Happy Easter!!

I won a contest!!

From the Jersey Represent forum on Ravelry, I "met" and entered in Yarny girl's blog contest.  She had gotten 2 copies of the book, The Knitting Diaries for her birthday.  I guess the original winner had never contacted her with mailing info ( seriously - the last time I had a contest on my blog, the winner never responded- why enter a contest if you aren't going to respond if you win??)  I was the alternate winner.  I was expecting just the book- but she surprised me with these cute stitchmarkers as well!  You can check out her blog - it's on the left side on my bloglist.  or her etsy shop at www.yarnygirl.etsy.com

Thursday Thunks is list form

Thursday Thunks is list form

Welcome to the April 21st edition of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want.

Write about it on your blog... simple as that.

Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!

Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post.

Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs.

Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks responses!

That's what all this is about after all, isn't it?

We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....

The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of green grass and the number 576

*We will now be publishing updates for Thursday Thunks on Facebook via the InsanityCafe fanpage. Please "like" us there to get your TT reminder!

This week is an easy one.... or possibly not so easy.

1. Describe yourself, in sentences, using the main word of the sentence with the letters in the word: VANITY

 

I am Very Addicted to NASCAR especially If it becomes necessary To Yell at the tv.

ok, no more sentences from now on.

2. List things you own using the letters in the word: POSSESSION

 

Pie birds

Orange throw blankets(Tony's old car on them)

Saturn 

Sock Yarn

Egyptian cotton sheets

Sketchers (my fav sneakers)

Sexy lingerie

Igloo cooler

Oven mitts

Nail polish          

3. List food items that you absolutely will not eat using the letters in the word: DISGUSTING

Deviled eggs

Intestines ( chitlins)

Sugar substitutes

Green drinks (blue either) (alcohol doesn't count)

Unwashed produce

Sunflower seeds (that's birdseed people)

Tasteless bland food

Icees (slurpy like drinks in weird non-food colors)

Non-refrigerated milk boxes (in the juice box aisle)

Gefilte fish (did I spell that right?)       

4. List things you do online using the letters in the word: USB CABLE

 

Use e-readers

Search for knitting patterns

Buy too much stuff on-line

 

Chat with my friends

Attend meetings

Banking/Bill paying

Listen to music

E-mail       

Have a great day. Or not. See you next Thursday.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”

Click here for info and background on this weekly event!

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week’s theme is: Shadow

Black cats, amber eyes

will stare into the shadows

What do they see there?

 

MY LIBRARY HAS A NEW PROGRAM

When I was on the library's website putting in a request for a book, I discovered a program.  READER'S CHOICE.  You can sign up for up to 12 of your favorite authors.  When the library orders and receives a new hardcover book by one of your authors, a hold is put on the book for you.  I hadn't been reading much (well not much living author) so I actually had no idea who a large number of the authors were.  And there were categories of books I just wasn't interested in reading.  I think I signed up for 3 authors.  And then promptly forgot about it.

Saturday I got an e-mail from the library that one of my holds was available.  I took 2 books off of hold recently (Laced with Magic and the book after, which I borrowed from my friend Grace)  but I stopped at the library anyway.  The book on hold is Chasing Fire, by Nora Roberts.  So now I have to finish Laced with Magic, so I can start on this book.  I'm hoping Grace doesn't mind if her other book gets postponed for a short bit.

To be honest I guessed on 3 of the questions

There Are 0 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: No Gaps! Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy Religion Economics Literature History Science Art

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

       

Thurnesday Thunks high on helium

Thurnesday Thunks high on helium

Welcome to the April 14th edition of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want.

Write about it on your blog... simple as that.

Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!

Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post.

Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs.

Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks responses!

That's what all this is about after all, isn't it?

We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....

The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of red gummie bears and the number 1 because ... I don't know, because I'm not that creative today...

*We will now be publishing updates for Thursday Thunks on Facebook via the InsanityCafe fanpage. Please "like" us there to get your TT reminder!

1. Does anyone ever wonder: who would go to my funeral if i die?I want a big party for my friends when I die.  Like an Irish wake only for my funeral.  And face it .. put Smithwicks on tap and people will show up.

2. Sometimes people just make you scrunch up your nose and give that "WTF?" look. Who was the last person you gave that look to?Today!! At work!!  A little old Italian man stuck one finger into a bag of cow manure and smelled it.  He used a different finger to poke a hole in another bag and smelled that.  Then he stuck a third finger into yet another bag and smelled that.  He then went back and forth between his fingers before deciding on the first bag!!! 

3. A friend recently told you that she tricked her boyfriend into getting her pregnant. You are also very close friends with him, should you say something or keep it to yourself? I have 2 primary friends, in real life,  who are women.  Most of my female friends are actually the S.O.  of my male friends.  So in  a scenario like that, my loyalties would definitely belong to the male.  I am also very much against "tricking" a guy into getting you pregnant.  I find that repugnant, unethical, sleezy etc. So even if that were not the case I wouldn't be friends with said person anymore and would still lean toward the guy.

4. Do you get light headed after sucking the helium from a balloon?Never tried.  Seemed stoopid.

5. What is the last website you look at each day?Ravelry

6. Since this is a Thursday meme, but we post it on Wednesday, shouldn't this be called Thurnesday Thunks?Actually it was posted on Tuesday this week, I had to look for it in my reader.

7. So some school in Chicago is banning kids from eating bag lunches from home, forcing them to eat school lunches. Hey, I ain't making this crap up, seems the governement doesn't trust parents to feed their kids. Go see for yourself. Back in the day, did you eat school lunches or did you bag it?They said I was a picky eater.  Actually I just wouldn't eat disgusting crap,  I saw the lunches my daughter's school made over the years and all I have to say is They've come a long way.  So yes, I brought my own.

8. You can say you don't watch the news until you are blue in the face, but everyone has some news story that caught their attention and they followed stories on. Murders, kidnappings, dirty politics, stupid celebrities..... whatever. Which one caught your attention (even if you didn't want it to)?The earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan. ( my mom's family lives in Japan)

9. What condiment is always in your fridge?I may run out of actual food in my fridge because I sometimes don't feel like shopping.  Condiments I never run out of.  4 different hot sauces, miracle whip, grey poupon country mustard, heinz ketchup, sweet relish, 6 (yes really) steak sauces, soy sauce,

10. You can hug it, pet it and squeeze it and if you really want to you can name it George. What mythical creature would you have as a pet?  A gryphon!!

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Written By: Jenn - Apr• 13•11

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”

Click here for info and background on this weekly event!

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week’s theme is: Attention

Don't have attention

They say I must pay, I can't

I have none to give.

 

They think I don't try,

My brain is a pin ball in

an arcade machine.

Hard to talk to me,

Can't talk as fast as I think

Friends learn to adjust.

My mom says "Focus!"

Granddad says "Ants in her pants!"

"Sit! Pay Attention!"

 

Now is not so bad.

I can juggle lots at work.

Rarely drop a ball.

Must pay attention?

I've gotten along just fine.

Only life I know.

 

Project Me- 8

It's been awhile since I posted a Project Me update.

The biggest thing I've done is realize that Wii Fit and a ton of workout/fitness/yoga fitness videos aren't going to help me on the shelf.  There are just too many distractions at home.  So I joined World Gym.  I looked at several gyms.  Planet Fitness was the least expensive, but I'm kind of right smack in between two of them, and (yeah I thought about how high gas was going to get this summer) I realized that I might start making excuses based on , it's rush hour there's traffic and when I'm done it'll be rush hour and there will be traffic, and I don't feel like driving 5 miles. I ruled out the several good gyms near work because if I worked out after work, it would be the start of rush hour and I hate traffic.  And realistically I'm not driving 28 miles each way on the weekend. Then I can get a discount at LA Fitness, but once again traffic and turning around - it's on the wrong side of the highway.

So the realization came that I needed to just look at gyms close to home.  I ruled out shapes & curves because they aren't my style.  So that left Fitness Factory and World Gym.  Both are within a mile from my house ( they are about a block away from each other)  Fitness Factory seemed to be more the muscle head kind of place (granted it could be when I went- but that's when I'd be going)  and it had a funky smell. (very smell sensitive)  World gym had everyone from a really old man who put his cane down to walk on the treadmill, a couple pregnant women, several people significantly heavier than me, the usual really perky skinny women, two female bodybuilders (not headed there)  and male bodybuilders.  It also didnt smell bad, was really open and bright if a bit warm.  They have a bunch of classes that eventually I may try.  

I signed Curt up with me ( yes, I asked him first)  because event though he looks fitter, he's not. He's been going 3 times a week.  I've been going 5-6 times a week (ok it's only been 3 weeks)  I started out week 1 with 30 minutes plus 5 minutes cool down on the elliptical machine, alternating between the cardio and fat burning programs.  Week 2, I went to 40 minutes on the fat burning day and added a random day into the cycle.  Week 3, I made all three days 40 minutes and added regular and side crunches.  This week, we are adding an ab machine that uses weight that you twist on ( will get name later) and the back  machine.  Also starting tomorrow, every other day instead of the elliptical , is going to be the cardio weight circuit.

I am seeing most of my doctors today (one had a personal emergency and since I do not really care to see his partner is postponed until June) So I will let you know if I lost any weight.  Not really sure since I'm definitely not dieting!

 

Super Hero Coasters

These coasters were created as an answer to another NerdWars challenge.  It was based on an Anglo-Saxon Poem/Riddle whose answer is a shield.  And coasters shield a table right?  As always to get some bonus points for my team I used The Big Bang Theory for inspiration.

 I made the background coasters by crocheting using Full O'Sheep - one of Debbie Stollers yarns and then fulled and blocked them back to circular.  I made Wonder Woman, Batman, the Flash and Green Lantern. (sorry Raj - just don't know what to make for Aquaman) I have the background done for Superman but haven't done the needle felting.  After the fulling I used roving to needle felt the logo.  Except for Batman- I thought I had black roving but didn't.  I tried to deconstruct the black yarn but it didn;t work out to well.  SO I used a thin piece of felt.  It did stick into the coaster after the needle felting but didn;t really integrate as well.

Calendar events are scary when they are new colors

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Calendar events are scary when they are new colors

Welcome to the April 8th edition of Thursday Thunks!

(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)

Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!

We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want.

Write about it on your blog... simple as that.

Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!

Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post.

Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs.

Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks responses!

That's what all this is about after all, isn't it?

We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....

The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of my dad's shirt and the number 77, which is how old my dad is today....

*We will now be publishing updates for Thursday Thunks on Facebook via the InsanityCafe fanpage. Please "like" us there to get your TT reminder!

Sorry it's late this week. No excuses. Just forgot what day it was.

1. How long can you hold your breath? Don't tell me you don't know... try it.Don't hold your breath

2. Have you been watching the Decorah Eagles?If only they would start pecking out the eyes of stoopid people I might,  but no.

3. Ever fallen off a horse?More like got thrown, repeatedly.  During high school and college, one of my jobs was helping saddle break horses, and also exercising horses.

4. Pick a color and a number and come up with a combination name for the new color.Read the next answer.  I had 6 vials of blood removed today,  I do not have enough left to fuel my brain on a question like this.

5. Write a paragraph about 10 minutes of your morning, writing it in the 3rd person.So the poor woman, who made an appointment btw, waited to be taken - after drinking the 50 oz of water she was told to drink between 4am and 8am so it would be easier to pull her blood.  She really, really had to pee, but was afraid to because she knew she needed to pee in the cup and didn't want to have to wait to make more.  FINALLY her name was called.  SHe grabbed the cup, tossed the paperwork and her insurance card at the vampire on duty, and ran into the ladies room. 

When she returned, the laughing vampire brought her into the torture room.  She averted her eyes while the vampire tried in vain to find her veins in her elbows, she got another vampire who was also unsuccessful.  They checked her hand- but since the poor woman had a history of veins closing decided they couldn't get all the vials filled that way- especially since the woman had told her tormentors that they had one shot only to get their blood.  There was a brief discussion of the feet - at which point the woman told them exactly where her size 9's would end up if they even thought of trying that.  So they used the vein in the middle of her forearm, and it hurt a lot.  It took an hour for her fingers to stop feeling tingly. 

6. What events have you marked on your calendar for this summer already?Angie moving home from school, 2 NASCAR races, 3 ARCA races, a Grand Am race, a truck race, 2 demolition derbies, and a football beefsteak fundraiser. 

7. If you could have any realistic talent, what would it be?I wish I could carry a tune.

8. What is the scariest place you've ever visited?I had to measure this guys townhouse for a carpet install.  It was a really ritzy complex- units started at $800K.  He seemed like a pleasant older man.  He had a sex dungeon.  He had all kinds of ... stuff.  He wanted to be sure the carpet he chose was easy to clean and very stain resistant.

9. If you were a cat, what already-made flavor of cat food (no chocolate flavors!) would you want to eat?I know they make seafood- do they make Lobster - in fancy feast or something?  otherwise Salmon.

10. What were you doing the Friday 2 weeks ago in the afternoon?

Having lunch with my friend Grace, Knitting in Public!

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”

Click here for info and background on this weekly event!

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week’s theme is: Growth

 

Allow to stagnate

Will wither away and die

A pool of boredom.

 

Not too old to learn

Challenge your mind every day

Do not fear new things.

 

Books bring new ideas,

Crafts and hobbies bring new skills,

People bring new friends.

 

On the fitness front,

I aim for negative growth

Much too much of me! 

Something to aspire to – 2KCBWDAY6Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant? Is there a skill or project that makes your mind boggle at the sheer time, dedication and mastery of the craft? Maybe the skill or pattern is one that you don’t even personally want to make but can stand back and admire those that do. Maybe it is something you think you will never be bothered to actually make bu can admire the result of those that have.

At this point in my knitting, I think I have tried most projects.  I knit for enjoyment.  I refuse to knit something that I don't enjoy, regardless of the finished item.  I have finally mastered hats LOL, socks, shawls, beading, 'ghans, blankets, etc.

The one skill I need to work on is seaming.  I really suck at seaming.  And since iI suck, I hate it.  I am currently working on a sweater, which will require seaming.  So stay tuned.


Two skills I admire very much, but have absolutely no desire to try much less master are spinning and dyeing.  I do love knitting with handspun, hand dyed yarn, so I am very glad the spinners and dyers exist.   

The A to Z of Me

Age –44+
Bed size – king platform with drawers underneath
Chore you hate –taking out the garbage - I seriously won't do it - Curt does.
Dogs –YES!!
Essential start of your day –coffee
Favorite color – deep dark red.
Gold or silver –silver
Height –5"6 1/2"
Instruments I play (or have played) – violin and piano
Job title – Garden Recovery Team Leader (yeah BS really)
Kids –the Angie!
Live – for today, who knows about tomorrow!
Mom’s name –Toyoko
Nickname – so many!  Ria, Kiko, Flipper, Flip, goddess are the most popular
Overnight hospital stays –too many!  (and I usually need to be sedated at night because I freak out.)
Pet peeve –stoopid people (not the truly mentally challenged)
Quote from a movie – My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
Right or left-handed – right - my left arm - steers when I shift, carries my coffee mug and prevents my shirts from hanging funny that's it.
Siblings –One brother, really close - John, one sister, possible an alien Anna
Time you wake up –when working 230am, when off 5-530 am.
Underwear –matches my clothes, the kind that remind me I'm a girl
Vegetable you dislike – bitter melon - blech
What makes you run late –sometimes I lose track of time in the shower, other times I get out of the shower and discover Curt didn't wash the coffee pot.
X-rays you have had done –knees- at least 10 times, elbow, shoulder, head (too many times & CAT and MRI'd - they keep looking for my brain) ribs (several times) right hand at least twice, left foot, collar bone right side, tail bone.
Yummy food you make –you don't get a figure like mine cooking yucky food!
Zoo animal –I don't think I would like to live in a cage.  But if I had to, I guess I would want to live with the tigers.

~*~

Depending on your mood, you can either thank of blame Beth for this meme.  Quilly stole it from her and I stole it from Quilly!

Where are they now? – 2KCBWDAY4
Whatever happened to your __________?
Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.


So to answer this prompt I decided to go way, way back.  8 or 9 years back.  To when I was just learning to knit.  I hadn't discovered LYS's yet, I bought all my tools and yarn at AC Moore or Michaels, occasionally JoAnns or Rag Shop.  I learned using Debbie Stoellers Stitch and Bitch and magazines (knit mags have tutorials in the back usually) I bought a circular needle and some yarn.  i was going to make a hat.  At this point I had made 3 , maybe 4 projects, so I wasn't going to use a pattern.(ha!)  I didn't have Double Pointed Needles so I ended up using a very awkward almost magic loop to get started.  I increased until it looked hat shaped.  At least flat and folded in half it looked hat shaped.  When put on a human head it was so beyond wonky it wasn't funny.  I also had no clue how to close the top off.  i put it on my Wile E Coyote doll (He's 6ft tall and hangs out in the dining room) to take a picture- and low and behold while it wasn't human head shaped - it was perfect on a cartoon coyote!!  So it's been on his head ever since.