Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Susie (Cup)Cakes
This bakery's name is awfully close to my lovingly crafted alter-ego, but I shall not proceed with a lawsuit, because anyone who makes banana pudding is a force for good. Lack of banana pudding is one of the major flaws with New England.
In other news, I've been doing this "Couch Potato to 5K" program using some awesome podcasts. No matter how awesome they are, though, the fact remains: running is involved. Some notes from the last three weeks:
1. Running hurts the shins, thighs, hips, heart, and soul. It is not unlike my terrible cat, Sparky.
2. Using the treadmill at a gym where the average age of the people around you is 19 can be demoralizing. They are happily lifting one another over their heads with one hand, wearing short shorts and casually doing splits and it can make a 29yo librarian feel a little, um, OLD AND FAT.
3. Sunday's easy-breezy run is Tuesday's painful slog. What will happen on Thursday??? My money's on sloggy-breezy.
4. The gym is continually tuned into VH1, which is constantly showing one of the following:
a. 8 Mile
b. Dr. Drew's House of Pain (this may not be the correct name. It is the correct feeling.)
c. Rock of Love, the world's most appalling show, starring hair-challenged Bret Michaels. Dance offs and lingerie figure prominently. I think it's fabulous, in a fin-de-monde sort of way.
5. I'm seriously kind of into these podcasts. The music is very dance club (a la the Saloon in Minneapolis, my go-to gay dance club, 1997-1999) and the guy's voice is encouraging but not fakey.
Keep me in your thoughts. I'll be the one panting in the corner.
In other news, I've been doing this "Couch Potato to 5K" program using some awesome podcasts. No matter how awesome they are, though, the fact remains: running is involved. Some notes from the last three weeks:
1. Running hurts the shins, thighs, hips, heart, and soul. It is not unlike my terrible cat, Sparky.
2. Using the treadmill at a gym where the average age of the people around you is 19 can be demoralizing. They are happily lifting one another over their heads with one hand, wearing short shorts and casually doing splits and it can make a 29yo librarian feel a little, um, OLD AND FAT.
3. Sunday's easy-breezy run is Tuesday's painful slog. What will happen on Thursday??? My money's on sloggy-breezy.
4. The gym is continually tuned into VH1, which is constantly showing one of the following:
a. 8 Mile
b. Dr. Drew's House of Pain (this may not be the correct name. It is the correct feeling.)
c. Rock of Love, the world's most appalling show, starring hair-challenged Bret Michaels. Dance offs and lingerie figure prominently. I think it's fabulous, in a fin-de-monde sort of way.
5. I'm seriously kind of into these podcasts. The music is very dance club (a la the Saloon in Minneapolis, my go-to gay dance club, 1997-1999) and the guy's voice is encouraging but not fakey.
Keep me in your thoughts. I'll be the one panting in the corner.
Labels: banana pudding, exercise
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hump day
First: can you believe the news about Heath Ledger? I actually gasped in the car listening to NPR last night. It sounds like maybe it was just a really tragic accident. So sad. I guess we'll always have Brokeback. Also, apparently, a really terrifying depiction of the Joker in next year's Batman movie.
Second: What do you think of the term "time consumptive"? I've heard this used twice in the past few weeks: once at a conference and once on a conference call. In both cases, it was used where one might say "time consuming." Time consumptive reminds me of Nicole Kidman coughing blood at the end of Moulin Rouge, which in turn reminds me of Ewan McGregor. Yay! Except for the consumption disease part. Anyway, I haven't found a reference to "time consumptive" in dictionaries or grammar guides, so I would guess it's only been used recently. Have you spotted this term? Seems to me people just love to throw on suffixes when they can: problematize, methodology, fabulosity. 'Tis moronosity!
To the task at hand: here is another pair of socks I've been working on:
These are made with the intriguing new Noro Kureyon sock yarn, which the Beckers gave me for Christmas. It's totally cool single ply yarn that goes thick and thin, and constantly varies its color. Here's a closeup of the heel where you can see the yarn's variations.
The pattern is just a standard issue sock with a faux cable every six stitches. Faux cables are super easy: just knit as though you were going to knit 2 together, but instead of dropping the stitches off your righthand needle, knit into the first stitch, then take them off the right needle. It really does look like a cable.
Well, I don't want to be too time consumptive, so ta ta!
Second: What do you think of the term "time consumptive"? I've heard this used twice in the past few weeks: once at a conference and once on a conference call. In both cases, it was used where one might say "time consuming." Time consumptive reminds me of Nicole Kidman coughing blood at the end of Moulin Rouge, which in turn reminds me of Ewan McGregor. Yay! Except for the consumption disease part. Anyway, I haven't found a reference to "time consumptive" in dictionaries or grammar guides, so I would guess it's only been used recently. Have you spotted this term? Seems to me people just love to throw on suffixes when they can: problematize, methodology, fabulosity. 'Tis moronosity!
To the task at hand: here is another pair of socks I've been working on:
These are made with the intriguing new Noro Kureyon sock yarn, which the Beckers gave me for Christmas. It's totally cool single ply yarn that goes thick and thin, and constantly varies its color. Here's a closeup of the heel where you can see the yarn's variations.
The pattern is just a standard issue sock with a faux cable every six stitches. Faux cables are super easy: just knit as though you were going to knit 2 together, but instead of dropping the stitches off your righthand needle, knit into the first stitch, then take them off the right needle. It really does look like a cable.Well, I don't want to be too time consumptive, so ta ta!
Labels: diseases, movies, socks
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Monkey monkey
The first of several pairs of socks-in-progress I'll be revealing (exciting!) over the next week. These are Monkey Socks in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Peacock. I added an extra pattern repeat to the leg, but otherwise they were knitted as written.
Love the colorway. These are for my ma.
This past weekend Mr. C and I had a very nice visit from my college roommate Emily and our friend Noah (who was also my roommate for a summer, come to think), both from New York. We mostly just hung out, watched reruns of ANTM on MTV and Babysitters Club videos (I could explain, but I choose not to.). I love old friends and falling into the exact same patterns comfortable laziness that were enjoyed ten years earlier.
Also I learned that Sparky is a little minx who loves boys.
Awww, suddenly she's so nice! No wonder she was an unwed teenage mother when we met her.
Speaking of unwed teenage mothers, have you seen Juno? It's fantastic. It's so nice to see a movie with a young teen/woman who has a personality (not just "friendly"), and is interested in things IN ADDITION to boys. Also, the Minnesota license plates really warmed my heart.
Love the colorway. These are for my ma.
This past weekend Mr. C and I had a very nice visit from my college roommate Emily and our friend Noah (who was also my roommate for a summer, come to think), both from New York. We mostly just hung out, watched reruns of ANTM on MTV and Babysitters Club videos (I could explain, but I choose not to.). I love old friends and falling into the exact same patterns comfortable laziness that were enjoyed ten years earlier.
Also I learned that Sparky is a little minx who loves boys.
Awww, suddenly she's so nice! No wonder she was an unwed teenage mother when we met her.Speaking of unwed teenage mothers, have you seen Juno? It's fantastic. It's so nice to see a movie with a young teen/woman who has a personality (not just "friendly"), and is interested in things IN ADDITION to boys. Also, the Minnesota license plates really warmed my heart.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Hidden millions in your pants
I just got back yesterday from southern California, a quick trip for a great conference. I like having a hotel room to myself (no offense to awesome roomies, such as Mr. Cupcakes) just because you can lie around and watch Law & Order and get room service and generally feel fabulous. I guess except for room service, life at home is not so different. I just really love ordering things and having them show up in your room. Perhaps I should train the cats.
In addition to my general sloth, I enjoyed getting to know the Claremont corner of southern California. Seeing things like this
on January 11 is nothing short of miraculous. Even North Carolina doesn't work that kind of magic.
On my free afternoon, I got in my super-hot rental car (well, a Kia Optima with a scrape on the side) and took some new friends out for a spin. I experienced the wonders of traveling on LA freeways. There was even a huge tire fire that shut down part of the highway. How authentically hellish! The quintessential Cali experience. After only an hour or three, we made it to Malibu.
Malibu is really pretty, with 1960s-era angular houses tumbling over the rocky cliffs. We drove through some of the little neighborhoods and everyone was, like, roller skating and washing their Lexuses (Lexi?) and generally being highly all-American. I can see why some people put up with tire fires in exchange for gorgeous sunset views and warm weather year-round. After Malibu, we drove up Sunset Boulevard (yes, THAT Sunset Boulevard) and cruised through Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood. I saw the Hollywood sign, the Capital Records building, the Kodak Theatre, the stars on the walk of fame, the original Frederick's of Hollywood, the palm-lined boulevards of Beverly Hills (90210) and people dressed up as Jedis. It was quantitatively awesome. The only way it could have been better is if Britney herself had appeared and perhaps hit my car.
There is always a dark side, though, as all Jedis know. For example, look what I found the the ladies' room of a middle eastern restaurant:
That is appalling. And environmentally unsound. And your eyes do not deceive: a baby has been placed inside a cleaning bucket next to a bidet.
After witnessing this testament to depravity, I came back to my hotel room to discover this:
Hidden millions in your pants? I tried for, like, 3o seconds to figure out what was happening with this caption but I was scarred with images of toilet paper-wrapped babies and cash stuffed pants and had to turn on some Law & Order and unwind. And a little room service really takes the edge off, you know?
In addition to my general sloth, I enjoyed getting to know the Claremont corner of southern California. Seeing things like this
on January 11 is nothing short of miraculous. Even North Carolina doesn't work that kind of magic.On my free afternoon, I got in my super-hot rental car (well, a Kia Optima with a scrape on the side) and took some new friends out for a spin. I experienced the wonders of traveling on LA freeways. There was even a huge tire fire that shut down part of the highway. How authentically hellish! The quintessential Cali experience. After only an hour or three, we made it to Malibu.
Malibu is really pretty, with 1960s-era angular houses tumbling over the rocky cliffs. We drove through some of the little neighborhoods and everyone was, like, roller skating and washing their Lexuses (Lexi?) and generally being highly all-American. I can see why some people put up with tire fires in exchange for gorgeous sunset views and warm weather year-round. After Malibu, we drove up Sunset Boulevard (yes, THAT Sunset Boulevard) and cruised through Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood. I saw the Hollywood sign, the Capital Records building, the Kodak Theatre, the stars on the walk of fame, the original Frederick's of Hollywood, the palm-lined boulevards of Beverly Hills (90210) and people dressed up as Jedis. It was quantitatively awesome. The only way it could have been better is if Britney herself had appeared and perhaps hit my car.There is always a dark side, though, as all Jedis know. For example, look what I found the the ladies' room of a middle eastern restaurant:
That is appalling. And environmentally unsound. And your eyes do not deceive: a baby has been placed inside a cleaning bucket next to a bidet.After witnessing this testament to depravity, I came back to my hotel room to discover this:
Hidden millions in your pants? I tried for, like, 3o seconds to figure out what was happening with this caption but I was scarred with images of toilet paper-wrapped babies and cash stuffed pants and had to turn on some Law & Order and unwind. And a little room service really takes the edge off, you know?Labels: California, creepy, travel
Thursday, January 03, 2008
2008 comes in like a penguin
Happy new year, peeps. 2007 was a little crazy for me (and maybe for some of you too) in ways good and bad and I welcome the new year with some relief. Mr. C and I had a very nice time in the MSP. It snowed constantly and there was nothing better than sitting by the fire, knitting and drinking coffee (AM) and wine (PM).
I also had the chance to produce a flock of penguins, a creation out of the mind of one of my brilliant co-workers. Everyone should make these on any occasion (parties, holidays, funerals, snacktime, etc.) because they are serious crowd pleasers.
This was my first one, so please forgive this penquin's sloppiness. The penguin is an ingenious combination of a large olive given a seam and filled with cream cheese, a smaller olive for a head, a carrot "coin" with a wedge cut out for feet, and the wedge inserted in the face for a nose. The toothpick works as a spine to hold it all together.
Mr. C immediately took the idea and made the world's cutest penquin:
He used a ziplock with the corner cut to neatly apply the cream cheese. (By the by, the cracker is not moldy, but instead a bizarre onion and herb saltine.)
We had a whole herd ready for the holiday (Swedish sausage-making) party. And yes, that is a roasted red pepper scarf. These penguins were beloved by all but eaten by many and then,
There was only one left. Don't worry, he was eaten soon after this picture was taken.
Stay tuned for ACTUAL KNITTING CONTENT!
I also had the chance to produce a flock of penguins, a creation out of the mind of one of my brilliant co-workers. Everyone should make these on any occasion (parties, holidays, funerals, snacktime, etc.) because they are serious crowd pleasers.
This was my first one, so please forgive this penquin's sloppiness. The penguin is an ingenious combination of a large olive given a seam and filled with cream cheese, a smaller olive for a head, a carrot "coin" with a wedge cut out for feet, and the wedge inserted in the face for a nose. The toothpick works as a spine to hold it all together.Mr. C immediately took the idea and made the world's cutest penquin:
He used a ziplock with the corner cut to neatly apply the cream cheese. (By the by, the cracker is not moldy, but instead a bizarre onion and herb saltine.)We had a whole herd ready for the holiday (Swedish sausage-making) party. And yes, that is a roasted red pepper scarf. These penguins were beloved by all but eaten by many and then,There was only one left. Don't worry, he was eaten soon after this picture was taken.Stay tuned for ACTUAL KNITTING CONTENT!
Labels: holidays, penguins, travel
