The Knitting Olympics in all it's forms

Well, for the past couple of days I have been struggling with a big decision - whether or not to compete in the Knitting Olympics. You know, the one sponsored by Stephanie aka the Yarn Harlot. The rules are that you have to knit an object from start to finish between Feb 10th - Feb 26th. You have to choose a project that is challenging for you but in the realm of possibility - just like an Olympic athlete. You get a gold medal if you complete the project, nada if you fail.

Factors affecting my decision are thus:

1. 16 days to knit and finish an object. What am I a masochist?
2. Anything I did knit would have to come from my stash due to my participation in the Stashalong. This doesn't limit my choices much - you've seen my stash right? - but it dampens the adrenaline rush I would probably get from a new yarn purchase.
3. My birthday falls in the Olympics time frame. Potential time I have to take away from knitting in order to get older.
4. I also have a class two of the evenings during the Olympics to learn a new technique - socks on two circs. Unless I can get that project to qualify as Olympian due to the fact that it is challenging since I am learning a whole new technique - well, that would mean I would be knitting TWO projects from start to finish during the Olympic Games.
5. I don't like to commit to something unless I intend to finish - so I would be very serious about this challenge!

The insanely competitive part of me wants to do this. But I fear the public ridicule if I should fail. Or - actually since I would do ANYTHING I had to do in order to finish - I fear the 16 days with no sleep.

The second possibility is the UFO Olympics being sponsored by Keeping Me in Stitches. In this one the rules are pretty much the same except that you can pick up a UFO rather than starting something new. This is a great idea and of course this is the Olympics I SHOULD participate in - you've seen my sidebar right? - so naturally this is the one the least appeals to me. When have I ever done what I SHOULD do? This would be knitting driven by guilt. I would feel like I had nagged myself into knitting.

Third, Margene of Zeeneedle is hosting the Eddie Along. She presents this as the Olympics for knitters who want to enjoy the process and not stress over finishing or not finishing. Everybody who participates wins. I think the only rule is no fussing or whining about any "setbacks" (frogging) in the process. This is all about enjoying your knitting. This is the Olympics for hippies. I can totally get on the bandwagon with this philosophy. I think I am a process knitter anyhow - plus I'm a total hippie. An SUV driving, soccer mom hippie - but a hippie nonetheless.

Or there is always The Homer Simpson Olympics over at I'm Knitting as Fast as I Can. The rules here are that you are forbidden to knit anything at all during the Winter Olympics. Instead you must firmly glue your butt to the sofa and veg out to all of the sports action. You need to keep one hand on your beer and the other in your waistband. In the true spirit of Homer Simpson these folks are too lazy to even make a button. While the Homor Simpson philosophy is very tempting, I don't think I can not knit AND Stashalong at the same time. I have to either be buying yarn or knitting yarn. I would be a seriously grouchy Olympian. I know I would sneak into the closet to knit a few rounds on a sock - you know, just to get a fix!

So I think I am leaning towards the Eddie Along. I just want to feel the knitting love.

What are the rest of you doing?