2008 In Review (Kinda)

I had planned on writing this nifty, insightful and witty post to close out this year. But then I got realistic and remembered that I'm lazy! So, I got this meme from Ames:

2008 IS ALMOST OVER, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

lost a friend?
Didn't lose them as such, just started putting as much effort into the friendship as they were (minimal)

stayed single almost the whole year?
nope

kissed someone new?
nope

had your heart broken?
nope. it's pretty difficult to break frozen stone lol

had a stalker?
nope, I'm scarier than them.

done something you've regretted?
oh probably. but I learned from it.

were involved in something you'll never forget?
yep

visited a different country?
nope

lost something important to you?
don't think so

got a gift you adored?
sure!

dyed your hair?
yep, once or twice.

read a great book?
yep! Can we say Kim Harrison??

saw one of your favorite bands/artists live?
nope

2008:Your Love Life

Did you break up with anyone?
nope


Did you get anything for Valentine's day?
we don't celebrate it (by mutual agreement)

Did you meet anyone special?
sure, i've definitely met some 'special' people....

Did you fall in love?
Well, there was this pattern...and this yarn...need I go on?

Do you like someone right now?
Yes, I like my friends!!! (I'll second Ames' answer here)

2008: Friends and Enemies

Did you meet any new friends this year?
yep

Did you dislike anyone?
I tried to be impartial first...

Did you make any new enemies?
ohhh probably

Did you resolve any fights?
possibly?

Did you grow apart from anyone?
see the first question....

Do you have any regrets when it comes to your friendships?
Just that I wished I could have spent more time with some of them. (Ames' answer again!)

2008:Your BIRTHDAY!

Did you have a cake?
I think so?

Did you have a party?
nope

Did you get any presents?
yes

If so what was the best thing you got?
yes?

2008: All about YOU

Did you change at all this year?
I learned stuff

Did you get your hair cut?
yep. I got a whopping 8-9 inches lopped off!

Did you change your style?
Uhhhh.....

Did you have a job?
yep. got my 10 yrs in this year

Did you drive?
yep

Did anyone close to you give birth?
if they did, they hid it real well....

Did you move at all?
I move every day. Did I change residences? Nope

Did you go on any vacations?
I think so?

Would you change anything about yourself now?
I'm always a work in progress


2008: 2009

Was 2008 a good year?
sure

Do you think 2009 will top 2008?
ask me in a year


2009 Plans - Goals and Resolutions.....
I have some goals. I don't make resolutions anymore. I feel like it's setting myself up to fail.

Happy New Year, my three readers!

Post-Holiday Bare Bones Update

Okay, okay. I know I haven't posted in like 10 days. Do I get any points if I mention that I was dealing with (I think) _four_ Christmases, and none were in the same place?

Got lots of goodies. The only person to get me anything yarn-related that isn't a knitter was Mom. She got me a knitting loom and some notions and some tote bags. Hey, I never thought anyone actually listened when I griped about never having enough notions or bags to put projects in lol.

I have to work today *snarl* so I don't really have time to get photos uploaded properly. You'll just have to wait until next post.

In other news, I got my tour t-shirt from Kim Harrison recently. It's all I can do not to wear this shirt out! There were also some other goodies with it (b&w m&m's with White Witch and Black Curse printed on them, shoelaces with Once Dead, Twice Shy printed on them, and a packet of the Angel tomato seeds). If you haven't read Kim, then the last sentence probably doesn't make much sense.

Anyhoo, I'm off to do some pre-work chores.

Happy Recovery-from-the-holidays, everyone!

GIFTS!

Ames and I exchanged gifts today! See, we did but we didn't know what we were getting each other. Waaaaay back in August or something, she had the awesome idea that we could make each other "knitter's survival kits" for Christmas. So we did. And that was really all that was said about it at the time. We didn't set any limits (as far as I know anyway) and we really had to work on keeping our ideas and things secret. Which is kind of hard when you're buying stuff together. See that little purple bag under the L? We both bought that bag for each other. We actually agreed to get one for each other and change the inner contents. It was great fun to do. I think we're going to keep doing this for the holidays for each other. Does that mean we just started a tradition? Hmm.

So, to list all the spiffy notions and everything:
Photo 1:
The bag everything was in (Stoplight red with orange interior and scads of little pockets inside! The perfect sizes to hold needles and notions and even the keys on an attached lanyard.)

Photo 2:
(Clockwise from top)

A handmade yarn cake holder in green (sitting atop my niftiful card)
Size US 6 dpns
My awesome crocheted "LISHY"
A toolbox filled with more notions (listed below)
Size US 2 14" Straight needles
The purple bag filled with Hersheys Bliss (w/ almonds)
A ball of Patons' Classic Merino in colorway Palais

Photo 3:
(On the lid)

Straight Magnets
Stitch holder
Cable Needle

(In the compartments, Top Row and Large Compartments)

Measuring Tape and Thimble
Scissors, Row Counter, and Stitch Markers
Hand Lotion
Assorted Sewing Needles

(Bottom Row)

Needle Coils
Sweater Needle Holders
Assorted straight pins, safety pins, and buttons


Is this not the coolest gift or what???

If you want to see Ames' goodies (as in her gift, get yer head outta the gutter, you!), check out her blog. I'm sure she'll post it soon ::grins::

50 Odd Things

Learn 50 things about your friends, and let them learn 50 things about you! I thieved this from Si, and added at the end to tally up to 50. :P

1. Do you like blue cheese? Nope. And I usually like cheese.
2. Do you own a gun? Yep. And I know how to use it and clean it.
3. Wax or Shave your body parts? Waxing HURTS!
4. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not really.
5. Real or fake nails? Real
6. Favorite Christmas song? Holly Jolly Christmas. Don't know why, but it is.
7. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? soda
8. Can you do push ups? probably
9. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? the only jewelry I wear consistently is my amethyst ring and my 'spensive watch
10. Favorite hobby? knitting and reading are tied
11. Do you have A.D.D.? I don-CAT!
12. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? that i'm lazy (I'm thieving Si's answer here)
13. Middle Name? I'm not telling!
14. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? Ouch! What? Hmm...
15. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Big Red, Diet Pepsi, Water?
16. Current worry right now? That my head won't stop hurting
17. Current hate right now? Hate takes a lot of energy I don't feel like wasting.
18. Favorite place to be? Wherever I'm comfortable
20. Like to go Shopping? Depends on what I'm shopping for
22. Do you own slippers? Yep
23. What color shirt are you wearing ? Bleached-out grey.
24. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? um?
26. Favorite color? Jewel tones
27. Would you be a pirate? Can I have Johnny Depp if I say yes?
28. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing, in or out of the shower, unless alcohol is involved.
29. Favorite girl's name? Well, duh, mine lol
30. Favorite boy's name? Seth is good
31. What's in your pocket right now? nothing. I don't have any pockets!
32. Last thing that made you laugh? Probably something OH said to me today.
33. Best bed sheets as a kid? Uh...You expect me to remember something like that?
34. Worst injury you've ever had? I haven't had anything seriously bad...yet. (Knock on wood)
35. Do you love where you live? I like where I live. Is that good enough?
36. How many TV's do you have in your house? 2
37. Who is your loudest friend? They probably consider me the loudest, honestly.
38. How many pets do you have? Mo!
39. Does someone have a crush on you? I'm supposed to be psychic now, too?
40 What is your favorite book? I think favorite books are like potato chips - you can't have just one!
41. What is your favorite candy? CHOCOLATE!
42. Favorite Sports Team? UK Wildcats, I guess.
43. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Knitting, I think.
44. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? What time is it? followed closely by What day is it?
45. Worst habit? Most would say smoking.
46. Do you play an instrument? Does the radio count?
47. How long does it take you to get to work? 10-15 mins
48. Plans for the weekend? Sleeping, and (hopefully) giving Ames her gift!
49. If you could eat anything right this second what would it be? Can never go wrong with steak lol.
50. What's your favorite (still running) TV show? It's a toss-up between House and Grey's.


(And so Ames doesn't shoot me, here's a photo of the scarf I made for my SIL):

Done!

All of my (major) shopping is done!!!!! *insert happy dance*

Of course, now it all has to be wrapped....

Mo Kitty

Mo likes to sit at the window and check out the goings-on in the neighborhood. When she was smaller, she tended to sit or lay on the sill. Now that she's too big for that, she likes to sit like this.

Is it just me or does she make you think of a meerkat?

It's all well and good, except for when she goes batshit for no apparent reason. Like she did yesterday morning at about 6am.

Speaking of 6am, that's when I have to get up tomorrow (and possibly Tuesday as well). Can we say 'Suckfest Extreme'? I have to work inventory, and it's naturally on day shift. Yes, I'm going to whine about it for a little bit longer. The only up to this is that I've only got about 4 weeks left of the year to work. I'm taking, more or less, the last two weeks of December for the rest of my vacation time.

On the knitting front, I've finished a scarf. And a matching bag. Both for my 13 y/o niece. The scarf is the Zig Zag Scarf by Lion Brand. The bag is the Small Diagonally Knit Bag by Barbara Breiter.

The scarf took me a few days, but lump together the time and it's only about 3-4 hours to do. The bag is 2-3 hours, not including lining. I included lining. Yes, I've gone insane.

Stole Update

The stole is progressing. Slowly, but surely. Above is a photo of the edge. Now, I'm in the transition chart, then on to the repeats. A dry-block measures 9" long and 17" wide. I'm hoping that the next sections go a bit faster. It would be cool to finish it by Christmas, but I'm not going to push it too much because that tends to attract a rain of frogs.

So, I had class Tuesday. Did I mention that I am taking a class (to get a raise)? It's basically a class on how to talk to people. Anyway, for some reason, I forgot my cigarettes and lighter at the house. So I stopped along the way to buy some. Picked up a red disposable lighter. The cashier was nice and tested it to make sure it worked. It didn't. The casing around the wick kept popping off. So I reach over and pick up another red one. This one would not stop burning after being lit. Thank goodness I thought to check that one. By this time, the cashier and I are both chuckling at my luck. Third try, I pick up a clear one. It works fine. Whew. Guess I wasn't meant to have a red lighter right now. Did you know that some people think that red is a color of bad luck? I'm not one of those people. Red actually happens to be one of my favorite colors.

Yesterday, I met up with Ames and Spud at Starbucks to have coffee and yarn and conversation. It was fun. The weather was crappy, but we were inside so it didn't matter quite as much. Ames talks about it more over at her blog.

That's about it for now.

One-Word Answer Meme

I got this from Si, who got it from Posie Gets Cozy, who got it from...well you get the idea.

Where is your mobile phone? loveseat
Where is your significant other? couch
Your hair colour? reddish
Your mother? friend
Your father? invisible
Your favourite thing? stuff
Your dream last night? dream?
Your dream goal? happy
The room you're in? quiet
Your hobby? knitting
Your fear? nuttin!
Where do you want to be in 6 years? uhhh
Where were you last night? out
What you're not? graceful
One of your wish-list items? furniture
Where you grew up? places
The last thing you did? read
What are you wearing? clothes
Your TV? DVR
Your pets? Mo
Your computer? entertaining
Your mood? lazy
Missing someone? nah
Your car? Mine!
Something you're not wearing? shoes
Favourite shop? knitpicks
Your summer? work
Love someone? yep
Your favourite colour? green?
When is the last time you laughed? today
When is the last time you cried? forever

Play along — it's fun!

KNITTING!

Thanks, Cheeky!

What is your all time favorite yarn to knit with?

My first yarn crack was Caron Simply Soft. Now... KnitPicks lace weights.

Your favorite needles?

At the moment? My US 2 Addi Turbo Lace circs.

The worst thing you've ever knit?

The first pair of socks I made (with acrylic yarn...boy, were they stinky!)

Your most favorite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit)

Whatever lace I'm working at the moment!

Most valuable knitting technique?

Well Duh! Knit and purl stitch.

Best knit book or magazine?

I don't know about best, but I still use my copy of Easy Knitting since it has a tiny stitchionary and instructions on designing your own sweater.

Your favorite knit-a-long?

Does the Pratchgan count as a KAL?

Your favorite knitblogs?

Look at my links.

Your favorite knitwear designer?

Maybe Shui Kuen Kozinski. Lots of pretty shawls!

The knit item you wear the most? (how about a picture of it!)

Honestly? Probably my cuffs. Photo? Ok here:

Thinking

Here's a photo of the swatch of what I am currently working on. Yes, I swatched. I figured out that I blocked it out just a little too aggressively, so when the project is finished, I have to remember to be a little bit gentler.

Halloween was good. We stayed in and watched a few movies. Now, we're bracing ourselves for the upcoming holidays and flipping coins to see who's going to which ones.

I almost have my homemade swift workable. So far, it's only cost me about 2 dollars. Unfortunately, I have to go buy some more materials. I'm hoping to keep it under $20. And not buy any lincoln logs.

I'd give a better post, but I'm still kind of sleepy.