Life After....

Fall is here... and going so fast?

2011-10-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

So this fall has been sudden and quick. I feel like it was only two days ago when I was taking cold showers at night just to lower my body temperature enough to get some sleep. Now I am busting out the boots with the boiled wool lining and the mittens. It is possible that sometimes I am overdressed for the weather but honestly I am not used to 40 degree weather. By the way, if you want to know what to get my for Christmas or my birthday: winter base layers, long johns and even if you want, snow pants!

Of course fall is beautiful. Right now the leaves in the Boston area are in the midst of turning. There is still a lot of green around but teher are ints of red and brown all around. But the weather is also very confusing. One day the temperature is in the low 50's and then another it in this high 60's. One day it's sunny the next it's pouring rain. Luckily I have a thing for coats and I some how have worked out a way to have an appropriate jacket for the random fall temperatures.

Asside form the random weather all of the changes are also signifying a change in the school year. It is hard to believe that the semester is almost over. i have a number of large projects that I must do and everyone is wondering what to do during the winter break. This will be the first time that I am not going home for Christmas so I will have a lot of time to think about what to do. I will spend a bit of time working.

I started my new job a couple of weeks ago. It is pretty fun. I am realizing that i may want to read up on some new topics. I am beginning to realize that I really have to use my reference interview tools, mainly because my frame of reference for subjects and titles are different than that ot he patrons of my place where I work.

First week on the east coast and I encounter two natural disasters

2011-08-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This paragraph was written before the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene:
So right now the whole East Coast is under a hurricane warning. Earlier this week there was an earthquake and now this. So far I don't really know what to do. I did go to Trader Joe's and picked up some non-perishables but really my NERT trainers would laugh at what I picked up.... If you ever hear of those old-timey expeditions where they bring 500 wigs, coo coo clocks and beads I got a small scale modern equivalent. The storm isn't supposed to hit until Saturday night/Sunday. Or at least that is the rumor.

Update Post:

So I survived the tropical storm. There were no power outages or floods in my neighborhood. Luckily the worst that happened to me was that I got antsy due to staying in all day.
This is the first week of school. Well, I don't actually go to school until the end of the week but hey, that just means that I am no longer in vacation mode. So far I have a few articles to read but it's more exciting than stressful. I am nervous, excited and anxious about this new start. It is exciting but I really wonder what it is going to be like to go back to school. It has been five years since I was a full-time student. And this time around I am a graduate student. Now, unlike during undergraduate school, I know that I have to take responsibility for a lot of my actions in and out of the class. Don't get my wrong, I was a good kid, but now I understand how clueless 20 year old people are...or how clueless they can be..

The other interesting thing about my program is that all of my classes are once a week. I don't even have things spreed out so I have to make sure that I don't just think of my days off campus as days off. That would be a really good way to fail my first year. I am ready to have something to do with my time. Although I enjoy my time getting lost in Boston I do find that without a place that I have to go to at least twice a week. Once school starts that is exactly what I am in for. It will also be exciting to start my internship. I am taking intro to archives. Part of that course requires that I have an internship. This will be a real change form what I am used to doing on a day of work. CRAZY!

I have been knitting. I started working on my winter cap. I think that finishing a winter hat will inspire me to finish my big projects...you know... like my shawl or my two sweaters! Ekk. Well I guess that I will eventually just have one post where I talk about nothing but knitting. The pattern that I am using is Pollen and Bubbles. I am using Mademinetosh Vintage yarn. It is really nice to work with and I really want to finish it. So this is what I am keeping with me at all times. It is a good distraction from making sleeves on my sweater (which I really should do now rather than when it gets cold). I will get to make pom poms for this hat wich I think is pretty fun. I still haven't mastered knitting with both hands but the results aren't that bad, just a little on the puffy side. I am still in love with the hat nonetheless.

I guess that like all of the choices that I have made in the last year everything may not be perfect but the results are generally good and I am happy with what I can do.

Changes

2011-08-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

So I am currently house sitting..."Why?" you might ask. Well I am technically homeless. I have a home... but it is across the country. I think that at this point I should just say what is going on with me. I am moving from San Francisco to the Boston area. Yes, this west coast girl is moving to the east. I am moving because I will start graduate school for library science. I am pretty darn excited. The past year has been full of ups and downs and now I am finally taking a little time to stop and look around me. My things are being shipped out to my new home and with the kindness of knitters I am able to stay behind in my hometown and enjoy my time off. So far I have met up with friends and had some wonderful food. I will miss both (SF friends and food!).

During my two year program I will study cataloging and reference, as well at take courses like the history of the boot k and user services. I am going to be be a general MLS student. But my hope is that by the end I will graduate with a lot of classes in user services. I hope that with hard work that I will complete my program prepared for a new career path.

Although I will be on the opposite coast for a little while I will still knit. And well for a while I will have projects started on the west coast to complete. I am currently working on a great number of projects. Socks, hats and even a sweater. I really wish that I could finish at least one of them, but right now I am at that odd tedious point (ex: sleeves) of most of my projects. One project that is a constant challenge is the Phostosynthesis shawl. The combination of lace and beading makes this a very involved project. I think that most of it is coming out nicely. I am excited to see what will happen in the end. I highly recommend this pattern. It looks great with AND without beads. I would love it if I could get just a bit further in this pattern before I leave. I guess that means that I will have to hunker down and knit! Well so long till next time.

First Post of 2011

2011-02-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

Why hello everyone! It has been a while since I have posted. I since my last post I have worked long hours, completed a couple of personal projects, moved and become a year older. So far 2011 has been a busy one.

One thing that I am very excited about taking a Dreamweaver course! So I hope that in a few months from now that I will try a few new trick on this blog. The class is very basic. But I plan on using this site for my final project. I don't really know how this whole thing would work. But it would be nice to show off what I am learning. The class starts off very basic. I learned where menu items were and how to save files. It sounds minor but it also seems that not knowing the basics can cause some really annoying or even major problems.

Craft-wise I was pretty busy at the end of the last year and the beginning of this year. Two of my cousins were pregnant at the same time! Since they were both due in January/February I felt that it would be a good time to work on something small as a gift. The result were two pairs of baby booties. One set for a girl and another for a boy. This was my first time making booties. I used the sock yarn from my diagonal lace socks and Charade. I used the magic slippers pattern. I was pretty close to not having enough yarn but lo-and behold, these bad boys barely use any yarn. These are done in on piece (first the sole and then stitched are picked up for the body of the booties). I am pretty sure that I could have done these two at a time. But I did not. They still worked fast.

This winter I also worked on a couple of hats. The first that I completed was a lace and cable number called the Ashley. I did this project using sport weight yarn. And although it came out pretty good it was also a little on the thin side for me. So of course I decided to work on another hat.

The Selbu Modern came out very nice. This was my first fair isle project. It went fast and it was the first time that I ever knitted while holding yarn in two hands. This hat fit perfectly and was comfortably warm. The sad part of this story is that I lost it! I tried to retrace my steps but I just couldn't find it. I do want to another one. But I feel like i should use a different color. BUT I also don't want to go around buying large skeins of sock yarn and not using it all for one project.Today I started a new Selbu. I am going to use the contract color as the man color for this one. I just hope that I have enough yarn. I forgot how hard it was to start this project. I think that I must knit really tight.

When not knitting, reading, or watching movies I have done a bit of canning. The first thing that I made was apple sauce. I used Macintosh and Honey Crisp for a nice sweet sauce. I spiced it up with cinnamon and brown sugar. This gave it a nice pink color. I think that next time I make applesauce I will add some raspberries. That would have to be good. My second attempt at canning were pears. So far so good. I made the pares last month and so far I have had three out of the five small jars (one pear per jar people). And well so far I have not gotten sick and the paers are still not brown. Yum! My favorite part of canning is hearing the pop made as the cans seal while cooling. That is pretty exciting.

I have a number of projects to finish: Alice lace top, socks, secret gift knit (the secret is what the gift is, not that it exist), a lace stole and well... I hope that is it. I guess my next post will be an "in progress" post. Hopefully THAT wont take me three months to write.

Tis the Season

2010-11-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

So, it is the holiday season now. Yup, it starts with Halloween (which seems like a big deal here in SF) and ends in New Years...and well for good measure my birthday is thrown in right after...Yes, I know that my birthday is not a holiday, but it is still an event in which I try to be around people and celebrate. This year went by very fast, and the closer we get to the end of the year, the faster it seems to go.

This has become the year of the sock (and lace) for me. These are my third pair of completed socks. I am very proud of this pair. I did them top-down magic loop. This time around I got to learn kitchener stitch. I guess that now that I have finished a project I can start another non-lace project??? Or do I have to finish the projects that I already have on needles...hmmmm.

Feather and Fan and all the rest

2010-10-03T22:32:00.000-07:00

So what have I been up to since my last post? Well, this past week I was sick (first a sinus infection, then a bad reaction to antibiotics), and I have been working on five projects... well I have five projects on needles (six if you want to count each sock that are on circular needles). Before I proceed to talking about knitting I will blog about something that more than just knitters will enjoy.

This weekend was a knitting group weekend. The thing about my knitting group is that we love doing activities that are fun and adventurous. We actually go out and do stuff. This weekend we went to St. George's Spirits in Alameda for a tasting.

We all crossed the bay and braved an unpaved road to get to the distillery. The weather was actually pretty nice. So I was able to take a number of pictures while on the ferry. It was nice to see San Francisco from the view of the Bay. It's not very often that i get to see the sights that so many tourist come to see.

St. George's is the maker of Hanger 1 vodka. They also make liqueurs, whiskey and absinthe. The tasting menu was a bit lengthy but the host guided us through with humor and insight. This was my second time there. I just have to remember to start taking visitors. Sure, many people come to Northern California for wine tasting, but I think that St. George's Spirits offers a fun experience that most people don't get to have. I mean how many people knew that swirling vodka is a no no and that there is a specific way that you should breath while tasting.

Now, to the knitting. It is strange how I have become one of those people who sees a pattern and the says to themselves "You know what? I can knit that! I even that some yarn and the right needles (not always, let's just say the me and Addi are quickly becoming friends )!! That is what has happened this year. And the other strange thing about my knitting habits this year is that I have done way more lace projects this year than I have ever done in the total however-many-years I have been a knitter.

I find that I really like how lace looks, but I have a problem with sticking with one thing... the moment that charts get a little complicated and I start to loose count I get a bit frustrated. For example: My Alice top is currently on hold because I have to decrease while maintaining the pattern to shape the waist.... yeah, for me it is as complicated as it sounds. So I have distracted myself with projects that seem a little more doable.

Does this count as being half way through?

What does that mean? SOCKS! Socks that don't have a lace pattern or cables. I am working on the Charade sock pattern. I am doing two at a time using magic loop from the top down. I was worried about doing a slip stitch heel flap rather than a short row. But it seems to have worked out fine and I think that i might even prefer it. But these bad boys are knitting up at a good rate.

The knitting goal for the next few months is to actually organize my stash (i.e. get containers form Walgreens and store my skeins in my closet rather than stuff them randomly on my bookshelf), and to not start any new projects until I finish the ones that are currently on needles. Wish me luck people... wish me luck.

It's been a while

2010-07-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since I have had time and inspiration to update my blog. For some reason life has sort of been on hold. I really don't know what has happened. It is not as if there have been any major changes, it is just that for some reason I have put the pause on activities. I am slowly returning to my normal way of life: gym, studying, reading, writing, cooking. I mean really! I am a whole month off of my GRE schedule!!! Gurrrrrr. Well there is no one to blame but myself.

This past weekend I took a vacation to Portland, OR. I think that Portland if a very nice city. I used to think that I would want to live there. After doing some exploring I wonder if I really could live there. Hmmm. I think that I could only live in very select areas. As much as I don't like living in high volume areas in San Francisco, I think that I would have to in Portland otherwise I might feel a little stranded. If anyone has any insite on living in Portland, OR without a car, please leave a comment.

Well my trip was really nice. I learned that being a tourist while you have a smartphone is MUCH easier than without one. I am one of those people who likes to constantly check maps. So have a little homing device that also tells the time and allows you to take pictures at the same time is pretty darn good. This time around I ventured far from the downtown Portland. Went as far as the McMenamins Kennedy School in NE Portland and down to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in SE Portland.Sure my map obsession can wear on people, but isn't that better than me giving up on going to places because I can't tell where I am and I hate getting lost (arg, I still regret not finding a yarn shop during my semester in London).

One of the first places that I went to was VooDoo Doughnuts. This is a tiny little shop with a lot of character. The doughnuts were pretty darn good. I recommend the Old Dirty Bastard washed down with some milk. YUM. I learned that if you are going to go to VDD then you should go during the week. Because during the weekend there is this thing called Market Day (yes, it's called Market Day even though it is Saturday and Sunday). During the weekend people line up around the corner!Craziness. Well I guess that if I were smarter I would have bought more than one at a time. There were a lot of niknaks and that added to the decor of VDD but my favorite was the ATM. I barely saw any graffittie in the areas of Portland that I was in, so it seems that all of the taggers in town just took it on on VooDoo Doughnuts' ATM.

In San Francisco there is a museum... more like an educational playground really... called the Exloratorium. It is a really cool museum where you can interact with all of the exhibits. It is a really great place and Portland has their own version. called Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI for short). There were some interesting exhibits, but it was really more of a family oriented thing. You know, bright rooms, lots of primary colors. One of my favorite exhibits was the spinning platter. In this exhibit there was a large table with a spinning platter in the center, You could take balls and hold them so that they would start spinning. If done properly you can let go and they would stay in place on the plater. If it is done inccorectly then the balls just go flying off. I am sure that there is a lesson to be learned there. And I am also sure that at some point I learned it. But I can't remember, so it is all just good fun.

During the trip I ate some really good food. Rather than going into detail (I might Yelp! about it later) I will just list a couple of places

On the knitting scene I have not really made any progress. I am almost done with the first pattern on the Hanami sampler stole and I am just started the waist shaping on the Alice Top. Things are going slow. There is a secret project that i need to start ASAP. We will see.

NATURE

2010-05-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went on my first post-boot trip. I took a day trip to lovely Point Reyes . The weather was good and I was in great company. Although

Point Reyes is beautiful they do give you warnings about the landscape. I know that the great part about nature is that its wild and free. But it still doesn't make you feel very good to know that you are running the possibility of falling do your death while you are trying to take a break from the city life. Well, I guess that it is a good thing that they warn you about the what may happen if you don't pay attention.

My favorite part of the 5.whatwever hike is that I was able to do some camera hunting. there w as tons of bunnies and quail everywhere. It was really fun trying to take a good picture of the fuzzy brown bunnies and plump little birds. The funny part about quail (aside from the fact that they eat stones) is that they will run for a longer distance than they fly. So in the end it was a lot easier to get a picture of one of the birds than it is to take pictures of rabbits. Rabbits are tricky because they will run down their rabbit hole even if you breath too hard in their direction.

Yes, you read correctly, I went on a hike that was about 5 miles long. It was a feat that I am pretty proud of. I know that 5 miles is not really that long of a hike, but for someone who fractured a toe and had to wear a boot for a month and a half any pain free distance is something to take joy in.

Oh! I would like to finally visit more National and State parks in Northern California. If anyone has any ideas of where I should go let me know!

Finally Spring is in the Air

2010-05-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I got my boot off and the weather became nice enough for me to wear my flip flops. After having the boot for so long I am ready to go out and do things. Last weekend I actually put air in the tires of my bicycle and I took a little ride around the neighborhood. This weekend I wanted to go camping. But as some one pointed out to me, EVERYONE will be camping this weekend because it is a three day weekend. Ah well. With all of the great parks around I will hopefully go for a hike. For some reason I have a real urge to be in nature.

On the knitting front I have not been very good with completing projects. I am still working on the Alice Top, and I am also still working on the Hanami Stole (which I am failing at). But! I really wanted to make a baby gift for my very pregnant co-worker. After days of searching for baby hats and booties and jackets and all that cute baby stuff I got realistic: I only had a week to knit a present! So I decided to stick with hats . I made the two pretty little caps listed below. I got the patterns from the Chronicle Books "Hats Mittens and Scarves". I have owned this box of patterns for a number of years an I don't think that I ever made anything form it. My co-worker is having a girl but I didn't want to make anything that was super pink. She really liked the aviator cap because of its ears. These two bad boys used less than a skein of yarn. Woot Woot. If I had a little more time (or if I was more skilled) I would have made matching booties or socks. Awe well. Next time I know someone is having a baby I will do more planning ahead.

I hope to distract myself with yet another knitting project. Because the Alice top is so slow for me to work with I felt that it was alright to work on something that should be a little easier.I did some searching and mistakenly downloaded a couple of sweaters that looked like they should be of the top-down variety but were really done in pieces. Then I found this snazy number called Rusted Root. It's pretty and has a little bit of lace but it shouldn't make me want to tare my eyes out and bite my fingers off.

I got off of the horse when it came to GRE studying. My plan to take it in June will not happen. I guess maybe I should say that I will take it in September. What I should do is just schedule the test so that I have no choice but to take it. Wish me luck I guess.

2010-05-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I know that I am late in the game but I saw this and I just thought that it was super cool.

I am so good at self sabotage that I amaze myself!

2010-04-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

So, some people who know me would say that I am accident prone. I would like to believe that not everyone thinks that I am, but if they do they are nice enough not to point it out. I would say that I am perfectly fine, but it seems that January/February of the past three years has resulted in me being incapacitated in some way: 2008, bike accident resulting in cracked elbow, 2009, pulled back muscle resulting in a few months of physical therapy, and now 2010 sudden fall in my apartment resulting in fractured metatarsal and boot for 4 - 6 weeks. So sad. So although I was hoping to start running this year I will have to put that on that back burner till this summer.

Some how the moth of April got a way from me. During the month of April I started to study for the GRE. Yes, I am interested in going to graduate school one day. My goal is to study for the GRE and take the exam this summer. That will be a big step towards applying. Yes it is true that some of the schools that I am interested in do not require GRE's but they are good to have when you are not sure about where you want to apply. I still like my job and my apartment so I wont be going anywhere soon but so far it looks like if I do get into graduate school I might be leaving San Francisco once again. If I am lucky I would get to move into a city otherwise I will have to finally learn how to drive. I think that it would be in everyone's best interest if I didn't have to learn how to drive.

This month was also a big soup month but I forgot to take photos. This month I made a spicy pinto bean soup (from the Deborah Madison book that I mentioned in earlier posts) and a beef burgundy from Cooking Light Soup magazine. I forgot to take pictures So I will have to remember to do that next time that I make it.

Knitting has gone slow but well. There are not many projects that I have finished. I did finish my first pair of socks. I have also started a new sweater. It is a top down (not challenging) but it is a lace project (AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!). So this is taking a long time. I think that I might want to try to find a less challenging project but I should really finish these plus my other lace project.

2010-03-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Here is an update on my socks. It is taking me a long time to finish because of very minor mistakes. The first one made was my won fault. I thought that i was supposed to start in then heel after I knitted the sock an inch shorter than its desired length. But I guess that night only be true if I am doing a short row heel. So I found myself ripping out about two days of work because I was supposed to knit three inches short of the desired length.

The next problem occurred because the pattern was wrong... YES, THE PATTERN WAS WRONG!! So here is my correction for the heel flap of the diagonal lace sock designed by Wendy D. Johnson: That first row of the heel flap where is says knit 47 across? Knit 43. Now I don't know if I read the damn thing wrong and I wasn't supposed to do something, but knitting 47 across caused me massive head aches. But after doing some knitting math I figured out what worked for me. Ta-da! O now have something that looks like a foot can go in it. Woot Woot. I guess that after this I should really return to some of my old projects and complete some of those. Then I can start working on a sweater.

SO OKGo has a new music video. Like everything else on the internet I may be behind on this one. But I thought that I would share this... I think that it is time that I play Mouse Trap

First Magic Loop Socks

2010-02-19T13:49:00.001-08:00

First Magic Loop Socks
Originally uploaded by oneroompalace
So I have begun to attempt to make socks by knitting two at a time using the Magic Loop Method. And although I do not think that I will finish the socks by the end of the Olympics(February 28) but I will have at least completed a good chunk of the socks.

At one point in time I thought that I was going sock crazy. and then I realized that i was just going crazy. Although I enjoyed starting socks I could not complete a pair to save my life. I would run out of yarn (and not want to spend a butt load of money on a new ball) or I would lose a needle and not want to buy a whole set just for one needle. So I would stop and move on to something else that i would not finish. My hope with doing two socks at at time is that I will either have two socks or no socks at all. There wont be any of that proud to finish one and not have the energy to do the other. YAY!!!

On another note. I was looking for some toe-up sock patterns and stumbled upon a site where the author claims that she has not worn store bought socks in years. I have heard this multiple times and for some reason I can't believe. I would love it if someone would fess up to this and tell me how they function. I mean, I know that there is all types of yarn that you can make socks out of (cotton, hemp, bamboo, soy) but are people really wearing hand made socks to the gym?!?!?! That is really my only question. I have been able to justify every other scenario and for the most part I can see why knitted socks might even be preferred. But I still can't wrap my head around the gym thing.

Most recent domestic activities

2010-01-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

This winter I bought myself a hand blender for myself as a Christmas present. I bought this so that I could make soups and sauces. The first soup that I made was a wonderful broccoli cheddar soup, recipe from Deborah Madison's "Vegetable Soup". This is a great soup with a slight kick to it. That book has a number of wonderful soups. I have used the soup for two additional recipes:
Tomato bisque

lentil with chickpea (it was supposed to be farro and chickpea but I got the wrong thing)

I know that these soups may not look like anything special but they were damn good. I have to try more.

Aside from cooks I am still knitting. The cold weather this winter kind of inspired me to try something new. So I am working on my second lace project. It is a sampler called the Hanami Stole. I realized very quickly that this might not be the project for me. Ahhh. I messed up on the first pattern. Oh well. I still think that it looks kind of cool. That was really the only reason that I have not ripped anything back.

Since the weather was so chilly at least a couple of days this winter I decided to knit a scarf. The last time that I made as scarf was sometime during college. I made a eight foot long, basket weave and seed stitch scarf. I believe that after I made that scarf I vowed to never make another scarf again. But this year I really wanted a circular/moebius. Those things look so warm and you don't have to worry about tying any loose ends. I also thought that it wouldn't take very long because it would definitely be shorter than the first scarf I made. I am beginning to think that neck wear is the bane of my existence. Why you may ask? Well the patterns become tedious and boring. This is not a reflection on the pattern itself. Its all me. I am currently working on the 5th Avenue. It is a great lacy pattern that hides mistakes pretty easily. I really like how it is coming out. But I do need a little distraction. Since it is getting warm now I think that my goal is to finish by next Winter. I know that is really lazy, but hey, it's still a goal.

This year I made two winter hat. I usually don't make hats because I lose them. But this time I was not knitting it for myself so I am not terribly worried. I made another Nora Gaughan and I also made

a Raleigh Hills Hat. THAT came out cool. I don't usually make cabled beanies (I don't know why. I am not "anti-beanie). It was really fun making in and the yarn was nice to work with. I believe that it is Debbie Bliss "Fez". Which was a change from the Malabrigo that I am using for my other projects. I think that I will use the Fez again to make a hat for myself... maybe I will make one with a pom-pom on the top.

2010-01-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

Hello! I have not given up blogging. I was on a bit of a hiatus due to working on my fiction writing for a class that I was taking. I know that it has been a while since I posted anything. But at usual I vow to post more often. Lets see if I can meet my goal of twice a month. I think that is a good number for a person who is not always the most busiest.

The Winter holidays were pretty fun. My family did Secret Santa for the first time. I think that, with the help of my family members, it went well and I hope that we will it again next year. I think that it will work better if I have everyone's email address. I got a wonderful gift certificate to YarnMarket.com. I feel like I should use the certificate wisely. I have hidden it from myself so that I don't buy sock yarn that I may never use. I would love it but I may never use it.

It was nice to see the City get all dolled up for Christmas. The Hyatt at the Embarcadero looked pretty good. Sure most of it were just some red and green lights but it still gave me warm fuzzies.

I also received a great knitting related gift from my boss. He bought me (i believe that he was advised by his knitting sister-in-law who apparently helped with the set up of Ravelry.com) great stitch markers from DragonLadyDesigns on Etsy they are really great looking. I am sort of afraid to use them because I worried that I might lose them. But they would look really nice on a work in progress.

During my winter break I finished a second Sunflower tam (forgot to take a picture) and worked on my 5th Avenue Infinity scarf (there is not much to take a picture of). I will do a WIP post sometime in the next few weeks.

Halloween At Work

2009-10-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

Every year my office decorates for Halloween. This year one of my bosses came in during the weekend to decorate the office like a spooky police station. She didn't tell anyone that she was going to do it this weekend. So I was surprised when I walked in this morning. Of course I took pictures!

I have to say that there is nothing that puts me in a better mood than Halloween decorations in my office. I guess that a lit Christmas tree will do the trick, but I don't bring a tree to work with me. I hope to remember to take and post pictures when we have the trick or treaters come in on the 30th.

2009-09-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ok. I guess that I don't have too much to say so far this month. Last month went by almost in a blur. August is always a strange month because it is the end of the summer and the beginning of the school year. This year was even more topsy turvy because one of my coworkers left and the next day the tore down the wall where her cubicle was and I have started taking a class after work. I am taking a class in creative writing. Last year I applied for a MFA in Creative Writing program but was not admitted. Rather than wallowing in my own grief I decided to just work on my writing on my writing by just taking classes on my own. So far the class is going well. I can't really tell how old most of my classmates are but I do know that most of them seem to be pretty creative. I was worried that everyone would write about crack whores and how they lost their virginity but so far I have heard a lot of really good writing (no offense to people who write in the virginity and crack whore genre). So far I written one story and started another. I don't know if they are any good. But I did compete a story!

Earlier this year I told myself that I was going to make one new dish every week. That never seemed to take hold. Somewhere early on in the year I decided to eat at a new restaurant every week... That is not really true but I feel like it is not that far off. Although I have not taken up becoming a black Julia Childs but I have made a pie.

My knitting is going well. I am starting projects as well as finishing them. I started working on a pair of mittens (a-la similar ones that I gifted last year). I hope to do some colorwork mittens this year so look out for that I guess. I finally blocked my blue Victoria Yoke pullover (The sweater has three quarter length sleeves which is why it looks like it is made for a two year old)!!! Now all that I have to do is make the button holes and I am set.

I bought my buttons at Britex Fabrics in downtown San Francisco. The woman who helped me was very nice even though I could not make my mind up about what to get. I chose a set with a leaf motif.

The sad part is that I am not very sure if I like the length of the sweater. I would not be able to wear it on its own without it looking horrifyingly short. So we will see what I do. I feel like it is too late to add on (I already blocked it) but we will see what happens.

I started on a pair of mittens for myself. I made a pair for my college roomie last year and thought that it would be nice to have a pair of my own. I am using a blue worsted weight Malabrigo yarn. I never really knew why people made such a big deal about Malabrigo, but I think that it is nice to work with for my mittens. It is a very soft brand and I really can't wait for the weather to get cool enough that I wont look like a crazy person for wearing mittens while outside.

Well that is all for now. I hope that I pay a little more attention to this thing than I was last month.

Craft Fair and Craft Fatiuge

2009-08-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

So, I have been lazy and I am not going to write about the Renegade Craft Fair. But I can say that I did have a lot of fun! There were a lot of cool vendors. Here is a list with links to their sites.

This weekend is the American Craft Council craft fair at Fort Mason. Tonight (August 14, 2009) they offer $5.00 after 5pm admission. So I think that I will attempt to get my lazy but over to Fort Mason. This should be a little more hardcore than the RCT. This seems to focus a lot on the rise of home crafts and innovative use of materials.

This month I am kind of out of it blogwise. There have been an number of changes around me that have distracted me. YARG!! Knitting has also suffered a little. I am almost done with the Victoria Yoke Pullover. I re-knitted the body of the sweater about five times and recently realized that I fudged up on one of the sleeves. i am at the point where I am pretty sure that I am just bored by the whole thing. I really want to finish it. I am afraid that it is going to be a little more snugg than I am comfortable with. Yep people I am committing a knitting sin: depending on blocking to solve all of my problems!!!!

There are now a number of other projects that I want to work on. Small yet challenging projects. Mittens, lace, slippers, hats. And well, I also have plans to make another sweater. I know that it is a bad idea to start one project before I start another, but sometimes you have to indulge in an urge. I would like to work on the Rosamund's Cardigan from Interweave Knits Fall 2009 issue. I think that it would be nice to work with some chunky/bulky weight yarn. I haven't done anything with chunky in a long time. Maybe I will make it in tweed? or a very light green? or blue? We will see.

One project that is going well are my socks. Well, one pair of my socks. I am at the cuff of my diagonal rib socks. I already have one completed and blocked. It took me a while to finish the short row heel. Although I am proud that I am making some pretty good progress, I am not sure if I am completely sold on the sock thing. I think that I might possibly like mittens more. Sure, mittens are just socks for the hands, but you get to use bigger needles (a lot of the time).

Brief Thought About Dating Blogs

2009-07-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

I feel bad for people who write Dating blogs. not blogs where people give advise but where people talk about their own personal experiences. Usually a good dating blog involves lots of horror stories. Stories that might make you feel better about your own bad dates or lack there of. Although I enjoy a good share of them I realize that I feel bad for the bloggers when things start to go well for them. I notice that move of these types of bloggers stop once they have found themselves in a relationship that works for them. I understand why they would stop. I think that the best way to ruin a good relationship publicize every little detail. But when these bloggers decide to stop I always find myself wishing that they would find out something horrifyingly embarrassing about their new mate so that they would return to blogging.

This , I admit , is really bad. But because I always think that way I think that I will try to avoid talking about such things myself. If I did post more personal stuff my blog would be so strange. It would be all about food, knitting and dating. I guess that could work but I don't know if I can do it without seeming really cheesy... let me rephrase that. I don't know if I can do that without becoming more cheesy than I already am. But, saying that makes me wonder if my blog is just really boring. I don't even know if people read this thing. I have a feeling that there are just two people and one of them is me. Oh well. For some reason I feel that I should post about twice a month. So readers or no readers the writing and pictures will be put out there.

Oh! Soon I will write a post about the San Francisco second annual Renegade Craft Fair.

A cool video that was sent to me

2009-07-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Jeff emailed this video to me and a whole bunch of other people. It took me a while to finally watch it, but I am sure glad that I did. Its a sweet and cool little music video.

2009-07-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago a friend from college came to visit me. I was happy to see her but also realized that it would provide me with ample time to be a tourist in my own city. There are many times when I think about things that I should do but just never has the time get to them. For example, I live about ten minutes away from the Golden Gate Bridge but I've only walked across it once... and that was about eight years ago.

There were two days when I played the happy tourist. We went to visit a couple of wineries in Sonoma and the next day we took a ferry to Alcatraz. I took about thirty pictures at each place. But like so many of the photos that I take most of them looked pretty much the same. So I narrowed down as much at I could to provide you all with a couple of slide shows.

The day that we visited Sonoma was great. The weather was in the eighties and there were barely any clouds in the sky. The cool stone buildings were a welcome escape from the hot sun. I am not a wine drinker but I was not disappointed. The great thing about Sonoma wineries is that you can find a lot of places that offer food tastings. So I got the opportunity to taste my share of cheese, olive oil and spreads. Another thing about Sonomoa is that each winery has its own personality. There are villas, country homes, and even barns. The one thing that is similar with each one is that by noon the tasting rooms are full of winos.

The next day there my friend and I went to Alcatraz. I once lived in full view of Alcatraz and never made my way out there. Mainly because most of the tours are very expensive. But if you go to the Alcatraz Island Official Site you only have to pay 26 dollars. Alcatraz has a very rich history for a tiny little island. It was first used as a military fort during the civil war, then as a prison, and occupied by Native American civil rights protesters and finally a part of the National Parks reserve. The prison was smaller than I had expected, but it defiantly does not seem like a place that you would want to stay overnight. There is a surprising amount of vegetation on the island. Much, if not all of it, was brought over by people who worked and lived on the island.

Side Knitting Note:
I am currently in the middle of two projects. I am still working on my Victorian Yoke Sweater. I am currently attaching a sleeve. I am currently having issues with the length. As things stand it currently sits right at my waist but I would prefer it longer. So I am trying to figure out whether or not I want to take out the bind off and make it longer or just block the SOB.

I am also working on a Mock Lace Sock. It is a cuff down pattern that is moving pretty quickly. I am also have issues with this project that i hope will fix themselves out during blocking.

Upgrading my updates?

2009-06-23T09:23:00.001-07:00

hi there everyone. I am making this post from my phone i guess that you can say that I have been a little restless lately and the result is that I've gone further into the internet cave. i am just adding more and more to the matrix that well all call the net.

As you can see on the right side of the screen I opened a twitter account. I am still getting used to it but i think that the quick little entries will keep you up to date in between my actual posts.

So the most exciting thing going on is that my friend Adrienne is coming in town Wednesday! Yay!!! i haven't seen her in three years and now I have to show her a good time in my city. Luckily we have a working itinerary. I will take lots of pictures while I am touring around the city and I hope have a real nice post up at the beginning of next week

I was gone for a whole month, did anyone notice?

2009-06-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hey there! So the month of May was a complete bust as far as blogging goes. I wish that I had kept on track for at least one post. Unfortunately finals always seem to get the best of me. Basically I would have made posts like "I only go home to sleep and brush my teeth" or "when is it going to end!!!" So I thought that it might be a good idea to just hold off on things for a little while. In May I took a number of "field trips" and I was smart enough to take my camera. I took pictures of a couple.

First I went to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose. If you ever find yourself in or near San Jose or you are taking an extended trip to the Bay Area I recommend taking a trip there. they have a very large collection of artifacts and replicas. It was funny because there were exhibit rooms that were sort of tucked away. So I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to be there or not. But since no one jumped out of any dark corners to usher me back to where I should be I strolled through anyway. I also went to 2009 Bay to Breakers. There were lots of variations of Swine flu costumes and floats. My favorite one is in the slideshow below. I was down by the end of the race. I think that it was a bit of a let down. I have a feeling that most of the fun people stopped way before mile 6. In May I also made a return trip to the California Academy of Sciences. Although I do have a membership there and I have even made one or two lunch time trips I still enjoy seeing all that they have to offer. I personally think that the best part is the planetarium but the aquarium is a close second.

At the very end of the month I went on a hike with two very good friends of mine. We went up to the Marin Headlands. It was a little chilly, and really gray but still beautiful. I think that I need to make my way out there again sometime during the summer.

Knitting-wise I have been pretty industrious. Not that I've done a great job finishing my work but I am working on some pretty nice projects. I am half way through with my pair if olive stripped socks. I am almost at the point where I do the ribbing on the body of my sweater. And I am working on a hat. I decided to the the Philadelphia Springtime hat. It is a nice pattern to work with. Right now it looks like I I am nowhere near done. But when I check the chart it appears that I am half way through. I think that i am just not used to working with lacy projects. I hope that it all works out when I block it.

I am not cool enough

2009-04-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Can someone please go to this website (MADATOMS) and tell me what exactly it is. I know that it must be cool. It has to be... it looks like hipsters like it. I am just not cool enough to understand

. Oh wait... no... I figured it out. It actually is an ok site. Once you ge passed all the hipster glam.

Volunteering

2009-04-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

I believe that this passed week was National Volunteer Week. So I thought that I would help out and do a little community work. This Saturday I volunteered with a group called One Brick. One Brick is an "a volunteer organization that brings people together to help non-profits and community organizations staff their events or work on projects." That comes straight from the FAQ page of their site. I worked at Park Presidio cleaning up the park. Most people who have driven to the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco know the park as that really long divider that that has all those trees. Well I was surprised to learn that it is actually a park that has a path. Yes you can run right down the middle of most of it.

Unfortunately there are large parts of the park that are used by the local homelss for shelter. It was clear that there were people who lived in some parts of the park. There was even a tinny person sized shed (about 2 feet high and 6 feet long) in one area. I hate to be cheesey, but while we tried to take care of the park by cutting down dead leaves and striping ivy to give light to all of the plants it also exposed a serious neighborhood issue. I don't want to use the word "problem" because that just sounds too negative. One of the park managers said that he wouldn't mind the homeless if they could just keep things clean. Some of the local neighbors said that the exposure should move the homeless community out into the open and drive them away. My question is where do they go? I am not advocating that we set up a shanty town right there between 14th and Funston. But it is an real straight up honest question.

I think that this one day of volunteering really makes me want to do it more often. I want to feel like I am actually helping out. One Brick is a non-commital organization, so I can volunteer and often as my schedule allows. My goal is to start off once a month and then work my way up.

On a completely different note. My sweater is solwly comming along. Unlike some people I know, I am not a crazy fast knitter. But then again, I give myself a whole summer to finish a big project and we're still in spring so I am way ahead.

SFPL Main library hates me

2009-04-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

So here I am at the Main Library in San Francisco. For some reason I thought that it would be pretty empty. Seeing as how its the middle of a weekday and all. But I forgot to take into account that there are kids on spring break and that there are many people who need to use the public resources that the library offers. I was surprised by the large number of people here. It's basically busteling with activity. So I tried to find the most quiet spot in the library. That meant that I had to go nearly to the top of the building. The only problem is that you can't get a clear WiFi signal up there. Arrrrg. I tried for a good half an hour (yea, I know. I wasted way too much time) trying to get online.

Finally I just decieded to go down one flight to a more noisy and crowded floor. Turned on my computer and huzzah! There it is. I have strong enough connection to watch The Office and upload pictures onto my blog. Unfortunatly I cannot do either. I have to leave soon to go to an appointment. OH! and my outlet doesn't work. The best part about this discovery was that there's a guy sitting next to me who decieded to tell me (as I am discovering that it is a difunked outlet) that he thinks it doesn't work. No sh-- .

Anyhoo. I am off. My next post will be much less on the grumpy side.

Tempura

2009-03-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while since I last made a post. Things have been a little on the stressed and busy side lately. I meant to make a couple of posts but never seemed to come around to it. One thing that I have tried to do was cook. Aside from not blogging I also stopped cooking. I mean, as much as I enjoy fajitas I know that you can only eat so many. One day I decided that I really wanted to have my favorite dish of tempura and cold soba noodles. This is real compfort food for me. But I didn't want to go to my one of my favorite resturants to pick some up. So i decided to make my own. So I got to take a trip over to the Richmond New May Wah super market. It took a while to find everything that I needed but I got it all. The key ingrediant for me was to find the soup base to dip my noodles in. This stuff is like edible magic in a bottle. I also picked up some shrimp and veggies.

It was re ally nice to finally make something by hand. Nice fresh beggies are allways good. Look at them sitting there just ready to be deep fried.

The shrimp was the first to go in, It was my fist time so I am pretty sure that I didn't have the oil hot enough. Everything eventually cooked, but it did take a little longer than I think that it should have.

The thing that I like most about this dish is the colors. You might not be able to tell in this shot is that there is a combination of greens, orange and white. Although most of this is fried it still gives off a nice light appearance. I think that it is a good spring dish... well I think that it is a good anytime dish really.

Knitting Up-to-date

2009-03-28T14:08:00.001-07:00

Alright. In the past couple of months I have been doing a lot of
knitting. i havn't really mentioned it simply because there would be a
lot of posts about the progress of work that never seems to get done.
Well I did finish one project so I guess that it is fine to post now.
Espcially since I have pictures.

First I have to say that I have finally finished my whimple, aka neck warmer . So the
pattern for the Never Wimpy Whimple did not say that it might take you
four months to complete. I can honestly say that I did not work on this
project as studiously has I should have. There were other things that
came up. Like a pair of mittens, a couple of hats, and a sock (no, not
a pair but a sock) and a graduate school application. So when I finally finished it
I could not be happier. I think that it fits just like it is supposed
to. I don't know if I will ever want to do another lace project but I
guess that I can try. Next time I am going to do open work rather than
closed. I am currently shopping around for a nice rectangular shawl. We
will see when that actually pans out into anything of substance. So far
Ravelry's free pattern look up is my friend.

This
is the start of my new sweater. Pretty right? unfortunately I lost this
one (and the whole project bag) when I was in the airport. So I had to
get all new gear this weekend. It is sad but I will hopefully finish it
by this summer and I wont even care at that point.... right?

Whooo
hooo! I finished my Whimple, aka cowl. It took me a couple of months to
finish the damned thing. But I have to say that it is pretty
impressive. You can't tell by the picture but it is all made using thin
lace yarn.

This is part of my first sock. I did it toe up which seemed to be way more productive than cuff down. I don't care what anyone says but I now and forever will have my a toe up sock knitter.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Ho hum

2009-03-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Today I don't have much to blog about but I thought that I would give it a try anyway. The weather in the Bay Area has been kind of trippy the past week or so. Its sunny, there aren't any clouds but it is cold. I mean, like upper 50's low 60's. I wouldn't really complain about this if I didn't know that there are some parts of Ohio that are actually warmer than it is here. I was talking to a friend of mine and she said that the high was 78 degrees. Now, the difference in weather prediction in the Bay Area and well anywhere else is that when other people say "The high is ___ degrees" they are refering to the warmest temperature of the day. Whereas in the Bay Area it just means that it's going to be that warm in the middle of the day somewhere... but not very likely in San Francisco. So when my friend said that the high was 78 degrees I nearly fell on my backside. I guess that I shouldn't complain. At lease we don't get snow storms.

I did it all on my own: MAC continued

2009-02-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

So my RAM arrived at my house on Friday. That was a whole day earlier than I had expected. Friday was just full of surprises! Such as, did you know that if you dip an Oreo cookie into pancake batter then fry it in a deep fryer the cookie will taste sweeter!?! Yes, yes it will. Anyway, taking apart the Mac was not a problem. I did mistakenly take out the battery. At least I know what to do if the battery poops out (and I am able to actually buy a new one). Then I realized that there was a small rectangular piece of removable metal in the center of the bottom. Eurika! That had to be where something went. So I unscrewed it and low and behold there was a RAM sized hole. Woohoo. So I popped the RAM in and then went to turn on my computer. I pressed the nice little button and nothing happened. I remembered that the battery had died. So I looked for my charger in the "living room" of my apartment. Not there!! The only place it could be was at work... in my locked desk. Damnit. No one wants to go to work on a weekend. Espeically if

I got up around 9:00am to head back to the office. I was all gungho to get everything started when I realized that I didn't have the key to my desk... and the power cord was locked in my desk!! Guuurrr. So I took a bus back home grabbed my key and returned to the office and finally I was ready to load the new version of Lepord (opperating system) on to the Mac. Cut to an hour later and look at what I could see:
YEAH! Now I can look at blogs! Woot Woot. And although I cannot type an knit, now I can watch episodes of The Office and knit. I still don't have internet in my apartment so most if thus will happen in cafe's and libraries.

Anyway, if you are a knitter who reads my blog you may have noticed that I have started on sock2 of my pair. I am pretty sure that the sock color and pattern will be off a bit. Let's just hope that I have enough yarn to finish.

She's a maniac, maaaa-niac on the fu-ton, and she knitting like she's never knit before.

2009-02-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

Alright. In the past couple of months I have been doing a lot of knitting. i havn't really mentioned it simply because there would be a lot of posts about the progress of work that never seems to get done. Well I did finish one project so I guess that it is fine to post now. Espcially since I have pictures.

First I have to say that I have finally finished my whimple, aka neck warmer . So the pattern for the Never Wimpy Whimple did not say that it might take you four months to complete. I can honestly say that I did not work on this project as studiously has I should have. There were other things that came up. Like a pair of mittens, a couple of hats, and a sock (no, not a pair but a sock) and a graduate school application. So when I finally finished it I could not be happier. I think that it fits just like it is supposed to. I don't know if I will ever want to do another lace project but I guess that I can try. Next time I am going to do open work rather than closed. I am currently shopping around for a nice rectangular shawl. We will see when that actually pans out into anything of substance. So far Ravelry's free pattern look up is my friend.

This is the start of my new sweater. Pretty right? unfortunatly I lost this one (and the whole project bag) when I was in the airport. So I had to get all new gear this weekend. It is sad but I will hopefully finish it by this summer and I wont even care at that point.... right?

This is the spot where I will later put a picture of my sock. I thought that I had a pic on my camera but apparently not. So if you actually do read my blog then just wait a day or so.

Mac Experiance

2009-02-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

So my PC died about six months ago and I needed something to use. I know that I use a computer all day at work and that my phone (blackberry curve) has internet access but neither is the same as having a nice little laptop in your own home. The problem became a little more evident when I needed to do some heavy typing for a graduate program application. There is nothing worst than trying to go to the public library to try to type up a story in 30 minute increments. So, after hearing me complain for about a month a friend of mine was nice enough to give me her old Mac. Its a nice little G4 12" laptop. That sounds really tiny but I swear that the keyboard was made to fit my hands and its way lighter than my old PC.

All has gone well so far. I was able to finish some needed writing, I could check my e-mail, upload pictures, watch DVD's and I had no problem updating my Netflix queue. But I did notice that there were a couple of random issues. I couldn't look at my blog (and was not able to update it) or anyone else blog and I noticed that something was really up when I couldn't download the new Safari. "huh" I thought to myself. I don't want anyone to think that my friend gave me a crappy computer. It's not crappy at all. Far from it. It just has a little hiccup in the system. I am one of those people who has to figure out how I can make something work the way that I want it to. So, I decided to try and reinstall Leopard... the disk never started. So I bought the new version and tried to install that. It took me all night to figure out that nothing was going to happen. Then I just called Mac costumer service. The woman took my info and then told me the wonderful news! I simply didn't have enough RAM. The rest of the conversation went something like this:
"So... all I need to do is buy more RAM, at least 500MB and I will have enough space to install the new version of Leopard"
"Yes"
"So I should just go to the store and buy-"
"YES"
"And you said that I could do this myself?"
"Yes"
"Can I just buy 1GB of RAM now, since I am on the phone?"
"No, Apple doesn't carry that anymore"
WTF?!?!?! "OK, thank you"
CLICK

OK. I know that she just told me that they don't sell the RAM that I need, but could she have at least told me where I could find it. I mean, come on. I am clearly not that computer savvy. Luckily I was able to go online and chat with a representative. I told them that I needed RAM.and not only did they tell me what kind I needed, which the phone rep also told me, but also where I could find it. WoooHooo!! I really wanted to know where they recomened because I felt the it would be more legitimate than someplace that I could think up. Cut to five minutes letter and I have ordered 1GB of RAM from some company in Florida.

The funny thing about all of this is what if non of these possible solutions takle the problem? How much would that suck? Well at least I will have 1GB of ram (about three times more than what I have now) and the latest version of Leopard. Which should allow me to upload a program to sync my BlackBerry to the Mac. AND I should be able to then view The Office and 30 Rock online. Yeah! Man, it sure is amazing what computers can do for you.

To Be Continued.....

Corresponding Picture & Lots of Promises.

2009-01-31T15:40:00.001-08:00

So I think that it was a little unfair for me to talk about knitting projects without showing you. I mean, are you really going to go around an search for all of that? No, I know that I wouldn't. So that basically makes my last entry lame. Here are pictures corresponding knitting projects two of my successful pictures. I am not going to talk about my whimple nor take pictures until I have finished. If I am lucky then it is going to happen sometime in February:

My first completed sock! Woohoo, it even looks like a sock, kind of. The reason that it looks a jumbled is because there is a cool ass ribbing pattern. Once I finish the other one I will take a decent picture... you know a finished sock with a foot in it.

This is what my hat looked like at the time that I wrote my last post. I finished it later that day. I think that I will eventually just write about my completed projects

I have to take a break from knitting for a little while. I am having some back problems so I am not really allowed so do work that requires that I look down too much. Which also means that I really should have my laptop a little higher than I do right now. But when I get better I have high hopes. Did someone say sweater?

Knitttin' aint esay... just like pimpin'

2009-01-23T20:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! This winter is seems that I cannot finish a project to save my life. I am currently in the middle of three projects: socks, a hat and of course the wimple. Gosh that damn wimple. It was really silly of me to choose this project. Using lace weight yarn to do closed work knitting is just crazy to begin with, but trying to do something that will totally about 13 inches long and about 5 inches wide is really insane. Seriously insane. I lost the pattern a while ago. But I knew that I had to do like eight or six inches of the stocknet stitch. Yea, I have to do more than that. I have to do a total of 9 1/4 inches. WTF? That totally explains why most of the wimples on Revelry look a little smaller than the picture in the book. I have thought about just giving up and finishing it shorter than I am supposed to. Because really, at the rate that I am going I won't finish until the weather finally gets warm. But at least the other two projects are coming along.

Socks are like crack. Yea, I said it. I never thought than I would ever try to make socks let alone like making them. I also think that sock yarn is some of the best looking yarn in the world. I have always stayed away from patterned yarn patterned sock yarn just looks cool. I think that it is because the projects are small and not always seen. I can't really handle too many patterns. However, I am beginning to appreciate colorful undergarments. I finished my first sock I am using the William Street sock pattern from knitting daily. It is a toe up sock. I really like the pattern and using size US 3 dpn's rather than the recommended size US 2 really made things go fast. The part that really had me flubbed was the heel. I think that I spent two or three days trying to figure out how the hell I could make a heel. I did it, it's not pretty but it works. I think that the sock might be a little shorter than it's supposed to be but it seems perfect to me. Woohooo! I just hope that people don't think that my declaration means that I am so good at making socks that I will just whip up a pair whenever someone asks. But I would like to get good enough where I can make a pair for someone and think that they are decent.

My hat is coming along fast. That gives me hope. It remindes me why I started doing this whole crafty thing in the first place; I want to make functional things with my hands and see the final result. I am doing the Robin's Egg Blue hat by Rachel Iufer. This is great. I get to use the rest of my green casmerino wool to whip this thing up in a couple of days. I haven't experienced the joy of using chunky yarn and US10 needles in years. At least one of my winter projects will work out while it is still cold. The way that the weather has been in San Francisco, that might mean that I'll get to wear it for a month or just a couple of days.

Whew, at least something will get done!

The Thing About Blogging

2009-01-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

Alright. So I always feel like I don't blog enough. I don't know what it is but it seems that blogging once a month is not enough while blogging three times a week is too much. I have had people complain about the fact that I blog too much about knitting. I really can't help that because sometimes that is the most exciting thing that I have going. My boss lets me blog at work as log as I don't blog about work. I think that is fair... well I think that it is fair when I have time to blog. When I am super busy I kind of feel like it's a one sided agreement. And another part of blogging that I find difficult is what to write about. Have a lot of random thoughts and ideas but I am never really sure how I should present them.

For example: Are there any shows left on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel that have female lead characters. The reason why I was thinking about this was because I just found out that Raven Simon had a baby. All I could think what "What!?!? But shes Raven!! Having a baby, not that is NOT so Raven!?!" I also couldn't figure out when she had the baby. I guess that is what I get for not paying attention to more tabloids. And Jamie Spears had a baby so I don't think that her show is going to continue. And its only a matter of time before that Hanna Montana pulls a Brittany right? But really are there any girls left? I don't have cable to the fact that I am even thinking about this is odd.

I am sure that what all of this really comes down to is that I am getting older. Yep, I am finally at a age where I am supposed to know better. If I could drive I could rent a car without paying that extra insurance. I am also old enough that the songs that I used to listen to are now considered "taking you way back". Dude, really? I mean my mom listens to songs that reminder of her of back in the day. My Nana had songs that took her way back (and made her want to smoke Virginia Slims). But me? Are you really telling me that A Tribe Called Quest is just as irrelevant to younger people as Marvin Gaye? I mean, I understand that there are functioning humans who only know Marky Mark as Mark Walberg but should I be called old?

See the problem with me blogging this month is that there might be a lot of these types of entries. It's my birthday month so it is a time of reflection and assessment. This is the time when I always promise myself to dress more like an adult than I did the previous year. Or go to the gym more often (which is actually working out this year) and think about what I want to do in the future. Not like I think up some time line for when I am going to marry and have babies, no more like what things can I do to make my life more fulfilling. I know that a lot of people who know me will think that is bull. But it actually is true. I feel like some much of my time is spent either doing nothing or doing things that I don't really get much fulfillment. Last year I made a goal to take more chances. For me this meant something as simple as joining a book club or dressing a little different every once in a while or taking a road trip with only two weeks planning. I did these things and discovered that they can be fun! I learned that I don't have to do certain things just because that's what people expect. I really wonder what am I going to make a goal this year? I take the whole month to think about it so I still have time. Unfortunately, creating a more balanced blog is probobaly not going to be one of those things . It is just too hard. My blog dosen't really have a focus so I think that it is best just to go with the flow.

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T18:26:00.001-08:00

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and she asked me when do I stop saying Happy New Year. I told her that anytime after my birthday was too wish everyone HNY. I don't really know if I should do it longer but I think that if it is almost February, people are already on their way for having a good or cap new year.

Anyway. I have not made any resolutions. I generally don't or if I do then I make sure that I have a really vague resolution, such as exercise at some point, or take more risks. That way I feel like I have a whole year to go to the gym a couple more times than I usually would, or I finally try a different brand of underwear. This year I just want to finish things that I start. Last year I left a lot of things unfinished. Aside from knitting projects (wimple, slippers, sock, hat) I just want to get some things done a work and in my own life. That is a little more dramatic than I meant that to be. Basically, I have a tone of stuff to do at work and I want to get it out of the way so that I can have a clean desk and finally do some PDF forms that I have been itching to do. The only hitch (and its a big one at that) is the fact that right when we get back I will have another project that I really wish that I didn't have to do.

Another tradition that I have after new years is taking an inventory of everything that I did accomplish in the past year. I feel like this has been a pretty good year for me. I joined a book club, went to knitting more often (wait, I don't even think that I was in a knitting group last year), and when out a little more than I usually do. I did not go crazy, but I did enjoy being somewhat social. Last year I actually did go to the gym more often! Sure the only reason that I did it was because there was a fitness program going on at my job but I do think that I will try to keep it up a little while. As part of my hope to be more consistent I also hope to blog with some regularity and keep up the physical exercise and start knitting things that I usually stay away from (like lace, or another sweater, or crazy socks).

Speaking of socks, I have started knitting a pair the about a week ago. I am almost at the heel of my first sock. It's been a little frustrating and I am sure that I've made a number of mistakes but I know that it should be somewhat functional by the end.

Well this is post number one. It's not blogging gold but I think that it's a good start!

Ahh, knitting

2008-11-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

So it has been a while since I have talked about my knitting projects. For some reason I thought that I had declared a moratorium on all knitting posts for the month of October. But when I reviewed my the post in which I apologized for all of the yarn talk I realized that I just had to give up only posting knitting entries. Huzzah! So I have a number of non-knitting blogs I am going to update for those who may care.

If you aren't in my knitting circle or you don't work with me then you really have no idea what I am doing. I would first have to say that I am surviving my first lace project. Then Never Wimpy wimple is slowly but surely looking like something that might possibly be practical. Which is a lot more than I can say when I showed my work to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot) in September. Basically two whole Saturday's NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team)training was all that I needed for motivation. So if you wanna get a jump start on any project just try kniting a class about emergency preparedness5. That'll get your knitting mojo working. Anyway, the Never Wimpy Wimple that I am working on is going pretty well. It's going so well that I have made it to the boring part of the project. I get to to a stockinette stitch in lace weight for 9inches. Awesome right? Since this is my first lace project I would like to do a little winging. I hat doping stitches. It's really easy if your not paying attention to just drop stitches left and right. And so far I have not learned how to pick up the stitches properly. So I have random holes in my work. I never realized that holes in lace weight 10 times messier than in bulky. Its like you can tell it was a mistake rather than an error that adds character. Working with lace weight also means that my project is going to take a while. I am usually not a knitting multi-tasker but I think that it is called for in this case. The other day I looked down at my yarn and realized that I didn't like the color. This pretty much just means that I have staired at it way too long Ahh well, at least I now know that I can work with lace weight. So now that the challenge is over (at least until I have to do the top edging that requiers that I learn a new

Well that is why I have already begun to eye different patterns. I think that I am going to attempt to knit socks and mittens... One pair of each, just to start off. And well, of course I have to knit my winter hat. Although I loved my sunflower tams (I lost two last year) I think that I am going to try something different. So, I think that first I am going to try to knit the Berry Bobble Hat from Interweave Knit Holiday Gifts 2008 issue. This project has the possibility of going one two ways:Really cheesy and ugly, or cute... I am hoping for the second. I am not sure if I can pay the $60.00 per skein of yarn. Hells-to the-no! I mean, do I really need a %100 cashmere hat that I will more than likely lose within one month? I don't think so. I like merino a lot anyway. I should be ok as long as I choose a really soft yarn.

Aside from the hat I have a lot of other small projects that I would like to start. Which also means that I am going to have to buy some yarn... maybe some sock yarn?

Ya Vote!

2008-11-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

Today is election day. Woot Woot. Make sure that you go out there and vote. Although the polling places close at 8pm they have to remain open as long as there are voters waiting in line. Okay Ohio... do you get that this time: NO TURNING VOTERS AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which also means that if you can't get to your voting station until 7:50 you should still go. I mean, even Puffy/P. Diddy is getting into the spirit of things. So you know that you have to (Yeah, take that, take that)

So today I went and cast my vote before work. There are lots of things about this election that I am excited about. I mean, in San Francisco we get to vote on about 30 some-odd things (about 20 local propositions, 8 state, 4 Federal) and I got robo calls from nearly every political party and endorsement group. Finally, I wont have to see anymore commercials that end with "This is Such-and-Such, and I approve this message". I feel like this campaign year has spreed way too long. I guess that I should be happy knowing that I was finally able to vote for a presidential canidate. Its been too long and we need a change.

So, like I said, get out and vote. Read your voting material and make a few informed desicisons! That can be your good deed for the day. Voila. And you'll get a sticker. Who could ask for anything more?

Political Ads drive me crazy

2008-11-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

People,

If you are scrolling through my post and you see a "Yes on Prop 8" ad please note that I do not agree with that. I am not down with taking away rights. I could to a whole post on Prop. 8 and how/why I don't agree, but I'm not. I can't for the life of my figure out how to get rid of the ads do I figure that I will at least put a disclaimer.

Britney Spears is Riding on the Dr. Who Sexy Train

2008-10-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was watching Entertainment tonight. They mentioned that Britney Spears has a new music video. This one actually looks pretty darn good. I don't know if Britney Spears had to sell her soul to the devil or what. But it looks like as long as she stays out of trouble and remembers to wear panties while wearing skirts she might actually have a successful comeback. It was classic Britney: sweaty, dirty, lots of booty shaking and a classic dance orgy a la "I'm a Slave for You." Oh, sometimes my optimism even surprises me!

Anyway, while I YouTub'd the darn thing I realized that the actual music was strangely familiar. I couldn't place it until I started watching on of the local PBS stations and htey had a preview for this weeks episode of Dr. Who. Huzzah! That's it. Whoever produced Britney Spears' "Womanizer" sampled the Dr. Who theme song.

Some of you out there might not know what or who Dr Who is. Well, the answer to the "what" is "Dr. Who" is made simple. Wikipedia has all of the information needed on that one. And if I know my Dr. Who fans this may be the most accurate page on the whole site. "Dr Who" British SciFi television show that first aired in 1963. It is still running and has had a total of 10 (as far as I can tell) actors play the good doctor (Tom Baker was the most adorable due to the fact that for some reason he was giving a horrifyingly long scarf). There have been countless assistants. Many of them were virtually useless. But it seems that now they actually serve a purpose.

Who is Dr. Who is very geektastic. I recommend that you just view the Wiki artical. There you will find way more information and links than I am willing to type without making myself seem more dorky than I already am. They will also have a sample of the soundtrack. I am sure that if you go to the official BBC site you can hear it there as well.

So, my question is does Britney know that she is girating to a theme song for a SciFi show with a huge cult following? Well... I think that first it would help if she even knew how to drive to her own house... You know, baby steps Britney. (Ha! there goes that good old cynism!!)

Okay I am a big dork now

2008-10-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

So I have to begin by apologizing to all of the non knitters who might read my blog. Why? Well it is enough to hear me talk about knitting and it is another to be subjected to all of the pictures of nothing BUT my knitting. So I am sorry, by now you all know that I am a dork. So I will dedicate this entry to the other dorky stuff that I do in my life. You know, all of the other geek out moments, or just the plan old unflattering usual.

My goal is to blog about other subjects for the next two months. I probably shouldn’t make this public (writing really. I am still not sure who actually reads my blog) because now that means that I have actually attempt to keep that promise. I think that I should set some boundaries. You know, ease myself off a little. I have joined a couple of knitting web rings so I am sure that there is some quota that I have to maintain in order to keep my membership. So how about this: I have to blog at least twice each month this month and next month, for a total of four posts. Of those, or any other post done this month, I have to make sure that no more than have are knitting related or have knitting updates. So I can write about a tone of other subjects. I think that one of two things will happen… Either I will actually post more blogs in the next two months than I have in a while... OR I will not make another blog post until December. I guess we will see.

But progress can easily be made. I mean look! This is my first blog post about something just as cool as the usual.

I actually got to see John Waters at the Castro Theater. I would have taken pictures but for some reason the battery charger for my camera batteries are dead and I’m still hoping that I will figure out why. Otherwise I will buy one next week. Anyway, the John Waters Lecture was really good. I have never gone to any of his live "lectures" before but I think that I will try to make the next one. I will admit that I am not a crazy fanatical JW fan. I enjoy his work and agree with him on many views (US film rating processes primarily) so it was great to hear him speak about other subjects, such as alternative ways to motivate students. You know.... give them books with cautionary tales about serial killers who make hamsters wear high heels while he pleasures himself, or womb raiders (people who take babies from the wombs of pregnant women). I found these tips to helpful and informative. I may have to save them for the day that I have children.

Form his lecture I gained a greater appreciation for the thin mustachioed man. He was able to talk for one and one half hours straight. No gimmicks, or video clips or even sips of water! He didn't even break a sweat even though he stood for the whole time while wearing a black with red trim two button (I believe) suite. He gave a quick, yet detailed, overview of his movies, the movie directors who inspired him to go into film, and a wide array of other topics and may things that I can’t say on this blog without putting up a disclaimer. But it was funny and dirty.

There was a $100 reception after the lecture. I really wonder what that must have been like. I mean, I figured that was for the real fans. I do wonder how many of them actually got to meet John and how many of them actually got to have a conversation with him. He seems like a nice fellow but he also seems like the type of person who doesn’t feel like he has to tolerate people he doesn’t care much for. To be honest, I would like to think that I was that way. But for some reason I usually just try to tune people out, or find some odd tick that they have. I don’t know if that can be considered “tolerating” but its gotten me stuck in more conversations than I’ve cared to be in.

I think that my favorite part of his lecture was hearing him talk about his love of Muni. I’m not really sure what bus lines he may have taken, but I doubt that he took the 14 Mission from Daily City to downtown during the after school rush. But if he didn’t he might want to at least once.

Finished project.

2008-09-24T09:49:00.001-07:00

Finished project.
Originally uploaded by oneroompalace

Alright, so I have finally finished my sweater (we will ignore the fact that I still don;t know where the original buttons that I wanted to add are and that I need to steam block the whole thing again)! But I have finally taken a picture and will share with everyone the crassness that is my BIG ORANGE SWEATER. I don;t think that it is that crazy when now that it is done. As painful and time consuming it was to complete this thing I do feel ready to tackle some other "top down" sweater patterns.

My night with the "Beautiful People"

2008-09-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Sept. 13) I decided that I needed to do something. I needed to plan a nice evening in which I did something a little out of the ordinary. Luckily a buddy of mine told me about the website Flavorpill just two days earlier. I went to my Google reader (I love that thing!) to see what was going on this weekend... that was free. Amid alot of shows with bands that I had never heard of (and events the required money) saw that there was a gallery opening. Huzzah! I can do that. I mean how many people who be there really? I also planned on going to the yarn store to pick up some temporary buttons for my sweater because I lost the set that I bought in Portland. I also figured that since I was out of the house I would to a check on a fall jacket that I've been eying I would also go eat sushi near my house. All in all I felt pretty proud of my Saturday planes. It would be one of my more productive weekends (I had showered and dressed by 11:30am!).

The opening was for Shepard Fairey at the White Walls Gallery. Before I went to this show i didn't know anything about Fairey (other than the fact that he did the Obama "HOPE" pictures). Unfortunately there weren't any artist bio's available so I still know nothing about him. But I guess that is ok because I was able to have a relatively unbiased first viewing. Here is some of the art. I took the pictures with my phone. They aren't half bad, I think.

!!! I am officially finished working with the orange yarn of death. Well, its not that bad. I am actually surprised how well it came out. Anyway, it dried just right but someone one side appears to be loner than the other. It might take some manipulating to get the completly fixed but I like how it looks now. I just wish that I found those darn bottons. The sweather fits and it is warm, so what else can I ask for?My current project is going fairly well. It's the first time that I am using lace weight yarn. It wa scary at first but now things are moving along fairly well. I still don't know way I choose to make the not a hat... maybe I am turning into a crazy knitting woman. Hummnnmmm

Super lazy post

2008-09-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of posts that I need to put up here. To make sure that I don't just stay in the house all day blogging I have decided to just put up a large series of small entries. This is the first of several.

When I went to Portland, OR for my vacation I dragged my travel buddy to a yarn shop. I had a lot of fun at the Yarn Garden and even picked up a couple of buttons for my Gathered Cardi (which is very close to completion now). Here are a few pictures that I know knitters might find entertaining.

Here's a short update and some pictures from my vacation

2008-07-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

OKay, So between me and my travel buddy (aka colleges roomie) we have about 200 pictures. I still don't have hers so basically I only have the pictures that I took before I lost track of my camera bag (later I found it in my knitting bag)... This also explains why there aren't any pictures of myself sweating it out in nature. Once I get those I will post them in a sideshow.

The trip was great. The highlight of the whole thing was our ride. Oh yea, two hot chicks driving a sexy read Kia Sedona. If you aren't familiar with the awesome Sedona check the 2008 specks here.

My trip started off in the Redwoods north of Eureka. There we saw lots of moose, two ponies in a shutdown Motel 6, Paul Bunyn and trees. The roads out there were crazy!! Basically all dirt roads that are really 1 1/2 lanes rather than two. This wasn't too bad unless some California hillbilly came speeding around a blind turn while your going in the opposite direction. All in all it was great! We spent the firs night in a regular campgrounds but the two nights afterwards we were on a beach sight. I think that form here on out I am going to try to find beach campsites. Sleeping on sand is way better than sleeping on rocks.

On both days of the trip we were able to take hikes through the forests were crazy! The trees are huge and you feel like a dinosaur can pop out at any minute. It was almost enough to forget that our hikes were about 4 miles long... but then I would remember once my heart would visibly start beating out of my chest. We also had time to go to a tied pool. That was nice just because there was hardly anyone there. The only other person that we saw at the beach other than the park ranger was some guy who was poking things with a stick. THAT was entertaining. While the ranger was standing next to him he seemed fine. You know, listening intently and all that. But once she left he had a stick in his hand and he was going to town. Now I don't know about you but I can poke sea anemones for only so long before I begin to feel like maybe I should stop. This guy looked like he was not leaving until he got every anemone on the beach. For all I know he's still there!!!

After three days in the redwoods Emmy and I drove up to Portland. I think that i took pitures there... I will post about that later...

During the tirp I was able to make a lot of progress on my sweater. It actually looks like a piece of clothing now! Pretty much every night I set a sight some time to work on it. Currently I am set back a little because of a minor bike accident. So sad.

Soo much to say

2008-06-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

Right now I am writing this entry from my hotel in Portland. I love my hotel sooo much. I kinda don't want to leave. Portland has been great. The weather is really nice and the buses and light rail have arrived at an amazing frequency. Today I went to a coffee shop, the Yarn Garden (which is not an actual garden), went to the Japanese Garden (an actual garden) and saw Avenue Q. It was a great day really. Portland is relatively easy to get around in. Today while looking for Washington Park I learned that the light rail train going to NW 24th does a loop and doesn't actually go to the park. Oh well, it did stop right in front of the hotel.

Visiting the redwoods on the CA/OR border was great. I took a lot of pictures but I think that they might all look the same...green. The roads to the camp grounds are crazy. But luckily Emmy (my travel buddy) can manage the driving a KIA Sedona (aka the KIA Sedona-mess-with-us) like a pro. Tomorrow we head back down south to Crater lake. So sad. I will miss Portland.

Flipping Droped Stitch!!!!!

2008-06-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry to say this, but I am not making an effort to clean up my language. In fact after discovering a huge knitting boo boo it may get worse for a couple of days. So all this weekend I was on a knitting marathon. I really wanted to get the yoke of my sweater done before I left for my trip. HA! not happening. Before I began to divide the yoke (i.e. separate the armholes from the body) I counted the number of stitches in each section. To my surprise I realized that I was about four stitches off in all but one section. That means that I somehow dropped about 16 stitches!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!! That is not good. I don't even think that I can fudge it by just making 16 in the last row. Damnit, so I guess that means that I will not start working on the body of my sweater this week... and I will do some major forgging tonight.

2008 Attempt at Orange sweater

2008-06-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Alright. There are a lot of people who remember the joy that I had at my first attempt to knit a sweater last year. And I am sure that there are plenty of people who remember how sad I was when I realized that it was not going to work out. I am pretty sure that I was angry, depressed and hated the yarn that I used for a solid six months. But it took me over a year to get up the c0urage to look at the darn thing. I knew that there was no way that I was going to re-due the sweater and fix it. The fact that the original orange sweater used four different stitches was enough to turn me off from that idea. I mean come on now, even re-duing a sleeve would be enough to make me waant to slit my wrists with a couple of US 1 dpns. So instead I am taring the whole thing apart to make a new (and way more simple) sweater.

So I started on the Gathered Cardi (pattern from Knit.1 magazine) on Tuesday and so far I think that I have made a great amount of progress. I finished the collar and I am working on the increase rows (I am already changing the pattern by adding two buttons rather than one. That way I will have one of them a litter higher than the original pattern suggest). Although I am getting a little bored with the project already I am curious to see how it will come out. The pattern suggests using cotton yarn. I am using merino wool (but I have felt to guilty about have $100+ of yearn sitting in a bag for a year) so I really have no idea it my completed project is even going to really shape the same way. Well. I am starting it now and I plan on taking my porject of my vacation. Yes! I will show pictures of yarn in many inappropriate places such as tents, moving vehicles, possibly brewpubs and definitely in a hotel room. Hopefully I will be able to make it out to a yarn shop while in Portland. I really want to take advantage of the fact that they don't have sales tax.

Possible Vacation... Possible Knitting Project

2008-05-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

Alright now. I have begun to plan for a possible summer vacation in June. Yes, a whole week of staying in a car with my old college roommate. Traveling to campgrounds and hopefully making our way to Portland. My job is to actually plot out the Portland part of the trip and well.. figure out what to do while in the car. My old college rommie gets to plan out the campgrounds and plot out an actual driving route. Since I cannot drive at all I have to figure out a way to stay awake and entertained.

So that means that I will have the opportunity to do two things: Start a large knitting project and get a good selection of books on tape (CD I mean). I think that I might actually try to tackle sweaters again. I grabbed a copy of Knit.1
last month and saw a really cute sweater on the cover (the third one pictured here). When I opened the magazine I was delighted to see that it was all pretty much knitted in one piece . You start with the collar and then work your way down, leaving out the sleeves. I figure that most of my issues with knitting sweaters are that I don't like making swatches so working with multiple pieces really gets in the way. One of the girls at my knitting group also pointed out that I would be able to test out the size as I go along! Which I think us the best part! I don't think that I am going to have a green one... and I know that using cotton would be seasonal... but I get chilly... So either I am just going to have to use some sort of wool, or I an finally going to have to learn how to sew in a liner.

This project has also inspired me to buy new knitting tools. At first I was thinking about getting a nice knitting bag. But it was pointed out to me that many of the bags that I was interested in were purses that were being marketed to knitters. I have a problem with buying $60 purses... I mean I only bought my Timbuk2 bag because its water proof on the inside. And I really think that my freezer bag method really works well fir me. SO! I have decided that I am finally going to invest in a set if Knitpicks Interchangeable circular needles. Yes! I think that I am going to go all out and go for the wood set. I have never really been a fan of metel. That might change if I ever decide to knit socks or whatever else metal needles are better use for. Hahaaa! I think that I am just getting giddy from the thought of it all.

Now, for the books on CD. There are a couple of road trip staples that my old college roomie and I have. It started out with Harry Potter. Then we moved on to the ChickLit "Shopaholic" Series. Because of the time that has passed since we last were on the road with one another. So we will have to listen to the last book of each series. Woot Woot!!!! A lot of people think that books on CD are boring. But if get the right ones then its not too bad. Generally anything with a bad guy or a ditsy main character will do. Ahh, how I miss yelling at fictional characters. Although I think that Barba Walters "Audition" might be a good book to read on my own. It might cause some unwanted drowsyness on the road... Well, at least until you get to the Star Jones & Rosie O. chapters.

If all planns are able to go through and goes well I might actually have a fun summer!

How much can I actually say?

2008-05-19T15:22:00.001-07:00

Alright, I did it. I kept my appointment.

Battled public transportation during the Bay to Breakers and yes, I even wore disposable undies. The only picture that I can show you is this blurry one that I took in the bathroom. So I arived nearly an hour before my appointment to that I could apply the topical numbing cream. The woman told me that it was a good idea since it was my first time. So she haned me a small container with the cream and a tiny plastic baggy. The bag had the undies. I was informed that I should take about three minutes to rub in the cream wherever I had hair. This should have given me a warning about how much the my wax lady would take off before I could get a chance to stop her. After I throughly washed my hands and threw my civilian undies in my purse I headed to the waiting room. It was nicely painted and quiet. They had muffens and juice just sitting out for anyone to eat. It was great! So I waited and read and took two advil as suggested by other bloggers.

The lady who did my wax (or should I say the lady who waxed me?) was very nice. I think that her name was Katie. I let her know that it was my first time and that I had no idea what was supposed to happen. She talked me through every step. I pretty much just wanted to not think about what she was doing and drown out the sound of her removing the wax strips.... that was hard to do. It was funny because the first thing she asked me was "so why did you decide to try bikini waxing?" It seemed to official.

Today I am okay. It was more shocking than painful (thank goodness for the numbing cream!!!!). After reading a tone of bad reviews were ladies said that they couldn't walk after getting a bikini I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to walk. But I am fine. No pain or soreness. So all in all it went well. Will I get addicted as Katie warned me? I don't know about that.

Yep! I made an appointment

2008-05-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend I have decided to do something not-so relaxing. I have scheduled my bikini wax. The thing about me talking to anyone whose business is dealing with the private parts of others I get all nervous. You know, you want to know specific things but you don't want to be crude. So, the place where I am getting my first below the equator wax job is expensive. BUT based on the reviews this should be good: Clean, professional, soothing, and they have numbing cream! Yea, that is really my main reasoning behind choosing this place. I know that it is going to hurt like a bitch. So any place that sells numbing cream at the counter (hence saving me time looking for some on my own) is worthwhile. Although I have found another location that its about 20 dollars cheaper and has consistently good bikini wax reviews, they are sans cream and a little more small time shop. If I am not completely traumatized by the whole thing I will go there next time... if there is a next time.

Prep tips:
http://bellasugar.com/678438

Lessen the Pain helpers
http://bellasugar.com/1089791

Oh yea, I'm going there

2008-05-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

Okay now. For all of you out there who read my blog you know me. And I bet that you are pretty surprised that in all of the time that I have had this blog that I have not written about that "area". You know what I mean... and you know that as I typed "area" with one hand that I did motions with the other... YES people THAT AREA. But it is spring, and time for change, and well I am planning a couple of personal days, so I figure that I might as well try something new.

So, in preparation of the summer and the possibility of hanging out in a bathing suite for a number of days (yep yep! I hope to take a real vacation) I have decided that this year I will look into getting a bikini wax. AHHHH!!! I spent a better part of a Sunday afternoon on Yelp to try and figure out which day spas and salons seem to be the best. I am looking at the best and worst reviews. Anything that has lest than 90 reviews I am just skeptical of all together.

Places to avoid:
1)Anywhere where a review says that someone was burned
2)Reviews that state that the facilities are not clean
3)Places where aesthetitician are known for not listening to the costumer.

Things I can't avoid
1)The pain
2)Slight/complete humiliation or embarrassment
3)The possibility to tweezers being used to pluck hairs in very odd locations

Yes, I want to cry just thinking about all of this. But, no pain no... conforming to an ideal of western beauty in an unusual fashion!

I can knit slippers, now don't you want to have my babies

2008-04-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

So I am going to be pretty busy/tired/cranky for the next couple of weeks. That is actually part of the reason why I have done three small entries rather than one large one. I have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time or finding time to write everything down. But this is the last entry... well, likely to be the last entry for the month. Yep! Its about knitting. I figured its alright since my last entry was all about big booty love.

This past weekend I was very productive: I moped all of the floors in my apartment, cleaned my fridge, figured out how to use the timer on my camera, and started a new knitting project. I started making slippers!! Woot woot. The pattern that I have is super easy. It is a really basic slipper that can easily. After I have finished knitting I get to sew on patches for the bottom so that I don't slide around. I need to figure out where I can buy nice suede.

If Bridget Jones is Fat Then I am Morbidly Obese

2008-04-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

I was on my way to being reading Bridget Jones Diary when I stopped... pretty much on the first page. I realized that I weight more than BJ. Lame. Basically Bridget Jones thick. Not fat. Yea, if the author was black or latino the story would have been a lot different. Sure Bridget would have probably still had the same problem with men, but her mother would have commented on her weight right a way (I can't loose two pounds without my grandfather asking me if I am sick). I still love the books.

Other Updates:
1)I am trying to figure out if there is going to be anyway that I can actually take a vacation (a real one!) this summer.

2)I'm almost done making my first slippers. The problem is that I am using ugly yarn. Picture soon to come.

3)Recently I have learned that I am one of the few girls from my Middle School graduating class who doesn't have a baby. But I can't take care of a baby and don't want one right now so I'm ok. I just think that its weird.

4) Nextflix hates me right now

5) I love Revelry.com . I even found a fellow Wooster Graduate who lives in the Bayarea

6) I am really tired and I am really going to have to make my next blog entry a good one to make up for this lameness.

Most recent Ravelry.com Update

2008-04-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

* You signed up on March 26, 2008
* You are #133011 on the list.
* 421 people are ahead of you in line.
* 5077 people are behind you in line.
* 96% of the list has been invited so far

Hot Damn! I think that I might hear something by Monday if not sooner.

Don't worry, this is not going to become a knitting blog...

2008-04-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

I promise that this will not become one of those knitting blogs where all I do is talk about how knitting has taken over my life and how I seem to only attend knitting related events... or even worst how I make everything a knitting related event by bringing a bag of yarn to inappropriate places! There are lots of those out there. Instead I plan on keeping my posts the same as always but with a few additional posts about yarn, needles and kitting books that no one (other than other knitters) would actually care about.

List of Inappropriate places to knit (Part I)

-The bus
-2 Cafes (once while eating carrot cake, always while drinking a vanilla Italian soda)
-Walking back to work after my lunch break (there are advantages to keeping projects in large freezer bags)
-Sitting in my closet (it was the only thing that made me happy while I realized that I had a tone of crap to throw out)
-My cubical (what? it was an emergency!!!)
-While on a date. (Let me correct myself. I bought yarn just before the date and had to hide it in my purse. The four balls of yarn were so big that I had to take my wallet, cellphone and chap stick out so that I would avoid exposing my secret.)

With that said, let me tell you about the problems with knitting on the bus and in cafes. Sure I feel special when people ask me what am I knitting or when I make eye contact with a fellow knitter but the whole traveling knit thing can be expensive. I lost a whole set of stitch markers! I personally can't believe it! I just hope that I can find them one day.

Update on my Ravelry.com (i.e. Facebook for Knitters... but cooler) invite status

You signed up on March 26, 2008
You are #133011 on the list.
1422 people are ahead of you in line.
5021 people are behind you in line.
94% of the list has been invited so far

What it's like to be an adult... or at least my version of it... so far

2008-03-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is a blog entry that I meant to post in the beginning of the month. However, I got a little too ambitious and never quite took all of the pictures that I had planned on taking. So I am going to have to post it as is and add a sideshow or something later on.

There are a lot of things about being an adult that are a mystery to me. Such as... at what point are you really an adult. Some people think that its when you get to the point that your like "dammit I am an adult, a real adult and I am okay with that. I have my own vision of being a young adult.

1. I get to eat whatever I want for dinner. When I used to eat real ice cream I would sometimes have a lunch of Hagengas. Or I can have pancakes for desert. As an adult my eating habits are sometimes a 4 year olds dream. On the other hand, I am coming to terms that I am allergic to dairy. So I am begrudgingly/gradually changing my diet.

2. I get to have my own space. Its wonderful because Little by little I am putting together an apartment that I like. I think that when I was a kid I didn't really think about whether or not I liked the furniture around me. I was just happy knowing that I had furniture. Now that I have my own place I often go without a piece of furniture rather than having something that I don't like. For about four months I didn't have a sofa/futon. Until December I didn't have a kitchen table and chairs. And even today I have my small tv propped up on an storage bin. But eventually I will have all of the furniture that I want and of course by that time it would be about time that i move into a different aparg tment.

3. I am beginning to feel guilty about how little I actually exercise. The crazy thing is that I have books, I've taken classes and all in all I have a relatively active lifestyle. But living in a place where it seems that not going having a gym membership is equivalent of not believing in God and living in small town USA, my lack of actual "workouts"can be shocking. I personally don't have a real urge to do it. By not going to the gym I cut down the possibility of catching nasty skin rashes, bacteria, fungi and other gross stuff that by about 50%. But I do not have a rock hard body and in my opinion Bridget Jones (the literary character) is skinny. However, I still feel a little guilty that I am happy with myself. I'll get back on the horse. I will rejoin my pilates class and once the rain lightens up I will jump back on my bike.

4. Speaking of bike riding! I never really rode a bike as a kid and now I do. I've explored a lot of my neighborhood on my bike and even gone shopping. I can even tackle a couple of hills. Well, I can make it halfway up more hills than I can go down. I think that bike ridding is as close as I will ever get to driving. I'll start driving when gas and car insurance are free.

5. I read boring old dead authors for fun. For a while I have wanted to read some good ChickLit (if your offended by that title too bad I don't care and I don't want to hear/read your complaints). But I have read Bridget Jones multiple times, the Nanny Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, and nearly all of the books in the Shopaholic series. And well, I frankly have no interest in reading anything new. So today I picked up two Jane Austen novels. The crazy thing is that I have spent nearly 6 years of complaining about JA. I think that my enthusiasm to read her has not real barring on my feeling about her works. I like it for what it is. But she is not my favorit author, and I don't have that much respect for her as a novelist (again, I really don't care to hear the complaints about this comment as well). But I think that people who know my feelings about Jane Austen would be happy to know that I voluntarily will read her work without any complaints.

6. I like to have planned activities. I already enjoy knitting, but there is nothing like knitting in a group. So I joined a knitting group that has been meeting for the past four years. All I know is that I am far from being a hardcore knitter. I have never gone to a knitting summit to listen to awesome pro-knitters and believe it or not I do not have a huge stash of yarn that I keep under the floorboards. Well I don't think that I do (but I am cleaning out my closet so who knows what I will find). Last but not least I am not a member of Ravlery.com. Until I attend this group I did not know that not being a member of Ravlery was actually the 8th deadly sin. I am trying to make up for that by getting on the wait list. YES there is a wait list!

Aside from knitting I need to return to my book club and start attending dance classes again. There just really is something about learning new things and having interesting conversations with other people who might be just as odd as you are.

Well thats what being an adult is for me. Its basically trying to do my own thing while also finding my nitch out there in the world. Luckily San Francisco is a place where there are lots of other people who are interested in things that might seem a little boring, odd or just random... and they are willing to meet at least once week.

Myspace Sucks so you get to see this entry

2008-02-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Alright. I have had a couple of problems with MySpace recently and I think that i am just going to have to get rid of the account altogether. About a month ago people asked me why weren't they able to open the last message that I sent them. The thing is that I hadn't sent out any messages and couldn't even remember the last time that I even logged in. Today I wanted to at a silly blog entry and realized two things: 1) "Politics" was no longer listed as a category 2)MySpace had a popup that said that I had spyware that required that I download some bogus software to get rid of it. Basically I am not happy with MySpace right now and I might just delete my account all together. Which makes me sad because that means that now I am forced to put all of my trivial and silly posts on this blog rather than the MySpace one. I will apologize now for the increase of pop culture inspired rants that will now appear on this Blog.

A friend of mine sent me this clip a couple of days ago and it made me laugh. I haven't really watched too many of the debates because they personally make me cringe. Currently the democratic debates just seem worst than highschool debates. The difference is that in highschool politics you pretty much know that it is a popularity contest based on looks and how cool the candidates friends are and only a fraction of the student body actually cares about voting... oh wait a minute...

I mean can't you just hear the gasps and the "ohh no they di'int" from the audience. I mean if you can't I sure can... or maybe I just can't help but react to the debates as is if it is a good episode of "Yo Mamma". I am just waiting for Wilmer Valderrama to come out and announce that the winner will have to travel to Yonkers to battle Chauncey form Jamaica, Qeens (Yes I do realize how little sense that makes.. but that show is just ridiculous).

This is a SNL skit that I heard about on the news the other day. I can't believe it, this is actually entertaining! Who knew that all it too was a 3 month strike to get the writers of this ol' skit show to write something that was relevant and funny!

Writers strike is over and I am back to blogging

2008-02-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

I know that this is odd, but when the writers strike was going on I felt a little odd blogging. I am a big supporter for shows that have writers. I don't care what anyone says, a well written sitcom beats a reality show any day. I do have to admit that I do have a couple of favorites that I watch when I remember to turn on my tv. I love that show where the people have to complete the song lyrics and I also enjoy the lie detector show. But I really do miss The Office and Ugly Betty. I just have to know what happens with Micheal Scott and Jan!! I just have to!!!!

So what have I been doing while not blogging, thinking about blogging or watching Thursday night television? Well strangely enough work has taken up a lot of time. I got my wisdom teeth removed, I've had the flu and a mystery illness. I've been reading. Today I started reading "Choke" and I am really excited about it. I have also watched a ridiculous number of movies. And I lost 3 hand-made hats. Other than that the internet has become my friend.

I am officially a Yelper. At some point between November and January I decided that I needed to view reviews on Yelp before I left the house. Then after awhile I realized that on Yelp my opinion matters just as much as anyone else's (or as little as any other Yelper?). So I made a couple of reviews and I have actually received feedback. In addition to Yelp I have been introduced to the best The Office (US) fan site ever. I don't know who created this site, but DunderMifflin.com is just great.

So this is a really lame entry. I think that I might be out of practice... anyway. I went to the Rocket Room this week. There were three performers but I could only find the website of two. Phonofly and Weather Pending. The other group is called Silk Trade (one of the guy used to work at the same place that I do.. but he upgraded to the happiest company on earth...). I will have to make an addition if I ever do find it.

Great Start to the New Year

2008-01-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

So my New Year's Eve reflected a lot of how I hope my 2008 to go: I hung out with great friends, took a risk and did something that I usually wouldn't have done, and in the end I learned a little bit more about myself. At the time it all just seemed that I was having fun! The night started off well. I went to see "No Country for Old Men" early in the afternoon and did a little bit of shopping with a male friend of mine. Then I headed home to get ready for the evening.

Ever since I have started being an "adult" I have felt somewhat pressured to create a good time. You know, find an awesome restaurant, find a fun club/bar/lounge. In the end I generally get frustrated and have a horrible time... or I just stay at home. This New Years I found a number of viable options (I think that I found 6 potential places that me and two of my friends could hit up). In the end we decided to go to a party which was described as "being hosted by a crazy Greek Photography Major"... who wouldn't pass this up? I mean, it was a chance to hang out with some new people, it was free, and the apartment was relatively close to bars and late night eats.

The night went well. My two friends and I had some good times before we went out for the evening. I swear kung-foo babies and Harry Potter singing puppets really are good pre-party entertainment. The following shows just how good of a time we all had.

Awe, don't we all look like a sweet bunch of girls? I mean wouldn't you want to have any of us babysit your newborn?

Sitting on the "N Juda" on new years is a party in and of itself!

Look who really loves riding public transit!

Oh, didn't you know that Tenderloin was actually code for place of secret Japanese gardens?

For some odd reason one of my trio seems to have gone scoty free this night... Humm I guess that I will have to capture her dibautchury some other time.

Miss Trannyshack 2007

2007-11-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

So this year I attended Miss Trannyshack 2007 for the first time. It was great. I have to say that is was the best 38bucks that I have spent on entertainment all year. The night began with me getting a viciously attacked by a little black kitty. So I think that lets you know how the rest of the night went.

Everyone was in high spirits. There were tons of men at Trannyshack. There was actually a very long line for the men's restroom. Men began using the ladies room just so then they could avoid the wait. Some of the guys got so desperate that they even shard stalls. At one point I went to the bathroom and three men walked out of the same stall. Poor guys!

Below I have just provided you with more pictures of the night. It was supper fun and entertaining. These ladies certifiably know how to put on a show! So even though I ran into three people that I used to work with... while I was slightly "moved by the Jesus Juice" it was very fun!

This picture was taken later in the night... when I remembered that I can zoom in.

The Queen!!!

You would look this sad too if you realized that you were the onlyone with only one costume and no backup dancers!

You know that your a bad lifeguard when you need a floaty to save a not-so-drowning kid from a kiddy pool.

Early in the evening photo

I have no idea what was going on when this was happening. All I know is that for some odd reason all of these men were on stage in their undies. Maybe the stage lights were too hot for them.

Walk through the Presidio

2007-10-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Since I moved into my apartment I have meant to frequent The Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Seeing as how it is the beginning of fall that is would be the best time to take a walk. One of the reasons that I have always wanted to walk through the Presidio is because there are a lot of great views of San Francisco and the coast. When I arrived at the park I noticed that there is so much inside the park that is just as interesting as the view that you can see around.

There is a lot of eucalyptus in San Francisco parks. I thought that it would be interesting to see if the plant could look different... or at least pretty when looked at from different angles and in different light.

This was my first effort. It didn't come out too good. However I do like my second and third tries. They actually look somewhat artistic.

I have no idea what this tree is. I realize that I don't know what most of the plant in SF are. One thing that I noticed was that there are so many trees in the Presidio that there are always shadows. The nice thing about the multiple shadows is that the light is constantly changes the effect on a picture. In this picture the tree looks soft and fuzzy... I can also chalk up this effect to my horrible ability to take a picture

I took this picture while standing right underneath the canopy. It was really nice to see the spot of light coming through. It reminded me of looking through the holes of a sweater. I guess that I know what my next knitting project is going to be. Can somebody say moss green?

There is supposed to be a eagle of some sort in (ten points if you can see it) this picture... unfortunately you can't really see it. I think that I need to either get a new camera or start taking two cameras with me when I go out on a picture hike. Anyway. This is what a lot of the trees looked like where there are no leaves on them.

Here are a couple of pictures that I doctored up. They were taken with that intention so the undoctored photos are pretty bland. This one isn't too bad. I a little washed out, but I think that I will change the shutter speed.

The second picture is a close up of the gap that is visible in the first picture. I did a lot to this one. I used some effect that allows me to make the center focused and the edges fuzzy. I also dod sme sort of color effect... I should have written that down. It didn't come out too bad... possibly a little too overdone.

Now here are a couple of pictures of the view. Although I loved watching the Blue Angles from the top of Insperation Point I did want to get a view that did not have a plan in it. It was nice to take some time out to just look at the Bay.

Later this month I plan on renting a bike and riding out to the Golden Gate Bridge. Maybe I'll take a buddy out there and explore more of what the Presidio has to offer.

My First Pop Concert: A great game of Hipster Bingo

2007-08-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

In all of my 24 years I have not attended what I could concider a real concert. I have gone to the orchistra and ballet and stuff like that. I do enjoy going to those shows but I've always thought that I was missing something. I had never gone to a popular music concert!! This causes more shock than the fact that I don't have an I-pod. This weekend I finaly went to my first concert. I went to a place called Bottom of the Hill. Its located in the Potrero Hill District. The concert was for a group called Au revoir Simone.

Unfortunaly I am not as cool as it seems. I had actually never heard of Au revior Simone until last month when Sam asked me if I wanted to go. All I knew was that its the type of music that its the type of music that you might hear while walking around Urban Outfitters. I like UO but I worried that it all might be a little too relaxing. SO I decieded that it would be a good idea to print of a Hipster Bingo card. There are a couple of different cards out there so i choose one that seemed to be the easiest for this event. The odd part is that I was able to fulfill three of the bingo slots (glasses, hoddie, blogger with a digital camera).

Sam, Emily and I took a cab over to B 0f H mainly because I really didn't didn't know where we were going. The strange thing is that when we got there i realized that the Bottom of the Hill is in that area of San Francisco that has stores that I always think about going (Cosco, Any Mountian, ect.) but never do because I realize that there are alternatives that are easier to accessses. A lot of the eara is pretty indistrialized. Very cool.

The large numbers of "old school" racing bikes tipped me off to just how hipster the crowd of the concert was going to be. After we walked in and I got my hand stamped I knew that I would enjoy this already.

I can honestly say that I had no idea who the first group was. I thought that there was going to be one opening act before the headline show. What made things even more confusing was that the opening band didn't even look like they should have been old enough to get into the very veniue that they were preforming.

The group was not bad. High pitched sining about being dumped. All in all for what type of music they played it was good solid musicianship. There were two guitar players, a basist, and drummer. What made it even more entertaining was that everyonce in awhile the lead singer or second guitar player would play the keybord. It was almost like they were saying "thanks for the piano lessons mom!"

Between wondering how many AP classes these kids may have on their fall schedual and woundering what would happen if the members might split off for one of the Ivy's, I was able to bob my head to the songs and ocasionally did a little dance. There were many "fans" there. Youngsters who obviously new the kiddos and thought that tthe whole thing was just awsome!

P.S. The name of this band is The Morning Benders.

Oh no! Oh my! was next. This opening act was actually on tour with Au revior Simone. At this point it was about 11:00pm. Initially I thought that this band had the look of Bible camp counslers.... only drunk. After a long period of tuning and turning the volume on the bass drum up to "11" they began their show.

Although I had to stick my fingers in my ears for most of the set I did enjoy the group. The music was very POPpy but enjoyable. The consistent (possibly even redundant) lycrical content made me wonder what they would sing about once their women troubles slowed down. Basically Oh no! Oh my! seem to be about teen angst translated into 20-somethings quarter life crises.

At some point I looked at my cell for the time. It was about 11:3o! CRAZY! I could not understand how I was still awake. I was sooo tired. I could no longer even pretend that I was not wiped. But I fell like the girl with the short bob haircut was rocking out for me and about five other poeple.

FINALY AT 12:00

Au revior Simone set up and began preforming. Aside from these were the only girls preforming all night, they seperated themselvs in other respects. A.S. only uses synthisizers, they actually dressed as if they were going to preform in a show, and they were very polite.

The girls sing most of thier songs in a light and airy unison. At times it is difficult to tell just how many were singing. Thier vocies seem to go no lower than mezzo soprano but its all not at cuitsy as it seems like it would. During their preformance each girl's personality comes out and I have to admit that it

By the end of the night I was sweaty, smelly and tired. I went into a temporary shock when I realized that I was no longer cocooned by my fellow sweatties. My feet ached and all I wanted to do was go home and get in the bed. But! I was also strangly excited and really happy that I had went to the concert. It was a great experiance. I hope that I have the oppertunity to go to another concert sometime soon!