Contest

When I was an intern, a friend of mine introduced me to IMDb, and the My Movies feature. A few days were spent entering in movies I've seen, and today I did some catching up. And, well, I'm a little shocked at how many movies I've actually seen....

Inspired by Wendy, who is giving away books when she's finished with them and is actually the reason I have this book, I'm offering up my copy of Friday Night Knitting Club. To enter, leave me a comment with your guess as to how many movies I've seen, along with your email address (alternately, you can send me an email telling me which comment was yours if you're not comfortable with that). I'll leave it open until April 6th, the winner being whoever guesses correctly or closest. Multiple close guesses will bring in a handy random number generator to pick the winner.

A few clues:

• I watch all sorts of movies
• TV shows I've rented on DVD are included
• The list covers whatever movies I can remember seeing as a kid
• The number is in the triple digits
  

Still plugging away on the WIPs I've got going and trying very hard to resist breaking the stash diet. It's going to be a busy week both at work and at home, before a 2 day camping trip at Sequoia! Send warm thoughts, because there might be snow....

New books!

Since I'm on a yarn diet and trying hard to compensate in other ways (all my energy normally spent ogling yarn has shifted to fiber for spinning and books for inspiration), I used my last Amazon gift certificate (I love my Amazon Visa. You earn points on everything and get gift certificates to buy stuff on Amazon. Which somehow inspires more buying) to buy Fitted Knits and Favorite Socks. I haven't had a ton of time to flip through them, but what I've seen I like. My favorite knitting books (and blogs!) tend to be the ones with really nice photography - closeups of yarn for texture, good color balances, etc. (Brooklyn Tweed is a favorite here). More later on the projects.

I've been getting a far amount of knitting in while at work - doing viscosity measurements leaves alot of wait time, which translates into knitting of course. Naturally I've been getting some strange looks in the lab, but my Jaywalkers are progressing nicely. Last night I finally bit the bullet and started another crocheted ripple blanket with my purple novelty yarns. A few years ago the local craft store in Napa had a closing sale and my mom bought me alot of Cystal Palace yarns. I love the colors and textures, but I can't figure out what I would do with them that I would wear. For me, there are some yarns that are better as accesssories than as garments (just as there are some colors that are better as accents than main colors. A sea green Suburban comes to mind) and the feathery yarn my mom sent me falls into this category. So, it's going to become a lap blanket. If I can stop messing up the pattern - it's hard to find stitches in eyelash yarn.

Time to head into lab - happy Friday!

Birth and resurrection of WIPs

KADD has hit me hard - the list of items on the needles or in the basket is ridiculous....

1. Wicker
2. Hourglass Sweater
3. Jaywalker socks (toe up version)
4. Hiking socks
5. Knee socks
6. Flower Hat and Lace Knee Highs. From the Winter 2004 issue. Unfortunately, I lost the pattern - in an effort to clean up my magazines I took out patterns I wanted and put them into page protectors. And have no idea where this pattern went - does anyone out there have a copy they'd be willing to lend me? I think I have to rip back though - I'm not sure where I left off....
   
7. Socks on 2 circs
8. Trekking socks (You're putting me on pattern)
9. Mason-Dixon dish towel
10. Open lace top from Vintage Knits
11. Red Light Special (from Brooklyn Tweed)
12. My So-Called Scarf

I think the plan now should be to clean out the basket before embarking on anything new :)

Because I for one could use a laugh

Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas'pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. (via A day in the life of Sachi)

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

+++

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

+++

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

+++

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

+++

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

+++

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

+++

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

+++

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what they're for.

+++

P: IFF inoperative.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

+++

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

+++

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

+++

P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

+++

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

+++

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

+++

And the best one for last..................

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Boxes and creative packing

The countdown to the move has begun, and so has the packing. In years past I've been very casual about my deadlines to move and how my deadline to pack fits into that plan (i.e. I've had to make separate drives after the bulk of my stuff has been moved to pick up the rest of my stuff. This is to be avoided.) In good faith, I bought boxes last week and began the packing process on Saturday.

I'm not moving until Friday.

To my credit, I have packed about 20 boxes of "stuff." I still have more "stuff" to pack (things I'm using right now, like clothes, a toothbrush, and my cat). Somehow I've reached that panicked point of "Oh no, how will I fit the rest of my stuff into these boxes before Friday morning so I don't have to make 2 drives in traffic-ridden LA?!?"

Actually, I'm usually at that point when I'm busy. No surprise there.

I have to say though, the wall of yarn has proven most helpful in packing my kitchen. What better way to pack wine glasses than among some alpaca and wool? And how else would you keep the big boxes relatively light - put some roving and sock yarn in of course. Proof again that the stash is not only nice to look at, but functional as well.

I'd take pictures of my new WIP, Red Light Special in Rowan felted tweed, but my camera is in a box.

I think....

The finished product from dyeing the other weekend....

Julie Amero

Sometimes you run across a story that seems too illogical to be true (see Scout's post). A substitute teacher showing inappropriate websites to her students? A middle aged woman sent to prison for 40 years for popup ads?

It could happen. According to stories, Julie Amero was convicted on four counts of "risking injury to a child" and could face up to 40 years in prison. Did she maliciously navigate to these sites? It depends on whose side you're on - anyone who's been caught in a viscious cycle of popup ads knows how trying to close 1 ad can open 5 more. But they can leave an imprint that looks as though you intentionally went to the site. How did the school's firewalls allow this? They were out of date and IT hadn't followed up on the situation. Should a woman really go to prison for 40 years because of popup ads?

So Much To Say

And so much to do. Work has been very busy this week, and I'm thrilled. I don't like being bored, and I get tired of surfing the internet and reading blogs. I'm strangely happiest when I'm a little overextended. Because I'm crazy. Deal. I finally broke down and ordered the Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1 megapixel camera that will change my life as I know it. I have since been reading reviews (here, here, and here) on lenses and shopping for a camera bag. It is due to arrive at work today, and I've been checking the mailstop frequently. And getting alot of work done...

I feel obliged to include a public service announcement: AT&T's DSL service is awful. If you have any other option for internet besides them, don't go with AT&T. I have them now. Their actual internet service is mediocre - I have to reload my homepage a few times when I sign on for the first time, long loading times, etc. It's not terrible, but I've seen better. No, my real problem with AT&T is their contract. When you order DSL, you sign a 1 year contract. I asked what would happen if I moved and was told I could take my modem and service with me. When I called this week to transfer services, I was informed they don't provide service in my new area and that should I opt to terminate my services at my current residence, I would be charged a $99 early termination fee. Why? Because moving out of the AT&T network is considered choosing another provider and thus constitutes early termination. So, because AT&T doesn't provide service in the Thousand Oaks area, I have to pay them $99. I conclude, AT&T sucks.

I'm glad it's Friday. Wednesday was fun (a group of us girls went to a burlesque show to see a friend perform), but a late night which means I'm tired (as usual). I'm looking forward to getting off work early today (I have a lunch meeting), going home, and relaxing. There are a couple of dinners to go to this weekend, an apartment to start cleaning out, and alot of knitting to do. Wicker, Hourglass, socks....It'll be nice :) Happy Friday all!

Science of Knitting

After months of sitting on my wall o'yarn, the day to dye had come. Teresa came over and we dyed yarn in 3 easy steps:
First - blend the dye (cake dye, with hula girl swizzle sticks of course)
Second, squirt and blend. Be sure to wear gloves!
Third - admire!

Ok, actually it was more than 3 steps, but I'm out of pictures :)


My new favorite quick knit - calorimetry (yes, I even know what a calorimeter does). Knit in an afternoon catching up on Lost and Grey's Anatomy online using Malabrigo. I, like everyone else, didn't knit the pattern as written, but cast on 96 stitches (following Eklectika's mods) and did short rows until I had 48 stitches between the markers. The yarn bled quite a bit, staining my hands an attractive orange. But it's been washed and is ready to wear! And I love it :)

Finished objects

Noro Silk Garden beanies
Fetching handwarmers, for the gift box
Scarves, for the Red Scarf Project

All finally done!

2nd Annual Cyberspace Poetry Reading and a Meme

Today is the 2nd Annual Cyberspace Poetry Reading, and here's mine:

Ophelia
Tiny fragments of my soul perform alone upon the stage
As I hide in the wings, peeking out for the critics' reviews
Unblinded by the lights, I can see their empty faces
Unsure how to take this angry girl or her bitter views

Lashing out at the world in general
Or maybe just you in particular
When the words fail her message
It takes a form gesticular

It was a classic case of Ophelia drowning
She saw the faces around her frowning
Her emotion - it was too raw
It made them uncomfortable, what they saw

"Emotional, unstable," they said
Rendering her artistic presence dead
"Not developed, too wild," they cried
But she had to let out what was inside

Lashing out at the man who hurt her
Just one in particular
His ears closed to her message
She tries switching vernacular

The songs come out of her unbidden
Pouring out of emotions once hidden
He's shocked at her angry voice
He doesn't understand her choice

Cutting him out would be so much better
It's her decision, but he won't let her
Clinging to a love now dead
The critics all turn their heads

Lashing out at all her friends
Hoping she'll calm when it all ends
Ending relationships feels like death
But when it's done, you know it's best

And as spotted on Good Yarns:

You Know You're From California When...
The fastest part of your commute is down your driveway.
You were born somewhere else.
You know how to eat an artichoke.
The primary bugs that you worry about are electronic.
Your car has bullet-proof windows.
Left is right and right is wrong.
Your monthly house payments exceed your annual income.
You can't find your other earring because your son is wearing it.
You drive to your neighborhood block party.
Your family tree contains "significant others."
You don't exterminate your roaches, you smoke them.
You see 25 lawyers chasing an ambulance.
More than clothes come out of the closets.
You go to a tanning salon before going to the beach.
More money is spent on facelifts than on diapers.
Smoking in your office is not optional.
You pack shorts and a T-shirt for skiing in the snow, and a sweater and a wetsuit for the beach. When you can't schedule a meeting because you must "do lunch."
Your children learn to walk in Birkenstocks.
Rainstorms or thunder are the lead story for the local news.
You'll reluctantly miss yoga class to wait for the hot tub repairman.
You consult your horoscope before planning your day.
A glass has been reserved for you at your favorite winery.
All highways into the state say: "no fruits."
All highways out of the state say: "Go back."
The Terminator is your governor
You can't remember . . . is pot illegal?
It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station: "STORM WATCH"

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from California.

Meme

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest

So (this is sad) the closest book to me is Transport Phenomena. And since p. 123 was a chart, you get p. 124 instead:

"When it is substituted into Eq. 4.2-3, we get

(d^2/dr^2 - 2/r^2)(d^2/dr^2 - 2/r^2)*f = 0

The fact that the variable theta does not appear in this equation suggests that the postulate in Eq. 4.2-7 is satisfactory. Equation 4.2-8 is an 'equidimensional' fourth-order equation (see Eq. C.1-14)."

Last night was spent furiously hemming 8 curtains for a friend of a friend - furious because for the first half hour of attempting to sew my machine kept jamming. Turns out the thread had slipped out of the feed....oops. Overall, it took me about 4 hours of pinning, ironing, sewing, and trimming to finish them. And resulted in some very sore shoulders! But they're done and ready to be delivered and I can go back to knitting!

Close to be finished are Fetching and a Noro beanie. Still to be worked on are Wicker and MDK washclothes. But with the multitude of patterns I've printed out (Wicked, Green Gable, Simple Knitted Bodice, Thermal, Argosy) I've already got yarn in mind for the Knitty patterns - some Rowan tweed 4 ply for Thermal and a black and red varigated yarn for Argosy. Though I do have alot of socks to knit....There've been alot of posts lately about knee-highs, and I do have some yarns that would work....

Quizmania

Because I have no real knitting content to show (just yet - give me another day or two), I leave you with a series of quizzes. At least one of us should be entertained :)

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
The South
Boston
The Inland North
North Central
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

You paid attention during 100% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

Congratulations. You are 12% dork.

Why did you even take this quiz? Who are you kidding? Using AIM doesn't make you computer savvy, frat-boy. Go find some of the people who scored in the 85-100 range and pummel them for their USB flash drives.

The dork/nerd quiz
Quizzes for MySpace

, you're now logged in!

Below you'll find your test result. After, continue on to your homescreen to discover what we're about.

continue to OkCupid homescreen >

GRYFFINDOR! You scored 24% Slytherin, 16% Ravenclaw, 64% Gryffindor, and 28% Hufflepuff!

You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart. Gryffindors are known for their courage, audacity, and devotion to what is good and honest.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" alt="free online dating" border="0"> http://www.okcupid.com">%20src=" You scored higher than 99% on Slytherin http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" alt="free online dating" border="0"> http://www.okcupid.com">%20src=" You scored higher than 99% on Ravenclaw http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" alt="free online dating" border="0"> http://www.okcupid.com">%20src=" You scored higher than 99% on Gryffindor http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" alt="free online dating" border="0"> http://www.okcupid.com">%20src=" You scored higher than 99% on Hufflepuff

Link: The Sorting Hat Test written by leeannslytherin on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
Book Snob
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_kind_of_reader_are_you">What Kind of Reader Are You? Create'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/">Create Your Own Quiz

What kind of graduate student are you? Your Result: The closeted professional. Your talents seem to be wasted in this arena - are you sure you shouldn't be making a lot more money doing something else? The real world may seem scarier, but you belong there.
The poseur.
Typical.
The precocious expert.
What'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_kind_of_graduate_student_are_you">What kind of graduate student are you? Make'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/">Make Your Own Quiz

Community

One of the things people talk about on their blogs is a sense of community (another topic is why people blog, which I'll get to in a minute). I read blogs from all across the US, Canada, and even some overseas. While I may not comment on alot of these blogs, I'm still interested in what goes on with these people - good, bad, and ugly. I have felt strange about posting a comment when a blogger loses someone (or something, as some knitted objects must be frogged), but I felt like it wouldn't be right to have read their blog for so long and keep quiet when something happened.

Some people have blogs to showcase their work. Some people have blogs to talk about themselves (I most often fit into this category). Some people have blogs to share information. Crazy Aunt Purl's lastest post shares some good information. Allison, who I know through Stitch n Bitch, is having a tough time right now (that's putting it mildly). I'll let you read about it here. Her son, only a few months old, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. From all the posts out there about cancer and tumors and hospitals, I don't have to tell you how emotionally and financially heavy this is. Allison runs her own store, Supercrafty. Check it out and shop away.

Background

From CuteOverload

Finished!

After what seemed like ages, I finally finished my scarf for the Red Scarf Project. And threw in some scarves that were sitting in the "To Gift" pile (I've been trying to keep ahead on birthdays and holidays by buying gifts when I see them or stocking up a pile of knits to give away). Unfortunately, I left my camera at home and can't upload the pictures. It looks pretty much like the last photo, only longer :)

So what to work on now? I'm thinking instant gratification - so most likely Fetching and the Noro beanie. And maybe back to the Trekking socks I started last year - I'm finally ready to try a toe up heel flap. Though I'm not sure that's a good SnB project for tonight (or, now that I think about it, where I put the pattern....hmm)

I've been feeling a bit compulsive about cleaning lately (esp. since my landlady started spontaneously showing my apartment. I haven't even given her official notice yet!) - my knitting basket is a huge mess of patterns and yarn and needles. A quick project for tonight - organzing all my WIPs and putting away the stuff I'm not working on. After reading a review of the KnitPicks bags I'm somewhat tempted. But with all the other bags I have and the impending cost of the move I'm restraining myself. It would be nice to have a more knitting-oriented bag though...

And with that, back to work. I've got alot of reading to do, and some lab work. And they won't pay me if I spend all my time on the internet :)

WIPs aplenty

Finally, I have joined the My So Called Scarf bandwagon - just in time for the Red Scarf Project! As much as I love the look of the pattern and the feel of the yarn (so soft by caron?), I remember why I don't make scarves very often...I get a little bored after awhile. But, I'm on a deadline, and so I knit on...
And also finally, a Noro Silk Garden beanie. Attempt #3....
Some Fetching fingerless gloves, using the leftover yarn from my Razor Cami. I'm hoping I have enough yarn to make it, I'm cutting it awfully close!
Last but not least, Wicker from Rowan in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (which Little Knits has on sale....) I love how soft this yarn is and how vibrant the red is (I'm on a red kick right now), though I'm running through the skeins like there's no tomorrow...

I've been exercising some amazing self restraint here - as Teresa will tell you, I normally have many more projects going at once. But I'd like to be better about finishing things, as opposed to just starting them. I even managed to get some knitting in at work today - I had to take light measurements all morning, which left alot of down time waiting for time points. I managed to get another 3 inches on the beanie, in addition to some strange looks from my labmates :)

Time to get ready - a group of us are going out for dinner to celebrate my friend's birthday tonight. The perfect occasion to wear my new patent leather shoes from Nine West (who, like ALDO, are also having a sale....you know you're tempted....)

Knit from Your Stash

I have alot of yarn. Seriously. And I love to buy yarn almost as much as I love to make stuff from it. With the new job and impending move, it seems like a good time to join the Knit from Your Stash bandwagon. Guidelines are as follows:

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 16, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.
2. I will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
2.a. Sock yarn does not count. (Seriously. There needs to be some wiggle room!)
2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.
2.c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.
2.d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
3. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
4. Trading stash is allowed. (Purging of stash is encouraged in my case...)

So. There you have it. Let the knitting begin :)

Taking stock

With the new year should come an inventory of what's going on in my knitting world....

Recent FOs:
Razor Cami
Sweater from Vintage Knits (picture coming eventually, as soon as I figure out how to fix the collar)
Silk Garden beanie (probably will be redone, I'm still not happy with the edge)
Circular needle holder (this will get its own post later - it made for a good day of sewing yesterday)

WIPs:
Trekking socks
KnitPicks socks
Fingerless gloves
Wicker sweater from Rowan
Lace leaf socks (or maybe embossed leaf...I forget)
Mason Dixon dishcloth

Planned:
More beanies and fingerless gloves
More socks (have you seen my stash?)
Endpaper Mitts
Ariann (I already have the yarn)
Sahara (may have the yarn)
Clapotis (Smaller versions using Noro and Koigu)

I am nothing if not ambitious. And short on attention :)

Finally, an FO pic!

Here it is - Razor Cami, as photographed by Teresa. I also finished my Rowan sweater this morning - it's washed and being blocked. Hopefully I can get some pictures of it tomorrow if it doesn't rain. I've still got a ton on the needles (another Rowan sweater, my so called scarf, Silk Garden beanie, FBS....plenty to keep me busy!)

Happy Holidays all!