For some reason, I forgot to post this picture the last time I posted on my blog. No, I didn't burn the book...the picture's pretty symbolic on how I felt after having handed in my thesis.
Anyway, I'm not really drunk (yet). Just home alone this weekend, since Dr. D's away visiting his family for his uncle's birthday....it's been kind of a weird day. The weather is really warm. Would have been nice to go out and sit in a beer garden, but well, I'm kinda broke since I still haven't got paid yet.
Ended up being at home most of the day. I made Paella (not really, it's already made, I had to re-cook it....for those in Germany, it's the Frosta stuff) and felt like drinking something alcoholic and cool, since it's so hot today (I even got out my Capri pants to wear with my jandals today because I felt that I looked ridiculous in my jeans and proper shoes). Stupid me, however, forgot to get some beer earlier when I did my groceries. Luckily, I still have a semi-dry Riesling I got as a gift from my students back in the days when I was still teaching English at Siemens.
Anyway, while I'm at this, I might as well answer this week's SP12 question: As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?
I guess I actually looked forward to go off on the summer courses. That's when I got sent off into a foreign country with a group of youngsters to learn English. That way, I've ended up in and seen a lot of places in the world. I don't know, I just wanted to get away from home. Apart from that, I always looked forward to not having to worry about doing homework and all those stuff.
I also wanted to update you on some of my knitting. I finished my latest Swallowtail out of my own handspun. I still need to do a proper photo shoot for it though, so you'll have to wait a bit more for the FO pictures. ;-)
Start: 20th June 2008 Finish: WIP Needles: 3.5 mm / 80 cm Addi Lace Yarn: My own hand-spun: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" Pattern:Laminaria by Elizabeth Freeman, from Knitty Spring 2008
And lastly, I frogged my Flower Basket Shawl because it was too boring and so I'm using the yarn to knit Laminaria instead.
This is all because Cashmere Dreams has egged me on with this pattern.
So, that's all for now. I'm getting drunk. :-p Have a great weekend, y'all!
Current Mood: Missing Dr. D and getting drunk Food for the Ears: The following songs bring back some very fond memories to me....the second song pretty much outs me as child of the 80's. ;-)
Also listening to (can you remember the Listerine ad?):
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:
Start: 13th May 2008 Finish: WIP Needles: 2.5 mm / 80 cm Addi Lace Yarn:Wollmeise 100% superwash Merino Sockenwolle, "Frosch" Pattern: My own, based on a stitch pattern.
I have been debating with myself whether I wanted to blog about this one or not...but I guessed that since the picture's public on Flickr anyway, I might as well talk about it.
Anyway, so this is "Salomé (Dance of the Seven Veils)". Since I've taken this photo, the sock has grown to the point where I'm putting in my own design. But it has already come to a halt due to the fact that I still need to work on my thesis.
When do you start calling a design your own design? At the moment, this is a modification or a put-together of a pattern out of a pattern book. But I have plans for this one.
What do you think? I think that if I'm successful at figuring everything out with this pattern, the biggest problem would be sizing, since I wear EUR 44 / US Men 10.5....and the stitch count for the pattern adds up just perfect for my size. This will mean that there will be problem with sizing for smaller feet. Or maybe I should just do this for men only. ;-p Although I already have some great ideas for sizing down...however, I will be able to work that out only when I've finished this sock.
You wouldn't believe how many times I've frogged and restarted the sock before I settled on this. I started off with another yarn, then figured I should just use Wollmeise. Chose the wrong colourway, then another wrong colourway before I ended up with this one. (Not to mention the first try with that other yarn....it involved about 6 times of frogging...now I know the pain of designing.)
I'm still not sure what will happen with the design, i.e. whether I'm going to submit it or sell it or publish it for free. I'll have to see.
Start: 16th May 2008 Finish: first bobbin of singles on 17.05.2008; second bobbin of singles on 18.05.2008; Plied on 19th May 2008 WPI: 15 WPI Yardage: Bobbin: 304 metres / 82 g; Spindle: 48 metres / 13 g Fibre: 3.3 oz / 95 g of The Yarn Wench Domestic in "Feather", sent to me by KnottyNaomi Wheel & Settings: Singles spun worsted and two-plied on Kromski Minstrel, 8.5:1 double-drive. Left-over singles Andean-plied on Butterflygirl Designs 1.6 oz carved Agate top-whorl
Anyhow, since I have no real knit FOs to show, here's at least a spinning FO.
I'm really happy with the result of this yarn. It's my first real 2-ply using my wheel and tensioned lazy kate.
I got the bobbin so full while plying that it wouldn't take on any more yarn, so I had to break off and make an Andean-bracelet to ply on the spindle.
Interestingly, the spindle plied yarn seems to turn out differently...probably because the two-ply resulted from the same singles and not from two strands of different singles. The colours are a bit heathered and the yarn is fuzzier. Mind you though, it might be the fact that I hit the singles in the part where the colours are lighter than other parts, too.
All in all, I'm happy with the yarn. I could probably get a decent size anklets out of the skein.
Anyway, it was my 4th Blogiversary on this past Sunday (18th May 2008). I said in a previous post that I would do some kind of contest. Well, I haven't thought of anything yet. So, it will be on hold for the moment until I can think of something. Then we'll have a contest. ;-)
Lastly, before I try getting back to my thesis, I'm going to share with you the real reason why I'm blogging right now instead of doing my thesis. Thing is, this morning, I heard a song that's been stuck in my head all day long now....and well, I can't concentrate because of it. Some of you might already have an inkling of the song from the title of the post...so be warned, you might get it stuck in your head, too. LOL. The song is at the end of the post. ;-p
Have a great week every one!
ETA: I might have a very exciting piece of news concerning myself soon. I don't want to reveal it at the moment - so not to jinx it. And just to be clear: No, Dr. D and I aren't getting married or anything like that. Just in case you were thinking along that line. :-p
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:
So, this is what you do when you work in a LYS...you go around posing with yourself in the photo because you have been waiting for this moment for the past two years.
I was there today because I had to fill in for someone. The owner had to go to a funeral and the other lady who works there couldn't come in today.
Anyway, it's good for me because Dr. D's not here this weekend and I would have been lost by myself. Besides KnitLady came and knit with me and kept me company. Today was the fourth time I've worked there. FYI, if you feel so inclined to come visit me, I work part-time there Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m....
Up until this moment there's nothing much going on. I mean, the shop's new and so it still needs to be noticed. There is going to be a Knit-Night next Friday (15th February 2008) from 7 p.m. on. The catch is that, the owner's asking for a participation fee of EUR 10. There's a free soft-drink included....and also a surprise. ;-) I know part of the content of the surprise. Anyhow, she's offering non-alcoholic drinks and toasted sandwiches. If you're new to knitting and want to learn, you can on that evening. You need to register for it, the contact info is as follows:
When you register to come, you'll also receive a 5% discount on the yarn you buy before and on the Knit-Night. We stock the most GGH in Munich and we also carry Gedifra, Lang, Schachenmayr Nomotta, Regia and On Line.
(Rant in)
Anyhow, the only thing that happened today was a lady who came in with her husband. It was obvious that the husband didn't want to come...but she probably had dragged him in.
She came in and wanted me to help her fix her short-row heel ("Boomerangferse" in German) which was full of holes. I asked her whether she did the wrapping ("Umschlag" in German, which also means YO), she said no "because it's not in the instruction". So, I tried explaining to her that she needs to do this wrap-and-turn in order to prevent the holes, instead of just do a k2tog.
She looked at me and blinked.
And then she asked me whether I have never heard of the "Boomerangferse" before. I said, I know exactly what it is and how to do it and that there are variations on how you do it.
She looked me up and down again and blinked. The husband started huffing and shuffling around.
She gave me her socks on the needles and told me to frog it back and pick up the stitches for her.
I told her that the best way was to insert a life-line where the heel knitting begins and then frog down to that part and then pick up the stitches, do the short-row with W&T.
She looked at me, blinked and repeated her last sentence....slower this time. She also pulled out the copied page of how to knit the sock with short-row heel sans W&T. She jabbed at that piece of paper and said that there is nothing about the "Umschlag" on there and looked at me angrily as though I didn't understand a damn word she had been painstakingly enunciating to me. The husband opened his mouth but didn't say anything...so he resorted to shuffling around again.
I told her calmly that I can try tinking it back for her and show her. And so I tinked back a stitch, and showed her how to do the W&T....
....she snatched the sock out of my hands and stuffed it inside her bag and said that she would do it herself and that I don't have any idea about knitting socks and that she reckons that I don't even know how to knit.
I just smiled, said sorry that I couldn't help and showed them out.
After that I just sat there fuming and cursing her under my breath. How dare she?! If there was a person who had no idea, then it was her. If she reckons she can do it better herself, then fine. Suit yourself. But don't come accusing me that I didn't know how to knit. That was absolutely rude of her.
(Rant out)
So, that's what happened today. I better go knit a bit. :-p
Come around and visit me at the shop when I work there...or come to the Knit-Night!
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?
And don't blame me if you spend the next how many hours at that site. ;-p (Okay, if you want to blame some one, go blame it on Alala, she was the one who found it).
I reckon that it's the best invention on the net EVER!
Normal programme will resume shortly. In the meantime, please take this survey (stolen from Tari) and either answer them in the comment, or post to your blog and let me know.
01. Can you cook? 02. What was your dream growing up? 03. What talent do you wish you had? 04. If I bought you a drink what would it be? 05. Favorite vegetable? 06. What was the last book you read? 07. What zodiac sign are you ? 08. Any tattoos and/or piercings? 09. Worst habit? 10. If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride? 11. What is your favorite sport? 12. Negative or optimistic attitude? 13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me? 14. Worst thing to ever happen to you? 15. Tell me one weird fact about you. 16. Do you have any pets? 17. What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly? 18. What was your first impression of me? 19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary? 20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? 21. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience? 22. What color eyes do you have? 23. Ever been arrested? 24. Bottle or draft? 25. If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it? 26. Would you date me? 27. Where's your favorite place to hang out? 28. Do you believe in ghosts? 29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time? 30. Do you swear a lot? 31. Biggest pet peeve? 32. In one word, how would you describe yourself? 33. Do you believe in/appreciate romance? 34. If you could spend 12 hours with me and ask/do anything you like, what would it be? 35. Do you believe in God? 36. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same?
Lately, I've been seeing all these Rockin' Girl Blogger Award going around lots of the blogs I read...and I kinda felt left out, coz I'm not a girl. I was moaning about this fact to Projektleiterin and so, in the spirit of the original post of Rockin' Girl Blogger Award, Projektleiterin came up with this:
Now, I have to make a disclaimer here that this thing is started in the spirit of starting something like the original poster of the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award intended, there is absolutely no sexistic underlying tone here. So, please, don't start throwing muds about guys/girls thing. I think it's just fun.
So, first of all, thank you to Projektleiterin for starting this up for us guy-bloggers!
Now, I get to nominate 5 other male bloggers for this. I'm not going to take Projektleiterin's (pretty political) rules too seriously here, since I wouldn't know all the political views of people I'm nominating....but if you want to know the rules, go and read the post HERE. For me, the guys nominated must be fabu in their own ways. You're the judge yourself to which 5 guys you're nominating the award to.
It's a hard choice to make, since I can nominate only 5 guys. Don't be so surprised that they're all knitters. And don't be sad if you aren't nominated, because I'm sure that what goes around, comes around. So, if I didn't nominate you, there bounds to be someone else who will eventually nominate you. So, here are my nominations:
Okay, so there goes my idea of ever opening up the first Knit-Cafe here in Munich.....we'll get to that.
Anyway, yesterday I went down to my LYS and talked to the ladies there. I told them about the Lana Grossa ad I saw and they gave me a free booklet from Lana Grossa with all the shops that carry their products here in Germany. I turned to the page for Munich and there were of course all the shops that I knew of. But there was this one shop that I have never heard of before: "Lanaiolo", which apparently is in the same neighbourhood I live in. So, I thought that I was going to go check it out today.
Yesterday evening, HWMNBN rang me up for a chat....then he told me that his insurance agent is going to open up a knit-cafe around where I live. So, I told him that I think I might know who it is....and as it turned out, it is this new shop.
So, I just went out to go check out the shop. Nothing there yet, but the insurance agency is still there along with the name of the owner of the agency and also of Lanaiolo. There is a poster from Lana Grossa on the window though, so I guessed that I was at the right place but that it hasn't opened properly yet.
I walked back to take the tube home and as I was just crossing a side street there was a car that stopped and was letting me cross. The lady in the car rolled down her window and called out to me asking whether I was looking for the wool shop. Turned out she's the owner, i.e. HWMNBN's insurance agent....and obviously she knew who I was in regards to knitting, but not that I have association with HWMNBN. I told her that I was just talking to HWMNBN about the shop last night. Talk about coincidence!
She told me that the shop will be opened next week....so I told her that I'll be back to check it out. And hey, maybe I could ask her if I could work there! I mean, since my idea of a knit-cafe is taken, then I might as well just immerse myself in there anyway. :-p We'll see.
ETA: For those in Munich, the "Lanaiolo" is at Grillparzerstr. 35. And yes, Knitlady, we should go there together.
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up.Have fun!
( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show (x) Grease (x) Pirates of the Caribbean (x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest ( ) Boondock Saints (x) Fight Club ( ) Starsky and Hutch (x) Neverending Story ( ) Blazing Saddles ( ) AirplaneTotal: 7 ( ) The Princess Bride ( ) AnchorMan (x) Napoleon Dynamite (x) Labyrinth (x) Saw (x) Saw II (x) White Noise ( ) White Oleander ( ) Anger Management ( ) 50 First Dates (x) The Princess Diaries (x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Total so far: 12
(x) Scream (x) Scream 2 (x) Scream 3 (x) Scary Movie ( ) Scary Movie 2 ( ) Scary Movie 3 ( ) Scary Movie 4 (x) American Pie (x) American Pie 2 ( ) American Wedding ( ) American Pie Band Camp Total so far: 18
(x) Harry Potter 1 (x) Harry Potter 2 (x) Harry Potter 3 (x) Harry Potter 4 (x) Resident Evil 1 (x) Resident Evil 2 (x) The Wedding Singer ( ) Little Black Book (x) The Village (x) Lilo & Stitch Total so far: 27
(x) Finding Nemo ( ) Finding Neverland (x) Signs (x) The Grinch (x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre ( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning ( ) White Chicks ( ) Butterfly Effect ( ) 13 Going on 30 (x) I, Robot ( ) Robots Total so far: 32
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (x) Universal Soldier ( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events ( ) Along Came Polly (x) Deep Impact ( ) KingPin (x) Never Been Kissed (x) Meet The Parents ( ) Meet the Fockers ( ) Eight Crazy Nights ( ) Joe Dirt (x) KING KONG Total so far: 37
( ) A Cinderella Story (x) The Terminal ( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie ( ) Passport to Paris ( ) Dumb & Dumber ( ) Dumber & Dumberer (x) Final Destination (x) Final Destination 2 (x ) Final Destination 3 () Halloween (x) The Ring (x) The Ring 2 ( ) Surviving X-MAS ( ) Flubber Total so far: 43
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (x) Practical Magic ( ) Chicago (x) Ghost Ship ( ) From Hell (x) Hellboy ( )Secret Window ( ) I Am Sam ( ) The Whole Nine Yards ( ) The Whole Ten Yards Total so far: 46
(x) The Day After Tomorrow ( ) Child's Play ( ) Seed of Chucky ( ) Bride of Chucky (x) Ten Things I Hate About You ( ) Just Married ( ) Gothika (x) Nightmare on Elm Street (x) Sixteen Candles ( ) Remember the Titans ( ) Coach Carter (x) The Grudge ( ) The Grudge 2 (x) The Mask ( ) Son Of The Mask Total so far: 52
(x) Bad Boys ( ) Bad Boys 2 ( ) Joy Ride ( ) Lucky Number Sleven ( ) Ocean's Eleven ( ) Ocean's Twelve ( ) Bourne Identity ( ) Bourne Supremecy ( ) Lone Star (x) Bedazzled (x) Predator I (x) Predator II ( ) The Fog (x) Ice Age ( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown ( ) Curious George Total so far: 57
(x) Independence Day ( ) Cujo ( ) A Bronx Tale ( ) Darkness Falls (x) Christine (x) ET (x) Children of the Corn ( ) My Bosses Daughter (x) Maid in Manhattan (x) War of the Worlds (x) Rush Hour ( ) Rush Hour 2 Total so far: 64
( ) Best Bet (x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (x) She's All That ( ) Calendar Girls ( ) Sideways (x) Mars Attacks ( ) Event Horizon ( ) Ever After (x) Wizard of Oz (x) Forrest Gump ( ) Big Trouble in Little China (x) The Terminator (x) The Terminator 2 (x) The Terminator 3 Total so far: 72
(x) X-Men (x) X-2 ( ) X-3 (x) Spider-Man ( ) Spider-Man 2 ( ) Sky High (x) Jeepers Creepers ( ) Jeepers Creepers 2 (x) Catch Me If You Can (x) The Little Mermaid ( ) Freaky Friday ( ) Reign of Fire (x) The Skulls (x) Cruel Intentions ( ) Cruel Intentions 2 ( ) The Hot Chick (x) Shrek (x) Shrek 2 Total so far: 82
( ) Swimfan (x) Miracle on 34th street ( ) Old School ( ) The Notebook ( ) K-Pax ( ) Krippendorf's Tribe ( ) A Walk to Remember ( ) Ice Castles ( ) Boogeyman (x) The 40-year-old Virgin Total so far: 84
(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring (x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers (x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King (x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Total so far: 90
( ) Baseketball ( ) Hostel ( ) Waiting for Guffman ( ) House of 1000 Corpses ( ) Devils Rejects ( ) Elf (x) Highlander (x) Mothman Prophecies (x) American History X ( ) Three Total so Far: 93
( ) The Jacket ( ) Kung Fu Hustle ( ) Shaolin Soccer (x) Night Watch (x) Monsters Inc. (x) Titanic ( ) Monty Python and the Holy Grail ( ) Shaun Of the Dead ( ) Willard Total so far: 96
( ) High Tension ( ) Club Dread ( ) Hulk (x) Dawn Of the Dead (x) Hook (x) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (x) 28 days later ( ) Orgazmo ( ) Phantasm (x) Waterworld Total so far: 101
(x) Kill Bill vol 1 (x) Kill Bill vol 2 (x) Mortal Kombat ( ) Wolf Creek (x) Kingdom of Heaven ( ) the Hills Have Eyes ( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman ( ) The Last House on the Left ( ) Re-Animator (x) Army of Darkness Total so far: 106
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace (x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones (x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith (x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope (x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back (x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi ( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage ( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor Total so far: 112
(x) The Matrix (x) The Matrix Reloaded (x) The Matrix Revolutions ( ) Animatrix ( ) Evil Dead ( ) Evil Dead 2 ( ) Team America: World Police (x) Red Dragon (x) Silence of the Lambs (x) Hannibal Total: 118
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? ;-)
----------
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
Started: 30th July 2007 Finished: Half-way on 09th August 2007 Yarn: Regia 4-ply, Hand-dyed by me (75% superwash virgin wool, 25% polyamid; 50 g / 210 m) Needle: 2.5 mm/100 cm Lang Needles (comparable to Addi Turbos) Pattern:Universal Toe-up Sock using Magic Cast-On
Yeah, it seems like I've been knitting like mad in the past week....I kinda have. It was a kind of escapism....except this last one, because it's plain stockinette in the round, so I can actually read/study while knitting. ;-) Then again, I kept finishing only one side of the pair. No, I'm not going to join the Single Sock Liberation Movement any time soon....all the twins have been cast-on and are lingering on the needles waiting to be knit up.
Anyway, I've finished one side and the twin is already on the needles. The colours in the yarn itself vary so greatly...this is even more so pronounced when the sock is knit up. From the right and the left side of the same sock, the colours are just totally different!
The colours are as close as I can get in such bad lighting environment we have today (rain and rain and overcast and grey)...it was with my mad touch-up skillz(TM) that I can get this result. (@ ISO 400, hence the graininess).
Anyway, y'all have a great weekend!
Current Mood: Chugging along...with a sore throat Food for the Ears: Overture to "The Flying Dutchman" - Wagner
I had been toying with the idea to unplug for as long as I haven't got the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in my hand and haven't read it yet....but alas, I came to the conclusions that I shouldn't need to, since:
1) I read Knit-Blogs...need I say more? 2) Non Knit-Blogs that I read are from sensible people who won't spoil the fun for other people 3) I don't do Harry Potter forums (well, I'm in a couple, but I don't really hang out there) 4) The only other surfing I'm doing is to research for my papers 5) Oh yeah, and I stalk the yarnies, too
So, as you can see, I don't think I'm in danger of having the last book spoilt for me by some idiotic buggers who sold the book sooner than other people or that jerk who took photos of the book content.
Oh....and DHL's being as slow as....errr...well, I guess it's their normal pace. But when it says "DHL Special" then I'd have thought they'd be faster. But well, I still haven't got my copy yet....and so I won't be leaving the house until I have it in my hands.
Aside from that, we were supposed to record the next episode of Knitters Uncensored today...that is, until I realised that Deathly Hallows' coming out today and I had to postpone it. :-p
Anyway, at the least I received a package yesterday. Yup, my latest Stash Enhancing eXperience with Drachenwolle! Aren't they yummy? This time, I got two hanks of the merino-silk-ramie mix (the two top ones) and two hanks of merino-linen mix (the two bottom ones). I'm looking forward to knit up something with the merino-linen, just because I've never worked with that kind of fibre mix before...
...and the bottom right one, don't the colours just remind you of Lime & Violet??!
Erstens: Herzlich Wilkommen an jede, die hier gekommen sind durch den SZ Jetzt Artikel!
Soooooo, as some of you may know, I've given an interview to a German newspaper some time ago...and now the article is printed and is also online (although in German). I'm sooooo giddy about it. :-p
Anyhow, I actually am doing quite okay with my seminar papers at the moment. Found a professor for my diploma thesis and I'm in the process of writing up a proposal for him to review.
Nach dem Stress von den vorigen Wochen, habe ich mich wirklich mal hingesetzt und an meine Seminararbeiten geschrieben. Es geht so einigermaßen. Besser ist aber, dass ich jetzt einen Prof gefunden habe, der meine Diplomarbeit betreuen wird. Ich bin grad dabei, neben all meinen Seminararbeiten eine Art Gliederung zu schreiben für den Prof. Also drückt mir schön die Daumen, gel?
On Sunday morning, I went to the Kocherlball. I actually was supposed to go with Cashyie, but she went out the night before and she had to crash. Luckily another friend of mine was there, so I could join up with him and his friends, so all was well. Funnily enough, one of his friends turned out to actually live across the street from me. Small world, eh?
Letzter Sonntag morgen war ich aufm Kocherlball. Eigentlich hätte Cashyie mit mir mitkommen sollen, aber sie war die Nacht zuvor ausgegangen und musste letztendlich schlafen gehen. Gottseidank war ein anderer Freund von mir auch aufm Kocherlball und ich habe mich zu ihm und seinen FreundInnen gesetzt. Lustig war, dass die eine Freundin von ihm genau mir gegenüber wohnt. München ist echt einfach ein großes Dorf.
Nothing much to tell actually. I went over to Bockstark Knits to hang out and enjoy the A/C. Cashyie turns up a bit later and we just hung out and watched a DVD. I then had to make my way home to change out of my Lederhosen and went to SnB. That pretty much concluded my Sunday (which I deserve, since I spent the glorious Saturday afternoon in the library! That doesn't happen very often with me).
Ansonstens gibt's eigentlich nichts Großartiges zu erzählen. Ich bin nach dem Kocherlball zu Bockstark Knits gefahren und habe bei ihr die Klimaanlage genossen. Cashyie kam dazu noch und wir haben uns eine DVD angeschaut. Danach musste ich schnell heim, um mich von meiner Lederhosen umzuziehen und mich auf dem Weg zu Stitch 'n Bitch zu machen. Im Grunde genommen war das halt mein Sonntag...den ich auch verdient habe, denn ich habe ja den ganzen schönen Samstagnachmittag in der Bilbiothek verbracht. ;-p
And now, to some yarn content. I scored the hank you see above from Bockstark Knits. It's the Tausendschön sock yarn in "Schwarze Rose" ("Black Rose"). Red's not actually my colour, but for some reason, this one really spoke to me. I think it's the black part in it. ;-)
Und jetzt mal ein bisschen Wolleinhalt. Der Strang daoben habe ich von Bockstark Knits bekommen. Es ist die Sockenwolle von Tausendschön in "Schwarze Rose". Normalerweise mag ich rot überhaupt nicht, aber das Schwarze in der Farbe hat mich angesprochen.
