Amazon

I love Amazon and their customer service. Around Valentine's day, my friend/dating partner/alleged non-boyfriend (sorry, inside joke with myself) ordered a bunch of stuff for me from my wishlist (because he's cool and one of the few people who actually uses my wishlist), including the Yarn Harlot's new book. However, though I saw him click the option to not wait until all items were available to ship, nothing came for weeks. So we hassled Amazon and they sent my movies (Harry Potter and Wallace and Gromit!) and would ship the Yarn Harlot's book when it was released.

Or so they said....(insert suspenseful music here)

It's been ages now and it hasn't come. So I emailed them before I left for work this morning and just got an email saying it seems my book was lost in the mail and they're sending another, next day mail, free of charge.

I love Amazon.

My boss however - not so much. As part of the research gig we have group meetings every Tuesday afternoon (where someone presents on either their current research or a journal article they found interesting) and mini-meetings every Friday morning (where 3 of us sit with the Bossman and tell him what we've done that week). He emailed the postdoc this morning to tell him he couldn't remember if he'd said we didn't have mini-meeting this week. No, he hadn't. I could have slept in a little...and with these allergies I'm trying to ignore I could use the extra rest....argh.

I know, I know. World's smallest violin playing the world's saddest song just for me. Imagine the adjustments I'll have to make when I get a real, normal, structured job.

In knitting news - I spent about an hour last night rewriting a hat pattern to fit my gauge. The family I live with has alot of kettle-dyed yarn they keep giving me, and each hank is only about enough for a hat. So I found a pattern I liked in Handknit Holidays and had to tweak it a bit to fit my yarn. We'll see how it goes....

And, finally, in music news - there's a show in Hollywood tonight you should go to if you can. Rob's friend Kasey, an aspiring musician, has finally made it out of Pasadena/Sierra Madre and into Hollywood - tonight at 10:30 at Genghis Cohen. $7. She's good - check her out! And she's funny :)

Oh please

So there's a guy in Michigan who went on strike because his wife has been letting their kids sleep in their bed. He even started a blog and a petition.

I can understand that he feels she's sort of ignoring him and taking away from their time together. But I find it hard to believe he has to go sit on his roof and start a petition to get some compromise.

People say women are dramatic...It goes both ways.

Rewards

In an effort to distract myself from financial worries (this happens every quarter - my stipend goes directly to my fees and I worry that the department isn't going to pay my tuition and I'll have to make it on $700/mo for the next 3 months. Add in a large credit card balance and the worry of job hunting and well....you've almost got where I'm at) I've been knitting like crazy. I figure sitting at home and knitting while watching movies is one of the cheapest things I can do right now, and it's a good opportunity to use up my stash in hopeful preparation for a move (assuming I get a job). Plus, if I can knit myself new clothes I won't feel the temptation to go shopping.

Right.

So I'm still working on Claptois (which I still can't say), a sweater from Rowan's Vintage Knits, another OSW, and now Knit and Tonic's Somewhat Cowl. In addition to a couple socks and whatever else is in my basket :) I start new knitting projects like it's my job.

If only it were!

I have to say, one of the most frustrating things about the job hunt is that after you send in your resume, you have no idea who to follow up with. Most of the ones I've sent in go through the career pages of companies, and of course no contact info is given. I know, it hasn't even been a week yet. But I wouldn't be my mother's daughter if I didn't worry.

Speaking of, my mom has recovered quite well from her surgery and is back to walking her 2 miles a day. Which is nice :)

If you're looking for something fun - check out OK Go's A Million Ways dance video. I have to say, it's pretty nicely done for a backyard production choreographed by singer's sister!

Hard at work

As my experiments wind down, and the job hunt begins in ernst...

I decide to clean out my inbox on one of my many email accounts. And I find this email from my mom, sending me the link to a video I did.

See, I was a chemical engineering major at Berkeley not too long ago. And I worked in the chemistry stockroom - preparing labs, badgering the students to wear their safety glasses, telling the other stockroom empolyees to wash the dishes (if this doesn't sound like womanly work, I don't know what does). My boss made these instructional videos for how to run the GC and do titrations, and my coworkers and I did the voices. I swear I don't really sound like that. I totally don't. I'm like, from the Midwest ok? Though I don't have a midwestern accent either...

Enjoy!

Yarn sale!

I'm trying to clean out my stash (so when I do eventually have to move it won't be so nightmarish) and below the chosen few. Prices are posted, and I don't think shipping would be more than $5. If you're interested in any of it, either comment or email me (k8jlew at gmail dot com). I'd like to see it go to good yarn friendly homes!

A bunch of roving, here's the eBay link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8243117161

FINISHED!

Finally - the Lady E is finished! Here it is blocking on my bed for the day. I had to wash a few times (in the sink with cold water and Woolite - my hands are still thawing!) and I didn't pin it very tightly. I'm very pleased with how it turned out - I think Silk Garden was a perfect choice for this project. I apologize for the blurriness of the photo - this is courtesy of my new camera phone, since I left my digital camera at work.

Another FO - Branching Out, made of another wool/silk blend. I'm not convinced this was a good yarn choice - the detail is really pretty hard to see. But I'm still glad it's done :) One less project in the basket!

You must be joking

I complain about knitting on size 1's (well, I complain about alot of things but that's definitely on the list) But knitting on 0's? 00's? 00000's?

You must be kidding.

Doll clothes. Tiny doll clothes, color knit tiny doll clothes. Patterns for tiny color knit doll clothes.

I need to go make some tea while I recover. Good thing half my tea collection is here in the office :)

Still chugging away at Lady E - almost done with the 8th ball. It will be done by next Thurs. It will. Then I will finish all the other UFO's in my basket before I restart the Lace Leaf Pullover. Seriously. There will be some discipline!

Famous last words...

Did you know a search for "Kate rubber T-shirt" led someone to my blog? I'm concerned...

Oscar madness

You thought the Oscars were all about brilliant movies, stunning dresses, and long speeches?

Nope, there's fiber involved too.

Sigh

So I frogged the sweater. I finished binding off Tuesday at SnB and tried it on when I got home - too big and shorter than I'd like. So I'm casting on again, this time for the smallest size (I'd switched to the larger b/c of a yarn replacement and gauge difference) and starting over. I managed to salvage one of the sleeves, so it shouldn't take too long...famous last words :)

In other drama, lab work is slowly wrapping up and I'm beginning to realize I need to (gasp) start looking for a job and (gasp!) start writing my thesis....insert panic here :)

Luckily, there's lots of music to take my mind off it. I've started playing again, inspired by my friends who are venturing out into the world of open mic. Concerts are coming up too - my favorite band, the Mother Hips, has resumed their touring schedule. They're making a stop in LA and 2 in San Diego. Trouble is, my ex is going to be there, with his girlfriend. The one who hit on him in front of me when I'd drive to SD to visit him. The one who "isn't comfortable" with the idea of him driving up to meet me for lunch. The one he complains about on his blog. We were together for 5 years, and it's been exactly a year since he broke up with me. Obviously, it's going to take some time. Before I consider him a friend again.