As I mean to go on.

Goals, not resolutions.  I may be resolved to accomplish at least some of these, but we'll see how the year goes.  Quoting Marcus Aurelius:  “If a thing is humanly possible, consider it within your reach.”

So here are my plans for 2026, beginning, of course, with Reading.

The poster is from the Library of Congress'
Works Project Administration Poster Collection
in the Prints and Photographs Division, and
is from Illinois!  The Chicago-based WPA
Art Project, between 1936 and 1941, by Hazlett.

Again I'll plan to read 18 books, starting as I did the last two years with this one:

It seemed appropriate to read before my New Year's yoga class.  I found a radio show with guidance about living with unresolved questions that links into the teaching, and also to some other goals.  Next up is the book for January Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club.

Second, yarning.  Knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, embroidery, sewing, whatever.  All of them.  And once again, attending Carolina Fiber Fest, Maryland Sheep & Wool, and DFW Fiber Fest.  Plus having some other fiberous and yarny adventures.  Hopefully finishing some UFOs.

Third, charitable works, which for me often involve yarn.  I plan to give another 100 hats to the Charter Oak Cultural Center in honor of Carol Fine, a woman from my congregation who died last summer and was always making hats for them to hand out to children in the after school programs and other people.  We often saw each other at programs, each working on some item for charity.  I'll likely do a bunch of other things - and maybe finish a blanket for Warm Up, America!  Or at least make progress.

Fourth, cooking, and since the column I've been writing has shifted to alternate (odd-numbered) months, I may get back to documenting some work on historical recipes.  There are a few I've wanted to make, and I might try one of them, or a variation on it, today.  After eating the obligatory hoppin' john, of course!  I made a potful and took half to my parents yesterday along with a small bottle of sparkling cider, since they aren't champagne people.

Fifth, new learning and adventures.  Every month I will do one new thing, whether a class to learn something new, or trying some very different recipe, or going to a new restaurant, or something of that sort.  I've lived in the new place for a couple of years and there are so many places I've wanted to explore and haven't gotten to yet.  In the last week, I went to two: a coffeeshop with a library attached, and The Scrap Exchange.  I probably won't count visiting local yarn shops, since that's part of my job as a Guild officer.

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How did I start 2026?

• Reading
• Yoga
• Eating hoppin' john
• and cookies
• Drinking Diet Dr. Pepper®
• Watching videos by some of my favourite YouTubers
• Knitting (the cardigan for me)
• Long walk outside
• Baking bread
• Eating bread with cheese
• Listening to music
• Crocheting (something for charity)
• Eating ice cream!
• No nap, but going to bed "early" - with a book.  😉

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Back to the beginning: Classical Wisdom offered three ways to achieve your resolutions (or goals) from the ancients:

• Admit your ignorance  (Socrates)
• Don't just talk, take action  (Marcus Aurelius)
• Realize that you are capable of change  (Aristotle)

And now for 365 possibilities stretching ahead.  Onwards!

A friend posted this wish for the New Year to his friends.

Fiberuary - Week 1

I learned of this challenge late in the day, but still on February 1st, so jumped into the swarm:

The creator addressed going forward with the event even though energy might best be directed elsewhere:

These are my first week responses:

Day 1 - Hi!

I realize it's funny that somebody who modeled as a child hates being photographed, but here I am.  Since I learned of this very late and hadn't planned, I decided I needed to show that I knit and crochet.  Hat is one of my basic hats that lives in a coat pocket and is worn often; sweater is the one I test-crocheted last year.  A bit itchy but very warm - handdyed yarn, of course.

Day 2 - Looking Forward

For me, this means project planning.  Top Row: A skein of Miss Babs Neon Tweed in "Franklin" for a carry-along project; Miss Babs Tarte in "Franklin" paired with Destination Yarns First Class Silk in "Sainte-Chappelle" for a shawl; and three assorted DK weight hanks from UP North Yarns with the remainder of a DK hank from Forbidden Fiber that will be either a really big shawl or a small cardigan, or a bigger one if I add some more hanks.  Bottom Row: Destination Yarns' "Paris" minis set for a Tour Eiffel inspired shawl, and a couple hanks from Fiberlady for another simple top.

Day 3 - Monday Morning

I finished the hat this morning.  Not as simple as most of my "Zoom hats" or mindless knitting projects because of the overall ribbing.  I used doubled sock yarn leftovers, 90 stitches on US#3 needles in a 3x3 ribbing, then changed to 9x9 ribbing and US#5 needles for the body.  I really like how the decreases came together at the top.  Other project is one of the current ones that seems to work colour-wise and which I also did a little bit of this morning.

Day 4 - Inspiration

These two men are inspiring for ways outside of knitting - for being good and kind, for encouraging children to read and to be compassionate and thoughtful.  Since they are wearing sweaters, and it is National Sweater Day, I thought I'd include a couple sweaters that are inspiration for ones I want to make someday: a heavily cabled one that Franklin Habit is knitting, and one of Mick Aston's:

Yes, someday I will collect lots of little bits of yarn, or just use a pile of miniskeins, and knit something like this one.

Day 5 - Work in Progress

No wonder I am feeling overwhelmed!  Left-to-right:  My "car scarf", garter stitch with Red Heart "Americana", to work on while waiting.  Corner-to-Corner blanket piece of Caron "Latte Cakes".  Garter stitch scarf knit of two colourways with transitional changes, to match a hat of same.  Below, that, my "pocket hat" or "Zoom hat", a basic beanie on a circular needle that takes no attention and can be worked anywhere, including audience, dentist, and book club.  All four of these are destined for charity.  Next is a mitten in progress, which I need to finish and get the second one finished, hopefully this weekend.  Next to that my DFW Fiber Fest 2024 shawl, maybe a UFO given how much time has passed, but it is almost done so I am bringing it out for Finishing February.  Finally, the cardigan I started out of some thick-thin wool I purchased in Argentina, and decided I may as well do something simple, plus I want a cardigan.  I may use some plain yarn for the border - or not.

Day 6 - A Pop of Colour

This yarn is a bright pop of colour and it's not even mine!  A friend asked me to pick up a couple things for her at DFW Fiber Fest last year.  She is just learning how to make granny squares, because crocheting is difficult for her, and really wanted the Whimzee Stitches bags.  She also wanted the neon yarn braid, which is blacklight reactive.  The last item is one I picked up at the Carolina Fiber Fest and it's electric purple with a splash of pink - very similar to her hair colour.

Day 7 - Mood Booster

A beautiful sunny and warm day, with clear skies, is enough of a mood booster especially in February!  Let's add some yarn - a "Rainbow Ambrosia" hank on an incredibly soft base from Always Be Kind Yarn.  The dyer supports LGBTQ+ and anti-suicide organizations, and is really supportive of the fiber community and the LGBTQ+ community and individuals.  The other is some handspun from Knitting Lagniappe, somebody I know in the DFW area who is an amazing person.  I've really enjoyed knitting her yarns in the past.  Unfortunately work didn't allow me time to sit in the sun and wind up yarn, or knit, but just looking at them and petting the yarn is a mood booster.

As I have started.

Just for the record, I finished my first book of 2024 this morning:

Yes, it's a slim one, but I thought I'd follow on last year's and select a self-improvement book as the first one to read.  This is a keeper, although I probably won't follow all his instructions.

I also finished the first knitting project:

  

I started the hat during the online New Year's Eve party I attended, thinking that with bulky yarn and fat needles, I might have it done by midnight.  But I wanted to do something more interesting than just a plain beanie, so between trying the stitch and restarting (twice) because it was too big, I didn't get it done.  The beehive stitch required more focus than I could manage during the Rose Bowl yesterday, so I finished this morning.

Since I had just one ball of the yarn, I wanted to try to use up every inch, or as close as I could get.  After running in the ends, I have 5.25 inches remaining.  I think I managed it well.

This morning I went to the public library because the January bulletin said they were starting an Adult Reading Challenge today.  You pick up a list of challenges and then read a book - library or otherwise - for each one, or as many as you can finish by the time the challenge ends on March 31st.  Because it was a work day I just took the pamphlet and read it when I got home.  The topics include "Banned Book", "A Title From a Library Display", "Pick a Book Solely For Its Cover", "A Title That Has Won An Award Within the Last 10 Years", "A Book Recommended by a Blog, Website, or App", and "Read or Re-read a Book From Your Favorite Author".  I can think of a few that would qualify for two or three categories - but I've already read them!

Because it's Science Fiction Day, I wanted to start something in the genre.  However, all my books by favourite authors are still packed.  Then I saw the "Read a Novel in Translation" challenge, and remembered that I hadn't read the Jules Verne assignment from my "Emergence of Science Fiction" class, because it arrived after that session.  Perfect!

[Science Fiction Day is on January 2nd because that was the birthday of famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, born Isaak Yudovich Ozimov on January 2, 1920 in Petrovichi, Russia. His family emigrated to the USA when he was quite small and he became a Boston University professor of biochemistry, although he is best known for his works of science fiction, his book about the Bible, and his popular science books.  I might select one of those for the "Non-Fiction Title About Science", category.]

You get prizes for each three challenges you complete.  I wonder whether you can accomplish it by reading a single book that could fall into multiple categories, but I am going to try to only have one category per book.  And if I accomplish this, I'll also have met my Goodreads challenge number for the year!

Get Gnarly Today

The last Friday in July is, among other things, "National Get Gnarly Day". The word “gnarly” can mean “bad” or “dangerous” but can also mean something exciting and unpredictable, which is the way I learned it, from surfers who use the term to describe the waves they tackle.  Dictionaries tell us that "gnarly" means both "twisted" as in roots or fingers, and "difficult, dangerous, or challenging." Much like surfers challenging the waves, Get Gnarly Day challenges us to put some gnarliness into everything we do, providing an opportunity to embrace new ideas and toss out old ways.

Many people look at January 1st, the first day of the Gregorian calendar, as a time to start new things.  Some people call in a backup at April 1st, the day the Romans set as the first day of the year, and others follow religious new years such as Rosh Hashonnah.  I've said that we need to have more "first days" and starting points, because it can be daunting to have one day a year, and measurement can be a struggle.  This is why I started the mini-resolutions and every month to do something new, or different, or accomplish something.

Get Gnarly Day might be a another good starting point, but a day to not just mark something routine such as making sure all the floors get washed, or you eat enough vegetables (too easy for me in the summertime!), or starting any new thing.  It's a day to pick a new perspective, something truly new, something you normally wouldn't because it is, or appears to be, difficult, dangerous, or challenging.  Embrace it, and the learning you will experience as you undertake something gnarly today, this weekend, and in your life.