Winter Solstice Swap

Sorry I've been so quiet lately for those of you actively paying attention.
I'm still sucked in the amazing world of Facebook, although I did leave that site long enough to wander over to Ravelry and join in on the Winter Solstice Swap.
I like doing swaps, but I don't think I could do them every month, although I certainly do love receiving the packages.
They can be expensive though, so this is why I try to be selective about which ones I join.
When I saw this swap I knew it was the one for me to break my swapping dryspell, and I am so glad I did.
My swap partner is Gina aka Brownie Knits.
Of course talk about nerve-wracking - this woman works in a yarn shop part time and designs her own patterns!
How to be creative without being derivative - it's a challenge, but I'm putting her package together and trying to make it just as special as she is.
So look at what I got in the mail:



Isn't that Lantern Moon bowl gorgeous?
And all that blue - from the yarn, to the goodies - and what I didn't show you is the pattern she sent me via Ravelry for her Kitchen Sink blanket (the yarn is for this pattern - and you can find the pattern on Ravelry and more pictures on her blog).
The idea for the swap was to send something that will keep the recipient warm, and I can just imagine sitting in my living room watching tv (of course), and knitting on this blanket.




Blue is such a soothing color, don't you think?
And because Gina knows what many good knitters need to get through the hour (day, week, year) is chocolate, so look at what was stashed at the bottom of the basket:



Yummy.
All of it is just so yummy.
Thank you, Gina!

Book Marketing

I'm sure you've seen this before, but it never ceases to amaze me.
I love how the publishing world is using videos to market books, specifically creating a trailer for the book.
Here's one I found this morning for Caroline Rance's Kill Grief:



I have to admit that reading about this particular book has created more of a desire to read it, because the trailer is not really doing it for me, but the fact that they are making videos to market a book is amazing.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
I guess it's worked for movies all these years, but does it symbolize that we're having to lure people back to reading books?

And now it's harvest time

Wait, the harvest is over, most of it is in.
The only thing we're waiting on is the picking of the last of the apples, and maybe clearing those pumpkin fields.
Fortunately I got my own harvest done, and I finished this hat in the nick of time.
On the morning of October 31, if you can believe that.
We were getting ready to leave for Jamestown to watch SN2's soccer game, and I really wanted to gift this hat before we left.
You should have seen me frantically searching for a yarn needle so I could stitch the leaf on, and weave in the ends.
I found one and got it done.
What a mess.
The result, though, is worth it.
Here's my version of the pumpkin hat from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Hats:



I used the yarn called for in the pattern which is Rowan Cashsoft DK RYC in Clementine.

Interesting Fact

I've discovered an interesting fact about myself in the past few weeks, and I've been chewing over it for a while.
What I've found is that I really enjoy the dark, yet sometimes funny, Germanic and Scandinavian films over the absurd, yet bright, films of the south, such as the ones done by Fellini.
You may not find this to be a revelation, but I am surprised.
Any ideas why?
Are there any foreign films that just don't leave you once you've finished watching them?
Is there anyone in particular that you like?
While you speculate and navel gaze, here's a preview from a film I watched (again) yesterday:



Perhaps there is absurdity in the dark too.

Misplaced Mojo

Why is it that I get my knitting mojo back at the same time I'm supposed to be focusing on reading books and writing papers?
I've been waiting all year (literally) for this independent study course.
For the five books I've read so far, do you know how many papers I've written?
None!
NONE!
It's obscene!
They are only 1-2 pages long, but I can't put down my knitting long enough to write.
What is wrong with this picture?
In the past month, however (no pictures, sorry), I have knit the following: a pair of hand warmers, finished a 7 foot scarf that has been in progress since February, one hand warmer, and a shawl. Yesterday I picked up the Who? Hat that I started back in January which has the 2" of K2 P2 ribbing already finished and I've knit so much on it yesterday that I am getting ready to start the decrease rounds.
Knitting mojo, where have you been all year, and why do you choose now to show up again?!?!
Begone (for a while), I have work to do.

Cutie Patootie

Here's SN2 in his college soccer picture:



What a cutie.

Living in a Yarn House

Do you ever stop and look around your house, and wonder, "Why do I have SO MUCH yarn?"

It's not the fiber you eat

Today was day one of the Finger Lakes Fiber Fest.
DH and DN2 came along with me, and the only thing I would wish for beside more money to spend is that we could have had more time.
We only had about 3 hours there because SN2 had a soccer game at 2:00.
You know as well as I do that 3 hours is just not enough time, but the little time we had was well spent.
I need to take other pictures of my goodies, but here are a couple of pics from the day.
DN2 wants to learn how to use a drop spindle, so of course we bought her one.



Some habits you have to encourage (usually by throwing money at them).
The man who sold it to us insisted she have a quick lesson, so DH watched and learned as well.
We may get him into yarn eventually.
Later DH tried to pet an alpaca (that is an alpaca, right?), but it got camera shy because another lady was pointing her camera right in its face, so it turned its back on both of them:



DN2 was fascinated by the silkworms. They're so soft! she cried.
Well yeah, they feel kind of, oh, I don't know, silky.
I didn't want to scare them with a flash the way the alpaca was not loving it, so I was trying to be as surreptitious as possible:



When we got to the game the father of one of the kids asked DH how he liked the fiber fest.
DH redirected the question to me.
So I said that it was really good.
He asked, what do they sell there?
Funny thing, I didn't realize he thought it was the fiber you eat, so when I started talking about yarn the lights went on.
Too funny.
The game was a nail biter - two overtimes and the score ended in a 2-2 tie.
Heartbreaking.
Here's SN2 at the game:


When we finally got home this evening I had to wind one of the skeins I bought.
My yarn swift is currently MIA so I used DH instead:


How sweet.
Now it's wound and I need to start knitting.
And of course I'm being stalked.



They love the smell of the animals.

Julia

DN2 and I went to see the movie Julie and Julia this week.
I read the book a few weeks ago, and I wanted to see Meryl Streep portray Julia Child.
Growing up Julia Child was a fixture on our tv, not that my mother ever cooked her dishes. No, she just loved her style.
There may be some of her cookbooks, I'll have to check.
My mother laughed along at the original viewing of Dan Ackroyd's SNL sketch of Julia Child, seeing the humor, but knowing it was done not out of maliciousness, but because Julia was unique.
We've even been to see her kitchen at the Smithsonian.
In the movie the focus was definitely on Mrs. Child over Mrs. Powell, and I think that was a more interesting story.
Buoyed by our common interest in Julia Child, DN2 and I searched eBay and Amazon for Julia Child DVDs and books.
Wow!
Have you checked out the prices lately?
Apparently everyone else is interested in a Julia Child revival as well!
There's even a reissue of Mastering the Art of French Cooking that is a movie tie-in!
Marketing.
Wow.
Anyway I think we'll try the infamous Boeuf Bourguignon recipe first before we drop too much money.
It's free on the Knopf Doubleday website.
Check it out.
And let me know what you thought of the movie.
Do you revere Julia Child?
Did you like the book or the movie better?

The End of Peter, Paul and Mary

Mary Travers from Peter, Paul and Mary has died of complications from treatment following a bone-marrow transplant. She had been battling leukemia.


Peter, Paul and Mary sang many of the songs I heard growing up, my favorite album being, of course, Peter, Paul & Mommy.
I bought the CD as an adult and would often play it in the car, even when there were no kids around.
Instead of leaving you with a stirring rendition of "Puff the Magic Dragon," however, I'll post instead one of my all-time favorite PP&M songs:



...and the music lives on

(Why is John Denver there, you ask?
Of course you know he wrote this song.)

Help and Advice

I need your advice.
And then I might possibly need your help too, but advice first.
I've talked before about how I have a group that knits for charity.
It is a good group of people, but involvement is sporadic.
Plenty of reasons why, but you know if people willingly want to give of their time, great; I won't demand it.
We've been knitting hats, mittens, and scarves to give to the local school districts for kids in need, most of whom live in an area that is rural with little industry (beyond Wal-Mart, and that's more a company store and a rant for a different time).
There is also a local coat drive that takes place in the area where they collect used (or new) coats and pass them out to those in need.
I said to my friend, Flower, the other day, "Wouldn't it be great if we could have a hat to pass out with each of the coats?"
Ding!
Great idea, right?
I think so, but I'm at a loss as to how to make this bigger than what I have now.
On top of this I read in our church bulletin that there are 30 homeless families in our small town.
These numbers may not seem so terrible if you compare them to the national average, but we have a town of approximately 8,000 where the median family income is $50K.
Could you run your family on that much a year?
And might I remind you that we live in the great white north where the Farmer's Almanac is calling for snow in October.
Brrrr.
So I want to expand my hat, scarf, and mitten contributions, but specifically hats.
Any ideas on who I should approach in the town?
Should I contact the coat drive coordinator, the school social workers, or my pastor?
I've even considered contacting the group that runs the learn to knit program at the local women's prison to see if some of the prisoners might be interested in helping out.
Do you think I should get in touch with the Rochester knitting guild for contributions? They put out a call to the area for these same items and got over 2,000 pieces donated; however, all of those articles are going to the kids in the Rochester City School District.
The urban poor get more attention than the rural poor, that's for sure.
Please let me know how you think I can make this into a bigger project.
I'm not doing this for attention, but because I can't imagine sending a kid out into the winter weather if they are not properly clothed.
There's got to be a way we can help.
Thank you!

Knit Picking

Have you seen the latest KnitPicks catalog?
They are now carrying DK weight tweed yarn!
I'm so excited!
Want to know why?
Because I have this great book, Scottish Highland Knits, that has some great projects in it.

There are things that I can knit. I say "can" because remember I'm not that good of a knitter.
I'm much more trial and major error, then trial and error = success.
What can I say, it's an expensive hobby that I will be working at the rest of my life.
Anyway, all the patterns in the book use Rowan Tweed, some of which I believe is discontinued.
I don't know about you, but I can't afford to knit a blanket that takes 17 skeins (or balls!) of Rowan Tweed.
While I love the patterns, I just haven't taken the time to look for other yarns to use in place of the Rowan, but now KnitPicks has taken care of that for me.
Part of it anyway.
Their tweed yarn is in DK, heavy worsted, and fingering weight.
Now they just need to make some chunky tweed, and we'll be all set.
Oh, and what motivates me even more to want to knit from this books is because I've been watching Monarch of the Glen on Netflix.
Great show!
And it makes me want to go live in the Scottish Highlands.
Oh, and speaking of Netflix, does anyone use the instant watch option on an X-Box?
Does anyone here even use an X-Box?
Well it's not just for games, but you do know that you can play online with friends, right?
With Netflix on the X-Box you can also watch movies with your friends too, but they don't have to be in the same room. You can schedule a date night, or a dinner and a movie with someone, and watch it from your respective living rooms.
Perfect dating practices for agoraphobes!
Life is good!

Lion Brand's Big News

Have you heard the news from Lion Brand?
All of their patterns are now free.
The only ones that cost money are from certain designers.
Here's the quote from Facebook:

Enjoy some inspiration! All Lion Brand patterns are now free! Please note that we do still have a few paid patterns from outside designers.

Pretty cool, don't you think?
They do have a lot of nice patterns that can be modified for different yarns.
You still have to register on their website, but that's not a big deal.
I'm sure you're like me and have registered on 100 different websites just to look at one pattern, and I love free patterns.
Well I just love things that are free.

Friday Kittens

Being a cat person I enjoy looking at pictures of cats and kittens, so when SN2 showed me this video this afternoon, I had to share.
You may have seen this before, but it's worth a repeat viewing:



Happy Friday!

Adventures in Canning

Last night I took care of something that I simply had to do because I couldn't let fresh carrots go to waste.
So I cut up those carrots, cut up some pears, and then I added pineapple, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Can't you just smell the cloves?


Delicious.
After it boiled for 20 minutes I added powdered pectin and sugar:


A lot of sugar.
Can you guess what it is?
You've had plenty of hints.
Give up?
Okay, I'll show you.
This is the final product:


It's Carrot Cake Jam!
Well, and Carrot Cake Conserve too.
Do you know what a conserve is?
It's a jam with nuts in it, that's the only difference.
Pretty simple, eh?
I'm excited to try this, but I'm also dreading finding room for it.
One of the reasons I haven't been blogging much this summer is because I've found a new summer obsession: canning.
Here's a list of all I've created so far this summer:

Danish Cherry Sauce - Cherries in sugar syrup with cinnamon and almond extract
Spirited Apricots - sliced apricots in sugar syrup with rum
Raspberry jam
Old-Fashioned Strawberry jam - no pectin, just sugar and fruit (took Hours to do but it is the best, by far)
Summer Solstice Preserves - blueberries and cherries
Victorian Barbecue Sauce - rhubarb, raisins, brown sugar-based sauce
Black Forest Preserves - cherries, sugar, and chocolate
Blueberry Pie Filling
Crushed Tomatoes
Strawberry Freezer Jam
Raspberry Blackberry Freezer Jam
Carrot Cake Jam - carrots, pears, pineapple, spices
Carrot Cake Conserve - same as above but with walnuts

You know this has meant hours of labor in the kitchen, but I think the end product is worth it.
Well here, I'll show you:




For some people this might not be a lot, but you have to realize that I have never canned before, so this whole process is totally new to me.
My mother gave me all her canning supplies, as well as her jars, so that has helped, but it's all been one big food experiment, and I love it!
(I don't know how it all tastes, but we live in hope that come December when we open a jar the taste will remind us of the rainy summer day on which it was made when all the ingredients were fresh from the market. And yeah, rainy, because that's ALL it's done this summer.)
The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has been my guide throughout this process.
Indispensable.
And just think, it's only July - apples haven't even been harvested yet!

Dinner

Last night we had a wonderful dinner.
DN1 made pesto:



It was so good, the basil taste was so fresh it was unbelievable!
Of course it was fresh, because she sat there and picked off 2 cups of basil leaves from the plant, and then ground it up in the blender with pine nuts.
I love basil, it is definitely my favorite spice, so of course I had to add a bunch (or rather more than the recipe called for) to the bolognese sauce I made:



We served both sauces (separately, of course) with the ravioli we buy from the Public Market.
This ravioli is so delicious, and so filling, that I can only eat three, okay four, before I'm as full as a tick.
Wonderful stuff, and they fill it with great ingredients. DN1 had feta and spinach last night, I had 3 cheese, and then meat, and we've also tried gorgonzola and some other flavors.
The stuff isn't cheap, but it's the best I've had.
I'll let you know when we're cooking again so you can come on over.

Why Reading Nancy Drew is like knitting a dishcloth

Did anyone else grow up reading Nancy Drew?
I did.
I remember taking my birthday money to the local bookstore and buying copies of Nancy Drew books.
Believe it or not I still have them, and every once in a while I'll take one out and read it.
Could you stop reading when the chapter ended, or did you have to read on to the next page to see what came next?
Those chapter endings were so suspenseful to me as a child that I couldn't put the book down at the end of the chapter; I would have to read on to see what was going to happen.
I still do that to this day.
I read a lot, and by a lot, I mean usually constantly, with several books going at once (and some actually being finished!).
So in that, knitting is a lot like reading.
Sometimes it's hard to focus on just one project, and sometimes a project is just so overwhelming and difficult that I have to put it down and return to a simpler time.
Think dishcloths.
My first knit (thanks Major Knitter!).
Every once in a while the books I read become too overwhelming for me, so I do return to easier reads, and that's where Nancy Drew comes in - she is my dishcloth.
With her I can relax and refocus.
That girl has everything going for her.
I know that there are many of you who were Hardy Boys readers, but not for me, I was a tomboy who read all girl books.
Really I don't leave these books behind even as an adult, and I've just discovered a new series written in 1972 about a girl named Kim Aldrich who solves mysteries.
I only have two of the four books in the series, and I picked these up at an antique store, so now you know I must get the other two, come hell or high water.
And what prompted me to write this blog post was not only that I'm trying to get more information about this new to me series, but I discovered that there is an annual Nancy Drew Convention.
Who knew?!?
I didn't, but it sure looks like fun, don't you think?
Perhaps next year, I can meet up with some of my other Nancy Drew/knitting friends.
How about it?

We've Been Waiting for this Day

What can I say.
Three down, one to go for starters.
Only DN2 remains, and she won't graduate for another 7 years!
Sure our seats were kind of far away, but at this stage of the game, what did it matter. He was down there with his classmates.


We were just glad to be there.
And I think he looks pretty happy too now that it's done.
Both here with my mother:


And with the whole family:


The funny thing is I sent DH out to the lobby to find SN2 so he could take pictures while I helped my mother get to the lobby.
Once we found them I asked DH where SN2 was; DH said that he had already gone to turn in his gown and get his diploma.
I asked about pictures, and he said they hadn't taken any.
What?!?
We had NO pictures of him in his cap and gown.
None.
But you know, I let it go, because SN2 was actually done and had graduated.
We hoped.
He still had to see if his diploma was in the envelope, or if there was a dreaded note that told him to call the school counselor because he had not met all the requirements to graduate.
Our greatest fear.
When he came out with his diploma cover I had to ask; he looked at me and said, "It's in there."
Woo hoo.
Then he did something really sweet. He went to his friend Jay and asked if he could borrow his cap and gown so we could get some pictures.
And even better, Jay's family waited patiently while we took our pictures.
That was nice.
(Jay was actually one of SN2's first friends when we moved up here, and it's nice to see they're still friends, don't you think?)
So actually this is not the cap and gown in which SN2 graduated, but again, at this stage in the game, who cares.
He's done!
Now isn't this the walk of a young man feeling a large sense of relief?


I think so too.
Congratulations Pooh Bear - well played.

June 25th - What a Day

Was yesterday an outrageous day, or what.
We had severe weather here, so that did not affect your part of the country, but I know we're all still reeling from the news.
First, Farrah Fawcett.
I always liked her a lot.
Remember when she was married to Heath Barkley aka Lee Majors? What a power couple.
Next, a fierce thunderstorm rolled through in the afternoon, and it was accompanied by lightning. The sky became so dark by 2:00 that it looked like twilight had come early.
At 3:10 exactly the power went out in the entire building.
Since there were only 4 of us on our floor at the time, we just looked at each other.
My first words were, "Oh, guess it's time to go home!"
(An old Marine Corps saying - there's no cure like se-cure.)
We did go home 20 minutes later because we had found out that power was out across the entire campus.
Once we were in the lobby we then heard from some other employees lounging there (who can work in the dark, right?) that there were people stuck in one of the dorm elevators.
Egads.
We exited the building into a pouring rain which surprisingly cleared up shortly afterward.
It became so clear that by 6:00 we were sitting on the sidelines watching DN2's soccer game, facing west and staring into the bright sun.
Strange.
Then DN1 walks up and tells us the unbelievable news: "Did you hear that Michael Jackson is dead?"
WHAT?
It was difficult to focus on the soccer game after that news was delivered.
For all his wackiness, Michael's voice was an accompaniment to my youth, and was there as I contemplated that unanswerable question: Who do I like better, Donny Osmond or Michael Jackson?
Ah, to be 10 again.
So folks, tomorrow is SN2's high school graduation.
I think we're safe because his name was in the paper along with the rest of his graduating class, so congrats to him.
Let's just not ever repeat yesterday.
What a day.

I Found My Camera!!!

I found my camera this morning!
Amazing what shows up when you clean a bit.
And surprisingly enough I also have the charger on hand, although I'm missing the case, so the battery is at home being charged right now.
Pictures!
I can take pictures again!
Not necessarily good ones, but pictures.
Now, let's see how long I can hold onto this blessed thing before I misplace it again.
Any bets?

Haunting

Sometimes images never leave your head, even after many days, and sometimes they may haunt you forever.
I saw this video on YouTube via Facebook a few days ago, and I can't stop thinking about it.
Some may find the images objectionable (so says YouTube's rating), so if you have an aversion to violent images of people fighting for freedom and democracy, don't watch.



I constantly have to remind myself that this is 2009, not 1979.
The comparisons are there, although with startling differences, because I like to hope that they will fix what got screwed up back then.

It's always a good mail day when books are delivered

Today was a good mail day.
For sure.
I received two books in the mail: one I had ordered, and one unexpectedly.
In helping to create my syllabus for my class this fall I had to research YA fantasy books.
Sounds pretty easy, right?
Well the problem is if you're not sure what you're looking for, then how do you find it?
Especially when the syllabus has to be submitted for approval by the department chair.
Anyway, I randomly went through and picked out some books, one of which appears to be out of print.
I'm so smart, right?
Fortunately I found it on Amazon for less than a dollar, but then had to pay $3.99 for shipping.
That's me, Mensa ready!
This book is The Island and the Ring by Laura C. Stevenson.
Hopefully I made a good choice, considering I was referring to a two line synopsis when choosing it.
I'd post a picture but even that is not available.
Oh wait, I found one on GoodReads.


Then my oldest bro (one of the real ones, as I call them, and that's a post for another time), sent the family a copy of Excavation by James Rollins.


Apparently it's filled with archaeology, lost Inca cities, graves, gold, death, and as big bro added, evil Mestizos.
That would be in reference to DH's ethnicity.
Not the evil part, just the Mestizo part.
So it's been a good day today - I had a good checkup at the doctor, the sun is shining, and I have new books to read.
I'm so excited I might just have to go take a nap in the sun.

Thinking of Singing

We went to DN2's chorus and band concert a few weeks back. I was surprised that the 4th grade band could sound so good, with none of that awkward, stuttering music that occurs when the kids play a piece alone.
You could tell they had been practicing their pieces a lot.
It was nice.
She loves band, but I've had to force her to attend chorus.
I want her to stick with it because if they participate throughout her school years there are plenty of opportunities to travel and perform at myriad locations around the state and country.
This is an argument we've been going through all year, and the thing is she likes to sing. What she doesn't like is having to get up early and be at school by 7:30.
So I forced her.
And now she has been chosen to sing with the select chorus at school.
They practice at noon.
Big difference.
I asked her how she would have felt if she didn't make it into this select chorale group, and she said that she would have cried and been really upset.
We've avoided that disaster for the time being, thankfully.
Now we have another dilemma.
She is expressing interest in singing in another chorale here in the area.
It markets itself as a "select" group, but oddly all of the kids who showed up at the information meeting on Monday night were selected.
Hmmmm, is it my kid who can sing, or is it the lure of my money that you hear?
I think the group has plenty of opportunities for her to learn how to sing, and also for her to learn poise while performing. That's something she needs to know, but for $300?
I'm not sure.
Believe it or not, we're leaving the decision up to her because she'll have to learn to manage her schedule with swimming, soccer, and singing practice one night a week in the next town over. Then there are all the sundry games and meets, as well as concerts throughout the year for both singing groups.
DN2 has said she can do it, but she really needs me to buy her a planner.
Really? That's all it will take?
I'll keep you posted.

Bloomsday

Today is Bloomsday, and you have got to hear this recording of James Joyce.
You can listen to it here at BoingBoing.


It's remarkable, but this is not how I thought his voice would sound.
I don't even know if I gave it much thought, but I agree with the comments where people said it will change how they hear the cadence of the words as they read his works.
Truly remarkable.
Go grab a copy of Dubliners or Finnegan's Wake, get a Guinness, and enjoy the day.

I am in LOVE!! but please keep it a secret

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I am in love.
And this is big time in love.
I can't escape from it, and you know, I don't want to escape it.
I want to revel in this feeling of ecstasy, and just spend all of my time with this new love.
What an amazing emotion, and it's so fulfilling.
Believe it or not DH knows all about it.
How could he miss it? I've been telling everyone at work, and I just can't stop talking about it even here at home.
I'll tell you too, but you'll have to keep it a secret.
Shhhhh.....here it is:



It's I Like Lemons' button-tab hat pattern.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this pattern!
This has got to be the best hat pattern ever.
It's so simple and a quick knit, yet it makes this great looking hat that can look completely different depending upon the brim and the button.
So far I've finished one and am on the decrease rounds of the second one, and I'll show you both once I find the perfect button for the second one.
I'm beginning to chain knit these hats because my group at work is knitting and crocheting hats, mittens, and scarves for school kids in the area this year.
We have a lot of rural poor around here who are overlooked when it comes to people helping them out.
(Interesting fact: our school district has the highest amount of subsidized lunches of any of the schools in the area.)
I definitely love this pattern for middle school and high school-aged girls, so I expect to see many of them sporting my button tab hats this winter.
Love it! LOVE IT!!
And what's love unless you share it?

A New Addiction

DN1 has lost all respect for me.
This morning I told her about my new addiction, and she said, "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever heard you say."
What's the addiction?
I've been reading about it for a few weeks, but I just discovered it last night on an On-Demand channel:
I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here
Yes, I know, I'm hanging my head in shame, but WOW, what train wrecks they have on this show!
Now, some of the people are actually pretty decent, and that is what I find interesting to watch: the group dynamic and the rainforest location really bring out a person's true character.
I stayed up until midnight last night watching this show, and this morning I stood in my room to curl my hair so I could watch episode three.
Hey! I have to catch up!
If you can't stomach watching the show, then just check out this puppet parody.
This is pretty much episodes one and two:

It's obvious isn't it?
I have no shame.
I'll go back to my corner now and try to make better television choices in the future.
And don't judge me too harshly; I'm sure you've all made bad viewing choices before.

NYS is a big old mess

There's theatre in Albany.
Well, of course there are theatres down there, but in the New York State Senate?
Have you seen what's going on?
It's crazy!
Talk about drama.
If you're not from New York, you probably haven't been following what's been happening, but the gist of it is, two Democratic Senators (who both have spurious reputations) have decided to caucus with the Republicans, thus giving the Republicans control of the Senate.
Wow.
And the governor is pissed, but because he is not a very well-liked governor anyway, no one is really paying him too much attention.
On Monday evening when this all went down, the Democrats were so pissed they turned off the lights in the chamber and shut down the media feed.
Oh the drama.
What a hot mess.
And then they wonder why people are leaving the state in droves.

Does anyone even know who Franz Liszt is anymore?

DN1 sent me a link (on MySpace) to this video "Lisztomania" by Phoenix from their new album (CD?) Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
Interesting stuff - quite catchy, especially when you listen to it five times through like I just have - so I thought I'd share it with you.
Let me know what you think.



And then there is the first video that came out featuring this song, before the official version, called the Brat Pack Mash-up. Good stuff here too:



The band prefers their effort, but the brat pack one is pretty popular too.
Which version do you like better?
Or, would you rather just listen to the song?

P.S. Yes, I know who Franz Liszt is, although I rarely listen to his music (except the Mephisto Waltz. According to reports, he was the Michael Bolton (ugh) of classical music in the early 19th Century. Go figure. They even made a movie about him. Hmm, learn something new everyday.

Hanging out in a crowd full of drunk, stupid people

Last night we headed to a concert.
I dreaded it; DN2 was about to pee on herself out of excitement.
You see the diverse expectations we had in approaching this event.
I wore sneakers (which really need to be used for more than just standing around).
Fortunately we had a line jumper pass and were able to go right around the crowd that was several thousand in strength, and get right in as soon as they opened the doors.
DN2 was then ready to stand in one spot in order to watch the concert.
It was in a parking lot at the Port of Rochester, so we were on pavement and would be standing for about 5 hours, hence the sneakers.
I made her leave that spot in order to get some water.
She was upset that we couldn't get back to it - it really was a good spot to stand, but she just wouldn't understand about how crowds push and shove and you get moved regardless of where you start out.
She understands now.
Oh, did I mention the allegedly 10,000 people that were there as well?
Apparently they had too many people, too many tickets, and not enough space, so we were lucky to get in at all.
It wasn't a bad show, but parts of it were so-so, and other parts were surprisingly good.
The line-up included:
The Sunstreak (a local band)
Kristinia DeBarge
The White Tie Affair
The Ting Tings
We the Kings
3Oh!3
Kevin Rudolf (we left just before he started, but the sound system was SO good that we could hear him rapping as we left the park - just what we wanted, to be accompanied by the loud use of the word m*therf*cker and other epithets as we walked back to our car).
Now, ask me if I felt old.
Go ahead.
Ask.
I'll tell you.
First, now I can rattle off the names of these bands, but I had only heard of one of them before going to the concert.
Second, while the young girls were checking out the men in the bands, I was thinking, "Hey, that security guard is kind of hot."
Yeah, I'm old.
For the record, crowd surfers are total jerks.
DN2 got kicked in the temple and it actually made her cry, but she still wouldn't leave her spot. She wanted to see 3Oh!3.
(Another for the record, one of the guys from the band was talking about having his gun cocked; personally, I thought he was packing a snub-nosed revolver; perception, go figure.)
The White Tie Affair are very good performers - I was surprised, and We the Kings were good live as well.
The Ting Tings, what we could see of them, dang it, was great, but their music is remarkable both live and on the record...er, CD.
Each band played a 4-5 song set, so the event went rather quickly.
I feel, however, that we have unleashed a monster with DN2, because now she is going to want to go to even MORE concerts, and guess who gets to take her.
Over the noise last night I shouted to her, "My mother would have never taken me to something like this when I was 10."
She smiled; she knows my mother.

Bummer

Sad news.
I bought three new pairs of sandals to get me through the summer (and hopefully into summers beyond).
I ordered them off of the internet, and I waited a week for them to get here, anxiously anticipating their arrival.
They were such cute pairs of sandals in all the colors I need: one black, one blue, and one brown.
Yesterday they arrived.
I was so excited to get home from work that I left right at 4:00 with the IT guy still running stuff on my computer.
See ya, I said.
I opened up the boxes, I looked lovingly at their stylish shape and form...and then I tried them on.
Too small.
(Here's where I cried and whined for a few hours, and felt like one of Cinderella's older sisters.)
One pair might have fit, but really, for as much money as they cost, it's not worth it to keep shoes that don't fit.
(Goodwill can attest to this fact, when they get clothes from me that still have the price tag affixed.)
I'm so bummed, because now I have to send them back, and that's a chore in and of itself.
Well, one pair will remain behind because DN2 said, "These sandals are so pretty! They're so pretty!"
Guess who's getting a new pair of sandals.
So now I'm going to have to take my fat butt (and foot) to the store and buy some new sandals.
(Stand by: I'm going to whine again)
And I REALLY, REALLY liked these sandals.
Bummer drag.

What is this, Silver?

Today, DH and I have been married for 25 years.
Can you believe it?
In honor of this auspicious occasion, I want to share my favorite Flintstones' clip.
I think I've put this on here before, but honestly, it is totally worth seeing more than once.



My mother actually called me at work this morning and sang this song.
See, we're all crazy.
It's genetic.
And poor DH married into this craziness.

Getting Nostalgic

"So...the needle plays from the outside in, right?"
That was the question DN1 asked me when she was going to put a record on the turntable.
Thus began our cultrual literacy lesson on Saturday night.
For months, actually years, I have been wanting DH to set up his turntable so we could just listen to records. We have so many that we have been toting around for years.
Okay, decades, really.
Saturday night we finally did it.
DH finally set up his turntable, and was actually shocked to see the sales slip inside the box: he had bought it 20 years ago.
How time flies.
That's right about the time we stopped buying records and started buying CDs.


When DN2 saw the turntable she was so excited she wanted to cry.
She said, "You set up the record player?!?!"
It was really cute, the way that neither girl had ever used a turntable before, much less knew where and how to put the needle on the record.
Finally something where my knowledge was relevant rather than nostalgic.
And we had so much fun.
What was even more better was going through some of our several boxes of records up in the attic - I forgot how much music we had.
I pulled this out for DH (well I like her too):


Good old Shirley Murdock.
Do you remember the scandal when a man impersonated her in D.C. for a while in the '80s, and was running up bills in her name?
If I could find a news article about it I would reference it.
Then I pulled out something from my childhood:


(Yes, Ken, I have this album, and the other Royal Guardsman album. Mom gave them to me so go complain to her.)
DH and DN1 could not understand why I love this album, but I think it's great stuff!
Guess it's just too different for their taste.
DN1 wanted to hear some Beatles records, and later on, with beers in hand, we all chilled and listened to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here:


We spent the time perusing the album cover and sleeve, and DN1 made this observation:
"I have totally missed out on album art."
She's right, the pictures on CDs do not match up with the artwork that was on albums.
There was usually a message in there, and if not, then album art contained another type of creative forum for the artist and the record company.
Her generation has also missed out on 45s, stacking records so the next one comes down for continuous play, and taping a penny to the arm so the needle doesn't skip.
I used to think my grandmother's Victrola was old-fashioned, but just think, listening to records is now considered nostalgic.
Who knew it would hit my generation so soon.

Numb3rs Progeny on National Spelling Bee

Does anyone watch Numb3rs?
I do, every week.
Well, now it's in reruns, so maybe not now, but even still
You know about Charlie and Amita?

SPOILER ALERT

How in the last episode he asked her to marry him?

END SPOILER ALERT

Well the other night DN2 and I were watching last year's spelling bee, and this kid came on.
I was immediately struck by something.
Imagine if Charlie and Amita actually had a baby.
Charlie:







plus Amita









equals Sidharth Chand:


Awesome - although this kid is not acting "smart" - he really is.

Sometimes it's the little things that bring me joy

Behold, my new clothesline.
Ah, thus will be the source of my new joy.
The rapturous thought of bringing my wet laundry down a flight of stairs and outside to hang on the line.
If Keats were alive today he'd write an ode to the clothesline, I'm sure of it.
Such simple things can be so inspiring.
DH and SN2 were joyful last night over Barcelona beating Man U and winning the Champions League.
See, same feeling of joy, different inspiration.
We're a simple family, with simple needs.

Foreign Travel

So, we're supposed to have a passport by 1 June if we want to get into Canada.
I love Canada.
Way a lot.
Of course I have had passports in the past, but they have expired.
I need to get a new one, and so does DN2.
The good news is that they will soon be opening a passport office "somewhere" in Western NY:

Tuesday, Republican Congressman Chris Lee announced the U.S. State Department has granted his wish to open a passport office in western New York by the first of next year.

I think because it is Congressman Lee, "somewhere" means Buffalo, no doubt, since he's from there. But really, what does this mean for all of us out here on the lonely frontier of New York State (a state which, yes, does extend beyond Westchester County):

A passport office would allow folks to get a passport within hours rather than weeks.

See, sometimes procrastination is worth it. Unfortunately there is a Tori Amos concert in Toronto in August that I can't miss, so I guess I will have to go the old route and get my passport through the Post Office.
Now if only we can get the good Congressman to encourage Ikea to open a store around here.

Chicken

This weekend I made some brown sugar barbecue chicken using a recipe from Wegmans.
It was really good, and the picture actually looks like how the chicken came out.

And it tasted even better.
Yum, yum.
This is definitely a recipe I will use again, although with a bit more preparation time, because marinating for 6-8 hours, and then cooking for another 2 is an all-day event.
It was worth it, but really, all day.
Or maybe a work day.

I thought I had raised her better

Guess what show DN2 is in love with.
Go ahead, guess.
Well, let me set some parameters.
She's 10 and she loves babies and little kids.
Now, go ahead, which show do you think it is?
If you guessed that train wreck known as Jon & Kate Plus 8, then you guessed correctly.
She's totally into this marathon on TLC this weekend.
I asked her, how can you watch this show?
These people are totally fame whores, getting freebies just by virtue of having a passel of children pop out of her womb, and earning tons of money per episode by pimping out their kids.
She said, I don't like it for the parents, I like it for the kids.
Well alright then.
That's different.
Still, I thought she had better taste than this.
(Besides, if you want to see a crazy mother, just come hang around me.)

Fluids are not only necessary, but they are fun too!

We went to RIT a couple of weeks ago for their Imagine RIT event.
It was amazing.
Essentially it was all the seniors completing their senior thesis/project.
There's probably more to it than that, but this explanation will suffice.
Some of the ones we saw were remarkable.
Then we stumbled on this one.
DN2 decided she wanted to participate.
Here it is, the video of a water balloon being dropped on her head, and it is filmed in millisecond photography.
Or something like that.
When watching the video, see the clock spinning in the background.
That's how fast time flies.
Here it is:

Well...that's done, what next?

Guess who has nothing scheduled for Monday:


My new college graduate.
Friday night was her Honors Program graduation ceremony.
Here she is with my mother:


I received a lot of compliments from people telling me, "Good job."
Each time I corrected them, and said, "This wasn't me - this was all her."
And it has been.
From kindergarten on up, DN1 has always been a very hard worker in school, organized, and focused.
Everything she has accomplished, she's busted her butt to achieve - and she has done a lot too!
In high school, she was valedictorian, she was involved in science programs, and she even went on a 2 week science expedition to Alaska her freshman year of high school.
Now she's working on being a DJ, doing radio commercials, working PR events, and she's even broadcast a radio show from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
(With a double major in Communication and Biology, she intends to be the next Bill Nye the Science Guy.)
She is amazing.
My role is to be the cheerleader on the sidelines while she calls the plays (supportive, yes, but you should see my cartwheels!).
Now, one of the benefits of my job is I get a front-row seat at graduation, and that's why I was able to get so close for this picture.
She looks excited, doesn't she?



Her friend A is happy too.


What was even better benefit is when she came down off the stage and came right over to gave me a hug.
What a girl.
The world is her oyster.

Aprons and things

So, I received a Lovely comment from Mary at KOALACaddie regarding my last post.
Thanks, Mary!
I thought I would digress from my usual self-introspective banality and discuss aprons.
Did your mother wear an apron while you were growing up?
Mine did.
My grandmother too.
When I see Aunt Bea on tv, I look at that one-piece apron and it takes me back.
I recently (last summer? or winter?) received a sewing machine (for free) from a co-worker.
She had bought a new one and was happy to pass her old one on to a new home.
I've had it for a while, actually I have two that were given to me, but I've been a bit fearful of using them.
Not because I think I'll prick my finger, or something worse, but because the only time I ever used a sewing machine was for 6 weeks in 8th grade.
That was a LONG time ago.
I have some scraps, and I have thread, and I have a perfectly wonderful sewing basket, but I've been fearful of taking that leap.
A psychologist would suspect that I'm fearful of entering into a new obsession.
They would be correct.
Problem is, I'm dying to learn how to sew because I want to make something useful for my house.
I am not worried about fancy dresses, or blouses, or anything like that.
I am dying to make some aprons.
One book I have that prompted me to consider sewing myself some aprons is this:


The Apron Book by EllynAnne Giesel.
It is a sweet, little book that doesn't really have many patterns, but it focuses on a lot of old aprons, and some of them are quite phenomenal.
There was a time when an apron was a fashion accessory, and now how many people actually wear them?
Does anyone give them as bridal shower gifts?
I would suspect not, unless it were something utilitarian and chef-like from Williams-Sonoma.
Do you wear one around the house?
I actually have several aprons hanging on my pantry door, and I do wear one from time to time, and I especially like the ones with pockets.
It's easy to declutter when you have a lot of pockets to throw things into.
So, because Mary left such a nice comment, I went to her site and saw her apron, er, Caddie, and now I want one for myself - I think it is fabulous!
Now, if only I could get over my fear of the sewing machine, I might be able to make myself an apron too.
Perhaps after this weekend I'll give in to the siren call of the machine and stitch something simple.
I'll let you know.

Coming out of hiding

Sorry I haven't been blogging.
I've been busy.
It's the end of the year, DN1 is graduating this week, I have deadlines at work and for a board I chair at church - life's been hectic.
This, however, is worth coming out of hiding.
Britain has named their first-ever female poet laureate.
This is a big deal, folks!
Finally, after 400 years, they recognize that women write poetry - good poetry!
Her name is Carol Ann Duffy and you can check out her bibliography here.
In honor of Carol Ann Duffy, I'll provide you with a nursery rhyme that described my hair yesterday:

There Was a Little Girl,
Who Had a Little Curl

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad, she was horrid.

Where the curl came from on my head, I have no idea.
It was there, though.
I'll try to be better today.

Toe Talk

Yesterday DN2 and I were driving to the dentist's office to pick up SN2.
She was wearing flip flops, and contemplating her toes as we drove.
"I hate my toes," she said.
I hear this a lot.
She continued, "They're fat and chubby, and my second toe is longer than my first toe."
"Well, you know," I said, "There's actually a name for that condition, it's called Morton's toe."
We were at the stop light, and she looked at me out of the corner of her eye, and said, "I've heard that if your second toe is longer it means you're a virgin."
"Well I hope so," I said, "You're only 10."
We turned left, and then it hit me.
I had to ask.
"Do you think that your toe will shrink once you're not a virgin?"
She giggled her reply.
"Yes!"
I'll be sure to check toe length throughout high school.

The Answer is: $2,000

Question: How much does it cost to repair a broken cam shaft?
Remember that next time you see it on Jeopardy.
Of course the repair shop told us that we could get my van fixed, but because the cam shaft broke, there's no guarantee that they'll get all of the metal out of the engine.
We could be looking at another $2,000 in six months if something goes wrong again.
With that in mind, DH and I went new car shopping.
This is what we got:


A Subaru Forester.
This is the first time I've purchased a new (or used) car where I don't have to worry about putting in a car seat.
Heaven.

Public Health Emergencies

Wow, did you hear that the government has declared the swine flu epidemic a public health emergency?
And here we all thought that the next pandemic would come from the Spanish flu.
Who knew it would come from the pigs.
SN2 just got back from Mexico (Cancun), so we'll be watching him for symptoms.
This could be a serious thing, because you never know what you'll pick up on airplanes.
There have been 81 deaths in Mexico so far, and just this morning I think the total was about 8 or so.
This could be scary.
Be careful.
Wash your hands.
A lot.

What Gets Me Through My Day

Tomorrow and Friday are vacation days.
How will I get through today?
By listening to this:



Tell me if it doesn't make you dance.
Peace.
Out.

It's Official

My office is now beginning to look more and more like my house.


Plants and yarn.
All that's missing are books and cats.
Think anyone would mind the cats?

Reading Roundup - Week 16

I've only read one book this week.
Surprised?
Me too.
It's not like I'm not in the middle of several books - because I am!
My Goodreads list of what I'm in the process of reading is proof enough.
So why have I only read one book?
Hold onto your hats -- I have been knitting.
Well, and watching Ballykissangel, beginning with Season One (I'm currently on Season Three).
I have two socks in the works, from different pairs, and both being knit on 2.75 mm needles.
They're slow going, but they're moving along.
Now the book I did finish was An Acceptable Time (39), by Madeleine L'Engle.
I'm really about L'Engle'd out.
Well, that's not really a true statement, but I'm full, and want to move on to the next course.
Especially since Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came in the mail today.
Sigh.
So much to read, so much to knit, so much to learn....so little time.

Would We Hate it So Much if it Had a Different Name?

Have you ever used the font Comic Sans?
Apparently it is the most hated font out there, and there is a movement to have it banned.
Perhaps people would like it better if it had a more serious name and usage, like Helvetica.

18 Today

Can you believe this kid is 18 today?


I can't.
There's lots that make him special, my little boy born just before midnight and halfway around the world from here.
Even better - he was the easiest and shortest delivery of them all - 90 minutes, start to finish.
Happy birthday to SN2.