Pwned

Considering today's lack of success, I've now gone five days without knitting. It wasn't for lack of trying.

Technically speaking, I suppose I did knit today, but it doesn't count as far as I'm concerned. (It's sort of like how governments will choose not to recognize certain nations. OK, it's nothing like that at all, but you know what I mean.) I cast on for a hat and struggled through the first round and hoped for the best on the second. Try as I might, the stitches don't want to slide up the left needle.

That leaves me with no alternative but to push with all my effort and run the risk of impaling my hand with the pointy Option. (Judging by the sore callused spot on my right index finger, these are sharp needles.) The yarn doesn't appear to be snagging on anything; it just doesn't want to go anywhere. I'm not sure why since the needles are slippery enough that I can't push the stitches with much authority. Believe me, I tried for a longer period of time than made sense--a half hour?--before deciding that finishing the second round wasn't worth the trouble this evening.

The hat has eight fewer stitches per round, so the diameter is a bit smaller. Still, I've worked decrease rounds that didn't have as many stitches, and they weren't problematic. Is it a matter of knitting too tightly, or are the first few rounds in magic loop always going to be difficult?

Maybe I need a longer cable. I received an e-mail that replacement 32" cables are on the way at no charge, but that doesn't resolve the problem in the immediate and near future.

On the other hand, it might be just as well that I'm not knitting. This week--for that matter, this academic quarter--has ground me down, and I don't have the energy for much of anything at the moment. Hopefully I can refuel this weekend and the upcoming week in Texas for the holiday.

(Note: I'm not in the habit of explaining titles, but I don't want anyone thinking I've made a typo in this one. The answer for this one can be found here.)