July 30, 2005
Sorry for the mini-disappearing act.  I forgot how busy teaching 4 days a week can be, especially since this year I have them turning in homework every day.  3 weeks done, 3 weeks to go.

I also got a sudden internal drive to clean, clean, clean at the end of the week, so much of Thursday and Friday was spent cleaning the bedroom, living room, storage room, and closets.  I have 2 big bags of clothes and 1 of shoes to donate to charity.  We still have to clean the bathrooms and kitchen, but we'll get that done tomorrow.  (Good thing about me going into cleaning mode when Kevin is at work is 1) he comes home impressed that I cleaned my crap up (because yes, most of the mess is mine), but 2) he comes home feeling he should be helping (even though most of the crap is mine) and voluntarily cleans the bathtub and shower curtain (both very gross).)

So what about the knitting?

I haven't been knitting very much because I'm stuck between projects (and it's been too hot).  I have yarn for a pair of socks for myself that is similar to the yarn I used for my sock pal, but I don't feel like casting on.  I have the second wrister/cuff to finish; I knit about 10 rows and put it down.  Elspeth has been sitting untouched, and I will get back to her, but we are still "on a break."  There's the whole cloak idea, but I need the weather to start getting cooler before I get too serious about it.  Otherwise, I don't have any yarn intended for projects.  (But that may change since Cordelia, Marian, and I are going on a mini-yarn crawl to Princeton on Thursday!!!!!)  I was looking at the stash and realized I have all of this...

When I saw the pattern for this in Family Circle Easy Knitting, I decided that I was ready for 1) my first blanket and 2) intarsia.  Well, after completing 2 squares (the mitten and needle/stitch holder) and leaving the third languishing since January, I had a little conversation with myself:

Me: The last square you completed on this was in January.  Square 3 is only half complete and hasn't been touched since February. What's up?

Self: Well... you see... uhmmm... intarsia isn't fun.  I thought these squares would be fast.  And... ya know...

Me: So I spent $100 on this yarn and it is going to sit here?  You don't want a blanket?

Self: Well, yeah, I want a blanket.  It would be so nice and warm in the winter.  And I still like this blanket, but...

Me: But?

Self: I don't know.  I just don't feel like it anymore.

Me: Ok, so again, I have $100 worth of wool have different shades of white/gray/black/brown.  It is just going to marinate in the stash forever?

Self: I've got it!  Let's make a plain blanket!  You know, just knit one big square with each skein and then sew all the squares together.  How long can it take to knit some squares?

So there you have it.  I'm working on boring, old stockinette stitch squares for a blanket, while exciting knits like socks, wristers, and Elspeth are ignored.

(In other news, we shellacked the beer pong table today.  Maybe Kevin and I will play a few practice games tomorrow and I'll take some pictures and explain the game for those of you who aren't familiar with it.)

(Oh, and in other other news, Kevin just found out that a friend of his is having a baby early next year.  I have very few baby patterns.  Know of any cute, fun, gender-neutral baby knits?)



July 27, 2005
Thanks for all the great compliments on the socks!!

I love yarn catalogues.  Absolutely love them.  When one comes in the mail, I can't wait to sit and flip through it.  I usually flip through once fast to get an overview, and then flip through more slowly a second, third, and fourth time to savor the contents.  But, there is one, and only one, catalogue that is more anticipated than a yarn catalogue, that is more coveted than a yarn catalogue.  That is... the IKEA catalogue.

I don't know who Taylor Caren is, but since I'm now "current occupant" this catalogue is mine!  All mine!!

id·i·o·syn·cra·sy
n. pl. id·i·o·syn·cra·sies
A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group.

Write down five of your own idiosyncrasies. Then, if you wish, tag five people from your live gerbil or friendslist to do the same.

1. Someday when I have my very own house, I want to have nothing but IKEA furniture and accessories.  EVERYTHING will be IKEA.  If I could live in an IKEA store, I would.

2. A former character on the "Bold and Beautiful" has the same exact name as me.  If you try to "google" me, you'll mostly find information about that character.

3. I don't say "Valentine's Day," I say "Valentime's Day."  Always have, always will.  Many have tried to correct me, but I just don't listen.

4. I like Iron Maiden (probably only 1 of 3 female fans).

5. I was hit on by Pete Rose when I was 16.  Long story short, he was signing autographs at the opening of a Target Store.  After silently signing autographs for hundreds of little kids and men, along comes 16 year old me.  He perked up, said "hi, how you doin?"  I grabbed the autograph and ran away.  I still have that somewhere.

Ok... now who to inflict this meme upon?!  I mean, who to tag...
    Heather, The Felted Kitty because she's making some pretty, pretty socks.
    Dana, Blog of a Different Color because she needs some blog fodder until her camera is working again.  And I just love that blog name and want to know more!
    VaxGirl, My So Called Blog because it sounds like she had some fun on summer vacation.
(if y'all hate memes, please don't hate me for tagging you!)

If you want to be tagged, feel free to leave a comment and take the meme!  I think it is a fun way to learn about each other.  Now if I can get tagged for the meme with the "10 years ago I was doing...", "5 years ago I was doing...", etc.  Or if I can remember where I last saw it, I'll go steal it myself.  I tag me!

July 25, 2005
Sockapal2za Mai Tai Palm Tree Socks are finished!

So, spur of the moment this weekend Kevin and I decided to take a ride down to Atlantic City to check out my parents' boat.

Oh, you just want to hear about the socks, you say?  Well, the socks went on the boat too!

The socks just got out of the bath a few minutes ago and they were a little embarassed to have their picture taken.  Maybe after they've blocked for a bit, they'll pose for another picture.  I can't wait to send these off to my pal in September!

Knitting with beads tips...
1. Don't string 400 beads onto the ball of yarn!
2. Don't string 400 beads onto the ball of yarn!
3. Don't string 400 beads onto the ball of yarn!
Knitting with beads is fun, but can be a bit of a pain in the butt if you have too many beads strung onto your yarn.



July 22, 2005 (part 2)
I completed the first wrister/cuff last night after my run in with the moth.  Stupid me forgot to take pictures today while it was still sunny outside.

I spent a lot of time last night upstairs in the air conditioned bedroom working on sockapal2za Mai Tai second sock (that name is too long!).  Hopefully I can finish it this weekend and have a fresh, finished object post for Tuesday and Alison's weekly update.



July 22, 2005
OH MY GOD! I saw a MOTH, a huge MOTH! I tried to squish it, but in a clever move, it flew into my face. I screamed and ran away. AND NOW I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS!!!!!! I'm so scared for my yarn!

Update: I found that moth and I squished him good! (Well, there was some screaming and dodging, then near crying when it disappeared again, but then I saw its hiding spot and SQUISH!) I feel much relieved now.



July 21, 2005
Wow!  The knitting force is totally with me on this cloak idea.  Thanks all for the advice!!

• Cordelia... thanks for the idea about ren. fair sites.  Even if there aren't patterns, at least I can look at the shapes.
• Lauren... I really hope I don't get bored.  Miles of stockinette should be good for mindless knitting.  Oh my, I want to go to London and see Ewan live.  I've been watching Moulin Rouge nonstop to drool over him.
• Terby... I agree, washable is probably better.  I've been thinking about the edges and I'm not sure what to do about rolling.  I might actually just let it roll, if the cloak is big enough, I don't think it would roll too much.
• Jody... I didn't even think about looking at the weights of the yarn!  You're so smart! A blend is probably the best bet.
• Dana... we should start a cloak-along!  I spent the entire movie drooling over Ewan!
• Vicki... thanks!  I can't wait to see if it will work too.  Now I just need the weather to turn cold.
• Jenny... thanks for the encouragement. Kevin suggested sewing a cloak too, but my sewing skills suck compared to my knitting skills.
• Wendy... oh my!  That buffalo yarn is the perfect color.  Now, if I could win the lottery, I would definitely have a buffalo cloak!
• Kimberly... heehee... it is geeky.  Maybe it can be a Geeky-cloak-along!
• Margaret... thanks for the tip about the book.  I'll have to look around for it.  Maybe there's still a copy floating around the internet.
• Lolly and Nona... thanks for the encouragement!

There hasn't been too much knitting here because of the heat.  Last night I did go knitting with Cordelia and Kathy at Panera (where it was nice and cool).  I was so happy to knit.  But I talked too much and while I completed the heel on the second sockapal2za sock, it is terrible.  I mean really really terrible... I cannot send this to another knitter!  So, when I got home, I ripped it out.  I've been working on a beaded wrister/cuff.  I forgot how annoying working with beads is!  But it is pretty.  It is actually nearly finished, so I think I'll make you all come back tomorrow for a picture!

Any other advice/thoughts on the cloak?



July 18, 2005
I'm melting.  Seriously, the humidity level here is insane and we only have air conditioning in the bedroom, so we melt during the day.  I'm meltiiinnnnngggggggg...  I might have to start hanging out in my office... ugh!

And of course, all I want to do is knit, knit, knit... and I can't because everything is sticky!

I have a new knitting goal.  This is really crazy to be talking about while it is so hot and humid, but sometime this fall, I want to knit a cloak.  Yes, I said a cloak.  Not a small cloak... a floor sweeping, big, full hooded cloak.  You see, Kevin and I went and finally saw the "new" Star Wars movie last week.  I had two thoughts throughout the entire movie... "When is Ewan McGregor going to start singing" (a la Moulin Rouge... oh he is so hot!) and "I want, no, I NEED a cloak like the Jedi."  How cool would it be to have a cloak to wear in the winter?!

Hopefully, those pictures give you a feel for what I'm thinking of.  Long, big sleeves, hooded.

I'm insane, I know.  It would take a lot of knitting to make a cloak, but I NEED!!!

I've looked around for knitted cloak patterns and haven't found much (not surprising).  If you know of a pattern... please send me the link.

If I have to design my own, I was thinking of using this pattern as a jumping off point.  I'd probably make one of the bigger sizes (which for me would get the hugeness of a cloak), extend the arms (probably adding extra increases to really make the sleeves big), adjusting the hood would probably be the most difficult part.  I would definitely lose the button band and ribbing (and intarsia, of course).

What yarn to use?  Something on the less expensive side ('cause I don't want to spend a fortune).  Not too heavy, but probably wool (or wool blend).  Definitely worsted weight or bigger (no cloaks on needles smaller than size 6!).  Elan's peruvian wool, woolease (so it would be washable)... so many choices... any suggestions?

I must keep planning this (while I melt)... but I'd appreciate any advice or tips!



July 17, 2005
Kim is a happy girl again!  My tongue decided to heal.  I don't know if it was the not eating or talking nearly all day Friday (I didn't eat anything until after 7pm) or if it was all of the yogurt consumed the past couple of days (I read somewhere online that yogurt apparently helps speed healing and prevent new sores).  Thanks for the recommendations of fixes or at least things to calm the pain (Traci, I've used Kanka in the past and I do like it, but because it leaves that protective film, there was no way it was going to stay on my tongue.  Also both Kevin and I have had incidents of knocking over the bottle of Kanka spilling it all over the bathroom and that stuff stains!)  I've been able to start eating normally again; the tongue still hurts, but I no longer wish to amputate my tongue as a solution.

I was super productive yesterday even though it was a Saturday.  I took a 45 minute bike ride (for a while I was biking every day, but the weather hasn't been cooperating, so I've been lucky to go every other day), created 2 powerpoint lectures for my class, and finished Kevin's socks!

I've done a couple of rounds on Mai Tai sockapal2za sock 2 since finishing Kevin's socks.  It should go fast.  I'll try to remember to post the palm tree chart if anyone is interested.  Last night I also wound and strung beads on the blue/purple yarn from MDSW that is the same as Kevin's socks.  I plan on making some beaded wristers/cuffs.  Depending on how much I have left over, I might make some anklet socks for me as well.

Ok, now that that's out of the way, time to whine more...

Don't you hate when a part of your body that normally functions without problem, suddenly is injured and you realize how important that body part is to basic life functions?!  Ok, I normally don't talk about "injuries" because well it can be gross and I don't like whining (too much).  But I have a canker sore on my tongue.  I used to get many canker sores as a kid when I had braces, but as an adult they are rare.  I wouldn't mind so much if it was on the inside of my cheek or gum because it hurts, but you avoid citrus and spice, and it isn't so bad.  But this one is on the side of my tongue.  It has been growing since Monday.  I can't talk.  I can't eat.  I feel bad for Kevin because I've been wimpering and whining while eating the past three days, and it doesn't seem to be getting better.  I bought some Orajel, which you can only apply 4 times a day and it numbs the area for about oh 15 minutes at a time; it is completely useless stuff.  I am hungry... I want to eat, but the pain!  How can one little sore spot hurt so bad?!

Ok I'll stop whining now.  Please don't feel sorry for me, I feel sorry enough for myself and a painful tongue is hardly the worst thing in the world.

Elspeth... she's been taking a time out (as suggested by Vicki and seconded by Cordelia).  I'm glad you both and Lolly have faith that she'll one day be a finished pretty knit.  I think I've figured out what my problem with it is.  The problem isn't the chart or the instructions.  The problem isn't a lack of knitting skill.  The difference between knitting the back and trying to knit the left front is that I knit the entire back while Kevin was away visiting his little bro and some friends.  I've been trying to knit the left front since he's been back.  Ok, ok... I know it is bad to blame my knitting screw-ups on my boyfriend who is totally supportive of my knitting and he doesn't actually do anything to distract me.  But I think I need to hole up in a secluded room and knit Elspeth in isolation.  Maybe Kevin is sending invisible distracting vibes because his socks aren't finished, so I've started working exclusively on finishing sock 2 (only 3 more inches of leg/cuff to go).  Then I'll go back to Elspeth.  (Seriously, Kevin is wonderful, not distracting, and is excited for his socks, but doesn't care if they aren't finished yet.  I'm just fishing for excuses as to way I've been a bonehead with this silly pattern).

Ok, I have to go write lectures for next week or else my students aren't going to be learning anything.



July 13, 2005
ARGH!!!!!!!  I spoke waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too soon about Elspeth.  I cast on for the left front, knit 5 rows, and ripped 3 times.  On the fourth try I thought I finally figured it out...

So after posting this, I will rip, rip, rip again.  I hate frogging.  I do still love the pattern, but I can't figure out what mental block I have going on that is preventing me from doing this correctly.  But I swear to the knitting goddesses, I will be victorious!

Comments...
Thanks, Terby, for the compliments on Elspeth.  I'm teaching Psychology of Women this summer.  This is the third time I've taught the course, so it is a bit easier than the first.  I hated being a TA, you have to do tons of work, but have no power to make decisions about the course.  Teaching your own class is a lot more work, but you have a lot more freedom and autonomy (and I get my own TA to make all those photocopies of the exams for me!)  I should hear about my quals by the end of the month (probably in less than 2 weeks).  I have heard that one committee member passed me on all three papers - one committe person down three to go.

Heather, I typically prefer a leg length around 6 inches for myself (I'm fairly short).  Kevin wanted his socks around 7-8 inches for the leg.  I think my sock pal's are close to 6 inches.  For female socks, I think a good length is one that isn't annoying if left up, but can be folded down neatly.  Also, 6 inches means that the sock sticks out a little bit above the top of my favorite winter boots.

Lolly, teaching is a lot of work, but so rewarding.  When your students seem to actually learn something, that's one of the best feelings!  Thanks for the compliments on Elspeth!

Dana, wow so close to Rhinebeck!  You can buy trunkloads of yarn, drop them off at the house, go back and buy more!



July 11, 2005
I forgot how great it is to knit the pieces of a raglan sweater.  Those armholes just decrease and decrease and you knit faster and faster.  Surprisingly with all the decreasing and "at the same time" instructions, I made no mistakes after the armholes started.  I guess I was paying extra close attention.  I finished the back of Elspeth last night while staying up late watching Adult Swim (more Family Guy!  and Venture Brothers!!) even though I had to get up to teach this morning.  As soon as I got home from teaching, I tucked in the ends and washed this baby up (ok, so I actually first previewed the video the class will be watching tomorrow and then ate lunch, but then I attacked Elspeth).

Comments...
Thanks Lolly, Carrie, and Cordelia for the compliments on Elspeth!

Lolly, I've never watched 24, but I know some people who really liked the first season.  We end up watching so much baseball that we usually miss out on a lot of "prime time" TV (although, in a lot of cases that is probably for the best!)

Carrie, Family Guy is the greatest!!!!  I'm so thrilled they actually brought it back.  I don't like getting hooked on shows on FOX because they cancel them so quickly.  I LOVE Arrested Development, but I know it is going to be cancelled soon because the ratings aren't the greatest even though it is arguably the best "live action" (as opposed to cartoon) show on TV.

Cordelia, the Simpsons reference is actually a really old one.  Remember that episode in which Mr. Burns hires a bunch of baseball players at the nuclear plant in order to have them all play on the company softball team?  Mr. Burns is explaining the signs to Homer and says "when I touch my hat not once, not twice, but thrice..." Kevin would be so proud of me!  He's always quoting the Simpsons to me and quizing me on which episode it is from... I don't know most of them.  How come guys have such great minds for remembering quotes from TV/movies (especially the Simpsons), but most girls don't?  I should do a study!!

I think my class went well this morning.  I always get really nervous for the first class and meeting the students.  When I get nervous I start talking too much and stop breathing, which means my voice gets shaky and all the nervousness (at least to me) seems very present in my voice and I start saying "uh" and "uhm" too much.  So I'm a little worried I didn't make the most confident impression, but once the class gets going I think things will work out.  The students seem nice, although they didn't seem interested in laughing at my jokes.  Hopefully, they'll loosen up!



July 10, 2005
So, yes I have my own blog listed on my bloglines list because I want to make sure it updates correctly.  Is it just me or has it been screwy and showing I updated, but not having any info?  Anyone know anything about RSS feeds that could give me some tips for fixing it?

Holy crap!  I'm watching FOX (only because Family Guy will be on soon) and they just had a commercial with the slogan "you paid for it" for their "investigative" news show.  And their investigation is going to be on sex change operations and the voiceover said "you paid for dick... (long pause)... to become Jane."  How freaking absurd!  I'd rather my money pay for Dick to become Jane than to be funding the war or paying Bush and his cronies.  I HATE FOX, but I LOVE Family Guy.  What's a girl to do?  I should be doing what Kevin does when he's here controlling the remote and mute all commercials.

Sorry about all that.

Knitting news... yes I started a hat, and then I ripped it out and started something different because the hat sucked.  I started Elspeth from the latest Rowan Mag.  Here's the pattern pic...

I'm knitting it with the 100% alpaca I purchased at MDSW (sick of hearing about things I'm knitting with MDSW yarn?  Well, I've only got two more skeins of yarn from MDSW that don't yet have projects, so likely by the end of the summer, no more MDSW yarn... but then Rhinebeck will be soon...).  I figure it will be nice in the early Fall when it is a little chilly, but not too cold.  The color of the alpaca is such that I can probably dress it up or down.  Here's my progress on the back...

I've also been working on Kevin's second sock.  I finally turned the heel the other day and have just started on the leg/cuff.  I want to make some progress on this and then I'll go back to the second Sockapal2za sock, which will fly off the needles (because I got sock yarn for me that needs those needles!!).

Haha!  This picture looks so funny to me!

My summer class starts tomorrow.  I've got lectures written for the first week, but nothing prepared for the other 5 weeks.  Hopefully, I'll get my act together so I won't be writing all the lectures the night before.



July 8, 2005
Well, I certainly didn't think I'd get an opportunity to wear my new socks until at least September or October, but since Mother Nature decided to drown New Jersey today the temperature has dropped into the 60s and since my feet got all wet when I went outside, my toes were cold, so I'm wearing my Toasty Toes socks!  Yay!  (wow, that was one long sentence).

Yesterday I spent some time making a list of projects I want to make (mostly sweaters, because scarfs, socks, hats, etc don't need much planning or pattern).  After looking through my books and magazines, I came up with a grand total of 8 sweaters that I would like to make for myself.  Logically, 8 sweaters seems like a lot... but at the same time, for a knitter, shouldn't the list be much, much longer?  I realized how little I liked anything that was in the knitting books and magazines I own.  Now of course, I bought many of these books and magazines because something struck my eye at the time and I'm completely obsessed with acquiring more patterns (yes, I just ordered two more... Debbie Bliss's Cotton Angora Book and Rebecca 29).  I think what I realized is that about 50% of the time I knit something that I never wear.  The two most recent examples... Asana (Knitty) and Steaked Vest (Loop-d-Loop).  I have not worn either for more than the few minutes to take pictures and I don't anticipate ever wearing them.  I have several sweaters that I love to wear (Klaralund, Mariah, Turtleneck Shrug), but most of the others don't get into the rotation.  For example, Kate is a wonderful sweater, but I hardly ever wear her.  So I think that the lack of sweaters I want to knit stems from the fact that if I'm going to spend the time (and money!) that I want to be making things that I will definitely wear.  I'm always wearing my knitted socks and scarves, hats, and gloves... but the sweaters, I think I've been a little too careless with attractive looking patterns/photos and making sweaters that really don't suit me.  So I'm going to be more frugal in my choices from now on.

Next post... I started a hat!

Comments...
Thanks (Jody, Lolly, Karma, Knitting Maven, and Cordelia) for the sympathies about the shawl and the confidence that I should try again.  I will, but not right now.

VaxGirl, too cool!  Too bad the circumstances were such that wouldn't have been able to meet up.  Although I think Kevin's bro and GF want to go out there again for some beach time, so I'll definitely let you know if I'm out that way again!

Thanks (Terby, Karma, Cordelia, and Carrie) for the compliments on the socks!  Everyone should buy toasty toes yarn!!



July 7, 2005
Toasty Toes socks are complete!

It seems I'm not the only one out there receiving free books.  I got an email about a week ago from the people at Maran offering me a free book.  Who can resist a free book, especially a free knitting book?  The book showed up at my office yesterday.

And another "free" book (ok, it is from the library so I can't keep it) that I got my hands on yesterday...

Cordelia and I are planning a little yarn crawl with a few other knitting graduate students for sometime in the next month or so.  I'm very excited, but I need to make sure that I don't just buy yarn randomly, so I need to make a list of projects I want to make.  I really ought to write another lecture this afternoon for my summer class, but I think project list making would be more fun!  Time to go pull out all my knitting books and magazines and look for potential projects!!



July 5, 2005
Updated: Oh crap! Too much drinking too many days in a row will make you forget what day things happened on. I've corrected that in the post. Sorry to confuse ya!

In a sudden moment of panic this morning when Kevin and I finally got out of bed at noon (recap of the weekend will help explain why we were sleeping in), I wasn't 100% sure that my summer class started next week and had a horrible feeling that I just slept through the first class I should have been teaching.  Fortunately (big sigh of relief), there was no need to panic, my class starts next Monday.  Does that mean I'm prepared?  Does that mean that I'm going to write some lectures today?  Uhm... no.

Ok, let's recap the weekend.  Friday night was spent drinking with fellow grad students and Saturday was spent painting, painting, painting on the table.  The orange color we are using for part of it is so weak that it is taking a million coats.  So I quit painting Saturday night and was so frustrated at it that I didn't knit.  I just fumed.  Even Sunday morning when we got up, I was still pissed at the painting and in a bad mood.  We had to pack some stuff up and get ready to head into the city to go to a party with a lot of people that I didn't know... which just increased the bad mood.  But I brought along the second Toasty Toes sock (which hadn't been started yet) to knit on while on the train.  Isn't it amazing how a little knitting time can totally change your mood?  By the time we arrived in Penn Station, I was much happier and had completed the toe and a third of the foot (knitting socks on size 4 needles is the best!).  We had to wait for Kevin's brother and his brother's girlfriend to meet us near the Krispie Kreme in Penn Station (since there is only one in there it is a great meeting place... especially if you don't like their donuts, then there is no temptation to eat them... but the pizza place next door, I totally can't resist... it is the yummiest, greasiest pizza!  YUM!).  While we waited I knit another inch or so.  Then we took the Long Island Railroad out to Long Beach for this party.  Another long train ride = more knitting.  I actually completed half of the heel on the train.  The party was alright.  The couple who lived in the apartment complex basically invited a bunch of people to come hang out at their apartment's "dance party".  The best entertainment of the night was watching little old ladies dancing to hip hop music.  (Kevin's brother's girlfriend and I did request "Vogue" and danced to that, but the boys didn't want to join us.  We tried to request "The Final Countdown" because the one guy at the party looked like Gob from Arrested Development, but the DJ didn't have it).  We left the party early to catch a train back into the city and then a subway train back to Kevin's brother's place.  It would have been good knitting time, but after some wine and beer, I didn't really want to tackle the rest of the heel.  We stayed up way too late drinking more and playing Monopoly and eating sausage and bacon (yes, an odd snack for 3am).

Monday morning we got up early (I got up a bit before everyone else and spent some time knitting... got up to the leg/cuff) to catch the subway out to Coney Island for the hot dog eating contest.  On the way to the contest, I lamented that I should have brought my camera (y'all want to see pictures of people stuffing hot dogs into their faces right?), but it is good that I didn't because I couldn't even see the contestants anyway.  There were so many people there and the stage was set up very low to the ground.  Only the tallest people could see much.  I was really pissed because I did have a small window of viewing between two tall guys' heads, but this asshole couple came up right before the contest started and just stood directly in front of me without any concern that they totally blocked my view.  If I had my camera, I would have taken their picture and posted it and said "Watch out for these assholes!"  Anyway, we left right after the contest ended and I sulked on the subway ride back to Penn Station.  Somehow, we timed it perfectly to catch a train back to NJ that was 3 minutes from leaving.  On the train I pulled out my sock again, and that made me happy, especially because this is how far I got...

No, it isn't finished (since the first one has almost an 8 inch leg/cuff), but that's some good progress for two days of knitting on public transportation!

Most of the rest of Sunday was spent painting more.  I think with a little work today (instead of doing work for my class) we can finish all of the painting and have it ready to be sealed on Wednesday or Thursday, which means play can start soon and also means, I'll have some pictures and explanations for you.

It is still all socks all the time here.  Toasty Toes 2 is nearly finished (obviously), Mai Tai sockapal2za 2 has a toe, Kevin's sock 2 is stalled in the foot, but not too far from the heel, and I'm thinking of casting on Rowan ASC replacement tonight or tomorrow. When will I knit something other than socks?  Well, there's a yarn crawl in the planning stages, otherwise, I'm trying to stick to a no new yarn until Fall rule (I've been in Michael's twice the past week and didn't bring home any yarn).  I have some yarn for a hat that's been around probably a year now.  I have some yarn for gloves for Kevin.  And oh, there's that knitting afghan for waaaaaaaaay back that has 2.5 squares (of 9) complete.  Maybe I should play with that.  And there's always stuff in the stash to be played with.  Of course, all of that is after the table is finished!

July 1, 2005
Did you ever get overconfident in your knitting skills and start a new project only to realize that you're not up to par?  Yeah, that's what I realized this morning.  Don't get me wrong, I know I can knit well and have knit very beautiful things, I just came to realize that I'm not yet to the point of being able to knit lace.  You want the proof?  Here's the second attempt at a shawl...

You may recall that I bought a pretty lace shawl kit at MDS&W.

For now it is back to socks.  I have 4 second socks to finish... Kevin's sock, Mai Tai sock, Toasty Toes sock, and oh, that Rowan ASC replacement sock.

Comments...
Thanks for the compliments on the Mai Tai socks (Jen, Traci, Cordelia, and Heather)!
Thanks, Kate, Carrie, Lolly, Bookish Wendy, for the good luck wishes on the quals and compliments on the food.  And yes, Cordelia, the lyric is from Bon Jovi.  The song is called "Born to be my Baby" and it is one of my favs.  Actually, there are very few Bon Jovi songs that I don't love... I'm a true Jersey girl!