Pay it Forward

I was just visiting the blog of my previous exchange pal, Brooke, and saw this entry:

It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on.
Here is how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise!
What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.Remember, it's the first THREE who comment on the blog that they want to participate in the PAY IT FORWARD exchange.

I think this is a great idea! (of course, we all know that I love sending handmade things out to relative strangers ;-), so I'm going to play, too. I keep whining about bad news. Maybe the deal is that I have to make my own good news. Or maybe I can send good news to someone else.

So, same deal as described above. First three peoople to enter comments are on my pay it forward list! (And if I don't have reason to already know your mailing address, please e-mail me with it.)

Course, as few comments as I usually get, it might take me till early 2010 (and then even longer to get the packages out ;-)!

How do you know you have too much stress in your life?

The other night, while showering at the gym, I used body lotion to condition my hair, a fact that only became apparent when I realized that I was about to smooth hair conditioner over my legs.

Darn identically shaped little tubes! I can only be thankful that the tube of athlete's foot cream is a totally different size, or things could have gotten really ugly!

Which also makes me wonder: if going to the gym regularly is helping reduce my stress level, what would I be like if I weren't doing it?

Crazy? Quite possibly! and My Christmas Questionnaire

So, as if my life weren’t busy enough (or too-busy enough, really), I’ve decided I need more distraction! So, I’ve joined 3 more mystery lace KALs (one in German…which I don’t read ;-) and 2 swaps.
One of the swaps is a Christmas around the World swap (button to come just as soon as I figure out how), for which there’s quite an interesting questionnaire (below).
Since most of the swaps that I’ve done have been either knitting or spinning, I think this is a fun alternative. According to the swap moms, this is what I should be gathering to send me (as yet unnamed) pal by December 22:

• something to knit from (enough yarn for 1 skein/small project)
• something to knit with
• something handknitted by you
• something for the taste
• something for the soul
• something to hang on the Christmas Tree

Isn’t that fun? I love this idea, as well as the idea of using the above to highlight a bit of the local tradition where I’m from (‘cause NJ is so exotic ;-)

So, without further ado, here is the questionnaire with my answers:
1. Are you religious? I think of myself as more spiritual than religious.

2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? I’ve been knitting a long time, on and off, but I really think of myself as Intermediate. I’m still intimidated by an awful lot.

3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting? Not counting KALs and swaps? ;-) Yeah, I like just about all handcrafts---crochet, counted cross stitch, polymer clay crafting, beading and jewelry making, embroidery, paper crafts. I’ve even quilled and molded chocolates. And I just bought a “learn how to tat” kit (since that was a skill I was missing)

4. Favorite color(s)? As you can probably guess from the hobby list, I have a hard time picking a favorite anything (why, yes, I do have commitment issues, why do you ask? ;-). I like most colors, and I love colorful things. I especially like jewel tones around the holidays.

5. Do you collect anything? Other than hobbies? I’m not sure if I should call my yarn and fiber stash a collection or a sickness, but I also have a teapot collection. I like lighthouse-related items, and I think my zealousness to make sure I had enough different drop spindles to work any size yarn means that I collect drop spindles now, too.

6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? Not that I know of. I get a little sneezy around dogs, but I think it has to be the whole dog rather than just a little hair.

7. Do you have any pets? Three cats: Emma, Charlotte, and Ellinor

8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? Tea! I love tea!

9. Cookies or Sweets? Whaddaya mean, “or”? (I’m diabetic, though, so I usually try for the sugar-free cookies and sweets)

10. Do you knit socks? Um….not sure how to answer that. I have a couple of socks that I’m knitting on…on and off. But since I’ve only ever finished 1 pair of socks, I’m not sure I can say, “I knit socks.” I knit a pair of sock once…does that count?

11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits) Oooh, well, right now I’m really enjoying lace knitting. I’m an ample-sized person and I’m unnerved by fit issues, so I tend to enjoy things that fit isn’t as important with. I also love felting things.

12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do? I usually put up a tree, unless I’m completely overwhelmed that year.

13. Favorite holiday treats? I love Christmas cookies, and the whole big turkey dinner!

14. Favorite holiday smells? All of them---pumkin pie baking, bread heating up, turkey in the oven, crunchy pine needles underfoot.

15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate. I think I’m pretty traditional, really. The family gets together for a big dinner and lots of presents!

16. What are your favorite holiday traditions? I like to put the tree up on Christmas eve while watching seemingly endless loops of The Christmas Story, Miracle on 34th Street, and A Christmas Carol (with Alastair Sims, of course). I try to read A Christmas Carol every year.

17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....” being with family and friends…stopping to enjoy the moments.

18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….? Tattered from years of use, probably ;-). I think I’d be a stuffed-fabric maroon velvet star with lace trimming.

19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given? Hmm, received? Gosh, so many. One gift that is special to me, I received the year my mother passed away. She died in the beginning of November, but despite being ill, she had already begun shopping. So I actually got a pair of white sapphire earrings from my mother after she was gone. As for giving, I love when a gift that I’ve made really seems to delight someone.

20. When do you start your Christmas? Officially we start Christmas day.

21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them? I do send cards (much to the chagrin of many, I think). I would love to make them, but just can’t find the time, so I buy.

22. What is your favorite Christmas dish? I love them all!

23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do? Sing along! And then hope I have treats available to give out. I have a little house, though, so if there are more than 3 of them, I can’t really invite them in.

24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning? Christmas evening, actually, once the family is all together and full of turkey!

25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both? With family on the holiday itself, and with friends as much as possible in the days before and after the 25th.

Well, that’s me! I’m looking forward to meeting my pal and starting to collect goodies!