Some Beach

I don't know about you, but I am so over this whole "winter" thing. I'm sick of the rain and the snow and the cold and the fact that we haven't seen the sun for about three and a half months.

We have started to get the first fitful hints of spring. It was almost seventy the other day, and then two days later there was snow on my car when I left work. Mother nature teases us with a day or two of 50's, then it's back down to freezing. The up and down is murder on my allergies. I wish we could just pick a season and stick to it--preferably a warm one.

Lately as I'm knitting, I've been watching everything I can think of that involves beaches and sunshine: Magnum, PI; Blue Crush 2; the Single Handed Knits podcast. I'm adding Hawaii 5-0 to my list, too. And then I've been watching music videos like this one:

That is one of my all time favorite songs. If you're feeling the distinct lack of sunshine, too, here are a few more:

I have an entire playlist of these songs, which I've been playing over and over on my ride to and from work. It helps keep me from veering south and just taking off for Florida or parts unknown instead of driving through the rain to work. Of course, the fact that I don't have enough gas in my car to get to the state line is also a motivator.

Here's hoping that spring comes soon, or at the very least, that you find the lounge chair with your name on it:

P.S. Don't forget about the poll running in the sidebar!

Annual Blogroll Rundown

It's been a few months since the last time I shared the new additions to my blog subscriptions with you all (Don't mind that list in the sidebar. It hasn't been updated in a while, and the actual list is far longer). So, if you're looking for something extra to read, here are my suggestions:

Knitting/Design:
Five Cats from Crazy Knitting and cats. Need I say more?
Pink Lemon Twist More knitting and the occasional kitty. Also, water balloons.
Knitting to Stay Sane 'Nuff said.
Stefanie Japel Knits Because I'm not just an author stalker. I'm a design stalker, too.
Ridiculous Knits The newest addition to my blog reader, this one has some great knits and a whole lot of sarcasm.

Art Nails:
Paint All The Nails! Mostly just inspiration shots.
Nails by Kayla Shevonne Inspiration as well as tutorials--and some downright amazing manicures.

Conservation/Art:
Ohio Archaeology The blog for the Archaeology department of the Ohio Historical Society.
Inside the Conservator's Art Because I'm a freak who thinks piecing together a shattered, crumbling, 3500 year old copper ewer sounds like fun.
Restorient While the project is now finished, this blog chronicles the conservation of two Japanese scrolls by the Chester Beatty Museum in Dublin, Ireland (well worth a visit if you're in the area!).

Writing/Authors/Publishing:
Angie's Desk Written by one of the Torquere editors, this blog was pointed out to me by Missouri Dalton (whose writer and personal blogs can be found here and here), this blog features a monthly post of open anthology markets, and great information for writers the rest of the time.


Other:
Texts from Dog Imagine that someone taught Marmaduke to use an iPhone. Yeah, it's kind of like that.
Single Dad Laughing I don't like children. I have no intention of ever having them. But the daily posts on this blog are usually humorous and almost always touching. Share the love, man.
Reasoning with Vampires Tired of Twilight? Dana breaks down both the grammatical mistakes made in this book and why Edward Cullen is creepy and why no teenage girl should ever use Bella Swan as a role model.

Fly By

1. Grandma is much better, and might be able to go home in time for Mother's Day. She does, however, have permanent damage to her kidneys and we will be watching her closely in the coming weeks.

2. In better news, it is official: I am now a professional knitwear designer. And I get paid and everything! My very first pattern was accepted this afternoon, and I am very, very excited.

3. Now if I could just hear back from Tor (with an affirmative) everything would be just dandy.

Recovery

Error: KnotMagick is recovering from an abnormal shutdown. Please stand by. Some stitches may be lost if you did not move them to a holder beforehand.

Continue in pattern or proceed with garter stitch? Y/N

To avoid this problem in the future, please bind off appropriately and block well.

Yes, that is my night stand right now.

Yes, the M&Ms are essential to a quick recovery. As is the Mountain Dew. (Don't worry, I'm also drinking lots and lots of water.)

Why thank you, I am doing better. (The number of medications actually means improvement, if you can believe it.)

No, I am not the only one who is ill right now. If you are the praying sort, my grandma could use it right now.

Details to follow.

Hint

I've had dreams about typewriters two nights in a row now. I think the universe is trying to tell me something, I just don't know what it is.

But I'm probably using the wrong medium.

I have my to-do list for the week

More random from the internet. But when I read this list, I laughed so hard I cried. I must do everything on it now:

Loose Ends

1. It's official: I will be attending the Steampunk Symposium in Cincinnati next month. Costumes are mandatory, and I suspect that a typewriter and possibly my spinning wheel will be tagging along.

2. I have become addicted to a Canadian series called The Murdoch Mysteries. As far as I know, it doesn't air here in the states, so I've been watching it on Netflix, but only season 1 is available on streaming. I might just break down and buy the boxed sets, though I was rather unhappy to discover that even though 6 seasons have aired, only 3 have been released on DVD and season 4, for some reason, is only being released as a region 2 DVD set. Frustrating.

3. I finished Missouri's embroidery project last night, but have not been home during daylight hours, so I haven't gotten a good picture of it yet. Maybe this weekend.

4. I really enjoyed doing that series on writing. As you might have noticed, it made it easier to for me to focus my thoughts. So if there's something else you want to hear about, let me know.

Back from the Black Hole

Oh, hey. I'm alive. I finished up the time sucking unit of doom, and can now get back to my regularly scheduled life. Which means I was finally able to sit down and do some writing.

The newest chapters of my newest story are up on Fiction Press and now on Devart. Links to my profiles on both of those sites can be found in the sidebar.

I also managed to track down my camera, so I'll have some knitting pictures next time.

Shy Girl (and Cat) Travel the World

The misadventures of a twenty-something as she explores Europe, Asia, North America, and Down Under, without visiting a single bar. Except maybe the occasional Irish Pub.

Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in a small town my whole life, or maybe it’s because all through my undergrad I moved (yes, packed up everything and moved) on average every four months, but every couple of months I catch the travel bug--no. It’s more like cancer. It consumes me, for weeks on end, until I either make a short jaunt out of town that sends me into temporary remission, or have a terrible experience with something and vow to never leave the house again. At least until next week, anyway.

I think I watch too much TV. Lately I’ve gotten it into my head that I would make an awesome travel journalist. No, really. I could travel around the world, blogging about historical sites, local culture, and those small-town shops that everyone remembers being at the corner of main since they were kids, those pillars of the community until Walmart came in and shut them down.

Of course, I wouldn’t want to go alone. I about died leaving my fur-baby behind when I went to Italy this last time; of course he would have to come with me as often as possible. That’s a new angle, right? No one has done a show about traveling with pets (that I know of).

I’ve saved up some money. I’m trying to get through next quarter without taking out another student loan (my goal is to never take another one out again, or at least to never need one more for more than $5k if I can avoid it). My responsible self is telling me to stick it out, get this associates degree, and apply for a grad school...elsewhere. Doesn’t matter where, as long as the classes are in English.

My day-dreamer self, however, is convinced I should take the money and run. Set up a blog about my travels and send a proposal to the Travel Channel, cross my fingers and hope they’ll cover my expenses (or at least pay me more than I make now). Travel on a budget (I am SO good at that!). Going places that don’t involve copious amounts of alcohol (because apparently, I am the only person on my little corner of the planet that doesn’t find that amusing) (Please tell me I’m not the only person on the planet period. Please tell me!).

I could do it. How far do you think I’d get on $900?

Somehow, I’m thinking return airfare might be a problem.

I promise I've been doing stuff. Really.

So I haven't opened a single story file since November started (I'm doing really well on that goal, aren't I?). As a little motivation for myself, I've begun posting the story on fictionpress.com. You can read it here (you might need an account to read it).

---
The camera is still AWOL, but I finished the sweater back and I'm almost done with the second pocket lining. I'm sure that will be much more exciting once I actually have pictures I can post with this, but I didn't think you guys would a appreciate a webcam shot considering how terrible I am with a normal camera.

I do have scans of some artwork up on devart. Those will also be in the next issue of the CFM.

And now I am off to do homework and see if I can figure out Twitter...

Not-so secret squirrels

So I had this dream last night. In it, we drove up to visit my great-grandma, who was "pleasantly confused," as my mom would put it (early Alzheimer's). She was living in this dingy apartment, and had half a dozen pet squirrels running around. Okay, we thought, it's kind of weird that she put clothes on them, but she's senile, so whatever. We visit, we talk, we take care of her for a while, and then we decide to go home, except the crap car that we drove up is broken down in the parking lot. Luckily, a good Samaritan stopped to give us a lift--on the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Well, there was a tag along--one of the squirrels. And wouldn't you know it, it wasn't a normal squirrel, but an alien! The squirrels took over the ship. They were everywhere. Hundreds of little fuzzy aliens running around in Star Fleet uniforms. And there was a Kirk squirrel. Don't ask me why. He was hilarious, kept flirting with me and my mom. He was also kind enough to take us home before zipping off to Star Fleet headquarters to take it over. But hey, who am I to question squirrel logic?

Pardon the Dust

Alice is helping me revamp the layout of the blog (it's easier than I thought!). We're still working out the kinks, but I like this better than the boring layout I was using before (simply because I don't like the colors in most of the Blogger layouts).

I had my thesis review yesterday, so I've got to turn in the final edits by tomorrow. The frustrating thing? Out of the four teachers and two TAs in the review, only two of them had bothered to read my thesis. In Alice's case, only one teacher bothered to read it. We spend so much time on these theses, trying to get them done and turned in a week in advance of our reviews, and no one bothers to read them? I find that more than a little irritating.

Since the review is done, I'm going to call the sock done. It isn't acutally finished, but there's no way I can rip back the needed two inches and then knit everything from the heel down by tomorrow (not on size 0's, and not when I have no idea what I'm doing). Eventually, I will finish it, but it's not going to be this week.

Packing has commenced and is roughly 75% complete. I can't find anything and so far I've got two boxes of stuff, plus a shopping bag, a coat, and a pair of boots to donate. And a bag of medication, since all I seem to do here is get sick. Case in point: I would have updated a few days ago, but I came down with a stomach bug on Monday. I'm still feeling completely great, but since last night I've managed to eat two actual meals which is an improvement.

On top of everything else, K, our other roommate, has suddenly decided that the housing situation is "completely unacceptable and inappropriate"--but only since I got sick. She won't even make eye contact with me. I'm sorry, the next time I decided to get laid up for two days with a stomach bug, I'll check to make sure it's convenient for your first. Gr. Some people...

And now I have a thesis to edit and print, a blog layout to adjust, more packing to do, and at least one more load of laundry. Three days and then I'll be headed home!

Off Topic

Well, I'm just blazing through my 52 books list, aren't I? I'm two weeks behind on the regular challenge, and six books behind on my personal goal. This is partially because the last few days I've been sick, and reading was making my eyes water. I did a lot of knitting, working on two new hats (no pictures yet).

I'm feeling much better now. What I should be reading are books and articles in preparation for my thesis, but it's kind of sad how quickly I've gotten bored with the subject. I got a bit more energized yesterday. We went to the Anthropology lab, and I got to clean part of an iron age skeleton! It was so cool. I also learned some of the male/female markers that can be found on a skull. It was by far the most interesting morning I've had all semester. I really enjoy the hands on classes, especially for archaeology, but the lectures have been putting me right to sleep, especially diagnostics and chemistry. It's either very, very basic chemistry that even I know and have heard five million times, or it's completely over my head and may as well be in Mandarin.

I thought that since I'm doing so poorly on my reading list, that maybe I'd highlight a few of the author blogs that I follow. I'll start on that...tomorrow. Next week. When I make it back here.

Short Attention Span

I know that just about everyone has been talking about the earthquake in Haiti, but I thought I should mention it since I just sent in my little donation. If you would like to help out, and especially if you were following the Peace Project last year, then I hope you pop on over the The Yarn Harlot and let her know about your donation for Knitters Without Borders. (I am inept. I can't figure out how to put her button on the blog.)

Normally I tend to give time or objects, rather than money since I'm always broke, but this time tragedy struck at the same time I got my student loans, so I sent along what I could. It seemed especially important, since just last night I went shopping and bought more than I should. Here I am, buying things that I don't need, just for the fun of it, and there are thousands of people half a world away that might not have anything to eat tonight, who don't have a place to stay, who are wondering if their loved ones are dead or alive and have nothing but the clothes on their back. Please take a minute to think about how you can help. Even if you're a flat-broke college student, I'm sure that somewhere in your neighborhood someone is taking up a collection of food, clothing, or medicine to send to these people, so please take part.

***

So far I've only managed to read two books for my 2010 challenge, which puts me behind by three. I finished Souless by Gail Carriger last week, and I've started reading a collection of Robert Lewis Stevenson short stories, but I haven't gotten very far. I hope to finish it this weekend though.

***

The last month or so hasn't been that great for my writing stamina, but I'm getting back on track. I realized what the problem was with the latest book, and once I'd cut the thousand or so words that were standing in the way, things started to go much more smoothly.

***

The voices are being a bother again, reminding me that I have classes to study for and that I still don't know where I'm supposed to meet my DIS instructor on Monday. Also, I want to finish that book. I know that my reading goal for this year is 104 books, but I'm not certain that's going to happen. 52 is the minimum. And now that I'm starting to ramble in circles, I think it's time to go do something else. This is what I get for eating Sour Patch for lunch.

Yay! No More Pain!

Thanks to my wonderful mother, a former OT, my knee no longer hurts. I guess I've been a bad girl, letting my quads get weak, so my knee cap decided to go for a little walk around the block without me. My mom has the same problem from time to time, so she popped it back into place (really, doesn't hurt as much as it sounds like it would), and told me to ice it and do some exercises, which I'm doing.

Called off work today...er, yesterday...because of the knee. Working nine hours on a bad knee is not something a recommend doing. Feeling up to going in later today, though.

Fixed the first sleeve on the sweater and got a little less than 1/2 done with the body. I've just started the cuff for the second sleeve and am about 15 rows in. No more spinning, though I've really been wanting to get back to that. I was avoiding it yesterday and today, though, because I like to treadle with my left foot (the bad one), and I have to card everything as I go, which is such a pain. No more blending fibers, I'm just going to buy them as I want them from now on. :)

I've started listening to two new podcasts; Brass Needles, which is scifi/knitting themed, and Stitches in Time, which has an excerpt from a turn of the century book for the first half, and then the knitting content of the host. I prefer the books to the knitting content, actually, but I'm still listening to the early episodes so I'm hoping that bit gets more interesting as you go along. Both are free on Itunes.

If you've been following my writing blog (Link in sidebar), I've begun updating it again. Sorry about the long break. Life happened in spades (again/continually) and it was more than I could handle. I had to skim back on a lot of things the last few months. I'm picking up now though: I'm trying to write and craft more, I'm working on the BJD podcast, I'm trying to updated here and on Etsy more (still working on that) and I'm picking up hours at work. It feels so good to be able to do things I enjoy again, I can't even begin to tell you.

Gimp

Does anyone know where I can trade in my body for a slightly newer, more gently used version (and preferably ten pounds lighter? Maybe with better skin and hair that's an actual color)? See, this past week, my allergies attacked with a vengence. The problem with Ohio is that it doesn't have Allergy Season. You just have to keep the meds and the tissue box handy from March until October and hope for the best. My nose is raw, and this evening is the first time in three days I've been able to breathe with my mouth closed. It hasn't been fun, and there's no telling how long it will last.

To top it off, I did something to me knee this afternoon. No idea what, but it feels like it's been twisted or something, and I can hardly put any weight on it (and wouldn't you know it, about five minutes after I settled in with the rice cozy, my boss calls to ask if I could pick up a nine hour shift). Heat, cold, pain killers--none of them are really doing much. I can't see any swelling or anything out of place, it just HURTS.

Anyway. To take my mind off of that, I've been knitting. I got all the way done with the sleeve, was about to cast off--and then I realized that my measurements were way off. So I ripped back six inches and started again. I'm just about to cast off again, hopefully this time it will be right.

I did a little bit of spinning. The house has been topsy turvy from getting the kitchen re-done, so I didn't have anyplace to work. But I cleared a spot for my wheel, and spun a few yards of the silk/bamboo mix I've only been working on since, oh, March? February? Earlier? and am still less than halfway done with.

Did a little sewing but I really need to oil poor Gemma, and my bottle of oil is nowhere in sight. Anyone know of an alternative to sewing machine oil until I find it?

I went to the Asian Festival over the weekend, but a full report on that will have to wait, since it's already almost midnight and I'm not done yet with everything I need to do.

Hey, Look Over There! Knitting!

I present you with: A very exciting photo of 3/4 of a stockinette sleeve. Ooh, Aah. Have you ever seen anything as interesting?

I <3 Sarcasm, by the way. Just in case you didn't notice.

So what is going on in CrazyLand? Well, for starters our kitchen is getting redone by our landlord, who wants to sell the house this year. Which means we have no appliances except the fridge, everything from the kitchen is in the dinning room (which was our craft room) and everything from the dinning room (i.e. all of our craft and art supplies) has been moved into our bedrooms, because once the kitchen has been put to rights, the dinning room is getting re-done. And I didn't know about any of this (at least the part involving the dinning room) until after I had finished cleaning and organizing my room, which I'd been meaning to do since December. Let me just express how happy I was to move all of that stuff into my (newly cleaned) living space: #$%^*&##$%^&%@@¢∞¶™!$&%$#µµ∫˚©ß†ˆ¬˚…∂å%**^@!#$!$%^&**!!

I keep asking if they need help (the landlord and his wife), but they keep saying no, so I've been hiding in my room knitting for the last few days. I feel kind of guilty because their son has been coming from the East Side to help, but every time I ask, "No, we've got it."

In better news, my printer came yesterday, which surprised me since I'd only ordered it on the 18th. It's shiny and spiffy and photo quality with a flatbed scanner and I can't wait until my mini comes to try it out. I could hook up the laptop, I suppose, but I prefer to only install things once. Now if only I could get the rebate center to work and get my $100 back, everything would be just dandy.

I've been in a much better humor since graduation. Probably because I have time to breathe now, and it doesn't feel like every single thing has to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND OR OH MY GOD THE WORLD WILL END AND I WILL DIE ON THE STREET. I have a little bit of leeway at least, though the job hunt continues and I still don't have any options for grad school.

Home Again

Remind me to never make another seven hour drive without cruise control EVER AGAIN.

Also, I never want to see Uniontown, PA again. Ever. The end.

Hermes missed me. He actually let me cuddle him. Twice. Also, while we were gone, stole a ball of yarn from the craft room, and while Mr. Alice's Dad was sleeping, turned the living room and dinning room into a wooly spider web. I empathize completely.

Today Mom and I are getting some of the food together for my graduation party, and I'm taking her to see Star Trek here in a bit. I'll also be picking up prints and a photo cd of the trip, so I can share those tomorrow.

Not much else going on; mostly it's just been traveling and sleeping and cooking.

Sick Days, Part II

So the cold I had? It's a sinus infection. I'm allergic to Penicillin, so the doc gave me a prescription decongestant, and Clarithromycin. I've been taking the pills since Monday night, and so far I feel 100% worse, not better. I've had almost every side effect for each of the, and it doesn't help that most of the side effects for the decongestant are the same as the ones for the Clarithromycin. I'm dizzy, I have a headache, I'm exhausted but I can't sleep, I'm shaky, anxious, and my moods are all over. I'm going to give it a few more hours, then I'm calling the doctor.

Everything is on hold right now, because everything either hurts or wears me out. Even the cat knows something is up; he's been letting me cuddle him, and normally he just squirms out of the way or turns it into a wrestling match.

Hopefully I will be human sometime within the next week.

Sick Days

I've been sick since Sunday. At first I thought it was just allergies, but I've had a fever that comes back every time my dayquil wears off. Everything is exhausting. I stayed home from school one day, but that was all I could afford to miss. Called off work today--I really just need two good days of rest.

I've been reading, watching movies, and crocheting. I finished up this cute little doll outfit yesterday:

Evie is very happy with it, especially now that she has boobs to show off. Her old body didn't have any at all.

The shawl is crocheted on a size G (the smallest hook I can use, and even at that only for short periods), and the yarn is some of my hand spun silk, in a laceweight. It hasn't been blocked yet. I haven't gotten up the mojo to go downstairs and plug in the iron yet to try steaming it.

The halter is mostly made from some Mystery Yarn I got in Italy. I think it was about 2 euro for a pound of the stuff. The trim is also silk, spun by me. I'm taking the rest of the ball and making it into another hippy hat at the moment, but no pictures.

The skirt is done on US7 needles, and it's just some generic acrylic I got at Walmart, leftover from some Christmas knitting.

As to reading, I picked up a light mystery from the library. It's called "Organize your Corpses" by Mary Jane Maffini, and it's pretty amusing so far. I'll probably finish it this weekend.

Okay. Back to the whole getting better thing.
----
p.s: Etsy shop is still up, sale is still going but I've had to alter the terms a bit. I'll still be shipping out, I'm just going a little slower than usual.