You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first?
You mean I gotta tell people? I guess I'd call my BF.

2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself?
1976 BMW 2002

3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else?
I would send my parents on a long vacation.

4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom?
I'd give to the Smithsonian

5. Do you invest any? If so, how?
Definitely! Probably by buying myself a house and in a retirement fund. I know it's boring but $1 million doesn't go all that far these days.

la grippe...

I think I'm coming down with some horrible sickness. There's this cold going around the area. First my supervisor at work had it over the holidays. Then my BF had it, then my mom. I've been lucky, but I think my luck is running out. Yesterday I could hardly peel myself off the bed. But, I made it in to work and suffered a bit. I went home ate dinner and was in bed by 9pm. I slept until I heard my BF leave for work at 5:45 this morning! I got up feeling great, but now that it's after lunch I'm starting to drag. I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the end of the day.

digging out...

Today is the first whole work day of my week. It snowed on Sunday night/Monday morning and the gov't in DC decided to give the option of "unscheduled leave." Originally I was going to get off my ass and go to work (albeit a little late), then my BF came home. It seems that the guy he's working with now drove all the way into the city and was so frustrated that he didn't want to work. So, the two of us had the day at home together...It wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

But, I did get some knitting done. I cast on for one of the sleeves for Marsha, thinking that it would be quick. Well, after about 8 inches I was bored. The sleeves are straight, with no increases or decreases after the first 20 rows. So, I decided to put that aside and work the front sections instead. I'll probably make those my bus project. I'm zipping through the front left and will hopefully get it done by the end of the week. This sweater is coming along and all I need to do is figure out how to block it. I think the pieces are going to be bigger than the other projects I've done in the past.

it's back again..the friday five

At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song?
Tonight We Dine on Fumes - The Carlsonics

2. ...food?
risotto...definitely risotto

3. ...tv show?
24...not as good as the first season, but still good

4. ...scent?
paperwhites. I grew them over the holiday season and they smell great. Sweet, and kind of like honeysuckle.

5. ...quote?
"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know" -- Donald Rumsfeld

skirting the issue...

I have weeded through my skirts to find that I basically have all the skirts I need for spring/summer and I'm in need of a couple of winter wool pieces. So, I've got a couple picked out from Banana Republic -- perfect for work. But then I went to Urban and scored a Seven (for all Mankind) denim miniskirt. What can I say, I've wanted a denim skirt for a couple of years now and this one was only $35!

So, I'm marking this task as done! Next on the list...tee shirts!

LYS...need one closer!

In general I love the DC area. It's home for me. Most things are available by public transportation. So what if you have to go out to the suburbs every once in a while to get something special...Well to tell you the truth I'm kind of sick of this being the case. On Monday, I happened to be in Bethesda having lunch with my mom. Knowing that I wanted to get a cable needle, I had 2 choices. I could either hoof it down to Bruce Variety -- the closest thing to a five&dime left in the area -- or go to the LYS. I chose the latter. So up the steps I went at Knit and Stitch = Bliss. The location has been a yarn/needlework store for ages, though it has had a few different names. Well, I walked in to find that it's just as cramped as ever...although I'm sure many people would call it "cozy." And on the Monday holiday it was crowded with tons of ladies of all ages and a few hangers-on (getting in the way). I had no space to browse and no desire to see what was new in stock. I just got my needles and left.

Although it's a great store stocked with lovely yarns and top-notch supplies, it closes very early...5:30 pm, in fact. This makes it impossible for me to even think of dropping in after work. They do stay open a little later one night a week, but even then they close at 8:00. So, what I would like is a place to open in the city. There seem to be a few SnB groups starting up in DC. So, what's it going to take for someone to start a new store inside district lines?

cabling...

So I've got a good start on Marsha and I'm getting the hang of the cable pattern. Unfortunately, I'm trying to get it done without a cable needle. I've been using a short dpn - thanks to Denise I've got tons of extras. But, I'm finding that it's just a little to long and dangles/twists when I'm working. So, it looks like I'm going to have to hunt down a cable needle this weekend.

Even with this inconvenience, I've made it through the first two pattern repeats and have started the decreases for the shaping at the hips. So far Kim Hargreave's pattern is very easy to follow. I have made a photo copy of the pattern so I can carry it with me on the bus. I also went ahead and crossed out the parts that don't apply to the size I'm knitting so that it's less distracting to the eye. It took me a few rows to get used to continuing the cable pattern while decreasing at the sides, but everything looks great.

I'm using Lion Brand's Alpaka -- The gauge fit perfectly! The label says that it should knit at 16st/23rows with size 8 needles. When I did my swatch I thought I was going to have to work with size 7 to get the 19st/25rows that the pattern called for. To my dismay this didn't work out. So I did a swatch with size 8 and the gauge was dead on!

closet update...

I have weeded through my skirts and it looks like that is that area that will need the more help. I would say that I have 4 work-appropriate skirts in the closet...only 1 of which is truly meant to be worn in the winter. I am still trying to decide which ones stay and which ones go, but it looks like I should definitely try to buy 2 nice, winter/all-year skirts soon.

sometimes i'm a hooker...

This weekend, I made record time with my BF's scarf. I decided to crochet it instead of knitting. I find that crochet goes a lot faster...but the downfall is that seems to use up a lot more yarn. I wanted to make his scarf before I started anything for myself. He watched me make tons of things for family members for x-mas, so now he's got a little something. Anyway, my BF is the proud new owner of a stripey scarf with random sized rows.

picking up the needles again...

So, I've had a couple of weeks off since finishing the Christmas gifts. Now I'm ready to dive into a new year of knitting. So far, I know that I'm going to be making Marsha from Rowan #34. I also think I'm going to make myself a super long scarf. I knew I wanted one but I avoided it because I had a nice scarf that I had crocheted years ago. Well, guess what! I lost my scarf over Christmas! (Actually I think I left it at my BF's sister's house, but I'll use any excuse I can muster). While I'm at it, I think I'll make myself a hat, too! I loved the one that I made for my cousin so much that I have to have one myself...Ooh! Ooh! and how 'bout a pair of those arm warmers!

I will probably also make my BF a scarf as a part of his Festivus gift. Of course, ours is nothing like the Seinfeld version. See, my BF and I met at the end of January in 1999 and had our first real date the first week of February. So, when our first anniversary was approaching it seemed really weird to buy gifts for Christmas, the anniversary, and Valentine's day...So, we have a tradition of rolling them all into on -- Festivus! I made him a scarf last year that had pockets at the ends. Of course, they add a lot of bulk when you wear it under a coat. This your I'll make him one without the pockets...maybe I'll even crochet this one.

hmm...

i had no idea!? ;P


You are the Elitist Prick. You're so consumed with
being on top of indie trends that you've
completely forgotten how to enjoy your
once-hipster status. It may be too late for
you.


What Kind of Hipster Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

What one thing are you most looking forward to . . .

1. ...today?
It's Friday. I have a weekend of rest to look forward to...so simple. Yet so true!

2. ...over the next week?
I'm going to pick up my knitting needles again. I can't wait to make something new!

3. ...this year?
I look forward to a year of full employment, without worrying about job instability. And, getting into the real nuts and bolts of my job.

4. ...over the next five years?
Over the next five years I look forward to becoming a woman. I'm 27 now and still act like I'm 22. In five years, I know that I'll be a much more "mature" person than I am now.

5. ...for the rest of your life?
What my life holds for me, I am not sure. I know that I have found a companion who I would like to spend the rest of my years with (my BF). I know that a large part of what I have to look forward to will be new adventures with him. (god that sounds cheesy)

the closet project shall begin...

I have decided that a lot of my wardrobe is of no use to me. When I first got out of school, I got a job working in an Internet ad firm. Needless to say, I was allowed to wear just about anything I wanted. So, I spent a large portion of my new income on cool clothes...you know the ones that weren't being worn by "everyone." I also fed my habit for kitschy vintage/thrift pieces. Then I got laid off! And I've been trying to deal with my need to change my staple of jeans and funky shirts to a more office-appropriate mix of clothes. It's been about a year since I've had my new job and I really want to be able to wake up in the morning and feel like I have outfits that snap together without too much fuss.

To help in my effort, I asked for a copy of the Lucky Shopping Guide for Christmas. And, I got it! Like the magazine, it's full of great pictures of clothes that look like real people can wear. Also, like the magazine, I finished it very quickly. And, now I'm ready to start weeding out my closet. My plan of attack is to go chapter-by-chapter until I've covered all of the wardrobe basics. I believe there are about 10 chapters and the book starts with skirts. So, this weekend, I'm going to assess my skirts.

moving pictures...

Now that the holidays are over, I'm going to be moving the gifty pictures off the blog. These will now be in my Yahoo! photobook. That should make some more room for new items on the sidebar.

back for a new year...

I'm back and ready to start my new year...so far it's been a little bumpy but I think I'll be able to get things flying right in no time. I'm usually really bad at sticking to resolution, but I feel that this would be the perfect place to declare them. I will claim victory on one resolutions from last year. I quit smoking! I'm not going to say that I was perfect...yes, I even cheated during the holidays. But, the daily habit is gone and the cravings don't bother me much.

This year I will work on the following:
1. Try to be a better friend to the people in my life
2. Become more active - biking, walking, perhaps yoga
3. Lose the 15-20 lbs I've been talking about for the last 3 years
4. Keep a neater/cleaner apartment
5. Clean out closets of old clothes/Create a more fitting wardrobe

What do you think? Are those reasonable!?