BRRR!

Winter has officially arrived. This afternoon I heard a DJ say that it was 22 degrees, although the gusts of wind certainly made it feel colder than that. Sunday is supposed to dip to 7 degrees.

You can understand why I'm working in earnest on my ribbed hat. I really wanted to start it last night before finishing Donna's scarf. It took awhile to cast on 90 stitches, and knitting the first row in rib was a bear. From then on it was slow but smooth progress. Crazy as it sounds, I took a nap around 10:30 p.m. while the Blue Jackets were getting blown out, woke up about an hour later, and returned to knitting the hat. The scarf went untouched.

I worked on it a little more this morning before going to work. Shooting a women's basketball game was on tap for the afternoon. We set up three hours in advance, but a colossal technical problem prevented us from getting any video signals. There was no reason to stay for a game we couldn't record, so we tore everything down and dismissed the crew, leaving me with a few extra hours on my hands.

I took my messenger bag to work, and yes, my knitting was inside. Rather than go home, I went to a coffee shop to get something to warm me up and to knit. In Fight Club Tyler Durden gives the members an assignment to pick a fight with a stranger. I feel like I'm doing the opposite, like others are provoked while I sit there with my needles and yarn. I feel rebellious, although no one has said a word to me, pro or con, while I knit in public. I've caught a few uncertain glances but nothing more.

Honestly, I think seeing me knitting freaks people out. They don't know how to respond. I've noticed that one of my friends goes strangely silent on the rare occasions I talk about knitting around him.

I knitted the hat for two undisturbed hours. I've finished almost four of the nine inches required before decreasing begins. I don't know if I can turn the scarf and hat into FOs by the end of the weekend, but I will have the time to give it a shot. The pre-production work for Monday's two shows is done. All I need to do is check the scripts and tapes for mistakes, change into the tuxedo received in trade for a 30 second spot, and record the programs. It's a huge relief to have that work finished. I can't remember the last day I had off, so you can imagine how good it feels to know I don't have to work Sunday.