nipperknits

Mini-Golf!

Best way to spend Christmas? Mini-golf! Pirate-themed mini-golf, even.

Crane Count: 18.

Secrets Revealed

Do you remember when I teased you with this secret project? I can finally reveal what it was since it's out in the world now.

Go buy the new Vogue Knitting when it comes out on the 9th. See my new design. I'm really, really excited about this one. It was super fun to make.

Crane Count: 13

Cranes

The first of many.

This coming New Year, I’m making no knitting resolutions. My last two year’s resolutions didn’t really pan out. This year I’m making a real resolution. A resolution to better myself. I want to be a more responsible person. I want to pay my bills on time. I want to try doing my projects when they’re assigned, not at the last minute. I want to take myself to the doctor and the dentist. It’s like preventative maintenance for my entire life. I find that I focus on living my life and forget to take care of myself. Perhaps I should take better care of myself so I can continue to live my life happily.

2006 was a pretty crap-tastic year. It could definitely have been worse, but it wasn’t good. I had hundreds of dollars stolen (which I got most of back), I was assaulted (luckily, I’m alright and haven’t heard anymore about having to go to court, but that’s still up in the air), I’ve had my hard drive on my just-past-warranty computer die and spent a lot of money getting that fixed, I’m now writing this post on my computer, not online, but in Word because the wireless card in my computer is broken and I have no wireless (I’ll fix it at some point).

2007 has got to be better, right?

If I believed in instant karma, I’d be afraid I was bringing this on myself. I’m almost afraid that even though I don’t believe in instant karma it believes in me. I think I’m a good person, I think I do right by people. I do think, however, that there are things about my life that I could change for the better. Like I said, becoming a more responsible person.

So, here’s the plan. Have you heard of the senbazuru? This is a group of 1,000 paper cranes. There’s a legend that completing a senbazuru in a year or less is a prayer for long life and health. Also, in Hiroshima, it is a prayer for peace because of Sadako Sasaki. I’ve been inspired by my friend Ryan doing his last year and by the knit not war [link updated] knitted cranes effort. I want to use this year to fold my own senbazuru as a meditative effort. I think if I can meditate on what it is I want while folding these cranes, it will give me the mental focus I need to make a difference in myself. Everyday as I fold cranes I will think on what I want my life to be like. As I fold cranes I will focus on specific changes I want to make and things I need to do to make a difference in my life. I’m changing my behavior, for the good to be sure, but any behavioral changes are incredibly difficult. I know I’m going to need help, that’s why I’m thinking the senbazuru is the way to go.

A prayer for long life and health, and changing my behavior so that I can achieve that: Nipper’s Year of the Crane. Not only will I be folding my own senbazuru, but I’m also pledging 10 knitted cranes to knitnowar.

Crane Count: 1