all decked in lace and leather

I keep promising pictures of FOs, but things keep happening!  You know how I’ve been looking for a new house? I GOT ONE! In the middle of the term. As in, I have two midterms next week and I get to spend this week moving. WTH, world? I also have to pay large sums to get out of my contract…but there was some good news! I thought my contract ended in May, and so I felt a little bad about looking for a place. However, it turns out that the contract is up in March and had I not been looking early we would have been out living in our car. Oops?

Only a brief update. I swear will soon have pictures of my new house (it has a yard! and a yoga studio (old converted garage)! and I got to paint the rooms pretty colours! OMGITSSOAWESOME!) and of my  FOs. I just started a pair of Fetching with some random…Bernat, I think.  I just wanted a small project to work on for stress relief!

Peace Out!

This feels more like your theory than my reality.

I am feeling somewhat optimistic about things, and I am somewhat afraid to even express it because I don’t want it to all come crumbling down! That itself doesn’t sound too optimistic, but it’s really just pragmatic. My life pretends to look supergood and then CRASH!

I managed to pay off almost all of our credit-card debt today, and we are left with a nice, healthy sum between the two of us. YES!

My research project jumped off the ground today, when I went and met with Doris. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, in that mind-numbing way things that will earn you well-deserved recognition (published? Next to the name of THE leading researcher on the subject? Yes, please!) are fun.

I did a huge chunk of Syntax homework tonight which is the night that we received it. That’s virtually unknown. It’s not due until Monday, and I have it75% finished. And I think I’ve understood it. WTF? Am I still me?

Yesterday was not so uplifting. I sort of accidentally looked at the wrong week on my schedule and may have accidentally arrived at work an hour early. I thought I was working from 1-8:30, but it turns out I was working from 2-10:30 which was all kinds of bad. I didn’t have any homework or anything, and couldn’t very well bike home and back. But I did have stuff ready to begin my Felicity, so I guess that’s good.Worse, though is finding out that you have to close when you don’t originally think you are going to. Ugh. And I had a bunch of reading to do, which, oddly enough…did not take me very long at all. But I didn’t know that while I was working, so I was kind of a crankybear in anticipation.

My camera’s being silly, so no pictures of Shads’ FOs for a little bit. I did wear her hat around campus yesterday…I doubt she’d mind, and it’s cute! I’ve been taking some time in between analyzing data sets to knit some rows on Felicity, and it’s about half done now, thanks to all that time yesterday. I am really excited about actually knitting something for myself. Speaking of which, I am about to go do so. I got work done, and I have some time before bed and a cheesy movie waiting for me….Mmm. ’s gonna be nice.

a hard day’s night

There’s been a lot of personal stuff going on that I feel like is somewhat important. Bear with, please! It will be followed by PICTURES OF FOs! YAY! I made a lot of things for the holidays, but just never got around to posting them because I’ve been having issues with wordpress and I am lazy. But I’ve found what I hope to be an easier way to do things, so we’ll see.

1. Work exploded. Adam left. Reilly left. Kaitlin left. Ann and Chris demoted themselves. We went from having a consistent 6 person floor to a 3-4 person floor at all times. This was supposedly to accommodate for the post-holidays drop-off in consumerism. Except we didn’t drop off. And we couldn’t do anything about it because the corporation is stupid, and everyone else’s business dropped off. So for two weeks we worked ourselves ragged, literally ending shifts in tears. We used to close with three people, but that dropped to two. We were leaving over 45 minutes late because customers would keep coming through the drive-thru and ordering 7 drinks at a time (note to people: DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE BARISTA TO ‘ACCIDENTALLY’ POUR SCALDING MILK ON YOUR REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS AS SHE GRITS HER TEETH AND SMILES AT YOU AND YOUR FAT, SCREAMING CHILDREN) for twenty minutes after we were supposed to actually close the store. Finally things dropped down, but hot damn. If there had been an option, I would have walked out and never come back. It’s still pretty bad, but …meh. Jobs suck.
2. That whole mess happened over the winter break, so I hardly got a break in between terms. We also had a massive snowstorm here in the Pacific Northwest. A snowstorm that would actually have been worthy of panic in other parts of the world that actually normally get snow. We, however, do not. It was very nearly the end of the world over here. Eugene got it easy, but people in Washington are still kayaking through the streets because of the massive snow run-off. I had to walk to work because Springfield was not brilliant enough to salt the roads like at least parts of Eugene did. I couldn’t ride my bike, and Matt got into an accident two feet from the house when he tried to go to work.
3. Matt and I are trying to find another apartment. There is no need to go into what a festering hellhole ours is (I know it doesn’t look bad in the pictures…it’s the neighborhood that does it. Meth, anyone? I can find you at least six dealers without having to leave my little apartment cluster). We are actually trying to find a house to rent. We were originally waiting for family housing in May when our contract runs out, but it doesn’t look like we’ll end up getting anything. And even if we do, it’s so uncertain that waiting until it’s too late could be disastrous. So we’re poking around and hoping that that perfect place rears its head soon. Anyone in the Eugene area that just happens to drop by: If you know of any nice, small house near campus or in South Eugene, please please let me know. I grew up in the Northwest section and am sick to death of this part of town. Heading South makes the city so much nicer. And I would like to not be biking 60 miles a week. I have an 8:30 class next term! No 4 mile bike rides at 7AM PLEASE!
4. I am really considering taking a risky leap and heading to Denmark. Why Denmark, you ask? Well. The University of Aarhus offers a really superawesomeamazing Master’s program in Coginitive Semiotics that would make me a very happy girl. I wasn’t even interested in getting an MA until I saw this program. I also went in and spoke with the UO exchange people and there IS an exchange program to DIS in Copenhagen where I could go in fall term to take Danish and knock out my second language requirement (linguistics majors have to have double the language requirements fulfilled. Go figure. I already have my Spanish out of the way, but not sure about what to take for the second) in one term. I could also take some fun European history and poli sci classes. And I would be going there on scholarship. It would be a perfect opportunity for me to check out the country, and go visit the University at Aarhus…speak with professors and really look into the program before I plunge in. I would be leaving my husband and darling kittehs behind for ten weeks, and that would be rough…but I think it would be an incredibly good thing for me to get out and survive on my own for a bit. I’ve travelled Europe on my own before, but have never lived on my own and think it would be very enlightening for me.
5. Winter Term has started! I am taking some ridiculously awesome classes, and I am really excited about everything I am learning. Such a new experience for me! Phonetics looked so daunting at first, and while I would never ever want to do anything with Phonetics/Phonology in the future, the class is fun and doesn’t look too terribly difficult. Functional/Typological Syntax is rough. I mean…look at the title. The textbook is misery in its purest form, but it’s an incredible class. It’s very innovative and is banned in many universities because it is basically a counter-revolution in the way syntax is looked at and analyzed. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of a ground-breaking movement (that actually started (partially) here at the UO! My professors are GENIUSES) in the realm of syntax. I know it sounds weird to a non-linguist, but whatever. I am also taking a Sociolinguistics class which is my area of interest. I actually read the textbook for fun the other day. It’s just interesting! On top of that, I am assisting Doris Payne in some rather bland research stuff surrounding Yagua numeratives. But it’s cool to be using my Spanish again, and to be working with a top linguist. And I’m taking a yoga class which is pushing my body to its limits, but is very rewarding. I am also biking 60 miles a week. I am afraid that my legs will fall off. Mrrp.

Okay. So now its time for pretty pictures, as promised. Your treat for sifting through all of the above. Will try to update more regularly so that does not happen again.



The Heather’s Heathers Hat. I made it for my friend Heather in the UK…out of Cascade 220 Heathers! Yay! She also got a matching pair of glovetens:





These glovetens were much easier to make than I thought they would be. Finishing was a bitch though. Too many ends. I got excited and put in the same mock cable pattern around the mitten tops that was in the hat. I’m really pleased with my results.



I don’t pose for photographs well, so I tend to go for the ridiculous. Hence the seal. (His name is Pittney.)

Next: Straight up Mittens.



Nothing fancy. And my arms are covered in mocha sauce from work. I swear they don’t normally look like that. It just gets dried on and I’m used to it so I forget to wash it off after I come home. Working at Starbucks is nastier than people tend to think. Anyway. These mittens were made for a Secret Santa gift. I had wanted to make her a big chunky scarf but it kept looking wrong, so I decided to just make mittens. Without a pattern. Despite the fact that I’d never made mittens before. They turned out surprisingly well.



My cousin Danielle wanted a hat for Christmas. I don’t really know her very well, and knew I wasn’t getting anything in return, and I had spent a lot of energy on other stuff, so I double stranded some Bernat Satin Sport and just knit a watch cap. Blah, but an FO nonetheless.

Most exciting:



I learned to spin! And I spun! It’s not the best, most pretty wool, but hell…it’s mine and I made it and I love it. I need to get some more roving, but that can wait awhile. I just made that little bit out of what came with the drop spindle.

In the middle of typing this, I left to watch Family Guy with Matt and finished yet another project. I have a set of fingerless gloves and a matching slouch/beret hybrid that I knit for my friend Shads’ birthday which was two days ago. I put in a cute little batman intarsia chart …but I just knit it amidst a sea of purls. It doesn’t show up great, but I didn’t expect it to. I just wanted her to know that batman was there. I’ll take pictures after I’ve weaved in the ends and blocked them properly. I had originally knit Shads a different hat, but I didn’t like it so I frogged…hence the lateness. Oh well, she won’t care. Presents are presents, no matter when they arrive!

In a New York state of …meme?

I really need to do a good post, because many things have happened and will happen. These things include an awesome amount of FOs, my first homespun, a possible move to Denmark, etc.. But most important, comes the New Year’s MEME!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Celebrated my first wedding anniversary! Made an impressive network of good friends…um. I took my first linguistics class? Not much else important is sticking out.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I was too depressed and miserable to make any resolutions for this year. I was pretty upset about the move back to the States, and didn’t really know what was coming and how to possible improve upon it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I don’t think so? I’d probably know, right?

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

5. What foreign countries did you visit?

Canada, I guess.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Health, happiness, stability, and a nice solid lack of debt (not gonna happen).

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 8 (my birthday!), May 23 (Zap’s going-away party that has the unforgettable images of Matt wrapped in pink crepe streamers trying to sing a Bon Jovi song, but forgetting halfway through and finishing it up with a Meatloaf song), May 25 (the  day we moved back), August 4 (wedding anniversary). That’s  more or less it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

Uh. Getting a job at Starbucks? Passing all of my fall term classes with a moderate GPA?

9. What was your biggest failure?

The bit where I wrecked all of our financial future and landed us back in this hellhole that we struggled so damned hard to get away from. To be fair, that started in 2007, but the consequences really hit in 2008.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Hahahaha. Not as bad as usual. Just a lot of dumb little work-related or knitting-related injuries. That and the bike crash that took all the skin off my left shin and  left me a bloody skinless mess for several weeks. Mmm. Fun.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I just bought a hat a couple of weeks ago. It’s pretty and it was cheap. I haven’t really bought much this year.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Chris, most definitely. Getting himself out of his funk and getting an incredible job.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Honestly, and with no intent for emo and angst, mostly just mine. And those of the 30% of America who actually voted for Sarah Palin. And Sarah Palin. In retrospect, I don’t look that bad…

14. Where did most of your money go?

Debt, school, food, cat-upkeep.

15. What did you get really, really excited about?
The Election, HOLY CRAP AWESOME!

16. What songs will always remind you of 2008?

“C’mon Sea Legs”-Immaculate Machine, “Girl”- Tori Amos, “Seven”-Prince

17. Compared to this time last year:

i. are you happier or sadder? I could not say.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner, actually.
iii. richer or poorer? I do not know? I have more money in my bank, but more debt as well.
iv. older or wiser? Wiser and a billion times older.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I had taken care of myself more. I spent too much of my energy on school, and on trying to take care of Matt and everyone else. I did not focus on my needs and I crashed and burned.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Moping.

20. How will you be spending New Years Eve?
I worked at 5AM on New Year’s Eve, and was exhausted. Spent most of the evening crying because I had thought we were going to do something fun and it turned out that Matt had entirely failed to plan anything.  Also because looking back on this year pretty much just makes me cry anyway. I really sound angsty, don’t I?
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

There is this loveable black lab that comes through the Drive at work and her name is Stella and she knows me and loves me and I love her.

22. How many one-night stands?
None, thanks.
23. What was your favourite TV program?

I watched a LOT of Star Trek: TNG on DVD. That’s it?
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don’t think so. Not much for the hate.

25. What was the best book you read?
I was introduced to the Robin Hobb trilogies. Holy mother of all gods. They are incredible. I also finally read Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and the Game of Thrones by George R. Martin. They were all amazing.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Tori Amos, and I was introduced to Immaculate Machine in 2007 but I really got into them in 2008.

27. What did you want and get?
Um. At one point I was really wanting a crockpot. I got that.

28. What did you want and not get?

Most things. But mainly I really wanted to get a gift certificate for a massage or some other relax-y salon-y thingy. Alisa got close with the Secret Santa gift at work with the bath salts and candles, and bless her a million times over for those.

29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Either Quantum of Solace or the Dark Knight.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 20 and had to work. Kaari, Stephen and Matt all stayed late with me and brought stuffed animals and we had a ridiculous stuffed animal tea party in the back office while we ignored customers like crazy. That weekend Matt took me out for a day on the town in Victoria. We ate at my favorite places (Shiki Sushi and Korean Gardens) and had tea at a  sweet little cafe and went for a really long walk all along the docks into Esquimalt.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don’t know. Had I been able to stay in Victoria. That’s really it.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Um? Huh. Sarat introduced me to fun, funky boutiques in Vic and I got addicted to buying things that are only made one-of-a-kind. It’s been a lot of that and fun kids’ t-shirts found at thrift stores. I just recently  got an awesome Elmo shirt. Pair that with a handmade skirt, leggings and kickass boots and I am distinctively…me. Unfortunately I am only allowed two colours at work, and winter biking does not really like skirts or much else, so I’ve been a bit more boring than I would like.

33. What kept you sane?
I honestly can’t say that I stayed sane.  I think I actually lost it by the end of fall term. What brought me back to sanity was actually a surprise visit from Emily that went swimmingly, and having my family to fall back on for support for the first time in my life. And having fluffiful kittens at home.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
…despite the several hundred pictures of Alyson Hannigan on my wall, I have actually been severely intrigued by the Britney Spears saga. I can’t say why, but I am drawn to the poor girl.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Besides the election…the whole fucking Prop 8 shit. ANI SMASH.

36. Who did you miss?
Kaari, Stephen, Amy, Shads, Sarat and Meghan.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I dunno? Adam was an astoundingly awesome self-esteem and mood-booster at work. Claire, Grant and Rochelle got me through the term…without them I most certainly would have dropped out. But no one struck a fire in my soul.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming….

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year

C’mon sea legs, pull yourself together

you’re gonna have to learn

to like the rockin’ of the waves, whatever

C’mon now, it’s not meant to be easy

but you’re not gonna spend your life

being sick over the side.

Would you look at yourself

staring hypnotized into the deepgreen sea?

A breath of wind could blow you away.

And

she’s been everybody else’s girl

maybe someday she’ll be her own.