2008 Blog Year in Review

It's time for my annual blog year in review. I've blogged so much less this year and knit so much less as well. My focus has been scattered due to the chaos of everyday life but nothing horrible happened. My family is basically in the same place we were in the beginning of the year and that is so much more than many families at this particular moment in time.

The first sentence of each first post of the month for 2006, each sentence is a link to the actual post:

January - Oddly enough I only bested last year by 1 item.

February - I have gone out, a possessed witch,

March - I finished something!!!

April - The Spinning Goth tagged me for the six word memoir meme that's going around:

May - My GH buddy Glo has tagged me and you know I love when someone helps me with fodder for the blog:

June - June is the month of my birth as such it usually is also the time I get the birthday blues.

July - I forgot one more gift that arrived on my birthday (do you see how spoiled I am?).

August - I had no idea that today was my blogversary until Teena in Toronto left me a comment this morning.

September - I'm sure you'll find that hard to believe.

October - I have no idea where all my time goes.

November - I miss blogging.

December - Stealing another meme from Dr Girlfriend:

I would be remiss if I didn't say that I suspect I have found other outlets that have pushed the blog to the side. Between Plurk, Facebook and Ravelry I've found yet another social circle of fiber lovers and geeks whose company I enjoy. I didn't start blogging for the social aspect though that just ended up as a happy byproduct. I do love blogging and there are plenty of my blog friends who don't hang out in my other virtual social enclaves. I'm not giving up the blog. As long as there are thoughts in my head I'll share them with the two or three of you who still care to listen.

Thank you for hanging around my friends.

Happy Birthday Nikki

When I was 13 I fell in love with this guy:


Today the great love of my adolescent life turns 50:

Nikki and his girlfriend Kat Von D

I still love him...

Radical Knitting

I have a lot to say but tonight I'm feeling too lazy to say it. The sadly blogless Regina sent me this link to a Colbert Report segment about a knitter stopped at the Canadian border. It's hysterical. Enjoy:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Nailed 'Em - Radical Knitting

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Monday Meme

Stealing another meme from Dr Girlfriend:

LAYER ONE:
* Name: Nancy
* Birthday: June 27th
* Birthplace: Bronx, NY
* Current location: Bronx, NY
* Eye color: Hazel
* Hair color: Dark Blond
* Height: 5'7
* Righty or lefty: righty
* Zodiac sign: cancer

LAYER TWO:
* Your heritage: Irish, Polish and a bunch of other stuff, Dad said I was a mutt
* The shoes you wore today: sneakers
* Your weakness: food
* Your fears: failure
* Your perfect pizza: pepperoni, not too greasy
* Goals you’d like to achieve: I'd like to actually get out of retail at some point. I'd love to have some of my writing published.

LAYER THREE:
* Your most overused phrase on AIM: "Outside of the box is where I live".
* Your first waking thoughts: damn I have to get up
* Your most missed memory: memories of my grandfather, they're just flashes.

LAYER FOUR:
* Pepsi or Coke: coke
* McDonald’s or Burger King: Burger King
* Single or group dates: single (not that I date anymore)
* Adidas or Nike: Sketchers.
* Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton
* Chocolate or vanilla: chocolate
* Cappuccino or coffee: chai tea

LAYER FIVE:
* Smoke: nope
* Cuss: yup
* Sing: as often as I can
* Take a shower everyday: nope
* Do you think you’ve been in love: yes
* Want to go to college: still trying to finish at my advanced age
* Liked high school: hated with a passion
* Want to get married: I didn't ever want to, yet here I am, married.
* Believe in yourself: yes
* Get motion sickness: only when knitting or reading in a car or bus
* Think you’re attractive: as long as I don't look in mirror
* Think you’re a health freak: ha ha ha
* Get along with your parent(s): I always got along with my dad, my mother and I got along later in life
* Like thunderstorms: love them
* Play an instrument: no

LAYER SIX: In the past month…
* Drank alcohol: yes
* Smoked: no
* Done a drug: no
* Made out: sadly no
* Gone on a date: no
* Gone to the mall: far too much
* Eaten an entire box of Oreos: yes but thankfully not in one sitting
* Eaten sushi: not in a million years
* Been on stage: no
* Been dumped: no
* Gone skating: no
* Made homemade cookies: no
* Gone skinny dipping: no
* Dyed your hair: yes
* Stolen Anything: no

LAYER SEVEN: Ever…
* Played a game that required removal of clothing: yes
* Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: yes
* Been caught “doing something”: I can't think of what exactly but I'm sure I must have at some point.
* Been called a tease: no
* Gotten beaten up: no
* Shoplifted: yes
* Changed who you were to fit in: no

LAYER EIGHT:
* Age you hoped to be married: never wanted to be
* Numbers and names of children: Ian- 7 and Avery - 13.
* Describe your dream wedding:I didn't want a wedding. We ended up going to the city clerk's office
* How do you want to die: in my sleep, very old
* Where you want to go to college: little late for that question
* What do you want to be when you grow up: a writer
* What country would you most like to visit: Egypt

LAYER NINE:
* Number of drugs taken illegally: I think it's 5 but it's a bit hazy, lol!
* Number of people I could trust with my life: at least 3 probably 5 or 6.
* Number of CDs that I own: I stopped counting at 500.
* Number of piercings: 3
* Number of tattoos: 1
* Number of scars on my body: no idea
* Number of things in my past that I regret: tough to regret anything since they all played a part getting me to where I am today.

Giving thanks

I was just going to post a quick happy thanksgiving to everyone but I read this in the Times today and it touched me deeply. So I decided to share it with all of you.

Giving Thanks to Heroes

Today among the numerous things I'm thankful for I will be thankful for those who fight oppression for themselves and others.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't faint...

I actually finished something. The NYC street hat for Rinaldo:

Quick, easy, great yarn. I'm very pleased. I've been carrying around the two socks on one circ for the past couple days. I'm about 1/2 inch away from the heel but I haven't had the urge to pull them out.

I think I'm going to pick up Jeannie if I can get the damn socks done. Of course there's also the Perry the Platypus that I didn't get done for Ian's birthday. Avery has also put in a request for a Bizenghast character as a Christmas gift for his cousin. It being late November we'll see if I get anything else done for anyone, lol!

Counting down until Thanksgiving...

What have you read?

This one's easy, bold the books you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, leave the ones blank that you have no interest in. I've added in an asterisk for everything I started but didn't finish.

Consider all of you tagged.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)*
22. The Catcher in the Rye(J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck) *
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)*
42. The Kite Runner(Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible*
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64 - Interview With the Vampire
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)*
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)*
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91.The Skin of the Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)*
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Sunday Shuffle

Haunted - Evanescence
Why Do You Love Me - Garbage
Ooh My Love - Stevie Nicks
Dirty Great Monster - Duran Duran
But It's Better If You Do - Panic at the Disco
Django - Buckingham Nicks
Closer to You - Liz Phair
Killing the Blues - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
American Idiot - Green Day
Naked City - Kiss
In the Beginning - Motley Crue

I blew it

It's been a bit crazy in the last few days. In the end it was all for the good but I've been kind of on a roller coaster emotionally and this caused me to blow it on my NoBloMoPo. Thursday was parent teacher conferences which always throws me into an anxious state, typically needlessly but I can't seem to help it. On Tuesday we received an e-mail from the store director that there was a mandatory manager's meeting on Thursday morning. With all the issues going on at work this was ominous.

Now that it's done I can say that the University was looking into leasing our store to an outside company. While this wouldn't be the end of the world by any stretch it would be a radical shift in our store and could lead to loss of benefits, job security and a more corporate and less innovative and independent workplace.

I am pleased to say that after hiring an independent consulting firm to assess us it was decided the University would keep us. Yay us! We get a bright shiny new store for our trouble too. They are combining my store and one of the branch stores into one so changes will be coming anyway but at least we control it. I'm excited, invirgorated and scared all at once. It's going to be an interesting 13 months.

Both boys had excellent reports from their teachers, so that worry was needless as usual. Last night I had a really good night's sleep and my focus seems to have improved already. It's funny how removing that sword that's been hanging over your head for months can really improve your spirits.

I'm going to continue to try to blog each day for the rest of the month. I've been enjoying it and I think that the extenuating circumstances this week are a good excuse to have missed a couple posts. It's a creative exercise right? There is no failing.

I'm off early tomorrow morning to take Avery to a high school interview and then to take him see Twilight. Hope you all enjoy your Saturday!

Off-Broadway adventures

I took Maribel to see Rock of Ages on Sunday. It's sort of a Mamma Mia for the hair metal set; of which Maribel and I are lifetime members. We loved the first act. It was funny, the actors were great and the stereotypes from the 80s were dead on. We went into intermission and that's when the excitement started.

As the intermission was winding down. The band came back on stage, then the ushers starting asking people to leave, row by row. It seems the smoke alarm had gone off. We got outside just in time to see these arrive:



Most people exited to the right, Bel and I exited to the left and ran right into the cast. Constantine Maroulis (of American Idol fame) was sitting there bundled up in his hoodie. I'm not a huge fan of his, although he definitely won me over by the end of show, so I wasn't that excited. No my interest was held by the Nikki Sixx look alike in the show:
the guy in the glasses was in the show as well

His name is Will Swenson and he was super hot on stage, kinda cute off as well.

After about 45 minutes in the freezing cold we see this:
Turns out the haze machine set off the alarms. Oddly enough Bel made a comment to that effect when we were being evacuated. We returned to watch a much delayed second act but enjoyed ourselves all the same. Lots of laughs, singing and nostalgia. I highly recommend it.

Here's a video, it's basically a commercial for it but it catches some of the fun:

Monday Meme

Stolen from Allison at some point this past summer:

Accent: yes but only when I'm with people I'm comfortable with

Breakfast or no breakfast: breakfast

Chore I don't care for: unloading the dishwasher

Dog or cat: cat

Essential electronics: my ipod

Favorite cologne: light body sprays, vanilla is a current favorite

Gold or silver: silver

Handbag I carry most often: a laptop bag I use as a purse

Insomnia: no

Job Title: Text Department Manager

Kids: yup 2

Living arrangements: me, the husband, kids and 2 cats in a house

Most admirable trait: loyalty

Naughtiest childhood behavior: lying

Overnight hospital stay: having my kids

Phobias: fear of the movie The Exorcist

Quote: "If life gives you lemons, make apple juice and let the world wonder how the hell you did it." - Avery Mathews (it's his current philosophy of life)

Reason to smile: my youngest

Siblings: none

Time I wake up: 6:30 most days

Unusual skill or talent: nothing unusual

Vegetable I refuse to eat: most of them

Worst habit: procrastination

X-rays: none

Yummy stuff: pumpkin pie

Zoo animal I like most: zebras

Sunday Shuffle

Rebel Rock Me - The Pretenders
And I Love Her - The Beatles
How Many Women - Chess Original Broadway Soundtrack
Temporary One - Fleetwood Mac
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Nerf Herder
U Still Got It - Jamie Foxx
Suspension without Suspense - No Doubt
When the Time Comes - A Moti Sol
Walking Along - Green Day
Black Coffee in Bed - Squeeze

Not in the least bit surprising

I told you Saturday nights were going to be the hardest night to blog. Nothing goes on to speak of. It was a rainy day. I actually got to sit under a blanket most of the day, knit and catch up with shows on my Ipod. Good for me, boring for you.

I was looking through my unpublished posts and found this test I did awhile back. I can't recall who I stole it from.

18 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

I would be ashamed if I scored any higher.

Me and James

Today I initiated Avery into one of my own personal traditions. Whenever a new James Bond film comes out I always see it on opening weekend. This tradition dates back to 1983 and Octopussy. Just so you understand my absolute unconditional love for James I still love Octopussy. I realize that gets me stoned in some circles.

I remember watching 007 movies on ABC when I was a kid. It was always a special event movie, on Sunday nights. Better still it always had a parental advisory warning which made it that much more attractive to me. Of course those old Bond films are completely tame by today's standards. Back the I felt like I was getting away with something when I watched them. My parents were extremely permissive.

I respect the fact that Sean Connery is the best Bond, but Roger Moore is my Bond. Suave, debonair, charming. Kicking ass in a tux without so much as a wrinkle to show for it. Although I will admit that On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my favorite movie with poor unappreciated George Lazenby. That being said I am enjoying Daniel Craig's reinvention of the character. I think it was smart to go back to the beginning. It doesn't detract from any of the previous portrayals. It obviously just took him a long to time to become the polished rogue he evolved into. He was a rough and ready killer to start with and I can accept that.

Casino Royale is the first James Bond Avery ever saw. I think it's important he have "his" own Bond. Now we'll start watching the older ones in order so he can appreciate all the fun being a spy can be.

I enjoyed the new one but I won't ever recommend them. I'm not picky when it comes to Bond. As long as there's action, some charm and a hot spy in a tux I'm good. Daniel Craig gave me that in Quantum of Solace. Story? Are there ever really stories in 007 films? If you're a fan you'll probably enjoy it; if you're not you probably won't. It's that simple.

My day in pictures

I didn't actually take many pictures on today's school trip to the zoo with Ian's class. Child wrangling takes precedence to my photo-journalistic illusions. Here a few of the ones I did take:





The trip ended abruptly when it started to pour. I had fun anyway. I love the zoo!

What I Watch Wednesdays

A few weeks back while Maribel and I were spending so much time to together she mentioned that I should watch the Rachel Maddow Show. Here I am today completely addicted to the show and ready to quit my job and become Rachel's personal stalker.

One of my co-workers pointed out that when liberals have their shows they tend to have a way better sense of humor than the conservatives seem to. It's her sense of humor that won me over and keeps me tuning in. I'm particularly enjoying the Lame Duck Watch - Quackatude which reports on dear George W's activities for the day.

The show is far more serious than say a Daily Show or Colbert Report, which are true satire. Rachel Maddow is reporting real news it just has a very, very liberal bias and a snarky touch. I'm sure you can see why I enjoy it. If that's your cup of tea as well you should definitely check it out.

Holy fiber Batman, it's a knitting post!

I had planned on taking pictures of all my wips and showing my progress but I overslept this morning. It's amazing how easy it is to do that when you're the only one leaving the house. Rinaldo took the day off to stay home with the boys, lucky him. Of course I probably would have woken up an hour earlier if I had to stay home since Ian doesn't like wasting a moment of daylight on sleep. Whose kid is he again?

As for the works in progress inventory here's how it shapes up:

Jeanie - is still out there. I haven't touched it since I realized it wouldn't be ready for my cruise. You may recall I did Swallowtail instead.

Seascape Stole - which I renamed The Stole in the Fireplace for the Who Knits Ravelympics team. Also sitting. I finished the first chart found a mistake got depressed about it and tossed it to the basket. I think I may pull it out. I have a sweet 16 to attend at the end of the month and it could work for my outfit. The question is do I drive myself insane and frog back to fix the mistake? I hate frogging Kidsilk Haze. Or do I suck it up and move on knowing it will be lovely anyway. When is comes to things for myself I'm not a stickler for perfection but this was fairly big. I'll pull it out and evaluate.

Nutkin socks - one of which is complete. I wasn't crazy about the cuff and I promptly misplaced the pattern. It has since been found so I'd like to get the other one done by the end of the year.

Smallville socks - which I'm using my hand-dyed sock blank for. They're moving along but at a snail's pace. I'm about to turn the heel so I'm hoping it will pick up from there.

Saartje's Booties just need buttons, which is sad and pathetic in and of itself.

NYC Street Cap - I made one of these years ago for Rinaldo and it was his favorite hat ever. Ian took it to preschool one day and it never came home. We were in Michael's and found some Caron's Soft Shadow that he loved and so I decided to finally replace it. That I have a picture of:



It's just about ready for the decreases and then I pick up the edge and knit the hat again, so it's doubled. It will be thicker than the one I made previously since it was in DK but he likes to be warm so I don't think it's a problem.

I've completed 9 projects this year. Should I through some miracle complete all of these by December 31st that will bring me up to a whopping 15. Pretty sad after last year's total of 31. Nothing has excited me this year. No project has moved me or inspired me. Of course it may just be all the sturm und drang of the year overall that has contributed to this malaise. I'll keep chugging along. Hopefully my mojo will find me again.

Monday is for memes

I grabbed this from Dr. Girlfriend, it's got a bit of a professorial theme to it so I just answered those questions to suit me.

The “Favorites” Meme

1.Political show – Meet the Press

2. Picnic food – chicken wings

3. Mixed drink – jack daniels and coke

4. U.S. President – John Adams

5. Kind of student to teach – I don't teach but on the rare occasion that I do I like enthusiastic students.

6. Hobby you do or wish you still did – Knitting, what else

7. Sports commentator – John McEnroe

8. Sport to watch on TV – Hockey, what else?

9. Animal to have as a pet – Cat, although I desperately, desperately want a dog. Other women my age have baby fever, I have dog fever.

10. Halloween costume you have worn – a trampy witch, I actually wore it in the Village Halloween parade when I was about 18. My friend was a hooker so I looked conservative.

11. Kind of dessert – brownie sundae

12. Comic strip – Boondocks

13. Style or make of footwear – high heeled black boots

14. Ice cream flavor – Mint chocolate chip.

15. College or university president – L. Jay Oliva not that anyone outside of NYU cares.

16. Internet news source – NY Times

17. Vacation spot – Iceland

18. Wine – used to be blush but now it's reds.

19. Way to waste time instead of working – plurk baby!

20. Student excuse for late work –I never come up with any good ones.

21. Reality show – there is not one reality show that I like, not one.

22. Jewelry on a man – earrings

23. Pizza topping – pepperoni

24. Children's movie – Princess Bride

25. Celebrity you wish would retire – Oprah, she's a good woman but no one person should have that much power over people's minds.

What I'm listening to

There's much to be done on Sundays so this will be my random Ipod shuffling post day. I tell you this so you know which days to ignore on Bloglines or Google Reader if you're so inclined.

Mean - Pink
La Isla Bonita - Madonna
Heart of Stone - The Rolling Stones
Rage - Heart
Explain it to Me - Liz Phair
Gallows Pole - Led Zeppelin
Think About You - G'n'R
The Beast and the Dragon - Spoon
Intermission - Panic at the Disco
Silent Night - Sarah McLachlin

Enjoy the last day of the weekend!

Weekends are the hardest

Man coming up with something worthwhile to say on a Saturday night is my biggest challenge yet. I did take the boys to go see Madagascar 2 today. It was a lot of fun. Just as funny as the first. In fact I think the pacing was a little better. The first one loses my interest after awhile and this one didn't.

One of the great joys in life is randomly shopping in a bookstore and finding that there is a new book in a favorite series. Being a bookseller it doesn't happen to me all that much but today I had that pleasure. One of my guilty pleasures, the Bewitching Mysteries by Maggie Alt, had just come out with a new book, No Rest for the Wiccan. It's a light frothy series; just the kind of thing I was in the mood for.

Tomorrow, amazingly, I am going to start Christmas shopping. Best Buy has some sales I can't resist and I figured this year I really need to shop the sales. It's a small start but I do believe it's the earliest I've ever actively started shopping for the holidays. Yesterday I was bitching because they were playing Christmas carols in McDonald's yet here I am going along with the artificial lengthening of the holiday season. Oh well a sale's a sale, right?

Time to finally watch the last two episodes of New Amsterdam on my DVR. It's really sad how long they've been sitting there waiting. I think it's because I'm still depressed about it's cancellation. I didn't want to watch them and know that there will never be anymore.

Night all.

Scary

I've been running around all day so you're getting a drive by post. I've been saving a link for just such an occasion.

There are no words for these 3D Knit Dresses.

Thought I was going to miss a day, did you?

I had planned on doing a knitting post but I think by the time I get home I'll be too tired to do the whole picture thing. Oddly enough this posting a day thing has re-energized by blogging-love but not my knitting. What happens to Bronx Girl Knits when she doesn't actually want to talk about knitting anymore?

Ironically I'm heading out to knit with my Plurk buds this evening. I'm finally going to meet some of the kids I've been playing with for the past few months.

I also have a post percolating in my head. It may be a bit dark, overly emotional and quite possibly TMI but it's been rolling around in my head since last week. It's kind of demanding to be let out.

In the meantime I posted a little humor on Pink Raygun yesterday, my open letter to Joe Six Pack.

'night!

Wow

I don't even know where to start. It's been a very, very long time since I've felt this country in any way represented me. I am so far left at times that I can't even see the right with binoculars. In my defense I have always tried to recognize that I am personally not a good representative for the average American. I've said before that when I am voting for a president I vote for moderates as a rule. I figure a president should be able to represent an entire nation, not just little ole' me.

I didn't hop on the Obama bandwagon from the start. I loved Edwards (still do, I could care less who's sleeping with whom), and I like Hillary. I resigned myself when Obama won the nomination. Now its not that I had an issue with him personally. I liked him, his policies and felt that he would make a fine president. I just didn't think he could win.

Really. I'm a cynic and I wanted to vote for the person most likely to dislodge the republicans. When Obama was picked as the nominee I was disappointed I figured he would not be able to defeat McCain.

Then things happened. Sarah Palin alienated a good portion of the moderates in her party as well as independents, the economy tanked and Obama stayed focused, calm and composed. He was looking downright presidential.

I still didn't believe. Fairy tale endings don't happen in real life and good guys certainly don't win.

Yesterday I went to vote and it started to creep up on me. There were more people than ever at my polling place, many were obviously new voters. Everyone was smiling, happy and friendly. Now I do live in the Bronx; we all knew damn well we were voting for the same person but still there was something in the air.

People at work were predicting a landslide. I held tight, I didn't believe this country could pull it off. We're too polarized, too worried about the differences between us. Couldn't happen. I went to class. When I got home around 10:15, the husband told me, "we took Ohio".

We took Ohio. Suddenly I believed, hell, I fell hook line and sinker. I got Avery out of bed. You don't miss history if you have the opportunity to see it happen. At 11 pm on November 4th, 2008 it did.

President Barack Obama.

I was teary eyed but holding it together. I found McCain's speech to be touching and well spoken. I found myself wondering where he had been for the last 18 months, although I'm glad he was MIA. Still keeping it together. Then I saw Jesse Jackson crying and I lost it. What a journey he's had. From the marches, to MLK's death, to running himself, to this day. This amazing day.

Obama's speech took me the rest of the way. I was downright sobbing, the family had gone to bed and I do my best crying alone.

President Obama.

Damn that sounds good.

Election Day

I think this election is possibly the most important one that's been held in my voting life. Go vote, preferably the way I want you to but even if it's the other way vote. If, horror of horrors, Obama doesn't win at least I want it to be because more people voted for the other guy not because of some slight of hand.

Here's a pretty freakin' hilarious video. It is not work nor child friendly at least not the last 10 seconds or so of it:

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

For less partisan entertainment, some music. Who remembers Arcadia? Roe, Maribel? What about you Gina? They were an offshoot of Duran Duran. Here's their ode to today:

Election Day - Arcadia


You got to love a song that has Simon LeBon singing, "pull my shirt off and pray", I can do that, no problem Simon.

I still resent the fact that Nick Rhodes is more beautiful than any woman I know.

Why are you still here? Go vote dammit!

Mondays are for Memes

If I'm posting everyday for a freakin' month you better get used to the memes.

I can't deny this surprised me, one or two things are wrong but it is actually spookily accurate for the most part.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Be direct and clear


• * Listen to me carefully


• * Don't judge me for my anxiety


• * Work things through with me


• * Reassure me that everything is OK between us


• * Laugh and make jokes with me


• * Gently push me toward new experiences


• * Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

• * being committed and faithful to family and friends


• * being responsible and hardworking


• * being compassionate toward others


• * having intellect and wit


• * being a nonconformist


• * confronting danger bravely


• * being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

• * the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind


• * procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself


• * fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of


• * exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger


• * wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right


• * being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Marilyns as Children Often

• * are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn


• * are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger


• * form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent


• * look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel


• * are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyns as Parents

• * are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty


• * are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence


• * worry more than most that their children will get hurt


• * sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

But where the hell is the knitting?

I still have yet to finish anything. Still working on the socks, cast on for a hat this weekend. Maybe I'll finish that. I'd kind of like to go back to the stole since I have a sweet 16 to attend at the end of the month and it would be really cool to wear for it.

We hung out with the a rat yesterday, if you have children you may know him as Chuck E Cheese. I have a rule about going to Chuck E's, there must be good adult companionship or I'm not going. Following that rule we drove out to Jersey yesterday to spend the day with my favorite Crazy Fiber Lady and her twins. The kids had a blast as did the grown ups. Only one picture was taken, since I left the camera home but this one was too good to resist:



I went over to spend some time with Maribel and her mom today. We just hung out and had some food while my children annoyed me. Nothing in particular but the boys and I are very sensitive to the change in daylight savings time so they're cranky and I'm bitchy so it's a fantastic combo. It didn't help my mood at all to discover when I got home that Hiro had attacked my socks in progress while I was out:



Damn cat.

NaBloPoMo

I miss blogging. I really do. Yet I can't seem to get back in the rhythm of it. I decided immersion was the ideal way to get back in the flow. I'm going to attempt to participate in NaBloPoMo. That means I'm going to attempt to post every day for the month of November. Crazy you say? Yup it is but what the hell.

It's been a really difficult week. Maribel's brother died on Wednesday. He'd been sick for awhile but the end came suddenly nonetheless. I've been trying all week to support Bel and her family but today before the burial it suddenly hit me, how much I would miss this man. How much of a brother he was to me. He was a man who loved with all his heart and I loved him deeply. He was the first of her brothers to really make me feel like family.

Thankfully I've had the week off so I could focus on everything going on. Class is going ok, work is still what it is. So all in all I've maintaining the status quo at the very least.

Sometimes that's the best you can hope for.

My second job

This is the post I've been trying to write for a few weeks now. I realize that the New York City High School application process is completely foreign to most of you yet it is now consuming much of my life. I thought I should share this pain...I mean process with you.

Here is the timetable I'm working with. We have to pick up to twelve schools, then list them in the order we prefer, favorite being first and descending from there. There are small schools, career and technical schools, small learning communities, charter schools and specialized high schools. Some of these schools require tests, interviews, essays, one even encourages bringing a portfolio of your achievements. Most of the others only look at your seventh grade report card, test scores and attendance. We do all these things between now and late November. The application is turned in by early December. The schools then decide who they will admit. Of the schools that admit you, you only get into the highest one on your list. For example, say you get into schools 2, 3 and 7 you only actually get into school number 2.

There is a chance that you will get into none of the schools, at which point you will deal with the appeals process in the Spring. The New York City Department of Education assures us that 80% of students get into one of their top 5 choices. Whew that makes me feel better...not.

The there are the Specialized High Schools which we are lucky to have as an option since Avery is considered gifted. These schools involve a test all their own and are outside of the application process. To be honest Bronx Science and Stuyvesant aren't really in the running. Avery is put off by the math and science focus as well as their 2800+ student populations. He is interested in American Studies and Brooklyn Latin (although we'd have to be pretty desperate to let him travel from the Bronx to Brooklyn everyday). He's got to test high enough to get in. American Studies only has 90 slots, it's population is less than 300 students.

All of this leaves me in a state of high [school] anxiety. I went to Stuyvesant, hated it, was miserable and screwed up my academic career because I went there. As parents we need to choose the best school for our child, not necessarily the best school. That is easier said than done with this system. This is why outside of work all I do is research and visit schools with Avery. At least by December our part will be over. We find out about the specialized High Schools in February and the regular High Schools in March.

After going through all this, college applications will seem like a breeze!

On a lighter note a friend shared this test with me. Nothing surprising here:

Your result for The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test...

Pure Geek

For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.


You scored better than half in Geek, earning you the title of: Pure Geek.

It's not that you're a school junkie, like the nerd, and you don't really stand out in a crowd, like the dork, you just have some interests that aren't quite mainstream. Perhaps it's anime, perhaps it's computers, perhaps it's bottlecaps, perhaps it's all of those and more. Your interests take you to events and gatherings that are filled with people you find unusual and beyond-the-pale, but you don't quite consider yourself "of that crowd." Instead, you consider yourself to be fairly normal.
Which, you are.

Congratulations! You're the one on the RIGHT!

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Take The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test at HelloQuizzy

Have a great weekend all! All you people out at Rhinebeck fondle yarn for me, ok?

Memes count as posts

I am way too tired to actually post so it must be time for a meme.

Stolen from, hmm not sure. It's been making it's way around I can't remember where I saw it first.

37 Things about me:

1. Do you like blue cheese? no
2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? only while drinking in a bar but I gave it up after my father's death
3. Do you own a gun? nope
4. What flavors Kool Aid was your favorite? red
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? yup
6. What do you think of hotdogs? yum yum, especially Nathan's hot dogs
7. Favorite Christmas movie? We're No Angels (Humphrey Bogart version)
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffee
9. Can you do push ups? sorta
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? my grandmother's ring
11. Favorite hobby? can't you guess?
12. Do you have A.D.D.? nope
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? yes
14. Middle name? Joyce
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
a - Sleep.
b - I don't want to go to work tomorrow.
c- Sleep.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water, tea, coffee
17. Current worry? my job security
18. Current hate right now? Sarah Palin
19. Favorite place to be? The Cloisters
20. How did you bring in the New Year? home asleep, I hate new year's
21. Where would you like to go? Scotland
22. Name three people who will complete this. Anyone who wants to.
23. Do you own slippers? yes but I never wear them
24. What shirt are you wearing? pink tank top pajama shirt
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? god yes
26. Can you whistle? yes but not well
27. Favorite color? blue
28. Would you be a pirate? absolutely
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? anything, Green Day lately
30. Favorite Girl’s Name? Josephine
31. Favorite boy’s name? Zane
32. What’s in your pocket right now? no pockets in my jammies
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Harold and Kumar go to White Castle on DVD
34. What vehicle do you drive? I don't drive
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? sprained ankle
36. Do you love where you live? yes
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3

Getting my act together

I'm having issues. Issues in life, issues in knitting. Pretty much the same issues. I have urges, ambitions even but I lack discipline and have poor time management skills. From the knitting perspective I have to admit that for the first time in years I have a number of UFOs. Two shawls/stoles, booties waiting for buttons, the socks I'm currently working on and a second sock waiting to be cast on (which I count as an ufo). I also have enough yarn for 4 sweaters which I'd love to start on (any one will do) and a Perry the Platypus to design and knit for my youngest's birthday in 2 weeks. I have a horrible case of starteritis and I have no idea how to combat it.

The socks are moving at a glacial pace which means Perry must be cast on now. That means that there is one more project not completed which means I feel less than successful. I'm having similar issues with my writing. Prior to the summer I was writing for Pink Raygun yet I haven't turned in an article in months. I simply never have the time to sit down and write it. I do seem to have plenty of time to feel guilty about it.

Blogging is also a victim of my issues. I suspect this all stems from the uncertainty in my professional life but it seems to me that should be more of an excuse to focus on the things I can control and that bring me pleasure outside of work.

Any ideas people? I could use some advice on getting my ass in gear.

In the middle of all this I am at the very least loved and appreciated. My dear blog/plurk bud Dani nominated me for the I Love Your Blog award. Thanks Dani I needed that! Here's the lowdown:

1. Please put the award on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. You must nominate at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.
4. Add links to the recipients.
5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

I’ve read the rules, and I promise to comply, so here it is - my shiny new ribbon!

My nominees are:

Ann because 9 times out of 10 she brings a smile to my face.

Roe because she is my newly discovered kindred spirit. We geek girls gotta stick together!

Shameka because I am always in awe of her ambition and accomplishments. In knitting and in life.

Bron because we've been traveling this blog road together all these years, through good and bad. Reading her blog is always like keeping up with a dear friend.

Just can't seem to find the time

I have no idea where all my time goes. Work is fairly slow but I still have things to do. There's a lot of open houses, tests, interviews and fairs to shuttle Avery back and forth to. Oh and my aunt and cousin visited this weekend from Iceland. It seems to me I should still be able to blog somewhere in there.

The socks are coming along nicely:
The knitting is more pleasant now that I've finished increasing. Just mindless knitting round and round. I'm enjoying seeing the colors play out as well.

When I got to work this morning I found the latest from Spunky in my mailbox:
I can't wait to spin this one up.

It looks like there's no Rhinebeck for me this year. Rinaldo has to work that Saturday. I was thinking of going Sunday but I realized I don't have that much of an urge to go. I haven't been knitting as much this year so I still have plenty of things in the stash. My spinning hasn't progressed enough to justify making any big fiber purchases in that area either. I'll save my cash for next year.

I still have to share my adventures in high school applications and my token Islander fan friend ;) had something special for me this weekend on her blog so I hereby promise to blog twice more this week! Maybe then I'll be back in the habit.

It's Monday but it's almost over, that's something to celebrate!

Playing Catch Up

I haven't posted in so long that I never shared with you all the fun I had at Casa de Swine. The entire family went on the Sunday before Labor Day dragging along Titi Bel for the ride, not that she minded in the least.

The company was excellent as always.

There was time in the pool:


There were sports played:


There were smores smored:


...and gifts given:


I hadn't seen Kathleen since my birthday so she had my presents. The Smooshy is just as cuddly as it's name implies. The bag is adorable but man oh man do I love my shawl pin. So very pretty:

A good time was had by all.

This is where I am on the toe up two at a time socks:
I think in the long run I'll like this method simply because when it's done it's done. No second sock syndrome and no kitchener to deal with but the start is interminably slow and boring for me. I have to pay a little too much attention since I have to do an increase round every other round but it's not really challenging enough to keep me engaged either so I don't tend to pick it up. It will get better when I get to the foot...I hope.

On Wednesday I will pour out all my High School angst on you. Not my High School angst but my angst about Avery's High School choices.

Try to have a good day, even though it's Monday.

No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth

I'm sure you'll find that hard to believe. It's been all work and no play for me. I'm hoping to do a real post shortly but just to tide you over (until I get my pictures uploaded) here's a meme for ya.

I stole this one from my plurk bud Roe:

When did you first learn to knit socks?

In 2004.

What’s the first sock you ever knit?

A Regia basic sock pattern.

Favorite Sock Pattern?

It tends to be whatever I'm working on at the moment but all time fave? Loksins, I think.

Favorite needle method?

DPNs although I did cast on for two socks at a time on magic loop this morning, just for the challenge of it.

Favorite sock needles?

metal 2s (2.5 mm preferably)

Who do you knit socks for?

Myself, family and friends in that order. I did make a pair for a teacher once but she was unusually worthy, lol!

How many pairs have you knitted to date?

Good question, I think it's 12.

What is on your sock knitting to-do list?

The aforementioned knitting 2 socks at once using magic loop. All the cool kids do it.

What kind of socks to you like to knit?

Striped? Yup

Colorwork? Haven't tried it but sure.

Plain Stockinette? Oh yes my favorite comfort knitting.

Cabled? Definitely a favorite.

Lace? Yes

Anklets? I want to make some. I love short socks.

Knee Socks? There's at least one person on my list I would make them for, maybe 2.

Solid colors? Only with a fun pattern.

Bright and crazy? Occasionally.

Faux Fair Isle (the yarn doing all of the work)? yup!

I rarely actually tag people but with all my sock lovin' sisters I will this time, Susan, Risa, Chante, Shameka, and of course Bel consider yourselves tagged!

Friday again?

I seem to have become a once a week poster but that's typical for this time of year. Work is going better than usual but it is taking a lot of time to make everything run as smoothly as I like. I figured I could squeeze a post in while my workbuy is running.

I put the lace aside until work is quieter. I may rip back a row or two or I may not. I haven't decided. I may go back to Jeannie before I go back to the stole. Again I am completely undecided. Currently I'm working on some booties for a friend's new grandson:

I'm just seaming them at this point. I want to do another set of Saartjes booties for another baby who was born recently. Booties are great rush projects. Sadly, I seem to have misplaced my Nutkins. I'm not sure where the pattern, yarn and needles went although I have the one finished sock. I wanted to start the other one soon but I'll have to find all the stuff first.

Just to show there are rewards for a job well done, I'll share this story. I had an instructor e-mail me from India last week. She didn't know her course number, section number or anything else about her upcoming class. She wanted to apologize because she was going to be extremely late with her book request and asked if I could order the first book without the information. I found all her information for her and processed her request. When she returned from India she came to visit me and brought these:

It's nice to feel appreciated every once in awhile!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Wow is it Friday already?

Much like my new girl crush Nastia Liukin I am only going to get one gold in the Ravelympics. While I think I did beautifully in the Handdyed Hurdles, I ended up falling on my ass on the Laceweight Longjump.

Here's where I am currently:
There is no way in hell I will finish by Sunday. So that's it and that's that. I have a number of errors in it but at this point I've decided not to frog since I hate frogging kidsilk haze. I had intended it for a gift but if it's too screwed up I'll keep it. It will be pretty regardless. My excuse for not finishing in time is simple. Lace knitting and rush don't mix. The students come back on Sunday and I'm already brain fried. The idea of working with yarn the thickness of thread and reading a chart is far beyond my meager brain power at this point. Sitting in a stupor on the train watching General Hospital and Primeval on my iPod is way more my level of participation for the moment.

I did pick up some books in anticipation of being productive and crafty again. Crafter's Choice has been trying to whoo me back with sales so I finally took them up on it. To my surprise I had enough points to get a book on the cheap as well so I took two.

Something to help me break in my new sewing machine:
...and a recommendation from Gina:
This one is dangerous. There's a number of things I want to make and it's simple enough that I actually think I could.

Weekend plans for me are work on Saturday and collapsing Sunday. What are you planning?

A good day to dye

The weather was so much cooler this weekend I decided on Saturday morning to tackle the first of my Ravelympic events. To dye my sock blank.

I gathered all the necessary tools:
For any project I tackle music is the most important component.

Here's the other stuff:
As an extremely messy person by nature I decided to do the dyeing on the deck. Just to be safe. When I was picking up vinegar at the market I saw this bottle and knew it was a sign from the fiber gods that all would go well:
Yes, I realize it's leftover from Easter but leave me to my fantasy.

I had been soaking the yarn for a number of hours:
I rang it out and dried it in a towel. I laid it out on the table and started working. No one was home so I didn't get any action shots.

I made a huge mess, got dye all over my fingers but in the end I was done. I wrapped it up in saran wrap as instructed:
Then I steamed it for 30 minutes. I left it to cool. Once it was cool enough to handle I rinsed it out and hung it up to dry:

It's far from perfect but it's pretty damn good for a first attempt. It looks pretty much exactly as I pictured it. I can't wait to see it knitted up. Rinaldo loved it and since it's destined to be socks for him that's good enough for me. In fact he's always wanted Smallville yarn but I've never seen it at White Oak Studio. The minute he saw this he designated it his Smallville yarn.

They tell you that you can knit directly from the blanks but that didn't really appeal to me so I balled it up:

A bit sloppy yes but it got a bit tangled coming out of the blank and I was exhausted by the time I balled it up.

I guess I better get my ass in gear and work on the lace portion of my events.
What did you do this weekend?

Birthdays, fos and Ravelympics, oh my....

I got home last night from an afternoon out with the boys and found a gift from Susan in the mail:
...is it not the coolest thing ever? A knitting gauge necklace! I'm wearing it to work today just on principle.

I worked really hard this week to fulfill at least some of my Summer of Socks responsibilites before the Ravelympics began. Lo and behold a finished pair of RPMs:
I also complete the first Nutkin:
As much as I liked the pattern that cuff doesn't not work well for me at all. It's far too tight and difficult to get over my foot. I do like the sock though. We'll see when I get to the second one.

This morning I am ready for my first event. I am participating for Team Tardis in the Lace Weight Long Jump. I'm making the Seascape Stole. As you can see I'm ready:



I'm hoping to work on my other event this weekend. For Team Splurk I am doing the Hand Dyed Hurtles, using my Sock Blanks.

I'm off to work. I'll cast on during my commute. I wish I could be home watching the opening ceremonies and the Doctor Who marathon on Sci-fi but I am attached to getting paid so off to work I go.

Happy Friday and good luck to all my Team Tardis companions and Team Splurk teamates.