May Day

Today is Blog Against Disablism Day. Please click around the list of participating blogs; I promise you'll learn something new. ------------------------------------------------------------ I've finally gotten one of my MA papers into a shape that I'm not embarrassed of (that is, not the paper-wadded-up-in-the-trash-can shape), so I have a little -- very little -- free time tonight. Rather than work on my Orangina (which is a whole 3 inches long!), I'm going to start on Rosalind as a surprise present for a friend. I think I'm using stash yarn for this, which makes both me and my yarn closet happy. If anyone's going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (and if you aren't, you should be), and especially those of you with kids, please sign up for the weaving workshops with Terry Flynn. Not only is she my aunt (well, ex-aunt, or whatever the term is for the mother of your cousins who is no longer married to your father's brother), she's a fantastic lady. Creative, funny, friendly, and just absolutely charming. I used to spend a week or two every summer visiting my cousins in Baltimore, and I was always amazed and thrilled by the creativity that lurked around their house. Bowls of beads on the sideboard, handmade bowls or cups in the cupboards, handmade tapestries on the walls, and yarn and wool everywhere (in that wonderfully cluttered way that all yarn seems to organize itself). At any rate, she's a lovely, and the S&W is way more fun than a festival organized around sheep has any right to be. My family and I used to go every year, but stopped when us kids got into high school and had other commitments that first weekend in May. My cousin and I used to wander around the main barn for hours, people watching and smelling soaps and wool. I highly recommend it.

Holy crap.

Yes, I'm working on my papers for my portfolio defense. Yes, the Orangina has not beaten me down. I haven't cast back on (for the fourth time) yet, but I will. Oh yes, I will. I started a sock. It's blue. But good god people, did you see the Harlot's post? Did you check out the WEBS site? Have you recovered yet? Which major household appliance/car/child are you going to sell? Actually, that last question isn't even relevant because the yarn is SO CHEAP. I mean, I'm stingy, broke, destitute, and poor (pick two) and I'm considering buying boxes of yarn. Boxes. This is what made me realize exactly what I'd stumbled onto here. And possibly this. I think I need to lie down.

Them's fightin' words.

I wasn't going to post about the progress on my Orangina. It's minimal, and I keep having to rip the damn thing apart and start over. Here's a picture of the test swatch I did last week: Lovely, neat, and trim. It's a shame the actual garment isn't coming out that way. I keep trying to knit while watching the news (because otherwise it feels like I'm procrastinating or wasting precious writing time, and doing two things at once somehow means it's time well spent) and because I'm distracted I'm losing stitches constantly. Sometimes I can go back and pick them up. Most of the time I'm about 10 rows in and I end up frogging the whole thing. I was considering just not making the sweater (shirt? vest? what the hell is this thing anyway?). It's taking too long, I'm not making any progress, and I'd much rather knit something therapeutic and soothing right now. Then The Boyfriend walked into the room and asked how it was going. I told him I'd ripped it out again and showed him the re-wound ball of yarn with needles stuck through it, skull and crossbones style. "Maybe this pattern is too hard for you," he said. I'm finishing the Orangina.

Clapotis #2

I finished my mom's Clapotis last weekend and sent it off on Monday. I've resisted posting a picture until she got it because I wanted her to be the first to see the finished product. The package arrived today, so here it is: I started my Orangina, but I've had to start over three times now due to my inability to follow a pattern for over 6 reps. I never notice until I get to the end of a row either, and I never feel like going through the trouble of picking up 90 stitches. Is anyone else horrible at picking up stitches? I can never get the right number. Ever. It's coming along, but slowly. My MA exam is in four weeks, and I got the Exam Fear the other night. I worked out my reading and writing schedule up until the event itself, and I will have to sleep approximately 7 hours between now and May 16th to get it all done. Someone told me that in grad school, you become addicted to either cigarettes or caffeine. I'm so glad I've gone with the latter.

Self portrait Monday

Kitten's Pyjamas posted a link to this ridiculously involved portrait/cartoon maker, so I absolutely had to make one. Meet Specs: She really does look like me (I think), even the scraggly and unkempt hair is accurate. The clothes, however, are slightly off; I usually don't dress this cute. Some day, when I've made my way in the world, I plan to have an entire closet of nothing but nice (slightly below my knee-length) skirts and shoes. And possibly another closet full of exotic fruits and fine wines. If you haven't seen this yet, go waste half an hour or so making yourself into a flashy, sparkly doll at elouai. Today I bought the yarn for my Orangina: Cotton Soft Speciale Baby by Mondial (made in Italy, for extra smugness). It's black -- which is always my default option, but in this case I was forced into it because my LYS only carried this brand of 4-ply cotton, and all other colors were pastels.* Ew. That awful baby powder blue is very high on my list of things I want to eradicate (or see eradicated by someone else) off the face of the planet before I die. Anyway, I'm thrilled about the black. Tonight, I test-swatch. Tomorrow, I begin! *What? Order off the internet? When I want to start NOW? You're talkin' crazy. ALSO: My father is looking for a pattern (yes, he knits) for a baby's hooded sweater, knit all in one piece, with a zipper in the back of the sweater. Has anyone heard of this? Seen it? Made it? Please ask your knittin' friends and leave a comment here if you can locate this pattern.

Bits and bobs.

Progress on the 'Tis. I'm just trying it on so you can see how it drapes, Mom. There is no yarn envy motivating this picture. I've been looking at patterns for knitted t-shirts and camisoles lately, which is very odd. I've never really been sold on the idea of sexy/flirty/trendy/whatever-the-kids-are-wearing-these-days knit tops. I mean, it's made of yarn. Maybe I'm just not good enough to make these things look professional, but I think it has more to do with the fact that I never see any stores carrying, or anyone wearing, obviously yarny summer tops. It just seems, I dunno, weird. Knitting is for sweaters, socks, scarves, hats, blankets, and pillowcases; not for kicky summer tops. But lately I've had a change of heart. I like the Picovoli, the Orangina(even though I've been left in the dust by the SKC KAL), and the Calla. I've never considered making something like this before, but I'm very tempted by a project that would be quick, instantly wearable, and for me. And something I could wear after The Move. Trying to envision and solidify things that will happen after The Move helps me be less nervous about the event itself. Everything will be ok, because I will have this shirt. (I get the same way about teaching clothes -- "My class will go fine and students will respect me if I'm wearing these shoes.") I'm also itching to make the Jamesey for my broad-shouldered brother. I've never knit with cotton before -- could I possibly end up doing two projects with it at the same time? Madness!

Good things come in lumps.

After reading Jane's post about her stressful day, I wanted to post to say that I've had a Good Day. I'm not bragging, and I'm not smug; but I don't have many days like this. I seem to get long stretches of stress, worry, fear, and general neuroses in between rare days or moments of clarity, rationality, and calm. I've been feeling depressed lately over a paper that I turned in last quarter, my prospects for the MA exam, and the complications of hauling my life a couple of states to the south. But the following Good Things have happened today: 1. Seminar paper was returned to me with positive comments that included words like "strong" and "convincing." The instructor does not think I'm an ass, nor was he taking so long to return the papers because he kept running through red pens while commenting on mine. ("Dammit, Eunice, that's the fifth bag of pens I've used up this week!" I imagine he would say.) 2. Talked to my advisor about my exam, and while we didn't actually discuss my papers (it's more of a defense than an exam), just talking to him is very calming. He's a jovial, bearded British fellow, and he always has to clear books off the one sagging orange armchair in his office when you come to see him. Just being in the office is calming, actually. Someday, I too will work in a fire hazard/death trap of books. 3. Talked to my adopted advisor about Tennessee, and was reassured that the professor I'll be working with there is brilliant, well respected in the field, and an all-around nice guy. It's a good place, and I'm excited about it again for the first time since I opened the letter. I'm going to work on the clapotis for a while, and enjoy the fabulous yarn while secretly hoping there's enough left over to make myself a scarf.

An example.

Here's a good example of what happens when I absolutely have to make something, and make it quickly. Or, why impulsive knitting is (for me) a bad thing. Meet Agatha: Agatha is depressed about her legs. See, they don't hold her up. It's not that she's overweight, it's that I didn't stuff them properly. I also did a sloppy job of seaming everything, sewed her spines on crookedly, and made her lumpy all over. That said, she's the cutest disaster of a knitting project I've ever made. Grumperina is responsible for this, really. I mean, her Mr Stegs is so cute and trim. Mine is considerably less so. I've been doing other things, mostly Exam Stuff, which is becoming more and more terrifying as the date approaches. Also terrifying: the move to Tennessee I might be making in August. I can't stop thinking that I'll be moving into the hills with people who love Bush almost as much as their gun racks. I have serious doubts about being able to last four years in a place like that. Please, if anyone has anything nice to say about living in the South, do speak up now.

Self Portrait Tuesday

Ok, so I missed last week. But I was on vacation, which is a damn good excuse for not doing just about anything. This month's SPT theme is "April Fool." You get me in part of my Halloween costume. I was a glam-rock panda, for which I make no apologies. I just realized how messy our bedroom is after taking the picture, but I'm too lazy/busy to get another. And that's The Boyfriend's mess, not mine. Most of it. ------------------------------------------------------------- I have been knitting, but I'm stuck in the knitting nightmare in which I keep knitting, purling, yo-ing, ssk-ing, and dropping stitches, but getting nowhere. I tried to find a short, easy pattern to cast on last night -- just to quiet the impatient girl in my head who demands that something be finished rightthisinstant! -- and couldn't find a damn thing that I had the needles for. As proof of my claim that I'm actually making stuff, I offer these photos: The sock: I didn't do the number of reps the pattern calls for, I just stopped and started the heel. I'm a sock rebel, baby. The 'Tis: Yep. It's a'comin'. The excitement around here is palpable, I tell you.

Ohio in sunny weather shocker!

Went for a walk to the library today, and apparently the campus was invaded by flowers sometime between 5:00 on Friday and 3:00 this afternoon. click for ridiculously big daffs It is so nice to see some color around here.

Like a sorority girl at her first kegger.

It's Flash Your Stash Day! Zibboisgood is hosting a competition of sorts. I'm not clear whether it's a photography competition or a see-who-has-the-most-yarn competition, but either way I'm flagging behind the knitters whose entries I've seen today. Just for the fun of it though, here are my photos. Wool Ease leftover from my Dad's Christmas hat. I have no idea what to do with this. The Boyfriend wears these colors, but he wants/needs nothing knitted at the moment. I may resort to guerilla knitting and slip some socks into his dresser. Moda Dea Aerie in the kitchen. A glamorous yarn in a decidedly unglamorous place. But I love this window, and I love having it in the kitchen so I can actively clutter it with stuff. Leftovers from the ill-fitting sweater. Stuff! You know, yarn I bought because it was in the orphaned yarn bin and I felt sorry for it (except for the Cherry Tree Hill -- that stuff is heaven to work with and worth the arm and leg I paid for it). The rest. I have no idea what most of this is, but I'm absolutely positive it will all be put to good use someday. Really. ----------------------------------------------- Still reeling a bit from the UTenn letter. The evening that I got it, I read it, cried, stopped crying, called my parents, cried some more, took a picture, emailed my advisor, cried, etc. Every time I re-read the first paragraph I'd tear up from relief and disbelief. It is quite possibly the most beautiful first paragraph of anything written in the English language. It's hard to describe to anyone who isn't in academia (and this isn't meant as a derogatory observation in the slightest) exactly how important something like this is. The Boyfriend was pretty mellow about the whole thing. But the thing is, I've just been given a letter that says I can do what I love for the rest of my life. I know how few people get the chance to do this, and I'm extremely grateful and lucky. That said, I've been celebrating this massively important occasion by jumping/dancing/flailing around and singing the only song I know about getting a PhD. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Ramones: Slugs and snails are after me DDT keeps me happy Now I guess I'll have to tell 'em That I've got no cerebellum Gonna get my PhD I'm a teenage lobotomy! Download it, listen to it, sing along and shout the bit about the degree. It's best that way.