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I Want to Knit
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Random musings on KIP
I really like knitting in public. I know I'm not alone- what are blogs but windows to exhibitionist knitters?

Not only do I like KIPing, but I'm not shy about it either. I've knit in Reno Depot while waiting for them to mix my paint, at the theater waiting through intermission, at Bocaccino's Restaurant while waiting for my breakfast, at Cote St-Luc BBQ Restaurant while waiting for my take-out order, at...well, you get the point.

So what does this say about me (other than the fact that I eat out way too much)? Well, for one, it shows I don't like to wait and be bored. I used to smoke when I was bored. It's been almost 3 years since I quit, so I've had to resort to finding other things to do to fill my restless time. I used to write religiously and had bought myself an AlphaSmart so I could use that waiting time to write. [Note to any aspiring writers: the Alphie is one of the Coolest Inventions Ever.] When I cross-stitched, I'd fill long bus rides with balancing acts, trying to manipulate the needle, canvas, my pattern and a highlighter all without hitting the person sitting next to me. Now that I drive I use the "waiting" time to listen to books on CD since I haven't yet figured out a way to knit while driving (although I did once sneak in a few rows of i-cord at a red light). Now my waiting time is filled with knitting. I make sure to always have at least one project that doesn't have complicated charts or too many details, so I can pick it up when I might only have a moment or two.

Beyond hating sitting around doing nothing, I just really enjoy knitting in public. I go to the knitting meetups, and when I arrive an hour early I never just read a magazine to wait for everyone else to come. I don't need the presence of other knitters to make me feel comfortable enough to pull out my needles, I just do it. So for an hour I knit by myself. So what? Eventually people show up, right?

So why all this babble about KIPing? Probably 'cus I'm trying to decide if I should do it this Thursday. I promised my friend Debbie I'd meet her at Babaloo's, which is a wannabe trendy resto/bar, pretty upscale (for me anyways) and full of 27+ year olds (average age is probably 38-43) acting NOT their age. The men cluster in groups and try to pretend they're not checking out the women, or sit at the bar in mixed company and laugh just a little too loud trying to look cool, and the women sit in groups of 2-6 and sip martinis, pretending they're Carrie and Miranda and Samantha. Not Charlotte. No one really ever wants to be Charlotte.

I'm obviously not going there to pick up, but that's where Debbie likes to grab a bite to eat after teaching (she's a physical trainer and teaches exercise classes) and plus the food is good. Tries a bit too hard to be ritzy but I really enjoy the Shrimp and Avocado Martini, which really gives you many more shrimp than you'd expect for the price of an appitizer.

In any case, I'm going to arrive there about 20 minutes before Debbie. I told her I'd get a table for us, rather than wait in my car. I'm not shy about sitting alone, I've often gone to movies by myself. What I am wondering though is how rediculous I'd look if I pulled out something to knit on while I waited.

I know, I know. KIP is one thing. Knitting at a bar on a Thursday night is something else. *sigh* Fine. I won't be the loser sitting there knitting while everyone else is either flirting or backstabbing (or both). I'll play games on my Palm instead. Maybe that will make me look professional and sophisticated.

You didn't need to all laugh at once. Besides, you just know there will be knitting in my purse.

Just in case.
posted by Jennifer Lori @ 7:06 pm  
2 Comments:
  • At 12:57 pm, Blogger jodi said…

    Okay, today's Friday. I hope you went ahead and pulled out your knitting. I knit everywhere, even in bars (although I've never once seen anyone else knit in public). You don't want to fit in with those pretentoids anyway, do you?

     
  • At 9:40 am, Blogger Atouria said…

    This is my first visit to your blog, but I have to tell ya. This post could have easily been written by me, well, except for the shrimp part. I have no problem KIP. I detest being bored and take my knitting bag Everywhere. When we go on a road trip, I bring more than one knitting project, a book, my mp3 player, and sometimes a gameboy. The gameboy is mainly for my hubby, but I play, too. My knitting bag has taken over the role of my purse. I'm in the process of knitting myself a purse out of recycled sari silk, but I think it will be big enough to at least hide a sock in progress.

    Nice to meet ya!
    atouria

    www.yarnyoga.com

     
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