, a chef and whole food advocate, tweets at Lactoferment and Boston Public Market, as well as blogs (and instructs) at Feed Me Like You Mean It.

Finally, Christine blogs about her life as a writer (a medical editor and a budding novelist) over at Writer Bug.

This weekend, I have been inspired to fire up my creative energies, get my craft/writing space in order, and redefine my routine to incorporate more non-work thinking, worrying and effort.

Next semester, I begin a long-awaited adventure in education: starting my Master’s in Library Science at Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) in Boston. I am already concerned about how to devote the right amounts of creative thinking toward this new pursuit, one for which I am primed and ready, and want to give my best effort.

As I learned so many years ago from The Artist’s Way, I just have to start small, get the words and processes flowing, make and keep artist’s dates with myself (I do this successfully online by poring over the above and other blogs; need to do more of this in the physical world), and just take it bird by bird. Sorry, a little Annie Lamott crept in there. That is another great book for writers and creative folk, Bird by Bird.

To get myself going in the knitting department, I started a new Ravelry Group called “We Knit in Somerville,” to encourage the gathering of knitters in my area to meet and knit in public.

I have big plans to make all of my own clothes, housewares, be published, make all of my gifts for others, be a great cook and baker, live small, make visual and sculptural art, be an information designer and at some point have a house, a weekend house, gardens and a family of my own.

For now, for today, I will pick up that sock project and start knitting, row by row.