I don’t know about you, but I’m altogether sick of all the retrospectives floating around right now. Sure, it’s a natural inclination to look back on the past year (or decade) and reflect on all that has transpired. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve done my own personal musing about how much difference a year and a decade can make.

But I’m not going to post it to my blog. Because it’s mostly saccharine and self-serving, and I just can’t stomach it anymore.

What I will post is knitting!

Look at Starsky (pattern | Ravelry), all finished! I finished the belt just before Christmas, and I was excited to be able to wear it in its finished state on my Lake Tahoe new year’s vacation.

I cast on for this jacket in March 2008, let it sit hibernating for about 18 months, and then picked it back up and furiously finished knitting it. It’s big and bulky and warm and cozy—exactly what I was aiming for.

(Special thanks to my boyfriend for taking pictures of the sweater.)

Rather than post a retrospective about the year or decade in review, I’ll give you 10 things that have happened since I cast on Starsky, in no particular order:

1. My book was published.
2. I drove across the country with my friend Amanda.
3. I attended six weddings and two funerals.
4. My play, Beneath Her Feet, was produced in Los Angeles.
5. I met my boyfriend.
6. I visited Maui, Santa Cruz Island, Mexico, Lake Tahoe, Fort Collins, Park City, and Portland.
7. I saw many great bands live, including Radiohead, The Pixies, Lykke Li, Death Cab for Cutie, and even “The Nightman Cometh” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
8. I attended my 10-year high-school reunion.
9. I redesigned (and moved) my blog.
10. I didn’t blog nearly enough.

So, even though I’m sick of all the new year hubbub, I will take #10 and make a new resolution. I’m going to try and blog more frequently. No, really. I’m serious. Just watch me.

Also, I need to point out that my “official” new year’s resolution is to wear more jewelry. Not expensive baubles or anything, but I do need to make more of an effort to accessorize. Two years ago, my resolution was to wear more dresses—it was a wildly successful resolution. I now have a closet full of dresses that I wear frequently. I’m hoping the jewelry resolution will be just as effective. The only real problem is that I have basically no jewelry. In April, theives broke in to my apartment, stole my jewelry box and guitar and let my cat out the window… jerks.

Molly was recovered safe and sound, thankfully, but I can’t say as much about my guitar or jewelry box. Luckily, I have renter’s insurance, so I was able to buy a new guitar and now it’s time to start repopulating my jewelry supply.

Happy new year, everyone! Here’s to 2010!

Unfortunately, they’re blocking on a mattress over 200 miles away.

I’ll explain:

I went to Fresno for a hometown visit this weekend, and got the brilliant idea that I’d block my pieces while I was there. My mom has all these spare beds lying around that are perfect for blocking. At my little one-bedroom, big-city apartment, I have very little open, flat space on which to block. Also, unlike me, my mom doesn’t have two cats with a deep, yearning desire to destroy all knits at first sight. This was a plus.

The downside is that the wool took way longer to dry than expected, so I had to leave Starsky sitting on her guest bed while I traveled back home to Los Angeles. Luckily, I’ll be back up for Thanksgiving in just about a week, so Starksy will be retrieved in due course. Hopefully by then I’ll have the sleeves done so I can start seaming this bad boy up!