Playing catch up

So the past week or so were days of tinking back on my one Clessidra sock. There are times when you beat yourself up mentally because you just kept on knitting rather than reading the instructions before knitting. Which, of course, is not a smart thing to do. When I realized that I knitted up quite a lot (Instead of knitting 5 rows, I knitted 11--several times), I gave up and put Clessidra away for a bit. Very frustrated. So, essentially, it took me a little over a week to go back to where I should have started knitting the smaller sections. So now I feel better about it. Now I am where I should be, and I am actually reading the instructions...

As far as other things going on in my life: my birthday was awesome--I got a new cell phone (much needed, as my previous one had to be at least 4 years old--though I'm going to miss the smiley face covers I had on the phone), a new trollbead (Trollstone), and some fun gifts from Adam. And--my pen pals Caroline, Carolina, and Eileen really surprised me on my birthday with some wonderful gifts--I dont' have pictures at the moment but I will get around to putting them up!

One exciting thing I've been doing these days is learning to ballroom dance. It's a lot harder than you think--good workout too! I love my instructor, Meg, who is full of energy. In addition to the private lessons, there's also a group lesson (I'll try and go tomorrow) and a dance party--so I've actually met some people there. There's David, this twenty-year old boy who is really nice--and he and Adam seem to have hit it off. It sounds as though the two have a movie date or something this coming Saturday. Although I'm new to this, I think I'm going to keep up with the dance lessons if I can. Which means one thing: new SHOES!

Hee-hee.

Seriously though, it is lots of fun, even if one of us (not me, if that is a big enough hint) looks a little bit like a cross between Billy Ray Cyrus and Penn Jillette on Dancing with the Stars. It completely cracks up Meg when this person dances, sometimes.

But man, is it ever fun...

And, Adam's been working on another project--podcasts. I have a few guest appearances. Go check them out at The Aftershow Podcast!

The last year of my 20's

So today is my 29th birthday, and keeping up with that custom:

And, as you can see, I've been making progress on Clessidra. My one sock is shaping up and I keep trying it on to see how much more I've got to knit (quite a bit) but I don't mind. It is an absolutely beautiful knit and is not terribly difficult to make. I'm looking forward to fall, so I can wear this with my skirts...

And sometime in May, my SnB group had a seat cushion swap. My recipient was Sam, and this time of May was incredibly hectic with finals, Mother's Day, a training meeting, and a Trollbeads trunk show, but somehow I managed to knit up a cushion, felt it, put some applique and embroidery on it. The seat cushion was supposed to be 15"x15" but as you can see, it felted down to the right height but the wrong width. Oh well. But I still like it.

Quick update

As I am supposed to be working a street fair tomorrow, starting early in the morning, this isn't going to be a terribly long post, but I just wanted to share a couple quick things.

This past Sunday, my parents and I watched my brother's graduation ceremony at the Ohio State Football Stadium. This, by itself actually isn't bad. But imagine 94 degree weather in humidity, clear, cloudless day...and UGH! This was awful! I was sticking to my clothes, hot, miserable, in a stadium full of thousands of people. It was like playing "Where's Waldo?" only searching for my brother in the crowd.

It was kind of like:

Mom: Do you see him? Take a picture of him!

Me: Where?

Mom: He's the one with an orange cup!

Me: Where?! (pointing camera at random parts of the graduating class and pressing the shutter button)

Mom: Under Number 26!

Me: Do you see him?

Mom: (listening to my brother on my cell phone) No, but he says he's under Number 26!

So, essentially, I aimed my camera at the crowd and took pictures. We did find him later, but still! Everyone looks the same! No wonder people decorate their mortarboards! (I don't see the orange cup, do you?)

And my sock knitting project is coming along. I can't wait for Clessidra to be done, though. Though it's too hot to wear at the moment, I want to be done with it, so I can pad around the house in a gorgeous pair of socks before I sleep.

For Doc Whiz

I planned to write other things, such as knitterly things or about my brother's graduation, but this is the first thing I've been thinking of at the moment. I will write more about those and other things a little later.

This is for Doc Whiz (not his real name). He passed away last week, at the age of 60. This is quite unexpected (by everyone). He was also supposed to be one of the professors sitting on my comprehensive exams committee, so as of now, I am not quite sure what is going to happen, or who will give me my questions in the special education minor. The other part that is making me a little sadder is that he is--was--absolutely hilarious, strange, and very intelligent and creative, as evidenced by one of his websites: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/DOCWHIZ/docwhiz.html
(Check out his pictures throughout his posts and website)

Knowing someone relatively young, who has passed away, is something that makes you think a little more, and hope that you can accomplish as much as he does, or to bring as much knowledge to the world as he did--well, one can only hope to be like that--to live with the great energy, enthusiasm, and humor as he did.

So Doc Whiz, here's to you. I raise a cup of non-Starbucks, locally brewed cup of joe (from Susan's) to you.