Friends of Elizabeth*

you know that you may need a 12-step program for the knitting obsessed when:

• the first thing that comes to your mind when you wake up is, "maybe i can squeeze in a few rows on my latest knitting project before taking a shower."
  
• your ass and legs fall asleep because you've sat too long on the "throne" reading knitting for dummies and other knitting books
  
• you wish you had time during your lunch break to go to your local yarn store that is about an hour one way from work
  
• your frozen pizza burns because you lost track of time (and sense of smell) when writing and/or catching up on other knitters' blogs
  
• you're late for work because you had to read one more knitting blog entry, search for a knitting technique or pattern on the web, wish shop for yarn or knitting books, perfect your new blog entry, and/or were too busy adding more blogs to your RSS web client
  
• you dream about knitting
  
• you dream about opening a yarn store**
  
• you wish you could find a way to get a refund on the soft crate your dog destroyed so that you can use that money to buy the "perfect" blocking board
  
• you've neglected your housekeeping to the point that the cobwebs are like mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and the bathroom hair bunnies come chasing after you as you leave the bathroom limping because your legs have fallen asleep (see the 2nd bullet point in this list)
  
• you find yourself deconstructing in your mind friends, co-workers and complete strangers' knitted garments to figure out the stitches and patterns
  
• you're mesmerized by the decrease shoulder pattern on your bosses sweater to the point that you can't hear the words she is speaking
  
• you wish the next BART train stop isn't yours so you can keep knitting
  
• on monday you can't wait for friday's stitch n' eat at work
  
• you start thinking that it's a good idea to start raising angora rabbits so that you can spin your own yarn
  
• you*** want to start working at the local yarn store on one of your free weekend days so that you can be around yarn, knitters, and perhaps feed your addiction by getting paid in yarn
  

* Elizabeth Zimmerman was a well-known knitting designer that developed a formula for knitting seamless sweaters in the round and other knitting techniques.
** as if we can figure out a way to open up a yarn store in the san francisco bay area and pay our mortgage.
*** i should probably replace "you" with "i". the first step is admitting you (i mean i) have a problem. i guess there could be worse things to be addicted to.