Training

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm training for a marathon. That's not atypical for me as I enjoy running, even more so when I've got a goal to help pull me along. But, as I started thinking about this post, I realized that I'm training for so many other things as well.

Since I rediscovered handwork, most recently in the form of weaving, it's meant a lot to me to really be able to immerse myself in the learning process. That's allowed me to start training, and re-training, my brain to think beyond just analytics and the empirical - it's moved on to the creative and artistic side as well.

My life has really been formed by the scientific method and it's application to solving problems of all shapes and sizes. That's meant a heavy reliance on data, extrapolation, deduction and general reasoning. Spinning, weaving, knitting and these other wonderful fiber crafts are so much more (to me) about intuition and sense. There's most assuredly good science in there too - and the application of rigorous methods can really help in understanding a process or getting a specific result - but I find that I'm able to get results that satisfy me without applying so much rigor.

I also know that I won't grow/learn/become proficient if I don't start applying a bit more rigor in key places.

So, what does this boil down to? Training.

Oh and yes, I'm still running. Thank goodness this is a light week. I'm sick as a dog.

1 comment:

Lynn said...

I hope you get well soon. And I hope you can find your way to balance between the intuitive part of fiber work and the rigor that's needed to finish things, to stay with a difficult design process, to learn, to push my mind out of its comfortable routines.