say goodbye to hobby-wood

I haven't posted anything of substance in quite a long time. I wonder if I've got any readers left.

(Hi Mom.)

The school year is over. Did I mention that? Husband finally turned his grades in yesterday, which means we're both officially finished...sort of.

I have been spending about half of each weekday at my office, sorting through the detritus of one year of teaching. Paperwork, CDs in broken jewel cases, a "My Documents" folder without any discernable organization. Once I got my office into new-school-year fighting trim, I started practicing again.

I've got a recital planned for early August and it's a huge program. It's going to be a real challenge for me. I have decided that since the chamber music situation here is not as steady as I'd like, the best thing for me to do is to burn through as much repertoire as I can by giving two big recitals each year. One in each semester. Each one is a line on my CV. Each one is (if I don't screw up too much) a potential addition to the Job CD, which I have to send whenever I apply for a job. These are things I need if I ever want to come back to the U.S. in anything less than shame.

Anyway, I started practicing again after a couple of weeks off (the end of the semester is too full of student-related obligations for me to do anything like a serious practice schedule), and I was dismayed to find that my hand problems have come back in force.

What could be causing this? I haven't been using the computer excessively (which gave me problems during graduate school). I haven't been over-practicing, God knows. What have I been doing with my hands that would strain my already-damaged nerves?

KNITTING.

No more pretty sweater. No more cute penguin. No more half-an-afghan. No more anything. I think I'm going to have to give it up.

Anyone want some yarn, needles, and half-finished knitting projects?