Rainy Days and Soup

365 January 19 - Friendly Fields

2012-01-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

When I took this shot I like it. Now that I look at it in the light of day, I don't.... I love the painting though.

One of Wino's friends painted it for him before we ever met. It now hangs over our bed. It adds a nice pop of color in our otherwise modern (and monochromatic) bedroom.

365 January 18 - A Pen For Every Occasion

2012-01-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

My explanation of this picture directly from my Flickr page:

"I'm a teensy bit OCD when it comes to my writing implements. Myco-workers tease me that I have a pen for nearly every task I need tocomplete in my job. Here's the proof that they're right!

"From left to right: highlighter to indicate signature lines, calendarpen, post-it pen, note-taking pen, editing pen, student-signature pen,my-signature pen, eraser, pencil.

"Yes, in all of that I only have one pencil...absurd, I know."

A very late update!

2012-01-18T11:35:00.000-08:00

I have some catching up to do! We took an impromptu vacation this past weekend and I haven't had a chance to post my photos yet.

Day 13 - Oodles of Pins

My box of pink straight pins. I love the randomness that pins assume in their natural habitat!

Day 14 - Armida!

This a surf board in the Armida Winery tasting room (their Capitola location). Armida produces my favorite wine ever: the Il Campo.

Day 15 - By The Candlelight

Taken at Cava Wine Bar in Capitola. The mood was nice in there and the wine tasty.

Day 16 - Recycle!

Good ol' Capitola, they're very conscious of their image (not kidding a kid was skateboarding through the village and a cop was passing by and got on their megaphone to tell the kid to stop!). Really, though, it's a great program with some tasty pizza in return. If you ever happen by any pizza is good, but the chicken walnut salad is a treat too! I <3 Pizza My Heart

Day 17 - My Baby's Growing Up

I bought my car 3 1/2 years ago....brand new.....she and I have together driven 100K miles since then....omg!

365 January 12 - Mr. Ducky Says Hello

2012-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

My photo for yesterday, submitted without comment ('nuf said):

Days 10 and 11 - The 365 Project

2012-01-11T14:21:00.001-08:00

Here is my day 10 submission for the 365 photos project: Fresh Socks!

I love getting new socks. Eventually I will become proficient at knitting my own but until then I love K. Bell socks. They're comfy, come in cool patterns AND have my initials embroidered on the toe (that's a great conversation starter...people actually think that I have that done, lol!)
Now for day 11: Let Sleeping Noahs Lie

I was at home today waiting for the inspector for the city to come and give us the green light to fire up the solar panels we had installed last week. Needless to say both kitties were excited to have human company, Noah especially. At one point he pushed the knitting out of my lap so that he could cuddle up on my chest. This was a tricky shot to get, had to mute my phone and move very slowly...you can see one of his peepers open with a warning leer. He was still happy though.

365 January 9 - I'm Tired!

2012-01-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

Last night, it was 8:15 and I was fading fast. I decided to just give in and go to sleep. As I lay there I realized that I didn't take my picture for day 9 of my 365 project. What better way to document the fact that I am a 90-year-old woman than by publicly posting that I was in bed and ready for sleep at 8:47pm!?

So there it is! My bedtime last night. Personally, for being a list minute picture, I am IN LOVE with this. If you have an iPhone (or it might be available on Android now...not sure), you need to check out Instagram. It's such a cool way to spice up otherwise dull photos!

Project 365 - A year in photos

2012-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

I tried this a couple years ago, but failed after day 5. I'm now on day 9 so I think I can publicly commit this year!

The object of this challenge is to sharpen your photography skills: take at least one photo a day for a year. Mine has no theme other than just "my life." I'm sort of using it as a visual journal to see what was going on throughout the year.

Without further ado here we go!

January 1 - Rusty At Sleeping

This is my friend Punch's cat, Rusty. He's the sort of cat who is anyone's friend. Poor little guy had just gotten in a fight with the cat next door on New Year's Day and needed some major nap time on my lap. I was more than happy to offer up my services.

January 2 - Last Day of Vacay

Taken with Instagram (LOVE IT!!) it's my last glass of wine before winter break ended and I had to go back to work. I savored it!

January 3 - FAIL! (See January 4)

January 4 - From Fail Comes Win!

I realized as I woke up on Wednesday morning I forgot to take a picture on Tuesday....oh well, it became the subject of my next day's picture. I'm not giving up though!

January 5 - A momentous occasion!

If you look very closely you'll see a black blob on Wino's lap...that is our kitty Margot who has NEVER, I repeat NEVER sat on our laps before in her entire 6 years of existence! While this isn't the best quality photo, it needed to be documented none-the-less.

January 6 - Friday Nights

A typical Friday night in our house: wine, food, and tv. (Yes, I still had my Christmas tree up then....we did take it down this past Sunday - Don't Judge ME!)

January 7 - Hexipuffs A-Go-Go

My first ever hexipuff for my Beekeeper's Quilt. Since Saturday I've knit nearly 3! I'm aiming for 300 at minimum.

January 8 - Cliche, no?

Yeah, yeah, we set up the work out equipment around new years.....its a resolution of sorts but less to do with the new year and more to do with the "omg-I'm-turning-30-this-year-and-am-freaking-out-because-I-still-haven't-reached-my-weight-loss-goal-yet" thing.

Today's picture will come later tonight...once I take it. Enjoy!

The Presents are Pouring In!

2011-12-24T12:00:00.001-08:00

So, right before Christmas I finally made a decision on what spinning wheel I wanted. At first I had myself convinced that I wanted an Ashford Kiwi, but then lo-and-behold the "Cadillac" of spinning wheels appeared on eBay and made me second guess. A Schacht Matchless was up for auction! I gave myself a maximum I could spend on it, did lots of research as to why this would be better than a Kiwi and decided to place a bid on the last day of the auction as long as it was below my max.

Well, sadly it wasn't. So the Matchless slipped through my fingers. Sad and pouty I went with Wino to work at the gallery in Carmel, and happened in on a quaint little knitting store to pick up the spare yarn for the rest of Salt's headband (see the previous post where I talk about that). In the corner of that store sat a fancy looking wheel. Wino points to it and says "Is that the wheel you'd wanted?" I looked at it and said "No, I think that's a Kromski, I'm looking at a Schacht." Then I asked the owner of the shop if the wheel was indeed a Kromski and explained that I've been doing quite a bit of research on wheels lately. She said she loved hers for many reasons but one was because it had a small footprint.

That little encounter got the wheels (pun intended) a-spinnin' (again, pun intended) in my little brain. I got home and started looking at Kromskis and fell in love with the Minstrel. It was reasonably priced, did everything that the Matchless did and came in a beautiful mahogany finish. Lets just say that it took me less than a week to click the "Buy It Now" button on that one. She arrived on the 23rd.

Everyone: I want you to meet Gwendolyn!

Isn't she just breathtaking!? Sigh. I swoon each time I see her, even still.

I've been a bad spinner though, I haven't touched the poor thing since December 26th. I've been all rush, rush, rush since then. I go into the guest room to ogle her at least once a day though :) I plan to spin some this weekend.

I've been a busy bee otherwise. We took a trip to Napa (I was sick 100% of that trip, 'twas not that fun, but I still managed to get in some wine tasting). Sadly, I was still sick for New Years Eve and spent it at home on the couch with Wino instead of with the "gang." That's ok, there's always next year.
I realized, on the first though that "this year" I'll be turning 30. That made me panic for a moment (actually I've been panicking since then, but I'm trying not to show it!) I realized that I need to get my butt in gear and lose these last 23 or so pounds to make Lifetime in Weight Watchers. So I've rededicated my efforts to get healthy again. So far I've lost nearly half a pound....but getting back on this horse has been a struggle.

This past weekend we set up our new work out room. Gotta get back to that running!

On to knitting progresses!
Salt ADORED her scarf/headband (yay!), and Pepper liked his scarf! Joyous noise all around!

I finished my first sock:

There was no second sock syndrome, I cast on for sock #2 right away and was almost done with the leg ribbing, until I dropped a stitch and was too frustrated to pick it back up. So I ripped the whole thing out. The sock yarn is now resting at the bottom of my knitting bag.

I finally started the front of my sweater for the Lion Brand knit-a-long. It's coming along slowly.

And finally, my LYS is hosting a year-long KAL for the Beekeeper's Quilt. If you haven't heard of this, look it up. It's awesome take-along knitting. I even took mine to the airport with me to pick up a friend. It's great way to pass the time and oh-so-adorable!

Ok, that's enough with the updates! I'll be posting shortly announcing my new 365 days project (In which you're suppose to take a picture every day). I'm going to try to post each picture here, beginning today (and I'll get you caught up from January 1). Enjoy!

Flyin' By

2011-12-10T15:11:00.001-08:00

How the heck did we get to December already?! That's what I want to know! It's extremely difficult for me to believe that it's just over two weeks until Christmas!

Thankfully most of my shopping is done, I just need to get something for my dad, and wrap things for everyone else! Go me! I planned ahead this year!

As for knitting, I've pared down my original list. The nieces will get no knitting this year, due to a technicality in finding an appropriate pattern for Girly. Bro-in-law's scarf has now become Pepper's scarf, and I'm chugging away on Salt's scarf. It will definitely be long enough with the amount of yarn I have left, and that makes me happy (especially after I ran out of yarn for Chicka's scarf!)

I had to take the picture in Instagram and use a fancy filter to get that color to come out remotely true. It's still such a lovely yarn, I don't think I could get tired of it. I still get gasps at Knitter's Anonymous on Wednesday nights, and usually at least one person comes by to pet it. As you can see by the picture it's really long! I'm so happy (and more realistically, relieved) that I had enough yarn. My own mother was giving me a hard time because she didn't think I would have enough. Boo-ya Mom! Take that!

I'm currently in Carmel, we're at the gallery. I'm knitting in the office (and catching up on my podcasts--knitting of course) and I'm hoping to have this critter pretty well done by the time we leave here at 5pm (I've got two hours....can I make it?!) I mention where I'm at because I actually need another skein of this Malabrigo wonder! Salt put in an extra request to have a head band (a la our other friend Giggles'), made out of the same yarn as her mitts (which yes, I finally did finish and sewed the buttons on!). So I found a LYS in Monterey that sells Malabrigo yarns and plan to hit it up before we leave.

I will have a post soon showing all the delicious food we had at Thanksgiving. I've been knitting my fingers to the bone lately so I haven't gotten around to writing that up.

Until next update, and hopefully with Salt's scarf and head band finished!

Ta-ta!

Edited 12/11

So guess who finished Salt's scarf before she left Carmel.....I'll wait while you think.....*whistles*

You're right!! Me!!! Plus I got another ball of Malabrigo in the same color way and have 10 inches of a headband on the needles! Woot for progress!!

Prepping For The Feast

2011-11-22T08:29:00.001-08:00

I'd rather not talk about November.....especially the NaNoWriMo portion of it. I'll get into the details of what happened some other time. I just can't bring myself to talk about it at this moment.

Instead, I am going to prepare you for the hilarity that may ensue at our house the day after tomorrow (otherwise known as "Thanksgiving" here in the US of A). I shall see if I'm still thankful after Thursday....we may need to rename the day.

So here's my menu for the day. It is gleaned mostly from the Food and Wine November 2011 issue.

For the main attraction (the Bird) I will be serving a Cider-Glazed Turkey with Lager Gravy. Next up is the veggie dish. Now here I will put in an aside...I am trying something new and unique...I've never eaten a Brussels Sprout in my life. Why then am I cooking them for Thanksgiving? 'Cause I'm adventurous (I hope the rest of our guests are just as adventurous!). I am making Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts and Anchovies. Don't everyone scream at once!! I know, I know, "anchovies," but take a look at that picture and tell me that doesn't look delicious! I will also be making mashed potatoes from our Anthony Bordain cooking class from Sur la Table (they are scrumptious). I'm going for a "heartland" theme, so to go with that I picked up some mac & cheese from Costco. I'm also going to bake some bread. Finally, for the icing on the cake (literally), I will make a Pumpkin Spice Cake, a recipe I found on Country Living.

We will be hosting 7 people to our home: Wino and me (obviously), my parents, and Wino's parents & grandma. It should be quite a nice time, very low-key.

Wish me luck, here's hoping there are no disasters that involve smoke detectors!

Day 3 - Midday update (Or: Lameness)

2011-11-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, let's just call me lame and get it over with. I soldiered on yesterday and hit 3,555 words at the end of my lunch break. (Yay me!), but today I just wasn't feeling it. Here is my list of excuses:

1) I was HUNGRY! My dang English muffin, with 3 slices of Canadian bacon and a slice of provolone cheese was not enough. My tummy wanted more and it distracted my head and hands from writing;

2) I'm recovering from a massive sinus related headache that tore through my poor body yesterday afternoon. It was so bad I felt like hurling all the way home (thank God Tex, my carpool buddy, decided to drive this week, otherwise she would have been driving my car home for me.) and fell asleep the minute I got home. Anyway, my brain was still shot at lunch from the pain, and frankly I can still feel that darn headache in there pounding away quietly, waiting for a vulnerable moment to reemerge in my life.

3) I am at the period in my job where all I do is type endless numbers of emails to disgruntled students for hours on end.....the thought of pounding away on my laptop keyboard sounded like pure torture (then why am I typing this blog post...??!!)

So, that's it...plain and simple I didn't write at lunch today. But that's ok, because if my headache doesn't wreak havoc on my evening again I will write when I get home. Though come to think of it we may be having a "Congrats" party for Pepper....hmmm.....it'll get done, even if I have to pull an all-nighter tomorrow night!

My word is true!

Peace, Love, and Busy Fingers! I'm out!

NaNoWriMo Day 1 - Midday Update

2011-11-01T13:01:00.001-07:00

As planned I didn't get a chance to start on my novel until lunch-time today. I managed to crank out 1843 words in about 45 minutes though. Off to a great start. Now back to work!

Pre-NaNoWriMo Goodness

2011-10-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ack!!! Where the heck did October go?! Less than 15 hours to go until NaNoWriMo officially begins!!

Before I begin panicking over November being literally tomorrow, here is a picture of my Halloween costume.

I'm SO happy with the way it came out! I'll wear it tonight to pass out candy. I thought about wearing it at work, but decided not to. I just took it to show off :)

So now to the November panic: I frantically cleaned off my desk yesterday in anticipation of the day. I'll start writing tomorrow during my lunch break. When NaNo starts on a Friday or Saturday I usually sit up until Midnight to start, but when it's during the week, I just can't manage it.

Writing at work means not knitting at work, but that's ok. I'm pretty well caught up with the holiday knitting, plus there's always Knitter's Anonymous on Wednesday nights to get stuff done.

Starting tomorrow I'll try to post daily word-count updates and thoughts on writing. I know I say that every year, and last year I nearly did it. I'm going to try again this year, though. I don't give up that easily.

I love attending write-ins, but I'm not sure how many there will be that I can attend this year. I went to the kick-off party, which was fun (especially when I could finally say that I reached 50K last year, that got some applause). We'll see what my busy schedule will support.

Amongst all this crazy, I (for some unknown-ungodly-reason) decided to make Thanksgiving dinner this year at our house. So besides cleaning off my desk, I also started planning my menu, it's looking good....but is also looking like a lot of work. That's ok! I'm up for the challenge.

So welcome everyone! Please enjoy my scatter-brained, nutty posts for November, and have fun watching me drive myself insane! Catch you tomorrow for Update #1!!!

Things

2011-10-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, let's get down to business. No fluff, no frills, just updates.

Here's what we've got on the table today: Knitting updates, stash updates, NaNoWriMo (!!), and running news.

Knitting updates:

1) Red Scarf Project scarf is complete!

It turned out beautiful, if I do say so! I'm so in love with this pattern that I'm going to make up one for myself in a different color. That will have to wait until after the first of the year though.

Once my mom finishes up her scarves we'll pack them up and ship them off.

2) I started on Chicka's scarf. I'm not 100% convinced I will make her a beanie, nor am I 100% convinced I'll make Girly a scarf....we'll see (I'll explain in the next line item) though Girly will still get her mitts.

I'm making it in the same yarn that I made Chicka's mitts in, that way she has a matching set. I'm using the Teaching Scarf pattern from Ravelry. It's a simple pattern and that's what I was looking for.

3) After I finished the Red Scarf Project scarf (and rather than casting on another X-mas present!!) I decided to join a Lion Brand Knit-along. We're making the Modern Lodge Pullover sweater. It's my first endeavor into sweater-dom....and I'm nervous and excited. I chose to use Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn in the Forest Green Heather colorway. The suggested yarn was way too expensive for my taste, so I went for "quality cheap" instead.

4) Halloween! I have my Minion hat complete! I just need to crochet the accessories then I'm ready to go!

That's it as far as knitting is concerned. There has been little to no progress on Salt's scarf, but I do have a funny story for that one. Just this past Sunday, while we were celebrating Wino's birthday, she made it known that she wants to go back to the shop we got her Malabrigo yarn from to get more so I can make her a matching scarf and hat....I told her it would have to wait until after the first of the year because of X-mas knitting....little does she know...teehee!

Stash Updates:

I went on a bit of a shopping spree at JoAnn's a couple of weeks ago.

1) I wanted to get sweater quantities of a yarn to make my sweater so I got 8 balls of the Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Forest Green Heather.

2) I also got 2 skeins of Red Heart for my Halloween project this year: I'm going to make Minion hats for me and Wino (if you've ever seen Despicable Me, you'll know what I mean, if not...look it up!). One in Yellow and the other in black to frame their goggles, I'm going to borrow some white from my mom.

3) I got some fluffy pink yarn for Girly's mitts.

4) And finally, I picked up 2 skeins of Wool Ease in a deep grey for my brother-in-law's scarf and hat set.

That should just about cover all of my X-mas knitting for this year!!

NaNoWriMo:

This topic is soon to make it's way to the top of my updates....or just be the update by itself. You all know that this takes over my blog in November! The countdown has begun: less than a week left until NaNoWriMo '11 begins!

I already have my plot generalized, and my title picked out: The Not-Your-Average-Vampire-Novel Novel.

Love it! The plot came to me in a dream. You see, I used to love one particular vampire series (which shall not be named for fear of being a plague upon my house, but let's just say it isn't the Sookie Stackhouse novels that I speak of). Yes, I read all 4 of these Books-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named, and absorbed every word. Then I came to my senses and realized they were just drivel and not worth my time. So I shall write the antithesis to these books this year for NaNoWriMo. It will be comedy gold!

Running News:

I'm sorely disappointed with myself on this front! I was short on dough near the end of September, and the deadline to sign up for the half-marathon walk was Sept 30 (the day I got paid), and I had intended to sign up for the walk that day....I wasn't feeling well, and totally forgot. Now the price rose by $25 and frankly that's just too steep for my budget. So, no half-marathon for me.

As yet I'm still unsure if I will run this year's 5K Race for the Cure. I sort of just want to walk with my family this year, since none of them run with me. We'll see.

So that's all the updates folks. Catch ya on the flip side!

Some Updates

2011-09-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

I have a few updates for the week most are knitterly but one is for running (bear with me non-knitters, that one is near the end!). Let's get started:

Knitting Updates

I've been a busy little bee since last we spoke. I raced for the finished line and cranked out my third hat for Operation Gratitude during the knit-in event. I felt quite accomplished. The 100 hat goal was met by the time the hats were picked up. We all felt great!

Once I finished my last hat, I picked up Salt's scarf for a whirl. I've been busily knitting on that when she's not around, which means on my lunch break at work and in the evenings when I have time. Here's the progress I've made so far:

It's not terribly true to color. You know how hard it is to get true life color on a little point and shoot camera (operated by a novice). Here's a close-up of the real beauty of this yarn:

I get so many compliments on this yarn when I'm working on it at Knitter's Anonymous. I am pretty sure that Salt is going to love it. I love it!

Next to update is my scarf for the Red Scarf Project. I chose the Men's Martian Scarf (this is a Ravelry link, so I'm pretty sure you would have to sign in or sign up to see it, but there's a picture below of my progress).

To be honest, I didn't like it when I first started knitting it up. Here's why: I didn't realize that it called for a lighter weight yarn than I was using, so it looked clunky and I couldn't see the pattern forming. So, I stuck it in my project bag and let it sit for a week or two then I decided to give it a try again. Once I finished one pattern repeat I fell in love! It's such a nice looking scarf. The best part is that even though it says it's a "men's" scarf, I think it would be suitable for either gender. I wouldn't mind wearing it at all!

Here's what I had as of Saturday.....I've since knitted another repeat and a half. It looks SO good!

As for the rest of my projects they've been sitting aside. I will go shopping for yarn for my niecey knitting on the 1st....money's tight until then! I plan to get their do-dads finished by the end of the month, then only have my brother-in-law's stuff to go. If I like the hat pattern I may just crank one out for Pepper too...we'll see how much time I have though.

That said, I still feel pretty good about getting things done this year. All of my projects are relatively small (as compared to the two gigantic afghans I made last year). I had a long look at my "to-do" list and while busy, it seems reasonable.

Stash Updates

We went on vacation the weekend after Labor Day, and I made sure to stop in at the LYS. I picked up two delicious balls of some Rowan Creative Focus Worsted in the Cobalt colorway.

I'm not sure what I will do with them....but I may just keep it for myself whatever I do make!

At Clovis Fest this past weekend, I ran by my LYS to drop off some hats my mom had knitted for Operation Gratitude and to pick up my birthday present...remember that wish I had made to have the Knit Picks interchangeable circular set....yeah, I decided they were worth way more than the necklace. So I had Wino get me those instead. (Oh, how my priorities have changed since I learned about the wonderful world of fiber arts!!)

Whilst there, I also picked up a couple goodies, two skeins of the Geek Chic Minion Sock Yarn in colorways Lady Macbeth and Dryad:

Keep in mind this is ONLY available through my LYS...and it's locally dyed yarn! Fantastic! No clue what I'm going to make with those either. Probably just some vanilla socks for practice, but they'll be yummy!

Running Updates

For my non-knitting, running friends: I've taken on a new challenge. You all know how much I have been struggling with motivation for the past 6-9 months. I don't know what has come over my brain, but it's been a dark and stormy cloud of "let's-eat-everything-in-sight-and-sit-on-our-butts-and-do-nothing." I fell off the healthy wagon, and gosh-darn it, I'm ready to climb back on!

I recently got asked to walk a half-marathon (that's 13 miles folks!) with my aunt in November. I am nowhere near in shape enough to do that without ending up at the hospital! So I'm going to remedy that with an accelerated Couch to 5K regimen. I'm going to be running 5 days a week using C25K as a guide, perhaps modifying it slightly as I progress. That should have me ready for my race in October and at least in some semblance of physical fitness to walk 13 miles the following weekend (yes, I did say "the following weekend" - perhaps I'm biting off more than I can chew? I'm motivated, that's what matters to me right now).

I did week 1, day 1 on Monday. It was easy, actually surprisingly easy since I haven't ran much since October last year. Yesterday I tossed on week 2, day 1 and that was challenge I needed. I'm excited and I plan to lose these last 20lbs so I can start my Weight Watchers maintenance phase and make it to Lifetime membership before February (that's an arbitrary goal, it means nothing to me other than just having a goal in mind).

I seem to have found motivation again, and I plan to keep it. This is my busy season with knitting gifts, running/walking plans and NaNoWriMo right around the corner. Busy seems to be my motivation. I seem to remember a vaguely religious quote: Idle hands are the devil's playground....this seems to ring true for me!

Warming up those hands

2011-09-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season to start warming up my fingers and start an Olympic-level knitting and crocheting spree.

The holiday season is but a few short months away, anyway in my eyes it's short. I've got tons of projects I want completed before December 25ish and less than 4 months to get it all done! Add to that mix a variety of birthdays, holidays and NaNoWriMo and I've probably got less than 2 months of actual crafting time to get gifts done!

Here's what I've got on my plate:
Current Projects
1. Operation Gratitude hats - I'm shooting to have 3 done by this Saturday. I have one finished, I've still got one on the needles that I'm hoping to complete tonight, and have another one cast on by tomorrow, luckily I've got 'til 5pm on Saturday to finish that last one. It'll be a knit sprint to the finish on Saturday though.

2. Salt adored the fingerless mitts that I gave to my oldest niece for her birthday, and commissioned me to crochet her a pair for those early morning yard duty stints she has to do during the winter months. Instead of outright payment to me, she paid for the most beautiful shade of Malabrigo yarn in Purple Mystery. Gorgeous!

She bought two skeins of it, and one pair of mitts takes maybe 1/3 of a skein. I had already decided that I would knit her a scarf with what was left, so she had a matching set. That may be an X-mas present, though I'll give her the mitts as soon as I'm done with them. That leads us to:

Projects to complete before December 25ish

1. Salt's scarf - I had anguished for weeks about a design for this scarf, I combed Ravelry for a pattern I liked, and a pattern suited to my knitting skill level (which at this point I would deem "beginner plus"). It came to me this morning: why the heck not just make up my own pattern. I knew exactly what I was looking for in Ravelry...but couldn't find a pre-made pattern that I liked, so as soon as I could, I grabbed my notebook and a pencil and sketched out the design I wanted. I think it'll be good!

2. Red Scarf Project - It's become my mission this year to do some charity knitting/crocheting. The hats were my first endeavor and I heard about the Red Scarf Project through one of the blogs I read (Now Norma Knits - read it, she's hilarious!). It's a worthy group doing good things to help kids transition from the foster care system into successful adults. The Red Scarf Project is designed to be part of a care package that is sent to college students around Valentine's Day to say "someone loves you." They accept submissions from September 1 (that's today!!!) to December 15. I encourage my crafty friends to knit or crochet a red scarf, check out the details in the link above.

Due to time constraints, I'll probably only knit one this year. I'll get a head start next year though and hopefully donate the maximum (which is 5).

3. Niecy knitting - Last X-mas I busily crocheted two afghans, one for each niece. I'm not going to be quite so ambitious this year. For the youngest's birthday (whom we'll call Girly from here on out), I made a cute little beany. She's a girly-girl so it was hot pink. I'm not too sure she wears it, but it's the thought that counts right?! She was envious of her sister's (Chicka's) birthday gift though, of the fingerless mitts.

At that point I decided I should round out their sets: I want to make Girly a scarf and mitts, and Chicka (I'm spelling it that way on purpose) a scarf and a beany. I already have the patterns picked out on Ravelry. I just need to find the yarn I want and buy the interchangeable needle set I've been coveting so I have the sizes I need. Money's tight though....I need to con someone into buying it for my birthday....if I didn't want a new necklace so bad, I'd just request it from Wino.

4. I haven't been in communication much with my brother-in-law down in Texas, so I had the idea that I would send him a care package with some cookies and a hand knit scarf and hat set. I'm sure he's lonely out there on the plains with just the dogs, cats and chickens to talk to. He seems like he's doing ok though (from what I hear through the grapevine). I still can't believe it's been almost 4 years since Dawn passed away. It's still hard to conceptualize that she's gone, since I hardly saw her even when she was alive. I still miss her just the same though.

Anywho, (wiping a tear from my eye), back to more pleasant topics: I wanted to surprise him and let him know that I still care and think about him and Dawn frequently. What says "I care" more than homemade goods?!

On that note, please donate to my Race for the Cure campaign this year by clicking here. This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, and always will be since breast cancer stole my big sister away from all of us.

**********************

That's pretty much the extent of my projects, but it's still a huge undertaking since #3 is actually 4 items, and #4 is actually 2 items. I'll make it though, I somehow always find a way.

Knitting news!

2011-07-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

My knitting class went well. I discovered that knitting is much easier this time around (after proper tutelage) than when I tried to teach myself.

My spinning has taken a back seat. Partially because of frustration, partially because I got a hair up my tush to knit socks. Yeah, I know that's nuts to even attempt as a freshly reacquainted knitter, but I just couldn't resist.

I have this utterly luscious merino that I got for quite a discount at Yarns...at the Adobe in SLO while on vacation, and even though it's worsted weight, I figured that would be a good way to learn. Naturally they'll be lounge-y socks (not for walking on!!! It's merino after all!). Here's the progress I've made.

Yesterday evening, while Wino was at a friend's birthday dinner:

And today from my lunch break:

It may not look like a lot of progress was made between the two pictures, but believe me, there was!

Here's a look at my spindle recently. Like I said it's been stalled. I think I need something a bit lighter, my strands are continually breaking at this point:

I still want to get a spinning wheel, but they're so dang expensive that'll probably have to wait until tax season.

I'm really enjoying this knitting business, my next project may be to start a sweater. On that note, it's funny to observe that now that I'm knitting my compusion has been to make garments rather than accessories like I do with crochet....funny how that works out....

Plans In Motion

2011-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have set a few plans of mine in motion this past weekend. I'm feeling more motivated in some ways, which is good, and I'm really hoping it will extend into new territory!

Here's what I've done:

I attended a learn to spin class on Saturday. It was a hoot, I'm terrible at it now (I really mussed up on the wheel when I was given a chance, but with practice I know I would figure it out). I'm working with a top whorl drop spindle, and it's entertaining and relaxing. My fiber is starting to become consistent and I feel like I know how to manage it now to keep the big fluffy bumps from happening. As Wino said to me yesterday: "This is your first one, imagine what your fiftieth will look like!" So true, so true!

Here's a picture from the class, note the uneven spinning (I've since covered it with far more consistent thread):

That got me pumped for crocheting in general, so after I did my requisite 15 minutes on the spindle yesterday morning, I picked up my crochet hooks (a lovely set of Laurel Hill in ebony!!) and started making up my own dish cloth pattern. This is my first crack at designing and I'm happy with the result, so I wrote up the pattern and plan to place it on Ravelry.

That got me pumped for the idea of starting my own Etsy page (see here where I talked about that before). I had already decided on the name for my little side business, so while I was feeling particularly optimistic, I decided to snatch up the Gmail, Twitter, Blogger and Etsy for my business! With the exception of Twitter I was successful (I got as close as I could there). My ideas started flowing, and I enjoyed creating the dishcloths and I figure I can sell the finished products on Etsy, along with any excess afghans or doo-dads I also decide to create!

Once everything is all launched and live I'll make an announcement here with relavant links. Next weekend is my learn to knit class, so my options will be wide open for new product development (once I get the hang of that, too!).

Spinning away

2011-06-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

I've decided to take a spinning class! No, not stationary bike spinning, fiber spinning! (I've tried the cycle classes and I nearly pass out!)

I'm super pumped, I want to delve deeper into this world of fiber and yarn and knitting and crochet. I've also decided to take a beginning knitting class. Lets face it: knitting is the more popular yarn "sport," crocheters usually get sneers from the knitters. I don't care really, I will continue to crochet because it's easy and fun. But, you can knit so much more intricate things than you can crochet. You can make actual sweaters from knitting, and you just can't do that with crochet.

Pictures from my endeavor to follow!

Baby Boom

2011-05-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Life is all about choices. We all know that. (Of course there are an unlucky few who have no choice in some matters....but at this moment I'm being selfish and focusing on me).

My life has certainly been all about choices. Starting in high school: what school to go to? What to major in? Where to go to grad school (that wasn't really a choice, I only had 1 option...but I'm not counting that)? What to do with my career? Where to work? Do I really want this dang drive every day?!? What people to surround myself with? Who to "settle down" with? Buy a house? Have kids? Get married?

All of these things I've made choices about. Some more unconventional than others mind you...especially in the kids/married department. I made a choice, long, long ago, when I was but a wee one that I did not want children.

I've never been the "maternal" type, except with animals, but even then the burdens of pet ownership are costly, emotionally and financially. It started when I was 3 and my younger cousin was born. Most little girls that age are fascinated by babies, they think of them as living and breathing dolls. Not me though! I was grossed out to no end by this squirming, drooling, stinky thing that was set before me and introduced as my cousin.

Fast forward about 10 years later and one of my older cousins had just had a baby. His obnoxious wife asked me if I wanted to hold the child, and I politely declined saying (and yes this is mature of a 12-year-old) "No thank you, I'm not comfortable holding babies." Her reply to little ol' me: "Well, you don't have to be a bitch about it!" That caused a little rift in the family that has since been mended.

Anyway, my views on babies and children in general haven't changed much through the years. I get annoyed to no end when I hear a baby crying, or a child screaming at the grocery store. I mutter things under my breath that are better left unsaid (or at least undocumented!). Most times when I'm handed a baby I put my hands up like I'm being robbed and slowly back away from the situation.

I just have no desire to have children. Most people just think I'm a cold hearted bitch, must like my cousin's wife assumed. But I'm not. Really I'm just partially terrified of them, and partially disinterested in being spit up on (or worse!). I like my life, nay! LOVE my life. I am free to do as I please, take whatever vacations, I want, when I want, do my own thing (with Wino of course ;) ), drink my wine, and eat fancy food. Frankly a life with kids would deprive me of one of the things I hold dear in my life: freedom!

I don't want that lifetime responsibility of raising a child. Nope, that's not for me. I also don't want to be pressured to ogle and coo at other's children. If you ever hear me say (after being shown a picture of someones kid) "Oh, it's a baby!" know that I am being insincere and that kid ain't cute. I'm not one to lie and say something is "adorable" if it isn't. Pointing out that it's a baby (and putting an exclamation point after that) is my way of being polite. No, I don't think all babies are cute (I'm totally going to get hate mail for that one....).

My point in this lengthy rant is that everyone around me is having babies (except the ones closest to me, thank god! I don't want to lose my friends to the "family way" just yet!). I'm having babies thrust at me at an alarming rate. I'm proud and happy to say that each and every one of these kiddos is cute (so I don't have to lie) and I have yet to be forced to hold one.....but.....

I'm quickly approaching one situation this weekend and I'm terrified. No one in my family has had a baby in about 9 years. But! said younger cousin from my first encounter with a baby, is now a daddy himself. The family is overjoyed. This will be my first meeting of the little Jelly Bean, and I'm hoping like hell that my cousin's wife doesn't have a "don't be a bitch about it" moment with me when I politely decline to hold her child. Yes, I am nearly 29-years-old, and I still refuse to hold babies. I like my shirts to remain clean, thank-you-very-much!

Sigh, anyway, choices are hard, especially when you don't want to offend people you care about. I'm just praying to keep a good relationship with my cousin. He should know that I'm not a baby fan, and will hopefully not even offer her up for my embrace. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Shamed

2011-04-30T17:49:00.001-07:00

Here we are: April 30....do you remember what was supposed to happen today? Naturally I do. I was supposed to have my NaNoWriMo '10 novel finished and ready for editing today.

Yes, I failed, but I have justified reasoning and actually changed my game plan about half way through April. After struggling to pick the story back up, I realized that the rear end of my story was so full of fluff and padding for November's end of month scramble that it was impossible to continue without editing first.

I have to figure out where my story really leaves off and where the BS begins. So, I've been going through this entire time and actually reading what I wrote (what we're not supposed to do in November) and editing as I go. This process is much harder than I had expected, but then this is the first time that I have ever made it to this point in the novel writing process. It's hard, but exciting!

There are people out there!?

2011-03-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

Wow! I've got to say I'm impressed! Here I thought no one was out there reading, but Blogger just added stats and I'm pleased that there are actual readers (or at least visitors) to my blog!

I've heard that to be a "successful" blog you need to have a focus. I have too many areas of interest to choose just one focus though, so I think for now the blog is going to continue to be just "me." You'll see bits about crocheting (I need to buy some yarn, for heaven's sake, so I can get on to another project), about jogging (I'm really, really trying to start up again), and during the month of November, you'll get my usual barrage of NaNoWriMo stuff.

I do realize that some of my posts are unpolished. I don't claim to be a professional blogger, I've got my day job and I'm sticking to it! So bare with me as I try to refresh myself for this coming year. I've been a bit run down this winter, and so blogging has taken a back seat to just keeping my eyes open long enough to eat some dinner and make it to my cozy bed. (Hopefully the recent discovery of my Vitamin D deficiency and the ensuing action being taken against that will help me find some energy again).

As you may remember from my post, NaNoWriMo: The Finishing I have given myself until the end of April to have my novel from 2010 wrapped up and ready for editing. I'm sad to report I have accomplished exactly 0% of this. Of course this past month has been busy, but excuses-excuses right! I'm going to kick-start my attempt starting tomorrow night (I'm going to do my own NaNoFiMo for the month of April). It has to be done by April 30. So, starting tomorrow, I will be giving (semi) regular updates about my progress. I really need this accountability.

That's all for today. Thanks for reading, and if you're a "regular" please drop me a line. I'd love to say "Hi!"

Green Stuff

2011-03-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I'm not speaking of money. That's is short supply these days (what with gas prices spiraling out of control!)

No, I'm speaking of St. Patty's Day. I used to be religious about wearing green on March 17. I suppose it's that ingrained fear you pick up in elementary school that someone's going to pinch you if you get caught without it. The last couple of years though, I've been purposefully not wearing green. Here is the conclusion I've come to: in the grown up world there's no more pinching! Hooray! It's safe to go out into the streets sans green!

I did pop in a green nose stud this year, just to be safe (that fear still lingers), but it was nothing noticible, lol.

The story might have been different had we spent the holiday with Pepper's family. You see: Pepper is Irish, and we usually celebrate his fake birthday on St. Patrick's Day (since he was born on X-mas day, his family gave him the option of choosing a new birthday and he chose March 17). They usually throw a huge shin-dig for him, and frankly, you don't want to be caught without wearing green around an Irish family (particularly his, they're a fun-loving group). But, there was no party for Pepper this year, so Wino and I didn't have to drag out our green attire.

Unlike many, we didn't go out last night and get drunk off of our pattooties. We didn't even really acknowledge the holiday (since neither of us is Irish) except to call Pepper and wish him a "happy fake birthday." Then we settled down and had us some good ol' fashioned mac n' cheese (from Costco's take n' bake section. It's SO good!) and a couple glasses of wine. Yeah, we're boring ;)

NaNoWriMo: The Finishing

2011-03-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

After November finished, I couldn't even look at my novel without feeling sick. I'm sure this happens to most of us who attempt to conquer this goal. You just get sick of typing like a mad-man (or woman, in my case) and every ounce of creativity has been drained for your fingers.

I didn't even want to think about my novel. I accepted the pats-on-the-back of congratulations, but when anyone asked "so what's it about," I usually deflected the question with a hearty "it's really crappy, don't worry about it."

In my heart though, I know I'm a decent writer. I write the sort of plots that I know I would enjoy reading, and with this novel, I actually have a beginning, a middle, and an end (well nearly so). That makes me feel great, but I still didn't want to think about the thing until just recently.

Here's my problem: my life has gotten "loose." Let me explain - I'm not sleeping around, don't ring the alarms! - I have no structure right now. Starting in July I had so much structure that it was easy for me to complete tasks: 1) C25K, 2) Crochet-a-long mystery afghan, 3) NaNoWriMo. All of these things overlapped last year, and I'm a creature of habit, if I know I should be running at 5am, I do it; I know I should write on my lunch break, I do it; I know I should be crocheting from the moment my butt hits the couch, I do it. After X-mas, NaNoWriMo was over, my race was done, and afghans were gifted, I felt sort of lost. I still do actually. My weight loss leveled out, I haven't exercised in months and until just earlier this month I haven't really had a project to crochet. I've lost all my steam!

I came to this realization just an hour ago: I need goals in order to accomplish anything, I need structure and deadlines to really keep myself on track!

I was reading an excerpt of my 2010 NaNovel during my lunch break and I was enthralled by the plot, I wanted to read more. When I finished the 1700 words, I immediately wanted to pull out my laptop, hit print and start editing and finishing my novel! I think I may have my motivator again! I've given myself until the end of April to have it finished and ready for editing. I've also vowed to start running again.

I need to give myself some structure so I can get back on track in life!!

Foodie Extravaganza

2011-03-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

I've got tons of places to review for this blog, so sit back and prepare to take notes!

Wino and I took our journey to "The City" (as those of us in central CA often refer to San Francisco) for our cooking class through Sur La Table (in February). The series we took was Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Basics. No, he does not teach the class, but he designed the series and all of the recipes seemed to be basically his own, and using his styles and techniques. The first class was knife basics and included cooking tons of starches. It was fun! We made mashed potatoes (using a potato ricer, which I would not waste my money on, I'd rather just mash mine using the old fashioned masher), rice pilaf (a little bland, but with a few alterations would be pretty good), spaghetti with tomato sauce (very basic, but really good), fennel and haricots verts salad (basically fennel, blanched green beans, orange slices and a citrus vinaigrette-this was my favorite recipe from this class, I'm SO excited to make this!) and last a french omelet. I did not partake of the omelet, I'm not a fan of eggs.

This class was on a week by itself so we did an "up and back" trip that day. It was nice but we didn't really get to mill around the city much. However! The next two classes were back to back and on a Monday/Tuesday, so we decided to make it a little vacation and go over on Sunday. Here's where the real adventure began!

Sunday, we decided to go over early and hit SFMOMA. I love MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)! They were having an exhibit on wine, and well, you know how much we both love wine! It was a fantastic exhibit! We had a blast, and only paid half price to get in since half the museum was closed due to setting up new exhibits. After that we went to dinner. We had heard about this place called American Cupcake from the Food Network and wanted to try it. We were intrigued because they touted their wine and cupcake pairings, and even did a tasting flight with three mini cupcakes and three different wines.

At first we thought they just had cupcakes, we were SO wrong, they also had a pretty basic "savory menu" (their words). Things like mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, Cobb salad, fried chicken, etc. You get the idea. We figured we would just eat whatever they had and go for the gusto with desert. Ho, ho, ho boy were were surprised when even the dinner food was fabulous! Here's what we had:

I had the basic Cobb salad. The pulled pork sliders sounded good too, but I wanted to keep my dinner light to enjoy the cupcakes....when the salad came out it was beautiful! Little fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half littered the top of the luscious greens, a quarter of a beautiful green avocado lay sliced vertically and fanned out over the pieces of crispy apple-wood smoked bacon which was a lovely compliment to the moist roast chicken breast. It was gorgeous! It was delicious! I would say the best salad I've ever eaten at a restaurant, EVER! My mouth is watering as I write....

Wino had the Red Velvet Fried Chicken. Now, before I describe this don't sneer! You have to try it to really appreciate it! This is chicken dipped in their red velvet cupcake batter, then rolled in crumbled red velvet cupcakes, then deep fried. I sneered when I heard this and promptly opted for the salad. BUT I tried some to be a good sport and O.....M.....G.....you wouldn't even know it was cupcake batter that the chicken was fried in! It also came with the most creamy, flavorful mashed potatoes, and a delightful "slaw." Ugh, it was good!

Ok so that was just dinner, we were both thoroughly impressed already, but the best was yet to come....desert! We wanted to do a cupcake flight. We did each did a "Walk of Shame" flight, which consisted of a lemon, a butterscotch and a coconut cupcake, paired with a Sav Blanc, a Chardonnay, and a Merlot, respectively. The cupcakes were light and moist on their own but what really made them was the light, airy, but rich "frosting" (I'm hesitant to call it frosting because to me frosting is heavy and too sugary). It was like a little yummy pillow of loveliness set atop the cupcake and I nearly died and went to heaven when I took that first bite of the lemon....I love lemon anything that this blew. my. mind.

Needless to say were were highly impressed by this place, even the ambiance was great. It was all white (counters, floors, walls, ceilings, furniture) and they had probably a hundred globe lights hanging from the ceiling of various sizes that had multi-colored LEDs that would shift color depending on the music. It was great! We had a blast. I highly recommend this place to everyone!

--Ok intermission time--If you need a potty break here you may want to go. I've still got two more days to talk about!--

So Monday we had session two of our cooking class. The topic was stocks, soups and sauces. This was my least favorite class, most of what we made was seafood and I don't care for seafood. There wasn't much to eat at the end of this class. Most of what we made was being saved for the next day's class. Here's what was on Monday's agenda: rich chicken stock, fish stock, mushroom soup (yicky! but then I don't like mushrooms, Wino enjoyed it though), mussels steamed in white wine (Wino loved this, and even though I wouldn't eat it I wouldn't mind making it for friends because it's so easy!), and lastly sauteed chicken breasts with Bearnaise sauce. The real technique for that one was the Bearnaise sauce. That is REALLY hard to make. We blew it and ours turned to scrambled eggs. It's very temperamental, so instead we made the chicken breasts for the rest of the classes' sauce to go on.

Since there wasn't much to eat during this class we decided to do an early dinner at a little place called Spice Kit (again something we found from the Food Network). They do "authentic Asian street foods." Their set up reminded me of Chipotle, super fresh ingredients, very simplistic menu - choose your starch, choose your meat, choose your side, ba-da-bing you've got a delicious meal! I had the Banh Mi sandwich with the beef short ribs and it was SO good, Wino had the Ssam (I called it a huge fresh spring roll) with the roasted pork and was also very impressed. They also do something cool for a side: lotus chips. Very yummy and I highly recommend. The one thing neither of us was crazy about was their ginger-peanut slaw. It was ok, but nothing spectacular.

We wandered SF for a while then decided we needed to treat ourselves to our ritual Ghirardelli sundaes. They were great as usual though we left feeling stuffed! The next morning we set out to find some breakfast (smart phones are SO handy!) and we found this quaint little mom n' pop Crepe place. I'm in love with Pacifica now and I want to move there, just so I can go to this place every Saturday morning for breakfast. I had their pesto chicken crepe and it was phenomenal! Yum! We were so stuffed that we didn't really eat for the rest of the day (yes, even in our class!)

So for our last day of class the following was made beef bourguignon (I really thought this would be more interesting than it was, it's just beef stew!), we learned how to roast a chicken (SO simple, but kind of messy, we've tried this one at home and had a little snafu, but it was still good), seared steaks (yummy!), and fish stew (again I did not partake). Overall, I'm glad that we took these classes, we really had a lot of fun and now we both feel more comfortable in the kitchen.

Sigh, ok, that was the trip. If you have any questions about my babbling, feel free to shoot me a comment!

Happy, Happy......Everything!

2011-01-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hello again, happy new year, happy fresh starts, happy resolutions, happy life! May 2011 be a year filled with great things for all of us!

I went off the map while I hurriedly completed my afghans and Salt's hat before the dreaded day (the 25th!). I managed to sew the final stitch on both afghans on Christmas Eve (that night was a bit fuzzy because Wino was making fudge and creme brule flavored with Grand Marnier --very yummy btw!-- and I decided to have a nip [or two, or three] and didn't realize that stuff is 80 proof! It knocked me out of my socks -- literally, I was wandering around barefoot mid winter!) I then wrapped everything up, and was satisfied, but exhausted.

Wino and I "exchanged" gifts several months ago when we purchased cooking classes in SF for February. We agreed that we wouldn't get any more gifts for one another... but I can never trust that stinker and he ended up getting me something HUGE! First I thought he had just bought me my latest Sheldon book and the bread book I've been pining after for a year or so (I was very happy to get those, but playfully slapped him anyway). But as everyone was winding down opening their gifts, he suddenly disappears (I totally thought he was going to the bathroom!) and he reappears with a huge box wrapped in a huge blue bag.

Immediately I knew what he had done! The jerk went out and bought me the Kitchen Aid stand mixer that I have always wanted! I was angry with him for spending that much money, but so thrilled I could barely contain myself. I started crying and ripping at the bag anxious to see if it was even the color I wanted (Imperial Black!!!), and it was!

SO, this Saturday night (after a crazy new years eve celebration) at 10:30pm I whipped up my first loaf of this fabulous bread from my new book (I mixed the dough on Friday morning before we headed out to our party). After I pulled it out of the oven I crashed on the couch and Wino woke me up around midnight so we could slice it and try it. We were both blown away. How could something so simple to make, taste SO good!? Needless to say the bread was a huge hit at our New Years party #3 yesterday, I only got one slice out of the two loaves I made!

I will have more adventures in bread later this week when we bake up some more bread to make panini's!

Mulling....but not cider

2010-12-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

I've been in a thinking mood the past couple days. I got some serious interest in my crafts from some of the girls at work and I'm wondering if maybe I should start an Etsy page... I thought about just starting my own business, but really, that's a lot of work and effort for something that may or may not take off. At least Etsy is just $0.20 to list initially. It's affordable, and if things don't sell in the 4 months they're up there, then so be it. It wasn't meant to be.

I need to get some stock compiled, which means this wouldn't be launched until after the first of the year.

I think this needs some more mulling....

Smelly-goods!

2010-12-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

I ordered a couple holiday-esqe candles from Gold Canyon and I got them today. They smell fantastic and I can't wait to fire those critters up when I get home today! I got Mulled Cider and Spruce & Citrus. Now our house will actually smell like a x-mas tree (since my fake tree, sadly, is not scratch & sniff).

On another positive note, I finished the final square for Niece #1's afghan on Saturday! Now I'm in the process of blocking the suckers so that the afghan will be a nice neat rectangle with no puckering when I sew it together. Actually, my mom will be helping me sew it together this weekend. Thank goodness she volunteered, otherwise I might not have it done in time.

I've started working on a hat from Lion Brand Yarn for Salt for X-mas, here's what it'll look like when it's finished:

Cute, no?

It's going to be this color:

The color is really a lot prettier in person. There's flecks of yellow in there. To be honest, though, this cap is a pain in the butt. I'm terrible at keeping count while I'm crocheting because I'm usually watching TV or something else that requires brain cells... this is taking many brain cells and stitch markers to complete. But that's ok, it's worth it, and if I like it, I'm going to even make myself one!

I've still got to get a shawl done for my sister before the 26th....time is a-tickin'. I just wish I could crochet at work (other than at my lunch break), that would help me get a lot more done! Ha!

Online Personas

2010-12-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

I've got a bone to pick! Why do people feel the need to make snarky asinine comments then hide behind their computer screens? Would they really say that to someones face? Doubtful, because they'd get their asses kicked, or get a swift punch in the face. So why do they feel that anonymity gives them the god-given right to say it online?

Sometimes humanity disappoints me. For instance, today I read a really nice article about a friend of a friend who did a really great thing and what do I read in the comments below the article?? This: "Jeez this a long story about some yuppies geting free coffee.just send me the money, i drink at least 60 bucks worth of coffee evrey day ! " Come on people! Really?! You have nothing better to do with your day then to louse up something so nice? If you've got that much time the least you could do would be to spell things correctly, and use punctuation appropriately!

It shakes my faith in the world that we're living in that there are these kinds of cowardly jerks out there who can't just man up and keep their lips zipped, or their fingers away from the keyboard.

Along a similar vein, another act of anonymous aggression is driving. You know who I'm talking about: that jerk who decides that he can't just wait in the long line of cars all turning the same direction; no, he decides to race ahead and cut someone off; causing the line to go slower, which causes more jerks to race ahead and cut someone off. It's a vicious cycle, STOP THE MADNESS!!! I liken it to this: would you do that at the post office? Would you cut in line because you felt impatient? Hell no, you wouldn't! Someone would pull out a gun and blow your face clean off! So chill, peeps! Just because you're in the drivers seat, doesn't give you the right to line jump!

Gah! People annoy me!

Back to the regularly scheduled tedium

2010-11-29T16:22:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful that I was able to finish NaNoWriMo this year, and even more thankful that it got done with it before the 30th.

November is a notoriously difficult month for me mentally. I usually have to use every ounce of my strength to make it through this month without a mental breakdown. I had some spare braincells this year, somehow. Let me explain:

Item number one that comes up in November is spring registration. That's enough said if you've been reading my blog for a while. These buggers I work with can be so taxing on my mental health that I usually go home and fall straight into bed. This month was different, for some reason the students were quieter.... it's almost eerie!

Item number two, of course, is NaNoWriMo. I start off at full speed, but usually putter our about the time registration starts, but again, that was quiet, so I'm sure that contributed to my successful run at writing this year!

Item number three plagues most of us US writers: Thanksgiving. The notorious food fest that renders you useless for an entire weekend. Not so for me this year! With Weight Watchers' tools under my belt I went in, ate smart and ended up losing 1.2 lbs over thanksgiving weekend. I am SO proud of myself! Along with Thanksgiving comes Black Friday which then kills my Friday for writing, because I get up at the crack of dawn and shop 'til I can't no more! Then I go home and sleep. (I was useless on Friday, I will admit).

Item number four is what gets me every year (for the past three anyway): The 30th. This one day kills my entire November and December. It's the day, back in 2007, that my sister passed away. Every year, right before Thanksgiving I start getting immensely depressed. To the point where I can't move. That on top of everything else going on in November makes me just quit, every year. I start reliving my trip to Texas to say goodbye to my sister who I hadn't seen in nearly 10 years. I still don't know if she knew who I was. I remember how I should have been excited that week, and been celebrating for passing my Comprehensive Exam (the final step to receive my master's degree), but I had to cancel my party, which was planned on the 30th. My degree is bitter-sweet now. I never did get a chance to really celebrate or feel those feelings of elation when you accomplish something SO big.

I think that's what has made these past six months so great for me. I have finally accomplished something BIG in my life. I do so with my sister in my heart, guiding me, motivating me. I ran the 5K for her and truly this novel is for her. I had to make a choice this year: I couldn't let her death control my November any more, or my life for that matter, I had to move on, she would want that.

So please permit me a final note to my sister: I miss you, Dawn. I'm sad that so much time and distance passed between us. I know that we can't change the past; what's done is done. I know that you loved me, even if you didn't say so, or if you didn't call or write to tell me, Fred told me so when we came to say goodbye. I appreciate that. I really do. I know that you're still watching out for me, and for all of us. I have felt your presence this year, pushing me to become more, to strive harder, to fight for what I want. Thank you, it was just the kick in the pants I needed. xo

And so, now I continue on this journey toward a new Kathy that I started nearly six months ago. I will continue to eat right, I will start running again, I will crochet harder, I will finish my NaNovel. Who knows what else will come out of my self-transformation. I would never have guessed on this day last year that I would be sitting here writing such a victorious blog entry. I'm excited to see what the next year will bring!

NaNoWriMo Day 28 (Final update)

2010-11-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 50,058

It is official: I have WON NaNoWriMo '10! I am a champion! I somehow managed to juggle working full time, writing a novel and crocheting X-mas presents for an entire month. I am ON FIRE, I can do ANYTHING!

Sorry for all the shouting but, Dang! I'm excited! Now my blog will return to is regularly scheduled nonsense.

Victory is mine!

NaNoWriMo Day 28

2010-11-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 44,544

The end of NaNoWriMo '10 is drawing near. I am so near a win! I cannot believe this. I have really picked up my game this year with my new lease on life.

What really motivated me this year (to lose weight, to train for a 5K, to finally win NaNoWriMo) was something someone told me in December last year: "You have no motivation, you never finish anything you start. Every year you start NaNoWriMo and never finish; you always complain about being over weight, but you never do anything about it."

Those words hit home, they stung but they were true. That's who I have always been. It's a miracle I actually followed through with my master's degree, to be honest. I even considered quitting on that! But seriously, I constantly start things that I don't finish; it's a huge character flaw of mine. I really do have trouble with motivation. This new Kathy that got created in June is the person that I've always wanted to be. I've never been happier with myself, and that's really all that matters. I didn't start out on this journey to prove the person wrong who told me I have no motivation (though that's a sweet bonus), because they made me see that it was true. I've really done all of this to show myself that I CAN.

Who needs New Year's Resolutions when you can create your own New Life Resolutions anytime you want!?

I'll see you all at the finish line! (I'm hoping that'll be later today ;) )

NaNoWriMo Day 26

2010-11-26T20:54:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 41,028

I'm only about a day behind. My plan is to finish this critter up on Sunday....we'll see if that happens. But I'm GOING to win this year one way or the other!!!!!!!

NaNoWriMo Day 19

2010-11-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 31,825

Oh yeah! I hit my goal for today! Now to par-tay tonight with a clear conscience!

Tomorrow we're headed to the gallery in Carmel. While Wino's working, I'm hitting up several yarn shops around the Carmel/Monterey area because I've become a yarn-a-holic. Then if I get back to the gallery before 5pm I'm going to buckle down and write! If I don't meet my goal tomorrow it's ok because I have Sunday to catch back up.

Have a great weekend everyone! I'll post an update either Sunday night or Monday. Until then,

Ciao!

NaNoWriMo Day 18

2010-11-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 30,136 (post write-in)

While I didn't write with the "official" write-in group, I met up with a friend instead. Despite the annoying girl next to us in the library, we managed to reach our personal goals for the evening and left the library feeling accomplished.

I'm relieved to have caught up to where I should be today. I'm really feeling a win this year and I'm ecstatic. I told Wino this morning that training for a 5K makes anything else look do-able (except maybe a marathon....that would require more extensive training), but anything else is totally a can-do!

One draw back that I've found about being so intent about NaNoWriMo this year is that my spelling and grammar have seriously taken a nose dive in quality. I have to make sure I reread all emails that I send at work because otherwise I would have wise-a$$ students emailing me back pointing out my mistakes.

I've got to get my word count in at lunch tomorrow 'cause I've got a party to go to tomorrow night! I love parties ;)

NaNoWriMo Day 18

2010-11-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 28,104 (before write-in)

Ok, I said I would go to last weeks write-in, but I didn't. When the time came to leave my cozy little home I just couldn't tear myself away after spending the day lazing around the house. Today I'm going straight from work to the write-in location, so I have no excuses! I am determined to get on track with my word count. I have just under 2K words to go and I'll be where I should.

NaNoWriMo Day 17 (Evening Update)

2010-11-17T20:56:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 26,429

I made it to the half-way point tonight!!!! This is the farthest I've ever come in NaNoWriMo. I can taste victory and it's all down hill from here! Yahoo!

NaNoWriMo Day 11 (noon update)

2010-11-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 18,752

Shazam! Just like that I'm back on track! I still intend to get a little ahead tonight at the write-in. I love my novel so much. But I need a break for a couple hours! I'm in the ZONE today!

NaNoWriMo Day 10 (mid-day update)

2010-11-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 15,043

It's an amazing thing when the story you're writing suddenly sprouts legs and just starts running in a completely opposite direction than what you had originally planned. Sometime around Day 8 this happened to me. I'm typing along, sort of mindlessly, and my fingers just randomly throw in this tertiary character, who I knew nothing about when I started this novel. I start to develop this character and her relationship with my main character (who started out as my secondary character). My main character has suddenly developed into a "love interest" though I'm still telling his story as well.

I LOVE this about writing! How unpredictable it can be, how you have the choice, with the letters your fingers are creating to shape an entire world into existence where none had been before, or even been planned for creation! I'm loving my novel, I love my characters, I love the people they're becoming, I love how they look at the world. This is really the first year that I have enjoyed pulling up a chair to my novel and pounding out a few thousand words before going to bed. I look forward to it. It's the feeling I get when I'm reading a really good novel, I just don't want to put it down. I must though, I must. I don't want to get burned out, I want to keep this excitement alive. I'm still limiting myself to writing only the minimum required day-to-day, and I really feel like my story is coming alive this year! Yay!

NaNoWriMo Day 8 (Evening Update)

2010-11-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

Word Count: 13,569

G'Day everyone! Or rather good evening! This week will be all about writing in the evenings for me. During the day I'm so busy replying to students' emails that I just can't bring myself to type away at my story at lunch. My poor lil' fingers need a break! I managed to pull off 1,667 words even tonight. Yay! Slow and steady!

NaNoWriMo Day 5 (mid-day update)

2010-11-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

Word Count: 9705

Boo-ya! Nearly 10K in less than the first week. I'm feeling pretty good and comfortable with my "slow and steady" approach. Granted, I did get about a day ahead at last night's write-in.

The write-in was fun. I participated in my first word war, sadly I lost, but it was a great way to gain some words! It's quite exhilarating to just get so in the zone that your fingers are flying across the keyboard and you aren't really needing to put much thought into what you're writing, it all just flows. I will continue going to the write-ins this year.

I'm still really behind on my crochet project, but I've been so obsessed with writing that it got put on the back burner. I've really got to whittle out some time to crochet this weekend. I'm going to be doing word sprints and hooking sprints!

NaNoWriMo Day 3 (Noon update)

2010-11-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

Word Count: 5335

Aaaaand I'm done for the day! Thank goodness too, I really need to work on my crochet projects tonight (and do those chores that I've been putting off since Monday!)

So only one update for today, how is everyone else doing??!! I want to know!

Until tomorrow, keep writing!

NaNoWriMo Day 2 (evening update)

2010-11-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Word Count: 3505

Right on track. I'm trying to do this year's NaNoWriMo slow and steady. I've rushed ahead in years past and ran out of plot. My thinking is that if I take longer this year I'll have more time to think up ideas! Let's see if this works....

NaNoWriMo Day 2 (noon update)

2010-11-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Word count: 3109

Yay! Going to be busy tonight, so only needing to write a couple hundred words is fine by me! Go me!

NaNoWriMo Day 1 (Evening Update)

2010-11-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

Word Count: 1768

Yes I finally found time to write! Chores were abandoned until tomorrow, and much wine was consumed! (Also had to work writing around watching the Giants win! Yahoo!) I'm calling it a night. Now I've got to go crochet!

NaNoWriMo Day 1 (noon update)

2010-11-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Word count: 0

Still sad? You betcha! Today is my carpool-buddies last day at work. I took her out to lunch as a send-off. So there were no words a-flowin' from my fingertips at lunch.....here's hoping I can get a start tonight! I've got to at least reach my 1667 words today!

NaNoWriMo Day 1

2010-11-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

Word count: 0

Sad? Yes it is! It's 8:40am, and the last two years I would have already passed the 5K mark on words, but this year, since the 1st is a Monday, that's a no-can-do! I need sleep for my long drive to work, so I was in bed for the start. I love sitting up and counting down, "Happy NaNoWriMo!" I can't actually start until my lunch break, hopefully I can get a good start, because it's Monday and that also means chore-night when I get home. I've got to do dishes and vacuum before returning to my words. Sigh, not a very eventful WriMo yet!

Tick-tock

2010-10-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

My countdown has begun for NaNoWriMo '10. I always start getting SUPER excited about it right before my race. I love that they coincide, I get all inspired at the race, and that carries over to the month of November.

I cleaned off my desk, which is SO much nicer than my writing hole last year (literally a hole in the boxes with a used desk in a random bedroom). This is my new desk space:

Looks nice dontcha think? Technically my desk is in the hallway (it's a built-in we had made special just for me!) so I'm concerned about noise pollution....we'll see how this works out. Next year I may have to dedicate the guest bedroom to my writing so I can close the door.

I'm not too sure how much I will use the typewriter, but I'm going to try it. I need to get some cartridges for it though. It was a lovely inheritance, and I appreciate Wino's mom for letting me take it home. I know it's also a nice memento for Wino of his grandparents.

This year I'm feeling much more confident that I can hit 50K words. I have this great high coming off completing the C25K program. That was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, so if I can get off my butt and get around to running a 5K, I can certainly write 1667 words a day to win this thing this year!

Ok, race day is tomorrow, and I'm much too excited to think any more about NaNoWriMo....after tomorrow I'm going to get down to business and do some serious plotting. I've been lax this year, so hopefully my novel wont end up being mostly passages from the Dares thread!

NaNoWriMo's a-comin'

2010-09-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here it is again! The dawn of writing season! October 1 usually marks the relaunch of the NaNoWriMo website. Very exciting! However, I cannot let my excitment to write overpower my need to get my running finished! I am still 3 days away from C25K graduation. It's been so darn hot here that running is pretty much out of the question, even in the evenings. I'm determined to graduate before I actually run the 5K on October 23 though!

So back to writing....I'm getting pumped! I've got lots of ideas stewing around in the ol' noggin in the evenings while I crochet (working on two afghans for my nieces). My plot this year, as with most, is going to be another sarcastic/satire/humor novel. It seems to be the niche that I've put myself in, my attempt to dip into drama last year burned brightly for a while but then quickly fizzled out, I'm not a good person to write suspense....I get to impatient to write the good stuff!

Anywho, I'm modeling my main character after a gentleman I've had a few run-ins with, so this should be good. I've really got to work on some story development though, I've got a rough outline, but no real plot points. I may end up winging it like I did every year except last....we'll see.

Inspiration

2010-09-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

I love reading or hearing about other peoples' success stories. It inspires me. The funny thing is I don't think any of these inspirational people that I've found ever started out to really "inspire" others. It seems to me that the act of writing, or recording your victories just for yourself to enjoy is the real inspiration. I know that hardly anyone reads my blog, but I draw such a source of motivation just from seeing where I was to where I am now, that that's all that really matters to me.

What surprised me last night though (and has surprised me several times this month), is that I have apparently become an inspiration to those around me. When did that happen?! I've always been the wall flower, the person who blends into the background who doesn't do anything extraordinary, I just exist.

Wino told me last night that his mom was so inspired by my running and weight loss that she's attending some seminars to get healthy herself. "Really?!" I said, with a huge smile on my face. I guess I never realized that anyone was even really paying attention to what I was doing. Sure I post my run on Facebook after I complete it, and I always get a smattering of "likes" but people are really rooting for me AND taking a look at their own lives and how they can improve their own health.

I'm really amazed, and this motivates me extra to keep going, I HAVE to succeed, there's no question about it, so many important people in my life are apparently waiting for my next update to say "I did it!" Now, not only am I doing this for myself, but I push myself harder because I don't want to disappoint.

I am only 5 runs away from completing the Couch to 5K program. I have my 5K coming up on October 23, and I'm excited, I'm ready for it to get here!

Life and Running

2010-09-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Ah Life: you do tend to get in the way sometimes don't you? No, I haven't stopped running. I can't do that. I would be so disappointed in myself if I quit. The whole point in my embarking in the C25K program was to prove to myself that I could triumph over my own mind and actually accomplish something that I would normally give up on.

My struggles appeared, though, several weeks ago and, believe it or not, had nothing to do with my own motivation, but instead just working run time into a suddenly busy schedule due to a family emergency. Once I was able to say "it'd be better if we delay this run (or that run)" I was suddenly unable to stop "rescheduling" runs to suit my own needs. It all started out with the best of intentions but then spiraled out of control. The worst was when I waited 4 days in between W7D1 and D2. That was one rough run (though I still completed it without walking).

BUT, we finished up W7 day before yesterday. That was not without it's own complications. I was motivated to run, but not very excited about it! My body had different plans than my mind though: about 10 minutes into the run I got my first-ever shin splint. I didn't pay much attention at first, it just felt weird so I kept running, then the pain started, gradually getting worse. I let out a cry and grabbed for Wino's shoulder for support, but still kept running. Then the paid subsided, until 2 minutes later when I got another pulse of pain. I slowed down, ran through it and it went away. This continued until our 25 minutes were up, I was determined not to stop running (I couldn't tell whether I was just trying to subconsciously sabotage my own run, or if this was legit pain).

I got my answer when I got into the house and the searing pain didn't stop, I checked all the symptoms and yep, I had a shin splint AND because I was running funny when the pain hit, I also messed up my knee. Brilliant! That's what I get for being stubborn. I have a 5K race in about a month and I still have 2 weeks left of C25K (that's 6 runs people!) and I need to finish this, I don't want to be set back! So, I'm going to wait this out (no! I'm not going to keep running in pain, that's just stupid), but the minute (THE MINUTE, I SAY!) that this pain subsides, I'm hitting the pavement again.

So I'm going to be out of commission for who knows how long, but I'm not going to let this stop me. I'm running for my sisters, for myself, for Wino, for anyone who has encouraged me, and I don't want to disappoint.

Week 5--Days 1 & 2

2010-08-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

So no video blog for these two days. Life has been pretty hectic this past week, and I just can't find the time to sit down and record. So you get to read instead! :)

Let's start with Week 5, Day 1:

Wow was this easier than all of Week 4 put together. I was so pumped when I finished that last 5 minute run (tired but pumped). I just couldn't believe that this was so much easier than Week 4. It seemed too good to be true. Secretly I was dreading Day 2....but at the same time I was excited about it. There were only 2 runs...of course they're 8 minutes each, but still just 2 runs. Somehow that seems more manageable than 4 runs, or even 3...I'm not sure why.

So on to today's run Week 5, Day 2:

I KICKED SOME MAJOR BUTT!!!!!!!!!! It was so great, the 8 minutes FLEW by. No seriously, don't balk...I know some of you are still behind me, and you've got to be saying "Really? 8 minutes? You complained about 3 being too long how is 8 easier than 3??" I cannot answer that question, I really can't, I just have to tell you that it is! When you get here you'll understand.

I had a little trouble picking back up for the last run. In the 5 minute walk my knee started to get stiff and it took me a bit to work that out after I started running again, it really slowed me down, but that 8 minutes were over before I knew it. When the chime went off and my phone said "Cool Down" I actually looked at the phone to make sure it was right, I didn't believe it that I'd been jogging for 8 minutes already.

This feeling that I've got today is really empowering. I feel like I can conquer the world! It's such a rush. I never knew what people talked about when they said they get a "runner's high" but I felt it today, and I'm still feeling it, 4 hours after my run was over. It's incredible!

Bring on Week 5, Day 3! You don't scare me!

Week 4--Day 3

2010-08-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is a few days late (and sorry for the scary face on my video!)I've been busy. I'll hopefully record my thoughts about yesterday's run tonight.

I was in a much better place on Saturday when I did day 3....I'm looking forward to week 5 again, instead of dreading it!

Week 4 -- Day 2 C25K

2010-08-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

This run was HARD! My head was not in it....keep your mind in the game folks, otherwise your body doesn't want to obey!

Week 4, Day 1

2010-08-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

Week 4 Day 1 was a huge success! Here are my thoughts:

C25K -- Week 3, Day 3

2010-08-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to start doing a video blog. Inspired by Susan Davis and her wonderful C25K blog, I figured people may need some more encouragement, especially by someone talking to them about their experiences. Here's my first entry!

Running away

2010-08-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been at this Couch to 5K program for almost 3 full weeks now. It's unbelievable the amount of energy I have. I am literally sitting here bouncing in my chair, anxious to get home so I can get up in the morning and run. How did my mentality change??!! I remember dreading "The Mile" at school. I'd end up walking half of it because I couldn't jog longer than 1/4 of a lap without getting winded. Now I'm running almost 1/4 of a mile! It's amazing!

I'm so happy that Wino is doing this with me. I know I could do it without him, but having his support really works wonders for my motivation. For some reason I feel I have something to prove to him by completing this program, as a result I have to prove it to myself too. I don't want another unfinished "scheme" to add to my ever growing list (4 NaNoWriMo fails, an unfinished quilt, several unfinished scarfs, etc. the list goes on).

I committed myself to this though, by signing up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K women's RUN in October. (I'll do a quick plug here for donations because this is an important cause to me because my oldest sister passed away from breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 40, I really want to kick some breast cancer @$$ this year!). I can't give up on C25K now, I'm in it to finish!

On the Weight Watcher's front: I have lost more than 15lbs now, and I'm just several pounds from reaching the HUGE goal of 10% lost. I really can't believe it! All of this success, with running and the weight loss, has really boosted my self-esteem, I feel like I can conquer the world now.

Working out is working for me

2010-08-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile (again). Apologies, it just seems that blogging gets put on the back burner!

Since we last spoke, I have joined Weight Watchers (and am doing fantastic on that), and have started the fabulous Couch to 5K program. In case you've never heard of that, it's a training program (free!) designed to literally get you off the couch and running a 5K in nine weeks. I just started week 2 of the training and I already see a difference in my stamina.

I hate running/jogging. It's never been a pleasant activity for me, and so I'd just rather not even partake. However, since starting Weight Watchers, I've discovered that I need to get my butt in gear and actually DO something, not just eat better. Granted just eating better has lost me 13lbs already, but I really want to get toned, and I REALLY want to RUN the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this year.

Quilt #1 is still in progress. El Diablo and I haven't seen much of each other, though. I was waiting on some backing fabric which just recently cropped up and will work beautifully, however my original plan for a border was a bit busy so I have to save my money to buy some new fabric for a border. Hopefully soon. I should just start on Quilt #2 so I can get the top done, but I haven't had a whole lot of time. Maybe once the summer is over. It's really been a crazy one this year!

Anywho, I'll try to keep updated on my progress to the 5K. Until then, happy tidings!

Observation Deck

2010-04-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

When you work with a very specific population of people you may begin to notice a common personality trait, which is probably what drew these individuals to pursue the same profession.

It's no secret that I work at a university, and if I haven't already, I wont divulge what department I advise for to avoid giving out too much about my whereabouts.

I have noticed, though, in the nearly two years I've worked in this department, this common personality trait: no social skills, to the point of rudeness on occasion. These students that I work with either don't understand that they speak so bluntly, or just don't care. I think it's usually a mixture of both. They just don't have the practice conversing with human beings to know that demanding something be taken care of or handled will get them nowhere fast, and will probably even hurt feelings!

I really have to work at myself to distance my feelings about being spoken to this way to avoid breaking down in tears. This happens (at best) once a week. My own personality lends itself to why I joined the profession I did, counseling, but counseling and advising these students needs a much tougher skin than I could have imagined.

I'm sure that if anyone reading this has ever encountered anyone from this particular field they would be able to pinpoint who I'm describing with an eerie accuracy. Please feel free to take guesses! Keep in mind that I work with 5 different majors, and this personality trait tends to only show itself in one. Everyone else I work with is (for the most part) very workable and even appreciative of any help they receive.

It doesn't make me dislike my job, but it does make some days much harder to handle than others!

Aaaaaaand....she's safe!

2010-04-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Aaah, another registration week down. The chaos that consumes us on this week is sometimes unbearable, but we survive. I've never seen my fellow advisors look so worn down though. I made it through pretty well unscathed. For the first time in a year I was able to go through a registration week without a killer cold/flu. I actually had a voice to speak to my students this year! Hooray for being audible!

My job (as glamorous as it sounds) has its hazards though. One of which is talking to prospective students and their families. It makes me wonder how the state of our nation will possibly progress with this crop of inept 18-year-olds flooding into adulthood with no sense of responsibility and only a sense of entitlement.

I actually had a student sit in my office today, and text the entire time, while his parents asked all the questions. Only now do I realize that I should have called him out, but I'm not his parent, nor am I his teacher. I am a professional whose job it is to ensure that students have the opportunity to receive a degree, beyond that it takes their initiative to actually desire that opportunity enough to care. I can do a lot of things, but I can't make them care worth a damn.

I can't tell you how many times I've nearly cried as a student sits in my office wondering why they're failing all of their courses, and can't seem to grasp that they have to actually attend class, take notes, listen and care!!!

Why put all the money into an education if you're just going to squander it?! Just because Mommy and Daddy tell you to?! Well damn it, you're an adult! Start acting like a grown-up and take responsibility for your own life. My Mommy didn't come with me to my advising meetings, or hack into my email to read my messages to make sure I'm not missing something, or write a threatening letter to the dean because the school is picking on "her baby" when "her baby" is the one who hasn't shown up for a class since the beginning of the semester! Why do parents have to be so overly involved in their kids' lives?!

THAT is what is wrong with this new generation of kiddos (yes, they may be adults but they're still acting like kids): their parents have always done everything for them. YOU'RE DOING THEM NO GOOD, PEEPS! You're only hindering them from being self-sufficient! Take this as a message of warning: not allowing your 18-year-olds to handle their own business is only making them burdens to society.

*Pant* *Pant* Ok, now I'm done, I will get off my soap box and you may return to your regularly scheduled lives.

Blogging 1.0

2010-03-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Is it weird to be nostalgic about the old-school blogs? I've been blogging practically since it was invented. I had a Xanga site (lost a friend over a post on there), and I was a devoted MySpace blogger, some of my funniest, most profound posts, if I do say so.

I feel like with the popularity of Facebook and Twitter on the rise (or peaking as it were) that the old fashioned blogs are disappearing. I realize that as I type this I'm making a post on "Blogger" BUT I've really had to force myself to write here consistently. It's so much easier to just post my 140 characters about a particular whim or emotion (or food) and be done with it. These sites are really taking away the core creativity that has driven my writing for so many years. I have fallen into the "Instant Gratification" generation without even realizing it!!

My witty repartee has become idiotic posts about "I'm feeling down today." What has happened to me?! I used to write these epic drafts about emotion, or a nagging thought, or a funny story, wrought with detail and forethought. I feel almost like a failure, but I realize that I'm just another Facebook and Twitter addict.

I'm thinking I should challenge myself to disappear from social networking sites completely. I'll have to start slowly, like someone using the nicotine patch....wean myself off for just a few days....then for a week....then a month.... Maybe I could start using again.....maybe....but moderation is the key to anything...just one time wont hurt, right? RIGHT!?

Spring has sprung

2010-03-16T14:25:00.001-07:00

It's been quite a while since I updated my blog...I've been a bad blogger. Oh well, there hasn't been much to write about to be honest. Work has gotten busy again, and it's beginning to get warmer outside. Yesterday was fabulous weather-wise!

We went out into the back yard to survey our property for the first time since moving in and one of our neighbors was cooking something that smelled delicious! Oh how I wish I could cook...! I've noted several times that I am challenged domestically, and this includes cooking. I'm inept around a stove. I can cook up boxed meals, but when it comes to anything remotely fresh, I'm an under-educated idiot! My mom blames herself for my lack of domesticity...I can't blame her wholly, because I never asked to learn!

I realize that I throw around the word "domestic" a lot. Please don't misunderstand my use of that term. I'm not wanting to be Mrs. Happy-Homemaker-Stay-At-Home-Wife, quite to the contrary, I'm a very independent professional woman, but I also realize that the way that I eat is not exactly conducive to a healthy lifestyle! Processed foods are the bane of the "American Life" and have contributed greatly to the obesity that this country (and now much of the world) is facing. Believe it or not, I was much healthier when my mom would make hamburgers and fried potatoes for dinner several nights a week. Much healthier than I am now with my Lean Cuisine lunch and frozen "Bertolli" dinner.

Anyway, I want to cook, but I've had so many disasters in the kitchen that it almost seems not worth wasting the groceries! I remember the Crock Pot Chicken Curry incident of 2008...not good. Or the Pot Luck Lasagna incident of 2009....I took all but the spoonful that I ate home, and let it get moldy in the fridge.

I need to just get over my fear and get back on the proverbial horse (or cast iron skillet....as it were).

Things are looking up

2010-02-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

So it's day 5 since I started taking my meds for the hypothyroidism. I have talked to a lot of people about it, and it turns out that quite a few people in my life also have this condition. Many within my immediate family. I had no idea that there was a family history of this. I would have helped to know, but at least I found out now rather than years from now with much worse symptoms!

I can already feel the affect in my energy level. I actually feel awake right now, I don't feel like all I want to do is go to sleep. It's sad to say that it's strange to feel good. All three days this week I've woken up before my alarm and not cursed at the clock. It feels good not to wish for more sleep all the time. I still have trouble staying awake in the evenings. I've been slowly working back up my tolerance. Last week my bedtime was 7:30pm (yes, that is sad), but last night I stayed awake until almost 9:30pm, quite a difference.

I'm excited for the next several months to see what else lies ahead.

Tales of an Under-Active Thyroid

2010-02-13T04:22:00.000-08:00

Two days ago I went to the doctor for a weird heart palpitation. After doing an EKG, and finding nothing weird, he decided to run a series of blood tests to rule out other causes. I got the results back yesterday, and apparently I have hypothyroidism.

Being me, I jumped on the internet and started doing my research, I found a list of symptoms that made me want to cry with relief. Everything I've been feeling for the past 2-3 years (really more like 5, but I can't totally prove that) all makes sense suddenly: the extreme fatigue, irritability, depression, lack of concentration, weight gain (or in my case, weight gain then difficulty getting it off), feeling constantly cold....it's all there, described by this one little thing. Amazing!

But, as with most good things, there's a catch. The catch for me: I'll be on meds for the rest of my life. It's kind of weird to think that at the age of 27 (which I don't feel is very old at all), that I'm already joining the ranks of those who have to have those pill cases that they carry around with them everywhere. This catch is where, despite feeling relief that there really IS something wrong with me, I start to freak out a little. It's a lifelong commitment now. Now I have to go to the doctor regularly to get blood work done, where before I'd only go in for anything out of the ordinary, like a toe nail infection or an ear ache.

Yes, it's annoying, but I'm still happy to have answers. I'll be sure to keep updated how it all works out. I'm hoping in a couple of months I'll start feeling a little better!

NaNo Fail and a New Beginning

2010-01-25T15:08:00.001-08:00

Yeah, so NaNoWriMo '09 was a huge fail on my part. I dropped the ball again, and did awful. I can use any number of my ready-made excuses, but I refuse to, I will own my failed attempt this year, as part of a character flaw that I have always had: I don't finish things that I start.

BUT! Wino and I are the proud owners of shiny new home! We've been in for just over a month. As I type that, I'm amazed because it really feels like we've been in longer than just 35 days. At the same time, though, it still feels weird coming and going from this place. Everytime we leave, we sigh and say "we own this place..." in disbelief.

It's been a busy month though, the move went smoothly, and we've unpacked most of the boxes. Only a few things got lost (and are still unaccounted for).

El Diablo and I squared off again this weekend. I threatened to throw him out of the window. The thread kept bunching up in the bobbin and, being unskilled at domestic things, I could not figure out how to keep it from doing that. After my threat though (and a good shouting match), he recognized defeat and on we went sewing. I'm nearly done with the top of the quilt for my oldest niece (which was meant to be a gift for this Christmas, but will actually be for next). The best laid plans....right?! When I started the quilt, buying a house had not even occured to me or Wino, so once we moved to the intirim place my sewing supplies got misplaced. All for the better, I suppose, it'll give me a year to get it finished (and I WILL finish!).

Day Three

2009-11-03T15:47:00.000-08:00

Oof! I got a decent head start on Sunday, and I wrote as much as I could yesterday during lunch, but when I got home, I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep almost immediatly. NaNoWriMo falls in the worst possible month for me stress-wise. I'm an academic advisor at a university and November is when we advise students for the spring semester. I've only been doing this job over a year and this is the first time I've had to deal with seniors about to get their degrees, so I'm encountering tons of unique problems and they are (quite frankly) stressing me out!

But enough wah, wahing: I did write some yesterday (about 1000 words) and I managed to eek out around 800 words today when I found a spare moment. My intent is to go home (after going to an insurance appointment after work--yay! we found a company to go with!) and eat a quick dinner, then disappear into my "writing room."

I put that in quotes because I'm writing at Salt's old desk that she left at the house after she and Pepper moved out into their new house (gotta love living in the "interim house"), which is surrounded by mountains of mine and Wino's boxes (the "kitchen" boxes bump me in the elbow as I type, no kidding). It's not the most ideal situation, but it has to do for this year.

Next year though...oh next year. I will have my lovely tech center in the hall with a recessed light and a window out to the porch. I will be surounded by our wonderful new home and have an actual place to write that is mine alone. *Sigh* The countdown is 41 days until we get the keys, and I'm soooo ready!

Day One

2009-11-01T19:34:00.001-08:00

I had a rough start at midnight, but with help from the FresNoWriMo write-in this afternoon I managed to get over 3500 words logged today! Here's hoping that I keep up this momentum!

Whew!

2009-10-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we've only had insurance drama with that one company; luckily we've had no issues with any other insurance place we've tried. Obviously that company wasn't right for us, so let them do what they do in peace, whatever (that and their rates are outlandish!).

On a more postive note: there are talks of a FresNoWriMo kick-off party tomorrow night. I'm pretty excited to be more involved with write-ins this year. I was too shy to attend many in years past, but I've come to realize that support from fellow writers is key when taking on this challenge. I've yet to convince anyone in my immediate circle to join me, but I do know of at least one friend who decided to join WriMo this year after I posted it on Facebook, hopefully that'll provide some well needed support/friendly competition for me to actually reach 50K this year.

Planning has virtually stopped on my novel. I'm afraid to fall out of interest if I continue much longer. I need to keep my creative juices ripe for Nov. 1. I planned about 7 chapters so that should be enough to get me rolling and I'll improvise the rest as I go.

I just noticed that my blog has gotten rather boring. My usual snappy quips flew out the window once October started (my excuse is the same as the previous paragraph--I'm saving my creative juices). Buh! If you're looking for funny during the month of November, I highly recommend the webcomic Sheldon. It's a good family friendly comic (but still edgy and relevant for adults) by the brilliant Dave Kellett. Or if you're on the look out for something "adult" I recommend Keith and the Girl a daily comedy podcast. Be warned though, this podcast can be very explicit and crude, not for the faint of heart.

Quotes Aplenty

2009-10-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

On a brief non-NaNoWriMo rant I must express my frustration at being part of an unmarried couple trying to do anything in this world! We buy a house: we have to jump through hoops to do so; we are looked down upon; we are sneered at. We go to get insurance for said house (including car insurance on the same policy, 'cause why not?! You'll get discounts): "oh ma'am, we can't do that, our legal team would never approve that policy." WTF!!!! We've been in a freakin' committed relationship for going on 4 1/2 years, some marriages don't even last that long!!! So we choose not to follow the "norm" and decide to skip a few steps...so what?! I just don't get why our society loves to favor the married.

We're Getting Close Folks!

2009-10-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

I just checked my calendar and it says 12 days until NaNoWriMo '09 begins! Yipee! I've been working hard on my outline notecards. It stalled for a bit because I had my wisdom teeth yanked out (that's how it felt anyway), and a rather painful recovery--stupid crappy teeth!

I'm all awash in this amazing excited feeling this year. It's almost November, which is time to start writing like a maniac, and we found out when our new house will be finished (before the winter holidays--which was what I had been hoping for). I'm all tingly to get this month started because the sooner NaNoWriMo is over, the sooner I can move into my new house! I'm still nervous that my anticipation of the house will overrule my drive for WriMo....but maybe all the pent up energy I'll have can be put to good use....we'll see :)

My plot this year is pretty intriguing....I'm excited to see where it leads...my MC wakes up in a mental institution with no idea how she got there, and the story is from her POV and her psychiatrist's as they both deal with what life has dealt them. There is a lot that can happen and a lot of twists I can take the plot so I'm really, really hoping for my first win this year.

As with last year, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is this coming weekend. A fitting way for me to remember my sister, before I try to forget and just write. I love the race, and we have a huge team this year....almost 20! It's great! I always get all choked up when the starting shot is fired, and I look around at all the people, there for the same reason. All of whom have their own story, or know someone else's. It's moving, really moving.

My NaNo Eve is going to be spent in my kitty costume passing out candy to the neighborhood kids. I'm so pumped that this year we're actually in a real house (our interim place until ours is finished) so we will get trick-or-treaters. I love passing out candy. Then (and this was someone's tradition from on the forums) I will take a shower as it gets closer to midnight...in hopes of waking myself up some. I will watch SNL with the gang, start chugging my Diet Mountain Dew, and pray to stay awake to start my novel at 12:00am Nov. 1. Plus I'd like to take advantage of the return to normal time from Daylight Savings Time...I'm totally not a night owl, but the crew is there for support (even if they did all bail on me last year in favor of sleep!).

Happy planning to all of the NaNo-ers out there!

Fading Summer

2009-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ah, as summer fades I find myself rejoycing! This is the last day of heat and I'm jumping for joy.

For the time being we have a lovely backyard with lots of trees and grass and shrubbery and I'm excited as can be to watch those trees drop their leaves and to get that smell of Fall in the air.

Can you tell I hate summer? I would much rather have a rainy overcast day to a sunny one (even if the temperature isn't "surface of the sun"). Sadly, I have chosen to settle where we get few rainy days and mostly sunny days...

I'm also very excited for this year's NaNoWriMo. I've got my plot starter stirring away in my mind. And with just over a month until the starting shot is fired I'm pumped! We got moved in to our temp housing and I'm ready to do two things: whip out my sewing machine and work on my quilts; and start writing this years novel!

On the sad news front I am missing out on one of my dearest obsessions. You see: my car and my iPod have decided not to play nice. Ever since the latest update to the iPod Touch (the new iPhone 3.0 software) they have become no longer compatible. This leaves me with an empty spot in my commute where Keith and the Girl used to sit. I really miss them...I have come up with a temp solution, however, (until I collect enough funds to buy myself an iPod Classic) which is to plug in a headphone into one ear. I figure people with Bluetooth do it all the time, why not my iPod?! It is nicer, though, to have the integrated technology so that if I get a phone call the car will automatically pause my iPod....but hopefully one day I can get that working again. *Sigh*

4 Months away

2009-07-07T14:57:00.001-07:00

So, I realized that it's time to start thinking about NaNoWriMo '09. It's only 4 months out and I have no ideas for plot, characters or anything that needs to go into writing a novel. My mind is drawing a big fat blank. I've started WriMo in this situation before, but last year when I actually had ideas I did much better, I even made it almost half way.

Hmmm, I need something to inspire me....but what?!

Calm after the storm

2009-06-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sigh....that was me just taking a deep breath and letting the weight of the last few months drift away from my sore shoulders. Both weddings are now complete, the brides and grooms are happy and content (and also de-stressing).

I can now focus on more important things...like The Sims 3 (being released tomorrow...I'm about to bounce out of my chair I'm so excited) and my impending vacation to the coast. Ah, I can feel the cool weather, see the beautiful fog, smell the ocean, hear the birds...and let's not forget taste the yummy Mexican food & pasta (two of my favorite places to go to eat). I think I've covered all the senses!

Ta-ta for now, I will be lost in Sunset Valley starting tomorrow when I get home from work ;)

Wasting Time with The Sims

2009-05-20T15:35:00.001-07:00

Another little known fact about me: I am obsessed with The Sims! I own both generations with a complete set of expansion packs for each generation.

Why do I bring this up? you ask...well on June 2 The Sims 3 gets released, and I'm jumping for joy. Guess what my evenings are going to be spent doing (after cleaning of course!). In general I'm a bit of a video game nerd anyway, but I've been hooked on the Sims titles since my aunt bought me the little known title "SimAnt" nearly 20 years ago. I still have it on my ancient Apple, and whenever I go home I bust out a game of SimAnt and Oregon Trail.

When I was younger I was socially awkward, and didn't make friends easily. When the Sims originally came out it was a way for me to live vicariously through them. After that point I just couldn't stop, so when The Sims 2 came out, I had to get it, it was revolutionary in is own right. But now, NOW--oh boy, I'm like a kid at Christmas, who was just told that not only do I get the bike I wanted, but I also get a pony and the Barbie Dream House. June 2 cannot get here fast enough for me, I spend all of my spare time on the Sims 2 forums looking at all the latest rumors, pictures, video clips, interviews, and information...I have a disease, but it's a disease I like, lol!

My Voluptuous Lips and My Messy Place

2009-05-18T15:01:00.001-07:00

I did a good job keeping the sun off my skin on Saturday, the only body part that was out of my control were my lips...yesterday they were all swollen up and I looked like Angelina Jolie. They're still pretty tender, but I'm keeping them doused with "Softlips."

So, with commencement now 2 days behind me, and Salt and Pepper's wedding 5 days ahead, I'm wondering how I'm going to spend the rest of my summer. Sure I've got more than enough to think about right now, but I need a plan and I need to stick with it.

My goal is to clean my apartment. I inherited (from who I'm not sure) the messy gene. I can't keep my place clean for the life of me. Mostly it has to do with the fact that I could care less about my apartment, it isn't "home" to me, and I'm only there a few days a week. It's funny because Wino is the cleanest male I have ever met, and at first my messiness was "endearing,"--a real quote I'm not kidding--now I know it gets on his nerves.

I've always hated that about myself, I have a strange inability to keep things tidy. I think it's because I'm a pack rat. Or anyway I used to be, since I've met Wino, I've gotten a lot better at saying "no" and tossing things in the trash. I need to get rid of all the junk that I don't use. But it's still hard to go through the mounds of boxes that I have still not unpacked since moving out of my parents house (4 years ago today actually).

The only way to do it is alone. I feel guilty beyond belief when Wino steps up to the plate to help me clean...it's not his mess. I think I will start spending an hour at my house each night and work on an area. I really want to have virtually nothing but furniture and the essentials to live left in my home when I'm done. That much less to move out when I do decide to get a new place.

So, that said, I need accountability: that's where by blog comes in as useful again. I'm going to make myself report every night how much cleaning I got done. If I slack there will be public humiliation involved! Sigh, the things I do to keep myself in check...

Getting home is hard to do

2009-05-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

You know those horrible nightmares we all have where you're stuck in some situation and can't get out of it? Mine is always my childhood self riding the bus home from school, when the bus stops at my house I can't move until the driver starts to pull away, then he stops, and I'm stuck again, this goes on until I finally wake myself up.

My point is that I had one of those frustrating days yesterday where I just couldn't seem to make it home. The cosmos was teaming up to prevent me from relaxing on the couch! It started out that I had to stay late at work to deliver a survey to a late class. That delayed my departure a half hour. I then had to make an emergency trip to Costco after realizing that I had no stockpile of breakfasts or lunches. I get off the freeway, and am no farther than a block, when the railroad crossing arms start coming down. Naturally the extremely long train was slowing down to a crawl, so that a second (and thankfully not so long) train could pass in the opposite direction. This took another 15 minutes. I finally pull into Costco, proceed to gather my few groceries and inevitably get into the line where the checker is moving so slow he could be unscanning the items!

My time in line was made even better by a child of no more than 4 standing in the cart next to me screaming her head off. The parents were just staring at said child with their mouths hanging open. I prayed to God to give me strength and not commit a justifiable homicide. Upon reaching the checker (10 minutes later), I notice a to do coming from the line where the kid is. A few looks of disgust from the Costco checkers, and the puddle coming from under the kiddo, told me that she had just sat down in the cart and peed herself. The parents were standing by looking not the least bit embarrassed.

Only one of two scenarios could have caused this situation: 1) the kid had been screaming her head off because she had to pee, yet the parents refused to take her to the restroom and told her to hold it; or 2) the kid threw a temper tantrum and decided to show them all by peeing herself. Either way, I'm disgusted.

I ran to my car, anxious to get away. Once I get home, I'm pulling the junk out of the trunk (sorry, just had to do that! :) ) and drop a heavy container of Lean Pockets (the Costco sized 12 pack) on my pinky toe. I stifled an urge to scream an expletive and limp up the stairs.

I found, after starting down for my next trip, that I heard a familiar bird call.....coming from none other than....The Birds (cue Psycho music). The Birds and I have had a hate-hate relationship since I was around 12. The Birds are actually cliff swallows who invade every spring. They build their nests out of mud in the eves of any structure they can find. They particularly enjoyed our home, and they loved attacking us as we ran from the garage to the back door to safety. So I have come to despise these birds.

Well, they've now moved into my apartment complex, and I'm considering making my exit as quickly as possible. I don't need to be hassled any more than necessary when I get home!

Busy Busy Bee

2009-04-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

It is now t-minus 28 days until Salt and Pepper's wedding. Then another 8 days until my cousin's wedding. What will I be doing with my weekends from here on out, you ask...well, that's simple: too many things to count and still be sane.

1) This weekend, shopping with my mom and aunt for clothes/shoes/and anything else our hearts desire.
2) Next weekend, Salt's bridal shower with family
3) Weekend of the 9th, Salt's bachelorette party/Pure Romance Party. Guaranteed to be a good time, I want to see all her friends start squirming when the Pure Romance ladies bring out "the big guns" Lol. After that we're all headed out on the town.
4) Weekend of the 16th. Commencement-time, complete with Michelle Obama speaking, I'm volunteering. I really must remember sun screen, don't want to be looking all red for the first wedding, which brings me to,
5)Weekend of the 23rd--Wedding #1--I'm doing a reading. It's at a winery, so the wine will be a-flowin.' Yesterday I asked Wino if he's been practicing dancing, he laughed at me. I told him he has to dance with me at least once at each wedding.
6) Weekend of the 30th--Wedding #2--I'm handing out the favors and manning the guest book. It's going to take some strong arming, because some people might get unruly. If anyone tears my dress...its on!

Speaking of: here's my dress. That's right biotches: as seen in High School Musical 3. Boo yah! Mine is the green version of the dress. I had no idea when I bought it that it was in HSM, I was half tempted to return it, but David's Bridal has a strict "no returns" policy. So I will wear the dress, but only because I look damn good in it!

Allergies Abound

2009-04-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

So everyone has had a long week right? The kind of week that just crawls by, making you feel down and desolate. Guh, I hate those kind of weeks. Add on top of that the fact that a strong (and I do mean strong) wind blew through the area last weekend and kicked up all sorts of allergies in my system.

I've been spending my days dealing with a nasty sore throat, runny nose and general fatigue. By night I take a Claritin, and sleep like I haven't slept in months. I wake up feeling like crap and begin the cycle again. Joy.

My goal for this weekend is to do away with these allergies that have taken away my feeling of goodness. I will dip them in cement and then toss them to the bottom of...well, of something. There aren't many places with water around here. Perhaps I'll just flush them down the toilet. But alas, I fear they will come back, the wind is a-blowin' out there as we speak and the little buggers are waiting to invade again. Curse you San Joaquin Valley with your bad air and dustiness!

Sleep Walkin' in the USA

2009-03-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

So, something few people know about me: I sleep walk when I'm stressed. Actually, it's not so much sleep walking, usually I wake up mid-dream and think it is still going on and real. I'm physically awake most times, my brain just takes a while to wake up. The odd thing is that I'm conscious for most of my wanderings.

This week has been particularly stressful due to several family emergencies, one for Wino and one for myself. Wino has left the state to attend to said emergencies, and I'm at home tending to my own and to his flat and the kitties. I have been feeling pretty alone without him around, and I've been in a funk of my own creation since before he left. As a result I've been sleep walking. I had my first experience of this where I wasn't actually awake, and didn't realize I had wandered until I woke up the next morning. It was strange and new territory for me.

Saturday cannot get here sooner.

Sewing with the Devil

2009-02-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

So I realized that I haven't update my ever-so-witty blog of late. Well, there's a simple reason for that. There's not been much to be witty about. Work is work (and incredibly slow of late) life is life, and keeps chugging along.
Most exciting news I have is that I am attempting to be domesticated. I'm taking a sewing class on Saturday, and I'm getting to know my new sewing machine, now aptly named El Diablo.
See, me and El Diablo got into an argument last night over a spare part that I thought should be applicable to any of the other footy thing-a-ma-jigs. So after swearing at him for a few minutes, and frightening Wino with my psychotic rants and throwing the spare part onto the kitchen table, I finally gave up, and began to pack El Diablo into the new shiny (and now undeserved) case I had purchased. Upon clearing off the table, I happened across the instructions for said spare part, and sure enough, I was right!
El Diablo and I are now on friendly terms, I wouldn't say we're BFFs, but I am willing to pick up where I left off last night, and try to figure out how to sew a straight line before Saturday when I get to make a pair of lounge pants. I'm interested to see how these pants will fare once Saturday is over...

Headaches Aplenty

2008-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

No, these are not metaphorical headaches. On the contrary, these are actual mind-blowing headaches that I've had since Sunday evening. Allergies are a bitch! Sinus head aches are the worst because nothing you do gets rid of them. I made several trips to the grocery store since Sunday trying to find something to remedy this pain.

I ended up buying nasal decongestant pills, nasal spray and a NetiPot. Gross? You ask. You betcha! It feels like you inhaled swimming pool water. AND it didn't help the headache in the least.

I have been debilitated for the last two days because of this darn headache, and today when I thought I finally had it under control...it's back! Now, after I made the trek into work this morning. I get to drive home. My long hour home with a headache. Joy of joys.

Weekends To Be Proud Of

2008-12-06T16:57:00.001-08:00

Nah, not really. My weekends are easily forgotten for the most part. Unless I travel, but of late even travelling does not prove memorable just because I go to the same old places all the time. At least I make it out of the house right?

I bought Raving Rabbids TV Party a couple weekends ago and that did prove for some interesting party time. When you get 4 uncoordinated adults together for a party game there's always a laugh to be had, especially when alcohol is involved.

Speaking of alcohol, I found Hypnotic for $24.99 at Savemart last night. One bottle of that junk is normally $35, this was a Christmas pack with 2 very cute glasses. I was overjoyed!

'Tis the season to begin shopping for gifts for various members of family and friends. Luckily I don't see too many of my friends this time of year so I get to save money on their gifts. I do have to buy for my boyfriend's (who shall now be referred to as Wino) family, but we're splitting the cost of many things. Wino and I have already swapped gifts (thanks to NaNoWriMo, I wanted a NetBook and got one as an early gift).

This weekend will be just as unmemorable...we will get together tonight for some form of yummy food (I've been hearing murmerings of Indian...mmm), we'll come back try to figure out what to do...Wino and gang will hit the wine, I'll try to get everyone on board for a rousing game of something-or-other, then we'll settle down to watch SNL, of which Wino will be the only one left awake. Ah...Saturday nights!

Leftovers

2008-12-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

Amazingly this year, after my three Thanksgiving festivities, I was left with no leftovers sent home with me. I am personally overjoyed by this fact, because, while I love me some turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie, I hate hauling home the leftovers. They always end up so dry and tasteless the next few days. It's almost as though Thanksgiving gives these normally dry, bland foods some magical moist and yummy quality. Go figure.

Foggy season is upon us apparently. This is my first year commuting 100+ miles a day and this will determine whether I move up north to avoid the weather. I'm hoping not, I am happy where I am, and I certainly don't want to figure out how to have a long distance relationship. Tonight when I came home the fog was blissfully absent, however there was the weird mist that descended upon the valley that was enough to keep my windshield wipers going the whole drive. Hopefully it wont get much worse than this in the months to follow, I don't really want to live out of a hotel.

I am lame

2008-11-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, really, I am beyond lame, I got so far in NaNo this year, but I stopped short due to the fact that I got all depressed two weeks ago. Work was mayhem, and it's nearing the one year mark of losing my sister. Needless to say writing was not something that even sounded tolerable for that week. Once that far behind, I just said "forget it" and stopped.

Better luck next year, I suppose. Two years down should be easier to bear.

So, now this blog will be shifting focus to my own life and musings, rather than that of writing. You can't let a good blog go to waste now can you?

Some things about me:

-I am obsessed with the Keith and the Girl podcast

-Waking up to read Sheldon is the highlight of my morning

-I bought my car with the sole purpose of being able to listen to my iPod--and therefore Keith and the Girl--on my two hour commute each day

-I bought an iPhone with the sole purpose to be connected to these afore mentioned items at all times

-And incase you haven't already figured this one out: I am a tech junkie, I am currently up to 3 laptops, an iPod touch, an iPhone, a Wii, a Nintendo DS (both with more than 15 games each). This not counting the fact that I wish to aquire one more laptop in the near future and that I am currently yearning to update my dinosaur of a TV for a shiny new 46" HD LCD 1080p jobber. "Hello, my name is Kathy, and I am addicted to technology."

Writing taking a back seat

2008-11-16T19:36:00.001-08:00

So this week, my writing took a back seat to my life. Particularly my work life. It's been the busiest week of the semester, and naturally it falls in week 2 of NaNoWriMo. This made it even that much more difficult to keep on task. I feel behind around 10K words this week, which is terrible. I meant to write this weekend, but I just wanted to sleep, stress does that to me. I started writing tonight, and thanks to the dares thread on the forums managed to crank out 2K words in under 1.5 hours.

The End of Week One

2008-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

I am ushering in week 2 with possibly a couple days off. Crazy? You ask, yes, and pretty much a novel suicide. I'm determined to make it through though, I'm about a day ahead as far as word count is concerned so as long as I write my daily total tonight (maybe a bit more) I'll only be a day behind come Monday AND I'm thinking I'll have enough time to write on Sunday evening, so...maybe I wont fall behind after all.
I hit 12K last night, it was quite an experience, I'm still all abuzz because I passed 10K so every word more than that is adding extra layers to the cake and making it all the more yummy.
Tonight I'm going to a meet up with the NaNo's in my area, I'm excited because I haven't had a chance to meet any of them yet. Here's hoping I actually get some writing done!

20% and counting

2008-11-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

I was so excited last night because I finally crossed the 10K line! This is my third attempt at NaNo and this is the first time I passed 10K, I feel quite accomplished. Now I want to do a couple sprints tonight and tomorrow before leaving for the weekend...my computer is still going with me, but hopefully I wont have guilt monkeys swarming me to type because I'll be ahead.
We'll see...

Day 3 Update

2008-11-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, so tonight I churned out 2063 words for a grand total of 7665. I'm still ahead of the game. At least I wrote more that 1667 unlike yesterday when I wrote less. I'm still ahead by 2664.
It was a pain the buttocks to find a place to write tonight. The library near my apartment is antiquated and doesn't even have tables near the wall so that I could use an outlet. Just my luck that my computer ended up dying within 10 minutes of being unplugged. It's a great computer, but I swear the battery life on this thing sucks jolly ranchers. I really want to get a new MacBook, but I can't afford it quite yet...soon though...soon.
So after finding a bust at the library, I decided to try the Starbucks, however, both tables near the outlet were occupied, so I didn't even bother to stop. I ended up working at my house, and got into a comfortable groove with my beanie on. I work really well with this hat, I'm thinking it will be my good luck charm.

Chugging along

2008-11-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well day 2. I got distracted by fun things and didn't write as much as I had expected. That's ok, I'm still ahead of the game. Today I wrote 1493 words, for a total of 5602. That means I'm ahead of the 1667 plan by 2268. That's a respectable difference. I'm hoping to get even farther ahead by tomorrow!

And they're off, NaNoWriMo '08

2008-11-01T01:55:00.003-07:00

Woot! Just finshed 2024 words from 1am to 1:50am. Now I'm off to beddy-bye. Night, night!

Halloween Dreams

2008-10-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

So the contest is over at my office for Halloween decorating. Hopefully we won. An insane asylum is pretty crazy. I even had my straight jacket on and ran around screaming to be let out. Rather humorous, though I was mortified because I don't like acting silly around people I don't really know. It was fun though.
Tonight I'm planning to sit up until midnight to begin my novel. I probably wont last long, but I'd like to say that I at least tried. I'm excited and really can't wait for this day to be over with so I can go home.

The countdown continues...

2008-10-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

With only 3 days and some change left until the beginning of WriMo, I feel a strange sense of peace. It probably has to do with the fact that I'm swamped at work, and my social calendar is busy almost every night of the week. All of that is preventing me from getting my panic on like some of my fellow Nanoers.
My goal with my blog is to update it daily, after finishing my writing for the day, and give thoughts, word counts and general obstacles that I faced for that day. We'll see if I actually succeed, but hopefully this will help keep me accountable.

My Legs Hurt

2008-10-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, a long day is over, but it was worth it. Prior to the event it was estimated that around 10,000 people would participate in today's race. It really seemed like it could have hit that many. We were about in the middle of the pack and looking behind us there were people for a good half mile behind us and in front of us. Pretty amazing, and a great opportunity to get all choked up thinking about all the great people who care so much for this cause.
I forget how long 5K is every year. Right around the 2 mile marker my legs start complaining loudly to my brain to turn the switch to "off." Luckily my brain only listens to orders from me, and I shouted "no! we must continue!" Then to show the mutinous little buggers I'd speed up and they'd groan. Quite funny actually.
Now that that's behind me I can begin focusing on other things...like my overwhelming urge to just get this darn novel started so I can finish it. I've been practicing kicking my inner editor out of my head while writing some random word prompts. I'm doing pretty well just ignoring him and trudging on even when what I'm writing isn't gramatically correct.
Well, that's all for today, I'm going to go carve my Halloween pumpkin.
Until tomorrow....

November is almost here!

2008-10-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

I realized last night, while at a wine tasting event, that I had made plans to be away for an entire weekend in November. I made the plans long before I even had thought about NaNoWriMo. Now, I'm stuck.
While I still fully intend to go (who wants to miss a wine release party, after all), I plan to take my computer and spend at least a couple hours each day typing away upstairs at the beach house. Either that, or my daily word goals for the first week are going to be raised so that I can already be ahead when we leave that Friday...what to do?
This weekend, my last of freedom, will be spent in reflection. I am doing the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to honor my sister who passed away last year. It's going to be a rough weekend, but I'm always exhilarated by this event, and I know that being around so many others who have gone through similar trials will be comforting on some level. I'm just going to do my best to keep composed, it's still such a fresh wound since it hasn't yet been a year.
Because of that, I'm hoping to have my novel done before the end of November, since the final day of the competition is the one-year anniversary. I'd prefer to spend that day with my family.
Needless to say it's going to be one tough month. But I'm determined and I will win this year.

Welcome!

2008-10-23T11:53:00.001-07:00

This blog has been specially set up to document my month of writing for NaNoWriMo. I have actually participated since '06, but since I was right in the middle of grad school, I never really got past 5K. This year, since I no longer have school to burn up my time, I have a renewed sense of "I must do this for me!" So it's going to be a month of H-E-double toothpicks, if I do say so.
This year I've also had time to prep, and actually have some storyline plots and characters already in development. It's great! By the way, Google Notebook is awesome for doing such things! I found out about it (along with Q10) on the NaNoWriMo forums. Handy-dandy little things they are!
So that concludes my introductory statements, oh wait! The title for my blog! I need to explain. My two favorite things, which really brighten my day, are rainy days & soup. They really go hand in hand, especially for the month of November! Sadly I don't live where it rains too often, but when it does, I'm a happy camper.
So, let the countdown begin to November 1!

Rainy Days and Soup

*365* January 19 - Friendly Fields

*365* January 18 - A Pen For Every Occasion

A very late update!

*365* January 12 - Mr. Ducky Says Hello

Days 10 and 11 - The 365 Project

*365* January 9 - I'm Tired!

Project 365 - A year in photos

The Presents are Pouring In!

Flyin' By

Prepping For The Feast

Day 3 - Midday update (Or: Lameness)

NaNoWriMo Day 1 - Midday Update

Pre-NaNoWriMo Goodness

Things

Some Updates

Warming up those hands

Knitting news!

Plans In Motion

Spinning away

Baby Boom

Shamed

There are people out there!?

Green Stuff

NaNoWriMo: The Finishing

Foodie Extravaganza

Happy, Happy......Everything!

Mulling....but not cider

Smelly-goods!

Online Personas

Back to the regularly scheduled tedium

NaNoWriMo Day 28 (Final update)

NaNoWriMo Day 28

NaNoWriMo Day 26

NaNoWriMo Day 19

NaNoWriMo Day 18

NaNoWriMo Day 18

NaNoWriMo Day 17 (Evening Update)

NaNoWriMo Day 11 (noon update)

NaNoWriMo Day 10 (mid-day update)

NaNoWriMo Day 8 (Evening Update)

NaNoWriMo Day 5 (mid-day update)

NaNoWriMo Day 3 (Noon update)

NaNoWriMo Day 2 (evening update)

NaNoWriMo Day 2 (noon update)

NaNoWriMo Day 1 (Evening Update)

NaNoWriMo Day 1 (noon update)

NaNoWriMo Day 1

Tick-tock

NaNoWriMo's a-comin'

Inspiration

Life and Running

Week 5--Days 1 & 2

Week 4--Day 3

Week 4 -- Day 2 C25K

Week 4, Day 1

C25K -- Week 3, Day 3

Running away

Working out is working for me

Observation Deck

Aaaaaaand....she's safe!

Blogging 1.0

Spring has sprung

Things are looking up

Tales of an Under-Active Thyroid

NaNo Fail and a New Beginning

Day Three

Day One

Whew!

Quotes Aplenty

We're Getting Close Folks!

Fading Summer

4 Months away

Calm after the storm

Wasting Time with The Sims

My Voluptuous Lips and My Messy Place

Getting home is hard to do

Busy Busy Bee

Allergies Abound

Sleep Walkin' in the USA

365 January 19 - Friendly Fields

365 January 18 - A Pen For Every Occasion

365 January 12 - Mr. Ducky Says Hello

365 January 9 - I'm Tired!