Like skeins through the hourglass...

Moved to Wordpress

2010-01-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

Oops! My blog has moved to Wordpress. :)

http://aredhelstar.wordpress.com/

♥

Quick Update 9/12/09

2009-09-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

I just moved over a bunch of my MySpace blogs from 2006/2007. Wow! I had a lot to talk about back then. :)

I just finished up a test knit for the Oz FFtC club, will post a pic once the members all get their pattern so I don't ruin the surprise. :) It was very hard, but fun!!

I have sold & traded bunches of yarn... but haven't finished too many more projects. I'm hoping to get a few more done soon and then I'll make a couple of posts with some pics for anyone who actually reads this. :)

ox
Amy

2009 Knitting (June) Pt 2

2009-06-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Project: Beaky (Bookmark)

Pattern: Backbone Bookmark (Ravel It)
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Twist 'Buckbeak'
Needles: US3 Addi Turbo Lace
Started & Finished: June 16, 2009
Other Details: For the Sunshine Yarnies Harry Potter Knit-a-long. Nice to finally make a little project! I love it!!

Project: Burning Embers

Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf (Ravel It)
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug 'Bright Charcoal'
Needles: US5 Boye Aluminum 10" straights
Started: May 7, 2009
Finished: June 15, 2009
Other Details: I love how this came out - just can't capture it in the pictures because there are so many colors!

2009 Knitting (June) Pt 1

2009-06-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Project: Hermione's "Clap, Otis!" Scarf

Pattern: Drop Scarf (Modification to Clapotis - Ravel It)
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns SW Merino Sport 'Hermione'
Needles: US7 Harmony wood dpns & Boye aluminum 10" straights
Started: June 1, 2009
Finished: June 8, 2009
Other Details: For my friend Deneise, who made me the kitty hat. :) It turned out much prettier than I thought it would!! Love it!!

Kitty present!!

2009-06-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

My friend Deneise (from Ravelry) and I decided to knit each other a present. I am making her a Clapotis Scarf out of my Sunshine Yarns Sport in 'Hermione', and she made me a kitty hat from her Sunshine Yarns 'Luna', handspun by Dani herself! :D

Here was my fun package:

And my presents!!

There was my hat, Hello Kitty stickers, a Hello Kitty mirror compact for my purse, and the leftover yarn (just in case I want to add tassels or something).

I love it so much!! Deneise is awesome!! :D
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

2009 Knitting (May)

2009-05-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

I guess May was a month of selfish knitting, looking back. :) I had a lot of fun making these, though, and have more fun projects planned for June.

Project: My Jayne Hat

Pattern: Jayne Cobb Hat (Ravel It)
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Solid 'Brick', 'Rust' & 'Mustard'
Needles: US10 Knit Picks Harmony Wood 16" circular & 8" dpns
Started: April 26, 2009
Finished: May 4, 2009
Other Details: To use up the extras from Justin's birthday hat. My pom-pom is more professional, since Ma Cobb would have made one for Jayne's lady-friend a little fancier, I think. :)

Project: Amy-anda Hat

Pattern: The Amanda Hat (Ravel It)
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy 'Wisterious'
Needles: US9 Knit Picks Harmony Wood 16" circular & 8" dpns
Started: May 5, 2009
Finished: May 6, 2009
Other Details: Needed to make a fast project in worsted after that crazy lace project and loved the idea of this hat in this yarn. I was right - it's fabulous. :) I have enough left over to make another hat or a pair of mitts!

Project: Glacial Melt

Pattern: Falling Water (Ravel It)
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock 'Blue Ice'
Needles: US5 Knit Picks Harmony Wood 8" dpns
Measurements: 96" long x 5" wide
Started: May 5, 2009
Finished: May 24, 2009
Other Details: For the Sunshine Yarnies Ravelry Group's May Lace KAL. It turned out even better than I expected, and I am so glad that I am finally keeping something beautiful and lacy for myself! :D

2009 Crafting (April)

2009-05-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

I also had a great time making some Twilight & Family themed stitch markers for Jenni's birthday present and it inspired me to make a few more sets for my new Etsy shop.

Project: Stitch Markers: Twilight

Details: Fits up to a US9, set of 6
Inspiration: Twilight, of course. Jenni had added a similar set to her wishlist, so I decided to make them for her birthday.
Notes: Two identical sets made, one for Jenni and one for me. :)

Project: Stitch Markers: Family

Details: Fits up to a US10.5, set of 5
Inspiration: I wanted to make Jenni another set of markers for her birthday that would be something personal, so I came up with this. :)

Project: Stitch Markers: Nature

Details: Fits up to a US6, set of 8 (4 of each design)
Inspiration: My friend Deneise's love of nature. Green grass, brown trees and a clear blue sky. I realized to me they also represent 'the meadow' from the Twilight books. :)
Notes: For sale on Etsy

Project: Stitch Markers: Strata

Details: Fits up to a US10.5, set of 2
Inspiration: The beads reminded me of layers of earth that would always peak my curiosity in Geology classes.
Notes: May be for sale on Etsy soon.

Project: Stitch Markers: Globs

Details: Fits up to a US10.5, set of 4
Inspiration: The beads themselves were so neat, like little drops of glass left over when making a hand-blown vase or bowl, so I decided they would just showcase themselves.
Notes: SOLD on Etsy!! My first Etsy sale!! :D

Project: Stitch Markers: Clovers

Details: Fits up to a US10.5, set of 14
Inspiration: The clover beads made me think about my Irish heritage. I thought they would look great surrounded by wood beads and little green glass spacers, and they do!
Notes: I know these would sell right away on Etsy, but I don't think I can give them up!!

2009 Knitting (April)

2009-05-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

I just realized that it's the end of May and I haven't posted any of my finished knitting projects here! Please accept my sincere apologies for a few picture-heavy posts. :)

Project: Mother's Day Scarf

Pattern: Little Leaf Lace Scarf (Ravel It)
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock
Needles: US5 Knit Picks Harmony Wood 8" dpns
Measurements: 65" long x 8" wide
Started: April 1, 2009
Finished: April 24, 2009
Other Details: For the Sunshine Yarnies Ravelry Group's April KAL, and a Mother's Day present for my mom. :)

Project: Playtime Baby Blanket

Pattern: Baby Love Diagonal Baby Blanket (Ravel It)
Yarn: Baby Bee Little Britches 'Playtime'
Needles: US9 Knit Picks Harmony Wood Interchangable Circulars
Measurements: 19.5" square
Started: March 16, 2009
Finished: April 25, 2009
Other Details: A baby item for my 'FO/Present Stash'.

Project: Burgundy Sparkle Scarf 1

Pattern: Mile-a-Minute Scarf #4 (Ravel It)
Yarn: Patons Brilliant 'Beautiful Burgundy'
Needles: US10 Boye 10" Aluminum
Measurements: 130" long x 6" wide
Started: January 21, 2009
Finished: April 26, 2009
Other Details: For my 'FO/Present Stash'. I have enough to make two more in this color and another three in lilac.

2009 Knitting (Jan-Mar)

2009-05-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

I just realized that it's the end of May and I haven't posted any of my finished knitting projects here! Please accept my sincere apologies for a few picture-heavy posts. :)

Project: Mom's Wimple

Pattern: Smoke Ring (Ravel It)
Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks '1631'
Needles: US5, US6, US7, US8 Knit Picks Harmony 16" circs
Started: December 6, 2008
Finished: January 17, 2009
Other Details: A birthday present for my mom - I wanted to knit her my first lace, and settled on this cowl. I picked this yarn from my stash because I thought she would like the green in it. :)

Project: Noro Calorimetry

Pattern: Calorimetry (Ravel It)
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Chunky '3'
Needles: US8 Boye 14" Aluminum
Measurements: 15.5" long unstretched
Started & Finished: January 20, 2009
Other Details: Yarn was a present from Jenni, so I thought I'd make a Calorimetry like she did. :)

Project: Yukon Calorimetry

Pattern: Calorimetry (Ravel It)
Yarn: Knit Picks Sock Landscape 'Yukon'
Needles: US6 Boye 14" Aluminum
Measurements: 16.5" long unstretched
Started & Finished: January 25, 2009
Other Details: Knitted 2 strands together, one from each end of the ball, to prevent pooling. Used a cute wood button from Hobby Lobby. A little tight, but nice and warm. :)

Project: Pastel Bunny Buddy 1

Pattern: Bunny Blanket Buddy - Knit (Ravel It)
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream Ombre 'Pretty Pastels'
Needles: US6 & US8 Boye 14" Aluminum
Started: January 27, 2009
Finished: February 1, 2009
Other Details: For my 'FO/Presents Stash'. There's babies popping out everywhere, so I'm sure I'll need more!

Project: Justin's Jayne Hat

Pattern: Jayne Cobb Hat (Ravel It)
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Solid 'Brick', 'Rust' & 'Mustard'
Needles: US10 Knit Picks Harmony Wood 16" circular & 8" dpns
Started: March 12, 2009
Finished: March 14, 2009
Other Details: 3rd try was a charm! I got SO frustrated making this one! Blah. But I managed to squeak it out just in time for his birthday. :)

The 'grown up' quiz

2009-05-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Because I'm bored.

Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids? Here you have 40 questions for the people who are a little older...

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
Utilities, because it's the biggest since I paid my car off.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
Chili's! I find fajitas incredibly romantic.

3. What do you really want to be doing right now?
Eating spaghetti and watching TV, but I gotta wait till J-man gets home.

4. How many colleges did you attend?
Just the one.

5. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?
Because it's light teal and enhances my crazy light blue eyes.

6. What are your thoughts on gas prices?
I like them under $2.

7. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
When I saw myself in the mirror I wondered where the weird hand prints on my chest came from...

8. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
'Mmmmm I love snuggles.'

9. Do you miss being a child?
No, because I'm pretty child-ish. Ask anyone.

10. What errand/chore do you despise?
Doing dishes. They are smelly and make my nails all soggy and bendy.

11. Get up early or sleep in?
I always get up early now, I'm old.

12. Have you found real love yet?
Yes! YAY!

13. Favorite lunch meat?
Umm.. honey ham! Yums.

14. What do you get every time you go into Target?
I hardly ever go there anymore, but usually a cheap DVD or two.

15. Beach or lake?
Snow. Crabs live on the beach (and chase me) and there's bugs at the lake. Ick.

16. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
Nope, I think it's fun to lay claim to my manly man.

17. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives?
Ick, neither! I'll take Bones and Supernatural instead.

18. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
Oh, to choose! J would say that I would pick David Boreanaz, but I think I would pick Rob Pattinson now because he seems more reserved like me and wouldn't mind the awkward silences.

19. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?
My vehicle was crashed into, but I have never caused it to crash.

20. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No, I call the police and they do it very well.

21. Ring tone?
'Leave Out All the Rest' - Linkin Park. But mostly I hear 'Far Away' by Nickelback because that's my one for J-man.

22. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
Um.. Alaska?

23. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?
Any and everywhere, I've never been to Cali.

24. Do you go to church?
Only with family when they are going.

25. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?
Career - and that's what I'm doing!

26. How old are you?
28, will be 29 in 3 mths and 5 days. :)

27. Do you have a go-to person?
Yup, hubster J. If it's a girly thing, then Jenn-face.

28. Are you where you want to be in life?
Not yet, but getting there. Once I become a teacher and pop out a kid, I will be.

29. Growing up, what were your favorite cartoons?
Smurfs, Gummi Bears, Duck Tales

30. What about you do you think has changed the most?
My temper and attitude. I had to work long and hard to overcome certain things about me that I didn't like.

31. Looking back at high school, were they the best years of your life?
Not nearly. I miss the friends and hanging with them a lot but I was very different back then.

32. Are there times you still feel like a kid?
Most of the time. I'm still wondering if 'adult mode' will ever kick in.

33. Did you ever own troll dolls?
Yes, lots! I had them all dressed up, with belly jewels, and earrings too.

34. Did you have a pager?
Wow, yes. When I started college. I felt so pimp!

35. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager?
Hmm.. usually a friend's place but I would go to Meijer's or the Lansing Mall when I was bored.

36. Were you the type of kid you would want your children to hang out with?
Very much yes, because I was never able to find trouble no matter how hard I looked for it.

37. Who do you think impacted your life the most?
My ex, Jer. It might suck, but he made me realize a lot of things about myself when we were happy, and again when it was over.

38. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out for you?
My band instructor, JK. He always saw the best in me.

39. Do you tell stories that start with “when I was your age”?
Yes, but mostly to be funny. :) I mean, I married a younger man and have 2 little sisters, so it's fun.

40. Is it better to love and lose it or never to love at all?
It's better to love and lose, it can make you a better person if you are open to it, and love is always worth it.

Racist Pins?

2009-05-13T17:01:00.001-07:00

Oh, the fun I have. I think times like this may be the only reason Jenni IMs with me in the first place. :)

[screen names removed to protect us, even though we are far from innocent]

Back story: I had been contemplating getting a pin cushion for about a week. During my trip to Hobby Lobby today I finally just purchased the cheap (lame) tomato one, for $1.58 instead of the wicked-cool flower ones for $7.99. When I got home, I decided to get my sewing pins all on my new little tomato, sorted by color since I like to pin out my knitting projects with them all co-ordinated. (I mean, Hanie segregated her pins too so I knew it was OK since she's all government-y and stuff.) After staring at my completed project, a thought popped in to my head, and I had to share it with Jenni (because that's what we do).

amy: i think my pins are racist
amy: there is a big minority of white ones but an overwhelming amount of yellow ones
jenni: LMAO
amy: poor little white pins
jenni: HAHA
amy: ok white black and green all have 15
amy: red only has 14!
amy: it's discriminating against native americans?
jenni: weirdo!
amy: 22 blues
amy: i think that represents frozen nordic people
amy: TWENTY FIVE YELLOWS
amy: it's the asians
amy: they are racist-ing my pins

and when Jenni told me I should share this rant...

amy: >.>
amy: i dunno, not everyone can enjoy racial humor at the expense of pins

But she convinced me to blog it anyway. Because I am, as always, a drunk lemming in search of a cheap laugh.

More quizzes, because I'm bored.

2009-04-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

... Nope, you'll have to entertain me. Okay burger boy, dance! (from Gilmore Girls)

Which Reaper Character Are You?

More on Reaper. Created by BuddyTV

Which Criminal Minds Character Are You?

More on Criminal Minds. Created by BuddyTV

Which Big Love Character Are You?

More on Big Love. Created by BuddyTV

Which Bones Character Are You?

More on Bones. Created by BuddyTV

SO TRUE

2009-04-23T19:32:00.001-07:00

For my Jenni. This is so true!! *slap*

Which How I Met Your Mother Character Are You?

More on How I Met Your Mother. Created by BuddyTV

It takes some work to make it work

2009-04-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

----------------
Now playing: Jason Mraz - Life Is Wonderful
via FoxyTunes
----------------
I love the lyrics to this song. Thanks to Twilight Fanfiction for getting me into some new music. :D
----------------
A new meme, because I couldn't resist again.

If your boyfriend or girlfriend was into drugs, would you care?
Yes, I care about anyone close to me doing drugs.

What was the last reason you went to the doctor for?
Checkup to make sure my blood pressure was in the normal range with the new meds they put me on, I think.

Do you feel comfortable with answering personal questions?
Mostly, since nobody (but Jenni) ever reads my blog/notes anyway. :)

How long have you and your boyfriend or girlfriend been dating for?
We've been married for 5 months but together (offline) for 2 yrs & 7 mths (if my math is right).

Are you shy?
Very much, unless it's someone I know well or I've had a drink.

Do you like being home alone or does it freak you out?
I H-A-T-E it, especially at night. During the day it's not so bad but it's very hard for me to sleep alone, I'm just too paranoid - it's why I hate watching stuff like 'Resident Evil'.

If you could push one person off of a mountain, who would it be?
Hmmmm... Jerry Seinfeld.

Would you kiss anyone you've texted today?
Haven't texted anyone today, so yes.

Have you ever lost a close friend?
Yes and I still cry about them.

Do you have any bruises on you?
Probably, but I'm sure i have more Tigger scratches.

What did your weekend consist of?
Crying, moping, talking, cooking, reading, downloading a ton of new music.

How's your mood?
A lot better today, it helps to be able talk about things that are bothering me. :)

Is anything wrong with your eyes?
Yes but nothing that can't be fixed with a few simple procedures, eventually.

Have you ever kissed someone who was over seventeen?
Yes, I'm 28 for crying out loud.

Next time you will kiss someone on the lips?
About 2 hours (when Justin gets home).

Are you dating the last person you texted?
That was my mother-in-law, so nope.

What is your favorite song?
I can't get 'Details in the Fabric' by Jason Mraz & James Morrison out of my head today so I'll say that.

How has 2009 been for you so far?
Super awesome.

Do you believe that any of your ex’s ever think about you?
Nope, I'd be surprised if some of them even recognized me.

How late did you stay up last night?
about 12:30 am

Do you live alone?
Nope!

Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?
I wish a little bit that I was visiting my mom and most days that I was in Honolulu, but I'm cool with being right where I am. :)

How long can you go without ur cell phone?
As long as it doesn't ring. When I go back on my meds I will need the alarm every 12 hours though.

Do you love where you live?
Yes, even though it rarely snows and they have no idea how to deal with it when it does.

When was the last time you cried from laughing so hard?
Last night. Over the word 'unicorn' and making fun of Seacrest. :D

Name something you did yesterday?
Re-activated my City of Heroes & WoW accounts to decide which I might want to play again.

What color are your eyes?
Light blue, sometimes gray.

Last person to kiss you on the head?
Justin, last night. He does it all the time and it's so sweet. :)

What color is your hair?
Light Auburn-ish.

Who did you last hang out with?
Other than Justin... Tim & Gina.

What was the last thing you cried over?
My own insecurities, as usual.

What's something you really want right now, be honest?
A job I love.

Do you have a little sister?
Yup, I have two.

Do you like to listen to the radio when you are in the car?
Only when they aren't blabbing. Seacrest drove me nutters yesterday talking so much.

Who were you with the last time you went to the movie theater?
I think it was just Justin & I when we saw Twilight.

Honestly, has anyone ever seen you in your underwear?
Yeah, duh. Like I said, I'm not very shy around my close friends. :)

What are you listening to?
Um, Tigger's bell jingling? I had to turn off the Jason Mraz song to concentrate or I would have started typing out lyrics.

Who was your last received call from?
My mom! Which is crazy to say because we mostly e-mail and with her being busy and the time difference we don't get to talk a lot.

Do you sleep with a fan on?
Yup, J can't sleep without the ceiling fan.

Do you ever get good morning texts from anyone?
Wow, I read a different phrase. TEXTS... um... no. IM's, yes, from JenJen or TracyPoo

Where is your cell phone?
Right next to me on my desk.

How is your hair right now?
Wet? The top half-ish pulled back into a clip because it's all wet and curly.

Will you be up before seven am tomorrow?
There's about a 60% chance, depending on what time I got to bed tonight.

Did you speak to your mother today?
Yes! Again, crazy to be saying that. :)

Who was the last person you rode in a vehicle with?
Justin, yesterday.

Were you happy when you woke up today?
Yup I was pretty chipper.

What were you doing at eight this morning?
Reading smutty Twilight fanfiction and drinking Mt Dew.

What were you doing thirty minutes ago?
Taking a shower.

Honestly, who was the last person to tell you that they love you?
Justin, this morning. You're surprised, right?

What's on your schedule for tomorrow?
Reading more smutty Twilight fanfiction and surfing. Hopefully some knitting too.

Do you have curly hair?
Yes, but it's big wavy curls - not the tiny ones.

What should you be doing right now?
Reading smutty Twilight fanfiction?

Whats the last piercing you got done?
My ears (the one and only set I have) a very long time ago.

What is bothering you right now?
Deciding if I should get my teaching credentials and worry that I wouldn't pass the tests or succeed at it.

Do you regret anything you've done lately?
Nope, but probably because I haven't done much lately.

Do you have secrets that no one knows?
Not at the moment, I tell Jen or Justin pretty much everything because I can. :)

Day been rough?
Nope, kitty snuggles are like Prozac.

Are you good at hiding your feelings?
I'm good at hiding my own worries about things but can't hide when I'm upset.

What were you doing at eleven AM?
I say again. Reading smutty Twilight fanfiction. It's most of my day lately.

What woke you up today?
Dunno, I just woke up.

Gay Marriage

2009-04-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Just to make it clear - I totally support gay marriage. These are sarcastic reiterations of the stupid reasons people say it shouldn't be legal (hence the quotes around 'wrong' in the title). A friend posted this and it made me snicker so much I just had to share.

---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------

10 Reasons why Gay Marriage is "Wrong":

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans

Love, hugs and unicorns to all my peeps! <3

:)

Random Meme

2009-04-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Stolen off of a blog I read last week but just filled it in tonight because I'm bored. :)

1. Do you wear a ring on your finger? Yes, my wedding band. I used to wear my engagement ring as well but my finger swells up too much with my new hand issue so I just wear the band.

2. Where are you right now? In the computer room, sitting in front of my computer. (duh?)

3. Do you miss anyone right now? Not really. The people that I miss I know I will be seeing in the next few months or I talk to online. :)

4. Do you wish you could turn back the hands of time? No, because I like my life now. I've thought about the past a lot and wished there were things I did or didn't do (life experiences), but they all led me here, and I am perfectly content with that. :)

5. Are you mad at anyone? Not really.

6. Do you listen to your friend's advice when they give it to you? Always, but that doesn't mean I follow it. :)

7. Could you eat nothing but grilled cheese for a week straight? Abso-tutely.

8. Could you last an hour without talking? More than that. I think I picked up the skill as an only child - I love comfortable silences. :)

9. When is the next time you'll talk to the person you like or love? When he gets out of the shower to go over to Rob's (about 5 minutes).

10. What are you listening to right now? Hubby taking a shower.

11. Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced? Yes, but I would look stupid with it. And too many guys have said how cute my nose is, so why ruin it? :)

12. What always makes you feel better when you're upset? Tigger, snuggles, and getting in a good mope crying under the covers so I can get over it.

13. Who was the last person to leave you a voice mail? Justin, actually - which is funny because he almost never leaves a message.

14. Is your day going good so far? VERY!

15. Do you find it in your heart to forgive? Always (although sometimes it takes a while). It's the best way to be. :)

16. Can you trust most people? Yes, and I know I'm too trusting but thankfully it has never gotten me taken advantage of too badly.

17. Has anyone hurt or betrayed you recently? Um... yes... but not on purpose.

18. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Tracy, to find out if she wanted to go to dinner with me.

19. What are your plans for the next weekend? Same as every weekend - not much!

20. Ever go camping? Only when forced to. I prefer a hotel room and a hot shower.

21. Are you someone's best friend? More than one someone! :D

22. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? Not being able to find a job.

23. Have you spoken to your mother today? Nope, I have an e-mail from 3 days ago though.

24. Did you kiss at midnight on New Years? Nope, someone was asleep.

25. Do you think you'll be in a relationship two months from now? Yes, and forever!

26. Have you ever seen your best friend cry? Tracy - yes I think so, Jenni - I don't think so

27. Last person you hugged? Justin

28. Have you ever drank with your enemy? Only with work 'enemies' and not enough to get a buzz, because I become a chatterbox when I drink!

29. Ever been swimming in a lake or river? Yes but the river was only because my mom tipped the canoe over a few times. :)

30. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? Most people.

31. Did you cry today? Nope, it's been a pretty darn good day!

April Update

2009-04-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been a month. I haven't really had much to blog about though! I have a new 1Tb external hard drive that I am still trying to break in, and lots of new yarn from Sunshine Yarns. I got a few more little skeins spun up in March but lately I've been trying to work on knitting up my stash. I had to read the Twilight series over again after the DVDs came out, then was sucked up into a few fanfiction works (Wide Awake, Frenemies and Eternal Dawn so far). I also found some excerpts on Stephenie Meyer's site that she had written for the first two books, extra stuff or stuff that got cut and read those. This week is my attempt to break out of the Twilight addiction by knitting my Mother's Day Scarf for the Ravelry 'Sunshine Yarnies' group's Spring knit-a-long. It's going good, and I've decided that my best course of action is playing the Twilight DVD over and over while I knit. I really have to pay attention to the lace pattern but I need something in the background, so it's a good compromise. :)

I've started reading her next book, 'The Host'. Only on Chapter 3 but it is good so far. After that I want to read 'Angels & Demons' for the May movie release and then the Harry Potter series to prepare for the new movie this summer. That should keep me busy! I only wish I could read and knit at the same time! (And no, I can't stand listening to audiobooks unless I am driving so that's not an option - I just can't multitask on those.)

So that's about it. I'm trying to decide if I want to plan a trip to Milwaukee to help clean out my grandma's house, and then need to plan to visit her and my aunt/uncle in Vegas, and my mom in AK. All probably in the next 5 months. Agh! And I still need a job. Blargh.

Sorry for all of the links, but I wanted to make sure that if anyone was interested they could get more info. :) Later!

It's 3/3/09. Do you know where your children are?

2009-03-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

For some reason I have the Daily Show's theme song playing through my head over and over, along with the background music for Super Paper Mario Wii. The second one I know is because I spent days of play time on there and finally finished it so now am in withdrawal. MySims looks promising, though. ;)

Let's see... updates... I'm still jobless. Lame. But, my car is paid off and I even paid off our car insurance for 6 months so my unemployment covers bills, groceries and more. Another good thing - I have health insurance again - just waiting for the cards from Justin's plans. I went and did it with him this year to make sure we got everything we need (like the HSA) - their system is confusing!! I spun up my second roving but haven't done my newest ones yet:
My second handspun:

My rovings to be spun up:

I got pretty new yarns from Sunshine: (Mother's Day, April Showers & Blue Ice)

And some others from Ravelry members. My yarn bins overfloweth!

I've been working on my 2nd cowl/wimple/smoke ring for me - halfway through the 3rd repeat! I am going to do 5 with this one as well so that it sits on my shoulders when I have it over my hair. It's going to be really wide but I'm a lot more confident in the pattern now! I am already planning my next cowl - it will be the 'Birthday Cowl' (on Ravelry) in 'April Showers'. :D That pattern is a lot easier so it should be super fast, too.

Not much else to report. I am thinking up a project for little scraps of leftover yarns but I'm not sure which to do. :)

OK, off to make dinner! :D

SP13 Reveal

2009-02-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Not only did I get the lien release on my car from GMAC today, but my final Secret Pal 13 package arrived!!

I couldn't believe all the stuff in the box, going through and unwrapping it all was so fun! (Plus now Tigger has pink bubble wrap to pop.)

Inside was:

'The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting'
a pattern sheet for two different scarves
a skein of Claudia Hand Painted Worsted in 'Turquoise Jeans'
two sets of US8 needles (clover bamboo and a shorter pair that will be perfect for portable projects)
a project bag
set of 'Ice Cream Parlor' lip balms (I am addicted to Chapstick and have it in every room of the house)
a Boye Pom-Pon maker (which I need but have been putting off buying!)
a set of 4 beautiful blue stitch markers
a quick reference chart and book that I will keep in the coffee table drawer with my other supplies
and a yarn bookmark. :D

I haven't decided yet if I will make the scarf from the pattern or maybe something else - this is my first worsted weight 100% wool. :)

Thank you so much to my secret pal Judy, this has been a great swap!! :)

February Update

2009-02-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

What's new... let's see. I still haven't found a new job. I've started selling some things - old textbooks that I will never need and CDs that I no longer listen to. It makes a little cash and cleans out the house! (to make room for more yarn!) I have successfully spun 2 skeins of yarn that I am proud of. I am trying to finish my neverending pile of knitting projects while still starting more! Agh! On the bright side, I know that GMAC received my payment so I was able to cross 'pay off my car' off of my list of goals for this year!! Wahoo!!

Not much else is going on, really. Just trying not to go crazy being at home every day. My newest knitting project is baby bibs from all of the cotton yarn that I have picked up at sales in the last year. My first one turned out really cute and only took a few hours so I am hoping to bust through my stash and get them all done soon!!

Spindle Pain

2009-02-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

Ow.

I gave my drop spindle another try today, and I think I was getting pretty good. I almost got through the 8 oz of pencil roving that my mom gave me with the spindle, but it hurt quite a bit and the spindle was getting heavy. Before my nap, my feet were the most painful thing. After my nap, my biceps are on FIRE. My left thumb is also numb, feels like it might blister. :( (From spinning the spindle.) I've put an Icy Hot patch on my right arm to try to help (super tingly is better than burning pain right now) so hopefully it will get better overnight, but I wanted to post a little something because I may not be up for typing a blog in the next few days!

A picture of what I accomplished today:

I think I want to try plying it which will make about a worsted weight, maybe a little thicker.

Spinning today was so fun, I can't wait to do more. Once I heal. :)

Life Update

2009-01-31T07:51:00.000-08:00

Haven't blogged in a while, I know, but there hasn't been much going on. Trying to find a new job, but there are so many people laid off that pickings are slim and by the time I find something good the spot is already filled. Ugh.

My hopes are high, though - and my blood pressure is holding steady. :) It is so relaxing to not be around people that are so nasty and high strung every day!! I do miss Tracy though, so hopefully once the snow is gone we can meet up for knitting or Wii or something on a regular basis.

I've been lax on my knitting the past few days because of other excitement (snowstorm, cleaning, Justin being home) but I am almost finished with 2 pastel bunny buddies and have started my first fingerless mitt. I've decided that knitting those bunny buddies with the cotton is much like weightlifting for your hands. I can only do it for a little while and then my hands are sore (especially the left one with the cyst that didn't go away). I'm not sure what I'll do next, there are so many things I'd like to start! I've been adding projects to my Ravelry projects section as I get the materials together for them, so hopefully I can work on those before starting something new. I'd love to finish up the blue afghan I started last winter! Anyway, if you are curious what I am working on I am trying to keep Ravelry updated every few days (I change the status to 'hibernating' on anything that I've put aside).

We had a big ice storm followed by a snow storm! Justin made it about one car length out of the driveway and got stuck on Wednesday morning, so I got his car back in the driveway (just barely) and he went back to bed and I went to Lowe's to get shovels and ice melt. We finally got his car back in the garage at about 2 pm. The back roads are heck (they do NOT know how to plow here - I can't imagine the postal lady will be able to get to our box) but the snow is so pretty!! Blindingly so. :)

That's about it for now, I'm going to spend most of today cleaning house and maybe listing a few things on eBay (leftover wedding stuff mostly).

I hope everyone is staying warm and happy!!!

I'm bored, here's a meme

2009-01-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

Went blog surfing tonight and saw this on a few, so I figured that I would do it. I like to call it the 'WHAT have you DONE?!?' meme. My yes-is-es are in bold. :)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (indoor)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

I feel like I might need to explain some of those. But I'm not going to. :D

Crazy Days & January SP13 Gift

2009-01-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

As is the norm in my life, good and bad news come together and slap me around like waves on a rocky beach.

Thursday, Tracy & I were laid off. It had nothing to do with our performance or other people there - simply that they had to downsize our department. I took it pretty well - partly because Tracy was told before I was so I could prepare for it and not cry - but also because I've been looking for a new job casually for a while now. I had decided that I would stay until my car was paid off in April and then leave - so this just moves my plans ahead. The good news - they gave us severance in lieu of notice and a bonus for finishing the Association Management class last year. The only thing I dread is going backwards on my pay scale. We just barely scrape by now so with my pay cut it's going to be pretty hard until I can get my car paid off.

That night when I got home I started thinking about all of the things that I could sell to ease the transition and my first thought was my yarn stash. My pretty, pretty yarn stash. I started going through my Ravelry list and thinking about what would sell and how much I could get from it. Hopefully it won't come to that - but it had been on my mind. This morning I finally finished knitting my mom's birthday present and when I came in here to post the new info on Ravelry, I had an e-mail that I had won the button contest for Secret Pal 13! I can't wait to see what kind of prize it will be but it made me feel better about not being able to buy any new yarn until I have a steady job again and hopefully not having to get rid of anything, at least not right away. :)
*************************************************
And now for belated mad props to my secret pal! (Sorry I didn't post this sooner!)

I received my January SP13 package on Jan 6th:
It was all gifts from one of my favorite stores, Bath & Body Works. I got a Lambie (which I hadn't gotten yet so I was super excited about), a pair of aloe infused slipper socks that keep my feet nice and toasty, and a little gift set of the 'Sensual' Aromatherapy products (body wash, lotion and pillow mist with a pretty little red bag) which I am saving for Valentine's Day but they smell really good!

(I had to include the picture where Tigger looks totally offended because I won't let him play with Lambie - it was too funny.)

Thank you so much, pal!! :D
*************************************************
That's it for now, good news and bad. I just wish I could get my hair cut. Maybe I will be able to splurge on that soon, who knows. :)

SP13 Blog Question

2009-01-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

We received this question from our hostess:
What is one thing you think you can't do that you really want to do in 2009? Please elaborate!

This took some thinking about. I guess I would have to say 'crochet'. I don't really feel like I can't do it, but I have tried and it has seemed more difficult to get started for me than knitting. Thankfully I did receive a message on Ravelry not too long ago from a group that meets at a local library near where I work to crochet every week. She gave me some pointers and invited me to stop by anytime to learn and I am going to get out there sometime this year. :)

Fun with a Yarn Winder

2009-01-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law got me a yarn winder for Christmas! (The ROYAL one from KnitPicks.) I've wound up most of my skeins and balls now but am going to wait until I have a swift to do the rest of my J Knits sock yarn - it doesn't work so good hanging on the dining room chairs.

It's too much fun and now I am going to have to come up with a way to mount it - and figure out how to get a yarn counter in the mix - so I can use it to measure some of my mystery yarns. :) In other words - I get to build something! Wooyay!

I've been thinking about making a homemade swift but I'd need to get a few things I can't afford right now - unless I use the rest of my gift cards. I might try that first though and then get the real swift with my next next paycheck. Things are going to be really tight until my car is paid off in April, but then we will have money again!! Yay!! :)

I am trying to think of ways now to hold the center-pull balls together. My first thought was rubber bands but for the ones that have no label or small labels, that could ruin it. Now I'm thinking if I just get some construction paper and cut it into strips, I can tape that around them. We'll see. :)

Off to work on my mom's birthday present - I am excited to be half done and can't wait to finish it now.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-02T08:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas was less stressful than usual this year, even with our lack of funds. The weather co-operated (for the most part), so we headed out to visit my in-laws. We got some great presents and I even got to go exploring around St. Louis to find yarn shops. I got 5 new skeins of sock yarn (3 J Knits hand painted and 2 Harry Potter sock yarns) and 4 new sets of addi Turbo Lace at the sales, along with a few other misc items.

New Year's Eve we had my friend Tracy and her son over - we went to Incredible Pizza where they were having a deal that included a 2-hr unlimited play card and the buffet. We grown-ups spent the whole time on the 'Power Tower' game trying to win as many tickets as possible. J & I ended up with about 4500 tickets which I decided we should save. (You put them in the 'ticket eater' and get a receipt - we did NOT bring that many home!!) Then we stayed up until midnight at our place and watched the ball drop in Times Square and went to bed. New Year's morning we got up and I played a few games on Tracy's Wii which I now have to buy!! I also showed Tracy how to purl and yarn over, so maybe we can get her started on some more patterns!!!

My mom's birthday present is taking me longer than expected, but I think it's because I psych myself up too much about it. I am halfway through the 4 pattern repeats now but considering adding one more because I should have enough yarn to do so. I don't want to make it too big, though. I think I'll just stick to the pattern. I really hope she likes it, I want to make more for other presents this year.

I am trying to do a better job of keeping track of things, and this blog seems like a good place to do it! I've added sections for my 'Goals for 2009' (basically New Year's Resolutions) and the knitting projects I hope to complete. I only finished 12 this year (other than stitch markers) so my goal is to double that! Which means I need to finish up my afghan projects so that I can focus on smaller things that I can do in less time. I will be crossing things off my list as I finish them, so enjoy the ride with me and your support is needed and welcome!! :)

Christmas Meme 2008

2008-12-28T04:34:00.000-08:00

It's never too late for a survey, right? :) I'm using it to gear up for my 'What I did on my Christmas Vacation, by Amy Dunn' post.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I prefer wrapping paper, just because we never used many gift bags when I was growing up. It's more satisfying to rip open that paper to get your present!! Of course, now I have enough wrapping paper for about 10 years so I use it on everything. :)

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial - I am allergic to pine. I'd say it's my worst allergy. I do love being around real trees though, with the proper dosage of Claritin. As long as I don't touch it. My goal was to get a new artificial tree this year, but after paying my personal property tax and the rest of the bills I don't know if it's going to happen. I'll probably spend that extra money on toys for my Wii instead!!

3. Why are you willing to answer these questions?
Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday and anything associated with it is worth my time.

4. When do you take the tree down?
We haven't had one up much the last few years, but usually sometime in January or by Valentine's day at least. I love having it up to look at!!

5. Do you like eggnog?
I love it. Eggnog shakes, eggnog ice cream, eggnog flavored coffee creamer... love it!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Gotta be my kitty cats. I wasn't really a 'child', but my mom got my cats Shorty & Nippy at Christmas time when I was in high school. Before that I remember my two Barbie cars (a red Ferrari and a '57 Chevy Bel Air) were probably my favorites.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My mom. She just gets what she wants so I usually have to try to come up with something I've made. It will be easier now that I am knitting as long as I can plan ahead!

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Justin - I try to pay attention throughout the year at the little things he says he wants so I can surprise him with them after he's forgotten about it. :)

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Part of one - I have the first 'Bearitivity' set of my Bearfoots which has Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and two little angels all as cute black bears. I'd love to get the rest of the sets and maybe another more traditional one someday.

10. Do you send your card by mail or e-mail?
Usually mail, but this year I think I'm going to get photo cards made up and e-mail them to who I can and send a 'hard copy' to the rest. (We JUST got our wedding photos back the day before Christmas so I am not late because I'm lazy!!) In the future I'm hoping to send them all electronically since postage is getting so expensive.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Probably clothes when I was younger - but I've never really hated anything enough to remember, I just exchange it or give it to Goodwill or re-gift it.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Love Actually, but for the kid in me it will always be Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I will usually get a few things for Justin throughout the year but generally about December 20th. :D

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
TONS. Especially for the gift exchanges (like 'white elephant') where you don't know who will be getting it. Thankfully I have a great memory so I am very careful about it.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Peanut Butter Balls (only because the jellied cranberries is my most favorite at Thanksgiving).

16. Lights on the tree?
Always. I like colored ones but the all white ones look better with all of my crazy ornaments.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I have a ton! Silver Bells and Carol of the Bells are tied for my #1 but almost every Christmas song I hear I say 'Oh! That's one of my favorites!' because I'm just gaga over Christmas.

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Always end up traveling but I can't wait until we have kids for an excuse to stay home!!

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?
Of course! I know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen... and I even recall the most famous reindeer of all - Rudolph.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Either - I am hoping that my mom will give me an angel she has that is white and very pretty. It was always my favorite topper.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
ONE on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning. That's how I grew up doing it, but with all the family we go see now we usually end up opening one families on Christmas Eve and the other on Christmas Day.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
People being jerks at the store and on the road. It makes me sad.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Oh, probably anything with penguins or snowmen. My favorites are my Bearfoot ornaments that my mom & step-dad have gotten me. As for 'color'... is 'sparkly' a color? :) I love things that are flashy and loud and play music - that won't surprise any of my friends!! :D

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Same as Thanksgiving - Turkey with stuffing, rolls and jellied cranberries. Pass the gravy, please! (Of course, I wouldn't say 'no' to starting a tradition of filet mignon for Christmas dinner!!)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
The same thing I want every year, Pinky... a Wii! (Justin finally gave in!!). I also really do need clothes so I hope I get some more. Justin really wanted a big TV and he got it! (And then was sad that I keep playing my Wii on it so he can't watch it. Haha!)

I'm adding a bonus question since it's after Christmas!

26. What is your favorite memory from Christmas this year?
Playing 'Da Yoopers' Christmas songs for Justin while we drove from his mom's to his dad's.

Hand Drama

2008-12-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd post something for the people who have been curious about my Facebook status or comments I've made about my hand.

Three or four days ago I noticed that my left hand was a little swollen and hurt when I gripped anything or pushed it on a surface. I felt around and there was a weird little bump in the palm of my hand when I wiggled my middle finger back and forth. After consulting a few co-workers and Justin, they all convinced me to just go in to the doc and I obliged since I hadn't when I slammed my wrist with my trunk/hatch door and was still hearing about it. Well, the resident didn't know what it was so she called in her attending and even he said that I needed to go to an orthopedist. She had worked with a hand specialist at the Bone & Joint center here so she referred me to him and thankfully he had an open appt yesterday morning where he had just had a cancellation.

He came in to see me before they could take me for X-rays and confirmed that it was just a ganglion cyst on the flexor tendon sheath, and that I had three options: 1 - wait and see if it goes away, 2 - aspirate it (try to pop it), or 3 - surgery to remove it. I decided that since I was already there we might as well see if he could aspirate it to relieve the pain & pressure. He sprayed my hand with cold (kind of like spraying yourself with an air duster), put some local anesthetic in, and then used a bigger needle to feel around to pop the cyst. It didn't hurt too bad, but it felt WEIRD, because I could feel the needle in the middle of my hand. INSIDE my hand. After a few minutes he thought he got it and pushed around to drain it.

I asked how long the local would take to wear off and he said 'about 5 hours, give or take 3 hours'. Now, I've never had that much local in one place before, so I didn't know how I would burn it off. That's why my middle finger was numb all day. I still had some numbness when I went to bed at 9:45, so I figure it would have taken about 14 hours to completely metabolize the anesthetic he gave me. Geez!! It's one of the most aggravating feelings for me when something is numb, so it was a hard day! I couldn't type worth poo, so I didn't go back in to work where I wouldn't be able to do anything productive. I also ended up feverish and a little nauseous, I think from the worry about when feeling would return to my finger.

This morning there is no numbness, but the spot in my palm where the needles were is bruised and sore. The swelling has gone down a little, probably with my massive doses of Ibuprofen, so in a few days I should be able to tell if it worked or not, and if the cyst is coming back. I'd take this pain any day over not knowing what a weird bump in my body was!

Thanks to everyone who showed concern and wished for me to feel better soon. :) I'm glad I can type again!!!

Question of the Week 2 (SP13)

2008-12-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

Part A: Are you doing any holiday knitting?

Not really - I have had a few projects all year that I planned to give as Christmas presents but I kept getting sidetracked by other things.

Part B: Have you finished?

Nope. I have a few that I haven't even started!! The only things I'll be working on this year are my mom's birthday present and my December secret pal gift. I'm planning on making some kind of 'plan of attack' so that I can actually get some presents done for next Christmas.

It's been a wild ride

2008-12-16T03:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a pretty crazy few weeks! After the wedding things calmed down for a bit but then there was the endless cleaning & organizing the aftermath of presents and stuff that had accumulated in the dining room. To add to that -

Right before the wedding I had started to train over in our Membership department (which is fun, because I get to play with smart phones) and have been bouncing back and forth between there and my regular job every week.

Our CEO challanged us at our last review to complete a Management Self-Study Course before year-end. Tracy and I teamed up and were able to finish it yesterday but I am looking forward to not have to dig through 400 pages of bylaws any time soon.

I was finally able to finish the 4th book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn last night around 7:30. (It's due back at the library today.)

I've had so many requests for knitted things, from family & co-workers that I am so scattered when it comes to working on a pal gift for this month to get to her by Christmas! My mom also asked for a hand knit item for her birthday (yesterday) which I have started but have had to rip out the first pattern repeat about 5 times because I need to only work on it when I am alone and not distracted. I really hope I can get it done by Christmas now that the self-study course is done and I have read all of the addictive Twilight books.

Blargh.

And to top it all off, my hand might be hurt. Again. So I have to make a Dr appt for that today as well. If only there were 2 or 3 of me!

Emmett???

2008-12-13T16:09:00.001-08:00

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Grr! I scary!

Which Twilight Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

December Secret Pal 13 Gift

2008-12-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

Yay!!! :D

This morning my first secret pal package arrived, so I ran to get the camera before opening it up.

Here is what was inside!

There was a cute Christmas card from my pal, some very pretty Ladybug Creations pink stitch markers

Pretty Christmas potholders (someday I will have a sewing room and be able to make these!!)

A very cute painted wooden kitten that opens up to hold a ring or necklace (or my new pink stitch markers). This was Tigger's favorite - you can see his feet in the picture as he had to jump on the table to sniff around at all the new stuff.

And a 10 bean soup mix. Easy cooking, who doesn't love that?!

Thank you secret pal!!! :D

Question of the Week 1 (SP13)

2008-11-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

Question of the Week #1:
In keeping with the awesomeness that was SP12, I thought I'd take a minute to throw out a question for everyone to answer in a blog post...

Since we've just had Thanksgiving here in the US, I'm wondering what everyone is most thankful for this year. You don't have to be in the US or even celebrate Thanksgiving to answer. Just share with us! :-)

This year - I am thankful for my wonderful, awesome, splendorous, super cool husband. I've had some rough times where I didn't believe that I could be as happy as I am now and I am thankful for him every day. I am also thankful for wonderful friends who support me, trust me, value my opinion and who feel the same way about me. :)

Turkey Day(s)

2008-11-30T04:59:00.000-08:00

This Turkey Day weekend didn't seem as crazy as they usually do. We are glad to be home though, in our own big soft cushy bed with big soft cushy pillows! :)

Thursday morning we (I) got up early and loaded the car and we headed to Centerville for lunch with my mother-in-law's family. We got to see most of the little ones playing and find out there's another on the way! They had a little wedding shower for Justin & I (although I think everyone there had come to the wedding except one of Justin's cousins and his wife) and a baby shower for Jeremy & Mandy (the ones who didn't get to come). We got more great presents from everyone and it was really fun to see all the baby presents - I am not used to all of the homemade quilts and they are so beautiful!! Everyone seemed to like the baby blanket that I gave them and were impressed that it was knitted, so now I have to make some harder ones!! We left there around 5, the last group to go, and headed to pick up Justin's step-mom and brother and take them back up to my father-in-law's house. We got in pretty late and just went to bed!

Friday most of us got up early and Hollie & I went to JoAnns (crazy packed full of old ladies!) and Michaels. Hollie found a bunch of stuff for the kids she watches and some decorations, and I got 3 big collage frames for pictures! One that holds 9 5x7s for our wedding pictures (when we get them back), and 2 16x20 collage frames - one that holds a bunch and one that has spots for 3x5s. I can't wait to start digging through my pictures and filling them up!! I've been wanting them for so long!! We decided not to go to any of the other crazy sales, so we mostly worked on fixing the parent's computer (like most trips there) and watched TV.

After showers and rest, my father-in-law offered to take me to the yarn shop I had found that is in downtown St Louis. Justin came with, probably just for something to do. It took us about 30 minutes to get there - and it was huge!! I spent about a half an hour walking around & making sure I saw everything, they had a whole ROOM for sale yarn!! I got 15% off my regular priced yarns and 10% off the sale yarn so I was excited. :) I picked out a gorgeous, soft blue lace yarn which is my favorite color, a handpainted sock yarn and more of the cotton twist yarn that I had bought at my own LYS in pink. I also picked up an Addi Turbo Lace to use with the lace yarn I got to do my first lace project. I can't wait to start!! I spend most of the rest of that day ogling my new yarn, petting it, and looking for projects to use it on. :D
Saturday morning Hollie & I went to Hobby Lobby to check out their 2-day sale and I got a whole bunch of beads at 50% off! They are so pretty - I can't wait to make stitch markers and maybe some earrings out of them!! We headed back here to the rain and cold and get to have a lazy day today and maybe go see 'Twilight'.
I hope to get some projects done really quick, although I am so far behind on my Xmas knitting that I don't know if I can possibly catch up! I do know that I want one of the awesome swifts they had at the St Louis yarn shop though!! :D

Happy Holidays, everyone!!

My LYS expedition!

2008-11-20T04:24:00.000-08:00

I made my first LYS purchase yesterday! (We went shopping there with my mom while she was in town for the wedding and she bought myself & Jenni a few things, but this is the first time I have purchased anything there myself.)

I got my swap presents and myself some presents too, my first laceweight yarn which I am searching for a pattern to use with now, a skein of blue Ty-Dy Socks (it is SO SOFT!!) and a cotton twist yarn, in blues - which is GORGEOUS. And funny, since it is the same colors as about 3 other things in my stash. But it's different!! :D These are up on Ravelry for any friends, family or secret pals that are curious.

Things are changing for me again at work, and I'm not sure if I like it. BUT, I don't know what anyone is planning for me - so I am going to try to stick it out as long as I can, mostly because I am just getting Justin on my insurance and everything and I hate wasting all that time, effort and money just to leave a few weeks later. I guess we'll see!

It must be Tigger's snuggle time - he is pacing between me & my monitor now... so I will write more later! :)

[[11/21 Edited out incriminating secret pal evidence]]

Wedding March

2008-11-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

Well, it's over! Family & friends swarmed in from all over for a crazy few days. Things just started to feel 'back to normal' about Thursday. J & I are now married and I have a giant pile of 'Thank You' cards to send out, along with the Secret Pal 13 Swap starting today, a mound of presents to find homes for and... a fat orange cat trying to get a tiny piece of paper out of my trash can. His little paws are making squeaky noises.

We've been talking about getting Tigger a friend for the last two days, my friend Tracy (who breeds Scottish Fold cats) is finally giving away or selling all but a few of hers. My personal favorites are Sterling or Bonkers (what a name!), but she has a cute black & white female kitten that J thinks is cute that may be the right choice if someone doesn't buy her. I've only ever had solitary male cats or a brother/sister pair, so I'm not sure how two boys would work out - if they could bond as much. I left the decision up to my new hubby, so we'll see!

Tigger just climbed the mattress in the spare bedroom. Without front claws. I need some caffeine to deal with my little monster! :)

Secret Pal 13 Questionairre

2008-11-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
I haven't used many kinds yet, but Caron Simply Soft has been my favorite so far - it has just the right amount of stretch and stays together nicely.

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Homespun (Lion Brand)!! Anything with bobbles in it or the dreaded boucle! It is the debil.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My Boye straights are in a vase with glass marbles on our mantle, my Harmony Options & dpns are in the Options case that came with them and everything else is in the drawer in our coffee table.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
About 2 years now, my mother got me a loom and then straights - I've learned from her, my Stitch 'n Bitch book and knittinghelp.com.

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Intermediate - there's a lot that I haven't done yet but that I know will come easy for me and I am a fast learner. :)

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have an Amazon one and one at the Loopy Ewe so far.

5. What's your favorite scent?
Truthfully - my cat! But I love grapefruit and peach (not a fan of flowery scents).

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
All of my teeth are sweet. I am trying to stay away from the candy but I'm a sucker for M&Ms (which we used as wedding favors), Whatchamacallits and Nutty Bars.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Scrapbooking and I used to do counted cross stitch. I've made stitch markers and may make a few pieces of jewelry soon. My mom just gave me a drop spindle as a present this last weekend - I don't think I'll be very good at it but I have 2 rovings to try out!!

8. What kind of music do you like?
Top-40 pop I guess, I'm a long time fan of Matchbox 20, Barenaked Ladies (I've been to 4 concerts), Goo Goo Dolls, Billy Joel, and some newer stuff like Kati Perry, Lifehouse, Buckcherry & Simple Plan. I love music from some musicals - like Rent & Moulin Rouge. My iPod is stuffed full!

Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Yes, and so can my car!

9. What's your favorite color(s)?
Blue! Green and Pink are OK too depending on my mood.

Any colors you just can't stand?
Orange. Eew! Unless it's on a pumpkin. Or lime green.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I just got married yesterday! No kids, one fat orange tabby cat named Tigger.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
All of the above! I L-O-V-E mittens.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Smaller things that I can finish quickly like coffee cozies or dishcloths. - I have a very short attention span and have had very little time lately with all of the wedding planning (hoping that will change soon so I can try some gauntlet/wrist warmers and socks).

13. What are you knitting right now?
Scarves for presents, a Jayne hat for the hubby, baby blankets and an afghan the hubby has claimed as his.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes! I get a few each year from my mom and I love and cherish them, even if I am too worried about their condition to ever wear them!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Depends on the project - but I love my Harmony Options. I drool over the Harmony straights and would trade all of my Boye's for them in a heartbeat. My Boye aluminum are my second favorite for cheap acrylic yarns that are sticky and I don't like plastic very much but I have bought some just because they have sparkles. :D

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Neither :( I really want a winder - I wish I could find one on sale.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? about 9 months!

18. What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS!!
What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Hubby would say YARN! I do have a lot of Bearfoots (Big Sky Carvers) and a good collection of books. I love cute cat things - pictures, household items...

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Books - the ones on my Amazon list, I try to keep it updated. Yarns - a lot! I just don't know what, but I'm into sock yarn lately although I think the nicer aran yarns would get more use at my house. I have a few examples in my Ravelry favorites (under Stash). Needles - Harmony straights (Knit Picks) and Harmony fixed circulars for doing magic loop. Patterns - just in the books that I want.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I haven't made any socks yet, or done anything cabled or with lace. I'd love to learn to spin on a wheel too, but I want to finish some projects first so I have room for more stash!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Not yet, I'm not sure what to measure yet - but I can post them later.

23. When is your birthday? August 18th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes - aredhelstar

[[11/24/08 Updated Amazon wishlist link]]

K-nitting K-news

2008-10-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

That would be a cute name for a newsletter. It probably already is. :)

I finished the Candy Button Baby Blanket and moved on to my Blue Bagstopper. The original plan was to use all 4 skeins of the cotton yarn I had gotten on it, but after getting close to the end of the 3rd I realized it was already about 11" long and the pattern says to go to about 10". So I ended the body of the bag and took it to work to show off. :) I started the handles last night, just knit in garter stitch which makes a cute stripe effect. I'm guessing I may actually use up most of the 4th ball just on the handles!

We are getting a washer and dryer (FINALLY) delivered tomorrow!! Justin's family wanted to get them for us as a wedding present so last weekend his mom came down and we went shopping and got a set at Lowe's. I can't wait to do my first load tomorrow!! Now I can felt my coffee cozies too!! (I just need to get a zippered pillowcase or something to put them in because I have read how much the lint can mess up the filters! I think that I may even put them in a lingerie bag inside a zippered pillowcase for extra protection.

So, finishing projects is going well - and now I have to figure out what to make for a baby shower at Thanksgiving. At least I know it's a boy and already have some cute yarn!! :)

The bunny buddy I made as one of my first 'intermediate' projects finally went to his new owner, my friend (and co-worker) Della's great nephew Sammy. Hope let me know that he sleeps with it in his crib and plays with it and other toys in the morning. It makes my heart so happy to know that I can make things to keep those cute little hands busy! Next I have to try a teddy bear!

I am going to sign up for 'Secret Pal 13', a knitting swap that Jenni has been doing. It looks really fun and is only a commitment of $60 over 3 months - which is totally do-able. But then, I love shopping for gifts AND getting them! :) I have my anonymous e-mail address all ready to go and am just waiting for the sign up form which is supposed to start today (but isn't up yet - darn my early hours!)

That's all for now, I'll put up pictures of everything as I finish the projects. :)

Snuggles and puppy dog tails

2008-10-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

Why do I always need a title? That line from the little kid's rhyme about boys being made up of snails & puppy dog tails is going through my head but I had a snuggle session with Tigger before my shower this morning... so that's where my title comes from. :)

I haven't blogged in a while and would like to get back into the habit. I try not to fool myself and say 'I just don't have time' because if there is time for TV, knitting and surfing there is time for anything else.

As for TV, I am SOOOO glad to have new episodes to watch. We went through the entire 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls TWICE (since Justin only watched the last 2 seasons fully with me the first time I went through it) and the 2 seasons of Dark Angel this summer. I've started watching Angel when Justin's not here so I'm hoping I can get him hooked to watch Buffy. ;) HEROES!!! So good. I expect to have weird dreams about Sylar again any day now. THE OFFICE!! If you haven't started watching it yet, I won't spoil it for you. But awesome start to the season. :) SUPERNATURAL omgz. One word. Angels. I understand about it being hard for them to believe, but come on... if you know for a FACT that there is a hell (and you've been there) and demons exist (and you kill them) why is it so hard to believe there's a heaven with angels? It's a fundamental law of physics that every action has an equal and opposite reaction! If logical me can grasp it, anyone should be able to.

On the knitting front, I'm trying! Every project seems like dead weight. That's why I made some coffee cozies in-between and am starting to realize why the dishcloths are so popular. I don't use them and probably never will but I might start making them for presents just so that I can accomplish a FO in between monster projects. I want to make a pair of socks and wrist warmers (for work) soon but I know that I really should get some of these other big projects done first. I'm going to try to focus on baby blankets since I now know of 3 offspring coming soon around me!! I want to try to knit a teddy bear but I will finish projects before starting more!!! I will!! (Can you guess what my New Years resolution is going to be??)

Wedding... the only things left to do are get rings and tuxes. Yay! That chants through my head though, so hopefully we can get that taken care of this weekend and then I can worry about other things. Getting RSVPs is fun and I think we are getting our first present via UPS!! They tried to deliver something yesterday but we weren't home so I'm having Justin pick it up on his way home. I have an idea who it's from too, but won't say anything until I know for sure. :)

I know hardly anyone reads these but if you didn't get your invite (and you know that I like you), let me know. I'm sure I have some outdated addresses so it's probably lost in the mail and I'll send you a new one if you tell me about it. :)

Sock Prep

2008-09-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

My new Harmony sock needles and yarn finally arrived last week! I took a break from the big projects to do a swatch of the Essentials Multi yarn with US 1/2.25mm needles and ended up with a gauge of about 10 stitches per inch! Crazy! :) Here's my little swatch and a closer-up of my new needles:

I'm going to try to finish up some projects before I do anything with socks or wristlets and I think I'll use the KnitPicks yarn first before using the good stuff that my mom sent me. :) She added some Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn and TOFUtsies to my birthday box - I think the Noro will probably become a set of wristlets for the cold, cold typing at work. I'm planning to do the 'self-striping' where you do 2 rows from one end of the skein and then 2 rows from the other end to break up the big chunks of color - looking ravelry those usually end up looking really neat. Then I'll hopefully be able to make a nice pair of socks (in the right size) out of the pretty blue TOFUtsies. :)

Not much news for now, I'm trying to finish up my Candy Button Baby Blanket which will be my first finished project in ages! It's really cute, now I just have to find a baby to give it to. :)

Anti-ci-pay-ay-shun

2008-09-04T04:10:00.000-07:00

Why that song is going through my head at 6 AM, no one knows. :)

I am RABID to receive my KnitPicks package in the mail tomorrow, and if it doesn't come by Sunday I may have a breakdown. I've been soothing my sock knitting urges with my first Everlasting Bagstopper and just finished the first skein last night. I told myself if I could just get that far I'd go back and finish Justin's Jayne hat and the baby blanket I started to do some stashbusting, but even I know it was just a lie. :) I will try though! It will be hard because the Bagstopper is so much fun.

I'm also trying NOT to buy any more yarn until I can finish up at least 5 or 6 projects. I have some sock yarn coming with my itty bitty needles (to get myself to $50 for the free shipping) but after that I'm really going to try to behave.

Wedding planning - we ordered the cakes last night, I think they're going to be awesome. Justin took charge when ordering his own groom's cake ('chocolate with chocolate and more chocolate') so even he had fun. :) I also found an available place to have the reception - University Plaza (where we hold lots of events so I know the planning people). It's probably a bit more spendy than where I wanted to be but I know it will be good. I have an appt on Saturday to look at rooms and figure out if we want to do it there. The only catch is that we can't even get IN to the rooms until 2 or 3 pm - but I figure that's no biggy, it gives people time to relax and then we can do a dinner reception instead of a weird 'late lunch' kind of thing.

That's about all for now. I just need strength to get through this!

Busy Bee Weekend

2008-08-30T11:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had my eye appt and got a new pair of trial contacts - they are OK so far and not as sticky/dry as the Acuvue ones can get in my eyes but I'm still getting used to them since I haven't worn contacts regularly in years! Afterwards I came home and we had lunch and then set out on our wedding planning adventure.

We went around to a few different reception venues and couldn't find anything but we are waiting to hear back from the K of C about their 'lounge' (kind of a restaurant area with 1/2 of the bar) - I think it would be perfect and I really hope we get it!! It will seat up to 75 people with a small dance floor and it's just been re-done in the last few years so it is very pretty. There is even a door to the patio if anyone wants to eat outside (with the bugs - not me!). It's also CHEAP. So, please sent good vibes or prayers my way about that because if the other wedding party that is using the bigger room says no I may have to call her myself crying and pleading.

After that we stopped by Beth's Bake Shoppe (reportedly the best cake shop in town) and made an appt for Wednesday to order our cake - and she has the day open!! Then I called Beth's Photography (which is in the building Beth's Bake Shoppe started out in - 'what a twist!' as M Knight would say - oh, and it's a different Beth...) and made an appointment for this morning. So I now have the photographer booked as well, and a deposit paid to them that hurt my checkbook but they were the best pictures I saw AND the least expensive, so it was a no-brainer. Also, they are totally digital and I really liked the look & style of their pictures the best - I think it is a great fit. (Justin still wonders why we can't just give everyone a disposable. Men!)

So the only thing I didn't nail down was a dress, but I can't afford to order it now (after the photographer's huge deposit) so I'm not as sad as I would be otherwise. I did find a shrug to wear since I will probably have to get a sleeveless and just in case it is cold - so that is like 5% of the dress. :) My cup is 5% full!!

We also need to go order the rings soon, but at least we already have those picked out. I'm toying with the idea of printing our own invitations even though the ink will probably cost the same as ordering them online so hopefully I can afford to order them once we find out where we can have the reception too. It's so crazy that it's only 2 months to the wedding now!! I know everything will come together, since it all just feels so right whenever something is decided. :)

I got my new credit card with a picture of Tigger on it. It was free, and I was bored... so you know how that goes. It is so cute!!

OK, I'm going to go knit now and hopefully wind down from this tornado I've become. Thankfully Justin is at a LAN party today until late tonight so I only have Tigger to bug me!! :) I may go do some laundry too since I just realized that I stripped the bed so I can't just wait until tomorrow. Bummer! :)

New TomTom Screens

2008-08-26T04:59:00.000-07:00

Being up at 4 AM means that I get a lot of weird things done.

Like making new splash screens for my TomTom. :)

Startup:

Shutdown:

Enjoy. :)

Big Fat Fabulous Birthday

2008-08-26T02:42:00.000-07:00

My big fat fabulous birthday week (ala Gilmore Girls) was certainly big and fabulous! :)

It started off with cards on Saturday (T-2 days) from Justin's sister and my Aunt which I was NOT expecting and was a fabulous surprise!!

On Monday (BFFBDay) I went to work because it was going to be pretty stress-free with a certain person gone, AND we got Panera Bagels as my birthday treat! I also received presents from Rose, Tracy, Lynn & Della including a noisy fun Halloween cat (that I annoy Tracy with at least once a day), Double Stuf Oreos, Hoops & YoYo post-its, Jelly Bellys and a silicone mini pan for making brownie bites! I got one card in the mail, from Justin's mom - and a call from her before we headed out to dinner. I had my fajitas from Chili's AND my favorite drink - a dirty Ketel One martini. I also had a call from my own momma (mid-martini) just to say hi and happy birthday. We came home and Justin gave me my new TOMTOM and let me play with it for about a 1/2 hour before going to bed. It was the BEST birthday I've had in years!!! :D

Tuesday, TomTom told me how to get to work AND home. :D

Of course, the BFFBDay must continue all week, because of presents ordered online! I came home Thursday to a giant box full of KnitPicks knitting needles from my mom (package #1) and Justin's other present - a 'Babette ate oatmeal!' t-shirt!! He said that the TomTom proved that he loved me and didn't want me to be scared and lost ever again and the t-shirt proved that he DOES listen to me even when I'm talking about crazy things. Have I mentioned how he's the best? :) My friend Hanie stopped by to hang out for the night on her way home to MN and I haven't seen her in YEARS! We had a ton of fun and talked about 80 miles a minute.

A few more cards trickled in (including funny ones with fun money from my gma, aunt & uncle) and I have a feeling that BFFBDay week is winding to a close. :) I received package #2 from my mom last night which included a load of knitting books, 2 skeins of fabulously cool sock yarn and a TINY 9" US3 circular needle to make them on, misc knitting accoutrements (stitch markers, cable needles, smaller darning needles, gauge wizard), Bearfoots ornaments (because each package has a bearfoots!), a North Pole shot glass, some gen-u-ine Alaska teas to try and favor boxes for the wedding and a card with a check. YAY!!

This is officially my favorite birthday in at least the last 10 years. :D

Home Knits

2008-08-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

I know, I should finish some projects before starting new ones! :)

Lily Sugar & Cream cotton yarn was on sale for $1 at Michaels last week so I picked up a basket full to use for baby presents and other fun things. They had one kind - Country Twists - that I loved because it matched my kitchen. I hit the Patterns section on ravelry when I got home to find out what I could make out of it and decided on a button-towel like the ones I used to have at gma's house. :) I may also make one with braided tie-tops.

I would also like to try making a rug soon, maybe one for in front of the garage door or a bathroom mat but I will need to find some cones of colors I like for that. I will also be checking out Hobby Lobby this week - they have some 'I love this yarn' brand cotton on sale. If it is softer like the one I'm using now I will see if it is cost-effective for me to try some of that. :)

I'd also like to try the Bubbly Curtain from my Mason-Dixon book, but it will probably have to wait until after Christmas.

Justin has requested something to use to hold his hot plates for eating dinner on the couch so I am going to try a few round dishcloths to use for that. Kind of a potholder/place mat idea.

I'm also toying with the idea of knitting some pillows for our couches. (I would use pillow blanks to fill them.) Who knows! :) Lots of ideas, but not much time to actually do them.

I'm out. Back to try to finish up that towel and watching LotR Fellowship of the Ring. ;)

Ravelympics

2008-07-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

I've signed up for the WIP Wrestling portion of the Ravelympics!

I added ALL of my wips to give me some push to get all of these done soon!! :)

Wish me luck! Keep track of my progress on Ravelry or here with my progress bars over here --->

My First Hat

2008-07-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

I finished my first hat this morning! Yay!! :)

It's really cute but I'm not sure if it will stay on my head - it is stretchy and the slippery yarn might mean it will be a Christmas present for someone else. :)

But, I did it!! This was my first go with knitting in-the-round AND using double pointed needles. Knitting in-the-round was easy because I have been using my circs for blankets and other things so the only new thing was using a stitch marker. I found the dpn harder to use and very awkward, but am glad that I didn't falter and was able to finish off the hat without a problem. I think it was more awkward because they are 8" long, but I'm not scared of using dpn anymore! :D

I'll get some pictures up tonight when Justin gets home.

Floods in the Midwest

2008-07-23T05:02:00.001-07:00

Just liked this and wanted to share. I have noticed a big difference living in the south than the midwest so it feels good to have my concerns justified.

Limbaugh:
"I want to know. I look at Iowa, I look at Illinois,
I want to see the murders.
I want to see the looting. I want to see all the stuff
that happened in New Orleans.
I see devastation in Iowa and Illinois
that dwarfs what happened in New Orleans.
I see people working together.
I see people trying to save their property.
I don't see a bunch of people running around
waving guns at helicopters,
I don't see a bunch of people running shooting cops.
I don't see a bunch of people raping people on the street.
I don't see a bunch of people doing everything they can...
whining and moaning - where's FEMA, where's BUSH.
I see the heartland of America.
When I look at Iowa and when I look at Illinois,
I see the backbone of America."

I don't know anyone personally that was affected by Katrina, so I'm sorry if this offends anyone - but it does ring true. I went to college in a town that was recovering from a major flood that left most of 2 cities under feet of water, and they never had any of those horrible problems. I've grown up living near the Mississippi most of my life and had never seen people react to a flood like that.

Anyway, just something to mull over.

Survival Supplies

2008-07-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

My package arrived from KnitPicks today!! :D Here is a pic of my fun new stuff.

I already put all of my needles away in my case and paged through the books looking at projects. I can tell I'm going to need to read the Mason-Dixon book, it looks like it's full of funny like Stitch 'n Bitch.

I can't wait!! I'm going to start a hat soon with my new little circular needle and dpns! :D

Progress Bars!

2008-07-20T08:54:00.001-07:00

Check out my cool new progress bars!! :D
(Underneath my WeeMee)
NEAT!!

I need to run to the bank Monday and deposit a couple of checks. When they clear I can order wedding invites!! :D YAYS!!

I'm working on the Hoodie Baby Blanket for Ron & Kati's spawn like mad, I want to be able to finish it before my birthday. It's really helping my purling, I've gotten a lot faster. I've never done anything in stockinette before that wasn't on a loom!! :) I hope it turns out really cute, it is super soft. More pictures as it progresses!!

I'm also trying to plan my first sweater. I am going to try a 'To Dye For' from my Stitch & Bitch book because it is a really cute shape (bell sleeves & loose knit) and should be fairly straightforward for me. I'm actually going to knit from the pattern! :)

Your order is on the way!

2008-07-17T15:58:00.001-07:00

6 little words to brighten up my day! My KnitPicks order is on it's way!! EEEEEEEEE!! Share in my excitement.

Here's what I ordered:

Needle Cables 47inch
Needle Cables 60inch
One Skein
Mason Dixon Knitting
Wood 16in Circ Needle Sz 8 (5.0mm)
Wood DPNs 8in Sz 8 (5.0mm)

The books are on sale and my main reason to spend money. I need the small circs & dpns if I want to make a hat. And the cables... well... I can never have enough cables!! MORE!! :)

I'm so happy. I'm going to be unbearable until they come but it's a welcome distraction from ticking off the time until my birthday (31 days...)

Hellboy & Care Package

2008-07-15T02:29:00.000-07:00

I know my movie reviews are always so long and insightful, so I will keep sharing them. ;)

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - rent it. I am a HUGE fan of the first movie - L-O-V-E-D it. But with too many voice/actor changes and a far-fetched plot I didn't really like the sequel. Too much like "Lord of the Rings vs Hellboy" which could have been the first working title.

The knitting care package arrived from my mom last night, full of cashmere! I've posted everything in Ravelry and will get pictures of everything once the sun is up again. The knitting portion of the box included 13 balls of Lion Brand Cashmere Blend (in Navy, Charcoal, Black and Cream), one ball of her new homespun (black w/green sparkles), a skein of one of her early homespun (the yellow w/purple), 2 circular needles, a cute Tigger applique (which Justin held up with a 'what the heck is this for?' face), 3 new knitting books and a pair of hand-knit pink socks! She also sent fun swag from her trip to DC from the Supreme Court and Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (inside joke about pink shirt). All-in-all, a super fun package! :) I'll post some pics once the sun comes up - i hate how they come out with the flash on.

Tigger modeling my new Smithsonian hat & my new hand-made socks.

Supreme Court pen & NASA patch, & Tigger applique

itlow

2008-07-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

In the Land of Women

Watched this when I got up at 4:30 in the morning with nothing else to do. Very good, but I loved Adam Brody in Gilmore Girls, so I went into it liking his character already. Interesting story and inviting characters, not a 'must see', but a good flick.

We are almost through the 7th season of GG, only a few more episodes to go. It has given me time to work on my/Justin's Blue Blanket and I am almost finished with skein #4. I'd say almost halfway done. I want to start so many new projects but I think I need to get some more needles! I really am lacking in the straights department and don't want to do everything on circulars, but I really wanted to wait for Knit Pick's Harmony Straights to come out. :) I also need the smaller 16" fixed circs to make hats and things, but money is tight. I may pick up a few sets after my next paycheck while Knit Picks has all of their books on sale for 40% off (since I missed Interweave's book sale), since if you buy $50 shipping is free. :) Will post if/when I do!!

Harry Potter Band-Aids & a Window Perch

2008-07-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Justin, laying on the couch last week, asked me to go get him a band-aid for his arm. He had picked off a scab and it was bleeding. As punishment for making me go all the way to get a band-aid, he got a glow-in-the-dark Harry Potter lightning bolt band-aid. Here is evidence!

Also, I finally bought Tigger a window perch for the computer/guest room at PetSmart to keep him off of my desk:

Here is how setting it up went.
9 pm - PREPARE - Attach Velcro strip to window sill and wait for it to set

8 am - TREPIDATION - Attach perch to strip & adjust legs to fit. Tigger remains stand-offish and will not even touch it.

9 am - INSPECT - I put a hand towel on the perch to make it smell like home & confuse the Tigger. I place him on it and he proceeds to check it's stability by attacking the legs.

10 am - PLACATE - He will stay on the sill side of the perch unless I leave, then he runs after me.

2 pm - ACCEPTANCE - He hasn't moved from this spot in an hour. :)

Yay! :)

Dishcloths and wedding planning

2008-07-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

I finished my set of ballband dishcloths this morning! I used up all but maybe 20 ft of the ombre and still have quite a bit of light blue left over - probably enough to make one more out of.

We had a fun 4th, our friends Rob & Brittany (married almost one month!) came over and we had drinks and lit off fireworks, and then watched some Gilmore Girls. I swear, I can get anyone hooked on my shows!! :) Justin got me margaritas (Cuervo Gold) so needless to say, my night was cheery!

When I showed him my finished dishcloths (and jumped around in joy) he asked me what project I was going to finish next and when I was wishy-washy about not starting any new ones so I needed to finish the ones I already had going he said that it sure would be nice if I finished HIS blanket!! I guess I will need to make a pink one for myself and have his/hers blankets!! :)

My BFF Jenni went over to David's Bridal and tried on dresses, in her attempt to force me to plan our wedding. :D Here's a sample of what I think looks good from her trip. I will try to get in and try on my own dresses soon!!

That's about it, just enjoying my 3-day weekend. We'll chill out around here today and probably start GG Season 6 and tomorrow I need to do some laundry. Fun! :)

Updates later if anything interesting happens.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't been doing much in my knitting world lately except working on my first Ballband Dishcloth, which I think will end up as a Ballband Hand Towel. :) I've done about 4 repeats now and haven't messed up anything that I couldn't fix so I am really proud of myself! I haven't used dish cloths outside of my grandma's house (I prefer scrubby pads) so I'm not quite sure what I will use them for. Guest hand towels? Gifts? I haven't decided yet, but I'd like to make a matching set. NOW I understand why old ladies have stashes of doilies and wash cloths sitting around!!

I'm also pondering making a separate blog for personal stuff, but I don't think I'd use it as much. However - people that read my knitting blog may not want to read the personal stuff!! :) I will still ponder for a while, as I'm not the kind of person who has enough to blog about every day.

I still hope to finish scarves for my immediate family (including my soon-to-be in-laws) for Christmas presents, but I am going to have to sacrifice working on blankets or other projects, I think. Oh well! :) Next year everyone will get dish cloth/hand towel sets!! Gifts are good for honing skills, I feel like I'm ready to move on to more patterns and am excited to try a 'My So Called Scarf' because the pattern looks pretty easy. AND with each new pattern I master I impress Tracy that much more so that she will finally learn to purl and make cool stuff with me. (Because once you can knit and purl, you're set!)

I am hoping to go to the Knit Together this week. They meet every Thursday at a local church that is not anywhere near being on my way home, but I want to go and see all of the cool things they make that will make me feel like the beginner that I am. I don't think I can get Tracy-poo to go with me because she picks up Shawn (her 8-yr old son) from camp after work, but I still hope that I can work up the courage to go, even by myself.

That's about it for the news around here, I think I need to go clean house as we might have Rob & Brittany over tonight to set off fireworks.

Have a great holiday everyone!! :)

KnitPicks Options Harmony Wood

2008-06-28T11:03:00.001-07:00

Long title for an AWESOME set.

I finally bought down and bought this set after about 3 months of research, mostly because they offer 60" cables, and I wanted them to knit blankets!

They are slicker than Clover Bamboo needles, but have more grip than Boye Aluminum ones, so they are perfect in my book.

I've found that I really like having projects on circulars because they are easy to put aside on a moment's notice and put up, then come back to later. I made sure that I figured out early which side my yarn tail would be on when I went back to my project to avoid issues!

I bought this kit (pictured), a set of 60" cables (you get 2 cables for 3.99), a set of size 13 needles (for my Rainbow Afghan), the ID tags (so that you know what size needles you were working with in case you have to put a project aside for a while), and the view sizer (because the size of the needles aren't imprinted on them (the only complaint I have so far).

I've currently got 3 projects going on my KnitPicks - Hollie's Scarf, my Blue Multi Afghan, and my Rainbow Afghan.

All in all I am very happy with my set. I have only had them come unscrewed once, and after I had tightened them with the key it didn't happen again (hand tightening wasn't enough). The cables have very little memory, like the reviews that I read stated. An A+ all around! I only wish I could afford more and find a nice binder to keep them in!! :)

Flickr Meme

2008-06-22T05:38:00.001-07:00

The rules:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name? Amy
2. What is your favorite food? Chicken Fajitas
3. What high school did you go to? DeWitt
4. What is your favorite color? Cornflower Blue
5. Who is your celebrity crush? David Boreanaz
6. Favorite drink? Dirty Martini
7. Dream vacation? Maui
8. Favorite dessert? Brownies
9. What you want to be when you grow up? Astronaut
10. What do you love most in life? Tigger
11. One Word to describe you. Kind
12. Your flickr name. Aredhel (because Aredhelstar didn't yield results)

[[Edited because Jenni said I HAD to have my answers up.]]

Starting up!

2008-06-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm pausing from adding my projects and yarn to Ravelry to make a little post. I got quite a bit up tonight! :)

About me - My name is Amy and I started knitting about 2 1/2 years ago when my mom gave me a set of knitting looms. This last Christmas (2007) I finally graduated to needles and now there's no stopping me. I purchased a set of Knit Picks Harmony Wood Options Interchangeable Circular needles (along with 60" cables to make blankets and I LOVE them. Now I just need more 60" cables...

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Now playing: OneRepublic - Stop & Stare
via FoxyTunes

First!

2008-06-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

Going to get this thang started. Hello world! :)

MySpace - Update 7/3/07

2007-07-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to write an update since I have kind of disappeared for the last few days.

Friday: Michelle took me to get my U-Haul truck (a mini-mover 10' truck that she called the 'itty bitty baby truck') and we loaded it about 1/3 full of everything that I had pre-packed. I spend the rest of that night breaking down my desk and packing anything else that I could.

Saturday: I woke up at 5:30 and kept packing and loading the truck, Michelle came back over at 9-ish and soon after Justin texted me that his plane had landed (a half hour early). Unfortunately their baggage check was taking a ridiculously long time so we ended up circling the airport for about an hour until his bag came out and we could leave. Michelle had to go get her mom (she just had major surgery and was being released to an assisted care facility for her rehab), so we said our goodbyes and Justin and I kept moving. Tigger was the last thing moved from the apartment to the truck after I had cleaned as much as I could, and we hit the road at 2:45pm. I had to stop and cancel my UPS Store mailbox and we ate before leaving to start the long, long drive. Tigger did really well this first day, meowing for only about 5 minutes before laying down and falling asleep (if you have ever moved a cat across the country before you know how rare this is). Long story short, we got into the hotel in Cameron, MO at about 9:30pm, went and got Taco Bell and brought it back to the room (where Tigger the fearless was bouncing around touching and smelling everything like a pro) and hit the hay.

Sunday: Slept in, got up around 8:00 and had some continental breakfast at the hotel. Turned in our keys and left again. Tigger wasn't too happy about a 2nd day of this silliness and he let me know it for about an hour and a half (until we were through Kansas City). We had to slow down for some rain that cleaned off the trucks but we apparently missed the really bad storms they were having down here. We only stopped once to break and put air in my leaky tire and made it the rest of the way, got here about 3pm Central. We unloaded my U-Haul, then my truck (the TVs, dishes and computer went in my truck) and Tigger the fearless was again at the task of smelling everything and letting us know about corners where the carpet was loose and the cable guy did a lousy install.

We've been unpacking since, had to go over to his old apt and get his big furniture and clean the place (although I'll admit that I slacked on the cleaning because I had to clean my own place!) We already have internet, he got that installed the day before coming up so this room was set up first, quickly followed by getting all of the dishes put away in the kitchen. Justin goes back to work today so I'm going to get as much done as possible in-between the few things that I have to venture out to do. Wish me luck!

I know most of them will never read this but I need to shout out thanks to Michelle for all of her emotional support and other help during the last few months, it's meant the world to me. Thanks to my mom and step-dad as well for financing my move! I couldn't have done it without them. Also thanks to Jenni for always responding to my texts about where we were! ;) I've missed her lately since she hasn't been at the computer much so it was nice to hear from her along the way. And of course, thanks to my lovely fiance for putting up with me (and Tigger) along the way and being my shoulder to lean on even when he was too exhausted to move.

That's it for now!! :)

MySpace - Update 5/12/07

2007-05-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

Figured I would throw an update here while I'm stuck at work for another 2 hours.

My foot is healing, I'm going to keep it wrapped up at least until I go down to Springfield on the 23rd - and I'll probably keep it wrapped for the drive. I'm walking without the crutches, I've learned how to walk so as to not use the ouchy part. My left leg is getting pretty sick of overcompensating though, I've been drinking water like a fish to avoid a charlie horse. I'm still not sure how I hurt my foot and not my ankle, but I guess that will remain a mystery.

I started packing up last weekend, I'm going to try to keep going as my foot allows - not really much to pack. (That's a VERY good thing.) I need to get over to Jer's and get the last of my stuff (extra car mats, one piece of luggage.. that miscellaneous stuff. AND the last of my dishes!!). I am pretty positive that I'm not going to fill the U-Haul.. but I have to get one because of my huge mattress. The things we do for love! (The love of my mattress, of course.) I'm helping Michelle move this coming Friday so that will be a good practice run for me.

I'm going down to Springfield for a week over the holiday, to look at places to live and hopefully get one and I made an appt at the temp agency in town that got me my job here at Thomson. I am planning a productive trip this time, I swear!! We'll probably go see Spiderman 3 as well.

Ummmmm what else.

10 or so people have applied for my job, so I hope we can hire someone by the start of June so that I have enough time to train them. I have to get my documentation (notes) all finished too, I've been a slacker about that lately.

I went shopping with Michelle last weekend and bought some new clothes and now I'm jonesing for more. Evil shopping!

I got the DVD in my blog (Pirates of the Caribbean 2) with my Coke Rewards points!! AWESOME!! Kind of funny since I won the first movie in a Disney sweepstakes. I told Justin that I'm sure to get #3 for free as well but now I've probably jinxed it.

Gilmore Girls is ending! I CRY!! :( I will now be forced to just watch the DVD sets over and over like when Buffy and Angel ended. So sad. At least I have 'The Office', 'Bones', and 'Criminal Minds' to keep me busy until the executive jerks cancel those as well.

For my birthday I want new clothes and a flash drive. That's about it.

Peace out (as we used to say back in the day) and ttyl!

<3>

MySpace - Update 4/6/07

2007-04-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm bored. Epic-ly bored.

I'm going to see 'The Reaping' with Michelle tomorrow afternoon and then go out for dinner, that will be fun! We went out to Noodles & Co. for lunch and it was so nice to get out of here for a little while. We just have nothing going on this week and finishing most of my projects has left me sleepy and slack-ish.

I love my new phone. I switched to Cingular (ported my number - so that's the same) so that Justin & I would have free M2M. Plus they have rollover! Awesomeness. It's about the same price I was paying for half of the T-Mobile shared plan but I get like 200 free text/pic messages a month plus rollover minutes. AND I got a new phone. Which is the point of all this. It's a navy blue RAZR. I was || close to getting a new KRZR but the extra $80 in my pocket was more inviting. Ordered it from BB online, worked pretty well even though their support sucks butt.

Tigger's been scratching the heck out of me, I've currently got 2 big ones healing on my back and a big one across my wrist/hand. They're all accidents but it's making me think seriously about setting up regular appointments to have his claws trimmed and filed at a groomer. Used to seem a little too prissy (even for me), but I think it's going to have to happen if he's going to keep those things.

I have like 350 Coke Rewards Points that I don't know what to do with. I wonder when it ends.

Justin pulled/tore a muscle in his leg. Ouch. :( I wish he could come up here or I could go down there but it's just not the right time for me with work. Boo. I think I'm going to go nuts if I have to wait until Memorial Day.

I got a new power supply and DVD burner for my computer. They are awesome. (The exhaust fan had died in my other power supply)

I'm hooked on 'Heroes'. Back on April 23rd. Can't wait!! Also, 3 months until the new 'Harry Potter' movie. omgz!

I've been really bad about correspondance lately - with friends, family, pretty much everyone. Sorry about that. Don't know why it's happened but I blame my kitten's need to play every 10 minutes. And being poor.

It's cold again. Freaking cold. It needs to warm up so I can stop paying to heat my place. Not hot, because I don't have A/C... but I am sick of the cold and it needs to go away now. kk?

I had to renew my registration and my new tab stickers are blue. They match my license plate. I like them.

I need to go grocery shopping after work, I'm completely out of pretty much everything. Boo. Come with me.

WoW: We hit level 70 and I just got my Spellfire Tailoring quest done this morning. Super fun. Flying mounts are teh ubar. I really like the new expansion stuff and hope to get to start doing dungeons soon.

That's about it. Ttyl.

MySpace - Butters

2007-04-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

Which South Park kid are you most like?

Butters

You are extremely naive. You'll believe whatever anyone tells you. This is because your parents have sheltered you.

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

MySpace - Update 3/22/07

2007-03-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

My weekend started on Friday morning at about 9:45 when I left work and started the 8 1/2 hour drive to Springfield. It was blowing snow and 30 degrees when I left for my fairly uneventful drive (except for rush hour in Kansas City - ick!) and about 60 degrees and sunny when I arrived in Springfield greeted with hugs and kisses.

We didn't do much - none of the big plans that we had actually came through except for eating birthday cake. (I made him a cake! And it was good!)

Our weekend was mostly spent sleeping, snuggling, watching movies, shopping, going to see '300', eating and a little bit on the computer. We added 22 movies to our growing collection due to Best Buy sales and the Wal-Mart 5.50 bin, reinstalled Windows on Justin's machine due to evil Chinese WoW hackers and had our share of fast food.

Not really much to say other than it was a needed time off from everyday life for the both of us.

Tigger missed me, but my co-worker Michelle checked in with him twice to make sure he had food, clean litter, and mousie toys and he loves his Auntie Shell. He was a snugglekins when I got home and just wanted to snuggle and play until crashing next to my pillow where he slept like a good boy until 1 am when it was time to touch my face and wake me up for kitty kisses. (This is when he gets ejected from the room.)

That is all, I am back at work struggling to get back on track and catch up. Agh! And paying bills, and I need to get groceries on my way home. Agh! It's a good thing that tomorrow is pay day.

MySpace - Update 3/5/07

2007-03-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I was going to post something like this on Friday or Saturday, but myspace was being a butthead and wouldn't let me, so here is a recap. It was a good, relaxing weekend!

Friday I worked late then headed home (slowly because of the snow) and watched Buffy for a few hours until Justin was finally off of work. It was late so we just went to bed (Sleep = good). Saturday I worked 4 hours in the morning and then went and got the last load of my stuff from Carrie's house (just empty packing boxes and Caroline's table and chairs), dropped off their key and let her in on all the office gossip since she hasn't been around in a few months. Then I headed home, unloaded, chilled for about an hour and then Michelle picked me up and we went to see 'Zodiac'. It was really good!! A suspensful thriller with little-to-no gore (which is my favorite kind of scary movie). It was long - about 2 hrs and 40 minutes so I was sleepy by the time it was over, but it was really good! Plus it had Jake Gyllenhaal and I will watch any movie he makes. Because... well... he's hot. And goofy. And I like that. Anyway... then I went home and watched more Buffy (I was re-watching season 6 although my disc 2 won't work - le cry!) and went to bed.

Sunday I didn't get up until 10:30 and that was super awesome. I haven't done that in ages but I really needed the sleep. Justin and I played all afternoon, took a break (to eat and I did my dishes) and then played some more - about 7 hours total. We got a full level on our characters so we were really happy. I am liking the new content with Burning Crusade, there are SO many quests to do in the new zones and having another person to do them with makes it fun and easy (even if we do have to kill twice as many mobs for the collection quests). I can't wait now to get my warrior (now 53) and druid (now 51) to 58 so that they can get their master professions and rock on.

So now it's Monday and I'm at work for 3.5 hours (because I am working next Saturday again). Hopefully Justin will just be getting up and ready to play when I get home around 11:15 and we can have another day of fun WoW frolicking. And I need to do laundry.

It's nice to relax!! I've missed it so. So, Caroline, sorry I didn't call you to do anything but I just wanted to have a cheap quiet weekend to myself since I haven't had many of those lately.

I can't wait to see Justin, driving down there on the 16th to celebrate his birthday with many snuggles and a few presents and I just can't wait!! Seriously, we'll try to get some wedding planning done this time. Really. I swear.

MySpace - Update 2/21/07

2007-02-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

I got to go to visit Justin last weekend, Saturday night until Wednesday morning - and it was the BEST Valentine's I've ever had. My plane got in early and he picked me up at the airport, in the apartment I got the first of my presents - chocolates (YUM), pink roses, 'Fever Pitch', and two coloring books (kittens and puppies) with a box of 96 crayons. My second present awaited on the dresser, the Onyxia expansion for the WoW TCG and six booster packs for the regular 'Heroes of Azeroth' TCG!! (I took my sweet time opening everything and reading them all - it was torture to him!) I was also treated to a yummy lunch at Valentine's and a trip to Build-a-Bear where I made my Justin bear! (Complete with khaki cargo pants, a hoodie and black sneakers.) It was super fun!!

My faith in Valentine's day has been reignited and now I am on the prowl to get him birthday presents that will show him how much I appreciate it! (I'll be headed back down in March for the weekend of his birthday!)

Have to finish getting ready for work and unpacking but I'll try to write more later! :)

<3 A

MySpace - Update 2/9/07

2007-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

SUGARSUGARSUGARSUGAR

OK, now that I've gotten that out of the way...

Quick update. I had to get up at 5 am to be to work by 6:30 (got here at 6 though). Sucked. Drank a Starbucks Doubleshot and a 20oz. Diet Coke Cherry (no longer Diet Cherry Coke) and was then awakened by the caffine and sugar. I got to have a bagel for breakfast, and tacos and another Diet Coke Cherry for lunch with Michelle (YUM) and got some chocolate chip cookies for dessert. So I'm now hyped up on that much sugar and ready to leave at 2:30!!

Going grocery shopping and to Best Buy for some odds & ends.. maybe to Kohls because they have big bath sheets on sale and mine are from 1999 and don't absorb any liquids anymore. Gotta get TurboTax at Best Buy so I can get my returns in (hopefully tonight - depends on what time Justin gets off of work).

Tomorrow Caroline's coming down to hang out, we'll probably do some shopping and maybe go to David's Bridal.. hopefully she'll still come and not be mad at me for our e-mail spat today though. Carrie - if you are, just forgive me and realize I had to get up at 5 am. Take pity! Oh, and bring Spice if you want (yeah right - like you want her in your car for an hour) and she can play with Tigger. That would be entertainment enough for days! Are you staying with me?? If so, I'll buy you a new pillow. And make you breakfast! (If you're not too hungover for breakfast.)

Next weekend I fly to MO to spend a few days with Justin and have our Valentine's day (thanks mom!!). Flying out Saturday night late and flying back in early Wednesday morning. Anyone want to look after Tigger? Boo. If only I had local friends!! Car - if you are coming down here for that next weekend let me know and you can just stay at my place! Justin and I are going to hopefully find a church and book a date for the wedding - that's the goal at least. Then I'll be able to get the other pieces put together from here.

Work is going really good, I've been throwing out a lot more ideas now and they are warmly received (for now), so I hope that I can help to streamline and improve some things here before I have to leave.

Tigger's a menace. But I love him. He can't sleep in my room because he wakes me up to play every three hours, but we've really bonded and it's so nice to not be alone any more. I know now that it was feeding a lot of my sadness to be completely alone and am a ton happier with him around. I think Justin might even start to like him in a year or so. (hee hee) Oh, and when Tigger's in trouble he gets yelled at as 'TIGGER DUNN!' He's learning to fear that phrase. Picking up a squirt bottle tonight to help with 'training' (I wouldn't call it that.) because he really can just be a pain in my butt about some things. Not sure if it will work though, I sprayed him with the sink sprayer to get him off of the counter last night and he just sat there looking at me with 'how rude..' on his face.

That's about it. I'm over the peak of the sugar high typing spree now.

Love to all! Drop me a line!

A

MySpace - Update 1/27/07

2007-01-27T09:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, I've been crazy busy lately! At work, we've been moving equipment into my office so they've had to cut power, have me move my things, etc. But change is good, and soon it will be organized chaos. Another fun thing, I had the opportunity to put together a video that will be played next week at our National Sales Meeting on the bus rides. It is an 8 minute video about our little department and what we do (and why they should be selling it). It was really nice to stretch my creative legs with this and to get to experiment more with what Sony Vegas can do. I am really proud of my little video and am excited about possibly pursuing something similar as a career path down the line. Now I'm at work this weekend (yay for overtime, though) making the VHS tapes for the bus and also getting caught up on my own work which fell by the wayside while we were moving and doing this video for the meeting.

In other news, Tigger had his first vet appointment yesterday and he gets 2 gold stars!! The worst part of it for him was having his temperature taken, but he was very good with getting blood drawn for the FIV/FeLV tests (both negative - yay!), getting his rabies vaccination, and having the doc put some ointment in his eye. [[Thursday when I got home he wouldn't open his eye for me so I asked the doc at his appointment on Friday and even though it looked better she said it might be a viral infection so gave me some ointment for his eye that should relieve any pain and swelling.]]

I felt bad even though he was such a trooper, so I went and got him a bag of new toys which he is wearing himself out on. His favorites are the little mice that rattle when you shake them. He hides them everywhere and just plays with them for 2 hours straight, it's hilarious! I've taken some video of him doing it, will post it up here soon.

Well, that's really all for now. Winter has returned (ugh), I miss Justin, and I can't wait to see him Feb 17th!! Hope all is well with you! Leave me comments or messages and let me know what's up!

<3 A

MySpace - Update 1/24/07

2007-01-24T09:42:00.001-08:00

First, I have a new kitten named Tigger!

He is almost 9 months old, an orange/white tabby domestic shorthair. I got him on January 20th at the Minnesota Valley Humane Society. His given name was Tiger, but the staff kept calling him Tigger and when we got home I found out about his "in your face" personality and bouncing habit and decided that he really is a Tigger.

We've had some differences due to his kitten-ness and my lack of recent kitten interaction.. I have to stop what I'm doing sometimes and just play with him for 10 minutes until he can calm down again. He was waking me up every three hours attacking my ponytail or head-butting my forehead, so I've decided that he can have the run of the rest of the house at night and I can sleep in peace. (Although apparently he prefers sleeping right outside my door to guard me - I think Justin must have had a talk with him.) The newest thing, he decided that my books just really didn't need to be on the shelf last night and knocked half of them off to make a nice spot for himself to sniff around. We'll see about this one, I've put the books back and now I know to keep an eye on them.

He also picked up begging for my food really fast and I'm trying to be firm on teaching him that he can have a treat when I'm done eating. It helps to be in that mindset after raising a parrot for almost two years, I am especially conscious of how I have to be consistent with my actions so that he trains faster and better. Thankfully he has only had one puking accident (on my bed - eew) but he's fighting with roundworms so it's understandable.

Overall, his mellow personality is very comforting and he's just a little love bug! And a very brave boy too, upon his homecoming he wasn't afraid of my apartment at all - just sniffed around and found all of the hiding places and then fell asleep.

---------------------------------------------

The second piece of news - I finally heard from my friend Angie who I used to freelance for when I worked (and after I was let go) for Aveda! It was SO good to hear from her again, I had missed her a lot and was glad when she asked if we should have cocktails on Monday. We went out and over drinks talked about what had happened over the year and briefly about some new jobs that she had for me. She even thinks that most of it can still be done after I move to Missouri this summer, so that's really good news. I've already gotten my first two projects from her that I will start working on tonight, so I'm very excited for the additional distraction and income! (I told Tigger that he has to let me work because it pays for his catnip toys so he mostly understands. Mostly.)

So that's the news for now, it's nice to have another sentient being around the house so that it's not just eerily quiet or me talking to myself.

Hope all is well with you!
<3

MySpace - Update 1/8/07

2007-01-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

So you heard about my New Years weekend.. now for the rest of the week. I'm starting to think that maybe every Friday or Monday I should post about the previous week. We'll see how that goes..

Justin was still here (YAY), so I worked Tuesday and Wednesday and then took off Thursday and Friday to move more and unpack and just spend time with my new fiance. It was really nice to cook again!! I made hamburger helper, spaghetti and macaroni and cheese and it felt like our little home.. it is making me look forward to July when I'll be moving down to Missouri and we'll be together every day!! Also I got cable hooked up!! Internet to follow shortly...

Saturday we headed to St. Cloud to hang out with Caroline & Marlo, we hung out at Marlo's for a little while then went and saw 'Freedom Writers' which wasn't a movie I'd go see, but it was good. (More Caroline's kind of movie). We went out and had a few drinks, initiated Justin in with a Hairy Buffalo at MC's and then went back to Marlo's to sober up, stopped at Wally World for chocolate goodies (Caroline NEEDED cookies and cream ice cream.. with extra cookies!!) and then went back home, ate our goodies and went to bed.

Sunday morning when I finally figured out Caroline was awake again around 10 am we got ready and went out to breakfast at Perkins. Yum yum! Justin's throat was hurting really bad so I got to order for him!! Fun because I got it right so I didn't get pinched. We said our goodbyes and headed back home last night for his last night here. We finished watching the Harry Potter movies (which he liked - Yay!), had dinner, and went to bed after lots of snuggle time.

I did NOT want to get up this morning because I knew that he would be leaving. I'm still trying not to cry.. it's really hard to be apart now but I know I'll get through it with all of the unpacking, planning, and re-packing I'll have to do in the next 6 months. It was a hard goodbye again and then into work where I was immediately swamped with things to do because I had taken a 4-day weekend. It's kept my mind busy, thankfully - and he called me about an hour and a half ago to let me know where he was. I already miss him terribly and just thinking about going home to my empty apartment makes my heart ache. Thank goodness he won't read this until he's home and too tired to drive back!

So all-in-all, 2007 is off to a wonderful start. I got to spend a load of quality time with my favorite person and he got to meet my best friend. I know that this won't be the high point in my year, so I look forward to all that the year has in store for me. I hope that you all have had a good start too, and if not - brush it off and let's get this happy year rolling!

Love to all,
A

MySpace - Update 1/2/07

2007-01-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

My New Year's weekend started out on Saturday morning, loading as much as I could into my little Vue from Carrie's house and moving it to my new house in South St. Paul. I made two trips and got all of the boxes I had packed and stashed in the hallway, all of my bathroom stuff and a little more. Then I headed out to have lunch with Caroline, Scott & Scott's friend Nate. Right before the food came (I was starving!!) my aunt/uncle/grandma called to say congratulations and ask about Justin. I answered all of their questions and they let me go fill my tummy. Around 4 Justin arrived at my new apartment and after hugs and kisses I put him to work! We went and picked up my U-Haul truck and headed to the old apartment. We got my king size bed, desk, bookshelves, and other misc. furniture along with some dishes and silverware. I drove it (aiyee!) the 10 miles to my new place and we unloaded, set up the bed and zonked out.

Sunday we unpacked, moved more stuff from Carrie's and veged. We were going to head up to St. Cloud to see Caroline but by the time she & we were ready to leave town the weather had taken a turn for the worst and we were having a snowstorm. She called us from the road and said there were lots of cars in the ditch, a few accidents, and top speed was about 40 mph. (EEW!) So we stayed home, I unpacked some more, and we went to bed early.

Yesterday we had a 'Good Morning!' 'Happy New Year!' war upon waking up and I decided that we should go get the televisions from the old apartment. So I got ready and we went. It was easier than I expected!! I grabbed some things we didn't feel like taking on Saturday because moving the big stuff was so tiring and only an hour and a half later I was hooking up my dvd player in the bedroom and we were popping in a movie! (no couch in the living room so movies are more fun laying in bed). We went and had a huge breakfast, unpacked, watched movies and had a lazy day (finally!!).

I am working today and tomorrow, but have taken Thursday and Friday off to hopefully finish most of the unpacking and spend some quality time with my fiance before he has to go back home and work far too much. My cable is being installed tomorrow morning and I hope to have internet soon after!

That's about it for now, I'll get some pictures taken of my new place and put them up when I can. Thanks to my friends and family (old and new) for your love and support during this time, it has made all of the difference!

MySpace - Update 12/27/06

2006-12-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

Saturday Justin worked, so I did his laundry (hey, why not?) and then watched a few movies. He got to come home for lunch (I ordered pizza! That's a funny story if you ever want to hear it.) and we had a pretty normal day.

Sunday we got up early, got ready, and drove to Centerville, MO to eat, be merry, and most importantly - for me to meet Justin's family. I must have made a good impression as I got no scowls, only hugs. (Yay!) Everyone was VERY nice, he has an awesome family.

We arrived to an empty house and wondered if we were in the right place! He showed me around, told me who everyone in the family photos were (so I could get a head start on names) and about 15 minutes later his mom and her boyfriend arrived with the first of the food and to let us know that everyone was still on their way. (We were EARLY for once!!) The day was the usual family Christmas, talking, eating, presents, we headed over to visit with one of his mom's old friends who was also very nice and then headed home to her house to spend the night. We opened presents and got some dinner there and hit the hay.

We had decided to sleep in Monday so we did! (YAY again!) His mom cooked us a yuuummmmmmy breakfast of french toast and bacon and we hung out for a while as his dad wasn't at the Christmas celebration at his aunt's house yet and then said our goodbyes with a promise to bring him back home soon. The trip to his Aunt's was short, and I was quickly introduced to that side of his family. Everyone was talking and laughing, it was a very good place atmosphere to be around on Christmas. Everyone was great and very friendly! About 1:30 in the afternoon (we had only been there since about noon) we decided to exchange gifts so we popped into one of his cousin's rooms and did so.

I gave him a camera. He loved it, but it was woefully inadequate to my present - he asked me to marry him! My mind went blank when I realized what was happening, but somehow I managed to blurt out 'Yes!!' (good thing!!)

We both sat and hugged and cried for a while and then went out and made the announcement. Everyone has told me that they will be glad to have me in their family, and I am very glad to have their approval and support! We had to leave a little early because we were driving all the way back to Springfield, so we headed out. We celebrated at TGI Friday's for dinner (I had my celebratory fajitas - it was the only thing open!!) and we snuggled and talked about all the things we're going to have to plan.

Tuesday Justin was going to leave me his car, so I got up with him early to drop him off at work, but he wasn't feeling too good and we needed to see if we could get my ring resized so he went inside and saw that he only had 2 small jobs so he thankfully got the day off. (He was really sick last night so I'm more glad that we got to spend the day together and that he wasn't out in the cold.) I got to meet a few of the people he works with, including his friend Tim (who I've been wanting to meet!) and when he was good to go we headed home. We went back to bed and slept in again (yay!) and then got ready and went out shopping. We hit B&N so that I could use my gift card that his sister gave me, Best Buy for the $4.99 movies, the Traveler Info center for MO gifts for my co-workers that I've been promising them since October, and the jewler's to get my ring resized (just a half size, it was allllmost big enough ). We also ran out to the Harley store to get a shirt for Michelle, but they were closed! (Grrrr..) We also hit PetSmart (a surprise stop) but they didn't have any puppies or kitties to cuddle (not even a hamster!) and then popped into a Cat/Dog gift store where I found presents for Carrie (who's let me stay at her house since September). I won't say what they are until I give them to her in case she reads this!!

I took care of him and we watched some movies and went to bed early and got a good night's sleep. This morning we got up and he headed to work and I finished packing up the last of my stuff and got a taxi to the airport. It was really nice this time that I didn't bring a lot of stuff so I had plenty of time to get everywhere. (I don't like running through the airport and being all sweaty and stinky!) The flight back was mostly on-time and uneventful, and now here I am at work doing my thing.

I gotta go, but I just wanted to let everyone know what happened! It was the BEST Christmas vacation!!

TTYL!
<3
A

MySpace - Update 12/23/06

2006-12-23T09:50:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you a happy Christmas travel story!

Prologue: Two years ago, the day before Thanksgiving, my flight to go see my mom was cancelled. I am still very bitter and have only flown once since.

Friday I got up and finished packing, went in to work about 10:30 because I was just going to go to the airport from work (because it's about 30 minutes closer). Everyone leaves work and around 6 pm I start checking nwa.com for my flight that leaves at 9:30pm. Trouble. The first leg of the flight from Canada is delayed an hour. two hours. three hours. They update the Mpls -> Springfield leg to say 'Flight Pending, information will be updated at 6:47.' The information was finally updated at 6:51 and everything pointed to being on time.

I tried the Park'N'Fly this time, $50 to park in a secure lot, and a shuttle bus picks me up and drops me off at my car and right at the ground transportation area of the airport. (About $10 cheaper than parking at the cheapest lot at the airport plus I don't have to hoof it to the light rail and back.) There was a luggage check for online check-in just 2 escalators up, so I checked my bag and started following the signs to the Gate area. Security was a breeze (for me), I didn't do the 3 oz. of liquid in a bottle in a baggie B.S. and they decided my digital camera and iPod weren't bombs so all was good. I headed to my gate at a leisurly stroll, seeing as we were supposed to be on time and I still had about an hour until boarding time.

Our plane finally arrived about 10 minutes before we were set to depart at 9:23, and we were finally situated and taking off about 9:50. Our flight attendant, Josh, was very tired but very funny. At that late hour we all just needed a little humor so it was very nice to have someone with a sense of humor taking care of us. Oh.. and yay for no prearranged seat assignment as I was in 2D!! 5th person off the plane! I listened to the first 7 Dean Koontz podcasts on the way and re-found the title of one of his books that I've been wanting to read again (Watchers - about a golden retriever that has the brain capacity of a human and can talk who escapes from a genetic testing facility only to pair up with a disgruntled 35-yr old military vet.) and got to hear a lot about his newest book that I really want to read now (The Husband).

We landed at our exact scheduled arrival time of 11:08 pm and booked it to get to the jetway. I called Justin about halfway down the ramp between the gates and baggage claim (what.. you thought Springfield/Branson National Airport would be more impressive?) and asked 'Where are you?' I was surprised to hear 'Around...' I turned in a circle and found him and greeted him with a big long hug. That hug was the beginning of my vacation. YAY!

We waited and wondered as two (of the three) luggage carousels started up and spun around.. nothing. Fortunately we were standing by a security door and one of the guys popped out and said quietly that our stuff would be on the third carousel. We were the first ones there as it started spinning and finally we found my blue cubey suitcase and were off! A quick sidestop at McD's on the way home because I hadn't eaten in 12 hours and then finally home!

We are driving to his family's place tomorrow morning, then probably spending the night at his mom's house tomorrow night and to his dad's to celebrate on Monday, then driving back Monday night. I'll be offline until then and cell phone reception will be spotty so I'll get in touch when we get back.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday, let me know how it went and what you got!!

Much love,
A

MySpace - Update 12/20/06

2006-12-20T09:51:00.000-08:00

So I've got new digs, just went and looked at a place tonight and it's pretty perfect, at least for now (or the next year - however long the lease turns out to be). I'm hoping to move in Jan 1st, but we'll see how things go.

I'll post some pics and send info via e-mail when things are firmer, I just had to put some money down tonight to make sure that I got it.

YAY!!

More info to come!

<3 A

MySpace - Update 12/15/06

2006-12-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Why a new myspace? Because there were things associated with my old account that I want to erase constant reminders of. Not just for me, but for the people that care about me as well.

Sorry to make everyone move over! I tried to do as much of the work as possible but I know it's still a pain. I think I might even revamp my layout after the holidays when I have some downtime!!

A quick shout-out to Justin, Jenni, and Matt - you have been there for me at my lowest times lately and have been so supportive and caring that I don't know how to thank you. (I know, you'll all say that I don't need to.) It really means a lot to me to have you in my life.

MySpace - Update 12/13/06

2006-12-13T09:53:00.000-08:00

Stolen from Caroline because I liked it. Haha!

A YEAR-END SURVEY LIKE NO OTHER
1.) Where did you ring in 2006?
Alaska, in my mom's R.V.

2.) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
still engaged

3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
No! Haha! Boo for school!

4.) How did you earn your keep?
I freelanced, then was a temp for the people who eventually hired me after like 2 months. Now I am gainfully employed (again)!

5.) Did you have to go to the hospital?
Yes, had to go to the ER recently but I'm mostly all better now!

6.) Did you have any encounters with the police?
One speeding ticket, I think that was it.

7.) Where did you go on vacation?
Alaska (it still counts if I was there for the first 3 days of the year!), Michigan for a wedding and to Springfield a few times recently.

8.) What did you purchase that was over $500?
Nothing, thankfully.

9.) Did you know anybody who got married?
Yes, Jeremiah's brother

10.) Did you know anybody who passed away?
No

11.) Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with?
Not in my graduating class, but I 'met up' with Jenni and Kimmy again via myspace!!

12.) Did you move anywhere?
Yes, into Carrie's basement. Hopefully early 2007 will find me in a new apartment!!

13.) What sporting events did you go to?
I think just the Vikings game that I won tickets to in October.

14.) What concerts/shows did you go to?
BNL! I think that was it. Random movies here and there.

15.) Are you registered to vote?
Yes, have been since I was able.

16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
Nope, I only vote for the president because I don't pay attention to local politics.

17.) Where do you live now?
Hastings, MN in Carrie's basement. (Lovingly known as the 'futon fairy')

18.) Describe your birthday.
Relaxing. Finally!

19.) What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006?
Leave the relationship I was in.

20.) What is one thing you regret from this year?
I try never to regret, but I do feel sorry about the way certain things went down.

21.) What's something you learned about yourself?
That I was still in me. Sounds funny, but I had lost myself. That I could be really happy again. That I have a few people that really care deeply about me - that was the biggest thing I learned.

22.) Any new additions to your family?
Not my immediate family, unless you count my dad's new cat and my mom's new dog.

23.) What was your best month?
Probably April/May. I had my new job and things were going really well.

24.) What from pop culture will you remember 2006 by?
All of the new music that Justin introduced me to, and McKinley Place that Caroline made me listen to (and I love).

25.) How do you plan to ring in 2007?
Not sure, Justin will be up here but I haven't really figured out if we'll be going out somewhere, up to St. Cloud, whatever. Probably won't know until a few days before, knowing me!

MySpace - Update 12/2/06

2006-12-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

So last Saturday I was diagnosed with mono at the Urgent Care in Springfield (I was visiting Justin over Thanksgiving). They told me to take Motrin for the pain and swelling, and that I just had to 'suffer through it'. I talked to my mom and she said that the first two weeks was the worst, and that since I had been feeling bad for almost a week, the worst of it was almost over. Around Tuesday my throat started to swell up and I had some pain swallowing. I drove back Wednesday, very tired and still with more pain swallowing.. I could hardly eat regular food. I worked Wed (just for 2.5 hrs), Thurs and Fri but upon talking to my friend Matt decided that something needed to be done. I didn't get any sleep on Thursday night because I was so worried that with my tonsils swollen so large that I could hardly breathe when I was awake - that I would stop breathing in the night and with noone around to notice.. a bad thing would happen.

Yesterday I e-mailed and then called my mom to ask her about getting a steroid pack. She asked me a few questions, and then said that I needed to go to the ER, and 'now'. After a half an hour of her convincing me (I know... I'm a stubborn ass) I finally conceded. She told me how much better I'd feel and I really hoped she was right. Because of my crying and whining that I didn't want to go I was in obvious distress when I got there.. could hardly talk. (Really helped my case and sympathy factor, but I'm pretty sure they would have done what they did anyway). Took about 15 minutes to get seen, but then the doc (and older gentleman, very nice) came in to examine me. He squeezed out tears of pain when he felt my neck that was so swollen I couldn't open my jaw wider than an inch.. couldn't turn my head to either side. Right away he looked at my tonsils and told me that he wanted me on an IV of steroids with pain meds to help me swallow and then he would give me oral steroids to take for the next week. He said 'You're going to feel a lot better when you leave here tonight.' I cried again and wheezed out a 'Thank you!'.

For anyone who has never had an IV... let me just say. It is 50x worse than having your blood drawn.. not as bad as a huge shot of antibiotics in your butt. It's a constant nagging ache in the crook of your elbow (that's my easiest stick) and even though they use the flexible plastic needle things so you can bend your arm, the drip goes faster if you keep it straight. Which, in my case meant that the cold saline/steroid concoction made my hand numb from the cold and being in the same position for the 2 hours it took. 2 hours! I thank that doc much much much for the Tordol for my pain, that made it bearable since about a half hour later I could swallow without grimacing.

When I left I was feeling worlds better and I could breathe freely again, it made me so tired because I knew that I would be able to sleep!! But the steroids put a bounce in my step (even though I was still a little dizzy) so I stayed up and chatted and played until midnight, then had a full 8 hours of sleep! YAY! It was like the part in 'City of Angels' where she rolls over and realizes she finally got a full night's sleep and cheers. (See, I'm relating my life to movies again - it's so obvious I'm starting to feel myself!)

Watched Superman Returns.. took my first dose of steroids as directed, and my tonsils are about half the size they were last night. I know... always listen to your mother. Especially when she's a doctor. Le sigh. I hate that she's always right...

Out for now, just wanted to let everyone know what's going on and that I'm doing much much better!! Oh, and THANK YOU to Caroline for finally sending me her pictures of us!! New pics up here on myspace of me and me/her.

Later taters!
A

MySpace - Update 11/25/06

2006-11-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

I have mono. You should have seen my face when the doctor told me. I was thinking 'Me? Mono? Surely you jest.' But the blood test confirms it. For those of you who have never had mono (that you know of) or that are sitting there going 'OMG that slut was out kissing people and got sick' I recommend you read this link. I had to google 'mono' when I got home because although I know people that have had mono, I've never thought I had it. This is another good link as well. I have no idea where I caught it - maybe some stranger coughed or sneezed on me and I didn't notice, or maybe it was when Caroline asked to use my lip gloss a few weeks ago. Maybe it was aliens! I have no clue (as usual).

The funniest part was that the doc said 'say ahh' and the second i opened my mouth she said 'Oh my, if that's not strep I'll eat my shorts!' I thought 'PHEW!'. Then she felt my neck and went 'Oh.. hmm.. um.. well we'll see what your strep test says and if it's negative then I'll have someone from the lab come in to draw your blood to test.' She left. Not 2 minutes later a lab tech came in and I'm sure my face said 'Oh f*cking no.' She didn't tell me the results, just took my blood.. but I knew what that meant. (Dammit.) Finally the doc came back and told me the blood test had confirmed mono and I wanted to tell her to eat her d*mn shorts.

I started to think after reading these articles, that mono is sort of like chicken-pox for 20-somethings. Seems like our parents should round us all up and make us share drinks if they find out that one of us had it. I really wish I'd had it in high school now, I was never kissing anyone back then anyway and there are a few people that I would have loved to make feel this miserable. (Yes, I would have. I'm just a spiteful bitch underneath this sweet fairy exterior. Don't you know me at all? )

That is all. I am told that no medicine can cure me. I need to keep hydrated and lay around like a lazy ass until I start to feel better. That is, for 2-3 months. Oh yeah, and no open-mouth kissing for 6 months. Ha! She even gave me a dr's note for '1 week off of work or school'. Yeah, like that's going to happen. If only I could still get paid for it!

I hope that I haven't infected anyone - I am truly sorry if I have. I will attempt not to infect anyone else, or at least let people know that I'm broken yet again.

If it's not one thing it's the next, isn't it? Maybe I will be healthy sometime in the summer of 2007, I'll let you all know.

Love and peace,
A

MySpace - Update 9/12/06

2006-09-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

I am sorry that I've been out of the loop lately, but I know that I should start to fill in the gaps. I recently realized that I haven't been happy in my relationship for a long time. Years. This realization has been sinking in over the last few months as I've formed closer bonds with people at work and in WoW, and have started to laugh and enjoy life again. There was really no one earth-shattering event, more like a rumbling that finally rocked the foundation loose.

I've decided to leave my current relationship. We are calling it a 'separation'. I need time to find out who I am and how I can be happy again, and start living my life again (not just trudging through day-by-day). We are both hopeful that after this period apart, we can start to date again, talk more openly, and be honest with each other. I think one of the hardest things for me to hear is that he thought that I was acting the way I have because it's just the way I was. I thought 'What about that bright, young peppy girl that you fell in love with? The one that would turn and kiss you at every red light?'. I guess with time those memories fade until we don't realize that a person has changed. He is working very hard on being more open with me, and I really do appreciate it, but I just need time by myself. I think that with time I can be more open with him again and maybe we can work through these issues that have made me feel so numb for so long.

I am scared. Mostly of where I am going to live, how I'm going to get by. This is somewhat balanced by the excitement I feel about starting to do the things that once made me very happy, that filled my life with friends and fun. I am going to start bowling again. I am going to play tennis again. I am going to go to church and try not to be angry and resentful about those I have lost. I am finally going to grieve. I am going to take trips by myself. I am going to go somewhere I've always wanted to but never did. I'm going to write again (I know... crappy poetry INC!). I am going to finish my degree. I'm going to spend time getting to know my friends. I'm going to go out on the weekends and meet new people. I'm going to take long walks. I'm going to visit the friends that I've rekindled relationships with on myspace. Most importantly, I am going to go through a period of self reflection where I can hopefully learn to overcome my own personal issues and learn to love myself.

This whole thing makes me feel very 'Bridget Jones'… maybe I should keep a diary. I'm not sure I'd want everyone to read it though…

That's all for now, I will write an update when I've found a place to live for a while and start settling in.

Thank you for the love and support you have given me so far, and for the support I'm sure to receive in the upcoming months. It means a lot to me to have the friends I do.

Love, Amy