Moliewwwwwwwww

Ok, so it's been a REALLY long time since I posted, but in all fairness, this has been a terrible week.

In a BFA performance program like mine you often have to partake in what are called "production practicums". These include Stagecraft (building and erecting sets), business (advertising), costumes (pretty self-explanatory), and production operations (running crew, or on-stage crew) which I'm doing now.

The show- "Moliere". The writing- terrible. It's a show about the life of Moliere, not by him, and it is the most boring show I have ever seen. It makes so little sense that I'm not sure I even follow it most of the time, let alone express an interest. Luckily for me, it's a workshop production and there is very little for me to do.

Unfortunately for me, it's a workshop production and there is very little for me to do. I have been at this small, black box theater every night from 5pm-approximately 11 or 11:30, not to mention Saturday when I was here for the matinee AND the night show, as well as Tech last weekend that was 10am-10pm Saturday and Sunday. So for a show that I do very little in, it has taken up a great amount of my time that could better be applied toward activities that would really matter... like having clean clothes or being able to do my work at home with all of my resources.

Well, to put it mildly, I have been a bit on edge this week. I've had a very short temper, and will admittedly say that I have been a huge grump. But like I said, I feel like I'm wasting my time here doing nothing, not to mention the fact that I have to deal with condescending stage managers on a show that isn't very good.

Luckily, as I speak I am sitting backstage at the last performance. The only downside is that after the show today we have strike, which won't be so bad as there is no set, just props. However, I have a callback for RENT at the Montclair Operetta Club at 7pm (actually 4pm, but I explained that I had a show today) and I'm praying that strike does not interfere with that.

On a completely different note (with the possible exception of the fact that it also is irritating me), I have started to learn to knit continental. While I was so quickly picking it up, I noted two things-

1- It is a BITCH doing a knit stitch from the front if you're used to doing it from the back. There were tears, counseling sessions, and a few weak moments, but I think I'm getting it...

2- I have not been combination knitting for the last two years... entirely. I have been doing a combination knit stitch and a continental purl stitch (thank you Nanny for being completely misguided and passing that down to me), which is why my stitches always looked so tight and neat. This is because if you do a continental purl, the working front leg of the stitch slants down to the right. If you work this stitch from the back as in a combined knit stitch, when you slip the stitch off of the left needle, you are technically twisting the stitch the wrong way, thus making the bottom look tighter, and the stitch actually looks more clean (I think, at least).

It's funny because as I was working in proper continental, and even when I tried working in true combined knitting I found the stitches looked very loose, and often appeared to be upside down because the edges of the separate stitches were closer together than where the two legs meet in the loop of the stitch below. I'll provide pictures later to show what I mean, but that's the best way I can explain it. I suppose this issue stems, in some part, from how my tension is affected by the change in method.

So what to do now? I don't really like the way my stitches look in continental, but I'm also torn by the idea of knitting "improperly" or without a recognized method of working stitches. I am always looking to improve my skills as this is a hobby and I want to keep learning and improving, however I find I am missing my old method and the way my stitches turned out. In the end, I keep thinking that I should do what makes my work look good, and that makes me want to keep working in my old style. But that one part of me keeps saying "You should learn to knit properly, you should learn to knit properly..." I guess I'm just at a bit of a loss at the moment.

Thoughts?

Here's to the end of a very unpleasant week, hopefully the beginning of a great artistic venture, and figuring out what the hell is going on on my needles...

Oh, and the ladies who lunch =)

<3
Peace