On my to do list...

Catching up on the blog is up there, but more pressing things to deal with. Just a quick note to suggest that people check out this. If you like photography, even if you aren't that into science, these are phenomenal images.

There is knitting to talk about, some seaming, and yes, some buying happened again. Will spill all, but first I have to finish a poster for presentation next month.

On a totally other note.

Browsing through the WEBS catalog today, this caught my eye. Great color. Pretty sweater (I think I know someone who knit this, and it's cool). But... Was that really the best photo they could get? The model looks either possessed, or she's really worried about a piano or a very large pigeon in the sky above her. Oh, and I think she might be really cold, too.

Sometimes this hits too close to home:

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd102008s.gif

And I have to say - those are some well-compensated non-tenure track faculty.

Blob

While the parts of the orange sweater are drying after a bath in Kookaburra Wool Wash, I'm back to working on one of my two blanket projects. This is the pinwheel blanket, started in late August. It's for my son, from yarn originally intended to be a sweater for him (and then I realized it was only handwash). So now he gets a bright red circular blanket to snuggle under on the couch. I've got about 1.5 skeins of yarn left to go, and the rounds are getting LONG. I'll be glad to call this one done soon.

Orange crush

Can't stop. Three days of obsessive knitting. Peace Fleece Everyday Cardigan. (The older, boxier version, but that doesn't really bother me.) I love this yarn beyond reason. The color isn't quite right in my photo, but it's not quite right here either.

Snapshots

Badia is in time out.
Time for something else.

Negative progress.

I just spent the past 2 hours knitting several rows on a vest, then ripping them out.
Yesterday I unknit about an inch of cabling.

I'm thinking that garter stitch might be a better plan.

Decisions, decisions.

Despite the simple sock and the blanket that are already on the needles (things I can't pick up as I was knitting them while my father was dying), despite the vest that's ALMOST done, despite the cardigan that needs sleeves and a yoke, despite the cardigan that just needs to be seamed...

I'm thinking about starting another sweater. Yup, really. I started swatching for Mr. Greenjeans last night. I've been obsessing about what size to knit, but I think I've accepted that I'm knitting the medium. I think the critical decision with this sweater for me will be where I start the ribbing section - and yes, I'm going to decrease a needle size for the cable and ribbing section as otherwise, the sweater won't have enough shaping on me, and it's a pretty boxy fit. I still need to wash my swatch. I get stitch but not row gauge with one needle, and row but not stitch gauge with the larger needle. I prefer the fabric on the smaller needle, go figure. The yarn's a screaming electric blue color, (Louet Riverstone, color Royal if you're wondering) and I'm not entirely certain about it, but it was a good deal at Webs.

Anyhow. Pretty clearly I haven't been doing a lot of knitting. I haven't been sleeping a lot either. Much of my time I've spent playing with this:

I sometimes impulse shop when I'm anxious (usually for yarn or electronics.) So I have a new iPod nano, in shiny shiny green. And I got a Nike + sport kit, a cool little gadget that allows me to obsessively track my runs using a chip in the shoe and a receiver that plugs into the iPod. Now I like running even more because I make graphs! Yes, I really am that much of a geek, but data is good. There is an annoying flaw in the system and I've lost information for about 3 of my runs so far, but theoretically a fix is in the works.

I've also been obsessively playing word games on Facebook. I am ashamed, but I have been totally sucked in.

I also restocked on coffee.


This weekend I cleaned my house, which was filthy, and I made cookies. I normally go for things that don't require box mixes, cereals, and that sort of thing, but these taste really good. Plus, they allow me to sneak fiber into my son's diet. Hah.

Tomorrow is Monday. I'm not happy that I have to go back to work. This probably sounds terrible, but I'm really tired of well-meaning people asking me if I'm okay. I'm not, honestly, but my way of coping at the moment is by living in denial. Anyhow. Hope everyone has a good week.