26 June 2009
Chiagu Soho #1 - Waiting for more yarn; Soho #2: Finished; Argosy Wrap - 45%; Whisper Cardi: 40%; Matrix Pullover: 80%; Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together - On Hiatus; Koigu Crazy Monkey socks 50%; Favorite Sweater: Finished; Trendsetter Mitred Square Capelet (98% done) - On Hiatus; Sensual Knits Ramona - 95% - On Hiatus; ChicKnits Hoodie - Frogged...and the crazy on-going Workshirt Embroidery Project

It's a typical Friday morning for me. Sitting at the computer, TV on...but this time I'm actually watching MTV because they're showing music vids.
WTF? Get outta here!
Yep. For the first time in what seems like a long time, they're showing music videos.
Because yesterday, Michael Jackson--probably the most famous entertainer/celebrity on the planet, someone who's been in the spotlight for 45 of his 50 years, and provided the soundtrack for a great swath of MY life--passed away after suffering cardiac arrest.
This is...I guess the only word to describe it (other than sad, heart-breaking, stunning)...is weird.
I'm seeing these videos I haven't seen in years. And I'm recognizing a lot of the dancers because the vids were made back in the day when I was a dancer.
I must've left my LPs back in L.A. 'cause they're not with the bunch in my bookshelf. So, I bought and downloaded "Off The Wall" last night. Gonna ask around to see if anyone I know here has the "Thriller" CD.
I always said that Michael may have been a strange bird, but there's no denying that he was one of the most talented, ground-breaking m*****f****** on the planet.
There are a lot of opinions/beliefs/whatever about Michael Jackson, but I do know this: I wasn't there, so I can't say. I'm thinking that there's more rumour and innuendo surrounding the man than actual fact...and now that he's gone, who can say?
I know this: He made BILLIONS of people happy.
We go through our lives wanting to make at least a few people happy. If we're successful we make a few happy: family, friends, employers, whatever.
Michael Jackson brought joy...JOY...to people around the world.
Despite all of the strange behaviour. He brought joy, he inspired.
He actually made us...better...for him being here.
Think what you want: Even the people who are too cool to move will hit the dance floor when the DJ drops the needle on a Michael Jackson joint.
Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones made classic music that is just as fresh today as it was when it first hit the airwaves.
I don't know what your beliefs are, dear reader, but mine are...well...complicated.
I do hope that his spirit is at peace. I hope that he's now in the form that makes him happy.
Now, put on some music and dance your ass off.
I sure will.
Thanks, Michael.
Rest In Peace, baby. Rest In Peace.
Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight:
Here one day...gone one night...
Gone too soon...

|

<<<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>>

30 May 2009
Chiagu Soho #1 - Waiting for more yarn; Soho #2: Finished; Argosy Wrap - 45%; Whisper Cardi: 40%; Matrix Pullover: 80%; Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together - On Hiatus; Koigu Crazy Monkey socks 50%; Favorite Sweater: Finished; Trendsetter Mitred Square Capelet (98% done) - On Hiatus; Sensual Knits Ramona - 95% - On Hiatus; ChicKnits Hoodie - Frogged...and the crazy on-going Workshirt Embroidery Project

Once again, awhole month has flown by. Where've I been? Working. And working. Oh, and working.
Since at work they have a lot of sites I go to regularly blocked, on my days off (and sometimes for a couple of hours on weekday evenings) I'm on Ravelry...and for some strange reason I also opened a Twitter account.
Twitter!? No iPhone, no fancy-schmancy Blackberry, no Twitter access at work...where I spend all damned day, literally. And I'm on Twitter. WTF!? (I also got a Facebook account just to track down people. Already found 2 from college.)
I don't even tend to this little blog-thing regularly, but there I am, on Twitter...and Ravelry.
Oh, hell. Why not!?

So...last weekend my Partner in Crime and I got the hell outta Dodge and spent the Memorial Day Weekend in L.A. Sometimes the girl have just gotta make a run for the border, ya know?
We left early Friday morning and found ourselves at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles before noon.
After a leisurely breakfast we headed over to the hotel to offload our stuff...then headed over to the Promenade.
That's one of the things I miss the most living here, there are no real places to stroll. Malls, fake town squares just don't cut it.
When people say that "nobody walks in L.A.", know this: They're talkin' BULLSHITE and they have no idea whatsoever how large and spread out L.A. is. You drive to where you're going to spend the rest of your time walking around. If you live in Hollywood, you're not going to frackin' walk to Santa Monica. If you live in Burbank, you're not going to walk to Silverlake or Studio City or...well...you get my drift.

In addition to Roscoes and Santa Monica's Main Street, we also hit our other regular spots: Fluevog (Are they The Shizz, or what!?) & CP Shades. We also made our regular stop at Ritual Adornments. What a great bead shop. It's more than merely a "bead shop", though.
(Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to save up for this trip. I knew what I was going to get if I found it, and I was good. Regarding shopping for clothes and shoes, there is an up side to being 6'2" and not a size 5: I see plenty of cute, pretty things, but 99% of the time, they don't fit me. And my feet? Forget it. The only thing I actually "splurged" on was a paperback I came across when we popped into Barnes&Nobel. Anyway, it is possible to go to L.A., have a good time, and not leave there broke.)

On Sunday we made our ritual trip to the Main Street Farmers Market for breakfast, then to Day 1 of the 2 UCLA Jazz & Reggae Festival headlined by De La Soul and Erykah Badu. It was wonderful. As we were parking the car, standing in line to get in and walking into the venue, we heard Ayo!
There were food booths on one side of the field and crafts/merch on the other side.
The weather was beautiful, a tiny bit o' herb occasionally made its presence known, and the crowd was peace.

Monday, we hit the Ocean Park Omlette Parlor and instead of the Getty, this time we hit the LACMA, which I haven't been in for at least 11 years. It's grown and is still growing! Because it was a Federal Holiday, admission was free except for the Pompeii exhibit. That was fine because there was plenty else to see.

Tuesday morning, on the way out, we made our ritual swing to the La Brea Bakery.

If I could find a job, a secure job that pays well enough that I could afford to not live in a hovel, I'd be living in L.A.
But till that day, it's only a few hours away...and I can dream, can't I?

|

<<<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>>

11 April 2009
Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together - On Hiatus; Koigu Crazy Monkey socks 50%; Favorite Sweater: 99%; Trendsetter Mitred Square Capelet (98% done) - On Hiatus; Sensual Knits Ramona - 95% - On Hiatus; ChicKnits Hoodie - 80%...and the crazy on-going Workshirt Embroidery Project

Here we are...another Saturday. The day after Slothful Friday.
What's happened since I last had the will and the inclination to sit at my computer on a Saturday morn?
The final episodes of "Life on Mars", "Battlestar Galactica" and "ER".
I've been flying to the UK on "BT Airlines" and watching the original BBC version of Life on Mars (it's wonderful) and you know I was watching Battlestar. It's been featured in my Hobby Whore's Favourite Things list over there on the right side of the page there. --->
"ER"? Not so much.
I think I've probably seen 1 or 2 episodes, and those were way back in the first season.
I've also been watching a BBC show called "Being Human".
It's about 3 young adults, 2 guys and a girl, who share a flat in Bristol.
One guy's a vampire, made so when he was a young soldier in WWI. The other guy is a werewolf. Only been one for about a year and is trying to get used to it.
The girl? She's a ghost. She was killed in the flat.
They're just trying to make a way. Trying to fit in. Trying to be 'human'.
I fihished the first season. They got picked up so another season's coming and I'm so glad!!
"True Blood" is coming back this summer. "Eureka" is coming back, as well as "Torchwood" and "Doctor Who". (David Tennant's leaving! Damn!)
I miss Battlestar. It was really really good drama. I have the first season DVD set, and will be getting the 2nd, 3rd and both parts of Season 4.
Another favourite that's gone and will have the 2nd and final season on DVD soon is "Pushing Daisies".
This summer will be Movie Summer. "Star Trek", "Transformers 2", the next Harry Potter flick are all coming. As well as the Wolverine origin story.
Already saw Watchmen. And it was really really good. Can't wait for the DVD to come out.
I got "The Day The Earth Stood Still" and haven't watched yet. Damned NBA!!!

On the knitting front, I finished one Soho (viewable on Ravelry and I'll post a picture here soon as well) and I'm waiting for the yarn to come in to finish the other.
I'm closing in on the end of my Monkey Socks and I started to start the Goddess top, but stopped because I misunderstood something in the pattern.
Pluse, I was trying to knit it out of that fucking awful GGH Mystik.
Frogged it, tried to start a couple of other projects out of it, and stopped.
I can't do it. I hate this yarn so much.
It's going to get gifted to someone who will hopefully love it more than me. I can't even make myself try to get a Clapotis out of it.
Instead, I cast on the Argosy Wrap out of that Shaefer Laurel I got in the Billlie Holiday colourway. So far, so good. I think it's going to be quite lovely.
Pictures later. I'm also going to put up a picture on Ravelry.
What else? Oh! I borged out and set up a Twitter account.
Why? Why not!
I put the widget up over there in the Favourite Things section. Check it out. Follow me, if you dare. Bring a book.

By the way, check out the interview with Roland LeCompte, the man who designs stained glass windows, particularly for the National Cathedral in D.C.
Wow.

|

<<<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>>

14 March 2009
Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together - On Hiatus; Koigu Crazy Monkey socks 50%; Favorite Sweater: 99%; Trendsetter Mitred Square Capelet (98% done) - On Hiatus; Sensual Knits Ramona - 95% - On Hiatus; ChicKnits Hoodie - 80%...and the crazy on-going Workshirt Embroidery Project

Happy Birthday Albert Einstein! And Happy Pi Day!

Ahhh....Friday. Spent the morning catching up with 24...when that African terrorist guy bitchslapped the President (who this season is a woman...a white woman) I could hear White Seperatists heads exploding all over Idaho. And Montana. And Alabama. And...whatever other places there are with dark caves that these people live in.
Anyway, Jack Bauer. Gotta love him. And isn't just a little bit sad that the show felt it had to do a PSA with Keifer Sutherland saying that the show is just a work of fiction? I guess with all of the neo-cons up there talking about how they wish they had a "Jack Bauer" working for them so they could torture anyone they wanted any time they felt like it?
W...T...F?
These are the same caves where the people live who are all on this "Barack Obama isn't an American!" delusional kick.
Wow. I almost feel sorry for these stupid fucks. Hate is a sad, sad thing. And no, I don't hate them. I pity them and pray that one day the scales will fall from their eyes. I hope that their state of cognitive dissonance is temporary and short. May they have a collective Scott McClelland moment. (As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on that guy. We'll see.)
And WTF is up with the Washington Post eliminating their Business section? NOW???
WTF POST!? Now is the time for you to be all up in that business news! EVERY day.
Here's a better idea: KILL THE FUCKING ENTERTAINMENT SECTION INSTEAD!!!!!
Damn.

Anyway, I'm closing in on finishing my Soho shawl. And I'm still knitting on vests...and socks.
Last weekend I got one of the Namaste Cali Collection Zuma knitting bags. I LOVE this little bag with the W I D E mouth. I got a Charcoal Gray one...first grey purse since the messenger bag I got from an import store when I was in college. (Yep. I had a messenger bag---a real one---decades before anyone other than messengers carried them.) And I'm waiting for the eggplant colour to come in.
Buttery soft faux leather, small footprint, lots of pockets and storage.
I love being able to carry a knitting project along with my wallet, iPod, little makeup pouch, bus tickets, keys, glasses, some knitting accessories...in a smallish bag.
When I leave the house, I tend to carry a lot of stuff. No, actually, I pack a bag like I'm running away from home. Especially week days because I work so far from home.
This colour is called "Hollywood Pink" and in person is quite a pretty colour...but totally not something I'd ever carry. Even if it was just for knitting stuff. The Olive colour was pretty, but the eggplant purple is something that would work with everything I wear, and is trans-seasonal.
When I first saw a picture of this bag, I thought it would probably be too small for my 6'2"-ness. But nope.
It's perfect. Not too big...not too small.
I'm not a bag ho. In fact, I find the designer bag thing kind of strange. But I really really like this purse. And plus it's a good price, too.
Zuma, y'all. Snag one for your self.

|

<<<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>>

13 February 2009
Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit 2 Together - On Hiatus; Koigu Crazy Monkey socks 50%; Favorite Sweater: 99%; Trendsetter Mitred Square Capelet (98% done) - On Hiatus; Sensual Knits Ramona - 95% - On Hiatus; ChicKnits Hoodie - 80%...and the crazy on-going Workshirt Embroidery Project

Chapter 20: Yes. I'm still knitting.

I am a bad blogger. Actually, I'm not really a blogger at all. I'm a wannabe.
A wannabe with a job that has me out the door before 5:30am and walking back in just before 7:00pm. 4 days a week, mind you. But still. I mean, I'm not going to bitch and moan about my 4 10s schedule. Hell, who complains about having 3 day weekends? (Four days if you're looking at a Monday holiday!) And who complains about having a job at all these days?
Not. Me.
So. Knitting.
Yeah, I've been knitting all this while. One of the latest things I've finished is the Favorite Sweater designed by Wendy (Knit and Tonic) Bernard from her book.
Here's a snap of it, with everything done but the buttons. Now that I've looked through my button stash and found nothing that will do, I'm on the Button Search. Whoooopeeee! I just want some plain, no-drama buttons that won't clash with the cable action.
I used Berrocco Comfort, which is a very nice acrylic, in my stand-by favorite colour: Black.
This thng is so Black that you can't see any other colour in it. You know, like sometimes you see Black with a little bit of green or something in it? Not this Black.
It's black like the background of this web page.
And I likes it.

I've also been working on vests that I promised my sister and friend last ChristmaHanuKwanza.
And a pair of socks, and there's some UFOs I have to deal with before I can cast on anything else new.
Anyway, I managed to have enough strength and presence of mind to post a little bit during the Election That Would Not End. That was definitely an intense year, 2008.
It was a year that I became a junkie. A political junkie. I've always been informed, but damn.
I got into Huffington Post, MSNBC, Keith & Rachel, fivesixtyeight.com...all of that. It was crazy.
And over at Ravelry there's the KFO - Knitters For Obama. That's a fun group.
There was, of course, a McCain/Palin group of moonbat wingnuts (I still don't get that shit).
A crazier, ignorant, group of haters as you'll ever meet.
So, now that they got their asses handed to them on November 4th, you'd think they'd shrivel up and blow away, wouldn't you?
Well, no.
What they did was change the group name to--wait for it---The Bunker.
Why, yes. You DID read that correctly. The BUNKER.
Either they have no clue whatsoever...or maybe they're showing their true nature.
The Bunker, people. How Neo-Nazi Nutball can you get?
Hello, um, isn't that where Adolph and Eva hung out?
These are the people who define Cognitive Dissonance, the people who thought Bush--even as he was gettin on the helicopter outta D.C.--was doing a good job!
These are also the people who think that anyone named Omar or Ahmad is gonna "get us". Yeah, even Omar Hakim, the great jazz drummer and Ahmad Rashaad, the former football player, now sports announcer.
Yep. Those people.
OK, so, at KFO, we're not supposed even mention this groups name. Which is OK because everyone knows what you mean when you write "those people" or "over there".
I've caught myself a few times and ended up writing "...the Bu---oh, you know who I mean."
Anyway, KFO is a fun group who even raised a bunch of money for the Obama campaign.
Every time Sarah Palin opened her pie-hole, someone would post "Can you believe what she said?? I just donated another $25 dollars to the Obama campaign." and other people would do the same.
When then-Senator Obama's grandmother passed, a bunch of us donated money in her honor.
Even though the campaign is over and we now have a new President (ahhhhhh.....) there's still a lot of activity at the group and there are thousands of members. People are still joining the group!
At The Bunker (sheesh), not so much.
I'm sure we have a bunch of them lurking, but we're very civil. I guess we could have been sore winners, but we haven't been. Not at Ravelry, anyway.
On our personal blogs, it's a whole nother can o' worms.
Hopefully, I'll be posting more frequently. It's just that between the election and my job, I got a little burned out. I've spent way more time at Ravelry than here. But Spring's coming and I'll be posting more now that the days are getting longer.

|

<<<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>>