Wednesday 11 January 2012

Courses and acquiring skills

This pic is a gem - found online. Thank
goodness for neat and nifty digital cameras.
This year is kicking off to a great start! There was the Big 5 O week, with five days of orienteering, and now I'm booked on to a photographic course. It runs over five weeks at one night a week for three hours and then wraps with an outing. Although I've been taking pics for years and have a good eye, there are many fundamentals that I don't know and also how to apply many of the functions on m camera to getting better images. Course starts next week! I've driven past the place a dozen times and on Monday I wrote down their web address and yesterday - click-click - I registered. I'm actually pretty excited about another course they offer; but good to get a solid grounding in basic techniques and then to do the next one later in the year.

I also have another possible course lined up in late March - waiting to hear back from the lady.

This past year, although I didn't do any courses, I did do a lot of learning. In Jan/Feb I started Ashtanga yoga and within a few weeks had learned the Primary Series. I still can't do the last bunch of postures in the Series but maybe in a decade I'll be able to.

And, a BIG one, I learned how to crochet by checking out videos on YouTube and online instructions. It is really easy and I've had such pleasure from this hobby. I currently have two big projects in progress.

There's Baby Blankie, which for now will remain unphotographed because the Person-For-Whom-It-Is-For reads this blog and blankie is over halfway now so I don't want her to see it. Luckily it will be a while before baby gets here so I've got time. (Looking back, there isn't a pic of Baby Blankie on here - but I know there's one elsewhere... shhhh).

Project Two is a granny square blanket - maybe for myself (nice for weekend afternoon napping), maybe to give away... I'm making it with five colours, four different square sizes and three granny square variations. I learned a few lessons from making my first square blankie during winter - this time around I'm joining as I go, which is a more smooth process and neater for the joins.

After spending so much time on the baby blankie since October (goodness - three months already!) I was itching for some variation in colour so I'm juggling both at the same time. It's going to be a beauty. I've got this book with something silly like 150 crochet borders - for projects like blankets. I haven't yet decided on a border for either project. Will decide when I get there. So, wanna see Project Two?


And, I have a crochet buddy! I found out a few months ago that this person crochets but it was only recently that we got together for a session. He (yes, a guy who crochets, climbs rocks and mountains, trail runs and is into adventure sports!) recently finished a scarf for himself and this past week he made one for a friend. We got together a week ago and sat on a park bench at Emmies and made stuff. I think another get-together is on the cards for lunch time on Monday. We've got some fun projects planned.

Yes, this is another year for learnings - I like accumulating skills. Definitely can never have too many.

1 comment:

adventurelisa said...

I received this lovely comment from Karen:

"Once about 10 years ago, having dinner in winter with some friends as Centurion, there was this guy with a fantastic hand knitted cozy jersey. I asked him about it to discover he knitted it for himself while watching the world cup rugby, whether out with friends at the pub or at home."

She also says, "I have only brought up boys and all of them have at least knitted their own school scarf. It's a great activity. Very productive too. My mom, turning 85 next week, co-ordinates mostly older folk knitting and crocheting blankets, (always so beautiful and colourful) baby vests, teddies etc. for children in the Valley of 1000 Hills.. they send 100's of articles into the valley every few months."