Have you noticed how uninspired my post has started out? Yeah, the aftermath of the thesis plus the heat plus the onslaught of revision plus work are all contributing nicely to turning my brain into One.Big.Mush.
Okay, okay, I've been enjoying my time with Dr. D for the past five days, too. We hardly got to see each other in the past three/four weeks. First, it was my mad-rush to finish off my thesis. Then there's my job at the hostel...I do the morning shifts and so I start at 7 a.m. This means I get up at 5 a.m....yeah, sure I can get up later and do a mad-dash to be in time for work, too...but that's not my style. I need my time in the morning chewing on my Muesli and taking a shower. So yeah, 5 a.m. to get up that is. And sure enough, that's not such an attractive time to get up if you were spending the night before at your boyfriend's, eh? So, in order to make up for the past weeks, I've been seeing Dr. D everyday for the past five days, which is a new record for us. It wasn't 24 hours spent together though. I had to leave to get home and do a couple of stuff in between, too. But the best surprise for me was on Friday evening when I wasn't expecting to go over to him because there was a knit-night...he rang me up and asked whether I wouldn't want to come over. Now, that was new for me. None of my previous boyfriends were like that. All they ever asked me was along the line of "Haven't you got somewhere else to go?". Yeah, Dr. D's definitely for keeping.
Anyhoo, Dr. D's leaving to go on a week long vacay with his family tomorrow....so I'll be all alone *queues "All By Myself"*. But fear not, for I have a whole load of stuff planned to do (well, work is still there to do and also revisions...but let's be honest, who would want to know about those?). And it's pretty sure that there will be blogger-visit on Thursday...not telling you which one though. ;-p Anyway, I got to meet up with Dr. D today after work for an afternoon tea (lawdy, that sounds absolutely bloody prissy, doesn't it?) at our favourite place: Victorian Tea House. So, that was extra nice to see him after such a nerve-wrecking day at the hostel (no, I'm not going to start telling you here about how dealing with international guests can really make one goes bonkers)....so yeah, I at least got to see him before he leaves tomorrow. ;-)
Apropos, blogger-visit. I was pleasantly surprised last Thursday when MunchOfLife really popped into Lanaiolo! He wrote to me a couple of weeks ago on Ravelry asking for some LYS suggestions in Munich and I told him a couple as well as my LYS...and he actually made it there! Great to have met you!
I've been feeling really bad about SP12, too. I haven't given that much thought as needed be for the package for my downstream pal. And being the perfectionist that I am, I don't want to give away any clues that might reveal anything about me. But it's just hard when you're living in a foreign country. Oh well, I guess at least revealing the country you're living in isn't going to hurt, eh? But because of this, I still haven't got everything together for the first package. I guess I should make it priority number one for this week to get the package together and finally send it off.
Talking about SP12, I guess I should answer the week's question, too: What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?
Now, that's one hard nut to crack. I used to think that I could never ever have enough yarn...but the confining space actually got me re-thinking about it and I'm happy with what I've got right now. I reckon that the perfect amount of stash is the amount that you feel comfortable with without having any guilt on "having too much". I always jokingly say that I have waaaay too much stash, but I know that it's puny comparing to some of you out there. Bottom line is, I'm happy with it and that's what counts. ;-)
So, that' all for now. I've got too many UFOs on the needles and the attempt to reduce them only mysteriously procures more new projects. Don't ask me how I managed to do that...but it just happened. Hopefully I will have a cute FO to show you soon. ;-)
Right now, I'm going to pop in a DVD (no hostel work tomorrow, since there's a guy coming to read last winter's heat usage in the building and I'm not leaving my keys with my so-called neighbours, since I don't know jack about them) and knit on one of the new UFO. Y'all have a great start to the week, eh?
(Oh, and one last thought thrown in: Boohoo on Germany for playing such a lousy game last night resulting in ending up being second for the European Cup. Junx, Ihr könnt echt viel besser als das gestern! - Don't know when I turned into such a footy. LOL.)
Current Mood: Missing Dr. D already...but I'm feeing good, as long as there is enough ice-cream. Food for the ears: Okay, okay, so this first clip is not music. Thanks to the Gal with the Orange Body-suit (TM - harhar, you know who you are), I'm now addicted to Jeffery and Cole on YouTube. They're absolutely hilarious and got me ROFLing every time I watch a new clip (besides, I think that Jeffery is such a QT!):
And in order to not leave you dry without music, here's what I'm...well, anticipating (OH.Mah.Gaaaaaaaaaawd, I'm so gay in this post!):
Yeah, and the song in my favourite mise-en-scenes:
Still no time to really blog. Drowning with thesis stress right now. Just want to write here a bit, so that my Upstream SP12 doesn't think I've been sucked through the floor (although I really feel like that right now).
Peepz, tell me whether you hate the automatic numbering thing on Microsoft Words or not. It's driving me nuts right now because it's not doing what it should do. I got the sequence like: 1., 1.1, 1.1.1., 1.1.1.2, etc. Then suddenly I got 4. instead of 2.!
What.The.EFF?!
And it wouldn't let me change it. When I got around to change it, it consequently effed up the whole thing.
ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!
Oh, yeah, just got off the phone with Dr. D. He's the one in a good mood right now (usually it's vice-versa). He laughed a bit when he heard about how down I am right now. No, no, I didn't take offense (his laughters did cheer me up a bit...exactly what I need right now). He said that it's because he really believe me now when I said that I understood him when he didn't have time for me because of his stuff at work/university. Apparently he didn't totally believe me before. LOL. Oh well, it's nice to know that he believes me.
Anyway, I'm absolutely knackered. My brain's just about to explode and I don't think I ever want to hear about Thai politics ever again after next week.
Drinking a big glass of Vintage Port right now and then I'll hit the hay.
I'm not even going to start about what's going on at the hostel at the moment. *sighs*
Hope your week has started off better than mine. Take care, y'all.
Current Mood: ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!! *meh* Food for the ears:
Started: 19th April 2008 Finished: 30th April 2008 Yarn:Wollmeise 100% superwash merino Sockenwolle in "Koralle im Meer" (light) Needles: Addi Lace, 3.5 mm / 80 cm Pattern:Mystic Light Shawl by Anna Dalvi (aka Knit & Knag)
At last I got around to taking some photos of the Mystic Light Shawl. I surprised myself knitting this whole thing in only 11 days. Admittedly, the shawl's not that huge...but it's still a good sizes shawl.
I have problem with the colourway though. It is pretty busy that it obscures the lace pattern. But thanks to clever photography tricks, I can get the lace pattern to show on the photos.
I might knit this shawl again in a more solid colourway. I'll see.
All in all, I reckons that the shawl is beautiful and it wasn't such a hard pattern to knit like the Mystic Waters. The cables that run down the middle and along the top edge of the shawl as well as the true lace border add an interesting point in the knitting.
I was racking my brain trying to think of a nice setting to take photos of the shawl because I had to represent light somehow. I started out thinking about taking the photo of the shawl with a lamp post...but that was tacky and out of the question because I couldn't reach up the lamp post anyway to hang up the shawl. :-p I settled for the small park around my flat and hung the shawl up on the tree with the sunlight streaming through the shawl to represent the light. The branches of the tree created shadows and helped representing the mystical part of it.
It was so windy when I was doing the photoshoot that I thought the shawl would fly away. Alala reckons that the colourway reminds her of Superman. LOL, imagine if the shawl had really blown away and flew around in the wind. It's a Superman Shawl! Thank goodness the tree barks were so rough that the shawl hung on to it very well.
Started: 22nd April 2008 Finished: 05th May 2008 Yardage: approx. 412.5 m WPI: 18 WPI (plied) Fibre: "Tahiti", 4 oz/113 g merino optim from Chameleon Colorworks given to me by ClaudiaWarner Wheel & Settings: Kromski Minstrel, spun worsted on 12:1 ratio in double-drive mode, navajo-plied on 16:1 ratio in double-drive mode.
There are some super thin parts on the finished yarn...I just hope it won't break because I'm already knitting with it:
I'm knitting a Swallowtail out of my "Tahiti" optim hand-spun.
"Flambé" is French for the Scarce Swallowtail...it's native to Europe and not the Pacific. I chose the name "Le Flambé du Pacifique" (Scarce Swallowtail of the Pacific) because the colourway "Tahiti". Besides, I reckon that the colours on the Flambé's wings also reflects the colourway of this shawl.
Lastly, Dr. D and I went to Rothenburg ob der Tauber together last Saturday. It was our first trip alone together to somewhere, where both of us haven't yet been.
Nice picturesque hamlet....but it has unfortunately turned into such a tourist trap. Things are overpriced and everywhere there are only shops selling knick-knacks to fill the clichés but that nobody actually needs.
We went to two museums there: Reichstadt Museum and the Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum. Otherwise we just walked around town and looked at this and that.
Oh, and I got to try some "Schneeball" (it's a kind of snack and a specialty of Mittelfranken), which kind of made me sick afterwards because it's so fatty.
Very last thing though, I really would like to thank every single one of you who sent me words of encouragements and understandings concerning my last post. I'm feeling a lot better now that those things are out of my system. I have to make it clear though that when I talked about the negativity on Ravelry...or rather about HipKnits, it wasn't about the customers or something like that as some of you might have thought (well, those of you who knows the story wouldn't have needed any explanation anyway), but it's about the scandal that came with the shop's closing down a whole load of other things - no idea why I thought the shop had closed. I won't go into detail about it here since it doesn't really concern me (I never bought anything from there)...but if you're curious, I'm sure you can find information about it all over the net anyway. ;-)
ETA: Oh, dear Eru! Now there are even people copying spindles! That's getting kinda bad....if not very bad.
Well, so now you've caught up on everything. Have a great week, everyone!
Current Mood: Good Food for the Ears: (If you listen to the Knitters Uncensored Podcast, you might remember this song....oh, and the video might not be very kid/work-safe.)
I'm still here...just not really saying much. There are things that have been bothering me so bad and I have been on edge about whether I want to write about them or not and ended up chicken out and not blogging about it. There's some stuff on the internet and then there's some personal stuff. I'm not sure where to begin.
Let's start off so: Yes, I've been busy with work, boyfriend, thesis, studying, life....yeah, kind of in that order...and so I haven't been blogging. I skim through my bloglines, but I could hardly find inspiration to say something. I'm the kind of person who goes by the motto of "if you haven't got something nice to say, then just don't say anything". Lately though, I've come across so many things that just totally tick me off and I'm finding it harder and harder to hold back. I'm not a fan of critics, I don't like getting any (who does?). I know that constructive critics are good, but still, they will make you feel bad. I don't know whether it comes from my studying and writing my thesis that I've become more critical in most things I see. I start to analyse what people do and say....and I'm not sure whether I sometimes forget to analyse myself.
So, I'm laying my cards on the table and I'm open to the critics that definitely will ensue after this post. I'm sure that I'm bound to offend someone, if not a lot of people with what I'm about to say. I'm sure that people will turn the stick around and say that I'm doing the same thing, too. Perhaps, yes....but I'm just going to be dickhead and tell you that this is my space and I'm going to say what I want to say. I need a space to vent and I'm not going to do that in secrecy anymore.
Let's start off with the internet...or more specifically, Podcasts. In the past month, I found myself deleting some podcasts off my listening list, because I just can't stand the content any more. Yes, there were knitting podcasts that got scrapped because of the same reason...but there is one particular podcast that's not knitting related. I'm not going to do advertisement for this podcast and link to it. Here's the scoop: I started listening to this podcast back from its first episode. It is now up to its 476th episode and I must say that the content has deteriorated so much from when it started. It used to be about technology, news, movies...basically fun stuff and the host - I'll refer to the host as "he" - did a great job at presenting it in a fun way. Problem is, he started to expand and created several different podcasts based on the same line but on different stuff. All of them are well produced and entertaining. What happened was, he would do about 5-6 episodes and then just leave it off....whilst announcing in his main podcast that he will definitely continue doing those other podcasts. Yeah, that was like two years ago. He keeps doing that, i.e. creating new podcasts and then leave it. For goodness's sakes, follow up with your work!
I wouldn't rant about this, but thing is, the expansion doesn't go to just new podcasts. But all the time, he keeps recruiting other podcasts to join up in his "network"....which IMHO is pretty much like a little empire. He got other podcasts to join him, whilst he himself is neglecting all the 10 other podcasts he created. He keeps those neglected podcast online saying that it's a good resource for newer people to find. Sure...but when you listen between the lines, it sounds pretty much like: "I'm leaving it up there like a fishing net, so that people would end up coming to me in the end." Sure, there's nothing wrong with doing that...but how he says it in the shroud of his sliminess is sickening.
Towards the end of every year, he would start this donation marathon, so that he would get money in for the podcast. Let me state here that he's doing the podcast as part of his job, but he's not getting paid for it. His employer tells him that he needs to come up with his own funding for it. Great, isn't it? In my case, I would do it, but I wouldn't go around begging for money in such an offensive way and giving reasons that just don't live up to what it's worth. I got so pissed off and disgusted two years ago at listening to 45 minutes (on a normally 30-minutes podcast) of why the heck we should "donate" the money to the podcast that I ended up writing an email to the podcaster telling him that I find his method ridiculous and that he should be ashamed of what he's asking. No answer. Last year, the same thing.
The only thing that happens now in his podcast are emails and messages that he would broadcast because they glorify his "success" and "how great the podcast" is. He says that he answers every email....yeah, so what the fuck happened to mine? He hardly comes up with new content for the podcast any more, apart from using listener's feedbacks to fill up about 90% of the podcast. The 10% left is used to glorify himself and advertise for his other hibernating podcasts and his minion podcasts.
Second thing on the internet involves knitting....more specifically stuff that's been going on in Ravelry. I'm amazed at how many bad stuff has been cropping up in the knitting community (Keywords: Mystical Creations Yarn, HipKnits, MagKnits to name just a few). Perhaps it's just the perception because with Ravelry, everything got thrown out in the pot and everyone can see them in one place....so that probably makes it more visible to me.
What I'm getting at though is about the craziness about Wollmeise yarns. Don't get me wrong here, I'm really happy about people loving Wollmeise. If you know me long enough, you know that I support her wholeheartedly and wouldn't give any second thoughts about doing advertisement for her. But what's really getting to me are 1) people who are trying to make profit out the demand from Wollmeise right nowm, i.e. eBay and 2) people who can't seem to know when it's enough and stop asking for more..
Let's make this clear here: I have enough Wollmeise with me. I hoard them. I have access to Wollmeise easily enough for you to tell me that I'm not in the position to say things like this. However, let me state that I'm not the one asking for more more more. I have them and I'm happy with what I have. I don't mind having more, or every colourways...but I don't go around trying it get it with every chance. I know there are people out there wanting to try some but weren't lucky enough to get some (yet). And that's why it adds to my loathing of people who got the Wollmeise and put them up on eBay to get profit out of it. Don't you dare tell me there are other reasons like you need the money immediately and need to de-stash. Because in that case you can just put it up on eBay for immediate sales and not for auction. I wouldn't argue either if you put it up for immediate sales and add your shipping costs that you've paid originally to your price. Oh, and yes, I know who you are.
I kept having to tell people that they need to realise it's just one person doing all this and that they should cut Wollmeise some slack. But no, all they want is more....never mind that the one person doing it might just as well drown and die.
I try to accommodate for everyone on the Wollmeiseholics group on Ravelry. I do realise that I can't please every single one of you....but I'm also getting vibes that all you want is more. Sometimes, I just feel really left out and lonely there. I'm still a human being and I do want some kind words and some recognition for organising things. But lately it seems like I'm being commandeered around to do this and that. Seems sometimes people don't realise they're actually dealing with a real person on the other end who is doing this thing in his own free time and getting nothing out of it apart from seeing some people being happy about it. I'm not asking you to write an apology in order to ask me to do something....but some nice words would have been nice.
Lately, I've been hearing more and more critics about Lanaiolo. Yeah, I know you guys read my blog, so please, do note of how I feel about all this. The shop is relatively new, we still need to acclimatise on how to run the shop most effectively. Yes, the yarns are over-priced in some views, but it's still only some amount. Yes, I know you can get probably the same yarn elsewhere for cheaper and I'm not going to say anything about it. However what I'm going to say here is that you've said all those things to me once and that's enough. No need to hammer it in on me. Do realise that I'm just an employee there and I'm not the one running the shop. I can mention it to my boss once, but that's all I can do. I can't tell her how to run the shop because I'm not in the position. You, as a customer, are in the position to criticise constructively to her. But it doesn't bring anything to try getting me relaying all those things to my boss, because I'm not going to do that and put myself in such an awkward position. Sure, I don't always agree with my boss and I'll tell her my opinions...but still she has the last word. If you've never run a shop yourself, then I would suggest you not to start telling other people how to run their shops - yes, constructive criticisms and suggestions are still welcomed...but don't just go right out and say that what she's doing is wrong, unless you really know better because you're in the business yourself.
I'm also feeling left out by some real life "friends" around here. Sure, I'm busy with other things and I'm doing a lot more with Dr. D than with you. But it just seems to me that I'm being left on the edge with things that you do. I've addressed this issue a couple of times now and I don't want to nag about it. But it's making me extremely sad that I'm not being included. Sure, mea culpa for always saying that I can't join...but at the least, I would appreciate the fact that at least I was asked. I do put on a brave face when I get to see you, but really, I'm wilting inside. I'm not sure whether it was because of what I've said or done in the past that you stop including me. I don't know whether you don't realise you're doing it. I don't know whether you don't see it as I do. But yes, it hurts.
Lastly, I'm terrified about the prospect that Dr. D might have to move away for his job. It's nothing specific yet...but still the thoughts just terrify me to no ends. I mean, it's not like he's going to be out of the picture....and it's not like I can't move with him. But at the moment, I can't imagine living in another city apart from Munich - although admittedly, I've been getting fed up with Munich lately. It's just that I'm the kind of person who needs a lot of close contact with my partner and I just can't imagine doing distant relationship.
I'm really grateful for having Dr. D...coming to think of it, he's actually the most considerable of boyfriends I've ever had so far and he's patient with me. I've learnt a lot about myself in the past 6 months that I've been with him and I notice changes in myself and my attitudes, however gradually it is. Even though I might not have said it or show it blatantly to him, but he's one of the very few things right now that really makes me happy and I sure hope he knows it.
Anyway, sorry about the gloomy, ranty and venting post. I've got fibre/knitting related stuff to show you, too...and that will come. My 4th blogiversary is coming up and I'm thinking of doing some kind of contests. I'll see.
Please, people, don't hate me for what I've said above...I've just come to the point that I can't hold it in any longer and need to make room for other things in my head....I just hope that I won't be regretting this post afterwards.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Current Mood: Pensive...I guess Food for the ears:
I don't know why exactly, but I think that I just have been avoiding writing a bit because thoughts have been accumulating and I just couldn't be bothered.
I'm turning 26 in a couple of weeks and it got me thinking. I don't have anything against growing a year older. But for some reasons, I'm over the 25 threshold....and now turning 26 means that I'm only four years away from hitting 30. It's kind of weird. I can't really put it into words....I guess it's about taking the responsibilities, being grown-up and all. I had been thinking about the fact that here I am, on my way to being 30 and I still don't feel like I've really achieved anything in life. Well, to be honest, I think a lot of this has to do with the pressure and expectations my parents are putting on me. I just wish they would get off that trip. I would feel a lot better if they would change their "encouragement" strategy by encouraging me positively instead of using the reprimanding side and scare-tactics that I'm going to turn a loser if I don't start getting ambitious and try to "reach to the top".
What's with it with being successful and having lots of money? I doubt that would make me happy for long.
Anyway, I better stop there before this post turns into a very long rant. Bottom line is I'm turning 26 soon. *nudge, nudge, wink, wink*
Nothing happened much last week. I went to the Deutsches Museum with Dr. D on Saturday. It's kind of our first day-out alone and it was great. :-)
Not much to report on the knitting/spinning front. I've been doing it on and off...probably more knitting than spinning. But nothing major....well, apart from the fact that I can also now properly knit English style, i.e. throwing, without much of a struggle and my gauge seems even.
Sorry, I'm just feeling uninspired at the moment. Have to get back to reading up for my thesis now.
BTW, thank you so much for the outpouring of comments on my last post. I think that's the very first time a post has generated more than 30 comments!
Well, then, have a nice week, everyone!
Ps. I haven't forgotten about the PIF survey...like I said, I'm just pretty uninspired at the moment.
ETA: Yeah, sorry people, but I'm in one big time fucked up mood today. I promised my co-workers that I will bake something today and bring it into work tomorrow morning. The base of the slice worked out okay...but I fucked it up while doing the icing. I thought: "Fine, I'll make a new one". I also realised while making the first batch that I actually needed vanilla essence. So, I went out to this small supermarket near my place, instead of going to the bigger one which would take a longer walk. Got everything I needed but couldn't find the vanilla essence. So I asked someone there and they told me: "Sorry, we don't have that kind of thing. We only order it in during Christmas baking time."
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! I mean, are you expecting people to bake only during Christmas time?! WHAT KIND OF A FUCKED UP LOGIC IS THAT?!!!!!
Sorry about that...but I really need to vent. I think it's the Föhn in Munich today that's driving me totally nuts.
There are altogether 2 songs that can make me cry on the spot (usually I jump up in time to change the songs or leave before I have to hear them) and 2 other songs that after repeated hearing I'd start bawling...
I'm still sore from working at the bar last night (same thing again tonight)....started at 5 p.m. and it was totally crazy until about 11 p.m. when suddenly everybody just kind of left. I stood around the bar until 1 a.m. (okay, I went out to watch the firework a bit at Midnight) and just closed the bar, even though the boss told me to do open-ended. Yeah, my arse I would - besides, I stood there for 3 full hours with absolutely no guests).
One thing happened though: Right before I left work, i.e. literally was just about to open the front door to go out into the street at 1.45 a.m. some jerks put on some kind of fireworks right opposite the street from the hostel I work at, where there's another hotel that's being completely renovated, i.e. a construction site. There were the pop-pop-pops of firework going off on the ground when suddenly, my hand almost at the door, something really detonated. There was this huge flash of light and a huge explosive boom that shook the whole front panes of the hostel. The glass door I was about to reach opened up a bit inwards and I felt the rush of the air pressure. Thank goodness nothing else happened, no panes shattered, nobody injured. I just went "Holy f**k. What the effing hell was that?!"
I hesitated to go out because I was afraid that some assholes might detonate another one of whatever it was. But I decided that I better go...so I just went out and took a really brisk walk to the tube station.
I guess that was my welcoming to 2008.
Anyway, I didn't ring in the New Year with anyone...well, not officially, since Dr. D didn't want to come down to my work (I can't blame him, my work place isn't the most romantic place to visit your boyfriend), but he sent me an SMS shortly before Midnight that pretty much took my grudge away for having to spend New Year's Eve alone at work.
Well, here goes the new year. Another year. 2007 had been kind of tumultuous with me....but I'm still alive and that's gotta count, eh?
Yesterday I kind of mentioned to him my dilemma about whether I should get myself a spinning wheel or put the money aside to pay off my debt. He just told me to get the wheel. Yeah, just like that.
Mind you though, it's still my money...but the fact that he actually gave me the nudge to do what would actually make me happy was such a wonderful gesture for me. Besides, Jeanie pointed out a good point in her comment: What would matter about paying off the debt is also the total amount of the debt itself. And let me just tell you, the little extra money that I have right now would be just a droplet on a hot stone....so, I would justify my getting the wheel on that note.
Besides, like both Alala and Bockstarkhave pointed out, I need to find a way to keep the fibre stash down before it consumes me in my tiny flat. :-p
So yeah, I've ordered the wheel. ;-)
On a different note: I went on a walk with Dr. D and his friend yesterday in the park to the Nymphenburger Palace and I took some random photos. Here are some of them:
To all my friends, especially those in NZ, if you're reading this: I miss you all very much and really hope that we'll see each other again one day. I love you all.
I have to confess that I was terrified about spending Christmas all alone even though I didn't let it show. The fact that I have to work over both Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year kind of took my mind off it...even though I have been complaining about that fact to everyone. But thank goodness, I have Dr. D.....even though he's home over Christmas, it kind of give me the sense that I am not all that alone after all....
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
Current Mood: Calm and melancholic Food for the Ears: "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Frank Sinatra (mea culpa, I'm doing this to myself out of spite. This is one of the very few songs that will make me bawl every time I hear it. But I do need it now)
I was woken up when my doorbell rang this morning. At first, I considered not opening, because there had been incidents where some brats from the first floor was using me as their portier. But then i thought better of it and opened the main door to the building.
The mail man was there and he handed over a 5 kg heavy box to me. I was still a bit dazed from sleeping and was pretty perplexed about the package. I didn't order anything and wasn't really expecting anything to come in either....well, I know that eventually there will be a package coming in for the Knitters Uncensored from Socktopus Mike...but I wouldn't have thought of a package in that dimension.
I opened up the box and was then wide awake. It's my Christmas presents from Claudia, aka the Wollmeise!!!!
I was so shocked because I ddn't expect anything at all...besides I wasn't even doing any Christmas present this year either...that package contained some yummy stuff...and full of FIBRES!!!!
And so I rang up Claudia immediately to thank her and had a chat....
Thank you so much Claudia! You're such a wonderful person! Take good care of yourself and get some rest over the holidays.
She sent me a Christmas card along with some stickers (not in the photo), a box of French truffles, a bag of different sorts of Elisenlebkuchen (gingerbread of sorts) - three of which are already gone - and lastly: Absinthe! I've always wanted to try out absinthe!!! OMG....I'll have to find an evening to try it out with Dr. D!
Now, that's A LOT of fibre! I think that I really to consider the possibility of getting myself a wheel soon, because my arm's going to fall off if I ever want to spin all of this. I don't even know what it's going to be like trying to spin 100% linen on a spindle. That'd be quite an experience....especially the Baby Yak!
Thank you so much Claudia!
Then I was downtown before and went to the LYS (Wollkorb at Sendlinger Tor) to ask them whether they will ever get the Noro Sock Yarn in or not. Apparently I wasn't the first one who asked. :-p But they said they don't know yet. Anyway, I also asked whether they've got the new issue of the Filati Men's Special or not. They did. I was going for my wallet and she just handed the magazine to me and said that it's a gift and Merry Christmas to me. It took a couple of seconds for that to register and I just had to beam. I just thanked them, wish them a Merry Christmas, too and hop out of the LYS.
Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, today has been a very good day and I'm still extremely happy about things. Now, I have to get ready to go see Dr. D. Poor thing has a cold sore...I wonder if I could still kiss him. :-p
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!
Quote: "Anand, through Pollwatch, was to secure an alliance that, despite tensions, would serve sections of the post-May liberal intelligentsia and bourgeoisie well."
Comment: I'm currently on page 93...but the quote from page 161 still means something to me. ;-)
No, not because of the Mystic Waters shawl...and definitely not for myself. It's a whole other story altogether.
But first, the shawl: It's growing slowly. The KAL is over, but I'm still behind. *sighs* It's beautiful though. :-)
Anyway, this whole post will probably turn out not being about knitting...but about some deep thoughtful stuff I would like to leave with you all during this festive times....and I guess that it's a kind of call for action. I have absolutely no intention in offending anyone here. I just want to voice out my opinions and thoughts about things.
Now, I know both of these gals personally and I'm not going to take side. It's just sad for me to see how things can get out of hands because of opinions expressed in a way that the person thought was appropriate, but people just got the wrong end of the stick.
The whole point is that I've just been thinking to myself: Why can't people just play nice? Sure, everyone has their own rights to criticise and complain about things....if you don't ever do that, you'd probably eventually go bollocks. I can understand both parties here. S-knitting defending her city was in its own right appropriate. I don't know however her perception about life as an expat. Because living as an expat there sure are things that annoys you in the country you're living in comparing to your home country...the point of which Bockstark was coming from.
I felt pretty sad especially when I saw another comment made by some of my friends, who I know personally - and I know you'll be reading this -, which just seem to assume that we expats just don't like living in the country at all. I absolutely do agree with you that there are some expats like that, and I'm sure you know exactly who I'm talking about....but do keep in mind that this in absolutely no way would apply to all expats.
I'm going to reiterate again that there sure are things expats don't like about the place they live in, but there must be things they like about it that keeps them living there (assuming that they can leave, if they ever wish to do so). I, for one, really love Munich and wouldn't want to leave...at least for the moment. Sure, I have my dream of living in Paris...but I'm happy in Munich. And sure, I definitely have things to complain about Munich as well as Germany on the whole...but heck, who the hell doesn't? There are also better things in Thailand that I can also compare to Munich, too. But hey, I'm still living in Munich. If I were to start complaining about Munich, I'm sure that given enough time I would be able to rattle off a whole list. The same also applies to Thailand or any other places I've lived in. I can always compare it to another country or my home country and say that certain things are better here or worse there. But it doesn't mean that I loathe the place I chose to live in.
Apart from that, things that you encounter in your daily life would seem to be more prominent than other things another person might perceive as more prominent. I'm the sort of the person who just adapts...so I usually just shrug off the things that annoy me and go my way. So if you hit the jackpot and had 9 out of 10 garbage bags ripping every time in Germany whilst none ever rip in the US, then you definitely are going to be pissed off about it.
It's just like hearing some extreme knitters facing off extreme crocheters, where one just can't stand the presence of the other at all. Sheesh, try to get along people. :-)
I'm all for tolerance. But yes, even I do have my own limits. Everybody has. And there's no point in tolerating something that's so detrimental that it will eventually affect your well-being. But we're talking about perceptions here....and surely you know that "de gustibus non est disputandem". ;-)
So, I thought that this might be a good place to call for an action. If you have the time, try to think about at least 5 things you like about the place you're living in and post about it. Make compliments to your city!
Here are the five things I LOVE about Munich:
The fact that there's a real winter here....and the prospect of snow.
The quirkiness of Munich and Bavaria comparing to the rest of Germany...all the while retaining the fact that Munich is still the "Weltstadt mit Herz".
The aloofness of Münchners or Bavarian at that...and the surprising revelation that they're really hearty and lovely people once you broke the ice.
I feel very safe in Munich. Walking around alone at night in a dark place isn't such a hot recommendation in Thailand.
I feel at home right now in Munich....I always find it amusing to walk over Marienplatz at 12 p.m. or 5 p.m. and don't really care about the Glockenspiel...all the while having to dodge all the tourists craning their necks to watch the carillion. :-) If I could, I would call myself a Münchner.
I won't start with food, because I do like meat...and Bavaria is all about meat. *yum* ;-)
So, what do you like about the city you're living in?
Granted though, I might be seeing all these things through rose-coloured glasses....thing is...well, yeah, I'm in love. :-p (hahaha, what a topic change, eh?) I've been keeping all this almost tightly shut for a while...but now that it's official, I guess that I can shout it out for once.
I don't have a good photo of my Dr. D yet, but i will post it once I have one decent enough. Some of you might have seen a picture on Flickr already (sorry, the photo is friends only...Dr. D doesn't like that photo at all). And no, he's not a medical doctor, but he's got a doctor title. So, that's what I'm going to call him here. :-p
Apart from having let myself fall emotionally and feeling happy about it after a period of telling myself that I needed time alone, things are also looking up for me in other departments...especially my studies. I feel motivated again. Life in general is good...it's not perfect and i have things that I still do worry about. However, comparing to the state I was in about 3 months ago, I have to say that this surely is an improvement.
All that said, if I don't get around to posting again: Y'all have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!!
Choco stat: Started: 22nd September 2007 Finished: 25 g, spun in single on 11th October 2007 Fibre:Anettes Wollwerkstatt merino roving, 19.5 microns Spindle:Anettes Wollwerkstatt Turkish Cross Spindle
Hokey Pokey stat: Started: 11th October 2007 Finished: 25 g, spun in single on 27th November 2007 Fibre:Anettes Wollwerkstatt merino roving, 19.5 microns Spindle:Anettes Wollwerkstatt Turkish Cross Spindle
Plying: Started and Finished: 01st December 2007 Yardage: approx. 300 m WPI: approx. 25 WPI Fibre: See above Spindle: Carved Agate top-whorl spindle from Butterfly Girl Designs
FYI, the title of the post means "So that something happens".
First, I've finished my spinning project that stretched over 3 months! What do you think of the Tiger's Eye? This yarn really made me work for it. The single took a long time in spinning, due to the fact that I got bored with it.
Nothing special about the plying. But when I went to re-skein the washed yarn, everything got tangled up so bad that I spent five hours playing kitty with it. I got really close to the point where I just wanted to throw the whole thing away. But I kept at it and the effort was well worth it!
300 metres of yarn is however not enough for a shawl...besides, I don't really think that I want a shawl in yellow either. Maybe I'll do a Tiger Eyes Lace Scarf (Ravelry link) out of it.
Anyway, there's something that really makes me feel elated today. I've been having some sleepless nights over the weekend due to my studies. Like I mentioned before, I was worried about my seminar paper marks not getting in to the uni in time for me to register for the diploma, which is this coming Wednesday.
Two weeks ago, I handed in my very last seminar paper and the prof marked it over the weekend. I got the result back and was already elated. I got 1.7! Now I have to explain the German marking system briefly here. Basically you can get marked from 1 to 5. With 1 being the best, like an A+ and 4.3-5 being the worst, i.e. an F. In my whole university career, I got another 1.7 only once before and that was ages and ages ago (yes, I've been digging around quite a bit). It's not so much the 1.7 for this paper ,"Defective Democracy: Theoretical Concept (with the example of Russia)", that got me in such a good mood, but the fact that I wrote the paper pretty much more or less in one single day....and I got such a high mark for it!
So, that was one paper down. I had 3 other papers that I handed in a semester before this semester, but I still haven't got the results for those ones back....until today.
I had been running around the past couple of weeks and had been trying to rouse the two profs who have my works (2 papers with one prof, and one more with the other). They both promised to get the markings to the university in time for the diploma registration.
It's just sooooo close to the registration now that I was getting really worried about it. Anyway, I had been at work all day today (early shift from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)...and I got only two hours of sleep last night due to my worrying about what would happen if the my papers still haven't been marked.
Anyway, I made a bee-line to the university right after work. I got there and found the secretary and asked her whether she had got anything back from the profs. She told me that everything is there and that I can register for the diploma thesis and exams! *woohoo!* Then she told me that I could go pick up the two papers from the one prof, but the other one is still being processed into the system. Never mind that, it took a whole load off my heart to know that I've reached the next step.
That was one thing to be happy about.
I went to get my two papers, both in the area of political theory, and I almost dropped dead when I saw the marks:
"Theory of Power after Michel Foucault" - 1.3 "The Deconstruction after Michel Foucault" - 1
That's an A and a freaking A+! I've never got such marks before in my whole life! I just couldn't believe it! I guess that something did get stuck in my head after all these years of digging around at the university after all. I mean, I did go to all the seminars and lectures...but if you ask me whether I've been paying attention? Well, that would need a different kind of answer. ;-)
I just drifted out of the university with a stupid grin on my face. :-) Now, I'm just curious as what kind of marks I'd get on my last paper. But I can say that I'm really happy overall now. Things seem to be looking up with my studies. I had been digging around in the past two years because I just don't feel motivated any more and I started to dislike my studies. I felt as though I never could understand a thing they talked about in class....but well, my marks are showing me otherwise and now I'm feeling motivated again! So, diploma thesis and exams, here I come!
ETA: I thought I'd give you guys the marking system according to my university here:
1.0 - 1.3 = Very good 1.7 - 2.3 = Good 2.7 - 3.3 = Satisfactory 3.7 - 4.0 = Adequate 4.3 - 5.0 = Not adequate, i.e. failed
Okay, I'll get to the picture description later on....but first, I have some philosophising to do.
Seriously, I'm posing the question now: Why socks? Why do I keep knitting socks at all? I really don't know...but I'm going to try to find out.
Let's go through the normal stuff first: It's small, portable, quick to knit (unless you've got size EUR 44 - about US men's 10.5 - feet...like me, unfortunately), you can try out patterns, there are many scrumptabulous yarns out there to use - and not only for socks, etc. etc. But above all, for me, it's now down to the feeling I get from wearing hand-knit socks. Granted though, that all the hand-knit socks I've worn are knit by me. I have never got hand-knit socks from someone else yet.....but that's another story.
Over the past few days, the weather has turned chilly and overcast...and occasionally wet here. Maybe it's the first nip of Autumn...which I don't mind. What's new to me though, is the fact that ever since the weather had turned like this, I have been wearing only exclusively hand-knit socks (unless the weather turned totally warm again)....and from this constant wearing hand-knit socks, I have come to fully understand why I knit and, more importantly, wear those hand-knit socks at all.
We can talk about the comfort, the perfect fitting, the warmth, etc. Those are, of course, obvious. But most importantly, it's the appreciation that I get through it. The appreciation of all the work that has gone into creating this petit objet d'art, stitch by stitch. If I go and consider the process of producing the yarn that I was holding in my hands while knitting, the appreciation will go even deeper. The gratitude I felt today as I was standing out in the cold came with the feeling of cozy warm toasty feet that helps keep the rest of my body warm. I know that for me, nothing I can do will get my body to warm up as long as my feet are cold.
Let's get back to the creation of the socks. Leaving out all the processes of making yarns, because that merits its own entry, you start creating this three-dimensional piece stitch by stitch. Pulling a loop of yarn through a previously created loop of yarn. You increase and decrease, works yarn overs and crosses the stitches to create an intricate pattern. Even the simplest pair of socks knit entirely in stockinette stitches will offer you the same quality any hand-knit socks can offer you: The appreciation that someone has put in their time and effort to create this piece.
If you get a pair of hand-knit socks as a gift, don't even think about how ugly the colours are and that it clashes with each and every colour of clothing in your wardrobe. Instead, think about the love someone put in to making this particular pair of socks for you. Heck, it doesn't have to be socks, any hand-knit garment would do...but since I'm talking about socks, we're going to stay with socks.
Like I said before, I've never received a pair of hand-knit socks from somebody else before. All the hand-knit pairs I have, I had knit myself. I made my first attempt at sock knitting 3 weeks into my odyssey in the art itself (and yes, knitting is an art). I used worsted-weight yarn and knit on 4 mm DPNs. I got through the heel-flap and turned the heel beautifully, but picked up the stitches incorrectly and thus, I ended up just threading the yarn through the live-stitches and knot it together. That was my first try.
The second try followed suit the week after. That time, I went for proper sock yarn and 2.5 mm DPNs. I managed to finish the pair within 2 weeks, sitting there knitting until 4 a.m. in the morning. I was really proud of my work, even though one of the twins had some serious flaws at the toe-decrease. Unfortunately, I hardly wore the hand-knit socks. Why? Because it clashed with my wardrobe.
After that, I struggled for almost a year with my first pair of JayWalkers. But the result after a long hiatus was so rewarding that I got back into knitting socks again. Perhaps it came with my increased confidence in knitting and the knowledge of how to fix things. But even more significance was my discovery of the Wollmeise yarn. Ever since that point on, a whole new world of hand-dyed yarns opened up to me. My stash grew exponentially within this year...not only with Wollmeise, but with all kinds of scrumptious yumminess that are hand-dyed or hand-painted yarns...mostly sock yarns.
In the mean time, I've started to venture into trying to earn some money with making socks. It's not something I would do as my main job, because I've really come to realise that you cannot price a hand-knit item accordingly to get the deserved amount of money that would equate to the time you've invested in making it. But money earning issues aside, I think I find it most rewarding to see and know that the recipient truly appreciate that hand-knit item you have just presented to them. THAT is the price that equates the time you put into knitting that pair of socks.
So, why do I knit socks? Because I can take it anywhere, I can try out new patterns on it, I can play with scrumptious yarns, I have a pair of socks that fits perfectly, etc. etc. But above all...because I appreciate and love it...not only the socks themselves, but the story behind them, the time and effort and love put into knitting them. That's why I keep coming back to socks.
Have you knit yourselves or someone else a pair of socks yet? ;-)
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That's my philosophy for the day. Seriously, I don't know where that came from. I could write a whole different entry on why I knit (maybe I'll save that for another day when I feel inspired). Let's get back to my regular random blogging.
That picture of sock yarn you see....well, it's the Wollmeise "Pfefferminz-Prinz"...in the light version! I couldn't believe how drawn I was to this particular hank! Usually I would totally go for the medium or dark version. But when I saw this one, I instantly fell in love with it. It was love at first sight. ;-)
Now most of you may know that I'm in a financial tight-spot at the moment, i.e. I'm broke...and you might be asking yourself how I came up with the money for these two yummy hanks. Well, I worked for it. (Haha, I'm a "yarn ho"!)
On Saturday, I went over to Bockstark Knits's to assist her in taking some photos for the Wollmeise. Yes, you heard it right: We were taking photos for the Wollmeise. For what purpose exactly I am not at liberty to disclose....all I can say is that we were allowed to fondle a whole load of Wollmeise yarns and met up with the Wollmeise herself. Alala was there, too...and all of us had loads of fun geeking out about yarn and knitting. (You should have seen how Alala and the Wollmeise were going through Bockstark's stash! That was funny!) At the end...we had this:
Then one of the best thing from Saturday: Alala brought me her drop spindle!!! I've told her on one of our impromptu SnB that I want to learn to spin, but haven't got a spindle to start with (I'm not even thinking about wheels!)...so she offered me hers, since she never uses it! Thank you sooo much!!!
Then there was the problem that I haven't got any rovings to try out and no money to buy any...and what happened??! Two generous people offered to send me some rovings! Thank you soooo much to Socktopus and Knottynaomi!!! It still amazes me how generous knitters are! (Especially when it comes to enabling other people in fibre-relating things)....thank you so much to you guys!
Well, I think that's all I have to say for now. Have a great week everyone!
Current Mood: Hungry....(don't worry, I still have enough to eat! *LOL*) Food for the ears: 1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky
