*looks around to see if anyone is here*

What did I really want to do after finishing and passing comps?
I wanted a month of vacation, where I could sit and chill with my friends and DO NOTHING. (outside of basic necessities and whatever I wanted to do).

well, as we know, we can't have everything we want.
After the last post, I did go off to Camp Wanna Knit Knit (our 5th camp!!), which was awesome. I seem to remember CWKK lasting longer though. We were at a great house in Breckenridge, and Stacey outdid herself organizing everything. ESPECIALLY when you think of all that is going on with her family. So, belated THANK YOU to her.

Anyway. We got tons of goodies in our goody bag this year. Everyone was 'assigned' to get a gift bag party favor for everyone else. I'd show you pics of things, but I'm pretty sure that the ppl who are reading this? have a goodie bag of their own, or have read about them on another blog.

I got to spend time with my Little Red Headed Monster. Who I need to re-nick name b/c he is NOT LITTLE anymore. WAAAAAAHHH!!! He is gigantic. He is TALL. He is 6 years old. When he sits on my lap, his feet touch my feet. I can't really pick him up anymore (not without injuring myself). And I came to the shocking realization that his younger brother (who was born right before I moved to Boston) is now the same age as Liam WHEN I MOVED. That makes me sad.

A good friend of mine who now lives in DC also happened to be out in Denver at the same time, so it was great to spend time with him and other old co-workers as well. (that part is more for my diary - b/c I know it's not all that interesting to you).

Then, I came back to Boston and hustled to get stuff ready for my annual geek fest (aka the American Psychological Association annual conference/convention) which was in Toronto Canada this year. I was pretty relaxed this time, with no set schedule EXCEPT for my own presentation. I was nervous b/c I HATE public speaking. I got some good tips (speak slowly. when you are speaking so slowly that you think you sound like you're speaking TOO slowly, you're speaking at JUST THE RIGHT pace). I was comforted in the fact that it was scheduled for Saturday at 8am, so I figured there wouldn't be anyone there except my classmates. Well, it had pretty good attendance for a session at 8am! And I got good feedback from the symposium chair.

When I got back to Boston (it's only a 2.5 hr flight to Toronto!), I had to wrap up some loose ends for research. Then, I went to MI to see the family. I was excited to see my niece, b/c I hadn't seen her since she was 5 weeks old! She's 10 months old now, and much more interactive. I finally finished up the Debbie Bliss cabled hoodie, and just in time! it fits her perfectly.


lookit the buttons!

aren't I cute?

You wanna piece of me?

in da' hoodie!

I got to spend lots of time with her!

I'm back in Boston and thankfully it has cooled off. I gotta crack down and prep for the class I'm teaching this year to undergrads, and establish some sort of schedule to work on my dissertation. UGH!!

EZ? Yes. Intuitive? No.

I've finally knit my first Elizabeth Zimmerman garment. The baby surplice jacket is a cute variation on the ever popular baby surprise jacket... but since I had the pattern for the surplice, surplice it was.

At first, I thought maybe I am crazy or tetched in the head. I am NOT loving the pattern. I kept going, thinking, everyone else has made one of these, I can do it too. Plus, I excused EZ from any wrongdoing, since the pattern was dug up from her archives or something and re-written by someone at Vogue. I have to say that it took some faith to continue knitting past the increases, b/c I could not figure out the construction of this thing. No idea. No clue. Just... a leap of faith.

OH! OH LOOK! it says I just need to seam now? (but it seems like I'm in the middle of the garment? what?

I've only knit a few rows (maybe 5-6) since the last time I took pictures but I'm done! And amazed at the simplicity and genius of the design. Wanna see?



I love it. Can't wait to gift it. I'm knitting crumpets, plan on at least one pair of booties, and maybe I'll crochet a small car blanket. We'll see.

technophobic... ??

It's not that I am scared of technology, more that technology hates me. My router/modem kicked MY computer off the network this past weekend, and since my landlady was on vacay, i couldn't reset it until she got back. Very frustrating.

But, I bought this to help keep my space better organized. I was so excited about it, that I was inspired to clean my desk. The home office/desk area is never a very clean place, b/c as mail comes in, school papers, etc etc, they just get piled in the "to be filed at some point" piles.

See?



after many hours (including some hours that were spent re-reading books), I had this:



I would like to have my apt clean and tidy before school starts so I can feel as if I'm starting on the right foot. I ended up with a big bag of trash, and a big box of wastepaper to recycle.

Here are some pics of my trip out to San Fran.

Alcatraz from San Francisco. We took a boat tour too, but stupid me didn't charge my camera. It's a very daunting sight, and thinking about the history of the island makes me feel quite solemn.




The requisite picture of Lombard St. It's a CRAZY street, very whimsical. I walked down the side, and that was bad enough. I shudder to think of how many brake pads are ruined by driving down this steep and windy road.



On Monday, the group went on a winery tour. We stopped at a couple places for touristy things too, one of which was Muir Woods. A beautiful park, where you feel very very small.



Another pic of Muir woods, but with people for size reference.



Onto knitting content.
Here's a pic of the progress on the baby surplice jacket by EZ. I'm almost to the point where maybe I can puzzle out how this pattern works. This project is the one that caused my injury b/c it's knit so tightly.


I really think this yarn was meant to be baby stuffs. What was I thinking?



Here, I need your advice.

What do you think? I had 4 skeins of this shade of cotton ease in my stash. Of course, I didn't look at dyelots BEFORE I dived in. And OF COURSE, the ONE skein I randomly pick, is the ONE skein that's not matching in dyelot. GAH!! Is it horrible? Should I rip it out and scour the internets for a matching skein?

"must. touch. the. mommy."

So much to do... so little time.

I have a long list of 'things to do' some of which are much more pleasurable than others.
First, the list in order of preference

1) Crochet the babette blanket. I was actually pulled into this project from Ravelry, and the version I saw used Cotton Ease instead of the suggested Koigu. KOIGU!! Who's sacrificing 23 skeins of koigu? NOT MOI. I've already started. I finally made it down to Graceful Stitches to hang out with Maryse for a little stitch time. She helped reacquaint me with my crochet self. Here are three different squares I've made thus far.



largest square, with magazine for size reference


These two are squares I started w/o looking at the color chart. I really like them, so they'll probably get stuck in the blanket somewhere or another.

2) Finish Reid. 2 sleeves, seaming, and edging to go.

3) Finish rereading HP books, then read book 7.

4) Catch up on Sookie Stackhouse

5) Catch up on Anita Blake

6) Go see the HP movie again, preferably in IMAX theatre.

7) Get paper written up and poster organized for the APA conference in August.

8) write the final paper for that class... the one I took an 'incomplete' last semester. If I don't finish this paper before the beginning of Fall semester, I won't get paid, I don't get to go to class.


Obviously, some of these 'to do' are more important than others. If you're wondering why reading the HP book isn't further up the list... it's b/c it's the LAST book. Once I've read it... that's it. End of story. And that makes me a little sad.

i need a channeling

b/c i seem to have misplaced my camera to computer cord. Seeing as I finally got my invite to Ravelry, this fact is becoming more and more disturbing to me. I know it's here SOMEWHERE. So, if anyone has any ESP abilities, please ask my Sony Cybershot PSC-200 camera cord where it is hiding (or, alternatively, where *I* carefully stowed it for easy access, hmph).

In other (non knitting) news,... you're all used to that by now, aren't you?
um. right. Took the furkids to the vet yesterday. I LOVE this vet. He's the only one at this clinic/hospital AND he only sees cats. He's in the examining room almost the entire time the cats are in the room, so I always feel like he thoroughly examines them. Oh. the news. (I think I need some ritalin maybe?) I am quite happy to report that Danger is back up to his previous healthy weight between 10-11 lbs. YAY. The IAMS food did the trick. His weight loss was his way of saying "poo poo to the fancy schmancy healthy for me food. Gimme some CARBS!" He takes after his mommy.

Of course, now the OTHER one is el gordo. Cosmo is def. a heavyweight, coming in at 16 lbs. SIXTEEN lbs!! Seems he and i should both sign up for 1800-Jenny Craig. Did I mention that I love the vet I've found? He recommended that I give Cosmo some canned pumpkin every day to help fill him up with some fiber.

In KNITTING news, I'm actively working on three lace projects

1) Reid from Knitty. I need to complete this project by July 29th. I'm gifting it to one of my professors in Denver (for her 1 yr old daughter). I'm done with the back, and right front. Half way done with left front. Two sleeves and seaming to go. Bleh.

2) Madli shawl from IK Summer 2005?. On repeat #28 or 29 of 31.

3) Mystery Stole #3. Just finished clue #1 last night, printed out clue #2 today.

too busy Ravelry-ing to knit.

must find cord.

must.