The Queue

How does it make you feel when you go into a bakery, ice cream parlor, butcher shop, whatever, and find you have to take a number and then wait for that number to be called? I kinda like it, makes me feel secure. You know, there is some method to this madness. And it keeps me from dancing the bump with the 80 year old walker using grandma standing with the mass trying to get to the front. I know what is in her heart, she wants to cut line in front of me. But with the number system I can once again function in a civilized world.

Of course there are the times you go into a bakery, ice cream parlor, butcher shop, whatever, and find that they have a number system. You happily take your little number and find a place to sit or take a step back to wait. It isn't too bad waiting. Gives you time to look over the goods or figure out the scoop on all those waiting with you. Well, actually, if you are who you say you are and apparently you are saying you are that, because why else would you be reading my blog, you shouldn't be standing there scoping out the people standing around. You should be knitting or spindle spinning. People, how are we supposed to transform the world into a world of peace and harmony if you aren't willing to do your part? Spread the word!!!!! Knit in public!!!!!! Spin in public!!!!! Low, go out into the highways and the byways and make ye addicts, I mean converts.

Anyways, back to the subject. Here you are in the bakery, ice cream parlor, butcher shop, whatever, and you look at the number in your hand. You are number 635, yeah, they have probably been using the same numbering system for the last 10 years. Then you look at the "Customer Being Served" sign and it has up in lights number 1043. What is up with that? There aren't even 6 more people in the shop. Then the thought occurs to you, "maybe this is on an appointment basis only. Am I supposed to leave a phone number? I didn't see a sign up sheet. Eh, it is probably just a faulty sign." Or, you are number 635 and the number in lights says 333. I hate it, it is worse than having no numbers!!!!! Cuz, there ain't nobody to bump out of the way. They are fooling us. It is a form of method but it is complete madness. You are completely at their mercy. I want to see some control people!!!!!

Okay, I said all that to say this. How do you think your unfinished projects feel? You know what I'm talking about. When you first started out knitting you started out with a lovely project. Then you found some more wonderful, gotta have yarn. But you weren't even going to cast it on until you finished the first project. Then you found some more can't live without yarn. Alright, no biggee. You started a queue. If not on paper at least in your mind. "I will finish this, then I will start AND finish that and then I will start and finish that. Good plan right? And maybe that works for you.

But then what really happens is this. You start a "lovely project" and then you find that "gotta have yarn" and you put the "lovely project" away to cast on the "gotta have yarn" project and then you find the "can't live without yarn" and begin work on it. You see what is happening? Before long your queue is no longer a queue. It is a........it is a...........ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh............., well, it looks like my stash of newly acquired yarn, some just started and some half finished projects. But there truly is a method to this madness.

Just remember, if you still have that sweater you began before the crust of the earth had fully cooled. Don't despair, take heart. Really!!!!! Styles and colors come back into vogue. Man, if I had those hip hugging elephant legged jeans and those baby doll shirts we wore in the 70's. Well, if I could get them up far enough to hug this baby doll of a grandma's hips.........................it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

Keep on knittin and keep on keepin on!!!!! Power to the Knitters!!!!!