And looking forward

 I sat through a couple days' worth of meetings this week. It wasn't SO bad (and they did feed us lunch each day, even if yesterday we had to walk LITERALLY to the farthest point on campus from my building for it - at least I got my 5000 steps in).

But you know? I actually feel kind of excited again to start teaching this fall. Part of it is this is the first semester in a year I'm not at least having to think about a brand-new class (I was already trying to prep systematic botany last fall, knowing it was pretty certain I'd be teaching it). 

Yes, I have four classes this fall and (I think?) one hour of overload but at least they're all things I've taught numerous times before so it's just reviewing and updating material rather than creating instruction from scratch, and that's a relief. And things are beginning to feel more "normal" - despite the news of a new variant, I plan to teach unmasked (there is no evidence the new variant has much vaccine escape, and most of the time I'm fairly far away from the students) and enrollment in the intro level classes has gone way up (my upper division classes are still at half capacity, though - they're showing the dip we had in 2020, 2021, and 2022 still). 

But it's nice to feel sort of excited to be teaching again, and to feel like things are sort of "back."

Also, hopefully, my urge to start more complex projects is back. Louise Tilbrook linked this Moon Moth sweater pattern (etsy link) which can also be found on Ravelry. And I LOVE it. I love the design even though I don't love doing stranded work (with two colors). (at least, I assume it's stranded work and I like intarsia even less).

I bought the pattern. At first, I thought "I'll do this just to support the artist" but the more I thought about it the more I want a sweater, with sort of a creamy grey main body and a dark purple top. And looking around - well, I spent the money at KnitPicks for their "Gloss DK" which is a part-silk yarn and while it's not CHEAP to me, it's affordable compared to many yarns. And they had a color called "Moonlight" which was what I was imagining for the main body, and Blackberry is an acceptable dark bluish purple for the top.

So maybe I push myself to finish A Sweater for John and also Chalcedony, and maybe restart Incunabula (I can probably remember where I am) and/or the linen stitch one, and then when I have at least ONE of those done, start this. Possibly parts of it might even work as invigilating knitting, I don't know. But it's nice to feel like "we're so back" with something - where I can look at a garment and imagine wearing it, it would be perfect over either a dark skirt or slacks. (And hopefully we don't have a hot winter this year so i can wear sweaters a little). But to me it feels like a very "me" sweater - a little bit of a quirky/biological design, but also pretty (and the moon is incorporated as well)

But maybe tonight I dig out A Sweater for John and try to do the pocket and look at what the button bands will take - that will be the quickest to finish; I think Chalcedony would be next quickest, and I found the pattern for it the other day.