September 14, 2007
September 8, 2007
Be Fri
I met my best friend Quinn on our first day of college. Clearly I lucked out big-time in the roommate draw, because I was assigned her as a roommate. As one might expect, this was at the beginning of September, so I'm always especially fond of her at this time of the year.
Which works out well, because it's also her birthday today, for another 5 minutes or so, at least. In honor of her birthday and our (gulp) thirteenth friendiversary, I present just some of the many reasons why I love Quinn. In no particular order, and far from comprehensive.
1. She's smart. Like dazzlingly, intimidatingly smart. And yet she harbors a secret love for reality TV, celebrity gossip, soft rock and poop jokes. And there are few things more charming than a smart chick who digs the poop jokes.
2. She's silly and funny and serious and wise. Sometimes in the space of a single sentence.
3. We share many of the same neuroses, but she's about 4000 times better with the "feelings" thing than I am, so usually she figures a bunch of shit out and I get to reap the benefits of her wisdom. This has worked out awesomely for me.
4. She's so awesome in fact that sometimes, when I feel bad about myself, I remember that someone as awesome as Quinn loves me so I can't really be all that [insert negative adjective of choice here].
5. She understands that bacon is one of the world's perfect foods.
6. She can play the "who's more wankable and why" game like nobody's business. Also, she can play cards with a focus, dedication, and longevity that would break a normal person.
7. She forgave me for that bagel incident in college.
8. Everything seems better and more possible after I've talked it over with her.
9. She always, always calls me on my shit.
10. She makes me laugh. At her stories, at the world, at my own fears and foibles. This is more wonderful than I can even begin to describe.
So happy birthday, pumpkin!
It's been such a pleasure being friends with you for all these years, and I'm thrilled to think of what we'll get up to in the next thirteen years.
Which works out well, because it's also her birthday today, for another 5 minutes or so, at least. In honor of her birthday and our (gulp) thirteenth friendiversary, I present just some of the many reasons why I love Quinn. In no particular order, and far from comprehensive.
1. She's smart. Like dazzlingly, intimidatingly smart. And yet she harbors a secret love for reality TV, celebrity gossip, soft rock and poop jokes. And there are few things more charming than a smart chick who digs the poop jokes.
2. She's silly and funny and serious and wise. Sometimes in the space of a single sentence.
3. We share many of the same neuroses, but she's about 4000 times better with the "feelings" thing than I am, so usually she figures a bunch of shit out and I get to reap the benefits of her wisdom. This has worked out awesomely for me.
4. She's so awesome in fact that sometimes, when I feel bad about myself, I remember that someone as awesome as Quinn loves me so I can't really be all that [insert negative adjective of choice here].
5. She understands that bacon is one of the world's perfect foods.
6. She can play the "who's more wankable and why" game like nobody's business. Also, she can play cards with a focus, dedication, and longevity that would break a normal person.
7. She forgave me for that bagel incident in college.
8. Everything seems better and more possible after I've talked it over with her.
9. She always, always calls me on my shit.
10. She makes me laugh. At her stories, at the world, at my own fears and foibles. This is more wonderful than I can even begin to describe.
So happy birthday, pumpkin!
It's been such a pleasure being friends with you for all these years, and I'm thrilled to think of what we'll get up to in the next thirteen years.
September 6, 2007
All that
Over the long weekend, I spent a lovely afternoon lounging and picnicking beside Jamaica Pond with Megan (of the dainty feet). We had a prime spot pond-side. So prime in fact that an elderly couple walking by announced to us that "It looks like you've got all that and a piece of heaven, too."
Beyond the sailboats and ducks and strolling couples, there were dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. Now I don't have a dog, but I really, really want one. So it was kind of like having a dog by proxy, without having to carry their poop around awkwardly in a plastic bag. Now that's my idea of heaven.
Fully getting into the relaxed spirit of the afternoon, Megan even let her hair down. After acknowledging my compliments on its length and loveliness...
...she gave me a stern look over the top of her glasses and said "You just like it because it reminds you of wool." So if you see me knitting something in a variegated golden mystery fiber, just know that I wrestled Megan to the ground and sheared her for fiber.
She's short. I could totally take her.
Though I know now that she was actually hinting none-too-subtly that I should really be knitting. I didn't bring my knitting with me, figuring it would be rude to knit when I was hanging out with a non-knitter. Silly me. As we were packing up to leave, Megan pointed out that she had brought her sketchbook, and had been wondering all afternoon when I was going to start knitting already so she could get some drawing done.
Lesson learned: assume you should be knitting at all times unless you are specifically told otherwise.
As for my actual knitting, I'm on Double Secret Gift Knitting Patrol, so no pictures for a bit.
And in case you have a birthday in, let's say, the next two days, and happen to be in a position to reasonably expect a knitted gift from me, it's possible I'm running a bit late. Apologies in advance for the delay.
Beyond the sailboats and ducks and strolling couples, there were dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. Now I don't have a dog, but I really, really want one. So it was kind of like having a dog by proxy, without having to carry their poop around awkwardly in a plastic bag. Now that's my idea of heaven.
Fully getting into the relaxed spirit of the afternoon, Megan even let her hair down. After acknowledging my compliments on its length and loveliness...
...she gave me a stern look over the top of her glasses and said "You just like it because it reminds you of wool." So if you see me knitting something in a variegated golden mystery fiber, just know that I wrestled Megan to the ground and sheared her for fiber.
She's short. I could totally take her.
Though I know now that she was actually hinting none-too-subtly that I should really be knitting. I didn't bring my knitting with me, figuring it would be rude to knit when I was hanging out with a non-knitter. Silly me. As we were packing up to leave, Megan pointed out that she had brought her sketchbook, and had been wondering all afternoon when I was going to start knitting already so she could get some drawing done.
Lesson learned: assume you should be knitting at all times unless you are specifically told otherwise.
As for my actual knitting, I'm on Double Secret Gift Knitting Patrol, so no pictures for a bit.
And in case you have a birthday in, let's say, the next two days, and happen to be in a position to reasonably expect a knitted gift from me, it's possible I'm running a bit late. Apologies in advance for the delay.
August 31, 2007
This strange attraction
I already wrote a post explaining exactly why I plan to start a new sock right now. And my reasoning, naturally, was flawless.
But in the middle of taking pictures, the strangest thing happened...
Without expecting it, and without looking for it...
I fell in love with the Monkey.
But in the middle of taking pictures, the strangest thing happened...
Without expecting it, and without looking for it...
I fell in love with the Monkey.
August 26, 2007
MDT (most dominant turkey)
I had to fall back on picking a random winner, as you all are just too funny to pick the funniest comment. Very scientifically, I asked TB for a number between 1 and 22, and he chose lucky number 13.
Thus, the winner is...(Blog-Free?) Sherry! Those are some cutie-patootie yellow Monkeys on that Flickr page, by the way (scroll down a bit to see). You can really see the pattern details in that happy yellow yarn. Not that I'm jealous or immediately went pawing through my stash for somewhat solid yarn or anything.
Thanks everyone for playing! I tried to respond to as many of you directly as I could, but I don't always get an email address from Blogger. If I didn't respond, just know that I read and thoroughly enjoyed your comments. And I've got a whole bunch of new blogs to check out, which is a huge bonus!
In other knitting, my friend Kelley (recipient of My Pretties) is starting her first baby sweater. I concocted a pattern mostly based on the Placket-Neck Pullover (sans placket) from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. It will look kind of like this. Nice straightforward bottom-up raglan action.
Kelley'snewly inducted into the cult a fairly new knitter, so she didn't have sufficient stash on hand for this project. Clearly, a trip to A Good Yarn was in order.
Equally clearly, she is a woman with good taste in yarn. Witness the Araucania Pomaire she picked out.
I predict wonderful things of her. Cuz this yarn is about 400 times prettier in person. To the point where I kept asking her if I could knit "just one row" on her sweater to see how the colors were lining up. Those few rows convinced me that all the yarn I currently have is crap. According to the Yarn Harlot, this is one of yarn's first tricks, but I fall for it every time.
I was particularly impressed that Kelley wanted to ball up her new yarn at the bar immediately afterwards.
Our very Irish twenty-something waitress brogued "You've got a whole cottage industry set up here. I feel like I should get a loom and join you." Then she pointed out that the balling up process would work much more smoothly if we used two chairs to hold the skein open. Smart lady.
Finally, in a labor of love not unlike the labors of mighty Hercules (though with less shoveling of poo), I finished TB's first sock. While I'm charmed by the way the heel and toe striping matched up, I'm still somewhat amazed at the sheer enormity of man feet.
And yes, I did make him try it on again in the 95+ degree, ungodly humid heat on Saturday.
Because sometimes love means "trying on a partially knit sock for the twentieth time even though it's well over a hundred degrees out according to the heat index."
Thus, the winner is...(Blog-Free?) Sherry! Those are some cutie-patootie yellow Monkeys on that Flickr page, by the way (scroll down a bit to see). You can really see the pattern details in that happy yellow yarn. Not that I'm jealous or immediately went pawing through my stash for somewhat solid yarn or anything.
Thanks everyone for playing! I tried to respond to as many of you directly as I could, but I don't always get an email address from Blogger. If I didn't respond, just know that I read and thoroughly enjoyed your comments. And I've got a whole bunch of new blogs to check out, which is a huge bonus!
In other knitting, my friend Kelley (recipient of My Pretties) is starting her first baby sweater. I concocted a pattern mostly based on the Placket-Neck Pullover (sans placket) from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. It will look kind of like this. Nice straightforward bottom-up raglan action.
Kelley's
Equally clearly, she is a woman with good taste in yarn. Witness the Araucania Pomaire she picked out.
I predict wonderful things of her. Cuz this yarn is about 400 times prettier in person. To the point where I kept asking her if I could knit "just one row" on her sweater to see how the colors were lining up. Those few rows convinced me that all the yarn I currently have is crap. According to the Yarn Harlot, this is one of yarn's first tricks, but I fall for it every time.
I was particularly impressed that Kelley wanted to ball up her new yarn at the bar immediately afterwards.
Our very Irish twenty-something waitress brogued "You've got a whole cottage industry set up here. I feel like I should get a loom and join you." Then she pointed out that the balling up process would work much more smoothly if we used two chairs to hold the skein open. Smart lady.
Finally, in a labor of love not unlike the labors of mighty Hercules (though with less shoveling of poo), I finished TB's first sock. While I'm charmed by the way the heel and toe striping matched up, I'm still somewhat amazed at the sheer enormity of man feet.
And yes, I did make him try it on again in the 95+ degree, ungodly humid heat on Saturday.
Because sometimes love means "trying on a partially knit sock for the twentieth time even though it's well over a hundred degrees out according to the heat index."
August 22, 2007
Unblogiversary meanderings
It’s been really nice to look back over a year of posts to see how much I’ve learned (though I fully expect to screw something up spectacularly, and soon, having made that statement. I know how the knitting gods work).
Appropriately enough, my first knitting post was about my first pair of socks. I knit them on size 4 needles from the first Berroco Ultra Alpaca I ever bought. That first knitting post also included the bold proclamation that “I'm done being second sock syndrome's bitch.”
Clearly that didn't stick. My latest future Single Sock is the Ubiquitous Monkey. I picked it up again after finishing my Sockapalooza socks (hmmm…haven’t heard from sock pal yet – Trying. Not. To. Hyperventilate).
Anyway, I tried knitting a few inches of TB's socks last week, and it just seemed kinda boring and unsatisfying. Where were my beloved yarn-overs and ssks?
Ah, there you are…
You’ve heard this a zillion times on a zillion knitting blogs, but this is a damn good pattern. I even have a favorite part – I get a little thrill each time I knit into the back loop of the second part of the double yarn-over in row 4. Every time I do, I actually go “WHEEE!” in my head. Not sure why, though I suspect that it’s because I’m somewhat simple and therefore easily entertained.
As for the results? Meh. I still think the colors obscure the awesomeness of the pattern, and it pooled like a bastard at the gussets, but I’m having too much fun to care.
Plus, this yarn is waaay overdue to become a sock – it was the very first fancy sock yarn I bought, well over a year ago. When I bought it, I proudly plopped the yarn on the counter at the yarn shop, and gleefully announced that I would be starting my first socks.
The mean yarn shop lady looked at my yarn, then at me, then said in a weary tone “Everyone’s knitting socks these days. It’s really trendy.”
Good thing I didn’t know about turkey dominance back then or I would have been all up in her grill. As the kids say.
And that should remind you that the Unblogiversary Exert Your Turkey Dominance Contest is running until Sunday.
You really, really want that yarn.
You know you do.
Appropriately enough, my first knitting post was about my first pair of socks. I knit them on size 4 needles from the first Berroco Ultra Alpaca I ever bought. That first knitting post also included the bold proclamation that “I'm done being second sock syndrome's bitch.”
Clearly that didn't stick. My latest future Single Sock is the Ubiquitous Monkey. I picked it up again after finishing my Sockapalooza socks (hmmm…haven’t heard from sock pal yet – Trying. Not. To. Hyperventilate).
Anyway, I tried knitting a few inches of TB's socks last week, and it just seemed kinda boring and unsatisfying. Where were my beloved yarn-overs and ssks?
Ah, there you are…
You’ve heard this a zillion times on a zillion knitting blogs, but this is a damn good pattern. I even have a favorite part – I get a little thrill each time I knit into the back loop of the second part of the double yarn-over in row 4. Every time I do, I actually go “WHEEE!” in my head. Not sure why, though I suspect that it’s because I’m somewhat simple and therefore easily entertained.
As for the results? Meh. I still think the colors obscure the awesomeness of the pattern, and it pooled like a bastard at the gussets, but I’m having too much fun to care.
Plus, this yarn is waaay overdue to become a sock – it was the very first fancy sock yarn I bought, well over a year ago. When I bought it, I proudly plopped the yarn on the counter at the yarn shop, and gleefully announced that I would be starting my first socks.
The mean yarn shop lady looked at my yarn, then at me, then said in a weary tone “Everyone’s knitting socks these days. It’s really trendy.”
Good thing I didn’t know about turkey dominance back then or I would have been all up in her grill. As the kids say.
And that should remind you that the Unblogiversary Exert Your Turkey Dominance Contest is running until Sunday.
You really, really want that yarn.
You know you do.
August 20, 2007
Exert your turkey dominance contest!
I’m not at my best in the morning. So when I saw this on my way to work today, I was pretty sure my sleep-addled brain was just not processing something correctly.
Because, really, how could there possibly be a gigantic waist-high wild turkey on Beacon street, the four-lane main drag running through the by-no-means-suburban Washington Square area of Brookline, miles from any kind of woodlands?
But it actually was a real live wild turkey, just pecking in the dirt by a fire hydrant! (Note to self: never relax bloggerly vigilance for an instant by leaving camera at home because your cell phone camera will be entirely inadequate for surprise wildlife encounters).
When I passed a Brookline cop and mentioned the ENORMOUS LIVE TURKEY hanging out in the middle of a busy intersection, he rolled his eyes and said “Yeah, they’re everywhere. Wait a few months and you’ll have Thanksgiving dinner."
Even better, when I told my friends about it, Megan (of the dainty feet) sent this helpful NPR article which says Brookline is occasionally overrun by aggressive wild turkeys!
In particular, NPR says that “birds who get accustomed to suburban life apparently start to see people as other turkeys, often displaying aggressive social behavior in attempts to establish their "turkey dominance."
My friend Quinn’s response to the whole thing: “I am going to use the phrase "turkey dominance" as much as possible, and for the rest of my life.”
I heartily agree. I think the world would be much simpler if all arguments could be settled by jumping up and down on someone and flapping one's wings. In fact, I'm planning to exert my turkey dominance on TB's ass the next time we spend thirty minutes arguing about which movie to rent, by jumping on his back, flapping my arms and scratching him with a special talon I plan to grow on my leg. Just as an example.
So in honor of my blogiversary (Wednesday!) and the awesome discovery of aggressive wild turkey behavior, I'm having a contest. Leave a comment describing how you would exert your turkey dominance, or about your own strange wildlife encounter, or any funny, random thing that occurs to you, really, and you'll be eligible to win one of two skeins of Lucy's merino-tencel hand-dyed sock yarn. Just let me know which you'd prefer.
This one (we'll call it Turkey)...
Or this one (We'll call it Dominance)...
See here for a good shot of this yarn. Or those of you on Ravelry, check this out. It's hard to photograph because of the tencel, but trust me, it's good stuff.
Winner to be picked at random on Sunday, August 26, or based on whichever comment I find funniest at the time. Or both. A dominant turkey scoffs at clear rules.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Because, really, how could there possibly be a gigantic waist-high wild turkey on Beacon street, the four-lane main drag running through the by-no-means-suburban Washington Square area of Brookline, miles from any kind of woodlands?
But it actually was a real live wild turkey, just pecking in the dirt by a fire hydrant! (Note to self: never relax bloggerly vigilance for an instant by leaving camera at home because your cell phone camera will be entirely inadequate for surprise wildlife encounters).
When I passed a Brookline cop and mentioned the ENORMOUS LIVE TURKEY hanging out in the middle of a busy intersection, he rolled his eyes and said “Yeah, they’re everywhere. Wait a few months and you’ll have Thanksgiving dinner."
Even better, when I told my friends about it, Megan (of the dainty feet) sent this helpful NPR article which says Brookline is occasionally overrun by aggressive wild turkeys!
In particular, NPR says that “birds who get accustomed to suburban life apparently start to see people as other turkeys, often displaying aggressive social behavior in attempts to establish their "turkey dominance."
My friend Quinn’s response to the whole thing: “I am going to use the phrase "turkey dominance" as much as possible, and for the rest of my life.”
I heartily agree. I think the world would be much simpler if all arguments could be settled by jumping up and down on someone and flapping one's wings. In fact, I'm planning to exert my turkey dominance on TB's ass the next time we spend thirty minutes arguing about which movie to rent, by jumping on his back, flapping my arms and scratching him with a special talon I plan to grow on my leg. Just as an example.
So in honor of my blogiversary (Wednesday!) and the awesome discovery of aggressive wild turkey behavior, I'm having a contest. Leave a comment describing how you would exert your turkey dominance, or about your own strange wildlife encounter, or any funny, random thing that occurs to you, really, and you'll be eligible to win one of two skeins of Lucy's merino-tencel hand-dyed sock yarn. Just let me know which you'd prefer.
This one (we'll call it Turkey)...
Or this one (We'll call it Dominance)...
See here for a good shot of this yarn. Or those of you on Ravelry, check this out. It's hard to photograph because of the tencel, but trust me, it's good stuff.
Winner to be picked at random on Sunday, August 26, or based on whichever comment I find funniest at the time. Or both. A dominant turkey scoffs at clear rules.
Happy Monday, everyone!
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