Oi!

I'm sitting here in Bread Co. trying to warm up with a bit of soup before heading to the next job. I figured I'd go check my email and a quick replanting of my Farmville before I head back out to the cold. This would generally be a very quick normal thing for me to do. Until today.

I had messages from 5 or 6 knitting companies. and Loopy just put her update out there. AND I CAN'T HAVE ANY OF IT!

I am a yarn addict. It bends my priorities so horribly that, well, I have trouble functioning when my blankie is in reach but not in my hands. Or if I know that my sweater is in my purse and I have to get work done. Or if I don't get a paycheck for 18 more days and the only money I have in my bank account will leave me with $3 after I pay bills, and all I can think about is the pretty new colors of Skinny Bugga! going up on Gryphon's site tonight!!!! ARG!

It is a bit out of control and I recognize this. To combat my....issues..... I am attempting to join my dear Knittaprince in YarnOver 2010. That's right. I'm not going to make yarn purchases for a whole year.

I can use gift certificates so long as they were not purchased by me.

I can swap yarn that is already in my stash for new yarns. (or else blankie would come to a screeching halt around June!)

I cannot exchange cash, check, credit card, or paypal for yarn.

I cannot purchase yarn, notions, etc for other people and then receive yarn in exchange.

I can be paid in yarn for doing work. I cannot cash my paycheck for yarn.

People have not shown very much faith in me so far. There is a lot of laughing when I tell people I'm attempting this.

They doubt my self restraint. I do too.

But I am determined to stick it out this year!

As an incentive, I have started a piggy bank for myself. For every month I do not add any new yarn to my stash, I will place $5 in my piggy. The first of July, I will have made it 6 months with no new yarn. As a treat, I get to open my piggy and purchase 1 gift certificate to be used when I am going to lose all remaining sanity.

So far, I've made it 4 days and I'm proud of myself.

Baby steps!