tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314281522024-03-07T18:47:57.738-05:00Random StitchesA blog where I write about my stitching adventures, as well as other adventures in my life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-61020748099735613272012-12-04T12:25:00.001-05:002012-12-04T12:25:06.961-05:00Three monthsIt seems like three months is the average cycle of my blogging. It takes me that long to remember my password I think. haha <br />
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So in the three months since I've posted, I've been busy. Imagine! Busy?! No. I am never busy.<br />
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I've made more window displays for the yarn shop. <br />
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Here's October's window:<br />
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I had a lot of help with this one, so props go to Mrs. Mary Walker for her help with the ghost and the pumpkins.</div>
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I've also made the Christmas windows, but I don't have good photos of those yet. One is a gingerbread house in the middle of a forest (and a yeti hiding in the woods). The other is a view of a kitchen counter where someone has been baking and decorating sugar cookies. They are both super cute, even though I say so my self. I'll post pics when I can get some taken.</div>
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I've also made most of my Christmas gifts. It is a crazy list of things that includes:</div>
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2 pair of women's size 8 socks</div>
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2 pair of men's size 12 stripey socks (each stripe is a different yarn!)</div>
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See? Crazy </div>
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1 cabled hat</div>
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3 toy bunnies</div>
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1 7ft woven shawl</div>
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1 crazy cabled hat</div>
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1 pair of fingerless mitts</div>
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1 pair of little boy's striped socks</div>
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2 woven dishtowels</div>
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I think there might be more, but I'm not 100% sure. These are the ones I can remember. </div>
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I've also been spinning like a fiend. In fact, I think my arm is sore from my constant spinning right now! haha Taking a break and going back to knitting now thought. Here are the fruits of my labors:</div>
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See? I have TOTALLY been busy. I'm no slouch. haha Now, I just have to get the rest of that Christmas list done, and I'll be able to relax and enjoy the time off I have coming. Maybe I'll knit something for me!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-15522373150832648252012-08-01T12:27:00.003-05:002012-08-01T12:27:44.382-05:0010 thingsAs I'm stuck in a rut and a deeeeeeep funk, this post will be a stretch for me, and hopefully, it will be a kick in the pants to stop being so grumpy and gloomy all the time. Work's tough. Looking for new jobs is demoralizing. Wanting to move to be closer to friends (who are basically family) and being stuck due to the toughness of finding a new job is hard to deal with too. But on this gloomy outside day, I'll try to uncover a little bit of sunshine in my own life.<br />
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This post was inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's post<a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2012/08/ten-things.html" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br />
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Ten Things that Bring Me Joy:<br />
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1- Having a job at all. It may not provide me with ALL the money I'd like to have, but by God, I've got a job. Having someone in your house unemployed will draw this into sharp perspective quickly. <br />
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2- Having friends who feel like a pair of broken in jeans - comfortable, a little roomy, and ready to tackle anything with you.<br />
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3- My health- such that it is. I don't have any major issues rocking right now. On the whole, I'm usually pretty hale and hearty. Let's all hope that trend continues as I don't have health insurance. haha<br />
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4- Fiber arts. I once felt as confident about my knowledge in my subject area as I now feel about fiber arts, only I was afraid of failing a paper or a class back then. With fiber arts, I'm not scared of much except spending too much time or money on something I don't wind up loving. Even then though, I've been able to sell most of my personal rejects at my LYS. They are great pieces, but sometimes the process breaks the bond between me and a work. Ah well. It happens, and now I'm happy to let that go. I don't fear that at all.<br />
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5- Having a relationship/partner who is really a partner most of the times. He cooks and cleans and listens to me moan and groan about life. He pays his share of the bills. He really is a partner. He's not a hanger-on or a slob who eats Cheetos while I'm working away. There is not pleasure greater than slipping into clean sheets at night when you didn't have to wash them or brushing your teeth over a spotless sink you didn't clean.<br />
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6- ..... I'm halfway there, but I'm a little low on steam. Um...Ravelry! Yes. That really is a joyful thing. I love being able to see a bajillion patterns at my fingertips and just as many projects too. I also love chatting with friends on the forums. True, it has drama of its own, but I usually just eat popcorn and watch it happen.<br />
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7- My LYS- Yarnhouse Studio in Opelika, Alabama. While this might sound like a cheesy advertisement, but it's not a plug in any real way. I'm so glad I took that 30 minute trip last summer. It's really changed a lot about who I am and how I see myself. I've felt more confident and happier since I've found a place where I really feel like I fit in. They are my people and understand "just one more row!" or "I'm counting!" Being able to help out there has helped me be happier and feel like I'm helping folks since I came out of the classroom.<br />
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8- My car- I know this is silly too, but Lord knows I love that car. I'm paying for it with my very own dollars, so I'm going to hold that puppy tight. It's me and her 'til the wheels fall off. I've never owned something so nice. Both cars I drove previously were hand-me-downs. I was the last owner of their lives. It was really like driving a ghost they were so close to the scrap yard. Now I have a sleek, fancy new ride that I love. True, I should spend more time taking care of her (hello! wash me!) than I do, but I still love her.<br />
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9- Almost done now. Vacations with the in-laws and my in-laws in general. I've heard horror stories about how bad in-laws can be, and although mine aren't true in-laws because we're not married, mine are pretty good. His mom takes us along on her vacations, and we always have a good time. I always know she's got my back, and that's a nice feeling.<br />
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10- The Olympics. Yeah. Another cheesy one, but it's also true. I get so excited when folks are excited, and there are plenty of people excited about the summer games. One of my friends got cable just to be able to watch the games. I've been reading up on the results online so that I can talk to her this weekend about it. We were lucky enough to sit right below some tvs at the mexican place we ate at last Friday with them, so we all got to see most of the opening ceremonies. I love Mr. Bean, and then when the "queen" jumped out of the airplane, I laughed so hard.<br />
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So those are the things that bring me a little bit of sunshine in an overly Eeyore kind of world. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-44083605299589870892012-05-29T15:49:00.002-05:002012-05-29T15:49:59.453-05:00Busy-ness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was in middle school, Mrs. White tried and tried to teach me how to spell business. "Lacey, business men are BUSY. Think about it that way." I'm sure she'd scream if she saw my post title, but it fits, so I'm leaving it. Thanks to all those college professors, I've learned that if I know a rule, then I can break it. It's the unknowingly broken rule that's the worst.<br />
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So, as those business men are, I have been as well. Between working 2 jobs and helping out at the yarn store, I've been pushing this life into high gear. And for the most part, I couldn't be happier. Working nearly 12 hour days kinda sucks the life out of you, but what'cha gonna' do?<br />
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Since March, I've learned to weave. I even got a loom from my favorite cousin, Cal. He's the bees' knees. [I assume those bees own those knees.] When it comes time for gifting, he just hands us his card and gives us a limit. I always get the best stuff from him. hahaha <br />
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I present to you, the fruits of that loom (who could have resisted? "certainly not I," said the cat):<br />
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Project 1: Resurrection Scarf<br />This poor project was started by the weaving teacher at the yarn shop, and then she sold the loom out from under it! She cut it off the loom and it was piled in a corner, forgotten. I loved the colors and the yarn she chose, so I asked if we could save it...bring it back to life. She had never heard of it before, but she was happy to try with me. BAM. We tied that puppy onto my new loom, and I was off. Well, sort of. Then we got busy at the store, and I didn't really have time to deal with it. It got shuffled around the back room, jostled and jerked. It was kinda sad and pathetic when I finally brought it back out to work on it. But work on it I did. And I finished it. We tied the fringe, and I took it home to give it a spa treatment. This picture is from before it was washed, so please forgive any imperfections. D was so taken by the scarf that it inspired him to start preaching at me. I snatched the scarf off him quick before we got too deep into that crazy.<br />
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D's got the spirit! How 'bout you?</div>
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Then Anne ordered these crazy triangle looms. Of course, like a little kid, I had to try it out. And not just the small one like she did. And not the 5 ft one that was the next size up. I had to go big or go home- I went for the 7 ft. shawl. It was amazingly fast. It took probably full 2 days of combined effort. I actually worked on it over 2 different weekends, but all told, it was less than a 48hr project in terms of labor. The awesome thing about this loom? It uses very little yarn! This shawl was made with 2 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted- I used the black to do a single crochet around the edge and STILL had some left over. Amazing. Knitting would have used GOBS more yarn.</div>
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Super proud!</div>
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Last Sunday, after we visited a Unitarian Universalist church for the first time (super cool btw), Anne helped me warp my first real project onto my loom. I spent Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon/evening weaving as scarf using some of my handspun. I should have made the sections smaller so that I could have used more handspun, but I guess I'll just have more for another project!</div>
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Close up of scarf right off the loom.</div>
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I'm so emboldened by my success last night that I'm already plotting another project for my loom and thinking of doing it without help. EEP. That's nearly a sure sign for disaster.</div>
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<br />Obviously, there have been MANY other things taking up my time besides the loom, but that is the most photogenic product of my time these past months. I am also working on the window displays at the yarn shop, but this month I can't get a very good photo due to glare and reflection. Boo. </div>
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Hope everyone else is busy with crafty mojo goodness like I am!</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-90846618583827336262012-03-12T13:34:00.002-05:002012-03-12T13:40:59.056-05:00Childfree by ChoiceA new Facebook friend posted<a href="http://epherielldesigns.com/why-i-choose-to-be-childfree"> a link</a> to a post today that kind of hit a nerve with me. Before you read on, I'm not attacking anyone who has made the choice to bring a child into their lives. I actually applaud you for doing so and being awesome (most of you lol) at it. I think stay at home moms have a super hard job and working moms too. Dads who are there for their kids have it rough as well. Some parents would rather chill in bars or spend the weekends with their kids shoved off on one relative after another and never really get a chance to know their kids. Those folks don't get my respect and admiration. Those folks are partly why I feel the way I do about having kids. After I read that lady's post about why she is childfree, I wrote a comment to respond to her and thought about my motivations for the first time in a really honest way. I agree with most of what she said as well: love my life + TEACHER.<br /><br />Here is the comment I posted in response to her comment:<br /><br /><br />I salute you for putting this out into the world. What bravery and courage! I imagine some of the 146 comments above me might be questioning your choice or saying rude things, but I hope not and honestly don't have enough life force in me on a Monday to read them and get mad for you. <br /><br />What I do have in me today is to say that I too question the decision to have children. I'm knocking on 30's door, and that was always the limit I wanted to have kids in, if I wanted to have kids. I've been with my partner for almost 9 years now, and we aren't married. We are kind of failures in the marriage dept. in our families. My parents split, his parents too. As well as BOTH sets of his grandparents. We also feel icky that not everyone who wants to get hitched can do so, and we feel like it's unfair for us to go into that state without being sure we actually want to keep the "sanctity" of our marriage vows when others would die for that right. <br /><br />However, we both stand on shifting sands about kids. He is the last of his line. If he doesn't have a boy, the family dies with him. We're also from the South. Imagine the pressure to get married and produce an heir (and there's not even any money or title or land to pass down- just the stinkin' name!). <br /><br />We both have unsteady jobs (teacher at a state school- budget cuts! and a contract employee with county governments- budget cuts!). Kids cost a ton of cash.<br /><br />My mother and I have a fractured relationship and are not really on speaking terms right now. I am not sure I can be a mother right now.<br /><br />I also look around at the horrible things that keep happening and the crazy laws that everyone wants to pass to limit the rights of others- how could I bring a child into this mess?<br /><br />And there's the idea of growing an actual living thing inside my own body- a body that I don't actually take awesome care of right now. This body is no place for a tiny thing to be growing. <br /><br />So I wind up with the same answer to my own math problem: childfree.<br /><br />I totally agree that there is something in our culture that marks us as less than if we don't hit those milestones of adulthood.<br /><br />I haven't bought a house and don't plan to unless I can afford to build it. I haven't gotten married for reasons explained. I don't know that we'll ever have kids. <br /><br />So am I still an adult? <br /><br />Even more, am I still a woman? I am overweight and short, so I just keep falling just shy of the mark of womanhood that is fed to me by culture makers and the media. When a friend talked about the fear of breast cancer, she focused on the fear of losing what makes her a woman in her eyes: her breasts. I couldn't really understand that position because I have never seen my body or any part of my body as what makes me a woman really. Yes, I have those physical markers, but I am a woman because of other reasons as well. So the loss of my breasts or my lack of reproduction doesn't really hit me as a loss of womanhood or feel like a reason for being cast out of the womanly clubhouse. <br /><br />I feel real sorrow for those who want nothing more than to be parents and are denied either biologically or through adoption laws/costs from having them. <br /><br />One day, I might feel the urge for a child. One day I might feel like the world has moved on and become a place where a child might be a safe addition to my little family. One day, I might be older than 32 (the absolute last age I would feel comfortable having a baby due to the increased risks of birth defects) and feel that maternal instinct rise up in me. <br /><br />Ok. Rock on. We'll do something on that day about it. <br /><br />There are faaaaar more children alive on this planet today and every day until the day I want a baby that aren't wanted, loved, or cared for. My little brother is 9 years younger than I am, and he was a total accidental baby. My parents didn't mean to have another kid. They didn't even really want another kid, and they surely weren't prepared to raise him. His life has been greatly diminished by that lack of desire my parents had to bring him into this world. They didn't have time for a baby by the time he got here. They didn't have time for a toddler, a tween, or a teen. He's been bounced around from parent to parent, house to house, city to city, and school to school- always in trouble because nobody had time to look out for him. I was away at school and looked after him as best I could, but that wasn't my responsibility. I didn't bring him into the world. He also didn't get the benefit of a great family support network like I did because our grandparents were in decline and dying by the time he could understand who/what they were. <br /><br />I couldn't stand to do that to a kid. It's unspeakable.<br /><br />On the day I want a child, I will look into bringing one of those children into my life to make his or hers better. I want to have something to offer a child other than air to breathe and the possibility of a good life. I want to be a whole person who can afford to give freely of myself, my time, and my money to make that kid's life so much better than mine ever was. Most parents spend less time with their kids than strangers do-teachers, daycare workers, nannies, baby sitters. I want to have time to enjoy my child and give my child every possible advantage and experience he or she wants/deserves/needs. <br /><br />For those reasons, I don't feel selfish for my desire not to bring a child into the world. I feel like a rational person making the best decision for myself and any future kids I might want to have. <br /><br />So, bravo sister. I'm proud that you are brave and courageous and am inspired to explain my position as well. <br /><br />And also, sorry for the GIANT comment. Obviously, your post hit a nerve. :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-4185841702560304062011-11-17T21:54:00.012-05:002011-11-17T22:34:15.127-05:00SAFF<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbNBZzhdjPAKlwIYMGFzgz6wgrpJZMvQCHKOO4H3vMJb3l0OPPQ5IAmcTtg8Hl-WH1_8VJTRIuqDC2p1IaFwsrZ1V4YCsXydUo-t5boShFHg3uVOefZvhyND5fazE7BQWY5rLLQ/s1600/IMG_2379.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676173638208534194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbNBZzhdjPAKlwIYMGFzgz6wgrpJZMvQCHKOO4H3vMJb3l0OPPQ5IAmcTtg8Hl-WH1_8VJTRIuqDC2p1IaFwsrZ1V4YCsXydUo-t5boShFHg3uVOefZvhyND5fazE7BQWY5rLLQ/s320/IMG_2379.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>The stars aligned in October, and I was able to hitch a ride with a friend to SAFF in Asheville, NC.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676173334399289010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYwU1KN7NCAaDANKrV3B8i5UpcxNiPkXSlo1W8ddkzAuEPPTn18ZmbFzHU0enYb0YOshT-sMyXMTaaI_Xdoxf14TEbIe9C5vVVsUcjPodxxsaLqH_4aHk31DPzP2dSDKiwKqwMg/s320/IMG_2386.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676165158396974114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeH867TTcPujXpfUHzW0G5KzNLAcrB5zHv3ek7X5AcbA3kMF0Sgiv7_xzQ9lkaNUrJVuKoeDw6OTZS1El150DkVcy_-OouUmDzEAYPSGEemalVx9OE2FWUQkP6Wej_ayeUD5ZXA/s320/IMG_2333.JPG" /> <br /><div>I was sadly restrained in my purchases. I wanted to BUY IT ALL! ALL THE THINGS!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here is what I did buy:</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676164834270417314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTplZpMZEG0KYuY6CUyUhEfNbnvh3o_zq0o57SOzO18XUyQTJNVGx6VTXodxwq56e05WmnEOMvLVsW2vhyphenhyphen2Djl5Oo8X3yN2GS9t-IlFhV5dNa-OET7RUIyFOb7kEPmVwsy-aIWQ/s320/IMG_2484.JPG" />I got a braid of beautiful fiber from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/58292244">KnittyAndColor.</a></div><br /><div>I also got 2 skeins of yarn from kitchen sink dyeworks (sadly going out of business). </div><br /><div>a bag of fluff from <a href="http://moonwoodfarm.com/">Moonwood farms</a></div><br /><div>a felting kit for a pumpkin</div><br /><div>some natural wool, some acerbitas merino, some yak/merino fibers from LunaBudKnits</div><br /><div>2 skeins of sock yarn from <a href="http://www.urbangypz.com/index.cfm">UrbanGypZ</a><br /></div><br /><div>some patterns</div><br /><div>a SAFF tote bag</div><br /><div>some bunny fluff</div><br /><div>a sheepy pin and a lamb button<br /></div><br /><br /><div>I had a great time. I'd love to go back. My friend phobbs to me to the Biltmore, and we ate at Cedric's Tavern. Have the fish and chips. And the chenin blanc limited release. NOM</div><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 241px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676170299600261890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7IuJiduS_5vav69IGn_qH8nae97dwvaOhiY78vS4dFnNi9SswLdh6N9cZj8dlZKk_21TezrI5UWMCG2U1f8aGpg9H0UTigzYrG9Q5-MH0U-UaWzNfQweNPltqgZWBTTJp7ZYdow/s320/IMG_2423.jpg" />The leaves were fantastic. We don't have many around us here. They won the leaf lotto in Asheville. :D <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676171409709622578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZ_QhRLHXby3Xzh9mRt3SOahwE9hYMHy1_CGaul1KViZ0MWFPgVVgce5N1hXGuBnhtxujZNzaBhgh1mlvchTqUBhm4UxSduL7CHbakHtwB8zHS7b8eFUR3OvDqIHs3CeUNxhjpw/s320/IMG_2313.JPG" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-52485765610278221792011-11-03T19:04:00.002-05:002011-11-03T19:14:37.230-05:00I miss the 90sThe 90s seemed to be a Wonka-lika wonderland filled with hope, goodness, and prosperity for most folks I knew. I was a kid with zero responsibilities or bills, but I remember the 90s being a time of plenty for the folks around me. The innernet was new and bubbly. (Thanks for that btw Mr. Gore!) <br /><br />Even the early 2000s shaped back up after 2001 and were ok. I was in college with scholarship money to burn. I had hope. I had a FUTURE! I was going to change the world. <br /><br />Yeah, 6 years down the road, and I find myself fresh out of all of those things: scholarship money, hope, the desire to change the world. <br /><br />Now I'm jaded. I'm cynical to the point of being a severe pessimist. I didn't change the world. My degree didn't help me get a good paying job. The future just looks like more bills, more work, and even less money day after day. <br /><br />At work, things are terrible. Our lab just had to cut hours by 50%. Yeah. Hearing that was GREAT! <br /><br />So that explains my negative nelly attitude in this post. But in general, I'm really tired of the economy, unemployment, elected officials, protests, paying bills, being responsible, be a grown-up. It would seem that I'm primed for a job in our government. Badaboom-ching!<br /><br />Anway. I just miss when things were bright and wonderful. Where's that blue bird that once sang to me from my shoulder? It feels like the glass isn't half empty or half full; it seems like the glass is shattered on the floor. Today, I feel every inch a member of my jaded generation. <br /><br />At least knitting still holds true. I can always trust my needles to see me through. If I move them in the same way, time and again- if I work really hard, I'll come out with something useful, functional, and possibly beautiful. Knitting is the only place in my life that I feel that way any more. I once thought that if I worked hard enough that it would make me happy. That I would feel like my actions meant something. I've learned time and again this year that it isn't true. It doesn't matter how hard you work when education is last on everyone's balance sheets. <br /><br />So here's to making your own happy. To finding that silver lining even if you have to scrape through 10 layers of crap to get to it. In this month of gratitude and thankfulness, I am still happy that I am mostly employed. But I can be bitter and thankful all at the same time, right?<br /><br />I'll pack up my pity party now and head on back to knitting. I just felt the need to vent that out there. It lightens the load on my shoulders. Feels like the whole world is up there these days. :D <br /><br />And thanks for the love about my successes at the fair. It means a lot. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-48822144212421132182011-10-25T14:53:00.011-05:002011-10-25T16:32:27.513-05:00WinningIn the spirit of Charlie Sheen, I titled this blog post "winning" based on my performance at the Ga. National Fair.<br /><br />That's right kids, I cleaned up at the fair. My mama taught me to be humble and not to brag, but I can't help it. I'm so proud of these accomplishments I could burst.<br />I went back to my post (on a limb) and copied the content below.<br /><br />1 skein of handspun, beaded supercoils- <span style="font-weight: bold;">first place</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdt9mSB3k9m6jewv5CFOH2tw7Tp_-Ha5vPMaH6SJQTZVds5k3ZSI0YH__3iadbF0_amrIhyphenhyphendgCEu0SsOMFolo1Ivx9FwfEYTtIs0LTeT9hYnL8MjlnzWVTU76tq0wJVpK3Wx_tTg/s1600/IMG_2073_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdt9mSB3k9m6jewv5CFOH2tw7Tp_-Ha5vPMaH6SJQTZVds5k3ZSI0YH__3iadbF0_amrIhyphenhyphendgCEu0SsOMFolo1Ivx9FwfEYTtIs0LTeT9hYnL8MjlnzWVTU76tq0wJVpK3Wx_tTg/s320/IMG_2073_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667545243907050594" border="0" /></a><br />1 handspun crochet scarf - <a href="http://1craftyboy.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/okey-dokey/">Queen Anne's Lace Scarf - <span style="font-weight: bold;">first place</span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAOuUm6vHdLCjMLCm1bblJ2Q5Fn-Uup7eP8sFqnQay7nFI4jJ4FXTssTYCfrsEMfD0BLzoavYJGhyphenhyphen82R-wVKtjuf0ny72CprsIh4Vv7pXgegg0ZHxPysDB06yLTnEwFnPm6jIQA/s1600/IMG_2070_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAOuUm6vHdLCjMLCm1bblJ2Q5Fn-Uup7eP8sFqnQay7nFI4jJ4FXTssTYCfrsEMfD0BLzoavYJGhyphenhyphen82R-wVKtjuf0ny72CprsIh4Vv7pXgegg0ZHxPysDB06yLTnEwFnPm6jIQA/s320/IMG_2070_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667542068496016786" border="0" /></a><br />plain roll brim- 3rd place (the first place winner had a beautifully spun.knit snood that was lace. SOO honored to be 3rd after that work. (the hat is pictured above on that foam head)<br /><br />1 felted singles shawl -<a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTcitron.php"> Citron -<span style="font-weight: bold;">third place</span></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_wCwrOzl8PHsY53DG8Y0ShTSuF97J8lLrWak2hTaO1ZxLXgywaRpSb8iPYAAuXFQagJ0xVXVyhDHwYKR6gEbJyEQ4FV5gecX_zzT0uQe8bDvyAA40V780Rz239UA2Sjvd8K5og/s1600/IMG_2068_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_wCwrOzl8PHsY53DG8Y0ShTSuF97J8lLrWak2hTaO1ZxLXgywaRpSb8iPYAAuXFQagJ0xVXVyhDHwYKR6gEbJyEQ4FV5gecX_zzT0uQe8bDvyAA40V780Rz239UA2Sjvd8K5og/s320/IMG_2068_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667523816268697330" border="0" /></a><br />1 handspun shawl-<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-age-of-brass-and-steam-kerchief"> The Age of Brass and Steam -<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">honorable mention</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (the first place ribbon went to a beautiful lace pi shawl)</span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYNUpsXlu8vboksTpdrJcQPzyAVr7zfns3KDx99X7KoRpkph9py_z3CnkyE2_k5eMxek9DdWV_hgLVlK7AWGtSnddnF3J2YWCyxPimfC85JW7i1fJe9xsC1szt_MYulMnkHN89A/s1600/IMG_1856_medium2.JPG"><br /></a><span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZpY5t0fKMWAxoKPccWS6wbkNhHySYZYoQ7GZxiT8E1ANqKCZ6V8QVBvQ0RN2VZeBgLkWXUyIZf_Rwhg3KZLS47Og1tvj4xFdJ0EYfmNOn9HMtd3GmzYTYyLGzAMoUIlNW8oV4Q/s1600/IMG_2069_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZpY5t0fKMWAxoKPccWS6wbkNhHySYZYoQ7GZxiT8E1ANqKCZ6V8QVBvQ0RN2VZeBgLkWXUyIZf_Rwhg3KZLS47Og1tvj4xFdJ0EYfmNOn9HMtd3GmzYTYyLGzAMoUIlNW8oV4Q/s320/IMG_2069_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667523207749742050" border="0" /></a></span></span><br />3 handspun hats -<a href="http://brineydeepdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/06/free-pattern-fairy-lights.html">Fairy Lights</a> didn't place<br /><br />button tab hat- honorable mention. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3Cyu1sTzeXg3cdWLPAoT6VLhI_RrTEohW7zRyn9NbuPFF4L4lzeYIBFMQ9TiUZCmFnoYTx7uIjiZs6msl8-SgKRGzircWVZPgrtg3-dmREF3hhJ-WoxJiyePMaO_ANUL__NMFA/s1600/IMG_2072_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3Cyu1sTzeXg3cdWLPAoT6VLhI_RrTEohW7zRyn9NbuPFF4L4lzeYIBFMQ9TiUZCmFnoYTx7uIjiZs6msl8-SgKRGzircWVZPgrtg3-dmREF3hhJ-WoxJiyePMaO_ANUL__NMFA/s320/IMG_2072_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667544284999476242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have 1 crochet monster (the one with 3 eyes from an earlier post) - first place with an award of excellence<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NZisio0y4OXeZ-8hvOf8hFUGrzeKjnRcr4I_c5mAB258R-3Tsxeeqh5YPijyhaDY57eKd0XQXAG6RCq3vfyRhcrZxVwmFOQ_h_YV82x2-hY1gRwLmEnxokDV9D2DOlque99acw/s1600/IMG_2066_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NZisio0y4OXeZ-8hvOf8hFUGrzeKjnRcr4I_c5mAB258R-3Tsxeeqh5YPijyhaDY57eKd0XQXAG6RCq3vfyRhcrZxVwmFOQ_h_YV82x2-hY1gRwLmEnxokDV9D2DOlque99acw/s320/IMG_2066_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667544404261102338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />1 <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/textured-shawl-recipe">knit shaw</a>l - first place with an award of excellence<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42NyPZW0PQovgAsrHYmPwiHgOZBLbHhyphenhyphenAJm5ozZaFWZ-SmisuUfjgodX-2N1Tj4lt6UVPq6LMPLBM1dkW2pqcYFdskuxDhbXtpiLi193C8j8K2-x7X9HgDD158FhhojqjiqPWHA/s1600/IMG_2067_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42NyPZW0PQovgAsrHYmPwiHgOZBLbHhyphenhyphenAJm5ozZaFWZ-SmisuUfjgodX-2N1Tj4lt6UVPq6LMPLBM1dkW2pqcYFdskuxDhbXtpiLi193C8j8K2-x7X9HgDD158FhhojqjiqPWHA/s320/IMG_2067_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667544644948673346" border="0" /></a><br />1 <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/claudia-4">cabled ha</a>t second place<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix1NMie1i8ktpfkZPKtNSXlzgCyFaKPSXbsP4V7BmZYHGTJQuHgHde1XX2f05ms5J9BsEAw_YafrFMUIWEjhR8Sr34XlftIj5KtgymqniqexhKyeqmZJ80ePIXGlIthJrgv4Tpg/s1600/IMG_2065_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix1NMie1i8ktpfkZPKtNSXlzgCyFaKPSXbsP4V7BmZYHGTJQuHgHde1XX2f05ms5J9BsEAw_YafrFMUIWEjhR8Sr34XlftIj5KtgymqniqexhKyeqmZJ80ePIXGlIthJrgv4Tpg/s320/IMG_2065_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667523519763450530" border="0" /></a><br />1 knit monster (Maddox the monster by Danger Crafts)- first place and an award of excellence.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsuR3I3izWlGGbkTcNfMRp7JWZatlcIHcKu4MYfr8USVIANmXOe4Gp6o4BmqzpoWzLi04r8s9TayWIu2DWFP4iOK9f3QF3BzK7tByVIQEUU88PyQQIxsVD85L4fJK3q2YIhDOmw/s1600/IMG_2074_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsuR3I3izWlGGbkTcNfMRp7JWZatlcIHcKu4MYfr8USVIANmXOe4Gp6o4BmqzpoWzLi04r8s9TayWIu2DWFP4iOK9f3QF3BzK7tByVIQEUU88PyQQIxsVD85L4fJK3q2YIhDOmw/s320/IMG_2074_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667544895846943938" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-F6DUMO_j0-y7b8zwVZJHcnEquRe2FLld-kj77_Nr-KOMEoLnTbY2q7ZTbOvfgWIgMnQ0R4g-cDE5nMFPFwqaZ0YyjhgsPbltYZhySFHx1iHZhskb8USesiZ3tSqrHHSZn5GsA/s1600/3758249587_bd40c7d8e9_z.jpg"><br /></a>So for my first year, I think I made out like a bandit! Only 1 thing, ironically the 1 thing MADE for the fair, didn't place or get a ribbon of any kind. I nearly tore boyfriend's arm off as we walked around the convention hall looking for my spoils. When I found more than 1 blue ribbon on my stuff, you could have knocked me over with a feather. <br /><br />And yes, I'm already plotting for next year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-20418432231552413022011-09-19T12:54:00.003-05:002011-09-19T13:17:50.519-05:00Netflix and Dump TrucksSo I use this blog as a dumping ground for rants quite frequently in between the posts about my crafting. Today is another such day. Feel free to skip it. I understand.<br /><br /><br />*****************************************************************************<br />Dear <a href="https://www.netflix.com/">Netflix,</a><br />I was 1 of your 25 million customers who didn't actually care that you decided to raise prices a <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Netflix-CEO-Apologizes-for-nytimes-1236689230.html?x=0&.v=1">big 60%</a>. I don't have cable television, so I use your streaming and DVD delivery in the place of that expense. I thought it was still a better deal than a hundred dollar cable bill. I was diehard and sticking by your side.<br /><br />Notice the past tense verbs? I'm an English teacher, so I used them on purpose. It wasn't a slip in verb tense.<br /><br />No, it was purposeful because you have stepped in it with me this time. <a href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html">Splitting up the services </a>so that I now have to have 2 bills to pay instead of 1, 2 log ins to remember instead of 1, and 2 new, unconnected websites to learn to navigate instead of one. Thanks. I really did think the all in one method was way too streamlined and modern. It was way too user-friendly. You are right. What the world needs now is 2 totally unconnected sites to order DVDs and streaming from. You are so ahead of the game there splitting things up and making them 100% separate. Yeah. <br />Wait. <br />Um. <br />No.<br />That is stupid. In a world where my phone can do anything my computer can do and my life insurance can be bundled with my house and car insurance, what the hell makes you think that splitting things up is a good idea? HELLO? Have you seen the Progressive "bundler" commercials? That is the future kids. Not the 1 site=1 purpose deal. Even clothing sites are now "bundled" so that you can shop all of the brands owned by a company by clicking tabs in the website. What's wrong with your management/planning team? <br /><br />I know, I get that mail is expensive. I get that DVDs cost money to buy, keep in good condition, store, and redistribute. I get that. That's why I wasn't mad about you jacking my price up so high. I understand that you gotta feed your multimillion dollar bank accounts. I'm ok with you making money off of me by providing me with a service. I get that's what I'm paying you for. But I also expect I'm paying for leadership in a company I once respected and liked. I don't see that happening right now. <br /><br />What I see happening is a company growing too big for it's britches to put it Southern-ly. You managed to become the "600 ton gorilla" that Wal-mart is and you shut down Movie Gallery and have Blockbuster on the ropes. You revolutionized how I get my movie content. You made my life simpler, easier, more entertained. Yes, you won the "badass idea/concept" of the year again and again. Americans welcomed you into their homes and their pockets happily. Until this year.<br /><br />This year, you seem to have lost your damn mind. First, you wanted to jack rates up. How's that working out for you? Now, you're trying to push the market in the way you want it to move. You are probably right, Netflix guys. DVDs are probably going the way of the dodo and vinyl records. But you forgot that your market if full of red-blooded Americans. We don't do what we're told to do. In fact, when you tell us to do something, we often rear up against that and do the thing you tell us not to do. It's how we roll. It's part of the American DNA strand. Telling us that DVDs are the way of the past and that we should let it go (by making us have to go to another place to get them) isn't going to go over much better than your crazy price hike. <br /><br />In fact, I'm one of those red-blooded Americans who is now pissed off and thinking of dropping you. I stuck by you through the price increase because I valued your product, but now you've gone and ruined that product for me. I know what your little move of splitting the company up is all about. You are either going to sell off the DVD side or just kill it quietly when you think I'm busy watching Mad Men on your streaming site. You see, Netflix doodes, you've broken the thing that kept you in business: consumer confidence in your product/business. I no longer trust you with my money. You're liable to use that money to do something else stupid that affects me as a consumer. <br /><br />Since I can't trust you any more, I feel like our relationship is going to end soon. I may keep my account with your Qwikster branch, but I'll probably give Hulu.com my money for streaming. Or Amazon. Or someone else who hasn't gotten too big for their britches yet.<br /><br />I hope this gives you something to think about while you ride that elevator to the ground floor of stupid and stock prices.<br /><br />No love.<br />Me<br /><br /><br />*************************************************************************<br />I'm also very tired of dump trucks in my city. We're growing (thankfully) and roads are being fixed and developments are going up to house people we think are moving to our city. With all of this going on, my city is crawling with dump trucks. I hate them all. 1-the drivers are all jerks who drive as though they are in a tank in some foreign country where other people on the road don't matter. 2-the trucks spit gravel etc. from themselves and kick it up off the road and at my car. I'm tired of the sound of gravel pinging off my 2 year old car. Yes, I keep about 3 school buses back, but they like to cut you off in traffic on the highway, turn in front of you, etc. etc. I'll be so happy when all this construction is over and the volume of dump trucks on the roads goes back to something more normal. I saw 12 on my 10 minute ride to work this am.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-17445503739363363292011-09-12T17:41:00.004-05:002011-09-12T18:06:29.396-05:00On a LimbThis year, I decided to finally do something I've been saying I'd get around to for years: enter the Perry Fair. I went through all the forms/booklets and did my research and made plans. I got things all together and knit up a few new items. I flipped through my handspun and pulled out an art piece.<br /><br />And then I freaked out the night before everything was due to be turned in at the fairgrounds.<br /><br />Now don't get me wrong, I'm a fairly confident person. I usually do things very well (and boy is she humble!). Something about this unnerved me though. I felt unprepared and ill informed.<br /><br />I sucked it up and put on my big girl panties, and on last Friday, I took the trip to Perry with my mama (for moral support) and turned it all in.<br /><br />So far, I've entered 7 items.<br />1 skein of handspun, beaded supercoils<br />1 handspun crochet scarf - <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi744MqDPyKK1THbiXhI5Q9fmZ6q0z1Qz6Yc3yE0SUKcI8NlU3V4xZWy5oJPmFjR1l7wiipvYLQXEfolBeMdBddW47T40naP7frj1XwSJ-t2hpQ4HRwc4kC0bpADCOCGqSBoZNOxg/s1600/2857985708_bfbab40d48_z.jpg"></a><a href="http://1craftyboy.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/okey-dokey/">Queen Anne's Lace Scarf</a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi744MqDPyKK1THbiXhI5Q9fmZ6q0z1Qz6Yc3yE0SUKcI8NlU3V4xZWy5oJPmFjR1l7wiipvYLQXEfolBeMdBddW47T40naP7frj1XwSJ-t2hpQ4HRwc4kC0bpADCOCGqSBoZNOxg/s320/2857985708_bfbab40d48_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651611274551013234" border="0" /><br />1 felted singles shawl -<a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTcitron.php"> Citron</a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt9rdV3LKO7L8K1zij89tSzr_Qyv9XEpdgIqwi7dA7zkzjUlHkdNV6nP6u_1hq7s_n4rB3HitNnk6Ol0xTxtsSftzhhbe6ylsyUPvh0jGedEnXKrMviZizR_7v_-rGIPQ6NfzNQ/s320/5574788388_48cc170ed8_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651611486071007698" border="0" /><br />1 handspun shawl-<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-age-of-brass-and-steam-kerchief"> The Age of Brass and Steam</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYNUpsXlu8vboksTpdrJcQPzyAVr7zfns3KDx99X7KoRpkph9py_z3CnkyE2_k5eMxek9DdWV_hgLVlK7AWGtSnddnF3J2YWCyxPimfC85JW7i1fJe9xsC1szt_MYulMnkHN89A/s1600/IMG_1856_medium2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYNUpsXlu8vboksTpdrJcQPzyAVr7zfns3KDx99X7KoRpkph9py_z3CnkyE2_k5eMxek9DdWV_hgLVlK7AWGtSnddnF3J2YWCyxPimfC85JW7i1fJe9xsC1szt_MYulMnkHN89A/s320/IMG_1856_medium2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651610703666973634" border="0" /></a><br />3 handspun hats -<a href="http://brineydeepdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/06/free-pattern-fairy-lights.html">Fairy Lights</a>, plain roll brim, button tab hat<br />This is fairy lights.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/6087407241/" title="IMG_1837 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6073/6087407241_fa2c39695a.jpg" alt="IMG_1837" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Those were all for the spinning/weaving competition. I hope I place at least 1 item. I'm really hanging my hopes on that crazy handspun art yarn of mine. I'll probably pout if it doesn't get some nod. :P<br /><br />This next weekend will see me back at Perry for the last turn in of items. These will be made from commercial yarns. I have 1 crochet monster (the one with 3 eyes from an earlier post), 1 <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/textured-shawl-recipe">knit shaw</a>l, 1 <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/claudia-4">cabled ha</a>t, and that might be the extent of it. I'd like to enter more stuff, but I don't want to put too much out there and wind up falling on my face with ALL of them. :P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-F6DUMO_j0-y7b8zwVZJHcnEquRe2FLld-kj77_Nr-KOMEoLnTbY2q7ZTbOvfgWIgMnQ0R4g-cDE5nMFPFwqaZ0YyjhgsPbltYZhySFHx1iHZhskb8USesiZ3tSqrHHSZn5GsA/s1600/3758249587_bd40c7d8e9_z.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-F6DUMO_j0-y7b8zwVZJHcnEquRe2FLld-kj77_Nr-KOMEoLnTbY2q7ZTbOvfgWIgMnQ0R4g-cDE5nMFPFwqaZ0YyjhgsPbltYZhySFHx1iHZhskb8USesiZ3tSqrHHSZn5GsA/s320/3758249587_bd40c7d8e9_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651612543784607170" border="0" /></a><br />Look for me in October with a notebook and a critical eye at the fairgrounds checking out what placed in my classes/divisions. I entered at novice/apprentice in all of them since it was my first year ever.<br /><br />Anyone else got fair fever?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-69616343110725421482011-09-06T18:31:00.008-05:002011-09-06T19:18:27.989-05:00Spotty at bestI know. I know. I'm the world's WORST blogger. I could never do this for a living because I forget I even have a blog most of the time. The real issue is also pictures. I take <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">junky</span> pics of my knitting, so I hate to show it unless it's actually a nice photo.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Also, life has had a way of falling apart this year. I feel like my Grandma sometimes because I think, "If it's not one thing, it's another!" My job is weird right now, and boy's job is up in the air most of the time since he went to contract work. We are learning to cope with being less than secure in our futures. We're learning to roll with the punches you might say. We've also had lots of changes in our personal lives as friends move away, drift away, or enter into our lives.<br /></div><br /><br /><div>Along with these changes come changes in the lives of our friends as well. At least 2 people I know are expecting little strangers. Since I'm all about crafty, you know I couldn't let that news just fall on idle hands. I only know the gender of the first baby, so I went about flicking through the WHOLE web looking for cute baby knits/projects. I made a gazillion of them too. I have a whole little basket of handmade and semi handmade gifts for her and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">bebe</span> boy. If this baby turns out to be a girl, I will have a stroke. </div><br /><br /><div>First up: Bibs from old t-shirts- all of these came from the Goodwill here. I got the <a href="http://www.alittletipsy.com/2010/11/baby-week-shirt-bib.html">tutorial</a> off of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">pinterest</span>.com. That site is like Crack!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649399883798994386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCJOJ4hxK4ud844tyW6NcKBbSxU1ZwzgnNjOej1n2j_m1q92f4lgnrzk6NPUU6vs1M2uO8faAvfJeId8EbSOJ8KTcFlQ08lYZ4lEJX3PWCJkAOlomrgPGetZc_m6EZnIzCmUszg/s320/bibs.jpg" />I cranked those out after a day spent sewing with a new friend. I used flannel for the backs of all but the button-up one. So cute and easy!<br /></div><br /><div>Next: Lion toy that didn't turn out as planned. This toy is on my remake list, but the first one is now a ferret toy. It was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>, but I thought the <a href="http://www.chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com/2010/02/tutorial-and-pattern-rainbow-sunshine.html">pattern </a>was more of an oblong shape. It was NOT. I should have googled up the pattern and just downloaded it. Another find through <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">pinterest</span>. I followed a tutorial from <a href="http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/07/printed-scrap-ribbon-tag-toys-a-tutorial.html">Lil Blue Boo </a>for how to make it, but I looked at a blog for the <a href="http://greenbabydesigns.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/lion-tag-plushie-toy/">inspiration.</a><br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649401299502896146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DaWRaOjWmEta7pLq5T2rbeHyJYOhWaw0Ujxt3RGxeABngxTguTJdSklp5tWA-HxnLoVWJU0SzkRDXYHsAXdi355DDq8cWsb0nmxLSPzBWiyNWpSzXyj8EJo78oiSvGiwIYZQJQ/s320/396a170e4113d4ff0e63fe15134c7933.jpg" /><br />Breaking News: In the middle of this blog post, guess what boy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">ims</span> to tell me? The friend I made all this for, yeah- she's having a ....<br /><br /><br />you guessed it!<br /><br /><br /><br />girl!<br /><br /><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">DANGIT</span>!<br /><br /><br />Takes the wind out of your sails to find something like that out the day after you have all of the handmade projects completed and beautifully arranged in the gift basket.<br /><br />To finish this <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">blogfail</span>:<br /><br />A semi-handmade <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">onesie</span>-<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649404205515776754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgOcQvp2DgcOnveKxYpqLum1_bipVeGgEis3JJYNhxiZV5qzFSgDE6VzUslhLxEnw9E0-mr7Jma5Ygbbr9zslhcEGSSF3SAR1rlHlV_N3XNL755dC_VzilfKtRmjDCCSzHykZ-w/s320/47678eb60b43d8fd3203e95f46ab810d.jpg" />And a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">handknit</span> monster that will have to get a bow and a skirt:</p><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649404628597847538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IvlKyxfWAk13_EyY3uFB6UGue3F7BY-xczmhXCF0jUhyphenhyphenePk6iXtjC1ahrQzYY874pWJjv0Lex1LOBCLGSjIfW6-01wEhDjRpd9lp1f9kaDQinDKgG8IN1zxx6z-zmG-L2RYjaA/s320/449f2cf4b2246aab0167c5d34c0adaba.jpg" /><br />I also knit a pebble vest and crocheted up a little cardigan. I guess it's back to the drawing board. The only positive thing here: a coworker is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">preggers</span> too. She had better have a little dude! Otherwise, I have a lot of random baby stuff made for a boy I don't even know. :D</p><br /><p>See what I mean by rolling with the punches?<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-13869335813230181422011-04-06T21:56:00.008-05:002011-04-06T22:20:55.767-05:00Ahhh! Real Monsters<div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tmF96baImVcJzB7AOH-fTodVcNH7OsKzH0jUs9Rg9G8KgIZdoMurUimjeUVLTgb4mZPmW6M_WvV2fVGrmBO-ZF9vGmZreCVOHl634nE0908EabjgSYqPJUCEYNdrWDqajZU0KA/s1600/monster+003.JPG"></a><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 193px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592672609768066978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TrwQn2Tsh0ypzV8k_7OqvL3z7FOC1XtLIOmrQv1VCQOeqg8qzmjo5BaPSob47K3ZboxqUeqbLCMBIzMEiME0v2WYCklV1NzT1tMVJvtewYrN6ZF0Ng6hUAbusDOXSM_3ck5aFg/s320/monster+001.JPG" /> <br /><div>Soo, I've been on a monster making binge. I saw the fellas at <a href="http://whodooart.blogspot.com/">Who Doo's </a>booth at the Doo Nanny, and all I can think about making more monsters. I went right out and bought the one I loved the best (sidekick). Then I waited on pins and needles for him to get here today. Love doesn't really cover it. That little guy is fantastic. I rilly needed him. See how cute he is?</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592673357644602178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioggOs4nmL8y90v0JJHCOUHmk4vZez-bbXfK5p6Iphgrj-bKwNtNd5MQHYeoB87HaXLI3km-8AsfHfwQMGeP0ZC_3Uj4w-WItsGXS_2RKEAnsW7tmIVWp2gq8I8BQ1C5xoqYAtw/s320/monster+003.JPG" />Inspired by this fella, I got my hook out and went to town. I used all found stuff in my craft room to whip these two fellas up. I was thinking the bigger one needs a pair of mini-tighty whities. I don't know how I'm going to manage that. <br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592674660405128818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Mz3mqomQjajvUpznt8j5wCOlhTG2GEc3f_ERYC0WLZcFIB9aaBb_plCA0rvS5GEJ7cSX1snTRjF9PcEdc5zagVwIRlVXH-F_JJS93Knrq_kFWLfdhwEWt5PG-kfkj7U8e1mn4Q/s320/369.JPG" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592674981348008546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUr3Y8WFPcsRGvBZJidSL1AmBePd0bHzOq0Kr5oX_E_pdac-_To4-PUTB29I3EDJYh6mak9USU_5Z9f0O5sfNl8Oz_bPu7p2wtKpztjoxCR8IM2EbN1REbTwfJxileYqSgHoWXIw/s320/370.JPG" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592675309108587858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcmGRpi-I-oQQI-weBrOLc_nScCGSxQqiJa12sl64WilI4tE8SNX_E2FZYUhAjQshl_qTZv-ItfKjUhvlkGHgqJnR2A3Fny9vgxim2t-koi1K4X4J_de378RWtsGjofHtIJpGZg/s320/372.JPG" />I made these fellows in a couple of days while I watched Bones on Netflix. I recycled most of it too. The jeans for the short one from a pair of my old ones. All of the buttons came from my collection. The yarn is cotton and something I found in a bag of yarn from a thrift store. I love them. <br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-69631983602527777252011-03-30T13:19:00.005-05:002011-03-30T21:49:09.818-05:00Hold on to your seatsAs promised, here is a parade of FOs. Please forgive the terrible quality of the photos- cloudy day, no model, and lack of photo editing. :) Also, hats look goofy on bear heads. <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 053 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574215551/"><img style="WIDTH: 184px; HEIGHT: 278px" alt="knitting 053" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5574215551_f02408664b.jpg" width="375" height="500" /></a></p><a href="http://bohoknits.blogspot.com/2009/05/sockhead-hat.html">Sockhead hat from BohoKnits </a>in <a href="http://madelinetosh.com/yarns-tosh-sock.html">MadTosh sockyarn </a>in colorway <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22809806@N02/2418117318/">Twain.</a> This is the most recent of the knits to fly off of my needles. It is the second of three sockheads I'm knitting *love the pattern! <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 031 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574206807/"><img alt="knitting 031" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5574206807_f72e08a557_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>Sockhead the second - <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/11241978/yarn-pirate-hand-dyed-sock-yarn-i-want">I want candy Merino.Tensel </a>from <a href="http://www.yarnpirate.com/">Yarn Pirate.</a> And now, a random assortment of projects that I cannot remember when I finished. I'm guessing these were all knit in 2010, but I could be wrong. It was really a year of shawls. I'm still on the shawl crack. I just took a month or so to knit hats. <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 047 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574213377/"><img alt="knitting 047" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5574213377_1fc4e5a1f7_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>This is the <a href="http://westknits.blogspot.com/2009/04/boneyard-shawl.html">boneyard shawl </a>by <a href="http://westknits.com/">westknits</a> knit out of a mustard colored cotton I got in a swap. The color is wonky here because of the clouds. <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 043 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574211739/"><img alt="knitting 043" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5574211739_2bc77ffa99_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>This is the <a href="http://www.madelinetosh.com/patterns-honey-cowl.html">honey cowl from MadTosh </a>(kinda gotta thing for them *swoon* ) knit in some purple yarn I got when the Opelika yarn shop closed. I kind of made it into a mobius cowl. Of course it was on purpose, why would you ask that? lol [edited to fix the link and the pattern attribute...doh!] <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 042 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574211289/"><img alt="knitting 042" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5574211289_b8a11c87c9_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>This is a close up of a shawl I knit out of some more handspun. There are many of these knocking around the house.car.closet right now. :D <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 036 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574208181/"><img alt="knitting 036" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5574208181_851059eac2_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>This is one of my faves. I knit it out of more handspun (loving the handspun this last year). It started as a scarf, but I ran out of yarn, so I just sewed the ends to make an infinity scarf, but it will also fit over me like a caplet. I knit 2 more of these for friends right after this, but I don't remember getting pics of the. Oops. <br /><p align="center"><a title="knitting 025 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/5574790106/"><img alt="knitting 025" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5574790106_430f05ca9c_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" /></a></p>This is my first ever project out of <a href="http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19">Socks that Rock</a> lightweight. The color is moss agate. The pattern is <a href="http://stitchdcblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/infinity-scarf-free-pattern.html">Stitch DC Infinity Scarf</a>. I knit this at <a href="http://www.nwp.org/">NWP</a> in Orlando last Nov. Loved the project. It knit up pretty too. :D Ok. I think that is enough fiber in your diet for today. Whew. I have a few more in my flickr stream if you want to check them out. Knitters can go to my Rav page for more knitterly details. :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-20504674979773618872011-03-30T11:49:00.001-05:002011-03-30T11:50:40.986-05:00Lack of Knitting ContentOn a whim, I flipped back through the last year or so of posts, and man, I haven't posted any actual knitting on here in AGES! We're gonna have to fix that. Keep your eyes peeled today.tomorrow for actual knitting content! :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-64757816710588738502011-03-28T13:11:00.004-05:002011-03-28T13:28:39.064-05:00Things I Know<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3RU0lmhHGxBvNQ352eNi-R0GAsVn2b5rJe8K6LBIhr7vXqyGFTX_qCNNogPbF9waXmBMVqo_QilaDr9Gv5FKalWFy1HK0R8ZdP4uttb0lzG65J6rIo9NK0D6F2UzLG5c50PNLA/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589199176373913682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3RU0lmhHGxBvNQ352eNi-R0GAsVn2b5rJe8K6LBIhr7vXqyGFTX_qCNNogPbF9waXmBMVqo_QilaDr9Gv5FKalWFy1HK0R8ZdP4uttb0lzG65J6rIo9NK0D6F2UzLG5c50PNLA/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" /></a> <br /><div></div><br /><div>This "morning", I rolled out of bed at 1pm before D woke up, and I decided to make him <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">biscuits</span>. He had purchased the sausage and the buttermilk for me last week, but I never got around to doing it. More important things to do like knitting and spinning got in the way. But not this morning. This morning, I decided to do it. And I did. But sitting here just now, enjoying the spoils of my labor, I started thinking about blogging them. That's when it hit me: I have no idea how much of each thing you need for these. I have no idea. I know what it looks like when it's right, but I couldn't tell you a measurement to save my life. I just know. And it was this train of thought that brought me here today. What do we know just because we grew up where we did? I know how to make those <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">biscuits</span> because I saw my mama make them 1000000000000000 times in my life time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I know that you get a stainless mixing bowl, heap self-rising flour in the center until there is a little mountain, stick your finger into the top of the mountain to make a well (shorter the mountain, wider the well), and then pour veg oil in until it fills the well and runs around the side just enough. Then you add enough buttermilk to make it dough (it took half a quart today). That's all there is to it. Oh, and mix it with your hands no matter how icky it feels. Something about using a regular spoon messes with them. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mama once made these to make extra money and sold them two to a wax paper envelope at her work. She mixed in bacon chunks or sausage crumbles along with shredded <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">cheese</span>. I like the sausage ones best, so that's what I mixed in this morning. I did have to call and ask Mama what temp to bake them at, but that is a tiny detail that always gets lost. Maybe I really do remember, but I want to talk to Mama when I make them. I'm not sure, but it is the one thing I can never remember. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So this morning, I toast to your health with a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">biscuit</span> that I just know how to make because. I can't remember her standing me in a chair and telling me the steps, but somehow, I got it all the same. I want to say these are her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">grandmama's</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">biscuits</span> too, so I'm keeping the tradition of just knowing stuff alive. What do you just know?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-68161645056418326712011-03-21T15:33:00.002-05:002011-03-21T15:39:04.642-05:00Quilting to heal<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Funnily enough, <a href="http://whipup.net/2011/03/21/guest-blogger-series-keepsake-quilting/">this post </a>came today when I am thinking of crafting for family after T's death. Dad got me a bunch of T's cowboy/flannel shirts, and I was planning to make Mema and Dad a quilt from them. Now I have new inspiration after the post on WhipUp. I was only going to use fabric from the back cut into squares, but now I wonder what it would look like if I used the front with the pearl buttons or the back shoulders with the cowboy details and piping. I hope that my little crafty project can bring me some comfort and that the finished projects can bring comfort to a family who lost before they were ready. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 148px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 173px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586635353881726706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmExqIIXbpGtx4hmKhSl0J0ukn3NcAbmVXDnLea_84LbvRHkLlIXLsZBWE1gfIPooaqhaE3FEYVihb3wIQ_XXk__kYWuJM6i7vALS3SezIhIK0lLLx2u8vy348q3ATt6qxI1Zhg/s320/854-1536.jpg" /> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.vintagetrends.com/vintage/itemdetails.asp?YZ=A09FA1A18C8A92&RN=2&TR=186&SS=&MC=Vintage&CA=men&SC=shirts&ST=Western">Source<br /></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-76997299913272087662011-03-14T19:03:00.004-05:002011-03-21T15:43:05.263-05:00Little Things<div align="center"><a href="http://www.zazzle.co.uk/vintage_postcard_wish_you_were_here_card-137720089020742461"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586636424263492002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMHPuopf8PYZBpX0xjTO6VXK-0qquL-MYV3pq6ggYXynOn1wGskMHNFtlzPgJNGAufGaIoiICh2Iwcu-S42HHLTyN-Lw9Or-qSEyO12Ka72KMX9zSQW2ezSH-hKI0rNCH8_oVVg/s320/vintage_postcard_wish_you_were_here_card-p137720089020742461q6k5_400.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;">Image Souce</span><br /></a><br /><br />Thursday before last, the world went sideways for us at the Random Stitches house. We got an early morning call that D's uncle had been beaten by some unknown party and didn't look like he was going to make it. I had to go on in to work before any more details could come to light, but I was really upset. D's uncle (T) was one of the sweetest men I've ever met, and I cried all the way to work trying to figure out what in the world could have made someone mad enough to beat him to death. I managed to zombie through my day since I only had to suck it up and teach 2 classes as the other 2 were (thankfully) testing. We went straight down to the hometown that night to be there when everything started the next day, but T was already gone, and the story was known by this point.<br /><br />The facts as known at this point: T tried to stop an argument between an 18 yo neighbor boy and his mother (the boy was on the attacking side in this whole drama). Words were exchanged, the boy tried to push T, and T wrapped him up in a bear hug. The two fell to the ground, and T being a late middle age man was not the first to regain his feet. Mr. 18 yo was. Mr. 18 went to kicking on T's face and head, and that's that.<br /><br />T was brain dead at the hospital, and some of his organs were harvested for donation. I hope that some good comes from this horrible tragedy, and someone lives, sees, breathes better after T's ultimate good deed.<br /><br />So that was Thursday.<br /><br />Friday dawned, and because T lived in a poor neighborhood/town, the family had to clean out the house as soon as they could. D and his family went down there to try and get things boxed to move to a storage shed until things settle down. When they went through his truck on Saturday, they found a number of things stashed in the console of the truck. Now to understand this next bit, follow me back a year or two.<br /><br />I have travelled a lot in the past few years for part of my job, and on one of these random trips across the country, I sent T a postcard. When I saw him again, he was as proud as a new papa about that postcard. Since he liked it, I started sending him a postcard from all of the little trips I would take on the weekends and on business. I loved sending him a card because I knew he would like it.<br /><br />Flash back to the present and the clean out of the truck.<br /><br />In the console, along with pictures of D's dad and step mom, D's M<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ema</span>, and D was the stack of postcards I'd sent from all over the place. He kept them in his truck, right next to him, so that he could keep them safe and so that nothing would happen to them. These were the things he cared most about in life. A few faded pictures and some dog eared postcards.<br /><br />When I sent those cards, I just sent them to make him smile. I thought he would like them enough to read them, but I never had any idea what they would mean to him. I can't tell this story without crying each time. There is a Jack Johnson song that has lyrics that now make me cry:<br /><br /><br />There's no combination of words<br />I could put on the back of a postcard,<br />no song that I could sing<br />but I can try for your heart,<br />Our dreams, and they are made out of real things,<br />like a shoebox of photographs,<br />with sepia tone loving,<br />love is the answer<br />at least for most of the questions in my heart,<br />like why are we here? and where do we go?<br />and how come it's so hard?<br />It's not always easy,<br />and sometimes life can be deceiving,<br />I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together.<br /><br /><br />*****<br /><br /><br />The first lines now make me bawl like a baby. His memorial service was last Saturday, and I counted everything in the church I could see to try and keep myself from crying. The preacher didn't know T, but I was preaching the eulogy in my own head. I keep thinking about those post cards now. They play on my mind all day and night. Those simple little cards sent with little thought or effort meant more to him than I ever knew. It just brought me back to the awe that I have for simple things. Doing simple, good things for people and the impact that those actions could have makes me think about the life I live every day. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mema</span> hot on to me last year at Thanksgiving because I was sending T postcards and not her. I do not regret a single one I've sent now. I'm so happy I sent those to T because they meant so much to him.<br /><br />*************<br /><br />So the whole point of this blog post is to think about those small things we could do for people every day that take little time, effort, or money to do. I challenge you and me to do them. Hold the door. Call your grandma. Wave at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">strange</span> fellow on the sidewalk. Make <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">someone's</span> day.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-59106097922642738342011-02-16T12:50:00.000-05:002011-02-16T13:02:54.906-05:00Local ... Love ... Hate<strong>Local </strong><br />I love local. I love art. I love pottery. I love local art and local pottery. <a href="http://kellymckernan.com/home.html">Kelly McKernan</a> is my favorite local artist, and she linked into a <a href="http://blog.inkspotworkshop.com/2011/02/hump-day-giveaway-jeanette-zeis-ceramics/">giveaway</a> by a local blogger of a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/vesselsandwares?ref=seller_info#">local pottery artist. </a>How much more awesome does that get?!! [I'm using local in a wide sense as all the ladies come from ATL].<br /><br />PS- I own almost all of KM's prints on her website, an original by her, and send out her postcards through PostCrossing.com. I loff her lots. I also go to ATL when I can to see her openings or shows she's featured in. LOFF!<br /><br /><strong>Love</strong><br />I hope all of you out there in blogoworldo had a great Valentine's Day. I did. My honey rocked out my day (also our anniv.). I've got pics taken, but they are still on the cam at home. Nothing dirty- promise. Just unbelievably sweet. :D I'm still smiling about it.<br /><br /><strong>Hate</strong><br />Joann's Fabric and Craft is on my *hit list. D's boss fired him 3 days before Christmas this year for being tired of the unrealistic expectations and telling him they were screwy. D left that day an hour and a half early after letting all of the managers there know. His boss called an hour later and asked him to bring the keys back to the store because he was fired. For leaving early. The day after he'd pulled an 11 hour shift because the boss couldn't make it to work for personal reasons. Jacked up much?! <br /><br />So that is reason #1. <br /><br />Reason the second: Now D is trying to make an unemployment claim. <a href="http://www.joann.com/joann/home/home.jsp">Joann's Fabric and Craft </a>is fighting him on it. They are saying that he "quit" and that he used profanity. 1: he didn't quit. He told his boss he was going to quit if he didn't stop getting harassed. 2: Profanity isn't a fireable offense. It's a verbal warning. He got no kind of warning at all, written or verbal.<br /><br />So please dear friends and readers, take your crafting dollars to Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or Hancock's. Don't support a store that doesn't care about it's employees. D was fired unfairly and had been being harassed constantly by his boss (who wasn't doing HIS own job) and his district manager. It's a crappy place that treats its employees like crap and has high prices for its own crappy merch. I haven't been back in the store since before Christmas, and I have zero plans for going ever again. I refuse to spend my money in such a place.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-74296753606142360762011-01-24T13:14:00.003-05:002011-01-24T13:33:44.864-05:00BusyI've been keeping my hands busy since the COLD OF DOOM set into GA. I've been so busy in fact, that I have not taken any pictures of what's being going on. I've been knitting like a fiend. I have 2 new shawls hot off the needles. One has been hanging out since sometime before last Thanksgiving (WHOA), and the other was cast on and off in the span of a week. I've been very much knitting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">handspun</span></span> too. Both projects were from my own- I'm so chuffed. [What does chuffed mean? Where did it come from? I blame <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lime n Violet</span> for my usage of it.]<br /><br /><br />This is the first one to be finished - <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTcitron.php">Citron.</a> I'm wearing it elegantly around my shoulders with a large pin holding it in place. <br /><br />I also made something of a caplet/infinity scarf/biggass cowl using <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/close-knit-firefly-bias-scarf">this pattern </a>[Rav link]. I used stripey handspun, and it is really kinda cute. I found that it wasn't going to be long enough for a full on scarf, so I sewed the ends together to make it a circley thing. <br /><br />I've also been keeping my eyes and ears busy while I've had the needles clicking. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alfred-Hitchcock-Presents-Season-One/dp/B000AL733G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295893129&sr=8-1">This</a> is what I've been watching on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NetFlix</span></span>. It's really funny to me that his movies/shows still work in the current time. I'm going to profane the name and say he may be as timeless as Shakespeare. :D I think AH is terribly funny. Funnier than most people/shows are even today. It's nice to watch a very different breed of TV. Smart TV even.<br /><br />I've also stopped watching some TV. I love the original <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CSI</span></span> and the NY <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">spinoff</span></span>. But I heard Stella was leaving NY, so I can't really bring myself to watch it without her. I hear Catherine is also leaving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">CSI</span></span>, so I'm not excited about it. I don't know if I'll keep watching if they keep going without her. I'm still loving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NCIS</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">NCIS</span></span>:LA. Gibbs and LL are both my homeboys. I also like H5-O and Mike and Molly. I'm a little mad because I can't really watch Mike and Molly any more. They were letting the episodes hit the website for viewing but stopped after I got hooked. No show is good enough for me to have a cable bill each month!<br /><br />I find I have a large span of time in the middle of my work day now that has no strings attached to it. I've been filling it with knitting to keep me sane on the job. I'm not really on the clock, so I dare anyone to tell me I shouldn't. The only problem this presents is that it requires me to have a project on the needles. I cast my last one off last night and didn't have the time to start a new one. Bummer. That is how I find myself here today, telling the world about my dilemma. Any suggestions from the unnamed They about what to knit next? It needs to be something passingly simple since I'm doing it in a distracted <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">environment</span>, and I don't want to stress myself with charts and crazy directions.<br /><br />Well, it's off to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">saltmines</span> soon. I'll leave you here until next time when I shall portray another little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">playlette</span> to entertain you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-64477253441938120712010-12-13T18:06:00.002-05:002010-12-13T18:31:41.459-05:00Holy Holiday Crafting, Batman!Obviously, I've been quiet. I've been working nearly 12 hours each day, so I'm a little more than beat. Now my quarter is over, and it's on! I've go so much craft energy going it's scary (read: I-don't-want-to-clean-my-house-avoidance-energy). Here's a round up of the humteen million things I WANT to make in the nearly month break before I have to go back to working 12 hours a day again. Whew!<br /><br />What's on the needles:<br />A pair of <a href="http://seamenschurch.org/images/stories/article-body/2-1-03/2-1-03-0002/nolasslipperpattern.pdf">purple slipper/socks </a>for a friend who has a new apt. of her very own.<br /><br />Knitting has just been TOO SLOW for my ADHD brain this month.<br /><br />Sewing:<br />I've made some fleece wrap things that I ripped off of a store bought article and have some fleece left over. I'm feeling <a href="http://www.larkcrafts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/fleece_mittens1.pdf">these mittens</a> with the leftovers. I don't love the elastic on the outside bit, but I'll figger' something out.<br /><br />I just found <a href="http://gingercake.typepad.com/gingercake/2010/11/winter-caroler-tutorial-kits-to-make-her-and-a-giveaway.html">these</a> and LOVE them. I think my mom would like one and maybe me too. :D<br /><br />I also need new stockings as I made my first set when I was a newbie...they hold almost NOTHING and stretch like I do...not at all! <a href="http://www.dsquilts.com/fabric_and_patterns.asp?PageID=214">These</a> look like winners!<br /><br />I do NOT need to make <a href="http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/11/how-to_pom_pom_pillow.html">this pillow</a>, but I want to all the same.<br /><br />I'm in the process of making <a href="http://www.howjoyful.com/2010/05/howjoyful-bear-tutorial-and-pattern/">this bear</a>. I have gotten so far as to buy fabric. And print the pattern. And cut the pieces. That's it. :P I need a new snuggle bear because it's butt cold outside here, and my regular fella is just too old to snuggle without fear of taking the lovin' too far and squishing out some stuffin'. I tend to waller (as Mama says) in the night. <br /><br /><br />I'm thinking I should leave it at that. Whew. That's a lot. If I manage even two of those, I'll be amazed! :pUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-86292051285739650962010-10-28T21:07:00.005-05:002010-10-28T21:21:36.434-05:00Wonderment<div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533285417843765954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwz7xSt1ELD37x4gbjCdXuLfKhyphenhyphenRsigrt4UA8iYzp65AOKWhPoW6v_D1tZY0VNHPnASzMP5m173rD3NJznU37U_9rQ0o5Loe1-4oH-8yPghujtagUIih1hIIzhWSd9hWxvrCVHCw/s320/IMG_7646.JPG" /><br /><div>I read craft blogs all the time all across the web. I read crafters, quilters, and momsters. They all seem to have so much more "life" than I do and so many more words too. I found a journal I started five years ago. I read through it and boggled that I had so many words then. I wonder what has happened to all of those words. Maybe it is like John Mayer says. Maybe my words have been wrapped up in the pictures I take where ever I go. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533285917894676818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf0Bm29VAQKedBMIiOlamQpkhAwJI51w8q3NUOWt2zV8Relb8oI1YFC1gqZqVUDLOrWo5mIUr1_GwiR6CcM3gJnWRR4PQ6eJQBalBXLogQFpdDTsLqwUCI1zCeMPXz1_VDzzoVw/s320/IMG_7815.JPG" /> I have managed to create 1 skirt that fits me from two old tshirts with a few more in the works. I used the reinvention skirt pattern generously given to me to plus size test from MayaMade. I'm sad to report that my hips are too wide for the use of the 1 shirt method so far. I even went to a 3x and tried (and failed) to make it work. The four pannel works just ducky, but I want to have it work with the 2 pannels too. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'll leave you with a picture of my work "costume" that I wore today since we only go through Thursdays. I got many comments and a few odd looks as I wore it out to a fast food place later in the night to eat wings. My students didn't seem to notice that I had dressed up-guess they all think I look this way daily. :P</div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533287254772200674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvbGqK9rj-6zS6mvdDLRmhjQkl7PwARhiqBfj2QblkdZ_-LX6O5dY-ENChFHH1ptFYhbdab9lWRMkRrpPbhcck2WQSqS5_c9LKSjZ4wznleIy0DFWDCGuYLm-kbH4CoxMLbJ-LQ/s320/IMG_8466.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-47338740673730148012010-10-08T12:04:00.003-05:002010-10-08T12:25:57.370-05:00It gets betterWith all of the heartbreaking news of teens around this country killing themselves because they are struggling with being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, gender queer, or just plain different, I cannot stay quite any longer. I keep reading stories from others, watching <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">youtube</span> videos, and talking to friends who have gone through similar struggles. I want to add my voice to the chorus that is ringing out: It gets better.<br /><br />I hated high school, and high school hated me. I was always confused. On top of being upset about crap life at home, I had to deal with being the fat kid at school too. Bullies who torment GLBT kids torment fatties too. Just a fact of life. Luckily, being a fat kid means you can get shoved inside of lockers. You don't get as much physical abuse because you're so damn big, but the abuse still comes. Teenagers are the meanest form of human you can find. They are freaked out because their bodies are changing, their lives are changing, and they are becoming something new. So to protect themselves from the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">scarrrry</span> changes, they lash out. People who are different catch that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">nutjob</span> wrath.<br /><br />But it gets better. It gets SO much better.<br /><br />I lived through high school and college. I thought very strongly about not living at all during those years. I wanted to die and thought about how to die again and again. I was just so unhappy, and I couldn't see the end of the pain. I was too chicken to ever actually go through with any of the elaborate plans I made walking down the hallways- If I take X amount of Y, what would happen? I lived through it. I was miserable. I thought death would be better than the hell of being a fat, confused teenager.<br /><br />But it wasn't. If you die in high school, you never really live real life. High school is a terrible social experiment gone wrong. It's not real life. Those assholes who make fun of you today will be the same assholes stuck in your home town after you've graduated and gotten a real life.<br /><br />Bullies will always remember high school as the best days of their lives. You won't. You'll go to college (do go- you'll never be the same after it), get a degree or two, and get a real life with real friends. That's when it gets better. As soon as I was out of my high school, I felt free. Those idiots who made fun of me, excluded me from their parties, and made me feel less than human are all trapped in their own lives. None of them are as happy as I am. None of them have made it more than 30 miles outside of our hometown since they've graduated.<br /><br />I've been to a foreign country to help build houses, I've travelled around this country with the National Writing Project, I've become what I always said I would. They have not. Those bullies will always wish they had what you'll grow up to have if you can just live through high school and college. It sounds like a Hallmark card, but it is so very true.<br /><br />I don't know if this will reach the eyes of anyone who needs this message, but I want to put it out there- just in case. It gets better. These are some of the darkest days you'll have to live through. The best revenge on those idiots who tell you that your life isn't worth living is to live the hell out of your life- no matter how messed up you feel now. You take that life you have, and you use it as a weapon against ignorance.<br /><br />Wake up every day ready to fight those jocks who slam into you in the hallway by getting a full ride at a great school based on your grades alone. When they blow their knees, and they will, you will still have your scholarship. Live the hell out of your life. Giving in to that noise and bullshit gives them power. Live your life like a punch in the face. Slap them with every breath you take.<br /><br />It gets better, but you have to stick around to see it. I promise it will be worth it, just wait for it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />***PS- I haven't forgotten the giveaway winners, but I'm broke as a joke right now and have been since half of my job was eliminated. Once I have the funds to ship, I'll get the stuff out to you. :DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-57993581065257084802010-08-19T15:24:00.000-05:002010-08-19T15:26:27.052-05:00About to burstI have a secret- I'm throwing D a surprise birthday party tonight, and if I don't tell someone, I might just die! We have lots of things planned for him, and his mom is even coming up from Ame for the event. I also hear that one of our drag friends plans a raunchy lapdance for the birthday boy! :D I'm not sure if D's ever had a birthday party before because he was a painfully shy kid, so I'm about to die of keep this to myself. So please, could you keep it to yourself until about 7pm tonight? Thanks. I just knew you'd understand. <br />Whew!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-43947780581799049562010-06-04T11:00:00.003-05:002010-06-04T11:42:14.315-05:00If you can't say something nice, blog about nothing importantIt's the end of the quarter, and I'm feeling very prickly right now. So as Mama always said, I will say nothing at all about those things and go to a totatlly different subject. ME! I stole this from the <a href="http://murfomurf.wordpress.com/">weiner of the prize drawing </a>once I realized her link was a blog click. She stole it from someone named David. <br /><br />********************************************************<br />1. What curse word do you use the most? F*ck<br /><br />2. Do you own an iPod? No.<br /><br />3. What person on your flist do you talk to the most? Aponi<br /><br />4. What time is your alarm clock set to? 5:30am, but I snoooooze it until around 6:15ish.<br /><br />5. Do you still remember the first person you kissed? Yes. His name was Nick and we went to elementary school together. He was my first boyfriend. We went to the school dance together. He gave me a carnation. It was either him or Dereck who kissed me after I chased him up the climbing wall at the same elementary school. Can't remember which came first.<br /><br />6. Do you remember where you were on 9/11/01? I was a senior in high school. We were in Mr. Mitchell's art class for first block. Someone came in and told us about it, and he actually let us turn the tv on. While we watched, the second plane hit. We didn't realize or understand that it was REALLY happening live. We continued to watch through second block, Mrs. Goat (not her real name, but she raised goats) and A&P. It was surreal. My Papa told me about Pearl Harbor and where he'd been when I got home that night. Also about where he'd been when Kennedy was shot.<br /><br />7. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture? Take take take. I look like hell in photos. And fat. No photos of me.<br /><br />8. What was the last movie you watched? At the movies: Alice in Wonderland. It was total crap. HATED IT. But I felt like I got my money out of it since I only paid $1.50 to see it at the cheap seats. At home: Jurassic Park - one of out all time favorites. LOVE IT.<br /><br />9. Do any of your friends have children? One of them, and he's a cool little. The ones who I am no longer in contact with from college (mostly cause they found a new man and he was their new religion) have started making babies too. It is strange to me to see party girls and morons with littles. Scary.<br /><br />10. Has anyone ever called you lazy? Yes. It was my mother's greatest insult. To be called lazy was to be the bane of the world. <br /><br />11. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep? Sometimes I have to take a Benedryl to sleep if I'm really keyed up and the next day is really important. Or Nyquil when I'm sick.<br /><br />12. What CD is currently in your CD player? Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales<br /><br />13. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk? If I'm drinking it, choc. If it's on cereal, regular.<br /><br />14. Has anyone told you a secret this week? Yes, actually.<br /><br />15. When was the last time you had Starbucks? Um...a month or so ago when I got a vanilla cupcake from the Barnes and Noble 'bucks. I'm not into coffee. Cupcakes are gooood tho.<br /><br />16. Can you whistle?Yes, both the normal way and also through my teeth.<br /><br />17. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?Eyes.<br /><br />18. What are you looking forward to? The end of next Monday. I will have turned my grades in and have washed my hands of this quarter. Then I'll be off for a month of writing in Ame and I'll be with my people and happy. I may even want to still teach after that- right now- not so much.<br /><br />19. Did you watch cartoons as a child? Yes. I liked Rocco's Modern Life. I hated Ren and Stimpy. I liked Rugrats before Dill was born. <br /><br />20. Do you own any band t-shirts? Yes. I have some Guster t-shirts.<br /><br />21. What will you be doing in one hour? Showering and getting ready to go buy foods.<br /><br />22. Is anyone in love with you? Yes, or at least I think he is.<br /><br />23. What was the last song you heard? dunno- but I have a Jack Johnson song stuck in my head...does that count?<br /><br />24. Last time you cried? Yesterday. Like I said. The end of the quarter is an ugly time.<br /><br />25. Are you on a desktop computer or a laptop? Desktop. But I want one of those laptop babies- the little net book.<br /><br />26. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos? Yes. I want to get a little sparrow on the inside of each ankle as a tribute to my Papa. He always put on his socks wrong- they had the little Izod alligators on them, and he would put the socks on with those facing inside. Always. I've wanted a sparrow since I saw a really cute one on a student, and I've wanted to do a tribute to a family member via tattoo (or I'd never get another one) like Amy from Spunky Eclectic. This would be killing 2 birds with 2 bird tattoos!<br /><br />27. What’s the weather like? Dunno. Still in my pjs. Not wanting to know either. If I had to guess, really friggin' hot. Like prolly already 90+ F.<br /><br />28. Would you ever date a girl/guy covered in tattoos? Oh yes. I would have done it as a teen to scare my parents too. I would sooo date somone tatted up. D is not tatted at all though. :(<br /><br />29. What did you do before this? Make 2 grilled cheeze sammiches.<br /><br />30. When is the last time you slept on the floor? The last time I visited my Mama. I started out on a nice, elevated air mattress....I woke up on a flat mattress on the floor. Something went wrong obviously.<br /><br /><br />31. How many hours of sleep do you need to function? TONS. I need at least 8. I love it when I get 10. Sleep is one of my fave things to do in this life.<br /><br />32. Do you eat breakfast daily?Yes. I wouldn’t get very far without it. But I forget sometimes and feel really mean before lunch.<br /><br />33. Are your days fast-paced? Without question. I go from class to class, and I squeeze in tutoring between classes. I don't have an office, so I'm always on the run. I am coordinator of a database that holds over 1100 student accounts that I oversee in the middle of all of that. Whew. I got tired typing that.<br /><br /><br />34. What did you do last night? Cleaned my nasty bathroom (partly), got a mani-pedi with my work PediPosse (TM), watching a movie with D, played Farmville, spun a bit.<br /><br />35. Do you use sarcasm?A lot. It's my native tongue.<br /><br />36. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 27<br /><br />37. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?Yep- I drive people nuts when I feel it is important. I’m slack when it doesn’t matter (like email, blog posting, facebooking). I am the person who changes signs in Walmark. And in the bathrooms at school! I even encourage my students to attack signs! hahahaha<br /><br />38. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes. HATE it. I'm not a patient person- I don't wait well. That's what 6 Flags teaches you. The only ride I enjoy is the River one where you are in the round things and you bounce down the river. Not the one where you are in the water, but the one that is actually a ride.<br /><br />She says it goes to 80, but these are the 38 she posted. Sooo, as she continues, I guess so shall I.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-23115483859393395512010-05-28T14:06:00.003-05:002010-05-28T15:13:24.768-05:00SquozeFirst things first- I have a new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">weiner</span>: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">murfomurf</span>. Come on down to give me your across the pond <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">addy</span>. That means that Rae will get your mug since she's on this side of the creek. :D The email is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scooby</span>_<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">dooby</span>_<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">doo</span>_2002 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">aht</span> yahoo <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">daht</span> com. [Usual disclaimer- replace the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">aht</span> with @ and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">daht</span> with . ]<br /><br />*********************************************************************<br />We went on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vacay</span> with D's mom a few weekends ago to Chattanooga, TN. We had a good time and did most of the touristy things to do in the town in 3 days. I know right?<br /><br />We went up on Thursday night after work so that we could wake up in TN on Friday to make our 10:30 aquarium tickets. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648339064/" title="IMG_6300 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4648339064_e422fe8b26.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6300" /></a><br />We got there early and since our hotel had a crappy breakfast, we were hungry. We found a little spot called the Blue Plate. It was awesome and had the best servers <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">evar</span>. We got this little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">hottie</span> named David. He was a great server, got us great food fast, and gave us the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">DL</span> on Chatty. He gave us tons o' places to eat, and I think we lucked out with him. More on him later.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647727131/" title="IMG_6381 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4647727131_45c2edfa9f_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="IMG_6381" /></a><br /><br />They have a sea horse exhibit down stairs, but to get to the real show, you ride what could possibly the the world's LONGEST escalator. This was taken from the top.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648335528/" title="IMG_6087 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4648335528_1864c8b549.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6087" /></a><br /> It took ages to go all the way up. But the cool thing is that you go from the top to the bottom of the aquarium like following the water to the ocean. They had some wicked large catfish in a tank. There was a diver in there feeding while we were there, and the fish was as big or BIGGER than the huge man diver. UM NO. I would NOT be in that water. No way, no how.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647721615/" title="IMG_6185 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4647721615_3f1ed06de1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6185" /></a><br /><br />We have been to the Atlanta aquarium, so we have seen a lot of these fish before, but they had the coolest otters <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">EVAR</span>! They were HUGE and very playful. The TN aquarium wins over <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">ATL</span> because they have a better otter viewing area. I got great shots of them. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648336028/" title="IMG_6107 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4648336028_63aebb3476.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6107" /></a><br />Of course, we were also in the middle of about 1000808 school kids- we went right when schools were about to let out, so they were all on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">friggin</span>' field trips! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">ACK</span>.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648337600/" title="IMG_6264 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4648337600_bf5623dbe5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6264" /></a> This was in their butterfly garden.<br /><br />After the aquarium, we went across the Walnut St. pedestrian bridge to explore the North Shore because <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">hottie</span> David said there was a good lunch place over there. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647723159/" title="IMG_6287 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4647723159_d474eace39.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6287" /></a><br />I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm terrified of bridges. I hate driving over them, hate walking over them. H.A.T.E. them. Like I freak out and have panic attacks on bridges. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Soo</span>...yeah. We WALKED across the pedestrian BRIDGE to the North Shore to explore. They walked; I crept. I also cried. I really d.o. n.o.t. do bridges. I finally got across the damn thing. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647724755/" title="IMG_6304 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4647724755_4d71193263.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6304" /></a><br /><br /> It was worth it I guess because we crossed to find a great little ice cream place called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Clumpies</span>. They make all their own ice cream. FAB! I had lemon cream, D had butter pecan, and Moms had....something? The best part about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">clumpies</span> besides the homemade everything was a shirt I tried to get D to buy: it said simply, "Creamy." I thought it was funny. He thought it was inappropriate. That's why I thought it was funny, but <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">anywho</span>.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647725237/" title="IMG_6311 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4647725237_0e248b6c30.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6311" /></a><br />We walked around a little more, but we had to hoof it back across because we had tickets to ride the aquarium's River Gorge Explorer <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">boaty</span> thing. D and his Moms got all cracked out on the time and rushed us down to the dock (yeah, another bridge to get to the dock...ugh). They thought the ride started at 3pm. I knew it was 3:30 and kept asking if we could slow down or sit down. NO! WE HAVE TICKETS! So we finally get there and they realize what I've known all along: we're <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">WAAY</span> early. Of course, you know, it was my fault that we were early then. We did get to sit down in the shade finally on the dock and waited for the boat. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647725615/" title="IMG_6324 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4647725615_b2390a9093.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6324" /></a><br />It pulled up and was like a yacht big to me. It was crazy fun to ride that boat. It goes up to like 55 mph on the water and comes to a complete stop in seconds and on a dime at that! We stopped for every boat, float, and barge in the river that day- many many splashes! <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648341806/" title="IMG_6365 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4648341806_2a0a18cc0f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6365" /></a> This is where I want to live when I grow up.<br /><br />We cruised through the river gorge and it was really pretty. It was just nice to be out on the water after being off of it for so long. I grew up on Lake Oliver here in Col, but when I got to be a teen, it wasn't cool anymore. I can't tell you the last time I was on ANY river on a boat. Riding up top was really cool too. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648340974/" title="IMG_6342 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4648340974_322a2e9c49.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6342" /></a><br />That night we ate at the Market Tavern per David's suggestion from that am. It was '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">lish</span>! I had a bison burger (locally raised!) with cheese and they had chicken and fish- my burger was so good that after they ate their foods, they ordered another bison burger to share. :P This place was big on fresh, local, and fabulous. The burger bun was a roll from a local baker. Yum. They also had cupcakes from a local bakery: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">amaretto</span>, strawberry, mocha, and red velvet. We got all but the mocha- we're not coffee <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">ppl</span>. The red velvet was so good that D and I split it at the table and had to order another one to take with us. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648342696/" title="IMG_6393 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4648342696_fcc5111c88.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6393" /></a><br /><br />The next day, we had 3 attractions to hit: Ruby Falls, See Rock City, and the Incline Railway. It was a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">threefer</span> pass, so we were set. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648343946/" title="IMG_6420 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4648343946_991c8cefd2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6420" /></a><br />We hit Ruby early because it was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">Racin</span>' at Ruby and we are NOT race fans. That started after lunch, so we wanted to be in and out before the race nuts got up the mountain. It was an interesting place. I would NEVER go again. It's a privately owned attraction, and I don't like how they keep the caves and falls. They take HUGE groups through the caverns with 1 tour guide for like 50 people. She can't keep an eye on them. You know if you touch the formations, they die. Folks kept leaning and touching stuff. I was going <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">nutzo</span>. And it's a half mile in to the falls....you get like 5 minutes at the falls before the lights go out. And then it's a half mile out at break neck speed. You could tell the whole time that it was a money machine and not a true attraction for the beauty of the formations. It felt like they were pimping the falls. I didn't like it at all. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647729693/" title="IMG_6433 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4647729693_488bb57e9e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6433" /></a><br />There weren't even any bats in the caves. What's a cave without bats?<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647733923/" title="IMG_6479 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4647733923_a7bdae13ac.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6479" /></a><br />Since we had walked a billion miles before lunch, we went to the Incline Railway next. We got on at the top and rode down and back up. It was intense. That was one crazy train ride. The little speakers said that it had served to get expectant moms down the mountain to the hospital to give birth. I loved that. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648351030/" title="IMG_6509 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4648351030_e267d58ccf.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6509" /></a><br />We saved Rock City for last, and I'm really glad we did. After the obvious capitalism of Ruby Falls, Rock City was like an untended wild space for me. I loved it. That's where the title of this post comes from. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648352020/" title="IMG_6519 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4648352020_a66ee30ae6.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6519" /></a><br />If you don't know about <a href="http://www.seerockcity.com/">Rock City </a>(how?), it's this crazy place full of paths and gardens in, around, and through huge rock formations. The thing I can remember the most about Rock City from my childhood is Fat Man's Squeeze. I'm officially a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">squoze</span> fat person now. I got through the needle, but Fat Man's Squeeze was really <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">squeezy</span>. I got in there <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>, but half way through, I couldn't go any farther....<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">ruh</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">roh</span>. So I wiggled down to my knees and crawled the rest of the way out on my hands and knees. It was very ladylike I assure you. Ah hem.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647819517/" title="IMG_6604 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4647819517_6531d6a48d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6604" /></a><br />I love the icon of the red barn with "See Rock City" painted on it. LOVE IT. I also love that Neil <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gaimen</span> made it a holy place. :D<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647743429/" title="IMG_6563 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4647743429_01356de125.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6563" /></a><br /><br />I even walked on the swing along bridge. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37" class="blsp-spelling-error">ACK</span>. Had to keep telling myself, "it's not a bridge, only a weird path..not a bridge....not a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38" class="blsp-spelling-error">freakin</span>' bridge....not a bridge...just keep swimming swimming swimming..."<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647744669/" title="IMG_6571 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4647744669_c8c467b4c9.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6571" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647748547/" title="IMG_6588 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4647748547_3b1d581d74.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_6588" /></a><br />I don't know about seeing 7 states...but they say you can.<br /><br />As it was the weekend of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39" class="blsp-spelling-error">freakin</span>' fears and bridges (also don't do heights):<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4648366590/" title="IMG_6595 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4648366590_ecc1b35081.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6595" /></a><br /><br />Best place at Rock City:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647754625/" title="IMG_6615 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4647754625_206698b7b8.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6615" /></a><br /><br />And I should have taken a shot of the outlook I had to go out on to get this picture:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647755475/" title="IMG_6617 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4647755475_55b93fddbd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6617" /></a><br /><br />It was like a concrete slab poured on air with a rail sticking it to the side of the mountain. I couldn't do the standing up out there, so I kinda crawled out there and got on my belly to take that shot. Great picture- terrible experience taking it. I feel ill just talking about it. I should note that neither D nor his Moms would come out there with me. [Another note: D doesn't have <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40" class="blsp-spelling-error">multiple</span> mothers. He just calls his mom "Moms" for whatever reason.]<br /><br />When we went back down the mountain, we found a tunnel to go through on the way back to the hotel. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647759483/" title="IMG_6665 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4647759483_323c0b2dbd_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="IMG_6665" /></a><br /><br />And we went barhopping. Best Long Island Ice Tea in TN.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647760147/" title="IMG_6676 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/4647760147_aa16361047_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="IMG_6676" /></a><br /><br />Thanks for reading the longest post on planet earth! I took lots of cool photos. More of them can be found on my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41" class="blsp-spelling-error">flickr</span>. :D<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13138393@N06/4647745685/" title="IMG_6579 by venutian_beauty, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4647745685_ded431dcc9.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_6579" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31428152.post-19372655684060630162010-05-17T10:30:00.000-05:002010-05-17T17:27:50.776-05:00HiddenHideandsheep has hidden away! I haven't heard not a peep (sheep) out of this person! I'm giving Hideandsheep until next Tuesday to stop hiding and sheep up for the prize. After that, I'm gonna pull a new grand prize wiener.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0