Knit Update

Thanks to the highly knowledgeable ladies at the STPL Knitting group, I have passed the "doofus" moment and am well along in my beret pattern. After two hours of work, all I have to do is finish the band and do the tassel pouf on top and HEY! Presto, I've got a new knitting project done.

This project's "doofus moment" brought to you by "Circle Crochet." When you don't know exactly what "6 sc in ring" means... But, thanks to Fran and Lois, I can do anything that requires a ring to start.

Updates:

Tank Top: So close to finishing, I can't express how pleased I am. I am wearing it to the next meeting of the Knit & Sip at the Library, I promise. Pictures to follow when I can get them taken and uploaded.

Dad's Cardigan: Attempting to get measurements to puzzle out for the pattern. I may have to do some hunting for the wool; might be worth it to have extras.

Beret: See above.

Crochet hooks: As I'm telling you about the beret, you may have guessed by now that I acquired the N and P hooks. This has been a long story in the telling, but I finally got them thanks to the generosity of Kris at Cohasset's "Creative Stitch." She dug through her stash at home and brought them in the next day for me. Anyone in the area, please please please go and shop there instead of Wal-Mart. I support locally owned businesses; won't you do the same?

Links for knitting sites of interest:

http://www.chicknits.com/

http://www.royea.net/knitfiend.html

http://knitty.com - This one ROCKS the house. It was my saving grace during the infancy of The Tank Top.

http://www.knittinganyway.com

And the much requested RED CROSS site for 1940's era patterns.

Fran- Your Jack Frost Two-Needle Mittens Pattern is available on EBay from various sellers. I haven't been able to locate any other places yet.

Olympic Opening Ceremony?
Very cool. I was in love with all the living art through history and the DNA laser helix. It was a WOW moment. (Take a gander at the official website's photo gallery.)

But Bob and Katie needed to SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!
They talked over all of Bjork's song and made some really impolite "off the cuff" comments about other countries during the Parade of Participants. And they were wrong about some of the opening representations. ARGH!

I was ready to scream at the television. I just kept biting my tongue through every horrible moment of commentary.

Anyway. Yay, Hellas!

+CROAK+

Hey, kittens-

FX's Rescue Me rocks. It is a harsh, non-sanitized look at the NYFD that makes a viewer realize how much horror these guys see beyond the memories of 9/11. They have to deal with an environment that does not take kindly to expressions of grief and sorrow.

Denis Leary is the force of nature behind this project. If anyone is interested in the circumstances that may have created his feelings, take a look at this FEMA document about the Worcester Cold Storage Fire of 1999. It was a horrible tragedy that should have been avoidable.

On to better and happier news. Peter Davison is going to be at Dragon*Con. OH. Did I mention that earlier? Hmmmmmm.

It looks like the DragonLady herself, Anne McCafrey, will be at Dragon*Con. All hail the WeyrFolk! I hope Lisa B gets to go again- she is such a cool person.

Dreamed about Penn Jillette last night--- a very jumbled group of images including Penn pulling fast ones on a group of people in the Quarter. And driving around in a tiny car looking for a gas station. I dunno. Buy his book.

Watch Rescue Me, buy Sock, go to D*Con and tell Campion how cool he is.

+CROAK+

At the COPA!
COPACABANA!
The hottest spot north of Havana!

Wheeeeeeee!

Yes, I am a nutcase. I just love that song.
I think I scared Bree half to death with my dramatic interpretive dance of it at Pleasure Island.
Hee.

So- what's new today?
Farmer's Market today. Plums from California, apples, and red potatoes with things growing out of their EYES! EEEEEEK!! We dug through the pile until some non-growing potatoes were located and bagged.

It is VERY humid 'round here (like every day, pretty much, +sigh+).

Bald Cardinals have been sighted in the backyard this past week or so. I checked with several websites, including the Cornell University site and Hilton Pond, and they say that this is unusual, but not unexpected with Cardinals at this time of year. No conclusion has been reached as to WHY the poor things are going around like their near-relatives, the lizards, but the two leading theories are:

1) Mites on the one area they can't preen themselves (top o'the head)
and/or
2) Genetic predisposition to all-at-once-molting instead of usual gradual feather-by-feather molt.

More conversation on this topic here and here, too.

Now, I know why scavenger birds like vultures have featherless heads and necks- it is due to the lovely carrion that they consume. Not having material for the bacteria to grow on is a definite plus when it comes to the health of the birds.

But it's got to be disturbing to the rest of the flock when some of the cardinals begin losing their glorious crests.

 
Also-- FINALLY read The Fellowship of the Ring without falling asleep in the opening histories. It's a new edition; hardback, larger type, illustrations by Alan Lee. (Search under ISBN number 061826051X- it has a cover illustration of the halls of Moria.)

Dragon*Con approacheth. I am not financially able to attend this year... even though the one and only Peter Davison will be there!!!!! ACK! Campion! Albert freaking Campion!

/runs about in circles briefly, finally settling down at the keyboard again

Hem.

AND the DISH of the DAY in Hitch-Hiker's!!!!!!!!!

OK, OK, I'm going now. Enough +CROAK+ing for now.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeegads.

So I've finally gotten the hang of this thang. I hope.

Updates from Day of the Mothers to Day of Memorials:

Still hunting Jobs. I went to WillStaff and dealt with the odd beauracracy that is theirs and now I will go in for an interview with "Carolyn" next week. This week. Whatever.

Talking with Mitch at the Library again... We are both trying to be friendly- this is a grand thing. I have suggested/recommended some books to him and he has been interested in them.
But seeing as how I have completely misinterpreted him before, I am not certain that I have correctly interpreted him this time.

Have now seen Finding Nemo and LOTR:TTT (again) on DVD. No tree-squish in this version of Towers, but it wasn't the director's cut version. Le sigh.

Still no word from Jaclyn. I miss her so much, but I guess she is busy with other things. But I miss her.

Am reading books about the Catholic Curch and its hierarchy and the divide of what the Council of Bishops thinks and what the laity think. I am stuffing myself full of knowledge but I don't know if I will be better off with it. Ignorance is bliss. But I am all about learning the truth. ("What is truth?")

Things to see:
Wolf's Rain series (Go Yoko Kanno!!!)
New Harry Potter Movie
Spiderman 2

Things to read:
Andrew Greeley
Vows of Silence
Company of Glass

Belated Mother's Day Weekend Update:

Saturday- Mom is marinating the brisket!

I'm making the five cup salad- A cup each of Mandarin Oranges (drained), Pineapple chunks (drained), Marshmallows, Coconut (a little less than a cup of this, as it tends to get _too_ coconutty), halved Cherries and Sour Cream. Fold together. Store overnight (this makes for better flavor and less prep time tomorrow).

Sunday- Mother's Day.

Dad has rolled out the charcoal grill and we are searing the brisket. OH MAN. Meat and fire.

GoodGoodGood stuff. I can never be a vegetarian. I just want to go to my knees and drool when I smell steak, burgers, or brisket. I did do the Dance of Joy.

I am prepping the twice-baked-potatoes. (Bake, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out potato, [SAVE SKIN SHELLS.] milk, butter, salt, pepper. Mash. Put mash into ziplock bag, cut off bottom corner. Pipe into skin shells. Cover. Refrigerate. Later, bake in oven again, cover with cheese and bake until cheese is melted satisfactorily.

All in all- FABULOUS Mother's Day Dinner. Brisket, Five Cup Salad, twice-baked-Potatoes, Italian Beans... and a Sara Lee Chocolate Silk Pie for dessert. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

All right.
I'm a bad blogger cause I have wasted my time not blogging.
Tough nougies.

Still unemployed.
Still broke.
Still trying to adapt fear of cars somehow.

However.

Almost finished with the halter top (all I have to do is crochet the last strap).
And just have to put the buttons on the cardigan.

And Ryan Glorioso has a cool idea for Los Angles: Dine For 2. A waiter comes to _your_ place and serves you there!!! I love it.

Also?
They're remaking "The Last Unicorn."

I'm craving egg drop soup and Burger King fries. Separately, not at the same meal.
...though, maybe... Meal o'Salt Night.

Have been reading Katherine Kurtz, Andrew Greeley, and books about cats.

Ep 26 of Bebop ran again the other night- watched it with tears streaming down my face at the end during "blue" as we pan through the atmosphere...

you're gonna carry that weight.

YEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA!

Another Dragon slain! The Spider at the end of the Hall has retired and I can get rid of that nightmare forever!!!!

/me does dance of joy and wishes I'd known about it this time last year.

Pause in the knitting while I figure out how to sew sides together. Then I get to learn how to crochet around the edges and make an I-cord.

I got Labyrinth on DVD!!!!!! Wheeeee!

When in doubt-
When you've lost yer dearest friends-
When yer world comes a'tumblin' down...
Read Logan and Marie het. This one.

Or consume a cheesecake.

Or go to Mars. I was so impressed, let me tell you. Dad and I watched a lot of the coverage... and we saw the PBS special twice. THESE are the kind of people I want to work among someday. Even if I was just their jester to make them laugh when they needed it.


Just so you know, the above photo was lovingly borrowed from the NASA website and no copyright infringement was meant. I really really love those guys. They're SO COOL!

Knitting, still.
Have finished main blocks (front and back) of the halter top and am waiting for the Library to process my hold so I can get the rest of this project done.

Next? I want to learn how to knit socks like my Grandmother. Her socks were used during WWII by my Grandfather and I want to get the secret.

Am sort of in the post-holiday pre-birthday lull at the moment. I tried to make an origami cat but I was stymied by a certain fold and think I should have used proper paper instead of printer paper. Take 2 begins as soon as I locate proper origami paper. Maybe.

Have a gift certificate for Suncoast (HUZZAH!) and am pondering what to spend it on. I want Xanadu
and am quite willing to blow the whole thing in obtaining it. Don't tell me it was a bad movie. I was FOUR and, by gar, I wanted to be Kira in that movie.

Two Towers ROCKED and I am now on the prowl to get to see Return of the King. I may have to bribe someone to take me over there... hmmmmmmm...

Here's a little something I think we all should read.

Barrage tours Norway in February. I'm pining for the fjiords. How about you?

Knitting.

Reading the Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz.

Writing Holiday Cards and mailing them out to friends.

Hope to spend time with Mitch this weekend. We're set to get together on Friday, I hope. I have taped the SciFi miniseries of Battlestar Galactica and maybe he'll consent to watch it. I watched a few minutes of it last night and it was a sad part... Hope he likes it as much as I think I will!

There was something else I wanted to mention but I can't remember it now.

I went to a Louisiana-themed store today and had a taste of their marvelous pralines. NOT Aunt Sally's- they were so much better- lighter and less crumbly and not grainy in the least. I was so impressed. I bought some of their turtle candies as the samples of those were lovely, too.

Another happy Straight Guy got the works from the Fab Five. Thom did a gorgeous hand-painted canvas-- it was an interpretation of a photo from the guy's book of surf photos... Carson encouraged him to step into a clothing palette beyond military olive.

Starter Castles. Hee.

OH! Now I remember.
I want to see "TLotR: The Two Towers" on the big-screen in. It opens the 12th.

CARSON!

I adore you, darling, you know I do--- but PUH-LEASE do not encourage the resurgence of ties-as-belts!!!

I did it when I was in 3rd grade; it does not scream coture to me- it screams Seventeen Magazine!!!

Other than that... Thom and Kyan did a fantab job tonight... with that guy, all it needed was a shove in the right direction and he ran with it.

Ted- you are so right about judicious use of tofu...

And Jai. Darlin', sweet, OBSERVANT Jai. You got yourself a new buddy in Steven S.

Somebody find me a personal shopper! (Do they list in the YP under "Personal" or "Shopper"?)

I am as calm as a Belgian.

Except when people recline their airline seats, dangit.

Not much new today- JobHunt continues.

Barrage is putting out a new CD soon- hopefully before Christmas or the Natal Day. Not holding my breath; we've heard the "New CD" song before. I'm still growly because they won't bring their tour in my area. Fer crying out loud, we got Blast!, why can't we get Barrage?!?

Email Queer Eye For The Straight Guy and tell them to makeover Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth.

Do it. Do it now.

Thanatophiles.
I feel they are a bit odd, but, then again, they probably feel the same way about my beliefs.

I'm going to make M&M™ cookies today.
Wish me luck, as the Oatmeal/Raisin fiasco is still fresh in my mind. OK, so they didn't ruin completely, but it still stings.

I want to adopt a retired racing greyhound someday. They're so deserving of a loving home after all the stuff humans made them do.

Almost there
I can feel it coiled
Pulsing softly
at the back of my skull
And I want it so badly

To be able to taste it again
To be able to feel that sick
twist
and the words would
fall
into place again
without pushing
without pain

they'd just burn their way
though my head
and heart
and fingertips

Let it flow

But it isn't flowing
just sullenly
pulsing
At the back of my skull

+CROAK+

ARGH! This is driving me nuts. I have this "Made-For-Me" CD that Jaclyn gave to me for my birthday and I'm trying to find the lyrics to this song and

1) I don't know the anime it is from.
2) I don't speak Japanese so I'm guessing at a lot of the words for a search.
3) I don't want to give up and ask Jaclyn what it is.


The noises you hear are my nerves frazzling. I like this song a lot- it is a warm soprano female voice and it's almost a lounge-type song. Not a fast song, but like a slow dance thing. +sigh+

BLAST! tonight. WHOOOOOOOOOO!

Conan O'Brien and his wife have had a little girl baby and they've named her Neve.

Back to the anime. It might be from Card Captor Sakura. Maybe. The first and 5th songs on the CD are definitely from CCS. (Aishita e no Melody and Catch You Catch Me)

Wish me luck!

October.

In honor of this festival of Fall, I have switched from Citrus Sours™ to Tangerine Sours™ Altoids.

On another front, I'm scared of a patron right now. His behavior is erratic and he really really scares me. I'm shaking right now, because I just passed a note to my Manager that tells her what he's done just now and they may have kicked him out of the library and I'm scared he'll come back and beat me to death. Or shoot me.

Maybe I'll get lucky and no gun and he'll just kick me to death.

On another front...
I'm trying to figure out how a vampire could persuade a Lovecraftian-crazed Hunter™ to not unleash unspeakable terrors upon the City. RPGs are fun.

The new movie calling itself "Cheaper By The Dozen" looks to be bad- not in a bad movie kind of way, because Steve Martin is in it- but bad in a "ruins-the-source-material" kind of way. The book about the Gilbreth family is funny and droll and doesn't resort to "dog-bites-Ashton-Kutcher-in-the-crotch" gags that this flick does.

Anybody know how to find out which theaters are showing the Extended Version of LOTR:TFOTR on December 5th?

"I'm tired of trying to do something worthwhile for the human race. They simply don't want to change!" -- August Dvorak

Addendum:

Take a look at Hurricane Isabel as she comes ashore.

Hope all in that area are safe and that property damage is minimum.

+CROAK+

Trying to get back into work mode.

Ya ever notice I tend to blog more when I'm depressed?

I'm not depressed today- I just saw an article on a genre of blog and thought to m'self, "Hey! I am being a bad blog owner."

Let's fix that.

What's new 'round here? Hmm. Well, for one, I had a narrow escape in my job lately.

I do not drive... and it says in our employee manual that all employees must have a "valid [State]'s driver's license."
UNFAIR!
SO I just ignored it. It's not like I drive in the day-to-day course of my job, and I actually walk to/fro work sometimes, so what's the big deal?

Well, they called me on it.
They "temporarily" transferred me to another branch about a half hour (over the interstate) drive away.
Grrrr....

However, with the assistance of friends and family, I was able to get back and forth for the two weeks.
Hooray.

But I'm not doing it again, mind you. Bah, humbug to that. They'll have to fire me.

BTW- We're weeding the stacks at the library- I'm actually using a dolly-handcart to wheel off the weeded books from my section of the stacks. You see, books that haven't been checked out since 1999 are being submitted to the Branch Manager for inspection. If we sorely need that book in the system, it goes back onto the shelf. If not, it gets withdrawn from the POLARIS system, discard-statused, and given to the Friends for their booksale.

Next up- Mission: SPACE at EPCOT.

ROCKS!!!!!!! OH, man, it is so very very very cool. I now know how a blood sample feels after it has been in the centrifuge.

WHEEEEEEEEEEE

Mr. BAM gave me some pointers before I went off to ride it: look straight ahead, don't turn your head to the side, and don't close your eyes.
Check, check, and so very check.

I was the Commander in my Pod. I pushed my lighted buttons when Mission Control told me to do so and whoooooo that was fun.

But I don't think I could ride it more than once a day. I did have a headache that evening and the next day. And I wouldn't recommend it if "Body Wars" or "Star Tours" makes you ill.

BLAST! is stopping over in New Orleans for a while in October and I am going to go see them. They were fun in CA's Hyperion Theater and I'm anxious to see the whole show. Jaclyn and 'Nette want to go, too- and I hope other people decide to see the fun.

Obligatory Barrage update here:

1. Wish they would go to New Orleans, dangit.

2. Lost opportunity to go to Naples, FL for that show due to leave restrictions at work, so am banking on Dallas show.

3. Matt McD is back in the show- WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!

4. WHY WON'T THEY BOOK IN NEW ORLEANS??????

+CROAK+

+CROAK+

I love Demerol and Versed.

Oh, wait. I ought to tell you why there is a missing chunk of time from my life and how it involves the abovementioned substances. And a big honking needle.

Today's Blog entry is brought to you by the words "Biopsy" and "Bone Marrow."

More later.

+CROAK+