Agh, Knitting Frenzy!

Warning: This is a ridiculously long blog entry. I take no prisoners!

Since Saturday, I have twice been admonished for failing to update my blog.  In an effort to redeem myself, I shall therefore blog.  First to clarify: my failure to blog is not because I have been playing WoW obsessively.  In fact, you may doubt me when I say this, but I have not actually played WoW in many weeks.  The reality is I needed a WoW break -- and frankly I had to catch up on my movie watching.

I had a burst of Roku/Netflix watching madness where I watched all available seasons of the BBC series, The Chef, many many movies -- some of which were simply a poor use of my time, random episodes of 30 Rock, South Park, and Couplings, and, well, other stuff too.

Then I decided to catch up on my Tivo list -- which was mainly episodes of this season's The Closer.  Okay, kick ass.  The Closer still retains status as one of the best shows currently on television. (Speaking of which, who the heck did I loan my Season 1 DVD collection to?) And I caught up on Top Chef (only 3 episodes so far).

Once I was back on the television side of things, one thing led to another, and I started watching some On Demand stuff.  Like S2 of True Blood. I'll confess without shame to have watched all episodes twice, now. Snarfffable Survey says: 50-50 on the rating meter.  There are essentially two story lines, one involving vampires and the other not. Having a preference to vampires, I prefer that story line.  The other story line is just a bit over the top even for me and my fondness for supernatural curiosities.  Despite that, I think I might say that S2TB is better then the first.

Lest you think I've done nothing but work on turning my brain into mush, I have also been reading a lot.  On my Kindle, of course.  I read all the books in the Sookie Stackhouse series (of which True Blood was based on).  They were okay.  The first few were very entertaining, but as the series progressed I found the author spent far too much time trying to explain pervious storylines (in case a new reader started later in the series).  This was very distracting.  Also, I think the author lost some of her interest and enthusiasm because at seemed at times like she was trying to fill up the pages with anything, rather than something really good.  Nonetheless, I don't regret the time spent. The vampire love scenes were just perfect.  Who needs women's erotica when you can just pick up one of these books and thumb to a love scene with Sookie and her vamp of the week?

I read some other stuff, too.  I started re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin in the hopes that the last book will come out soon -- or in prep for the HBO production.  Well, there are other books I could list, but suffice to say the Kindle makes it very convenient for me to read all sorts of random stuff.

So, that's a lot of TV/Movie watching and book reading.  But that is not all.  I have also been knitting like a fiend.  I knitted a little cozy for my MacBook Air because I couldn't find a cover I liked.  That then inspired me to knit a cozy for my Kindle.  Of course I then had to make cozy's for the Slacker, so know he has his own set.  I'm also knitting a scarf for PacoTacoMike to keep him warm out there in the windy madness of Chicago.  I'm using Misty Alpaca Chunky and let me tell you, such softness!  I found the very manly pattern on a knitting blog for a yarn shop out in Philly -- can't link to it yet cause I don't want PTM to see the scarf pattern before he gets his -- but that blog led me to several other patterns I am also working on -- some new scarves with lovely silk and beaded yarn and a lap blanket for the Slacker (in dark colors, of course). The yarn for the blanket is organic cotton, perfect for the Bay Area. I liked the Misty Alpaca so much that I got some for myself and am knitting another scarf for myself.  When I'll ever have cause to wear such a warm scarf, I have no idea.

This here is my MacBook Air Cozy.  One thing I do have to say about this was my seaming at the bottom kicked ass. I'd say very nearly perfect.  I also really dig the pico edge I did after the couple of inches of seed stitch. Gives it a nice finish.


This one is the Kindle Cozy I made the Slacker.  I was trying for a much different pattern, but I didn't plan out well, and this is what I ended up with.  I'm not really happy with it, but the Slacker likes it, so I guess it will do for now.  When I find another yarn I like I'll knit him a new one.  I made myself one in this same yarn, but it's a straight stockinette stitch with just a little change towards the top edge where I did a couple of rows of seed stitch before going back to stockinette for the final inch before bind-off.


Here's Slacker's MacBook Air Cozy.  The yarn I used was a much lighter weight -- really a sock yarn -- so the stitches are much finer.  I really loved the variegated blue yarn and it worked up beautifully.


Here's some pics of works-in-progress...

This one is a scarf I'm making with the scrumptious beaded silk yarn noted above (I purchased several colors so I could make one for a few of the girls). Below that is a pick of the 3 other yarn colors.




This one is another scarf in the same pattern as the above but using the Misty Alpaca Chunky.


And this one is Slacker's blanket in progress. I'm using just four colors and I'm planning on 3 repeats of those colors (though the size is off from the pattern, which will require me buying 4 more skeins of yarn). I'm thinking the middle repeat will have more rows of the pattern, maybe 8 or 10 depending on how much yarn I have.


My hands have not been idle.

Amidst all the above, I've done a little bit of socializing and relaxing, but nothing exceptional.

Oh, I am changing jobs, too.  I asked to transition from my position as the Director of the Project Management Office to a newly created position of Sr. Systems Analyst.  I decided I didn't want to keep doing the project management stuff.  I'm hoping the new position will give me a chance to get back to doing some more technical things. We'll see how that pans our over time.  I'll be in the programming/dba group and my main focus is to be the go-between between our functional users and our technical team.

So, there's my update.  I can only hope this will satisfy my impatient readers.

Ciao!

Cook with YOUR Heart!

I was very disappointed with the outcome of Top Chef this week. First of all, the arrogance of Stefan and Hosea thinking that they only competition they had was each other -- regardless of Carla's later poor decisions -- was stomach churning. Guys get over yourselves. All you proved is what we all already know -- you have to have faith and confidence in yourself.

This is where Carla lost it. Here we have a gifted and talented woman chef who doesn't want to ruin someone in the process of achieving victory. A woman who cooks lovely and, from her progress in the show, yummy food. Who's confidence in herself progressed from the beginning all the way until the very last episode. Her she loses it and takes advice from her sous chef -- a previous LOSER -- on what to cook. Carla, honey, cook your OWN food your OWN way with your OWN heart!

But I suppose I should be relieved it was Hosea who won and not Stefan. Stefan's disrespectful brand of arrogance brings out the worst in me.

But now we have American Idol, so my reality show compulsion has a new line of focus. I do have to say that some of the 36 have been sounding pretty darn bad. I feel for them and the stress. But I had to cringe at a few of the performances. I do look forward to getting the final 12 decided.

Until next time!

In the Snarfffable T.V. News...

Every once in a while a t.v. commercial comes along that just makes me giggle, say to friends, "hey, did you catch that commercial for...", and has me hitting the back button when skipping through a Tivo recording. It has been quite a while since I've seen such a commercial, but it's here. It seems that this particular one first aired during the Superbowl... I must have been chatting with the girls when it aired cause I'm sure I would have remembered it...



"Mmmm, mushy mush..." Where's my melon baller? Go Hulu.

On another t.v. related note, I'm in reality t.v. overload. A.I. has been going along just dandy. Today they selected the 36 contestants who will start the public voting part of the competition. I think it's a good group of interesting and talented performers. We've got the crazy ones (split personalities, drama queens) and the heart wrenchers, the ones you love to hate and the ones you just love cause they are just so freakin' cute... I'm so ready to vote! But why is it that the one truly irritating and annoying one comes from SF? Well, she may be a weirdo, but she does have a great voice, so I say, bring it Tatianna!

Then there's Top Chef. Down to the final 4 tonight and I'm happy to say my favs made it... Karla, the lovely, long, lean Southern lady who reminds me of an graceful crane and who makes beautiful and simple food and Stefan, who I don't really like cause he's just an arrogant ass, but whose food looks very good, very tasty and creative and I wouldn't mind chowin' down on some of those little bites. Meh to the other two. They don't impress me much. But during the show Fabio did totally make me laugh when, after messing up his finger and being asked if he wants to go to the hospital says, "Hospital? I'll chop it off and sear it on the flat top so it doesn't bleed any more and tomorrow I'll deal with nine fingers." No wimpiness there... but I will say with complete certainty that if he was racing through the kitchen, slipped and dislocated his elbow he wouldn't be saying the same thing... :-)

A Chill 4th

I had a pretty nice and chill 4th of July this year. While the usual suspects were enjoying the great outdoors up at Lake Siskiyou, I stayed in the city just in case anything happened during our data/voice cutover. Nothing happened - went smooth as can be, I'm relieved to say (good job, team!), and I didn't have to put my feet on campus once over the weekend (at least as of now).

And for your viewing pleasure, John at the Lake Siskiyou camp ground in 2005 -- just a taste of what I missed out on this year...


Suie sure has a charmer in that John... :-)

On the 4th, Mojo, K and I went to the Park Chalet for a mid-afternoon meal with fun conversation and cocktails. I hadn't seen K in a long time and the three of us had some fun chats -- like, what would you be willing to change if you were in a relationship? Yikes. I won't go there again and the replies are safe with me, for now. We then went to see Hancock, which was fun, until the end, which was a bit too much. We ended the day at K's loft in the C of O. Mark Z came over and the 4 of us went to Jack London Square to watch the fireworks -- sweet -- and then spent the next 3.5 hours playing word games. That was actually a lot of fun. Mark Z has the vocab down -- seriously.

Today I spent with the Slacker just chillin before heading over to G's place for dinner.

All in all, a nice weekend so far.

Oh, and I was introduced to The Wire by the Slacker and now want to watch the whole first season back to back. Sigh. The tiny obsessive bit of nature rearing its ugly head.

Turkey Day Cometh

Home Entertainment Update: On Sunday I managed to set up my new TV. It was an adventure. Sure enough, Andreas was able and willing to help me get the TV into the house -- which he carried in himself. Getting the old TV out was another task not so easily accomplished. First, the old thing weights a lot! Even with the two of us it was hard to get out to the car. Then, of course, we couldn't fit it into the Germans new-used -- heh -- bright green, window-tinted Cavalier (ewwww). We were, luckily, able to get it into the front set of my car, so now the Germans have a nice TV for their use while here. But we are not getting any younger, that's for sure. Andreas pulled a muscle in his neck and my back is just starting to relax days later. Ah, well, such is life.

My new TV looks beautiful. I was worried about the TV picture, but it's okay. Movies look really good and, of course, the computer connection is awesome.

Turkey Day Planning: I left work early today so I could get to the store before it got too crazy. Once again I have bought way too much food and spent more money than I should. I just can't help myself. I love entertaining and I'm too lazy to go to a bunch of different stores to get the groceries. Andronico's is great, but it ain't cheap! It is money well spent, though. I got a nice Turkey Breast (I found a recipe on epicurean.com that looks tasty without too much work), fish for Esther, stuffing, potatoes for mashing, 5 bottles of wine, two pies, beans, carrots, cheese, crackers, blah blah blah. It will be a lot of food. Only the Germans will be over for dinner, but my usual crew will show up for dessert. By the end of the evening there will be about 12 of us enjoying each other's company.

On that note, I send out joyful greetings and wish all of you who read my blog a Happy Thanksgiving and I send much affection.

New TV

My slacker brother finally decided to buy a bigger flat screen t.v. so I have opted to buy his old one from him. It's "37. Nothing fancy -- no high-end Sony or Phillips, but it should be cool. I'm really hoping to get my mac mini hooked up to it and perhaps even hook my laptop up to it so I can play WoW on a bigger screen. If it looks good, that could totally addictive. I'm not quite sure yet how I'll get it out of my car and into my apartment, though. It's heavier then I thought it would be. I'll find someone to help, but still, I really want to get it hooked up TODAY! Know what I'm sayin'? It's that need for instant gratification. Maybe if the Germans are home when I drive back to the city I can convince Andreas to come by and help me.