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.