Happy Freaking New Year

 

The last day of a fairly crummy year deserves a fun pic - it's me and half a dozen of my closest friends on my 29th birthday - seems like just yesterday. Here's hoping 2009 is as much fun as my 20's.

Wish List

I posted my Amazon wish list - let the gifting begin :O

My Amazon.com Wish List

we wish you a merry......

Here Comes Santa Claus

 

best.video.ever

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Maybe I'll build me a husband

Mas Family

 

Family

Problem Solved!

I was so worried about what to get my camels this Christmas......

no one cares when you mess with the droid........

I want to live in her world.....

Halle-freaking-lujah!

My daughter, who turned 18 barely a week ago, voted for the first time today. It's been a big week for her - turning legal, getting her first (and only I hope) tattoo, and voting in her first presidential election. And tonight, she and I, and my niece could barely contain ourselves watching Obama's acceptance speech on tv. Our phones lit up all nite with texts & tweets of celebration. I don't ever recall an election - even ones when I worked in newsrooms and could watch a dozen live cameras pn election night - where the voting public was so overjoyed by the results.
233 years ago, we were just a bunch of revolutionaries. But our founding fathers and the genius of "we the people" struck a cord and launched what was to become the strongest, most innovative , most powerful nation on the planet. The concept of "we the people" was far more than the preamble to our constituion. It was, and is, the fundamental truth that all that is great about this country comes from our ability as individuals to unite together and accomplish the most amazing things. Well, we the people spoke tonite and we didn't whisper, we roared with a mandate to carry out a sea of change. And that change, it's not so much different that what our founding fathers sought out. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - things we've lost the last 8 years. We're going to get that back and in the process, we're going to make the world a safer, cleaner, more united place because this truly is our moment in history.
There's only one spot of grey in tonight's celebration -- California's Prop 8. Earlier in the week, my daughter came to me with questions about different ballot measures, including 8. She was shocked to learn that same sex couples may lose the right to marry. She assumed in a free, democratic country where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are fundament, that any two adults who wanted to marry, could do so legally. She had no idea that same sex marriage was even an issue. In her world, race is not an issue, gender is not an issue, sexual preference is not an issue, and religion is not an issue. Looks like, I hope, in this new dawn of ours, we'll all be able to live in her world.
I leave you with a picture of my daughter's new tattoo - it's the word "family" written in Arabic.

V O T E !!!!

Pretty Funny Shit

http://www.236.com/video/2008/watch_synchronized_presidentia_9857.php

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Happy Birthday!

Tw reasons to celeebrate this weekend - my daughter turned 18 on Saturday - I survived cooking 160 pieces of chicken (yes, I counted them), 20 lbs of potato salad, 4 lbs of mac salad, 4 dozen hamburgers and 3 dozen hot links.

 

More jayne please

First of all, that pic of my shredded right calf looks nasty. For those of you keeping score, I think it looks worse now, all scabby and red. In other news.......the Jayne hats keep a coming.....I leave the listing up on eBay and weeks go by without a nibble. All of the sudden, lots of bites, so I took some new pics. But I was lazy, took em while I was sitting on my bed watching teevee - and it shows. So this weekend I'll have to make up a new batch of pics and update the listings (the usps has raised rates twice since I posted the current listing!)

 

In more exciting news (albeit, not much can be more exciting than Jayne), RHPS is being performed L I V E here in the city this month. I'd love to see it on Halloween night but I suspect it'll be a cluster f**k so I'll wait a few days after then take my demon spawn to go see it. Let's do the time warp again.

Ouch II

It H U R T S and I'm turning into the biggest baby. None of those cuts are deep but damn, they hurt. And it's all bruisey and achey and itchy and it burns when I take a shower. Unfortunately, it's not bad enough to evoke any family sympathy so I'll have to get over it.

I did cast on again for Susie - I noticed a mistake in the cable and in trying to fix it, I made it far worse. Part of the problem with using an acrylic blend is that the yarn has no life. In trying to correct the cable, the stitches I frogged got all splitty and fugly. The end result was a most painful frogging all nine thousand, three hundred and forty five stitches. Immediately I cast on again and made it through 3 entire rows.

I've also cast on for Jayne hats to prepare for some holiday ebay shoppers - never hurts to be prepared.

O U C H

The fence is done and looks great.
Can't say the same for my left leg. Took one for the team when I tried to climb a rock wall to reach the top of the fence. My foot went through the top of an almost empty 5-gal paint can. I did stay on my feet though, took a shower in waterproofing tint, and did something nasty to my left arm but I guess it could have way worse. It didn't even hurt much when it happened - just felt like a scratch. Of course when my daughter's friend walked over and asked if my leg was bleeding, and I looked down and saw little rivers of blood - then I thought it might start hurting soon. So I put down the paintbrush, hauled my ass off to the shower and cleaned it up. While in the shower scrubbing away the tint and paint, I knew then, this was going to hurt. I was right. Out of the shower, it bled through two sets of bandages and throbbed like a mo-fo.
Once I was all nice and clean and not dripping blood, I thought it was the perfect time to work on Susie. Wrong, I notice a major mistake on the cable and attempt to fix it. I won't bore you with details, but several f-words were used, the most significant one being F R O G.
So back to square one - casting on hundreds and hundreds of stitches. Such is life.

Priceless

New redwood fence..........................................................$2800
Six paint brushes .............................................................$25.00
Five gallons of tinted waterproof seal.......................... $81.00
Watching your children spend their Sunday afternoon staining your new fence..........priceless

Palin/McCain '08

Palin/McCain '08
Originally uploaded by tingley

This is why I L O V E San Francisco.

Yarn & Pagan Babies

So I step into the elevator at work, in mid-conversation with a co-worker about how I learned to knit.

Me: "So she had us knit squares that she stitched into blankets for the pagan babies."

I'm met with a blank stare from my obviously non-Catholic co-worker in addition to a burst of laughter from the other woman in the elevator.

New BFF: "Oh my god, I haven't heard that expression in decades. Only a Catholic girl would say she learned how to knit because of the pagan babies. And not just pagan babies, it has to be THE pagan babies!"

My Co-worker: "What the ***k is a pagan baby?"

You know it's going to be a great day when your elevator ride is full of pagan baby knitting conversation :)

You Betcha!

Looks like my favorite late-night talk show host is not a fan of everyone's favorite hockey mom.

If you knew Susie....

It's cast on time - finally - for the Susie hoodie from More Big Girls Knits. I typed up my own spreadsheet of the chart and typed out the pattern line by line in hopes I won't confuse myself. The pattern, as written, has several different sizes and I've taken the suggestion from raverly boards to write them out. You can see a blurry version of parts of the chart and a poorly lit swatch to the left. So it's off to a big night TV watching and knittin'.

Slacker no more

While I'm busy watching Heroes, I'm working on perfecting the cables for the Susie hoodie. I can't seem to get it right (maybe because I'm watching Heroes!) but I'm close. In the meantime, check this out: slackeruprising

DOA

Apparently my death dishcloths and my target's death dishcloths waved to each other yesterday as my death came mid-afternoon when a pair of lovely purple & white Diamond Lattice cloths were delivered. My assassian CPTwinkletoes did a fine job (it was my favorite pattern to knit - quick and easy). While I swore I didn't want to do any zombie knitting, I couldnt' resist hitting that button so we'll see if I get a new target. Zombie knitting is head-to-head so it'll be more of a race.
Meanwhile, I've still got to swatch the Susie hoodie cables, MS4 (which totally frustrates me), and finish up my Smackdown Beginner socks. None of those can be knit in transit - I have a hard enough time keeping track of patterns while sitting on my bed watching tv, let along in a stinky BART car.
I seriously need a real vacation - one without blood relatives or well-intending friends and/or co-workers - 4 days would do it - I'd even do LA - but I'd prefer NYC - a nice hotel with 24/7 room service, free internet for my laptop, and one of those Duane somebody drug stores close by. And a bath tub, a HUGE bathtub - even better if the tv can be seen from the bathtub. And bonus points for a mini-bar. Not much to ask, right?
Total tangent - but I've been listening to Rascal Flatts lately and they don't suck. On iTunes, I found a live version of them doing some Boston - and it was quite entertaining - perfect to listen to at work. If I'm turn into a country fan, then hell has frozen over, but I do like the clever lyrics and catch phrases. C'mon - let my heart rest in pieces? Classic. It's my new favorite song. Cheesy country-rock, best work music ever.
Happy Friday

scary

These days I check the cnn business page way more than I'd ever done in the past. As I get closer to retirement age (still almost 20 yrs away), I worry about my 401k. I saw this poll. American's been wrong before (just look at the last two elections), I hope she's wrong this time too. It's a scary this we as a people have lost faith in our government.

Quick Vote
Can the Bush administration stabilize the economy?
Yes
17%
13607
No
83%
65619
Total Votes: 79226
read related article »
This is not a scientific poll

baby, I'm amazed

at how obsessed I've become with getting these dishcloths in the mail. I've totally ignored MS4 swatching, Susie swatching and everything else. It's 1:13 am and I should have been asleep long ago but no. had to finish. had to put those puppies in a priority mail envelope. had to print out a prepaid label. I did stop at Stacey's on the way home tonight to pick up the new Mason-Dixon book. I also grabbed Knitting Without Tears. I've never read Zimmerman but her status as the supreme diva of knitting means I'm neglegent if I don't.
So 2 more dishcloths in the mail, along with some chocolate and a sock monkey bookmark calendar, rushing off to NY. They should arrive Saturday or Monday so maybe I'll make some progress on my other projects (including the beginner socks - I'm halfway done and stalled due to dishcloth obessession). With these, I've knit a dozen dishclothes even and should have way more points that show on the leaderboard.
and i never charged my cam batteries so no pics (bad blogger).

In for the kill.......

again. So my latest victim has forwarded dossier info to me tonight and I'm halfway through the first dishcloth. I may just make some caffeine ladened beverage and go for 2 tonight. I'm going to charge my camera battery so I can post pics....let the countdown begin.

Hit me with your best shot

USPS does not suck. I mailed that bad boy (along with a 2nd cloth) from my post office in SF on Saturday afternoon. It arrived Monday morning, to a little town in Maine. Didn't use express mail, just the semi-cheap priority mail. So now I've got 5 kills and I'm waiting for dossier info from Archamanda. If I'd gotten that info today, I'd have cloths in the mail tomorrow cuz now I'm in it to win it.
I tried to swatch for MS 4 but I wasn't havin a lot of luck. I'm tempted to just cast on - stoles don't need gauge - but dishcloths first!

Just a knittin' machine

Another dishcloth - tempted to stay up late and go for #2 so I can get these puppies in the mail but work is going to be a bitch manana and I'm meeting friends for dinner later so I need to actually try and stay awake.


 

 

Dishcloth Deluxe

More dishcloths go into the mail Monday morning making a total of 4 kills.

 

Mystery Stole IV

Yarn for Mystery Stole IV arrived today! I love Jimmy Beans Wool - superfast delivery, excellent prices and huge selection. I want to move to Reno just to be close to Jimmy Beans Wool. If I ever had another child I'd name them Jimmy Beans.
I attempted Mystery Stole III last year and I sucked. But I've knit a lot more lacy type projects (dishclothes & socks) so I think I'll have an easier time. Besides, I got the bestest purple yarn int he world.

I also finally got some yarn I like for the Susie Hoodie in teal. It's acrylic
but the color is amazing.

Lots and lots of knitting on my plate. I haven't re-listed Jayne hats on eBay because I sick of them but they bring in valuable cash that I use to supplement my yarn stash so I'm gonna have to knit more of those puppies. I am still alive in Olympic Yarn Smackdown (although my kills STILL do not register which is really discouraging) so I've got socks to finish and dishcloths to knit. Which is why I'm home, on Saturday night, blogging about knitting. Pity.

 

Totally not knitting related but....

I saw this headline and it made me chuckle and throw up in my mouth just a little bit.........

Jamie Lynn Spears Sends Support to Palin's Pregnant Daughter
Teenage mom Jamie Lynn Spears has sent troubled Alaskan 17-year-old Bristol Palin a baby gift package following the scandal surrounding her pregnancy.
Spears, who revealed she was pregnant last Christmas -- when she was just 16 -- feels a kinship to Palin, the daughter of Republican Vice Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, and decided to show her support by sending designer baby burpcloths.
The Palin family confirmed reports their eldest daughter Sarah was pregnant shortly after the Alaskan governor was picked as Senator John McCain's running mate in the upcoming presidential election.
"Access Hollywood" has revealed Jamie Lynn's mother Lynne Spears called Los Angeles baby boutique Petit Tresor on her daughter's behalf to order a small gift.
A store insider explains Lynne and Jamie Lynn wanted to send a gift worth under $100 to Bristol, and chose a collection of Plain Mary white burp cloths with pink writing.
The note attached to the gift read, "Dear Bristol, Hang in there ... xoxo, Jamie Lynn."



First of all, I applaud Obama's remarks that family should be off-limits - especially under-aged family. Having said that, it was no nice to see those god-fearing republicans make personal attacks on Michelle Obama. But back to baby gate.

I can't quite figure out if Jamie Lynn now feels like her situation has been legitimized because she's not the most famous unwed mother of the moment. Or is she jealous because she's not the most famous unwed mother of the moment? I suspect it was less a gesture of solidarity and more a PR ploy. And a pretty inexpensive one at that - $100 ? Burp cloths? Yeah, that's what I wanted when I was the world's most famous pregnant teenager expecting my first child. I think what the poor girl needs, is some privacy.
/rant

I promise knitting content tomorrow.

Laboring.....and yarn porn

In what may seem to be a stupid decision, I frogged my Yarn Smackdown socks, bought this olive green German wool, and cast on for V2. The yarn I had been using was beautiful but did not show the pattern at all and when I made an error on the heel and tried to frog back, I could not match the pattern back up. So I have 2/3 of sock 1 on waste yarn with no idea which row I'm on. And I've got about 1" of ribbing done.
On my trip to Noe Knit, I also got some Panda Cotton. The color is beautiful but upon closer inspection it looks like it'll be splitty. I wish I could take a hand-held version of Ravelry with me so I could research yarn once at the yarn store. While the sales clerk was helpful, she was also a tad condescending. When I asked about using Addi Turbos - her reply was "I always crochet my lace". Woo freaking hoo. I've been crocheting for about 40 years - while the last thing I crocheted was not lace, but it did take some level of skill. Boo-hiss for condescending sales folk. I'll order my Addi turbos from Jimmy Beans Wool.


Now it's time to get back to work - organizing crafts and stash, watching the gmen lose on tv, and cleaning my room. Happy labor day :)

If You See Kay

Laboring on Labor Day

Since my daughter's taking a road trip to Humboldt to visit a friend, and since my son is really only pleasant to be around when he wants something from me, I've made up a To Do List for this long Labor Day weekend. Shockingly enough, it's all fiber related. Here's the list:
1. Mail Jayne hat by Saturday
2. Update eBay
3. Finish Smackdown socks
4. Swatch for MS4
4.5 Possibly purchase lace neededs for MS4
5. Possibly purchase yarn & beads for MS4
6. Swatch for Susie hoodie
7. Possibly purchase yarn for Susie hoodie
8. De-stash (again)
9. Update Ravelry with stash pics
10. Sleep

If I thought it would work, I'd add #11. Lose 10 lbs.

Instead, I'll leave you with this totally random picture of yesterday's lunchtime treat at the Google cafe in NYC: Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers!

RIP Buffalo Bob

 
3rd Kill!
woo hoo
I'm sending these USPS Priority Mail on Thursday and really hoping they arrive on Saturday. My others arrived overnight but those were both in California. Now I've got to get back to my beginner socks which I ignored in favor of these highly addictive bookmarks. Although I wish someone would come up with a softer cotton. It's hard on the wrists!

Third Victim in my sights.....

 

Buffalo Bob, you're about to get smacked!

Olympic Progress

 

Dishclothes in the mail on the way to Termiknitter (may she RIP). Still stuck on the socks, I think I'm going to frog back and re-knit the gusset. And then, more Jayne hats and possibly more dishclothes. Although knitting with cotton sure is tough on the joints. I did switch from my dinosaur metal needles to my options circs - sooooooo much nicer to knit with. I'm going to try a swatch this weekend for the hoodie I want to make - still not convinced I bought the correct yarn. I had a Eureka moment yesterday and I now want to knit it in an eggplant color. Since I want to knit it in a non-wool fiber, I'm having a hard time finding the right color. And I know if I knit it with wool, I won't be able to wear it.
I've only got a few episodes of "Eureka" left so I'll have to find a new series to knit by :)

Olympic Update

I've got another confession my friend
I'm no fool
I'm getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new
Were you born to resist or be abused?
I swear I'll never give in
I refuse

No pictures to share yet but I'll have my 2nd set of dishcloths in the mail tonight. I ran into a problem with the socks - I'm afraid I won't have enough yarn. I'm getting gauge with suggested needles and correct weight yarn so I'm not sure why the yardage is off. I could just be paranoid. I'm at the gusset of the first sock and I'm thinking I need to measure what yarn I have left. I'd hate to start over. If I do die in the sock event, I'll definately do some zombie knitting - maybe in one of the crochet events. They won't get the best of me :)

Thriller?

2nd cloth done

Got the 2nd washcloth done today. If I ran like a wildwomen, I could make it to the post office and I bet it would arrive tomorrow since my target is only 60 miles away but I decided to block it. It really doesn't look anything like the pic in the pattern. The pattern wasn't difficult but I think maybe too intricate for cotton and big needles. But they're done and I'll drop them off tomorrow. Woo Hoo. Now back to the socks!