1. I barely have time to shower lately, let alone knit.
and
2. When I finally find the time to knit, I want to knit with yarn from my own flock.
Why, you ask, am I giving this yarn away rather than selling it? Good question. The short answer is that this yarn makes me sad. This yarn, these very skeins, were mentioned in my divorce proceedings. My ex-husband thought I spent too much money on yarn and used this particular buy to illustrate his point. [He didn't mention that I had a job, paid for it myself or that I bought it at the annual Wonderful Things sale for half price.] The thing is, he's a good guy, but getting divorced sucks. Now, every time I go through my stash and see this yarn, it reminds me of a time when I wasn't in such a great place.
Today, I am happier than I've ever been in my whole life. I have a growing business I love, a partner who appreciates my independence (and doesn't keep track of my purchases), what I consider to be the finest flock of fine wool sheep and angora goats in the world, hundreds of friends/shareholders who share my vision and support me in every way, and the life I always dreamed of.
So it's time to let the past- and the yarn- go. I want to send this yarn to someone who will be able to look at it with fresh eyes, someone who can appreciate the hard work that went in to growing the wool and lovingly hand dyeing it. Someone who will be made happy by it.
So here's the deal. Enter by adding a comment to this blog posting. I thought we'd do it a little differently this time just to mix things up a bit. In your comment, tell me the best piece of advice you ever got and who gave it to you.
I have four groups of Manos Del Uruguay to giveaway. None have ever been used although I did wind one skein of into a ball.
Seven skeins of Coffee
Four skeins of Cherry.
Six skeins of Goldenrod.
And one skein each in Poppy, English and Aster.
Four winners will be chosen at random on Sunday, June 8th at 7 p.m. After the winners are chosen I will randomly assign a colorway to each winner.
The fine print: You don't have to be a shareholder to win, so pass this along to anyone you think might want to enter. You do need to use your name when posting so I can let you know that you've won, but it doesn't have to be your full name. A nickname will do fine- just don't post anonymously. If you have trouble posting a comment just send me an email [susangibbs1 at mac dot com] and I'll enter you. I will announce the winners here, so be sure to check back in next week to see if you've won.
EDITED TO ADD: I'm getting lots of emails from people who are having trouble posting a comment. Don't worry- it's not you. It's blogger. I am posting the names of everyone who emails me so you are entered. No worries!
EDITED BECAUSE I FOROT TO ADD THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: Back when I was a journalist, I was covering a really nasty trial out in west Texas and I got to spend some time with a captain in the Texas Rangers. He said "Always remember, what's wrong is wrong even if everybody else is doing it. And what's right is right, even if nobody else is doing it."
582 comments:
1 – 200 of 582 Newer› Newest»The advice I received (but don't always follow very well) is to pick your battles and not get dragged down by little issues.
Wee Doggies, count me in.
Manos is my absolute favorite yarn. They don't make a color that I wouldn't use and they inspired me to learn how to spin and dye fiber.
(divorce is so ugly I don't want to talk about it)
Advice I received: have some cheese (I get cranky if I don't get lots of protein).
This is such an inspiring story. It's great that you can let go of this yarn and what it represents and acknowledge that you've moved on to a better place. Congratulations for that! =)
Best piece of advice I've ever received: There's not much wrong in the world that buying a new pair of shoes won't cure.
Wow what a nice gesture and great giveaway.
Good luck to everyone.
These are cliche but so true.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Life is short - eat dessert first.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was:
Don't go to bed angry.
Some of the best advice Mom ever gave me was "let it go and don't dwell on the past"
Congratulations on moving forward with your life :-)
Wow, using your stash against you in divorce proceedings - that's a new one.
The best advice I've gotten, and that I give, is that I have to take care of myself at the same level I take care of other people. If I'm not doing OK I can't help others. Best way to put it is that you have to remember to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.
I don't know that this is advice as much as it is just a saying, but my Mom always tells me "Worry is like a rocking chair, you go and go and go and never get anywhere". I always try to remember that when I find myself consumed with worry over something. It didn't always help, but I always think about it.
Advice I try and follow ...Let it go...still working on it occasionally.
This yarn is beautiful, and what a symbolic gesture to give away a piece of your former life!
My husband's advice. To be happy ever after - don't be after too much...I think it is great advice, but I don't always follow it...
Thanks for sending an email reminder for the giveaway. You rock!
We're all happy for the opportunity to take the sad memories off your hands.
Glad good times are upon you now.
Well, other than "buy low, sell high" I can't think of additional advice to add. 8-)
I'm in! I love Manos. One of my nephews had a Manos hat I made for him that he wore until it drove everyone else nuts. Which was probably the point. 8-)
What a good idea. Your example is right up there for me with best advice! I love Manos so I'm entering this contest.
I also was given some very good advice that has stood me in good stead whenever I follow. Many years ago a boss and mentor at work, who became a friend, told me "They can invite you to dance, but you don't have to join the dance." In other words- don't be sucked into fighting with someone, competing with someone, or going on someone else's "trip." For your own mental and spiritual health, some offers and challenges are better refused.
The best advice I ever got was on forgiveness and letting go. It was very timely, because someone had done something to me, and I was angry about it for days. This person was unaffected by my anger. He just went on with his life. That weekend, I went to synagoge, and the sermon was on forgiveness and letting go. The rabbi talked about how holding onto anger punishes ourselves, not the people we're angry with. Sometimes you have to forgive, even if the other person doesn't deserve forgiveness, because otherwise you can't move on. Many years later I heard the quote “Resentment is like taking poison and then expecting the other person to die.” I've learned how true it is.
Good on you for letting go of the things that no longer make you smile. Good luck!
Amy (loomatic on Ravelry)
When my mother was teaching me to sew, she gave me four pieces of advice that I think are beautifully applicable to wider life. I can't choose which is my favorite, so here they are:
1. Make the investment in quality fabric. If something is worth pouring your time and energy into, it's worth starting with good raw materials.
2. Don't try to sew when you're tired or upset.
3. Ripping out is just part of the process, like anything else - keep your seam-ripper handy and expect to use it.
4. You are the only one who can decide if you need to do something over - if it will bother you in the final product, you should tear it out and fix it.
Hey! Congratulations on your happiness and good fortune.
best advice? Polonius in Hamlet:
"To thine own self be true."
My mother says you should always ask other people for advice -- even if you don't take it -- because "You don't have to reinvent the wheel."
I have received so many wonderful pieces of advices over the last 10 years or so that has helped me to get through some very difficult times.
Two pieces that stay with me fit wonderfully together in my mind.
The first is, to risk everything is certain destruction, to risk nothing at all is a promise of stagnation, the balance of both is where growth and knowledge reside.
The second is to listen to the still quiet voice inside you and with that you will find the balance.
Jenibug
I'm sorry that this yarn holds bad memories for you. It's very generous of you to give it away.
That being said, the advice my father gave me (and that I've tried to follow):
Don't take everything too seriously - life's too short, make sure you laugh often. The universe has a sense of humor.
BTW - I could use a skein of Cherry the most. I have an Autumn Asters influenced project coming up.... just wanted to throw that in. No worries!
Wow, very impressed by your story. Well done to you for making so many positive changes.
Best advice ever recieved: If you want something badly enough, be willing to give 200% and you'll find a way to make it happen.
I have to constantly remind my self of these two little gems:
"nothing ventured, nothing gained"
and
"know thyself"
It seems like you've taken both to heart.
I once got a fortune from a Chinese cookie that said:
"Make decisions, but don't tell your reasons."
It sounds too simple, but when you tell your reasons, then people can argue with them. If you just tell your decision and don't explain it, there is less to argue with. They either like it or they don't.
What a great idea on how to let go of the negative with something positive!
Congratulations on finding what makes you happy.
A piece of advice I received just recently was to always make sure you being reflective. Always ask "why am I doing this?" It is something I'm struggling with but I'm trying to be more aware of why I do and say the things I do.
advice: don't knit angry.
well done on creating the life you've dreamed of. it is an inspiration.
best wishes!
jennifer
My Dutch grandmother used to say: Everybody has to die someday, make the best off your time until then.
All the best for your new life.
Picking the best advice is a hard one - guess I'd have to say one I recently heard at an interfaith women's conference - 'Give up the love of power for the power of love." The speaker was Linda Kavelin-Popov, co-founder of The Virtues Project. Perhaps the love of power is what led your ex to name your yarn purchase in the divorce. Glad you are able to move on and rid yourself of bad memories and gift someone else in the process. I celebrate with you your newfound happiness - a loving partner, a business that brings you joy and a great network of friends.
I continue to enjoy reading your latest posts.
PS As a transplanted Texan living in Missouri, I am envious of your recent visit with family in Texas.
I love the spirit behind your giving away yarn that now has negative feelings associated with it, Susie. The best piece of advice I think I ever got was from my sister, also a Susie, one time when I was all caught up in unhappiness and worrying about someone else. She said, "What is the best thing you could do for yourself right now." That advice has helped bring me back to focusing on myself so many times, and to taking care of myself, as you are doing. I'm loving the MVFF blog and the way you keep us informed. Thanks.
Molly/Knitcro
The yarn is beautiful and so is your spirit. I would be honored to knit something from any of those lovely colors.
Tamsie Hughes
tehughes@mindspring.com
I just made a felted bag with Manos and love it to bits!
The best advice I ever heard, I learned from my Rabbi.
It is not easy to accept, and it comes from a high level.
This is the teaching....
"It's all Good."
Meaning everything that happens even if you have to look in some far reach of the cosmos to find out why, actually happened for the best. It's just we can't always see it at the moment.
Some of the best advice I've ever received?
'The only people who never make mistakes are the ones who don't do anything at all.'
That, and to just learn from your mistakes. And not to dwell on the past (although I'm not so great at that one yet).
way back when, which is probably the same as when, my daddy told me to do what i think is right not what others think..has sevved me well in the millions of tears and years since way back when
Susan, what a fine idea! It took my partner and me ten years to stop buying duplicate copies of books - we didn't want to have to divide them!
Count me in on the Manos. If I'm a winner, I can come pick it up in person.
also, wish i could type!!!!!!!
need spell checker here
Best piece of advice I ever got came from my mom: If you're doing what you love, everything else will work itself out. And it totally does!
Best advise ...hmmm..we are responsible for our own happiness. It is a work in process but a noble goal. Congratulations on finding yours.
Please count me in.
Best advise given was don't sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff.
And from my grandma: Eat your vegetables!
If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all.
I sympathize with you. I used to have to pull calves on a farm in Virginia. However, we used chains and the cows acted like they could care less which I'm sure is not true. The part I didn't like was the mama eating the uterus. Difficult to stop.
Hang in there. Bill
Fabric and yarn stash I count among my blessings along with a loving& supportive family, great friends (canine AND human) as well as good health.
Thank you for the opportunity to have a chance to share in your cleansing. Count me in for an opportunity to provide a good home to your Manos del Uruguay.
the best advice I ever got: food spoils, children are loved.
My favorite adage/piece of advice is: "you can catch more flies with honey." So I try, try to be diplomatic and nice as far as possible.
Thanks for letting us bid on the yarn!
"Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other guy to die."
Variously attributed, and quite honestly, pretty hard for me to follow. :)
*HUGS* to you!! If I win I'll send ya back some "happy thoughts" yarn. :)
Good advice: "If you're going through hell, don't pitch a tent!"
Just keep on truckin'... eventually you'll be in a better place. Also - remember that sometimes bad things happen for a reason. I was furious at my first husband for dragging me to AZ, using drugs and leaving me, but I met my 2nd husband / best friend there!
The best advice I ever got was to treasure every moment with your kids, because they grow up so fast.
Oops - forgot to mention that it was a patient who told me that!
I think that's a lovely way to give the yarn a new life!
After college, I was struggling to put my art degree to work and had a part-time secretarial gig to pay the rent. I tried applying for several full-time jobs, none of which I really wanted all that much, but I felt I needed. My dad told me that I should do what made me happy, even if it didn't come with health insurance and a fancy paycheck. It helped me find a balance between something that gives me security and something I enjoy.
Love the good karma on this one :)
best advice i got was from one of my high school teachers. he was also my coach, and i was getting ready to compete one day he asked me if i felt like i was ready. i didn't, and said so. "i wish i had more time", i sighed. he grinned at me and said, "you're never going to feel like you've practiced enough and everything is perfect, so just go out there and do it. if you wait for the perfect time it'll never get done".
Hi Susie,
Wow, what a cool way to turn a negative into a positive. Cathartic for you and it'll make someone here very happy. :)
I have two pieces of advice which I think fit very well together, which I've spent my entire adult life trying to follow, and which actually remind me of you.
The first is from my mom, "keep your eyes open for opportunity," and the second was from a high school teacher I had, "your life doesn't happen to you, it happens from you."
The best advice I ever got, seriously, was "Any time you see something shiny on the ground, you should check it out, because it might be a quarter." It actually made me a more observant person in general, and gosh darn it, he was right, sometimes it really is a quarter!
I tend not to listen to advice, but one morning I woke up from a dream with a voice in my head booming the words "Eat more fruit!" It was very good advice. ;)
Kathleeen
katrog on ravelry
What a wonderful way to let go of the past!
Advice from my mother: DO what you want, BE what you want, BE HAPPY! (I do, I am, I try)
Aggie
What a wonderful things you are doing with this yarn. Divorce is a nasty thing, and I can understand that knitting with this yarn would not bring you joy. I'm happy for you that life is good again! The best advice I ever received was to not go to bed angry, but resolve whatever problem you face before you call it a night. It has worked for me. Whatever I am bothered about I try to resolve before I go to bed. Manos is the loveliest yarn I have ever touched, and no, I don't own any!
Louise
Wow, what a great idea, you will feel so good not to have to look at the yarn anymore, and will be making lucky recipients feel good. I love Manos.
The best advice I have received recently was about parenting, but really applies to a lot of things:
"Just try it. Because you never know."
Best advice? Tell people how you feel about them here and now; if you wait, it might be too late.
The best piece of advise I ever received was from my mom. Her mantra is "Stand Tall and Sit High" because if you do, if you hold your head high in life you'll go far with whatever it is that you choose to do. It was always her way of saying you can do anything that you put your mind to, and don't let anyone tell you any different.
~Amy aka aliassak on Ravelry
The best advice I've ever gotten I've gotten from my mother (big surprise, right?). Actually, there have been quite a few gems, but the one I've been using most now is "You can't change other people, but you can change how you react to them." I have a bit of a temper, so I try to remember that piece of advice when I get ticked off and I feel my blood pressure begin to rise...
I've really enjoyed reading all of the bits of advice and hope to apply many of them to my own life. One of the funniest bits I was given by a girlfriend was that a little bit of lipstick can make a huge difference in sprucing up your looks. But my favorite is the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Best of luck in life!
Tanya (indigomuse on Ravelry)
Each day, make sure you have a good time, learn something new, and make a contribution to someone else's life. Bev
"Carry your own monkeys" a phrase I learnt on a management course last year. It means don't take on other people's problems or extra work. Illustrated by the chap telling us that usually troubled people come to you with hunched shoulders, tell their tale of woe, you offer to do something to help, they walk away with a spring in their step and you and bent over by the weight of their problem (monkey)
I've had quite a few things that had a taint for me but that association was in my mind only -- when they find new homes, they get new happiness!
Lots of great advice here. I hope this releases room for you. :)
I am a conductor (music), and back in graduate school, I asked my conducting professor, "If you could only give me one piece of musical advice, what would it be?" He thought for a moment, and then answered, "Never do this" [making a "get louder" gesture with his hands] "at a tuba."
Suzanne (SuzanneJ on Ravelry)
What a great idea Susan! I'm in.
Let's see...I saw a bumper sticker the other day. A bit cheesy, but excellent:
Be blissed or be pissed: it's your choice.
(I think we can tell what you chose!)
The best advice I ever got was from a strange place for me. It was given by a presenter in a teacher inservice (I almost never pay attention). She said to stop driving ourselves crazy over the "shoulds" of life. Lots of things SHOULD be a certain way. Instead, focus on what you have in front of you. Celebrate the good things and deal with the hand you've been dealt.
Not a bad way to live...Here's to letting go and moving on.
Suann
This is Maggie, posting for my mom, who doesn't quite get the blog comment dealio.
Her best advice: You can be anything you want as long as you put your mind to it.
YUMMY Yarn, with a sad story, I guess my wife will have to make me something ni ce with it :-P
Hi Susan! I'm so glad to be back home and able to catch up on all the goings-on at the farm! And thanks for sending me pics while I was away!
The best advice I have, and I can't remember who I got it from, is always focus on the positive. Recognize and be grateful everyday for the wonderful gifts in your life.
Jessica
On my wedding day, my mother told me to remember that whatever my mother-in-law does, she raised the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and if for no other reason, for that, she deserves my love and respect.
Most of the best advice I've received has been from my parents (though I didn't realize it then).
From my mother: (I believe this is paraphrased from Shakespeare) If you worry about death all the time you die a thousand deaths.
From my father: If your goal is to get to Galveston (we lived in Houston at the time) and you get there later than everyone else, you haven't failed getting to Galveston. I'm always working on this one because I'm naturally impatient, but I don't beat myself up as much when things don't go as planned.
After my divorce I got rid of as many "tainted" objects as I could.
Colby
My father wrote a letter to me during my first week at college...he wrote: "Be careful of your daily habits as they will eventually define your life. Obviously do your best to avoid bad habits such as smoking, drinking, etc, but also cultivate simple daily habits such as brushing your teeth daily, reading, and keeping your room clean." He was right...so much of one's life is spent on the things we do EVERY day that it would be a mistake to think of them as insignificant. My father died in August 2007 and I miss and recall him every day.
I'm deep in the throes of graduate school and recently my mother told me "Just keep moving forward"... She is so right :)
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from my paternal grandmother: "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." I've found also that you choose how your day is going to be from the moment you get out of bed in the morning (there was some cheesy email to that effect, I believe....).
Congrats on your new, happier life!!
Christi (CDBear on Ravelry)
GOOD FOR YOU!
I did the same thing recently. Shipped of a partially finished object I was making for my ex to someone who would give it a good home.
Feels good, doesn't it?
The best "advice" I have ever received came from my daughter (she is almost 7 but was 4 at the time).
She put her arms around two of her friends and said, "It's okay if we're different. We can still love."
I figured my job as a parent was pretty much complete at that point. What greater lesson could anyone hope to learn?
Best piece of advice I ever got from My mother was "The house will always get dirty again but you children are only babies once. You will never regret a moment spent with the kids." I really wish I had listened to my mom more when I was a teenager but back then she just didn't understand anything. Heather
Count me in.
What a great idea to let go of the bad to give the good. I'm surprise that my ex didn't try the same thing during our divorce, he was always complaining about my craft purchases. When I was going through the separation and divorce my brother gave me some good advice. He said "Right now, you may feel like you are at the bottom of a deep hole, but you have already started to climb up the other side. When you get to the top you will see the beautiful sunrise waiting for you" At the time I thought he was a bit nuts but now that I have climbed out of the hole, the view is beautiful, as is life with a new partner....
I'd like to come up with a handy saying like so many of the other commenters, but while so many of these sayings make sense and apply to me as well, the best advice I've received was my husband's suggestion to leave Germany (where I was born and raised) and move to the US together. Apart from discovering the proverbial "New World" and meeting amazing people I also was able to throw off a lot of garbage and start over in so many ways. I have no doubt that I wouldn't be as happy with myself if we had stayed. We've lived in Phoenix now for over 12 years and are planning to relocate to somewhere else some time next year(we haven't figured out where yet) because we're getting ready to reinvent ourselves again.
Thanks for giving me some food for thoughts, Susan!
The best knitting advice I got applies to life as well. When a few people told me a project was too difficult for my skill level at the time, the store owner told me that I could certainly do it. She advised me to follow the pattern one step a time. It certainly worked, and taking things one step at a time in real life works as well!!
Sorry that the manos evokes such bad memories. People can get so nasty in such situations. I'm sure the lawyers/judge looked at him as though he was a wack job by throwing a yarn purchase of all things into the mix.
Anyway, the best advice was from my aunt (who clearly did not invent the phrase but the first time I ever heard it was from her) who said "Don't sweat the small stuff". How true that is.
Remain optimistic despite all the evidence.........
I would LOVE to relieve you of ANY color of Manos, Susan!
Diane
Life is too short to be miserable.
And, really, just reading through all these comments makes me feel so much wiser. Lots of good advice here!
(And that coffee Manos is gorgeous, and would go wonderfully with the Topaz I have in my stash.... Just sayin'.)
When my first marriage was falling a part and I was trying desperately to save it, a wise woman told me "You can't get bread at the hardware store." Although on the vineyard, maybe you can. Her point was that you can't get something from someone if they don't have it to give. That made me realize that it was okay for me to move on to a place where I could get what I needed.
-Kate B.
Here are two of my favorites:
Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
Rodin
And this one from a bumper sticker for our local school.(Bumper stickers can be a wealth of free advice!)
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
Hugs!
Jenny aka Jenny143 on Ravelry
The best piece of advice I ever got wasn't really advice. My father sat me down and said "I will always tell you my opinion. You may or may not listen to it, but as your father I'm entitled to tell you. Regardless of your decision, I love you and will always stand by your decision." It really makes me feel like the decisions I make really are mine, and that there really is unconditional love.
Susan - So sorry to hear about the pettiness of the yarn complaints in your divorce proceedings. It will be therapeutic for you to get rid of it and so generous of you to share it with others!
My first boss out of college gave me some good advice: Never be afraid to ask what you think might be a stupid question. It is far worse to sit quiet and potentially cause a lot of problems because you were too afraid to ask for help or clarification!
"If they can't take a joke, f*** them."
From my dad, when I was starting law school.
I would love to entered into your giveaway.
You are very generous!
Love you blog!
What a week you have had! And if taking some unwanted stash off your hands will help you, I am happy to oblige. Removing a thorn is always a good idea--nothing left to fester and sting.
Beverly aka bik on ravelry
There is that of God in every man. Sometimes you have to look really hard, but it is always worth the search
What a lovely gesture.
My advice was embroidered on a wall hanging by my mother about the futility of worry. "Today's the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and all's well"
Advice from my parents and grandpa: never spoken, just shown by their example:
from my dad: give $1.10 worth of work for every dollar you're paid. from mom: if it needs to be done, do it. and from grandpa: take time to smell the flowers and laugh with your family.
The best advice I ever got was "just breathe"... and I do.
I also like what I saw on a sign outside a church the other day...
"be persistent like a weed"...
Many, many years ago, I was told by my boss, a preschool director: "Everyone who is alive is trouble." My boss was an extremely realistic person, not a pessimist, and she had the best sense of humor.
I got some good advice about art making once during a critique when I was in college; she told me to just allow myself to make things, lots of things. I didn't have to show them all but I should just allow myself to try every idea I have and then decide which are the good ones. I like the idea of this practice although I don't always follow it and it is always to my detriment.
ps: that yellow color sure is pretty:)
Concentrate on the process and the end result will take care of itself.
In my life I have gotten two great pieces of advice from two of the smartest women I know.
1) My grandmother (from whom I inheritted the boob gene): "Invest in good fitting and beautiful foundation garments even if you are the only one who will see them."
2) My mother-in-law on my wedding day: "One day you will want to hit my son upside the head with a frying pan. Stop, take a breath, and remember why you are here. Trust me this works-it is the only reason the boy survived his teens."
I can't remember where I heard the best advice I've ever gotten, but it's a piece I try to live by...
It takes far more energy to hate someone or be angry with someone than it's ever worth. Assume the best about everyone, and your life will be a thousand times better.
-BlindCrow
Man you have been BUSY!!!! Me too- whew! I still want to get down to MV soon. It's already June, next thing I know I will be wandering in a pumpkin patch and drinking cider thinking "where did the summer go?"...lol...
Best advice, from my Dad is "All things in moderation".
Best advice I give and follow, especially to people that need to constantly critique and belittle other people, is "Every man carries a burden". In other words, don't jump to conclusions about people. Everyone is in such a rush these days, and needing things to be black/white or red/blue...that no one really stops to gain a little perspective. I have found that everyone in life is receptive to a smile and a little understanding.
Great idea with the destash - I love it.
Best advice : Get out there, assert yourself, and make your opinions known.
You and you alone are the driver on the road of your life.
I'm so glad for you, Susie, that you have risen above your difficult divorce and have made the life that makes you happy!
That, actually, is the advice I try to follow most... that only you can create your own happiness.
Karma in Seattle
Susan,
I love reading your blog. It's so interesting reading about your farm life.
Thank you, Heather in NH
I'm only beginning to understand this piece of advice: No good deed goes unpunished.
I forgot to leave my advice, sorry!
The best advice I was from Miss Ella, she lived next door to my roomate and I. Our first "adult" apartment out of school. She told me. " It's take a mighty good man, to be better than no man at all."
The best advice I ever received was:
"Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all."
This is my first time on the website (I just bought a share with some friends), and it is great to see it so lively!
Truman is adorable, and an able reminder of Nature's balance; what it taken away is given back.
Good Luck!
It's so tough to choose one best piece of advice...
The best knitting advice I ever had was given to me by a fellow knit-nighter at my local yarn store. I was struggling and about to just give up on lace knitting, and she was all "Just use a lifeline" and proceeded to demonstrate what she meant.
It changed my lace knitting forever. Thanks, Tabby.
The best advice I ever received was from my grandnother, who never said it in words, but lived it throughout her life-- through hard, hard times and good times: find the humor in all situations, and laugh your way through adversity.
-Perry-
-Perry-
I love how you are turning a negative experience into a postive, growing time of your life. Congratulations and many blessings.
Many of the pieces of advice I would have left for you, people have previously left. So, I went and pulled out my journal of quotes. Here are a few of my favorites:
"Yield to temptation. It may not pass your way again." -- Robert Heinlein
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought" -- Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
"True friends don't sympathize with your weakness - they help summon your strength" (I think this is Samual Brother)
Thank you for your generosity and good luck on the farm!
~Tara (pinkgeek on ravelry)
One of my mentors in college said "Don't let the perfect get in the way of the good" which I think of all the time, including when I am knitting. There will be a lot of good done, but not much perfect....
Congratulations on your happiness! Good for you for moving on!
The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use oneself.
- Oscar Wilde
Manos Del Uruguay is lovely! But I hope the share wool will be too!
What a great story. I was lucky when i divorced that said husband was quite civil about things.
Great idea to 'unload' the memory!
Beautiful yarn.
One of my favorite pieces of advice is "You can only do what you can do".
My best advice comes from the song The Gambler: "you got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and when to run. Works in bridge, project managment, and knitting, to name a few.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful yarn with us.
The advice I try to live by is: Live as well and as happily as possible. This is not a dress rehearsal.
What a storied yarn!
My best advice received was probably 'relax'. Whether it involves people being irritating, over-working or anything. It is a bit of a mantra.
For the past three years I have been working at a job that wasn't satisfying, didn't pay enough, and wouldn't give me more then 30 hours a week, but didn't hesitate to have me work 6 or 7 days in a row as long as I didn't work more then 40 hours that week. When posting about such in my blot, my online friend pru told me to "just stop it" and 3 months later I've quit my job moved back home to go back to college and start a new career.
The best piece of advice I've ever gotten is:
Don't try to be the one in control; let God lead.
How lovely. I love Manos! Please enter me.
My mother always said "never go to bed angry".
My knitting teacher(mom) always said "never knit angry"
My baton teacher(not mom) always said "never twirl angry especially with fire batons." ok i made up the last part. but it's always good advice. : )
kristy (kannna on ravelry)
Thanks for making us part of your de-stash! I'm crossing my fingers - love the colors!
Oops! Didn't leave my best received advice. "It'll all look better in the morning."
What a beautiful story. I'm so glad you got to a place where you're so happy personally and professionally. And the fact that you can call your ex a good guy while explaining how he used yarn against you in a court of law is amazing.
No one ever gave me this advice, but I think about it all the time: Be the change you wish to see in the world (said by Ghandi). And another piece of advice I've read and take to heart is that you have to put things (money, love, ideas) out in the world in order for them to come back to you.
Well my dad's favorite advice to give me was always "Party til you puke"
But I don't think I'll be handing that tidbit down to my daughters.
The best advise I ever got was from One of my film teacher's Richard Broadman (RIP Richard!) in the form of an anecdote. He told me once that his 5 year old daughter came home from school and told him that baby oysters are released into the ocean at birth and if they don't find another oyster to latch onto then they will die. I think humans are the same way. We all need family in order to survive.
My best piece of advise is from my father in law. Never go to bed angry. We've stayed up some long nights talking things over but we've never gone to bed angry. And we're 8 years and going strong!
I'm going to be adding all the people who are having trouble posting comments to make it easier to do the drawing.
Sarah C
Patsi C
Carole F.
Susan:
How great that you found a place so satisfying. Some people never get there. The best is yet to come!
Margie
Julie S.
Kay S.
The best advice I ever received went something like this: The only thing you know for certain about the next year is that a year from now, a year will have past. So don't spend the next year doing something that eats you up inside in the hopes that it will somehow be worth it. Because time is all you've got, and you don't even know how much of that you've got.
Congratulations on Truman, by the way!
P.S. I'd like to point out that in "transitioning" your Manos del Uruguay skeins, you're creating positive energy - by taking something that makes you sad and using it to make as many as eight people happy as a result - the knitters, and the people who perhaps get to use or wear whatever is knit. If all of us created positive energy every week, the world would be a better place.
Patrick's mother, Doris Manning, had trouble adding a comment (and she's not the only one. I'm looking at you, Blogger!) so I'm posting her advice for her.
My cousin Vinny told me years ago , and I think we should live our lives with this in mind: "this is not a dress rehearsal." My advice is that "living well is the best revenge" and a profound bit of advice from my Mother - " if you lay down with a dog, you pick up fleas".
The best advice I received is "assume innocence." Ask questions before assuming the worst in others.
I have enjoyed being a part of your farm and look forward to your farm updates very much.
Joanne
The best advice I ever got was that "What goes around comes around" just another way of saying "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" That said, the FUNNIEST piece of advice I ever got was from my mother who said.. Always remember that when your children are 2 they are so cute you think you could eat them and when they are 16 you wish you had."
Wow. All of the advice posted already seems so deep compared to mine, but... here goes.
When I was learning to drive, I got one good piece of driving advice from each of my parents.
My father said: If you are in a situation where you are trying to avoid an accident, don't forget about the gas pedal. (Meaning that braking is not the only option -- this has saved my butt more than once.)
My mother's advice was so good that I think it's now the law in California: Whenever your windshield wipers are on, also turn on your headlights.
Again, these seems small compared to the great wisdom posted above, but these are two pieces of advice that have come in handy in my life, so there ya have it.
My in-laws are kind and generous people. For example, when we were young and lived close enough to drive to visit occasionally, they would always give us money "for gas," which of course was much more than we had spent for gas (now, maybe a different story!). We would protest ("That's way too much!") but my mother-in-law would say with a smile, "When someone gives you money, you take it!" Pretty good advice, as it turns out!
What a lovely thing you are doing.
Some of the most sensible advice I was ever given came from my mom. We now call it "the shopping test". My mom wouldn't buy me anything unless I could confirm that I would get at least x dollars (the cost of the thing) worth of use out of it. That little bit of sense kept me out of a lot of trouble when I started buying my own things. It also led to the corollary - if it doesn't scream "BUY ME", I can't have it. It turns out yarn is very good at screaming to be bought...
The best advice I got was "never let anyone tell you that you can't do something".
I always enjoy reading your blog, and I think it's very cool that you are taking something that was once related to a painful incident and transforming it into something very sweet-- and giving away yarn invokes very good knitting karma, I'm sure.
"If you always do what you've always done - you'll always get what you've always got"
My best advice (from my Mom) is: It's usually easier to apologize later than ask first and risk the answer "no."
This has to be used sensibly, of course. Lots of room for some bad decisions.
I was personally never given any good advice. I know that sounds weird but it is true. I have read all the advice here and it is all wonderful. I have even passed many of them on to my children. I would have to say the best advice I can give is not in words but actions. I was never given good advice nor was I shown good actions. I try to live my life as an example to my children. I try to do good in life, but I make mistakes and as long as I learn from them and as long as I can admit when I am wrong and apologize. Above all love and compassion. So I would have to say that I don't have words just actions.
Some of the best advice I have received was : Don't spend all your time trying to get people to like you. You don't automatically like everyone you know, so spend your time doing what makes you happy.
the best advice on childrearing is to always remember who is the adult.
hugs, Glassneedle
I can't say I was ever given any great advice when I was younger, but I always tell newlyweds separate bathrooms, if at all possible. ;)
Congrats on destashing that bad karma.
I don't know if this is the best advice ever or just the piece I should follow today, but I'll post it anyway. From my dad: "A nap will make you feel better."
When things looked bleak and times were frustrating my mom would make a pot of tea and say, "Have a cup of tea." Now I still find myself turning to a good "cuppa" when I'm trying to sort things out!
When my daughter was first born I had advice flying at me from every direction. Do this, don't do that, never do this. Then one day my Aunt Nanny said, "Christine, follow your instincts. In this as well in every aspect of your life, your gut knows best."
Now any decisions I have to make small or large, I trust my inner voice and roll with it.
Congrats on your happy changes!
Two bits of advice, equally important:
"You are in charge of your knitting" from Elizabeth Zimmermann
When someone gives you a compliment, smile and say "thank you." Even if you don't believe you deserve it, the other person does. Be gracious.
This is a lovely way to move forward--nicely done. Thanks!
I have received such great advice throughout my life...It is hard to pick and share just one. This is my favorite: Happiness can only be found within. It's not "out there" in some other town or place. It's not dependant on what type of job I have, who my family members are or the friends that I have. It's not based on how my day is going or what life gives me. Happiness can only come from within. My goal in life is to figure out how to access that.
The best advise I've recieved is that "Life is not fair." My parents told me this repeatly growing up and now that I am grown I can see how true it is. AND It is also very useful parenting tool for ending complaining.
Thanks mom!
The best advice I ever received was from one of my fellow horse owners.... Always ask yourself, "is this the hill I want to die on?" You know, quite often, it isn't!
The best advise I ever got was from my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Hutton. It was May, and we 5th graders were getting ready to switch to a new school -- the Jr. High. We were essentially going to be in Kindergarten again. Some were very excited, but I was very scared. Mrs. Hutton told us one day that no matter who you are, how smart or pretty or popular you are, that one day it just won't be easy anymore. For some of us that day was the first day of Kindergarten. Others might go through college on a whim and not hit the hard part until their first real job. But rest assured, that one day you will hit that point and you will be scared -- but you can make it. We all have the tools to work hard and get over the hump, and if you're ready for it and recognize it when it comes, you can conquer it -- and not waste so much time fretting about it. I hit my hump last year in graduate school. I was sitting on my couch, laptop in front of me, bawling my eyes out over some stupid paper. I thought of this advice, and it really helped me to push on and finish. Now I'm graduated :)
This on is from Ilene. Here advice is so good that I'm posting it her:
"My father gave me this advice when I was very small. It was the late 1950’s. When I came home from playing pretend with friends and said I was the nurse, he would ask me why I wasn’t the doctor because I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t need to be the nurse just because I was a girl. Girls could grow up and do anything that they wanted."
Toot your own horn - no one else is going to do it for you.
Boy, I sure have a project in mind for that coffee colored Manos.
I have never felt so bitter and disillusioned than in court - and it was not even divorce!
You know that story really makes me appreciate my hubby. Things are very tight right now and one of the things I've given up is my yarn budget. Over the weekend he turned to me and said, "I've noticed you haven't bought yarn in a really long time. Someday things won't be so tough and I'll buy you all the yarn you want." The yarn would be great, the thought is so much better.
Kelley
Brava to you for ridding your life of old baggage!
Good advice? My father always told me to do what I knew was right, regardless what everyone else was doing or what kind of pressure they put on me to go along. He was exactly correct.
I've had problems with yarn that had bad memories, too. All kindsa nasty just got wrapped up into this one lovely yarn and I haven't been able to make anything out of it yet.
The best advice I have ever heard was from Scott Nearing. He said "Do the best that you can, in the palce that your in, and be kind". It has become my mantra!
Simple Pleasures
My grandma gave me the best advice ever ... "If you try to make everyone happy, you'll only end up making yourself miserable!"
What an awesome thing you are doing by giving away this yarn...I hope it helps you to be able to move on even more.
Probably the best advice that I can think of right off is actually a bible verse...Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, Lean not unto thy own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths.
It is very hard to live by, but true.
While stumbling, in a somnambulatory manner, through the weeks after having my second child, my grandmother (yay for grandmas) reminded me that the days may seem long but the years are short and seem to fly by.
This is the best piece of advice I've ever gotten; it has allowed me to appreciate the little joys of quotidian family life and I pass this tidbit along to other parents whenever they seem to be going through a rough time.
Advice: Don't look for the miracle, BE the miracle.
i was getting stressed about work the other day and my boyfriend said, "sounds like you need to care less." and how right he was.
"it's just a job" sounds like the generic form.
great idea for a contest. thanks!
Please count me in, and congrats on your flock. :)
What a wonderful way to rid yourself of these awful memories. I'm sure your yarn will find a loving home with another knitter. I'm glad you're in a better place now.
One great piece of advice that serves well as a mantra for me is "Ain't nothing to it but to do it". I'm often a worrier which makes me nervous and miserable, and this reminds me that worrying won't solve anything - I just have to push forward and get it done, whatever 'it' is at that moment.
The best piece of advice I received was "relax!", as I worry about absolutely everything. Trying to take it to heart!
Sorry about the divorce. Congratulations too! It's a new beginning. I will happily pay you for the yarn if I win. :) Or I can swap with you in a different color. The best advice I got is actually from my own experience--life is too short to deprive yourself. Enjoy that Oreo! Buy that yarn! As long as we don't indulge excessively, we are fine. It's often the little things that make us happiest. Best wishes on the new chapter in your life.
Good for you for getting rid of the past!
The best advice my dad ever gave me was to remember that we create our own luck.
The best advice I ever got was given to me by my grandmother when I was about 5/6 years old. I'm paraphrasing, but she said, "Sweetheart, don't put that metal spoon in the electrical socket or you'll get a shock." Oh, so very true. And so appropriate to many situations not involving spoons or electrical sockets.
After I made a whole lot of mistakes in my teens and early 20s, I resolved to live life with no regrets. That meant looking at what I was about to do and deciding if I might regret it later. Go scuba diving in Australia? Hell yeah -- I'd totally regret it later on in life if I didn't. Eat this chocolate bar? Well, I might regret it when I'm on the exercise bike, but then again, I might not, so go for it. It's made me think consciously about the decisions I make, and accept responsibility for my actions.
My Gigi always said,
"Never go home the same way you came."
She meant it literally - always drive a different route home - as well as figuratively. She wanted to make sure she had an open mind to the different ways to get to the same place (or back) and that she always saw something new on the journey.
KT (KTLV on Ravelry)
This is my husband's entry: He says if he wins he'll talk me into making something for him.
Best advice he got, upon becoming a new daddy, from his pediatrician: "Pick up the legos before you turn out the lights."
Congrats on a new life. Been there, done that divroce, got the T-shirt! My mom's adive, "this too shall pass" got me through!
My dear immigrant grandfather used to tell us repeatedly "What goes around, comes around" and "Treat people the way you wish to be treated". I hear him telling me this daily and it has served me well in life. Congratulations on taking the steps to move on in your life. By the way, your "best advice" is awesome!
The best advice I ever recieved was "Don't look for anything in return." My mother was all for generosity for it's own sake, and it helped me get over a lot of disappointment.
When I was learning to drive my dad always said "If you're late when you leave, you're going to be late when you get there, you can't make up time speeding even if it feels like you can." Then he took it in very good grace when we got speeding tickets within 1 day of each other and had to take defensive driving together! (:
I think the best advice I have ever gotten came from Douglas Adams, of Hitchhiker's Guide fame: "Don't Panic!" I have a feeling I should get that tattooed on my wrist so every time I go to tear out my hair over some "major drama," I can be reminded to take a breath and think about what I'm doing. It works in so many ways, it's almost scary :)
I'm glad you're doing better after the drama (I've been the "kid" and sideline watcher in some similar drama lately), and good for you for moving on!
The best piece of advice I ever got was that you shouldn't wish your life away. I always think of it when I get up on a Monday morning and want to wish it was Friday already. I shouldn't wish those 5 days of my life away.
Thanks for the contest. The serenity prayer has a lot of good advise for any situation. good luck, Sonia
Hey, there. I found out about your post via Ravelry. The best piece of advice I ever received was from my parents: "You should go to college somewhere close to home." The best piece of advice I ever received and actually listened to was, "Always have a backup plan."
-cthulhulovesme
Best advice received: My granddaddy told me "Be careful who you date. Love had just as soon light on a pile of cow manure as a rose." Second best advice also received from my granddaddy "Be careful who you date. Before you get married, you love them so much you could eat them, after you get married, you wish you had." Sorry that yarn had a negative connotation for you and sorry for your bad experience.
This is so awesome! Thanks for doing this, and being so open about why you're doing it.
Here's my good advice, from my dear friend Jenny: No one else will make time for you. You have to make time for yourself.
3 years ago, when I figuring out if I wanted to go back to college, my husband told me, "If it comes down to it, they can take your house; they can take your money, but they can never take your education and the fulfillment of getting that degree."
I now have a Bachelors and am working on my Master's.
best advice: Follow your heart!
kabira
kabira501 at yahoo dot com
Best advice I've heard...don't sweat the small stuff. I really need to follow it more often.
That coffee manos is to die for! The best advice I've ever received is (and there are 2): Have a reason for everything you do and don't ask permission to do things. Just let the person know that you are going to do whatever it is. Why give them the chance to say "no?"
Having been through a divorce that turned not so nice, I feel for you. I too have gotten rid of a lot of things that drip with painful memories.
My mom always tells me to be true to myself. It's always been the advice I carry with me.
*hugs*
When I was pregnant with my son, I was given the advice to try to be the kind of woman I would want my son to marry. Goes the same for any parent/child. I've tried to live up to that.
My husband thinks I never listen to him, but he always tells me to, "stop WAITING for life to get better - accept the life you have or do something to change it"
It's endearing that after a divorce, you can still say that your former husband is "a good guy"...
I hope someday to be a guest in your B&B - sounds wonderful!
Ooooo loves the coffee and would be honored to give it a new home!
The best advice I ever got was given to me by my mom when I was bawling on the couch... she said,
"If he doesn't want you, he doesn't deserve you!"
That advice has stood me in good stead a bunch of times, especially now that my mom's gone and can't comfort me through nasty break-ups...
~Sophia
My husband continually tells me, "It is OK to be lazy sometimes."
I am not sure where this trait comes from, but I have the hardest time giving myself a break. I feel the need to continually accomplish things with my time. He is slowly teaching me the benefits of blowing off my To-Do list in favor of some leisurely relaxation time. Knitting can work either way for me....sometimes it is on the To-Do list and other times it is the escape from the To-Do list.
My mom always told me 'life's too short to not use the good candles.' We try to celebrate every day, so we don't save things for a special occasion; what's more special that a yummy dinner with your family, no matter what the occasion.
(and I love how everyone's advice seems to come from mom)
The best pice of advice I've ever gotten is from a friend during one of my very frequent adhd related freak-outs. He said not to worry about the small stuff and to remember that most stuff is small stuff.
Your willingness to let go of the negative in your life is inspiring. I have some yarn that reminds me of my ex-husband and I think I will give it away as well. Thanks for the inspiration!
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