Rainbow Stitch N Bitch

I went to the Stitch N Bitch at Stonewall Union tonight. There were 4 newish knitters there. We only knitted for an hour. I could have gone for more time working on my Tahoo Obi as I've come to call it.
What Columbus really needs is a group of men who can knit together. Of course, women would be welcome. It's time to increase our numbers or just get together an knit as a group! I think it would be fun.
Because it was only one hour, I only knit two rows. I did stop and help someone pick up some dropped stitches. I taught her to knit into the back of the stitch when the picked up stitch got put on the needle wrong. I also showed someone how to S a stitch purlwise and I1 by knitting into the front and back of a stitch.
I'm seeing Mom tomorrow and hope to get some knitting done while I'm there. It should be fun. I've not seen Mom for almost two months.

My Father

My Father

This is a copy of the Eulology I wrote for my father who died two years ago today. I thought I would copy it here.
In Dad's own words:
"I suppose you're all wondering why I called this meeting."
They say you can tell a lot about a person's life by how they die. Dad died holding the hand of loving wife, surrounded by a family who loves him beyond what words can say.
"Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking," Let me try to put some of this love into words so you can learn more about the man, Frank S***** or W***.
Dad had a fighting spirit. 12 years ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the time of his diagnosis, he was given 6 months to live. Well, that wasn't good enough for Dad. He learned quickly about cancer, becoming an expert and then sharing what he learned with his Doctors and others who also had cancer. The cancer opened him to sharing himself more freely. He showed his love a little more freely to his wife, 12 children, 30 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Not once did his humor leave him. In the hospital last week, Dad was still telling jokes, faking a heart attack, and making us laugh. His humor is a trait that he passed to his children. I know I cherish this trait.
I'd like to share a few of the values he taught his children:
Humility. Dad was humble about everything. He did nothing "extraordinary" in his mind. He shared his knowledge and talents generously. He helped people. He used his humor to divert attention from the praise heaped upon him.
Commitment. 55 years of marriage. That is a commitment! Providing for 12 children, that is a commitment. Being a husband, father, grandfather, and gros-pop sure takes a commitment. He wasn't perfect, but he did more than what was expected. I didn't grow up with everything I wanted, but I grew up with everything I needed. After all, "the best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." That he did! �and we love you too, Mom.
Love: Dad allowed everyone to be who he or she wanted to be. His love was unconditional. You could go to church or not go to church. Be a Ham or not be a Ham. It didn't change his love for you. He and Mom only wanted their children to be truly happy.
He was proud of all his children and grand children and supported them in everyway. In academic studies, sports, music, or scouts (2 are eagle scouts). 5 grandchildren have served our country in the military, one currently in Okinawa, and one in Kuwait.
His faith was strong. For as long as I can remember, Dad has gone on a yearly retreat. (A silent retreat at that!) Actually, he attended this retreat for 45 years. He always asked his sons to join him. He wanted to share his deep faith with his children. I never went to the retreats with Dad, but I always liked to hear about it and see the glow in his eyes afterwards. If you've have been around him when he was very excited about something, you recognize that glow.

Service: It's been awhile since Dad was on a School Board or helping with the Parrish Festival. He's been a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1954, a charter member. Perhaps most significant in his service to the Church was Dad's support of mom's involvement in the church. Active in the bereavement committee, CCD, and bible study, Mom enthusiastically participated. She was able to do this while many of his children were attending St. Chris. Dad's support of mom is a significant gift he gave to the church.
Indeed, he was proud of Mom (or Old What's Her Name) and the service she provided.
And we thank you Mom, for your loyal dedication to all of Dad's endeavors and for tolerating, as difficult as it was, all the "uncouth practices" he taught your grandchildren.

Strength: Dad was strong. Being in the navy required this. Being the father of 12 children required this. Being a successful businessman required this. He had strong control of his emotions. Still waters run deep. This strong control truly showed that he loved deeply. His deep love showed itself at the loss of his parents, brothers and close friends. These were the only times we saw Dad cry. This is a man who loved entirely and so completely that he cried deeply. I am moved by the memories.
Dad passed on to his children his strong work ethic. "A good days work for a day's pay." All of us have it, Dad. We hope to do you proud.
His fighting spirit will always be with us. Dad has moved to a higher place and he will always be accessible in our hearts. What legacy did he left behind? Look around you. This man has touched each of you. I hope you'll all pass that love to someone you come in contact with, everyday. Thank you for coming to celebrate the life of my Dad.
I'll end in Dad's words, "I'm glad you got to see me. Carry on."

What Vivian Hoxbro Do You Have?

The RAINBOW Jacket in color 11, thanks for asking.
KnitMary was looking at the picture of my stash. Her keen eye immediately sees the kit and asked me about it via email. No, I've not started it yet. I don't know when I will start it to be honest. I bought it in November or end of last year because it was a good price and the colors are great and nice design and it is rainbow.
What are these things called? � *wondering*
I called Schoolhouse Press today because I wanted to make sure I understand the Surprise Jacket pattern. Guess who I got to talk too? You got it. The question about the pattern was passed to none other than Meg Swansen. She's so charming and enjoys having her designs appreciated. She answered all my questions so I can begin knitting on the sweater. (I really didn't want to make a mistake and frogging out the work. I happened to mention KnitMary's excitement of her yarn arrival ("UPS is a wonderful thing" KnitMary says). Meg gushed that KnitMary's idea to do the Celtic Swirl in natural colors is so good she wanted to knit another one for herself.
I'm meeting KnitMary on Saturday to see the yarn and then stop by the new shop. A report will be posted on Saturday.

See? Knitters are fabulous

this email is from KnitMary, she gave me permission to post it here. I think this is a prime example of how nice knitters can be.
WOW, I called School House Press yesterday to find out about them kitting a sweater for me and was so suprised that Meg answered the phone. I know her voice from the video. She was so so sweet. I wanted a price for kitting the Celtic Swirl in Meg Swansen's Knitting and she gushed over me thanking ME for liking her design. She said it has not gotten a lot of attention. I think it's about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I decided to make it in graduating shades of natural undyed sheep colors using their unspun icelandic. Now if I could only plan for 5 extra hours a day I'd be in great shape.

I had a great time knitting and chatting and swigging coffee with you. Especially meeting our new friend- we'll have to call him Preach til we get his real name. I was quite suprised to see my name on your blog. too cute. So now I'm knitMary and GrannyMary.

Off to Hat and Sole to find some Birks. My feet love summer.

later,
KnitGrannyMary

Quick Stop and Surprise Help

I've been knitting on the Surprise Baby Jacket by EZ. I got to a certain point in the pattern and my brain started to short circuit. It didn't make sense. I'm supposed to bind off stitches and then continue to add them and knit extra ridges? So, I stopped by Knitter's Mercantile to ask Sallie for some help. Funny what she said. "Just do what it says and stop looking ahead." Okay, i'm thinking.... I might have to call School House Press and confirm what I think is being done. I hoped to have the jacket done by Sunday, but I'm thinking I'll enjoy working on it slowly.
I did finish the baby booties that are knitted out of the same yarn. I must admit, I didn't enjoy finishing those booties. All that easing of the toes and such. I like knitting in the round. Must find good bootie patterns knit in the round. Any suggestions? (really, I'd like to avoid ever knitting flat booties again)
I continue on the wonderful Blueberry Scarf out of Noro close to color 131. I went back and adjusted the needle size to a 9. A little better overall. It is a sturdy scarf and exactly what I needed, to be able to knit something without having to think but not be totally void of challenge. I was able to get the pattern down after the first skein. I like it.
I'm considering knitting a cotton t-shirt for summer. I'm thinking of knitting it in the round and making it a yoke pattern. Something light, slightly oversized and comfortable. Of course, it would need to be in a good color. I have skeins of some cotton classic yarn, but probably not quite enough. Must avoid buying more yarn, must avoid buying more yarn, must avoid....
I did stop at the Yarn Shop two Saturdays ago and looked at some yarn there. She didn't have enough in stock for me and was going to order more. I've not heard back. Not a good sign, really. On a good note, they've expanded their first store. I've not been in awhile. I'll have to correct this in the future.
Seems like a new shop has opened. Heavenly Creations, LLC Yarn & Fiber Shop. I'll have to stop by. Care to join me KnitMary?
Speaking of KnitMary, she had a great experience talking to School House Press! She actually got to talk to Meg. I'll have to ask KnitMary if I can post her email.

Knitting with KnitMary

I got home last night after an enjoyable day with Lady Julie and Abby and popped on the computer. I saw "KnitMary" as I call her on AIM. We chatted and she wanted to go out and knit. I'm all over that and immediately agree as I enjoy spending time with her and knitting. We went to caribou in UA. They close at 11:00 so we had an hour there to enjoy coffee and each other's company. There was this young man across from us trying to read, but when you get KnitMary and me together, topics run the gammet. I saw him looking our way and smiling. So I say to him "What you studying?" as he was looking at flash cards. "Greek, but your conversation seems to be more interesting." I tell him to join us!
He is studying at a local bible college and was waiting for his girlfriend to finish babysitting as they were heading to a party at the "brick house" on campus. He glances at my Opinionated Knitter and wondered about that. KnitMary and I catch him up on EZ and then start quizing him on his greek. He's got to pass to keep his graded up.
Meanwhile, we're justing knitting away. KnitMary is working on a bag out of leftover yarns. She's going to felt it when finished. Colors are very nice and it should be useful as well. I'm working on the Surprise Baby Jacket.
The kid's girlfriend shows up and is a little freaked that he's sitting with two strangers. She's nice and polite and we chat for a little longer. They head off to the Brick house. Then the coffee shop turns out their lights on us. We still want to knit and chat and head for Cup 'O Joe for more of both. We were ther until after midnight and headed home.
Lots of knitting accomplished. I got past the adding 10 sts row so I'm more than half finished with the Surprise Baby Jacket. Mary got about a row and half of colors knit...almost two inches.
Fun times had by all!

I don't think so

I'm searching the net for good pattern ideas for N cubed's prize. I thought it good to send her ideas so she can select a design. .....
anyhow. I came across this. I will notknit these for my friends. (well, maybe if my mood is right and it would turn your face red!)
got any interesting pattern ideas for N cubed's prize?

And the winner is....

and the winner is....

N cubed. A variation of her "Knitted Brow".
I'll be in contact with her to discuss her hand knit scarf.
Now...if I can just put together a new banner at the top that is exciting. I wonder what abby would barter to make my banner?

Grim Poncho

Link: Stash Amassed Beyond Life Expectancy: The Grim Reaper Poncho?!?.
I think this will be my next project. Mine will be brightly colored.

Surprise Jacket and Weekend Update

The casting on of the Suprise Baby Sweater went fine and I've knit about 22 garder ridges. A picture wouldn't be much fun right now as all you'll see is garter stitch *yawn*.
I've continued on the Bluberry Scarf in Noro but on size 9 needles. I'm happy with the color wave and the feel of the fabric. I began the second skein yesterday. A picture will be posted soon.
Friday had a great lunch with highschool friend scOtt at Panera. Four hours flew by! We should do this again!
Worked on Saturday and went to learn to play Mah Jongg at Mike's house with Lady Julie and Jeff. We decided not to play Mah Jongg and enjoy company wallowing. Good food and excellent company was enjoyed. Watched Down with Love which I thought was fun.
Sunday was quiet and allowed me to spend time on taking care of myself and my yard.

Laundry Day

If there is one thing that makes laundry fun, it is this. How to Fold a Shirt This made it around the internet several months back. It works! I think the Gap may be able to learn something from this.

Casting on a Baby Surprise Jacket

Have you knit one of these? (bottom of the page) Got any suggestions that might be helpful? I've swatched it out and will be using Blu Jeans Indigo Cotton Yarn. I bought lots of the yarn very inexpensively when I first started to knit for about $2.00 per skein. The colors go well with the baby's room and will fit him when he needs it most. I also made booties out of the same yarn but expect his feet will be too large to wear them at the same time.
I might even be able to knit something for myself out of this yarn, especiallyl nice for stash depletion.

When It Hurts Enough

Perhaps you've heard the saying "people change: when it hurts enough, when they learn enough, when they want enough." This is a terrible translation of something on Chris' filing cabinet at work.
Today (well, yesterday at 11:57 p.m.) it hurts enough. I said outloud as I was reading information for a meeting "I don't want to do this anymore." As I held back the tears, I put myself in check. Having seen What the Bleep 6 times and from personal experience, I know that words can misdirect our intentions and lead us to off track areas. So I clarified. What I don't want to do anymore is struggle with all this pressure and discomfort. Speed of activity and misdirected attentions really spin me out of control.
My job has provided me excellent learning experiences:

training people hiring people customer contact problem resolution excellent benefits fair treatment as an employee access to vast amounts of information great friends

Time as come for me to be able to do these things at the expected speed of light while being able to provide metrics of results. The learning of moving at the speed of light, developing correct methods of metrics and focusing on appropriate results (without always getting support from my supervisor) gives ample opportunity for growth. Focusing on tasks is a skill I'm successfully learning. Limiting distractions also brings more opportunities. I wish I had learned this earlier in life, but so be it. :)

This made me laugh outloud

Laugh with me or am I just sick.

Blueberry Scarf in Noro

I've been swatching for a new project. I'm itching for something on the somewhat challenging but meditative to knit using yarn from my stash.
I've done two swatches for this pattern from the book the Little Box of Scarves I received for Christmas 2005. (fun little book, it actually has about 5 scarves that I would consider knitting). The first swatch didn't work well because I cast on too many sts. I had 43 sts going and the scarf was just too wide. Now I'm using the 27 sts, which is a nice size, but the feel isn't very appealing. I'm using Noro Kuryeon on one size too small of needles. My color is 32, which is discontinued. The feel of the yarn is tight and I'm afraid that the yarn won't soften up and be cuddly when it's on.
See:
I may just need to change yarns (or needle size for that matter). I've been using the yarn for a Elizabeth Zimmermann Ribwarmer pattern but haven't gone back to the design in awhile. And I've gotten the "Ribwarmer" revisted that gives a few more options. I sense frogging in my future, don't you?
What do you suggest I knit?
A few more suggestions for "Name My Blog" have arrived from Abby. Soul Skein and Me & Hue. Both very nice. What did you suggest? Remember, the prize...a hand knit scarf!

Finished Basket Weave

You read it right. A Finished Object. The basketweave bamboo scarf for Joanne is done. Actually, it's being blocked as I type. Once it is dry, it get's mailed. :)
The pattern was a good knit and the needles I used (my Lantern Moon) were delightful.

Dairy?

I went to the Beltane celebration today. It was fun. I enjoyed myself.
I come home and ate some cottage cheese and now feel lethargic. Is it the dairy?
I finished the bamboo basket weave scarf! I'll be taking pictures of it this week and then I'll need to send it off to Joanne!

Name My Blog!

That's right! Name My Blog!
Please submit you're entry as a comment to this blog posting. The winner (decided by me and my decision is totally final) will receive a hand knitted scarf. I'll cover the details of yarn, design and such later.
I'm looking for a Blog name that gives an idea to the world what my blog is about. (see categories) Special interest will be given to technology and knitting. :) And you'll need to come up with the subtitle too. Remember....I can be sarcastic.
Go for it!

These are the orginal comments posted on the old blog

Net One, Purl Two-A technical yarn

Posted by: Steve at April 30, 2005 10:02 AM

Gerald, you may regret asking for suggestions�So far, I've come up with:
Purls of Wisdom
Purls Before Whine
Knit Picking
Knitted Brow
Knit Knack
Knit Wit and Wisdom
and best of all�no offense!�
The KnitWit

Posted by: n-cubed at April 30, 2005 02:19 PM

These have some real potential! What was the name of that woman knitter in Tale of Two Cities?

Posted by: Gerald at May 1, 2005 01:32 AM

All I remember from her part in the movie (I saw it a looooong time ago) was her toothless cackle and screaming "Guillotine!Guillotine!" (spelling?), while knitting.
You could call it that...cacklecackle...."Guillotine! Guillotine!...knit one, behead two....

Posted by: Trix at May 2, 2005 06:51 PM

Madame Defarge

Posted by: Gerald at May 2, 2005 08:08 PM

How about Spinning Yarns with Madam Defarge?

Posted by: scOtt at May 3, 2005 10:36 AM

I put my new one in the wrong category on here.
It was
Hue & Double-Click
From Thought To Form: The Color & Sound of Knitting
Hugs,
Abby

Posted by: Abby at May 4, 2005 11:15 AM

Or hmmm. . .
Twisted Stitches
Off of Steve's Knit Knack
Knit-Knot-Pattern-Work (I know! Cheesy.)
Through The Loop
Knit & Purl TEXTiles (Okay, more cheesy.)
Slipping The Pattern
HAHAHAHA Here ya go:
Fruit Loops Just Teasing!
Gathered Stitches
I think I'll stop here. I'm starting to get dizzy.
Hugs,
Abby

Posted by: Abby at May 4, 2005 11:28 AM

This comes from Mary who posted this to my yahoo account.
Jerry's techno stick tricks.

There once was a knitter named Jer
who could toss his sticks in the air
when they came down
each stitch was a crown
wrapped with love ordinaire
Mary who usually writes naughty limericks

Posted by: Gerald at May 5, 2005 01:09 AM

It's Fun To Check Things Done

Today at work I had a great opportunity to get stuff done without being constantly interrupted. You might have read that I came back from vacation with 310 emails. Well, that's down to 100 unopened emails (including those I opened and "read later"ed in Groupwise. I know, I know, there shouldn't be any unopened emails. *thssssssssp* on you. : ) The other groovy thing is I got rid of about 400 opened emails. I'm feeling lighter!
I've been enjoying the work on the basket weave scarf for Joanne. Hey! Joanne! Did you read that? I'm thinking I've got about 20 rows left before I'm done. A great thing to experience! A FO!
I'm still working on the Tahoe Obi and struggle with trying not allow it to be teadious. The colors are great! What project next?
Technology can be grand....especially when I control it! I'm taking the weekend to get my thoughts in order to create an Access Database that will help me track my time. It will be very cool Lady Julie is working with me tonight. Chris helped this afternoon by taking the time to help me relate my thought about work to work related strategic plans. (i just wrote strategic plans in my blog.)
I'll keep you in the loop!

Tracking Time

I've discovered the importance of knowing where my time goes. You ever wonder about that? Many things like TV or conversations that have gone too long, and internet searching really suck up my time. At the end of the day, have I gotten anything of value completed? Not usually. It is the quandrant IV stuff from 7 Habits..., not urgent and not important. sigh
I know a few people who have to use time tracking software at work. Are you one? Does it work? I don't have such software at work. I'm fortunate to be working with some people who have created an Access Database which tracks time for them as it relates to specific projects on the Tactical Plan. For me, this will be a good learning experience. It is the set up time which I find a little frightening.
What is the core concern with my time? Is it the lack of completion? Who was I talking to about the need to actually complete projects? Or am I always interested in the next "shiny object"?
Thought I would share.
on a side note...I shared my blog address with my friend Beth and she asked me "Who is your intended audience?" You know, I hadn't given it much thought. That is very important thing to realize, because it directs how I use this. I'll wonder about that for a few days.

Vacation Knitting!

So, I'm back from vacation. Met at work with 310 emails and lots of stuff that needs my "immediate" attention. Had some great relaxation on vacation. I'll fill you in on stuff later. On with the knitting coolness!
Went to a store called "Love to Knit Yarn Shop" in Vermillion OH. Great lady owns the shop. When we arrived on Thursday late morning, there was a knitting group there just knitting away. They welcomed us without delay. These ladies were happy that I knit. I scanned her books first and found this!
A wonderful find seeing as all the Columbus stores are sold out! . Of course you'll see the "ribwarmer" spunout which the nice owner gave me. Hey, it was only $1, but the thought was important! She is an obvious lover of all things Elizabeth Zimmermann and schoolhouse press. She had a ribwarmer on display at the shop and I saw that there was no seam up the back. Got us talking of course.
I also broke down and got some other things.
They are here.
Yes, the new issue of Interweave Knits and a back issue. You'll also see some yarn. I know, I know....I'm not buying any yarn in 2005, but I made it to April. The price on the Koigu was great and she took off an extra 10% because I was using them for socks. And the Mango Moon recycled silk really goes to a good cause. It was a good purchase, I think.
Here's a close-up of the yarn!


Joanne was with me and she wanted some socks or something knit for her. I've very happy to help out. She found some bamboo yarn from Southwest Trading Company. She liked the colors. I'm knitting up a scarf in a basket weave pattern. I'll knit until I'm done. It shouldn't take too long. I did get myself a treat in the form of Lantern Moon knitting needles. Esquisite needles that help people.
Here's a picture of both the basket weave and the needles.


Bored of the knitting stuff. I'll write more later about the knitting.
Anything you want to know about vacation? Please ask!

Vacation-O-Rama

'm on vacation and am enjoying myself a lot!  Yesterday I did the full day testing in Cleveland for the EDIC studies (diabetes) and survived!  Actually, it was fine.  Back to back tests and I was on the go most of the time.  4 hours of neuro-behavior testing related how my brain functions.  Grueling testing (asking about comparisons between words, repeating numbers back in different orders, marking off 6's from a sheet a of paper).  Results will be shared within 6 weeks. 
Today we're going quilt fabric shopping and yarn shopping.
breakfast is ready!

Dreams

My, it's a little early for me to be posting. Yes, Song Ferrett, the time is early on a day I don't have to work!
I slept all day on Sunday. Yes, all day. I believe it was awake for about 6 hours. The weather was beautiful out and I had excellent sleep. I sleep well during the day. I found myself dreaming of many things, in full color. One of the dreams was about moving into a new house, or rather, clearing stuff out of Fair Play House so it felt so new. There was hard work included and it was rewarding in a completely different way. It registered differently to me. Deeper and more complete.
This morning I dreamed again of the garden and purposeful cooking. Go figure. I expect the dreams from this morning to resurface so I can further explore them. My gut reaction is understanding these dreams will help me understand what is going on now for me. I welcome understanding!

Catching Up on Comments with Questions

I must verify:
Maggie taught me to knit in March of 2002. Not Meg. I think I was tired when i wrote the 100+ Things about me and messed up. Maggie and Meg are not the same person. Heck...even the accent is different! Meg taught me to cook soup (along with Margaret). I have corrected the post.
I was asked why would anyone spend an inordinate amount of time blogging. And what is the "taking a chance" about. Excellent questions. I'll tell you why. I have wonderful friends who have read my blog and commented. These comments are part of the 'taking a chance' for me. You all keep me honest. And I put out in writing what is sometimes difficult to say. I get to have readers keep me real and honest. I'm finding this doesn't take any more time than typing an email once I've set up the blog. I think it will be good for me as I can take pictures and put them on the page. It's also a chance for me to actually keep up with my committment to post regularly. You all know me, the next shiney object and I'll be on to that thing. And using the blog will help me use the technology in a new manner. I'm experiencing technology, Gerald style!
Now, Steve, mentions that I will be 39 for a long time because of decluttering my house. Well, now. Supportive aren't we? I say realistic. lol. Yes, it will take time to declutter. Afterall, I'm overcoming 38 years of having been a packrat. I'll get there. I think I'll plan on still decluttering my house before I'm 40.
Now, Abby caught on an early post about "Interruptions Reactions" that I didn't say how I felt about the reaction. Let me tell you. I was angry and pissed off! I felt picked on and not cared about.
I'll try to be clearer with future posts and I expect to be called on errors!

15+ Minutes

I got this great email from my friend N 3. She's a former employee who excels at editing what people write (read as using a red pen on all of my memos and smiling at me as she hands them back...but I used this to my advantage and had her proof stuff before I gave it to staff :) I realize she's probably found about 4 errors in what I've written.
Dear Friends and Family:
Last Saturday, Jim Kershner wrote a humorous column in the Spokesman-Review
about the grammatical errors newspaper people make and the readers who delight
in pointing them out. This column itself was (deliberately) full of mistakes
and Kershner invited readers to make corrections and forward them to him. It�ll
be no surprise to any of you that I jumped right on that one.
Today I learned I am one of two winners. Although others found more mistakes,
I found what Kersher called true mistakes (i.e. the misuse and the
misspelling of pejorative). I will receive a Grammar Police coffee mug.
Therefore, all of you who are accustomed to muttering "know-it-all" under
your breath and/or behind my back may now call me that right to my face. Because
I am proud to finally be an official know-it-all. And I do plan to lord it
over all of you. It took me fifty-nine and a half years to get my 15 minutes of
fame, and I�m going to stretch it to 17 or 18 minutes if I can get away with it!
Meanwhile, loved ones, keep those apostrophes under control.
N....
I think this is fabulous! It's about time someone gave her a prize! Love you N 3

What the Bleep? It still works

So I introduced BT to What the Bleep tonight. He enjoyed it. And I enjoyed watching it for the 4th time. It does make sense in my mind. Did you see it? You really should!
I'm enjoying a little Cherry Garcia for afters. I will be finishing reading for work and then go to bed.
I've confirmed vacation dog watching with A! This makes me happy so i don't have to worry about their care. I'll need to think of the appropriate payment for the dog watching. I hope it goes well.
I'm off...I'll be addressing some of my negative feelings towards the pace of changes and my success with aligning with the changes going on at work and home.

Lawn and Garden

My lawn mower was picked up today during lunch. I came home from work...left as soon as I could after 6:00 p.m. and ate dinner. I cut the grass. Cutting the grass this early is out of the ordinary for me. I put it off as long as possible.
It feels good to get it done. It is supposed to rain this week.
Oooooh. The magnolia tree is in full bloom. I was sitting outside eating cold grapes (yum) and smelling the tree! The scent is wonderful. I don't remember the pink magnolia's smelling that good!
I watched the pink tulips ponder opening. They will be wonderful. I hope I get to see them bloom.
Vacation next week! To Cleveland to a Dr appointment and visit the M's. I just need to see about B & A watching the dogs. I'll probably be out of town for at least 4 days. Lovely thinking about it.
thanks to everyone for posting comments. I'll be answering questions soon.

100+ Things About Me

1. I am the youngest of 12 children.
2. Some of those family members are my friends.
3. I have wonderful friends who enrich my life in many ways.
4. I grew up in Dayton Ohio.
5. I was raised Catholic but left the faith in 1987.
6. I went to parochial school 1st through 6th grade. It was an excellent education I'm grateful for receiving.
7. I was an alter boy until I was a senior in high school.
8. In high school, I was a lector at church. Many of the older parishioners didnt like someone so young doing the readings. I was good at it.
9. I believe in reincarnation.
10. I am a color-holic. I enjoy bright colors in combinations that are unexpected, visually and emotionally exciting.
11. My favorite piece of clothing is a magenta sweatshirt Ive had since before college. It has paint on it and is falling apart in all the right places. My Mom bought it for me in 1985.
12. I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1989 from Columbus College of Art and Design with a Bachelors in Fine Arts.
13. I had artwork in galleries for a year but nothing sold.
14. Diet Pepsi is my beverage of choice and I'm learning to drink more water.
15. I enjoy iced coffee with two sweeteners and half and half.
16. I knit.
17. I knit continental.
18. My friend Maggie taught me to knit in March of 2002.
19. I acquired an enormous amount of yarn in three years. I have 37 bins of yarn.
20. 2005 is a year of stash depletion. I've decided not to purchase any yarn in 2005 unless it is needed to complete a project for which I already have yarn.
21. I have acquired many knitting books in 2005. I exchanged one addiction for another.
22. I met Meg Swansen in 2004. She is the daughter of Elizabeth Zimmerman, founder of
23. School House Press This is not the Meg that taught me to cook exceptional soups.
24. I currently have 4 projects on the needles.
25. The first sweater I knit was Easy Mohair Pullover in a variegated aqua mohair yarn from a pattern found in Two Sticks and a String by Kerry Ferguson that I still have to finish by sewing it together.
26. My favorite yarn is Noro Kureyon. It feels great in my hands when using a wooden needle. The self-striping is a nice feature.
27. I like knitting socks with double pointed needles. I find it easy and enjoyable.
28. I have a favorite pillow that I grew up with and have had it for as long as I can remember. It is a feather pillow that is losing feathers as you read this. It goes well with my other 6 pillows.
29. I have 7 alarms to wake me up in the morning.
30. I am most productive at night. I think it is because of the lack of distractions that present themselves.
31. My favorite time to sleep is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I sleep especially well in bright sunlight.
32. I have multiple blankets on my bed. I sleep better with weighty blankets.
33. I like to sleep a lot. Friends tease me about needing a nap master for my exercise.
34. I dream in color and have extra-ordinary dreams.
35. I think dreams are valuable experiences. If I paid attention to them more, I would have more skills available to me as I go through life.
36. I had a manicure once, in Chicago. No polish. I'm not sure I would do it again.
37. My current favorite alcoholic beverage is a wine cooler I make with red wine and diet 7 up and lots of ice. I like the tastes of the hard stuff like rum and diet (with double lime) or vodka straight out of the freezer...but that has been awhile since Ive had any.
38. I've never sun-bathed nude.
39. My favorite pieces of artwork hanging in my house are three still lives (2 in the kitchen and 1 in the dining room). They are paintings I did in college.
40. I trust my gut reactions.
41. I dressed in drag a few times for costume parties. Ive never performed drag.
42. I think it is appropriate to re-gift a gift when the person says 'if you don't like this, please re-gift' (I say this) and when I don't like the item and know someone who would.
43. My favorite numbers are 9, 12 OR 75
44. I believe in ghosts. I'm not sure they believe in me.
45. I've never been to a psychic. I do tarot card readings and have received many readings.
46. I use the Robin Wood Tarot deck. Jeff, Trixie and I melded three separate decks together after we put energy into them for a full moon cycle. Each of us has a deck containing cards from all three of our decks. These cards mean a great deal to me, not just because they are divination tools.
47. I worked as a janitor in high school in the printing shop where my father worked. Men's restrooms are a lot dirtier than women's.
48. I currently have one no nipples pierced.
49. On my bedside table can be found a porn magazine, knitting, and note paper.
50. Given the choice between the past and the present, I would choose the present. It is what I create it to be.
51. I saw the movie What the Bleep Do We Know and found it did an exceptional job of explaining some basic truths Ive experienced.
52. I am immediately attracted to older, distinguished, tall and slender men. I blame that on Jeremy Irons in Brideshead Revisited. I'm looking for this type of man who finds me attractive and has much to offer in a relationship with me.
53. I've never done drugs.
54. I like music a lot.
55. Annie Lennox is probably my favorite singer.
56. I currently have 6007 songs on my iTunes. That's 18.2 days or 27.15 GB of music.
57. My favorite albums are (in no particular order) Savage by Eurythmics, The Final Cut by Pink Floyd, Jesus Christ Superstar , and Like a Prayer Madonna,
58. My shoe size is 42 European or 9 1/2 American
59. I own about 15 pairs of Birkenstocks. I'm afraid to count them. I figure, If my feet are happy, everyone else is happy.
60. I apply shaving lotion with a brush.
61. My ring finger is longer than my index finger on both hands.
62. I've never had sex outside
63. Laughter is one of my favorite sounds.
64. Another of my favorite sounds is wind moving leaves in trees.
65. I like the sound of a wood-burning fireplace.
66. I enjoy ironing clothes. I use heavy starch when I iron.
67. My your favorite electronic gadget is my iPod
68. I do not yell at other drivers while I drive. Well, most of the time.
69. My biggest fault is putting people over getting things done
70. I prefer showers to baths.
71. I've been told I snore.
72. My greatest fear is not loving myself and feeling connection to the God.
73. I don't recycle.
74. My father died in 2003 after being a 12-year cancer survivor. I was with him when he died. It was the most wonderful experience being with Dad as he prepared to translate.
75. I currently have 2 cats and 2 dogs
76. I posed nude while in college on two separate occasions. I have the watercolors of one of those sittings. Imagine my surprise when I saw a painting of me at a restaurant when I arrived for dinner. The painting was 8 feet tall!
77. The one accomplishment that I am most proud of is learning to read. I grew up watching lots and lots of TV. I still work at increasing my comprehension and speed.
78. I dont think that all's fair in love and war. War is the absence of love. Everything is a choice. And we must accept responsibility for those choices.
79. I'm still learning the lesson of accepting full responsibility.
80. Listening is a special talent I have to help people recognize God in themselves.
81. I drive a Saturn Vue.
82. I have two tattoos. One is very extensive and the other is just starting.
83. I am not ticklish anywhere.
84. I am a single, gay man.
85. I don't think it's funny for one guy, to send another guy flowers. Hell, I get myself flowers because I'm worth it.
86. I'm "out" but not in everyone's face about it. That's pushy and I don't like anyone to push his or her views on me.
87. I was in a 14-year relationship that ended in 2001.
88. I never cheated on him.
89. If I were in a relationship, I would consider cyber-sex as cheating.
90. My ex-companion died in 2004 of an aortic aneurism. I found him dead in his apartment about three days after he died. It was the most horrible experience I had to go through.
91. I have wonderful friends who support my grieving over the loss of Robert.
92. I'm beginning to take the time and remember the good times we had together as I go through stuff in my house. Im thinking of putting together a piece of artwork as an ode to Robert.
93. I like my pizza light on the sauce with extra cheese and whatever else.
94. My favorite pizza is extra cheese, pineapple and Canadian bacon. Yum.
95. I began coloring my hair when I was 15 but recently stopped because my nature hair color looks great on me. Imagine that! gray and all!
96. I don't have a favorite holiday.
97. My favorite holiday story is A Christmas Carol. by Charles Dickens. I'll watch any version of the story. Some of them will even make me cry (because of the story, not the acting)
98. David Sedaris's Holidays on Ice makes me laugh outloud! I listen to it every December and sometimes during the summer when I need a good laugh.
99. My family is so large we rent a hall to celebrate Christmas.
100. I like snow and cold weather. Mostly because I get to layer my clothes.
101. The simple things in life are better when shared with friends.
102. Spending time outside in my yard is more meaningful this year than last. I don't know why.
103. I like daylilies a great deal.
104. When my mom moved out of the house where I grew up, I took some of the plants and put them in my garden.
105. I don't have a land line. I only have a cellular phone.

Obi and Knitting

What a great weekend! LJ and I went to visit S in Dayton. A good visit. S is *supposed to be* taking more photos because he *needs* to take more photos. I was going to be a model for him but he didn't want to take photos. That's okay because we got there late, just before 4 p.m.
I continued the kntting lessons for E and B. Fun fun fun! E is actually getting pretty fast at the knitting. He tends to stretch the knitting a little (okay, a lot) the first few STS but he gets it under control after about 4 STS. And B is doing great. She gets it! How knitting is just a bunch of loops. But I don't think she knows she gets it. It took me about 9 months of knitting for me to be able to see the difference between a knit stitch and a purl stitch. but I understand it now. (okay...most of the time)
I knit on the Obi on Friday. I've knit too far to put in steeks for the sleeves. Oh well, I'm making up the color design as I go along. And I've manipulated the pattern enough to not be really following the pattern as it is written. I'm enjoying it, overall. I've got to make a decision of which colors to work on now. I might move to the brown or green and knit the final 6 inches to the top. or knit every other row a mixture of the green and brown and light green. i don't know! I do have to make a decision before I go any further. Oh, here's a picture of the pattern. I'm making up my own color way....so it will look different.
I cleaned up the front yard! I picked up the twigs in the back yard and near the driveway. It felt good. I do think I'm going to spend some time separating the hostas and planting them around the yard. They really did great last year. And I never thought daylillies were that "weedy" in how they propagate. I've got to get in there and move bunches of them to other places (or recycle them) I've got lots of space on the outside of the fence I want to move them. I'll do that before I move them to the compost. Last year, the Ms moved some to compost and they bloomed in the heap. I found that fun!
One thing I learned last year from gardening was to get in early and move out the mulch. If something is going to try to grow, it needs the clear space to do it (read that as encouragement). Isn't that true for us all? Don't we need encouragement as we begin something new? I know I do!

Tahoe Obi

Had a great evening tonight at Jeff's. Watched the Village and knitted.
There's a question for you...is it knit or knitted?
I probably only added about 4 rows on the Obi for the 90 minutes of knitting. And I'm not sure which color to go with next. Do I keep it simple and do solid knitting for awhile or do I try to repeat the design on the bottom except mirror image? You probably should have a picture to see. I'll post picture by Sunday and welcome your opinions.
night.

Teaching Knitting

On Saturday evening, I was invited to a party at B&V's house. It was a pot luck and good fun with great people. It's lovely when people can get together and enjoy themselves.
An added benefit, E, a 7 yr old watched me knit the last time I babysat and he wants to learn to knit. Of course, he's the perfect age to learn knitting. I took over some acrylic, variegated yarn and needles. He did a row of 14 sts and is getting it. I also taught Mom to knit so she can help out.
I'm hoping to go over on Saturday to provide about 30 minutes of knitting. Should be lots of fun!
The M's read me the quote to help with remembering how to complete the knit stitch. Okay, all together now!
In through the front door,
Run around the back,
Out through the window,
Off Jump Jack!

Guess Who I Am?

You are Andie Walsh (from Pretty In Pink)!
Misunderstood and full of angst, you are
intelligent, talented and will probably go on
to do great things...once you're out of the
hell of high school.

Interruptions Reaction

So I'm working today at the Ops Center putting together training for our new computer system at work. I've got the music going and headphones on and I'm into the zone. Excellent feeling. I like that focus on a task that keeps going.
And I get an email telling me how I'm going to be responsible for coordinating a survey at work on top of all the other stuff I have to do! What bothered me most was not that the survey needs to be done, it was my reaction to this additional task. My reaction still bothers me. I should be embracing the opportunity to track how we're doing and get to focus the staff on this new thing.
My reaction really indicates a core problem with the embracing technology to allow this to help be grow in more ways than one. And I'm watching What the Bleep tonight and I hear this person talk about how our positive thoughts are mostly just surface to underlying negativity. I'm recognizing the importance of getting to the core of who I am.
(side note) I get to go to the Dr. tomorrow. I've not been taking care of myself physically and I can tell. My HA1C will be high, I'm sure. I'm eating better and keeping my suppliments going well. (end side note)
Back to the issue at hand. My reaction to this new task. What does it mean? Any suggestions? Please just let me know in a manner that I can receive and understand.
Knitting will be discussed tomorrow!

The Beginning

I've spent a lot of time allowing technology to overwhelm and distract me. Ain't the internet a fun replacement for the endless and mindless TV watching I used to do back in the 80's and mid 90's? Email can be overwhelming. Reading websites gets to be a bother. here's the switch....
I've continued to look at these technologies in the same way I've looked at everything else. I've not allowed myself to embrace these tech advances and incorporate those into my daily work. and I can manipulate technology to work with how I am. I don't have to change. I get to change my tools.
As an artist I remember that the first time I pick a new medium, it doesn't work always well. parts of it can work well. I can work with this.
So here's my adventure in embracing technology in documenting who I am, where I've been, and experiences I expect to have in the future. If, along the way, I get to share some of me with friends who are far and near, then my existence has been enriched.
Expect to see knitting. Please comment.
Expect to hear me grumble a bit and work through the daily struggles that hone my skills of existance.
Expect to learn a few things about me that I'm surprised to learn about me.
and hey, jump in and help me out. comment as you want. :)