Here Comes Another One

Weekend that is.

Wow! It's Friday already. I'm not sure how the weeks pass by so quickly these days. Actually, I think that's the way I feel about life. Here it is, two more days left in February. March 2009 is already upon us. Life this year has been a lot less hectic than 2008, but it feels as though it's moving along a lot faster - go figure!

I'm still considering my options for possible travel this year and keep thinking I have all this time to plan for it. In reality if I do what I would like too, when I would like too, I should start making plans soon. Then again, last years stint to Boston was planned only two/three weeks in advance (a very spontaneous decision on my part) so it's not totally impossible to throw things together quickly. All these thoughts of travel have me thinking back to my overseas adventures to England and Ireland back in March '97.

I have to say, I'm glad we kept the plans for the trip to a minimum. It was nice to have the freedom to decide at a moments notice where we wanted to go next. In addition to spending St. Patricks Day there, some of my favorite parts of the Ireland leg of the trip were going to the Cliffs of Moore, Blarney and the day we missed the fairey back to England. The day we were suppose to go back to England was funny. After taking a tour of the Waterford headquarters, I told my travel companion that I wished we could stay another day in Ireland (especially since we didn't need to be in London until later that week). Next thing I knew we discovered a flat on the car we had rented. Gee, talk about "ask and you shall receive." I was about to ask for a million dollars, but something tells me that would have been pushing it.

After crossing the ocean and being back in England we hopped on a train to... well, we weren't sure where we were actually going to get off. Like I said, our plans in London weren't until later in the week. We eventually got off the train in Birmingham only to find that there was a media convention in town and the cheapest room available in city center was 400 pounds ($650). Good thing there was a B&B not too far that we could crash at. A few days in London rounded out the trip. I had my first and only celebrity siting in London.

Then there was my trip to Israel... What good memories!

Ok, back on track . . . So, I'm still considering my travel options for the year. I'll be interested to see how things shape up. Of course, I'll have to figure out the whole taking knitting supplies on a plane issue. A lot of my peeps have said I should forget about taking anything an overseas excursion however it looks like Crazy Aunt Purl had no problems on her recent trip to Madrid (Scroll down at least half way for the pic I'm referring too).

Oddly enough, I haven't knit all that much lately. The current pair of socks are hibernating so it's back to my cable scarf. I think I just worked on that once this week. Clearly, there is something wrong with me. Then again, I've also been spending a lot of time with photography projects. Either I'm out taking pics or I'm tied to my computer editing them. I was presented with an interesting photography opportunity this week. Well, more like brought to my attention. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this information, but I guess time will tell. I'll let you know what it is if I decide to move forward with it.

That's all - for now. . .

From CNNMoney.com. . .

I have to say this was a great idea . .. .

Shrinkwrapping Business

Love-to-Hate; Hate-to-Love

There are things people just love-to-hate. There are other things that people hate-to-love. But, for me, it's when I feel both ways about something (or someone) that I really get conflicted. Especially when it comes to a love-hate; hate-love feeling about a person. Ugh! That's the worst. Yeah, nothing like loving the person you also momentarily hate the most as well. I unfortunately know this feeling all too well. If you can avoid putting yourself in this position I highly recommend it.

However, my latest love-to-hate; hate-to-love affair is not about a person (thank goodness!). It's Facebook that is getting to me now. If there was ever a web site that sucks up massive amounts of my time it's this one.

Over the past 8 months or so I haven't really touched Facebook that much. I'd maybe log on here or there with a "status" update thrown in every once in a while, but nowhere close to how it use to be. I use to live and die by this site. To not be able to update my status whenever I felt the need was a horrible thought. Again, that changed by the beginning of the summer.

I can't remember exactly what threw me back into this site these days, but I'm back. I've even updated my status - once or twice. Thankfully, not like I use too. I have, however, actually used the site in the past couple of weeks to reconnect with old friends from high school and jr. high school. Yes, that far back. It's been interesting to see what people have been up to all these years. Some of these new connection have resulted in renewed friends. Others have been the basic "what's been new with you" communications and that is all. However, all this "reconnecting" makes me wonder who else will be coming out of the woodwork next.

Until I find out I guess I'll just have to Superpoke a few of my friends or play a game, or two, of Vampire Fighting (or whatever the hell it's called). Regardless, I'm back on Facebook and my love-hate; hate-love affair with the site is alive and thriving.

Winter Doldrums

After a decent break from the wintry weather, we've gone back to snow and cold over the past couple of days. All this just in time for another swap.

With Purim just around the corner, my Jewish Fiberholics group decided to have a swap. Appropriately, it is being call the "Winter Doldrums Swap" because as many us know the overcast skies and cold temps can make you feel just plain BLAH. So, what better way to lift a knitters spirits and get them through the final stretch of winter than sending them yarn and a few other goodies.

Spoliee's have been assigned and sent to everyone participating in the swap. Now it's time to look at the info they gave to the coordinator of the swap to find out what their likes, dislikes and overall personality is. One little problem! As far as information on this person, all I have is a few basics to go on. They didn't provide a lot of detail. However I will, as I always do, figure something out.

I'm not only looking forward to this swap because it's a swap. Another reason I'm looking forward to this swap has to do with the fact that we get to incorporate Purim into the swap. As a child I loved Purim! Who wouldn't!? You get to dress up, play games and eat yummy food (gotta love those Hamentashen - especially the ones with chocolate). Also, the Megillah is a classic tale of good vs. evil - and of course good prevails! The only part of Purim I didn't like were the gregors you shook/twriled when Haman's name was mentioned. Yes, he's the villain.

In all, it should be a fun swap. Until later . . . .

To Add Insult to Injury

Over the next 18 months, Microsoft intends to cut 5000 jobs with the first round of cuts taking place earlier this year. For the 1,400 people who were notified their jobs are going away this has mostly likely not been a good year. . . and for some the year has reportedly gotten even better with the arrival of a letter from Microsoft stating their severance was "over paid."

"Microsoft asks laid-off staff to refund overpaid redundo cash" by The Register online.

After hearing this on the radio this morning I did some searching online for further information and only found one source. I'll be interested to see more on this bit of news as it appears because I'm sure Microsoft will surely have something to say about it.

Stay tuned folks!

Oscars Lack Luster

Like millions I watched the Oscars last night and I have to say they were at best lack luster. It kind of felt like they were trying TOO hard to be funny and outrageous. I guess it was just that some of the segments of the show just seemed, nicely put, out-of-place. So much so that I found myself getting into an in-depth discussion on whose town had the better Chinese place rather than actually watching the show. Yes, some of the productions were just THAT entertaining.

That discussion aside, I was amazed that 'Slumdog Millionaire' took home so many award. I'm sure this film will be getting a lot of play over the coming months. I was not surprised that Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor. I've been a fan of Heath's for many years and his portrayal of The Joker in 'Dark Knight' was OUTSTANDING. So much so, I'm hopeful they will never revive the role in future Batman movies.

When it came to Best Actress and Actor I had mixed feelings. For Best Actress, I was torn between Meryl Streep and Ann Hathaway. Ms. Streep because I think she is a phenomenal actress. The same goes for Ms. Hathaway. I have been a fan of Ann's for as long as I can remember so I was thrilled to see her nominated and a bit disappointed that she didn't win. It's funny how Kate Winslet can win Best Actress for a movie that is being called the movie that no one went to see.

I've heard good things about 'Milk,' and can't wait to see it. I've actually been wanting to see it since I saw a preview for it in the theater. However, I don't know how I feel about Sean Penn winning Beat Actor.

On that note, until later . . .

Yoplait Getting On The Knitting Bandwagon

Seasonal Treats

The holidays and Valentine's Day might be over, but that doesn't mean there aren't more seasonal treats to be had. . .

After the first of the year Brownies and Girls Scouts all across this country take to the streets selling their coveted cookies. Yes, that's right!? Across this great land of ours we celebrate the beginning of the new year with the sale of Girl Scout cookies. Even Yelpers can be found on the message boards trying to find a place to order these tasty treats. Thankfully, this year I didn't have to look very far as one of my coworkers has a daughter who was selling them.

I have to admit, once I ordered this year's stash I kind of forgot about it. I wasn't constantly asking when they would arrive. However, when my boss mentioned that someone had Girl Scout cookies at their desk and then asked where they could get some I started to wonder when mine would arrive. And then all of the sudden. . . Ta Da!




My coworker had my boxes of cookies for me - Ah, yes! Life was back in harmony once again.

It doesn't surprise me how easily these cookies sell. Once upon a time, when I was a Brownie, all I had to do was have my mom take the order form to the shop where she got her hair done and the order form would fill up like the end of the world was coming. Actually, knowing how easily GS cookies sell, I always felt bad for the Boy Scouts whose fundraiser consisted of selling popcorn. Not as appealing. Sorry guys!

So, I've got my GS cookie fix for 2009, but the seasonal treats don't end there. . .



Yes people! Shamrock Shakes at McDonald's have returned. For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed these minty shakes. However, I don't enjoy them as much as one of my friends. This particular person I speak of enjoys them so much that they get a large Shamrock Shake once a day while they are available. Umm... I think my one small one will suffice and tide me through to the next year.

Until later . . .

The Hole Puncher Always Wins

Each day seems to bring some interesting story. Today's adventure involves an argument I had with a hole puncher. The task was simple - get the three hole puncher. Piece o' cake! Well, kind of . . . In addition to getting the three hole puncher I also decided that I would get my department's mail which happened to be plentiful this particular day. So there I was with the three hole puncher, our mail and my bottle of water (oh, I forgot to mention - I thought it would be a good idea to take along my bottle of water knowing I was going to be carrying back with me an item, or two). I took no more than two steps out of the mail room when the bottom of the hole punch came off dumping a majority of the punched holes on the floor and me. (I have to admit I laughed when it happened and thinking back on the events I still laugh about it.) I calmly made my way back to the conference room I was going to be working in, set down the hole puncher and went over to my coworker's office to wipe the holes that were clinging to me off. I then explained to our facilities person what had happened and asked where I might find a vacuum. After a few minutes I was given the vacuum so I could clean up the reminder of my "tiff" with the hole puncher. Of course, today was the day I wore a dress to work and the only way to clean up the mess was to use the vacuum attachments and literally vacuum each hole up one-by-one. Oh, did I mention the vacuum attachment hose didn't reach that far so I had to bend down a bit without flashing those walking by!? This basically meant getting down on my knees and shuffling across the floor. However, I did it and I made sure EVERY last hole had been picked up off the floor. I even cleaned up a paper clip off the floor while I was in the process. While vacuuming I found myself wishing I had taken a picture of the mess. It would have been shot to have. Oh well!

As I mentioned I wore a dress today which actually matches the Karaoke Cable Scarf that is currently in hibernation. I can totally see wearing the scarf with this dress and even making a cute headband to match as well. However, I'm still working on my Britney socks. Well, in theory I am. As I mentioned before they are becoming somewhat a pain in the fanny and it's tempting just to give up, but I'm not going too. It may take a bit of time, but I will get these socks finished.


I think that's it for now. I've got an early morning ahead of me. . . Until later!

Thirty-Three

There is this "25 Things" thing going around Facebook. You know, where you list 25 things about yourself on the "notes" section of your profile. Well, instead of being tagged for 25 things I was tagged by BFF for "16 Things." Ok, seems easy enough. However, instead of putting together a list of 16 things, or 25 for that matter, I decided to up the anty and go for "33 Things." Furthermore, it seemed only fitting to post it on this medium instead of Facebook only.

So here goes nothings. . .

1. I'm very private. Oddly enough, I do periodically talk about private things on this blog so you would never guess that I'm a private person. However, I'm so private it once took me over a month to tell someone - who is now a good friend of mine - my last name, where exactly I lived and close to two months to share where I worked. (This is an extreme example) I also carry on this privacy when I write about my friends and family. That's why everyone has nicknames.

2. I wear my heart on my shelve. Because of this fact most of the time it's not hard to figure out how I'm feeling.

3. My family and friends are very important to me.

4. Sarcasm is just one of the services I offer. Seriously, my sense of humor is very sarcastic and I warn others of this when I am first getting to know them so they don't take some of the things I say too seriously. With that said. . .

5. When I'm serious about something, you'll know it. I may know how to laugh and crack a joke, but when it's time to be serious I will be serious and will make sure others realize I'm not joking around.

6. Minimal Regrets. If any at all. I try not to regret any of the decisions I've made. A lot of my friends find this hard to believe considering some of the things that have transpired in my life.

7. I've faced death three times over the course of my life. The first two times the events occurred so quickly I didn't realize until after the fact that I could have died. The third time I actually had a few moments to process what was happening and had time to think to myself, "Oh my g-d, this is how I'm going to die!?" The last time actually helped me put a lot of things into perspective.

8. I've faced more of my fears head-on in the past year than I have over the course of my lifetime. At this point I believe there to be only a few real fears to tackle - Anyone want to join me on the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier!?

9. I'm a shy person stuck in the body of an outgoing individual.

10. Summer is my season.

11. Purple is my favorite color.

12. My friends call me the "Fort Knox of Secrets."

13. I can say "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" backwards. Yes, working at the Disney Store during college taught me important life skills.

14. The longest I've gone without cable or any type of tv reception is six months. I've done this twice now.

15. I'm the youngest of all my siblings.

16. I'm the only girl of all my siblings.

17. As a child I aspired to be a Radio DJ. My best friend and I use to put on mock radio shows and record them. I actually still have one of the tapes we made.

18. I love to dance!

19. I'm a talkative person. I actually have a t-shirt that says, "Little Miss Chatterbox" on it and all that know me in real life agree that is the perfect shirt for me.

20. I've always seen life through a camera lens. For as long as I can remember, as I went about my day-to-day activities I would see things and think, "Wow! That would make a great picture." Now I have the tools to capture those sites.

21. I have too many passwords and can't keep all of them straight. Once I put together a cheat sheet for all my passwords and password protected it. I forgot the password for the cheat sheet.

22. Though jeans and t-shirts are my preferred clothing items, I secretly love to get all "girled" up. I guess that's not a secret anymore. . .

23. I'm a documentary junkie. I'll even admit I like Michael Moore documentaries - the man makes some good points once you look past his bias bs.

24. Chocolate is my vice.

25. "It Is What It Is." Oh my goodness does that saying annoy the hell out of me, but it's so true and fitting in so many situations. I'm famous for using that saying - a lot.

26. Never and Always. I try not to use the words "never" or "always." I find that things I said I'd "never" do or consider usually don't hold true and "always" isn't necessarily the way it is either. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I try not to use words that apply absolutes.

27. Frogs. Need I say more!?

28. I heart PB&J sandwiches. Grape jelly of course! Oh, and I do like the crusts left on even though I don't eat them most of the time. I just like having the option.

29. I can eat breakfast foods any time of the day.

30. I just learned today there is a town in IL called Sandwich. Seriously! Sandwich, IL

31. I'm a lefty. Or "southpaw." Whatever you want to call it.

32. I'm a wanttabe techy geek.

33. I'm a car enthusiast. . . . And motorcycles too! I have a whole list of cars I'm considering for my next ride. I have also considered just fixing up my present car real good and then getting a fun ride just for kicks.

Rock On!

Taken by Stefan Hein known as "apolli62" on Flickr

The Seven Deadly Sins

Ah yes, The Seven Deadly Sin, even a nice Jewish girl like me knows them well.

* Lust

* Gluttony

* Greed

* Sloth

* Envy

* Wrath

* Pride

Let's face it, we all commit one or more of these sins. Sometimes we commit one more than the other. As I was researching these sins online I came across a Seven Deadly Sins Quiz. Just answer a few questions, as honestly as possible, and you can get an idea of which sin you commit the most. My results didn't shock me at all.

All this is on my mind because recently I completed an online photography challenge my Flickr Project 365 group had going. There is no physical prize involved. Just the fun of the challenge itself. And might I say, this was a fun challenge!

The Challenge:

Take a picture for each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Now, you could pick just one or two, but I went for all seven. (It's the over achiever in me)

The Time Frame:

The challenge opened on Monday, February 9th and unofficially closes on Sunday, February 15th.

My results:


Lust

I have to admit this was one of the three sins I found difficult to translate into a picture. Not because I didn't have an idea of how to translate lust into a photo. My difficulties arose from translating it in a way that wasn't so personal to me.

The pictures for this sin were shot twice. The first round of photos were a lot different than the second round. The tell-tale sign that I needed to shoot it again was when I called up a friend of mine to get their thoughts on the photos. Yeah, that tells me right away I wasn't comfortable putting the shots out into cyberspace.

Lust is usually associated with excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature.




Gluttony

The excessive consumption or indulgence of something to the point of waste. Gluttony is typically associated with food consumption or withholding from the needy.

This picture was a no brainier for me. I had partaken in what I felt was a gluttonous meal mid-week last week and took a picture of it for Yelp.




Greed

Oh goodness! This is the first time I've ever bought a "prop" for a photo. Like lust, I have two sets of photos for this sin. Unfortunately, the first set would have required a lot of editing as I'm not in the habit of posting my credit/debit card numbers on a public site for all to see.

Greed comprises the excessive acquisition of wealth.



Sloth

Ah, Sloth. This was the sin I put the least effort into which is very fitting for what it is. Originally called the sin of sadness and despair, Sloth over time has come to include apathy, depression, and joylessness.




Wrath

Wrath is the second of the three sins I had a difficult time translating into a picture. Some of the obvious translations is to show weapons or items that threaten others or to show people fighting. However it was the description I read of Wikipedia that gave me the idea for this photo.

Per Wikipedia: "Wrath (or anger or "Rage") may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism) and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others. The transgressions borne of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy). Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of wrath also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of wrath directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts."




Envy

Coveting something someone else has that you don't. That is the best way I can describe Envy.

This was the third of the three sins I had a hard time translating into a picture. I need to figure out what/whom I am envious of. At the end of the day I chose to take a picture of Laurie Perry's Crazy Aunt Purl blog because of her bravery in "living out loud." I'm working on this!!!




Pride

The desire to be more important or attractive to others, failing to compliment others when they deserve them and extreme love of ones self. This was a no brainier picture wise.

Valentine's Day

Naughty Knitting

"Wow... Someone under 60 who knits... Did not know that was legal."

That is my all time favorite reaction after telling someone I'm a knitter. Apparently I don't "look" like a knitter and I further break the mold once people get to know me . . . Or at least the traditional idea of the type of person a knitter is.

If you knew my knitting peeps you wouldn't believe they are knitters either. Some of the things we talk about at our weekly meetings are beyond what you would think "knitters" talk about. Yes, that's correct. There is "naughty talk" at some of our meeting and sometimes to the point that we surely peak the interest of those around us.

Yes, knitters talk naughty, but do they knit naughty too? Oh yes they do! I always knew there were knitting patterns for "naughty" items, but up until recently I never took a look at them... Ok, wait, I need to qualify that statement. Up until recently I never took a look at the patterns on Ravelry labeled "naughty." I did once check out Domiknitrix, by Jennifer Stafford, from the library. Not at all what I expected. At first glance I expect a book about kinky patterns to knit. That's what peaked my interest in the book. What I found was a lot of different patterns that are designed to show off ones body - not hide it. If memory serves me right, there are also bedtime attire patterns as well. Another pattern book that has caught my attention is Naughy Needles by Nikol Lohr. I haven't actually checked this book out yet, but the free patterns I've seen online are cute.

So, back to my amended statement . . . Up until recently I never took a look at the patterns on Ravelry labeled "naughty." With a simple click of the button I was taken to all the popular "naughty" patterns which comes out to 5 pages worth, about 60 or so, of patterns. However, then I realized it might be worthwhile to just do a key word search. After entering in the word naughty I was taken to 12 page worth, about 240 or so, of pattern. I was intrigued even more!

These patterns were everything from lingerie to knit adult novelty items. Some of the things I didn't even realize you could knit.

At the end of the day I guess my point to all this chatter about knitted lingerie - a.k.a bedtime attire - and adult novelty items comes down to the age old saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover" . . . You never know what the text inside is really like unless you take a look.



Picture 1: Fuzzackles by Jodie Danenberg

Picture 2: Moulin Rouge Stockings by Kalinumba

Picture 3: Freckle Girl Thong by Carolyn Vincent

Picture 4: Mon Petit Chou by Kate Gilbert

Random Stories

Mistress' Day!?

From the NY Daily News online:

Feb. 13 - 'Mistress Day' - marks day of straying for men
BY NICOLE LYN PESCE
Gov. Spitzer's suspected hookup with a high-end call girl was booked on a night already notorious for men behaving badly. Feb. 13 is also known as "Mistress Day," the day that straying boyfriends and husbands set aside for the "other woman" - since they're spending the actual Valentine's Day with their girlfriends and wives.

Terms Of Use | The New York Daily News | Privacy Policy

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You Decide For Yourself

This is in honor of the Auto Show being in town this weekend . . . .

Last week one of my knitting peeps was telling us how her child almost got ran over by a Corvette speeding in their neighborhood.

They were walking home from their child's school, which is just down the street, when Mr. Corvette Man came out of the blue and didn't even bother to look to see if anyone was there before he turned the corner. It was the same intersection they were getting ready cross. Thankfully kp's child is fine.

This got the group pondering the two widely held beliefs about male Corvette owners. The first is that a majority of men who purchase Corvettes are going through a mid-life crisis of some sort. The other belief we explored was that men who purchase Corvettes are trying to over compensate for "shortcomings" in other areas of their life.

Since I always want to be as fair as possible to those that wouldn't normally have a voice, I consulted a few of my guy friends to see what they had to say about these stereotypes/beliefs. All ages of course - again, to make this as fair as possible. So far, the consensus is that in most cases the purchase of a Corvette by a guy means they are experiencing one of the two scenarios.
(Please note, this is not a professional survey with the proper controls and I make no claims that this is the end all be all truth.)

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Something Good Out Of Something Bad

Posted on Tuesday, Feb. 03, 2009

A knitter's story of survival stitched into new book

By JEFF JARDINE
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Ellin Klor seems to be everywhere these days, profiled this week in Newsweek, the San Jose Mercury News, the Washington Post and numerous other print publications.

The 58-year-old children's librarian from Modesto, Calif., who graduated from Davis High in 1968, was a guest on a Fox News morning show last week and is featured in an online video promoting a book. Here's why:

One night in January 2006, she went to teach a knitting class at a friend's home in Palo Alto, Calif. She arrived late, hurriedly grabbing three bags full of knitting needles, books and yarn from her car. She tripped heading up the front steps and fell, her landing broken in part by the bags of knitting stuff she carried.

Read More...

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How Much Do You Really Know About The Person You Are With!?

Betty's (names have been changed to protect the innocent) sister Nancy had cancer. She was fighting it for years. During the course of this battle Nancy met a man and ended up marrying him. Not too long after they got married she told him she had cancer. A few later Nancy died. Nancy's husband was shocked how quickly this happened. However, at Nancy's funeral Nancy's husband observed that no one else was as shocked as he was about the rapid spread of the cancer. That is when Nancy's husband learned the truth. You could only imagine what a shock it was to him.

The point behind this. . . Well, I'll let you decide for yourself. I just thought it was an interesting story.

Hell Really Is Real

I saw it! I saw the sign I blogged about a few months back. Hell really is Real! I have to admit it was nice to see the billboard again. I chuckle every time I see it. It's such a simple statement, but it can mean so many different things depending on who you are.

Tomorrow will be an interesting day for me at work. I'm playing staff photographer for the day as we are having an important visitor to the office and they wanted to bring in a photographer to chronicle the occasion. After further discussion, it was suggested I take the pictures since I have a DSLR and a love of photography. I submitted samples of my work and got the job! I'm really excited. From what I'm told these pictures could potentially end up in trade publication and will most likely be used by our Marketing department.

On another photography note, I did something out of character today with my project 365. Instead of taking a picture of something of interest that I encounter as I go about my day, I decided to post a pic I took of myself earlier today.

The "Fanny" socks are starting to become a pain in my fanny. The pattern is written in an odd way and has techniques I'm not familiar with. Thankfully, BookGirl has helped me out with a few of these techniques.

Instead of knitting a long heel flap and then picking up stitches, the "Fanny" pattern has you do a short row heel flap and then Wrap Stitch Loop heel/gusset. All I kept saying when I was working on the heel was "I'm just following the pattern." It appears I'm 7 stitches short from working the full heel and gusset so I'm going to just pick up the remaining stitches. You know, a little workaround to get to where I need to be next. Now, I just have to make sure I write down what I did so when I get to this point on the second sock I will remember to do the same thing. : P

Overall, I'm happy with the socks I'm making. The yarn is definitely pooling, but in a cool way. Since pooling is dependent where in the color repetition you start I am not expecting the pooling on the second sock to be the same. However, I am hopeful. And, if they don't match . . . then they truly will be "circus" like. Which reminds me, I now refer to the sock as my Britney Spears socks. I couldn't get the whole "circus" connection out of my mind.

Until later. . .

Welcome to the World

I'd like to take a moment to wish Maya Leah a very Happy Birthday! I'd also like to congratulate my friends on their new arrive.

Dear Diary . . .

Last night, as I shuffled through the many boxes filled with items from years gone by, I came upon several of my diaries. The oldest of these diaries is from 1985. Gosh, it seems like a lifetime ago. I still remember the day my aunt gave it to me. I proudly marked the date that I started writing in it on the inside cover (11-30-1985) and similarly marked the date when it was completed six years later (11-30-1991). As you can tell I didn't write in it religiously. The most recent diary was started last January. Or, wait, I mean "journal" as that is the grown-up word for diary. Regardless, like my first one I haven't written in it consistently. Entries in the latest and greatest span on and off for a period of six months. It seems after I returned from my trip to Boston I failed to continue my entries. In between my oldest diary and the latest version I have had countless others that were started, but never finished. Most of them were started to chronicle specific events in my life, but as I seem to do often, I let the happenings of my life take over things and my writing was cast aside.

I chuckle inside when I read some of these diaries because I can totally see myself having the reaction I did to the given situations. Also, I think it's funny to look at the "extras" as well. You know what I'm talking about . . . the drawings and endless hearts adorned with the names of my then crush or boyfriend.


Of all the diaries found last night, the one I found the most interesting was the one from my junior year high school English class. Mrs. Dulmalski's class. In all honesty I forgot about that journal (that is what it says on the front of the composition notebook - "Journal"). All I really remember from Mrs. D's class is suffering through reading "Huck Finn" and then breezing through "The Great Gatsby." Oh, and also trying to get Mrs. D on one of her rambling tangents about when she was our age and in school. I admit I was one of the ones that egged her on to do this. Listening to her stories about the nuns was way better than listening to a lesson. The best part was that she knew she was on one of her tangents and couldn't/wouldn't stop herself

Anyhow, back to this journal. . . So, I found a journal from my junior year English class. I started browsing through it and found it just amazing because a lot of the things I am passionate about now are similar to what I wrote about back then. One of the more interesting entries was about "Goals to Achieve." These are things I wanted to achieve in my lifetime. This entry hit close to home. The main reason it hit home so much mainly has to do with the fact that some of the things I put down then are things I would list without a second thought now. Also, I laugh at this entry because there are some things that aren't so much goals as they are things I hoped for. And, then there are others that truly showcase that I've always "reached for the stars."

Regardless of where they fall, here is my list of Goals to Achieve from when I was around 17-years-old:

* Finish college with a degree

* Learn to speak two foreign languages

* Travel around Europe

* Camp in the mountains

* Keep in touch with everyone I want to after graduation

* Learn how to stop biting my nails every time I get nervous

* Learn to take professional pictures

* Lose a pant size

* Live to see my 100th birthday in 2075

* Develop my singing talent

* Develop my dancing skills

* Always push myself to achieve more than I have

* Influence political people on important issues

* Climb Mt. Everest

* Become famous

* Stay healthy

* Die peacefully

* Help people

Ok, so some of these I don't have a lot of control over - like living to my 100th birthday or how I die. Others are clearly things I hoped would happen for me one day. The remainder are either things I have either achieved already, am on my way to achieving or would reevaluate all together.

What I think is most interesting is looking back to see where I was then, looking in the mirror to see where I am now and looking forward to see where I wish to go in the future. I think in some way it all blends together.

Until later. . . .

They Just Fly By

I can't decide which go faster - the week days or weekends. I'm leaning towards the weekends, but I'm finding the week days pass by just as quick as well.

This weekend was surely a whirlwind one. Saturday found me up very early and by 9ish I was inspired to clean. So inspired when I finally sat down to take a break about an hour and a half after I started I told one of my friends I was chatting with online I had to go because I couldn't let my drive to clean and organize dwindle. Funny enough, I talked to House Mouse that morning and they were glad to hear I was starting the decrapification project before they could come over. Actually, HM actually told me later on in the weekend that they couldn't believe how excited and enthusiast I was about cleaning. In addition to that, HM also made a connection between taking on a reorganization project and life. Deep, I know! At first I didn't know where they were going with their comments, but as I thought about it more it actually made a lot of sense to me.

I may have been enthusiastic about cleaning, but my progress was soon derailed when I stepped out to go see a movie - Coraline to be exact. What a great movie! Seriously! It was really good. The plot, the animation, the music - everything. I will say this about the movie, if you have a child that doesn't like creepy movies or gets scared easily than I wouldn't recommend this flick.

Just a side note to my movie viewing experience - there are a lot of 3D previews prior to the start of the movie. I found this interesting and concluded that 3D is now the new 2D when it comes to movies.

The remainder of my weekend flew by.

Until later . . .

The Three Types of Mornings

In my world there are three types of mornings and you can tell by my hair and face what type of morning it is.

Morning One:

Hair is curly/frizzy and the face is make-up free (that will be applied at the office - if I can remember that is).

This means that I just couldn't get out of bed until the very last minute, and usually on these mornings it's even later than that.

Morning Two:

Hair is straight and/or curly, but without the frizz. Make-up application is highly probable, but definitely won't be forgotten about once I reach the office.

This means that I got up with my alarm and didn't get distracted in any way, shape or form while getting ready.

Morning Three:

Hair is not only straight, but has also been truly straighten by a once around with the flat iron. Make-up is applied way before I even leave my place and I even have enough time to get a quick blog entry in as well.

This means the quality of sleep I got was so good that quantity didn't make a difference at all and not only was I up "on time," I even beat my alarm.

Guess which day is today. . .

Happy Friday!

Knitting, Knitting and More Knitting

It's been awhile since I talked shop so I figured I'd chat about what I've been up to knitting wise.

First and foremost, I frogged the Karaoke Cable Scarf that was intended to go with the Froggie size "B" hat. However, I really liked the KCS pattern so I started over with some Lorna's Laces Shepherds Bulky in Huron (aka Gray). I have to admit, the yarn was not intended for this project, or any project for me. It actually was intended to be a holiday present however it didn't end up to be. I was going to chuck the yarn due to bad yarn karma, but one of my knitting peeps - britnlind - suggested I change the karma and make it into something nice for myself, or to give to charity. So, I did just that. Originally I didn't like the color. I got it because it was a color the intended gift recipient likes. However, as I see it take form I'm really diggin' the color and am having a hard time deciding who the new recipient will be (aka - me or charity).

The scarf itself is suppose to be 60" long - just 2.75" short of being as tall as yours truly. So, when I couldn't find my tape measure I decided an alternate way to measure my progress was to see where it came up to on me. I have since found my tape measure, but I think measuring against my height is a lot more fun.

Oh, I'm also totally diggin' the cables....

This scarf was placed into hibernation so I could knit a pair of socks. No, it's not my January sock club shipment that I'm making, it's a pattern by Gigi Silva called Fanny. I'm making it out of Lorna's Laces DK Swirl in the colorway Circus. Actually, ever since I listened to Britney Spears new CD - Circus - I can't stop making the association between the CD and the yarn. The colorway is funky and I can see why it was called Circus.

So far, it's turning out great! I love the way the colors are pooliing, at least on the first sock. This is the only picture I have at the moment:

Pictures of the actual socks to follow soon.

As mentioned above, the first shipment of my sock club yarn and pattern came last week. It's so beautiful - the color and pattern. I am intimidated by the pattern (SPOILER) because it has beading and cables in it. I believe I'm going to hold off on knitting those socks for awhile.

This past weekend I got an RAK package. It had a novelty VooDoo Doll in it. It actually made me laugh because I had originally put that on my RAK list months and months and months ago. The request kind of followed me around all these months because I just did a copy and paste each month and didn't bother to edit the list. Oops! Regardless, I laughed when I opened up the package because all these months later I've decided I don't want it anymore and I thought the timing was ironic. I do appreciate the generosity of the person who sent it to me and I thanked them as soon as I got home and could get to my computer.

Last but not least, my tally of knitting expenses is coming along well and it has actually helped me not want to go out and buy more knitting stuff. I have decided that I can apply negative dollar values each time I use something from my yarn haul. The yarn haul stash is actually becoming my new favorite source for needles.

And, on that note... Until later...

House Mouse

I have a friend who is a "house mouse." (Their words not mine.) When they say they are a "house mouse" they mean that they'll find something that needs to be cleaned and clean it. It's almost like they thrive on cleaning.

For example, House Mouse was telling me a story how during a conversation they were having with their boss they proceeded to pick up all the random paper clips and such that had fallen on the floor and organize the them on the boss' desk.

One time House Mouse was over at my place and we were in my kitchen as I was in the process of grabbing a snack when they came over. In the blink of an eye House Mouse was washing my dishes. I'm not kidding. . . I must have turned away from them no more than a few seconds. I insisted they stop, but HM insisted on finishing. Not only did HM finish, they also straightened up my counters.

Recently, I decided it was time to decrapify my living space. When I moved last August I took a lot of stuff with me. I figured hauling the stuff across town wasn't a problem since I would just figure it out once I got to the new place. As we all know, that's not how it ends up working out.

With a new year came the drive to purge all unnecessary things from my living space. However, as I attempted to make my way through all this stuff it became apparent I needed someone, like House Mouse, to help me. I needed someone to help me organize and regroup my living space.

Thankfully, House Mouse was more than happy to help me decrapify. Honestly, I think they were jumping up and down inside when I asked. They didn't verbally say that, but I could tell they were happy to hear I on the path to decrapification. Now all we have to do is set aside a time for us to go through everything and start purging.

In return for their fine services, I plan to feed House Mouse a nice home cooked meal. And I'm sure we'll both need a lot of R & R as well!

I'm hoping this decrapification session takes place soon. I've never been so psyched to clean so I can't let the momentum die.

Until later . . .

Happy Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog's Day and reports from Punxsutawney, PA and Long Island, NY bring mixed news. Since I'm approaching our winter weather with a "glass half full" approach this year let's start with the bad news compliments of the New York Post online.

Punxsutawney Phil Sees His Shadow.

Then there is the good news compliments of the Houston Chronicle online.

Long Island's groundhogs conflict on weather forecast
--------------------

BY ARI GOLDSTEIN
ari.goldstein@newsday.com

February 2 2009, 8:57 AM EST

Malverne Mel didn't see his shadow -- so an early spring is on its way.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-webhog0212420999feb01,0,5563512.story

Visit Newsday.com at http://www.newsday.com

So which report should you believe? I'm going with Long Island because I'd like to believe an end to all this cold, wintry weather is coming soon. However, in reality I think only time will really tell.

Taking Pride In My Embarrassing Moments

I'm a firm believer that if you can't laugh at yourself no one else can... and that is exactly what I'm doing in this post.

Most days I have at least one "go me" moment. "Go me" moments are small, unintentional, silly things I do in a given day. For example, putting coffee creamer in my tea thinking it was sugar. Usually my "go me" moments happen when no one else is around so one could say it's like the tree in the forest. You know what I'm talking about - If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it did it really make a noise? I would like to think the answer to that question is no and thus any "go me" moment I have in private doesn't actually take place, however ultimately the tree still does make noise when it falls and my "go me" moment did actually take place.

Yesterday's "go me" moment was not only public, it was a little more serious than putting coffee creamer in my tea . . . I took my spiffy new DSLR out for the first time since I purchased it. I found the PERFECT location. Not too far from where I live there is a beautiful man-made lake in the midst of an affluent community. Surrounding this lake area are magnificent homes. Very scenic and a great lo-cal for the "first" shots with the new cam. The best part of choosing this spot to take pictures would be fact that yesterday was the first day that the public was allowed to ice skate on the lake. Man, did I score big time!

After getting the camera lens/hood on and psyching myself up for the idea that I'd be taking pictures in cold weather without any gloves on I sat on this fine concrete barrier...



Do not let looks deceive you people. At first glance you would think the pole is directly behind the concrete barrier. Think again! Yes, I did exactly what you probably think I did.

Any photographer would know it's all about "getting the shot" so if you have to position yourself funny then you do what you have to do. Well that is just what I was doing except I didn't get the shot. Instead, I got lodged between the concrete barrier and the pole. Honestly, at one point in the split seconds before I was firmly between my "rock and hard place," I thought I was going to fall all the back and hit my head on the cement sidewalk. The other concern that raced through my head was for my camera which I was firmly gripping in my right hand while I tried at the same time to grip the concrete barrier. (Yes, my priorities are clearly in check). So, being lodged between a concrete barrier and pole (rock and hard place) didn't seem so bad given the alternatives. Thankfully there was someone nice enough to help me out of my predicament. They were even nice enough to try to make me feel better about what had just happened by saying I probably wasn't the first to do that. Hmmm. . . I have a nagging feeling I was the first to do that, but I didn't say that to the nice stranger. I simply thanked them for helping me out.

In retrospect I wish I had taken a picture of what my camera could capture from that angle to document the event. Or, better yet, I wish I had taken a picture of me lodged between the rock and hard place. I'm sure there will be friends of mine that will be surprised that I didn't do either, but truth be told I was a little preoccupied at the time and neither option crossed my mind.

Oh, and yes, my camera is fine as you can see by these pictures:

Lake Ellyn Pictures