Lifelong learning, but without the tuition

The Knitting Olympics taught me some pretty cool stuff, not the least of which was the fact that Yes! I can knit on a deadline! I learned...

• How to wield double-pointed needles with speed and accuracy (something I never thought I'd be able to do, but I did it, and am going to start socks in a minute here)
• How to make a hem by stitching the cast-on together with the working stitches
• How to use the spit-splice method to eliminate the need for weaving-in ends (a lovely invention, that. I wasn't sure it would work, but I loaded up the ends with spit [holy crap, I'm talking about my spit on the internets. Hi Mom!], splayed them out a bit, and performed a mini-felting right there on the knee of my jeans. I wanted a parade or at least a banner in my honor for learning that trick. Alas.)
• I've remembered how to curse in Spanish (or at least to combine the last vestiges of my Spanish vocabulary together and to say them with a scowl and with great force: "This feminine thing operates a vehicle crazy me!")
• I've become extremely adept at finding new ways to curse in English (again, it's all a matter of combinations)
• How to use the left-hand carry, in preparation for all-out picking instead of throwing. (I'm not sure if I can stick with this one. It worked really well for the knitting, but that's all I had to do. When I tried it with purling the whole thing went batshit and rebelled. I went back to throwing after the rebellion.)
• How to make I-cord (and it's just too fun to stop)

I also learned that when one's head is 21 inches around, one should choose to make a hat that is SMALLER than one's head size, as this will provide a bit of grab round the ol' noggin and prevent drafts. I did not do this. I made my hat exactly 21 inches around. Damn damn damn damn.

It kind of fits, but could fit better. I'm dangerously close to ripping THE WHOLE THING back and starting over again and making it smaller. I feel like such a doofus.

On the whole, though, I had a superawesome time with the KO. After seeing how well I did with deadline-knitting, I've assigned myself a must-finish-by time for the wedding shawl (well before the wedding, of course). I am glad to have more than one project going again--I'm just not built for kntting monogamy.