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January 31, 2005
Blahs
I'm depressed. And while this may have A LOT to do with it (Kerstin, have you seen this?), it's not the only thing.
I think I caught the January blahs going around. Before I left on vacation I was doing good. Now I'm feeling overwhelmed. My house is falling down around me, literally. As I write this there are men on a platform HANGING outside my windows (yes, three windows, covering three rooms - it's a big fucking platform) drilling into the side of my BRICK highrise. If my head doesn't explode first, I'm going to kill someone. Preferably beginning with the guy who waved to me as he hung by my bedroom window.
I have taxes to prepare. I bought TurboTax thinking any accountant I lay out big bucks for is just going to plug in numbers to TT anyway. So I bought it. The taxes are now my responsibility. I spent all day yesterday getting my business in order. My sister is going to help me set up Quickbooks, but until then, it's sort of a pencil and paper operation. I think I got it all - but I still get nervous I'm missing something. Credit cards are actually a good thing sometimes. I try really hard to charge everything for the business - so I can just do a data dump from the credit card company for all of the charges.
My poor camera is still dead, and dying more and more as the seconds go by. I'm actually pretty sad about it. This was the camera that started it all. I'm taking it in to the Canon hospital today - but I'm not expecting any miracles. (Maybe secretly I just want yet ANOTHER new camera? SHHHHHHH! Don't even think it!)
On the knitting front, (that's why we're here, I guess) I started the first Picot-Boo sleeve and I actually did some work on my Ribby Cardi. I'd like to get that done pretty quickly - it should be an easy knit. I enjoyed what I knit of it this weekend, so we shall see. In my mind I'm also designing my father's sweater, a cardigan for myself and the new baby's blanket. I was toying with the idea of placing hearts around the blanket in squares - maybe hearts and stars, but I may have given up on that. Too much thinking and I just want to knit the blanket. I may think about forgoing any kind of pattern and doing stockinette (it's so soft!) and a ribbon/satiny border, you know something soft for baby. We'll see. Too many projects in my head. I can't concentrate.
More good news: yesterday the 100th person signed onto K1R2! I find that absolutely incredible. Today starts the discussion of The Plot Against America. I posted at around midnight last night, so excited, and as of yet no one's commented. I know, I know. I shouldn't expect people to be losing sleep over this, but it's like, you know, my baby. I want it to be great.
Back to feeling sorry for myself and getting some work done. I have to pick up my best friend at the airport today. She's in for about 24 hours. She'll hold me up; she always does.
Posted by Cara at 12:45 PM | Comments (6)
January 28, 2005
I have my very own Secret Pal!
Thank you Secret Pal for your warm introduction! I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. Here are some more items to help you get to know me:
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- a nd/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
Yes, I would say I am definitely a yarn snob. I can honestly say I've never knit with Lion Brand OR Red Heart. I'm also all about touch. If it feels icky, I don't want to knit with it.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
No. I can crochet a border on a knitted blanket, but that's the extent of it. I don't really have a desire to crochet or spin at this time.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
No allergies, per se, but I don't have any animals because I'm not really a pet person. Don't wear perfume because most of it is overbearing. I don't smoke because it's disgusting. For fiber allergies, see question #1. ;-)
4. How long have you been knitting?
About three years, I think. Yes. Three years.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No, but I can make one....
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I'm a citrousy type person. Lemon Verbena (L'Occitaine) is a particular favorite, nothing too strong.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Is the Pope Catholic? I like gummy, fruity stuff just a tad more than chocolate. And milk chocolate.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
None, really.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I can play MP3s on my computer. Music I like - I don't like Country or Heavy Metal. I love, love, love Bruce Springsteen. I'll try anything once.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
Greens. Blues. I've been into pinks lately. A fall palette. I'm not really choosy.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Married. No kids. No pets.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
Lucky me, I'm kind of living the dream. I write. I'm a photographer. I knit. I have a wonderful husband who loves me more than anything and a great family. Terrific friends. I know. You hate me. I'm sorry. I really am.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Right now, I'm absolutely LOVING ArtYarn Supermerino (or Ultramerino) and Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran - tweed or otherwise.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I'm not really into cottons. Unless it's Rowan Calmer or All Seasons Cotton.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
I'll try anything - I'm going to be taking a class on color knitting soon, and I love cables.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Sweaters. I like the big, complicated patterns.
17. What are you knitting right now?
My first pair of socks (not so thrilled with them). A sweater for my niece. A ribby cardi. I'm about to start another sweater for my father.
18. What do you think about ponchos?
I made one for myself, one for a friend's daughter and one for my niece. I think I've made enough.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
I pretty much only knit on Addi Turbo circulars.
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
See question #19.
21. Are you a sock knitter?
Not really. I'm making my first pair as we speak, but it very well might be my last.
22. How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother taught me.
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
About six months old. I have a few scarfs/shawls that are unfinished, bascially because I don't really care about them. I'm generally a really good finisher.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
Hmmm. I'm not sure I have one. Curious George if I have to pick, because of my husband.
25. What is your favorite holiday?
New Year's Day! ;-) No, really. I'm not a big holiday person, but how about Arbor Day?
26. Is there anything that you collect?
You mean besides yarn, right? Books. Books and more books.
Posted by Cara at 07:17 PM | Comments (5)
I need to be back in Florida...
RIGHT NOW!
Everything's gone down hill since I've gotten home. I won't bore you with details, but I will give you this little tidbit:
I've been taking pictures forever. I've been open for business for over a year. I've been using my camera for that long and have NEVER EVER had a problem.
Yesterday I had a job. I didn't bring the new camera because I'm not comfortable with it yet - I haven't tested the flash, shot with all the lenses, played with it - you know. So I leave it home. I get to the job, get everything set up, go to take pictures with my old camera, which I've NEVER EVER had a problem with - I hit the shutter and WHAMO, or I should say BLAMO - the damn thing dies.
ERROR 99
The death knell.
In the end, I ran home to get the new camera and everything went well, but still. My heart.
I'm tired and I'm cranky so I bought my yarn for The Flower Basket Bag. I'm using Cascade Magnum, which I found for a great price over at Hello Knitty. I need some big ass needles, but I'm on my way. I hope it's fast and fun. I could use some of that.
On a brighter note, I received my Secret Pal's name. I'm excited to spoil someone from a far - I've never done one of these before, so I'm hoping it's lots of fun.
Have a nice weekend everyone! Hope it's full of brightness and cheer. We could use some.
Posted by Cara at 06:59 PM | Comments (2)
January 27, 2005
Hello!? Is anybody there?
[crackle crackle static crackle] Hey, can you hear that? [crackle static crackle crackle] I'm on gasp dial-up! That's right - no cable in my town. At all. Anymore. [crackle crackle static] They say it will be fixed soon. [static crackle] Has anyone stopped laughing yet?
Have no fear, I managed to find 24 skeins of All Season's Cotton in the lovely Tapestry color at Jimmy Bean's Wool and Yarnia. At closeout prices to boot. I also picked up both a Bouton D'Or and an Anny Blatt layette book for the new baby, who will be stylin'.
If you do nothing else today, please read Aharon Appelfeld's editorial on the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.
Okay. Back to the cave.
PS - This post cost me $468,359.87 on AOLs trumped up connection. See how much I love you?
Posted by Cara at 08:36 AM | Comments (3)
January 26, 2005
Waaaahhh! I wanna go baaack!
Or What I Knit On My Fantastic, Brief, Beautiful, Star-struck, Brief, WARM, Romantic, Wonderful, did I say brief? Vacation! Thank you Georgie Mou!
From left to right:
Front of Picot-Boo
It wasn't started on the vacation, but it was finished there, so it counts!
Swatch for baby's blanket
I tried out the All Season's Cotton for my new niece or nephew's blanket, and of course, I love it. Wouldn't you know, the color, Tapestry (#172), a nice, pale, gender neutral yellow, is discontinued. I'm going to try to find enough of it in Internetyarnland. Not sure what I'm going to do with it - the pattern in stockinette is so soft and I think if I wash it will get even softer. A nice knit/purl stitch would be nice, but I don't know. I think I might like a nice satiny border on it as well.
Key Biscayne Socks
Annie was right. I was being ambitious to think I'd come home with a pair, but I did almost finish ONE! I'm using Koigu on size 3 needles - the color is like a nice cabernet (very difficult to photograph though). The pattern I'm using is from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, fast becoming my bible. I have something like a hole, let's call it a gap, where I picked up stitches at the heel, but otherwise I'm pretty pleased with it! It's too loose around the calf and will probably slouch, but whatever. I have to finish the foot and the toe, but the hard part's done.
 |  |
Hey! Get a load of my super-fine manicure! I had fun hanging with the salon girls and getting all the gossip. Nice tan, huh? I'm trying to keep my lower calves, not to mention my toes, wrinkle free, dontcha know! Oh yeah, and are socks supposed to look like ribbed casts? |
Back to the vacation...can I go back to the vacation?
It was really wonderful. The hotel was very, very, very nice.
And we saw Conan again, on our last day. In one of the most surreal experiences in my life, I read this Op-Ed article about Johnny Carson while sitting lunching by the pool. When I got to this line:
There is another thing that never came back: late-night television for grown-ups. I know, there's Jay and Dave and Conan, and guys on cable, too. We were supposed to get excited a while ago that Conan O'Brien was being groomed for the big one. But no one cares now.
I looked up across the pool - and there was Conan. It was definitely very weird. Never did talk to him. He was busy with his family and I didn't want to interrupt. I'll catch him next time! ;)
If you want to see some pictures from the trip, keep reading...
Georgie played a lot of tennis while we were there - and I played with my new camera, which completely kicks ass.
[Disclaimer about the photos - I didn't have my serious photographer hat on, but my "let's see how this baby works" hat.]
Check out my Wimbledon champion!
That's real freaking grass for those who know!
I tried out all my lenses to make sure they worked with my new gear. Here's my macro lens at work on some old palm type leaves:
Our room was beautiful - the view especially. Here's the view from the bed ;)
And the sunset from the balcony:
Here's a picture from the property:
And the beach:
Georgie has done really well on our last couple vacations. He heads up the travel department of an NYC investment bank so he's got the connections, but he also knows all the good poop on where to go and stay. I just sit back and let him do all the planning. Thanks again my love!
And thanks to all of you for playing along!
Posted by Cara at 12:57 PM | Comments (8)
Tag! I'm it!
Mrs. Pilkington tagged me - and how can I refuse such an ambitious knitter with such an adorable Cocoa Pebbles?
1. Total amount of music files on your computer:
10.6 gb in the file called Music. But there's other stuff hiding out - especially lots of Bruce bootleg files.
Most of the stuff is from the good ol' Napster days. And then we had a hard drive melt down about a few weeks back and most of the stuff I ripped on my own is completely messed up. I don't have the energy to re-rip, but it's such a bummer. Basically, the song starts out good and then gets completely corrupted in the middle.
2. The last CD you bought was:
Two at the same time: Maroon 5, Songs About Jane and the self-titled album by Los Lonely Boys. Honestly, both are still in the wrapper.
[Actually, this may not be correct, but I'm not sure about the dates. I was out with Georgie and Melanie one night and we went to see our friend Gus play. His band played an amazing version of Superstition by Stevie Wonder (made even more amazing since they're all super white boys and they were playing in a very Irish bar.) We just had to stop by Tower on the way home and pick up some SW Greatest Hits. It was a funkalicious ride home through the Lincoln Tunnel that night!]
3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message?
Cake, "The Distance"
4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
You're kidding right? Five songs. Ridiculous. Okay. Here goes.
1. For You, by Bruce Springsteen. I chose this because Georgie and I have been fortunate to hear it every tour we've been to over the last ten years. Really. We don't go every night of every tour (I'm mean we're freaks, but we're not FREAKS!) so I pick and choose the nights we go very carefully. It just so happens I've picked the night Bruce plays "For You" on a fairly regular basis. And every time we hear it, we both go crazy and hug each other really tight then remind ourselves to ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE SONG, then are breathless for a least three songs after. I have actually been known to cry. (Okay, maybe I am a FREAK - I generally cry throughout the first three songs regardless of what they are anyway.) I love this song, but it could easily be switched out with Prove It, The Fever, Drive All Night - the list of Bruce love songs is endless.
2. The Very Thought of You, Tony Bennett Version. For our anniversary, right after we moved into our new apartment about seven years ago, I bought the sheet music to this song, our song, and had it framed. It's the only thing to adorn our bedroom walls.
3. Lovely Day by Bill Withers. This song, yet another song introduced to me by my beloved, DOES NOT EVER fail to put me in a better mood. I recommend it as a remedy to work-induced nausea. It should be the wake up call to the workers of the world!
[By the way, "For You" just popped up on I-Tunes! Fate or what? I ask you....]
4. I've Seen That Face Before/Libertango by Grace Jones
This entry says it all.
5. Bad Sneakers by Steely Dan. This was the song I played in college a gazillion million times - basically every time I thought I was going crazy. Can easily be interchanged with Nik Kershaw's Wouldn't It Be Good.
One more for good measure:
Best of My Love by The Emotions because it just came up on I-Tunes and I can't help but dance around and think about how much I love my man! I'm sorry, I'm missing him today - coming home from vacation is hard.
5. Who are you going to pass this stick to? (3 persons) and why?
I'm going to choose three people I don't know very well, but would like to get to know better.
Hopefully they'll be happy about it! If not, please, please forgive me!
Posted by Cara at 09:11 AM | Comments (7)
January 22, 2005
Late Night Stalking
OMG! We're sitting on the beach watching a seagull drinking an icy, chocolaty alcoholic beverage (no lie - it was hysterical - well maybe not to the woman whose drink it was.... Do animals have addictions?) when Georgie says hey, that guy over there, that's Conan O'Brien! Sure enough! He was covered head to toe and at first we thought he was going incognito but the guy is that palest person in history. He's with his wife and baby girl and they're staying on the floor above us. How do I know this? Well we just happened to run into them in the lobby and the gift shop and the elevator bank and the.... Coincidence, okay? I mean, we were in the gift shop FIRST.
I kept telling Georgie we needed to go talk to him, not because we like him so much, but because we could all become friends and he could introduce us to Max and then we've got our BRUCE connection. But no. I'm still hoping Triumph poops up somewhere....
Okay - got to shave my legs real quick before my pedicure while Georgie's playing tennis.
(Obligatory knitting content - I'm five decreases in on the front of Picot-Boo. It's going fast.)
Oh and too all you readers caught in the Blizzard, it's fucking gorgeous here! Forgive me!
Posted by Cara at 04:14 PM | Comments (5)
January 21, 2005
School Daze - Final Exam
(Read carefully! You WILL be tested.)
Okay, these are the things I learned from this project:
1. I have big, heavy boobs that need to be lifted by either a) a crane, b) a forklift, or c) a better, newer, steel re-inforced bra.
2. These aforementioned boobs fuck up everything when it comes to clothes. Unless you have the kind that are filled to the rim with silicone, they just don't look good in clothes. Maybe if you're wearing the also aforementioned steel re-inforced boob cage.
3. I need to learn shaping. The always enchanting Juno discussed this big boob problem not too long ago and I'm going to take heed if I ever (which I will) knit something for myself again - make that if I knit a pullover type thing for myself again.
4. I wouldn't have this problem with a freaking cardigan.
5. I now know that I can put together my own pattern and make adjustments as I go along and everything will come out right. The thing is, even though the vest isn't the most flattering article of clothing I've ever worn, IT CAME OUT EXACTLY AS I'D IMAGINED IT! That, in and of itself, I count as a major, major accomplishment. Don't get me wrong - I'll wear it. I'm wearing it right now as a matter of fact, but I will feel fat in it. I just will.
[Big, huge, bigger than huge thanks go out to Ms. Budd and those fine folks over at the Harmony Guides - couldn't have done it without you!]
6. I should've made the shoulders shorter. I panicked when I made the back because the collar seemed so small, but the neckband fixes that. I should've bound off a couple more stitches and the shoulders would be perfect.
[Add to this what I learned yesterday - NO STAIR STEP BIND OFFS! Got it? Good.]
7. I should've made it about an inch smaller around the body. I feared, as I was knitting, that it would be too big, and it is. Not as big as I thought it might be, but just a tad too big. It makes me look like I have a roll of fat around the middle. Remember what Righetti says! Knits STRETCH! You CAN go smaller than you think!
8. I don't like taking pictures of myself. It's hard. Especially since I'm used to having some control over the photograph I get. I don't like tripods. I don't like timers. but here are the pictures anyway:
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See the pseudo roll of fat in the picture with the pink shirt? I can assure you this is all sweater. Sure, I need to lose anywhere between 15 and 20 lbs., but please take into consideration the gigantour boobs. They make you look fat! Besides, I'm PMS. And I am still quite nicely within the CDC guidelines for obesity thank you very much. Isn't my neck lovely? It's one of my favorite parts of my body. |
9. The Manos is nice. I might knit with it again. The vest took about 4 1/2 skeins. Probably a little less.
10. I can't wait to get started on my next design! It's going to be a sweater for my father!
Okay! Next up...socks! We're going to Key Biscayne for a long weekend and my goal is to figure out my new camera and come home with a pair of socks! Oh and finish The Plot Against America. Wish me luck!
Posted by Cara at 01:00 PM | Comments (24)
January 19, 2005
Flower Basket
Picked up the new VK yesterday and this caught my eye....
And wouldn't you know it, while I was surfing the blogs today I found this:
So I joined up! The Tahki is really expensive so I'm thinking I'm going to go with Cascade Magnum. I just love this bag. It's so not me, but I think it would make a nice yarn bag or something as decoration, not necessarily as a bag per se.
School Daze is coming along better than I ever expected. It looks EXACTLY like I wanted it to. Neckband's done. One armband is done, but needs to be ripped a couple of rows - I think it's too wide, next armband, seams and .... expect a picture on Friday.
I'm ready. Are you?
Posted by Cara at 12:56 PM | Comments (3)
January 18, 2005
Taking Back Our Home
This weekend was all about taking back our home. It's kind of falling apart (on the inside and out - we live in a high-rise and the Board has informed us the building needs about $15 million worth of work - who's going to pay for that you ask?) but we're trying to get it back in baby steps.
Last week we had the plumber in - $600 later we have a non-leaking kitchen sink and all three toilets flush, leak free! Yeah for working plumbing! (You may question why we need three toilets if there are only two of in the house. Options, dahling, options.)
So, now that that's out of the way, we can clean things up. The place is a sty. I bought a Swiffer WetJet and I love it, except Georgie (who likes to give goofy names to everything) keeps calling it the Swift Boat thinga-ma-jig. I need to be reminded of that every five minutes for sure! The good thing is my floors might actually be semi-clean now. I love the little scrubby thing on the side too.
Georgie sealed up the windows in the bedrooms so our house is nice and toasty now that it's freezing! And I finally organized my stash! I gave up on the cedar chest - too much money, not enough space - and went with some plastic bins that fit in the closet perfectly. And my stash pretty much fit in one of the bins so I have an emtpy one to fill. I also bought a lovely leather basket type thing at Crate & Barrel the other day - it was marked down a lot - for storing my current projects. I figure I can tote it around if need be, but it will probably sit next to me by the couch. Here's a picture of it filled with Jo Sharp stash!
It's actually not completely filled with Jo Sharp -
my project bags take up most of the basket and the Jo Sharp
accents the top. For a more pleasing picture.
Georgie made a lovely pasta bolognese the other night and for dessert - my own molten chocolate cake! He bought the mix and the ramekins from Williams & Sonoma and made it himself. It was fantastic. We may never go out to eat again.
ETA: Annie asked for a recipe. There is none! It's a kit. They send you the chocolate drops and the cake mix and you melt the chocolate and add water and butter to the mix (two sticks of butter!) then add the chocolate to the mix. Once it's all together, put it into the little ramekins and bake for 12-15 minutes. That's it! So easy and unbelievably good. It makes about 8-12 cakes. We made four and put the rest of the batter in the frig. The next day I scooped out the cold mix into the ramekins, baked it, and it was just as good as fresh. The mix came from Williams & Sonoma.
While School Daze was blocking, I managed to finish the back and start the front of Picot-Boo. I'm still completely in love with this yarn.
This picture was taken with my new 50mm f1.4 lens,
which has an extremely narrow depth of field (that's why so much of it is blurry.)
I thought the picture was interesting.
What I learned in school...
Never do a stair-step bind off on the shoulders (or anywhere for the matter!) What a pain in the ass. I started to seam the shoulders for School Daze last night - it blocked beautifully - and met with all kinds of problems. After consulting my books (they all said don't do it - thanks!) and finding this very, very helpful web page, I think my seams look just fine thank you!
Like the rug underneath the knit? It's Bonne Marie's idea.
I figure if her blocking method works so well, might as well have the rug too!
As an extra bonus, it matches our decor too!
What else? Class went well on Thursday. Cassie sums up the teaching experience pretty well in her post today. It's performance art all the way! I have fourteen people in the class and already I can tell the difference between Fiction I and Fiction II - in F1 they're feeling their way - I want to write, but maybe I don't have what it takes. In F2, they are there for the long haul. So it's all good.
My new camera came as well. But I haven't really played with it yet - I'm waiting for our trip this weekend to beautiful sunny Miami (fingers crossed for the weather.)
Have a great day!
Posted by Cara at 10:54 AM | Comments (8)
January 17, 2005
Knitblogs Protest!
January 20th. Knitblogs everywhere. Protest the unbelievable decadence of the Inauguration in this time of tragedy and war. As seen on Kerstin's blog.
I'm in. Are you?
Posted by Cara at 04:55 PM | Comments (5)
January 16, 2005
School Daze - Update
The front is finished! I'm thrilled with how the cable split for the v-neck, and really all because my math was screwed up. I'm still not sure how it all worked out - suffice it say I'm not positive that 1+1 really does equal 2, but I don't care, because it worked.
Here are a couple of pictures:
It's blocking as we speak, using my very favorite method. I'm thinking a few rows of 2x2 rib for the arms and the neck and finito! I doubt I'll have it done for class on Thursday, but you can bet I'll wear it the following week. And an A to any student who asks if I made it myself. (Of course, it's continuing ed, so they don't get grades....)
Thanks to all who answered my guilty pleasure question. It made me think a lot, which is always a good thing. I've decided that as long as we're not killing any people, it's all good. They have yet to prove TV can actually kill (or have they?)
Posted by Cara at 04:49 PM | Comments (8)
January 13, 2005
Not Guilty Enough!
Thanks everybody for commenting on my Fess Up entry. It seems a lot of you claim reality TV as your guilty pleasure. Why? What makes you guilty over it? Because it basically traffics in the humiliation of others? Or because you consider it wasting time? I waste time all day long on TV - I've been watching Days of Our Lives and General Hospital for as long as I can remember. I've literally spent hours on end watching The Nanny! But they don't make me feel guilty - stupid, yes.
I feel guilty watching 24 because it goes against a lot of what I stand for - it promotes racism and stereotyping. It romanticizes extreme violence and lawlessness (all within the confines of a government agency - hmmm, sound familiar?). By watching it I'm inadvertently supporting a media outlet, conglomerate really, that I despise and do my best to avoid. Hence the guilt.
I'm sorry Wendy (and please, I don't mean to single you out, but I have to! ;) ) but I don't understand. What can be bad about watching Fiddler on the Roof? Why would you feel guilty?
I guess what I'm trying to say is that by guilty I meant something much more sinister than bad TV. Because we all know that many times the worst TV can easily be the best.
So I invite you all to try again - or elaborate. Please. I'm enjoying thinking about this.
School Daze
Well, class starts tonight and it's full! I don't have a thing to wear! I had to rip out a bunch of rows yesterday, but all is right now. That Manos can stick though. It's like it felts from the heat of my fingertips. I'm pretty sure I'll finish it this weekend - at least the front, if not the whole thing. It's going really fast.
I have to go prepare for teaching. I'm not looking forward to it - I have to talk a lot tonight and my cough is getting the better of me. Didn't I mention? The rugrats got me sick AGAIN!
Wish me luck!
Posted by Cara at 01:34 PM | Comments (8)
For Cassie
Lower Broadway, somewhere between West 4th and Houston.
East side of the street.
Open door.
Posted by Cara at 01:30 PM | Comments (1)
January 12, 2005
Fess Up
What's your guilty pleasure?
I've been thinking a lot about this after my confessional post yesterday about liking 24. It makes me uncomfortable that I like it, but I still get pleasure out of watching it.
So what's yours? Do you eat at McDonald's on the sly even though you've been a vegetarian for years? Do you secretly keep tapes of W's State of the Union to watch when you're alone? What do you derive secret pleasure from - even though it goes against what you believe?(I'm not talking about silly stuff here, although some might think my watching a television show is silly. But it really does bother me that I like it, yet I'm unwilling to give it up.)
Let me know I'm not alone!
And now I will tell you some things about myself. (Found on Nake-id Knits via Wendy.)
Grooming Products
Shampoo: Rene Furterer Fioravanti Volumizing ShampooMoisturizer:
Body: Pond's Ultra Silk Body Lotion [Discontinued, but my stash survives.]
Face: Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Combination Skin
Hands and Feet: Nexcare Advanced Skin Creme
Cologne: Au Naturel by Moi
Razor: Venus
Toothpaste: Crest Whitening Plus Scope
Electronics
Cell phone: Motorola T720Computer: HP
Television: Which one? We've got three.
Stereo: Four of these - we tend to like Panasonic products though.
Home
Sheets: 100% Egyptian Cotton Wamsutta in EXTRA DEEP. Our bed is huge.Coffee-maker: none
Car: 1988 Honda Accord and 2002 Nissan Altima
Stationery: My own PhotoArtCards.
Beverages
Bottled water: Poland Spring from my very own water cooler.Coffee: Never touch the stuff.
Vodka: In the old days, sure. Now I'm more of a red wine girl.
Beer: MGD
Clothes
Jeans: Sonoma Stretch Five-Pocket (no freakin' boot cut!!!) from Kohl's. My new fav.
T-shirt: Georgie's old Jockey v-necks, soft and worn and still smelling like him - used as pajamas.
Briefcase or tote: felted tote or LeSportsac bag
Sneakers: Asics Gel Kayanos
Watch: ESQ by Movado, but I never wear it.
Favorite Places
My home, my sister's home, La Quinta Resort & Spa, Cape Cod.Necessary Extravagance
Yarn and knitting books, of course. Cut & Color.My life's an open book.
Posted by Cara at 07:44 PM | Comments (11)
The Power of the Internet...
when used for good, not evil, is amazing.
HB1677 is one of the most horrible things I've seen yet coming out of our government. Apparently, John A. Cosgrove, a Delegate of Virginia (Who votes for these people? Don't answer that!) proposed a bill requiring women to REPORT A MISCARRIAGE TO THE POLICE. Here is the bill summary:
Report of fetal death by mother; penalty. Provides that when a fetal death occurs without medical attendance, it shall be the woman's responsibility to report the death to the proper law-enforcement agency within 12 hours of the delivery. Violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Thankfully, bloggers have managed to stop it!
I have to go throw up now. My lunch, along with my faith in humanity, are sewer bound.
Posted by Cara at 12:52 PM | Comments (6)
January 11, 2005
Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt
Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Pitt.
Isn't it funny how when you say Mr. Pitt a lot it takes all the sexiness out of the man. Here's Mr. Pitt. Sexiest Man Alive. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't work.
That said, I must admit I'm a bit sad over the breakup. I liked them as a couple. I really did. I was rooting for them. I wanted at least one hollywood blue state couple to stay together (Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson don't count - I don't care how blue they are, they LOOK too red.) Why couldn't someone like Rush get divorced? Now that would be news. You know, Mr. Family Values, Bush really IS god and all? How would that look in the press. What's that you say? Mr. Rush-give-me-all-your-oxycontin-or-you-die-Limbaugh has been divorced not once, not twice, but THREE FREAKING TIMES? And he's still allowed to call himself a Republican?
I actually feel a little better now.
Okay. Here's my Brad Pitt story. Circa '94ish.
Georgie and I and another couple (can't remember who they were to be honest) are sitting in PJ Clark's, the ultimate Irish Bar/Hamburger joint in NYC. At the table behind us, is this guy, with three other people. He's got really long hair, very scruffy, but somebody famous. I always tell people, when looking for famous people on the streets of New York, if someone looks THAT much like a famous person - it is that person. You have to remember they're totally out of context when you see them on the street. So we're sitting there, trying to be inconspicous and all, trying to figure out just who this guy is. Georgie thought Ethan Hawke. But probably because that was the name that came to his tongue first. Of course, it was Mr. Pitt. And he looked exactly like this. Sort of Legends of the Fall with a Kalifornia psycho edge to him. There you have it folks! I've been thisclose to Mr. Pitt!
In the A Little Self-Promotion Never Hurt Department....
Good news on the work front. I have a new ad up on Baby Zone. Hopefully it will bring lots of traffic. (Yeah, I'm at the bottom of the page, but I'll rotate up every 30 days.)
School Daze
As luck would have it, Jen had her driver's license stolen! Whoo hoo! Sure, it's bad for Jen, but good for me because I had company yesterday at the DMV. I had to renew my license. The picture's not bad.What does an hour and a half at the DMV get you? That's right - a start on the front of School Daze:
And here's the start of the front:
I've finished two repeats - The cable is a sixteen row repeat over 24 stitches. I'm not sure how I'm going to split for the v-neck anymore. I could split at the 16 row mark (it looks like there were 61 rows in the body until the arm decreases on the back) or I could let it go for a shorter v-neck and do another eight rows or so. I'll play with it.
The whole thing is probably a smidge too wide and a smidge too long, but I'll live. We'll see when it's done. I'm happy with it so far. I think the yarn takes the cable really well.
Technical Note
Something's wrong with the gallery where I host my pictures. They've been having trouble for a little while now, and I'm hoping that the fact that the entire site is down today is proof that they're trying to fix the problems. It's a good product, one I'm happy to support, but I fear that if the problems aren't fixed soon, I'll have to go elsewhere. So if you've been seeing some broken picture links, especially in the archives, this is probably the reason. Hopefully all will be well soon. Thanks for your patience.Posted by Cara at 12:31 PM | Comments (4)
January 10, 2005
ATTACK!
A DDos attack at that.
As many of you may know (well, you should know - I blogged about it. C'mon people - there WILL be a quiz!) I switched hosts around Christmas. Everything went pretty smoothly and I was terrifically impressed with the customer service. The cs at my last host was pretty much non-existent. These new people were emailing me Xmas eve. Very nice.
Apparently their service is so good, they host many a blog. (They have good MT support - which is one of the reasons I went with them.) Some of these blogs are very controversial. (I won't link to them because I don't want any backlash. Yes, they are pretty bad.)
Well, these blogs (I'm assuming) were the subject of an Internet attack that took place Friday night and Sunday night. The way I think it works is that an unimaginable amount of information was being sent to the servers so as to crowd them so bad no information could get through. The result - all the servers appear down, which means no websites for me! (And many others.)
That means no this site, no K1R2, no business site. No good.
I and my sites are a little ity bity pawn in the big bad war against opinion (alright - some pretty sick opinions, but opinion nonetheless.)
Now I'm all for free speech. The free-er the better. I remember my Hebrew School teacher telling us all the time - you have to let the Nazis march, because if you tell them they can't march, then they can turn around and tell you YOU can't march. So bring on the vitriol, I say. Especially on the Internet. (You can turn it off, people. Just like the TV, close a newspaper, etc. It's called free will and goes hand in hand with free speech.)
So what do I do? I like the service - I'm very happy with it - especially in the time of outage - regular updates. They seem to have worked very hard to get everything going again. I guess I'll wait and see what happens. The last big attack they had was in 10/2003. Maybe they won't have another one for a while.
Speaking of attacks....
He's ba-aack!
That's right! Our favorite Lost Boy is back with a vengeance. It's totally not my thing, but somehow I've become completely addicted to it. It all started one ridiculously rainy weekend we spent in Nashville. Georgie was having hip surgery and we were pretty much confined to our hotel room, and not just because he was recuperating. Noah would have had a field day that weekend. The best part was we had the first season on DVD. You CANNOT watch just one episode. We watched many, only coming up for air to eat and sleep. We somehow made it home that weekend just as the blizzard was hitting and were stuck in the house for another few days and watched more episodes. The way a cat takes to nip, I took to 24. Scary, I know.
But Georgie LOVES this show. He gets so excited which gets me excited and it's so over the top as to be grand almost.
BUT, (yes another but) it's AWFUL. It taps into all the paranoid red state ideals of America Against the World! Fight for Freedom! AND, to make matters worse, it's on that faux news channel.
If I like it, does that make me a bad person? Do I have to give back my Roe vs Wade button? My ACLU card? My blue state status? (I swear! I didn't know Amazon was BAD!)
I ask you! How can something so good make you feel so bad?
School Daze
I managed to finish the back while I was at my sister's. I'm still a little iffy on the sizing, but I'm going with it. I cast on for the front and finished the rib - now the fun begins! Pictures later. Hopefully.Oh and Picot-Boo will have to be ripped, yet again. But this is the last time, I swear.
I'm back, baby! I'm back!
Posted by Cara at 09:23 AM | Comments (9)
January 07, 2005
Midnight Fly-by
Just stopping in to say hi. I miss my blog. Isn't that strange? But I've become accustomed to its face.
It's after midnight and I'm up in "my room" at my sister's house. She has a three story house, with two bedrooms on the third floor - it's sort of a repository area, if you know what I mean. My room is up there - with a TV and currently, my sister's new laptop with wireless Internet! Yay! Almost all the comforts of home, except I miss Georgie. I just hate sleeping without him. Although it was nice falling asleep, for a little while at least, with my amazing niece. I miss her and my nephew so much when I'm not with them - almost as much as I miss George. I wish I could have them all closer together, but that's not to be, at least not any time soon. So I trade off and I'm always missing someone.
I'm incredibly lucky at the amount of time I get to spend with my sister and her kids. When I come down (it's not that far away - North Jersey to Philly), I get to spend a few days always. That means I'm with the kids 24/7 which is the only way to get to know them. I see all their moods and love them all the more for their stark human-ness. It's awesome to see their minds churning, learning, burning with information every single second of the day. If you've never been teased by a toddler, you don't know what you're missing. I have loved these children within an inch of my life since they were conceived. And the best part is that I know they love me just as much.
Sorry. I'm a little maudlin tonight. Missing my love and overwhelmed with emotion for my babies. Sentimentalism sucks and I try to avoid it at all costs. But whatever. Sometimes it's just there.
I actually got some knitting done today - I decreased for the armholes on the back of School Daze. Hopefully I'll be able to knit a lot tomorrow - the kids go to school and my sister has work. I'm also going to visit my grandmother - I'm hoping she'll be up for an LYS crawl. I don't know if she's been to any real yarn stores - discount craft stores don't count! I'm pretty sure there's a store not too far from her that carries Art Yarns. I'm in love with the stuff!
Anyway - thanks for your comments yesterday - it's nice to know I'll be missed, even if I'm still (kind of) here!
L, C
Posted by Cara at 12:18 AM | Comments (5)
January 05, 2005
Don't Don't Don't Don't ...Don't You...Forget About Me
I say...La. La la la la. La la la la.
Enough already!
So will you miss me? I'm heading out to my sister's this afternoon until next Sunday. I will be scarce, as it's hard to get computer time when my delicious nephew and niece are running about screaming Cara, Cara, Cara!
I will probably have no time to knit either.
Met up with Cassie yesterday at Purl. I exchanged some yarn and brought home a Knitting Pure & Simple Sock Pattern (#216) and Nancy Bush's Folk Socks per Cassie's recommendations. We had a lovely time, as usual, although I think Cassie may have said I was boring. (see comments on this post.) Say it isn't so, Cassie, my sweet!?! ;)
Slow progress has been made on both School Daze and Picot-Boo, but I'm still not sure about the gauge on PB. I will have to measure it against my niece tomorrow to see if I need to rip YET AGAIN. Thankfully it's a really (super)fast knit.
I leave you all with this:
Overheard while I was on the phone with my sister the other day -
"Only ONE pair of underwear. ONE pair. Did you hear me? I said ONE PAIR OF UNDERWEAR!"
Ah's the joys of parenthood.
PS - Even though I will be away, I will be still be giving out memberships to K1R2. Just leave a comment here.
Posted by Cara at 11:27 AM | Comments (8)
January 03, 2005
Look what I got!
My friend Jo sent me some beautiful stitch markers, all the way from Australia! Thank you Jo!
Aren't they so cute? I can't wait to use the pink hearts when I start working on the front of School Daze. Speaking of which, here's some progress on the back so far:
It's knitting up nice and quick - I've got about 10" done already. If you look closely at the picture, you can see the changes in the yarn - sometimes it's thick and sometimes it's so thin it's like thread. Makes for an interesting texture though. I'm enjoying it, but the real fun will be the front.
I started on Picot-Boo yesterday, and then had to start over, but it's okay because this yarn is DIVINE! It's so, so soft, has a wonderful sheen to it and the color is out of this world. I can't wait to get started again so I can show pictures. The problem is the gauge. The label says use US#7 and get 4.5, but I'm getting 5.5. (It's funny too because isn't 4.5 around Aran weight - this stuff is pretty thin. I'd say it's probably meant to be knit on 5s or 6s.) So rip I did. Luckily it's for a tiny little girl, so there wasn't much to it.
Oh and my review of Maggie Righetti's Sweater Design in Plain English is up at K1R2.
Posted by Cara at 06:25 PM | Comments (7)
January 02, 2005
Champagne and Cherry Pie
That's how we brought in the New Year. We used to do fun and exciting things, like fly off to Detroit Rock City to Kiss on New Year's Eve, but ever since the millennium I've felt like staying home. My goal in life is to make my birthday as normal a day as possible. It's not so nice to have a "special" birthday. I want a day like everyone else. Basically, I want a day I can forget about.
Yesterday came pretty close. We had some cherry pie and champagne while Regis fucked up the countdown. (He was SO off it was February already by the time he finished. Actually made me miss Dick Clark.) Waited for the calls to come in from my siblings. (Each one asked - am I the first to call? For the record, my bro, Jeddy, won this year with a call at 12:01. Of course, it was 9:01 for him - he lives in LaLa land.)
And then we went to bed.
Woke up the next morning and opened my birthday book!
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
by Thornton Wilder
Dad gets it right again! Something I don't have and haven't read. Yeah Daddy! I also got a very generous gift certificate to Borders from my parents and a huge gift certificate to the Yarn Market from my best friend Margo and her family! We're talking enough for about three sweaters people! Whew!
Besides making all my dreams come true, providing a roof over my head and feeding me, Georgie got me a chocolate fondue kit and Vanilla Cocoa tea from the Chocolate Bar in New York. We're having fondue for dessert tonight!
We started our Spanish Lessons yesterday as well. It's our goal to learn Spanish this year. Today was lesson two - it's going well. I've decided Ribby Cardi is the knit for that. I'm not in a rush on it, and it's a good easy knit while listening to the Senor and Senora babble away in my head. We're having fun with it. G has declared we can only greet each other in Spanish. Thank god today we learned how to say Buenos Dias, otherwise he'd be getting the silent treatment.
School Daze
I cast on for my first design! So far I've got the 2x2 rib done on the back and I'm in stockinette land for a while. It's going really quickly though. I want the back done fast because it's boring. The exciting part will be the front and the glorious cable running up the middle. I'm really excited about it - the Manos is looking beautiful too.I've been reading Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti. It is an amazing book - easy to read and I've learned more about knitted items in the few pages I've read than anything else. I think it helps that I've been knitting for a while and have actually made a sweater. I'll review it in full on K1R2 tomorrow, hopefully.
I'll take some pictures of School Daze tomorrow. I'm hoping to cast on for Picot-Boo today as well. I wound a ball of the Art Yarns Supermerino today - that stuff is beautiful!
Posted by Cara at 04:15 PM | Comments (3)
January 01, 2005
If 40 is the new 30...
does that mean I'm 25?
Wishing you perfect gauge, pretty yarn and peace of mind!
Posted by Cara at 01:12 AM | Comments (16)