I knit because it relaxes me, I knit because it relaxes me...

...but registering for Sock Summit 2009 definitely caused a blood pressure spike!

Registration began at 1:00 pm local time. I was at a restaurant at 1:00 pm, but my colleague, friend, and sock knitter's hero Meggan kindly lent me her laptop with Verison cellular internet connection, so I was hooked up and ready to go in the Ping's dining room. But (as perhaps you've heard), registration didn't begin smoothly at 1:00 pm. I IMed Steven to see if he was having the same trouble. He was. Finally I left the restaurant, but Meggan said we could walk down the street - with the laptop open - IN THE RAIN - to make sure I didn't miss it if it came back up. How is that for dedicated enabling?!?

So, we walked down the street, with Meggan holding the umbrella over the open laptop, and me watching the "loading" icon. If only someone had a photo of that.

Success! At the downtown square, it connected. I darted into the overhang at the bank title company next to Codori's and knelt on the brick pavement. Laptop on the floor. Me on my knees. Clicking, worrying, flinging my hair out of my eyes. (Another prime photo opp, missed...) My top choice already full. Click on Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. Do I have it? I think I do ... but every page takes soooo long to connect, and registration expires after 15 minutes.

There were loading and display problems. We kept walking up Carlisle Street. In the rain, umbrella, etc.

Success again! It reconnected between the old Zentz apartments and the Getty. There is no shop entry to dart into. I stood in the rain, holding the laptop with one hand and typing with the other, with Meggan cheerfully holding the umbrella. BUT... I timed out! So I had to start over. There were WAY fewer classes available at this time, but I took what I could and checked out.

At checkout, I could see that I was double-booked for one class and triple-booked for another, but I couldn't get the screens to load to remedy this and my 15 minutes were ticking away. So I just checked out. Bought them anyway. Figured I could fix it later.

Later I emailed the Sock Summit people and asked to be un-registered from 2 sections of Turkish Stitches and 1 section of Finding True Sock Yarn Happiness, and I didn't care which ones. I just wanted another knitter to get them (and, of course, a refund). I sent the email.

THEN I checked the Sock Summit blog again and saw a posting (hours old at this point) that said there WERE still classes available. So I went back in and picked up a couple more classes (Spindle Spinning Basics and KnitteRx). Oops ... now it matters which sections of the double-booked ones are cancelled, because of where I have added. I sent another email.

Crikey, this is a massive headache for the registrars. I really hope it gets sorted okay. If it does, this is my schedule:

Spindle Spinning Basics - Thursday, August 06, 2009, 09:00am (3hrs)

Finding True Sock Yarn Happiness - Thursday, August 06, 2009, 13:30pm
(3hrs)

Ethnic Socks and Stockings Lecture - Friday, August 07, 2009, 09:00am
(3hrs)

KnitteRx - Saturday, August 08, 2009, 09:00am (1hr)

Darn It! - Saturday, August 08, 2009, 13:30pm (1hr)

Turkish Stitches - Sunday, August 09, 2009, 11:00am (1hr)

Events Luminary Panel - Sunday, August 09, 2009, 13:30pm (3hrs)Tickets:

Sock Hop - Friday, August 07, 2009, 20:00pm (3hrs)Tickets: 1

Opening Night Reception - Thursday, August 06, 2009, 19:00pm (2hrs)Tickets: 1

Meggan gets a pair of handknit socks for her role in this story. Doesn't she deserve it?!??