Daily Grind

 

From time to time I chat with other weaving teachers and we share 'war' stories about the travel 'adventures' we have had over the years.  I have mine, too.  Living 'remotely' in the middle of a very large province with my only option for flying out of town meant decades of 6 am flights just to leave from here and get to Vancouver before I hopped on at least two more (sometimes three) flights to get to my destination.

After 9/11, it became ever more onerous to fly anywhere with additional 'security', long line ups, extra scrutiny meaning more bag searches.  Like the time my weaving shuttle was cause for all sorts of consternation.  A wooden shuttle.  I learned to pack that in my checked baggage.  Along with my toothpaste, which was taken away from me on that same baggage check.

While on the one hand I was awed that I could travel great distances in order to reach an audience, it was the constant grind of having to deal with setting up tours, booking complex flights, then dealing with ever earlier check ins and searches, dragging a couple of large and heavy bags through mostly gigantic airports I as made my way around the continent.

With increasing age, health issues that seemed to stack up on one another, the lack of sleep, the constant back-of-the-mind concern about food allergens, plus things like scents (eventually making my workshops scent-free zones), I got tired.  Tired on top of the fatigue of chronic health issues.

There is a saying that goes, if you don't find the time to rest, your body will eventually choose the time to rest for you.  (I paraphrase)

Indeed.  So it will.

I started weaving in 1975 and have been weaving ever since.  I started teaching in 1975 and have been teaching ever since.  My choice to 'retire' from traveling to teach came as a result of my body telling me it had had enough.  Finally I had to listen and moved to shut down my business in 2019, officially closing the parts of my life that had focused on selling my textiles via craft fairs and hopping on planes to go teach.  As it happened, getting that accomplished by Dec. 31, 2019 meant that when the pandemic hit, I was not seriously affected because I had been turning down teaching events and craft fairs for a while.  

What 2020 meant was me trying to reconfigure my life as a 'retired' person who was also dealing with being cut off from in person interactions with my friends and students.  It was a double whammy.

But I had had to isolate myself before so living in constrained circumstances wasn't that big a deal for me.  A bigger deal was the on going flood of bad information about the pandemic measures plus the worsening politics in so many places, including Canada.  (I am someone who has constantly scored on the liberal leaning end of the political quadrant, wanting to see safety nets for people, like a living wage, universal health care, equity/equality for all, regardless of skin colour, etc.)

All around me I could see people struggling with the restrictions and lack of educational opportunities.  So I did what I usually do - I looked for solutions.

The first thing I did was mine my own resources and hearing about Zoom, suggested we do textile seminars to engage our own guild members.  Receiving enthusiastic support the events grew and now we have monthly seminars that anyone, anywhere, can register to attend.  Speakers come from many different countries (March speaker is Deborah Chandler, currently in Guatemala).  Check out the website for upcoming seminars.  Prices are in Canadian dollars, so if you are in the US, you have a currency exchange discount making this seminars one of the best deals on the internet.  Even if I do say so myself!

Then I heard the consternation of the Olds College students and started a study group for them.  This meant buying Zoom software and learning how to use it.  Apparently you can teach an old dog new tricks.  I won't say I have the best production values, but I do my best.  

Once word got out I was doing study groups, others expressed interest, so now I have three on-going.  There is still room in the Saturday group if anyone is interested.  (You have to be on Facebook  in order to get the group info.)  

My daily 'grind' these days is to try to write encouraging blog posts and FB posts.  I do my best to counter the disinformation being spread by presenting the best information I can re: the pandemic.  I continue to write this blog even though people tell me blogging is 'dead'.  My page view numbers would tend to disprove this.  There are other people also writing regularly - like Daryl Lancaster.

Then I try to spend at least two hours a day in the studio.  Weaving provides me with mental and physical 'therapy'.  Chronic pain is lessened if I can weave to the point of generating endorphins.  So even if I am feeling poorly, I will force myself to the loom for the benefit of doing something physical.

The weather this winter has been...interesting...and not in a good way.  After a summer of grey dreary days, we have had a winter of more grey dreary day.  The temperatures have, apart from the recent polar vortex, been too warm, the street icy.  My massage therapist said I am not to go walking and risk a bad slip, never mind a fall, and undo all the progress I have made in the past year.  So I stay home.  And will continue to stay 'isolated', physically distant from others, even after I get the vaccination.  

I am hoping that spring will bring nicer weather and then I will get back to walking and build up some physical fitness.

The time has come for me to listen to my body.   Take care of it.  We only get issued one and this one has been rode hard, put away wet, way too often.  

But 'retired' doesn't mean that I do nothing.  I will continue to teach on line for so long as people want to know what I have to say.  I will continue to weave, even at a reduced pace, for as long as I have yarn to use and am able to get to the loom.  I will continue to look for solutions to the problems I see around me.