Final Tally

I managed to finish three of the four projects I had set out for the Ravellenic Games!  Considering that I had a couple of setbacks, and, of course, other things that weren't knitting to do, I am chalking this up to a win.  Details on each project to come.

Doesn't look like much, but I consider this to be quite an accomplishment!

I am really happy with the projects that I chose.  I have wanted to work with the Shelter yarn since I first read about it.  It was worth the wait.  I loved working with it so much that I ordered enough for a sweater, another Guernsey Wrap, and a *cough* blanket from some Ravelry de-stashers.  The cowl is probably going to become a Christmas gift for one of my sisters-in-law.  And it just feels good to have the purple baby sweater off the needles.  In fact, finishing that sweater has inspired me to finish up a couple of other little projects that I have sitting around.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to some sock knitting, though.  I miss my standard fall-back knitting:  the stockinette sock.  Plain, easy, don't have to think about it or read a chart or fight with the yarn socks.

Some of my general thought on the Olympics.

::I loved about 2/3 of the Opening Ceremony.  The tour of Britain's contribution to music fell flat for me.  For the same reason I'm wary of movies with narration (if the movie needs narration, perhaps the story isn't coherent enough to be a good movie [as always, there are exceptions]) I didn't like that this part of the Ceremony needed explanation by way of the text boxes on the movie screens. 

::So excited for Michael Phelps!  What a tremendous accomplishment.  In fact, accomplishment doesn't even seem like the right word.  A feat, perhaps.  A feat of almost superhuman strength.

::Love Gabby Douglas.  Such a sweet girl.  And poor McKayla.  Silver is not losing. 

::I know this has been mentioned in many places, but I didn't like the evening coverage.  It was very swim-, gymanstic- and track-centric.  I wish there had been more varied coverage, especially of some of the smaller events.  I watched the female ball dancing teams one afternoon and they were awesome!  More fencing, synchronized swimming, and badminton, I say.

(When I was younger, the only way to watch sports in the afternoon was generally ABC's Wide World of Sports.  The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  Because my father often watched, we often watched.  Because there was no football only channel, or no golf only channel, we were exposed to a lot of different sports because that is what you had to watch.  I think NBC could have helped develop some of that in our young athletes by showing interesting sports that don't have to do with swimming or gymastics.  Nothing wrong with aspiring to be the best table tennis player in your state.  Better than sitting around playing video games.)