Setting Goals
WARNING: This knit blog post contains no photographs. None. Due to the unforeseen death of the battery charger, there are no AAs available to power the camera used for yarn and knitting photography. A replacement has been mustered and is expected to be in position tomorrow afternoon -- thanks to Amazon and UPS. For the moment, knitting progress is discussed without visual aids.
With Apologies,
The Management
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I'm counting down the last few days before beginning my new career; Friday is my last day as a corporate employee. Four days, just four days. I am, as you would expect, excited. No, I'm extremely excited. I am so excited that I can barely stifle the urge to run the halls of my office and yell with happiness. I want to shut down my computer and head for home, or the yarn store, or the park -- anywhere but here. Freedom is so close that time is moving at a speed only experienced by children the week before Christmas.
Yet, even with control of my daily destiny within my grasp, I'm realizing that although some elements of working in a big company will vanish next week, others will take on even greater significance. On the way out is my smallish commute and my intense and passionate relationship with Microsoft Excel. Of course, I already have my eye on an exciting and intense involvement with Word, so I guess that isn't much of a change. What's more surprising is that I will, more than ever, need to establish goals, objectives, and benchmark my progress. While I escape the tedium of filling out performance management forms at my soon to be former employer, I am keenly aware that I need to take the matter into my own hands with even more discipline now that the carrot of a performance bonus is not dangling in front of me.
I think I'll manage. You see, I have lots of practice, thanks to my silly habit of setting and monitoring my knitting goals. My most recent list of "To Dos" covered the August - September time frame. Here, reprinted from my little journal / notebook / list making diary, is the page dated 13 August:
August / September Goals
Finish the following:
- Martha
- Vesper Hat
- Vesper Jaywalkers for E
- Bleeding Heart socks for E2
- Embossed Leaves Socks
- Fana
And, as a kicker, several lines below this list I wrote out my stretch goal -- finish Rona's body. I am nothing if not stupidly ambitious -- a stretch goal? How pathetic.
How have I done?
- Finish Martha (all but finishing, will complete by September 30th)
- Vesper Hat (done, evidence on Flickr, and will be posted here once camera is re-energized)
- Vesper Jaywalkers for E (stalled on sock #1, mid-way through the foot)
- Bleeding Heart socks for E2 (Sock #1 complete, sock #2 underway)
- Embossed Leaves Socks (Sock #2 underway, will complete by September 30th)
- Fana (Body is 85-90% done, star pattern nearly complete, the linked picture is old)
Rona? I've completed the first large pattern and one of the intermediary bands.
On the whole I'd rate it a good showing. True, I didn't come close to finishing my projects, but I spent some quality time with each one. Plus, I tackled a project outside of scope and I'm counting on gaining points by finishing it. Inspired by several days of below sweltering temperatures, I gave into the urge to cast on something new: Tilted Duster from the cover of Interweave Knits Fall 2007. I've finished the top portions, and the sleeves, and will pick-up the stitches for the "skirt" tonight. Very doable. Very.
I bet I could get a pretty decent, though not outstanding performance review for this showing, though I'd get points knocked off for not having sufficient pictorial evidence. Luckily, the end of the month is a few days away and the camera will be revived before then!
I'll take my bonus in yarn.
