Fickleknitter

March 24, 2008

I really think so

Trying to get back into shape gives you plenty of time to think once your brain stops screaming while you exercise. I'm still waiting for the quiet, contemplative exercise milestone.

Here's an example of my recent return to exercise.
Day One: Enthusiastically get ready for first run since July. Bound out the door and think smugly how I'm not in bad shape since I can jog through my old route with ease. Mark down distance and weight (I know) in a spreadsheet. Have giant piece of cake to celebrate.
Day Two: Meander around house while getting ready for run. Still feeling smug. Take measurements of Postpartum body and mark in spreadsheet. Indulge in french fries and some number of blueberry muffins.
Day Three: Reluctantly drag self out the door, cursing running, spreadsheets and postpartum physiques. Jog very slowly feeling out of breath and old. Remember the good old days of yore and plot more cake induglences in between gasps for air.

The Days of Yore

In my early 20's I practiced Aikido. I've been a member of a few dojos on and off since 1997, taking it up here and there when the inspiration struck. I became interested in Aikido by a requisite phys ed course and watching Seven Samurai and Akira a few too many times. Japanese culture still fascinates me to this day, particularly if some sort of comic book hero is involved. Fueling my Aikido nostalgia is the totally awesome (fan-girl praise also taken from days of yore) book I'm reading, Snow Crash (I mustn't forget my other favorite Comic-Inspired Hero, SuperHiro Nakamura). I love the Author's writing style and amazed by his foresight. It was written in 1992 and does a decent job of forecasting the cultural shift toward the internets, samurai swords aside. (In a whimsically insipid non sequitur confession I'd like to offer up my two week bender of Katamari Damacy The King of All Cosmos is responsible for this digression).

All this exposure started me thinking about the role of Japan in current Knitting Trends. It goes beyond the popular Knitted Kimonos of late. Check out some Information on Japanese ISBN Books. The stitch dictionaries are not the same recycled stitch patterns, there's some brilliant stranded knitting going on, and a resurgence of traditional style arans with some welcome changes. Which brings me to my last point, Habu yarn. After seeing some habu yarn up north I finally get it. The textures and yarn components (stainless steel yarn! And it's soft, totally brilliant. I had no choice but to give it a home) are really beguiling, and perhaps guiding the trends to come. At least I hope so since I don't want to be the only one wearing a stainless steel hand knit gi and wielding samurai swords by myself in the future.

Posted by Michelle at March 24, 2008 08:35 AM