I’m out this morning. Spanish language learning doesn’t take a break! Please complete the following activities in order:
1) Review last night’s homework with another classmate. Read each answer out loud to one another. Circle any questions you have to be discussed later.
2) individual work- create a google document and write your own sentences using the new grammar from yesterday’s lesson.
Seventh graders- each sentence should include a form of the verbs oír, decir, oler, or ver.
Eighth graders- each sentence should include an excuse or express cause using POR or PORQUE.
Meets expectations- 5 sentences with correct use of current grammar. Total word count is at least 30 (average of 6 words per sentence.)
Exceeds expectations- 8 sentence with correct use of current grammar. Total word count is at least 56 (average of 7 words per sentence.)
Share with me your document by the end of class. Late submissions will result in a lower score.
3) The homework due on Monday is the final page of your packet. You may begin this work if you finish your sentence activity.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Monday, November 15, 2010
Friendsgiving
Thanksgiving is 9 days away?! When did that happen? The calendar on my wall still says October... which reminds me, I have to ask the big man in the red suit for an appropriately pithy 2011 wall calendar.
One of the best holiday traditions came and went last weekend in a blur. Friendsgiving is probably my favorite non-Jewish holiday of the year, which makes it 4th overall. It's a time to celebrate the fact that distance nor time apart will wither the roots of friendships that have withstood the tests of harsh harsh passive aggression.
The Story of Friendsgiving
A long, long time ago, circa 2008, a few college students at a small, public, liberal arts institution decided that the November social calendar, which already included events such as SeacoThanksgiving, ThanksGAYving, and YWLP Thanksgiving, not to mention actual Thanksgiving, needed one more pilgrim-style meal. Friendsgiving was born. It's a time for mashed potatoes, photoshoots, mashed potatoes, wine, mashed potatoes, Love Actually, and the more recent tradition: skyping in those overseas friends.
Friendsgiving this year took place in Philadelphia, what better place than where Freedom was born. Fun Fact: Freedom was actually born in upstate New York, but it came to Philly and slept around with many of its buxom women in the days of yore. The increase in Freedom's love children lead the Chamber of Commerce in the 70's, right before the bicentennial, to change the cities image through the "Birthplace of Freedom" campaign. Nice try, Philly, nobody is fooled by Betsy "Double D" Ross.
There were all the fixins of a great Friendsgiving and the added novelty of a new city to explore, to which I plan on returning real soon.
One of the best holiday traditions came and went last weekend in a blur. Friendsgiving is probably my favorite non-Jewish holiday of the year, which makes it 4th overall. It's a time to celebrate the fact that distance nor time apart will wither the roots of friendships that have withstood the tests of harsh harsh passive aggression.
The Story of Friendsgiving
A long, long time ago, circa 2008, a few college students at a small, public, liberal arts institution decided that the November social calendar, which already included events such as SeacoThanksgiving, ThanksGAYving, and YWLP Thanksgiving, not to mention actual Thanksgiving, needed one more pilgrim-style meal. Friendsgiving was born. It's a time for mashed potatoes, photoshoots, mashed potatoes, wine, mashed potatoes, Love Actually, and the more recent tradition: skyping in those overseas friends.
Friendsgiving this year took place in Philadelphia, what better place than where Freedom was born. Fun Fact: Freedom was actually born in upstate New York, but it came to Philly and slept around with many of its buxom women in the days of yore. The increase in Freedom's love children lead the Chamber of Commerce in the 70's, right before the bicentennial, to change the cities image through the "Birthplace of Freedom" campaign. Nice try, Philly, nobody is fooled by Betsy "Double D" Ross.
There were all the fixins of a great Friendsgiving and the added novelty of a new city to explore, to which I plan on returning real soon.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Autumnal Enthusiasm
What a season we are in. Apples. Squashes. Colors. Leaves. Knitwear.
I have been eating my bodyweight in apples over the past few weeks, as the last of nature's honest bounty ebbs and we enter a long couple of months of grocery shelves stocked with finger-sized zucchini, cardboard melons, and sawdusty apples. The breakout stars of my Fall have been gingergold and honeycrisp apples. There was an instance of foraged crabapple crisp on Cliff Island, which also turned out splendidly.
The temperatures have dropped and the cranberry bogs are flooded. That means we are entering the season of hardcore gratuitous knitting. I know you are all still on the edges of your respective seats (or laying in bed and not really caring, but still reading because nobody has updated facebook in the last 7 minutes) but the sweater is still a WIP. I do however have a picture of my progress thus far!
I still have to finish the sleeves and the shawl collar, but i could totally wear it as a sweater vest with arm cuffs right now. Right?
This has been one of the most picturesque falls of my life. Mostly because last weekend, Dave and I ventured to Dutchess County, New York for the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Festival, AKA RHINEBECK. A two-day freakfest of fiber. We only attended Saturday and that was plenty enough to send us both into sensory overload. The people, the colors, the food, the sounds, and yes... the smells. I drove us out there starting at 5:30AM in Providence and we arrived just before the opening bell at 9. We were completely underdressed. Not that we didn't have enough layers on, but people were covered in knitwear. 80% of it was beautiful. 10% was a good attempt. The other 10%? Well, let's just say I pointed out something I called "urinal hat."
We first went to the fleece sale, and I picked up a 7lb natural-colored Romney fleece. I have spent the last week picking out all of the hay, dingles, and second cuts. I started scouring it yesterday. It's going to be a long process, but hopefully very educational.
Then we went to see some animals. We walked around the sheep, and the angora goats (which produce mohair, for those non-fiber friends). There were goats for sale!!! But I found the angora goats too fearful of people (could have been stress from the anticipation of the Goat Show) to be considered to take home to Nanny right then. However, look how majestic:
It's looking at me! I think... or not. I think it's just looking at its hair. Also- Dave is creeping in the background. He was a trooper that day.
There were mohair fleeces for sale. Angora goats have hair, not fleece, but the table full of bags of hair were at the Fleece Sale... so just roll with it. I always found mohair a bit too fancy for me, but I wanted to sample goat fibers, so I was able to purchase 4 oz. of mohair roving from the Fiber Kingdom booth. I spun this fingering weight yarn this weekend. It's my most consistent, finest yard to date! I can't wait to knit with it.
2 oz. 160yards 2 ply. I used a 5 euro cent to show diameter, because it's bigger than a penny, creating the illusion of finer workmanship. Fiber arts is 10% what you do and 90% how you photograph it for the interwebs. I just don't know what I'll knit, because again, I'm weary of the aura that mohair has in a finished product.
We'll see what else comes of my Rhinebeck fiber purchases. Preview: 7lbs of Romney Fleece, 2 oz. chasmere roving, 1 oz. pygora roving, and 2 more oz. mohair roving.
I have been eating my bodyweight in apples over the past few weeks, as the last of nature's honest bounty ebbs and we enter a long couple of months of grocery shelves stocked with finger-sized zucchini, cardboard melons, and sawdusty apples. The breakout stars of my Fall have been gingergold and honeycrisp apples. There was an instance of foraged crabapple crisp on Cliff Island, which also turned out splendidly.
The temperatures have dropped and the cranberry bogs are flooded. That means we are entering the season of hardcore gratuitous knitting. I know you are all still on the edges of your respective seats (or laying in bed and not really caring, but still reading because nobody has updated facebook in the last 7 minutes) but the sweater is still a WIP. I do however have a picture of my progress thus far!
I still have to finish the sleeves and the shawl collar, but i could totally wear it as a sweater vest with arm cuffs right now. Right?
This has been one of the most picturesque falls of my life. Mostly because last weekend, Dave and I ventured to Dutchess County, New York for the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Festival, AKA RHINEBECK. A two-day freakfest of fiber. We only attended Saturday and that was plenty enough to send us both into sensory overload. The people, the colors, the food, the sounds, and yes... the smells. I drove us out there starting at 5:30AM in Providence and we arrived just before the opening bell at 9. We were completely underdressed. Not that we didn't have enough layers on, but people were covered in knitwear. 80% of it was beautiful. 10% was a good attempt. The other 10%? Well, let's just say I pointed out something I called "urinal hat."
We first went to the fleece sale, and I picked up a 7lb natural-colored Romney fleece. I have spent the last week picking out all of the hay, dingles, and second cuts. I started scouring it yesterday. It's going to be a long process, but hopefully very educational.
Then we went to see some animals. We walked around the sheep, and the angora goats (which produce mohair, for those non-fiber friends). There were goats for sale!!! But I found the angora goats too fearful of people (could have been stress from the anticipation of the Goat Show) to be considered to take home to Nanny right then. However, look how majestic:
It's looking at me! I think... or not. I think it's just looking at its hair. Also- Dave is creeping in the background. He was a trooper that day.
There were mohair fleeces for sale. Angora goats have hair, not fleece, but the table full of bags of hair were at the Fleece Sale... so just roll with it. I always found mohair a bit too fancy for me, but I wanted to sample goat fibers, so I was able to purchase 4 oz. of mohair roving from the Fiber Kingdom booth. I spun this fingering weight yarn this weekend. It's my most consistent, finest yard to date! I can't wait to knit with it.
2 oz. 160yards 2 ply. I used a 5 euro cent to show diameter, because it's bigger than a penny, creating the illusion of finer workmanship. Fiber arts is 10% what you do and 90% how you photograph it for the interwebs. I just don't know what I'll knit, because again, I'm weary of the aura that mohair has in a finished product.
We'll see what else comes of my Rhinebeck fiber purchases. Preview: 7lbs of Romney Fleece, 2 oz. chasmere roving, 1 oz. pygora roving, and 2 more oz. mohair roving.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Fall back in love with me for Fall
To my half dozens of readers, I apologize for the harsh harsh spring and summer without any updates from me. Things in my employed life became too real too fast and after work, spinning, and triathloning- I just didn't have it in me to Bequeath Longings Of Glory, or more vulgarly, "blog."
Let me just let you know that I'm so jazzed about year 2 out of college. I'm still rocking my job as a childrens programmer and the health benefits are about to kick in. I'm putting more loops in yarn than the Republican party is putting loops in legislation. I'm days away from investing in my first spinning wheel. I've made it through 2 triathlons, and have one more to finish my inaugural season in three weeks. I'm still dating that guy who laughs at 80% of my jokes, which is 30% more than required for my own enjoyment of company.
To catch you up, I'm knitting a sweater. I know I promised a photojournal, but let's be honest about the immediate gratification standards of our society. I could have posted teaser pics with close-ups of cables or seams. I know that each and every one of you just wants finished product and you want it now. In order to teach you a lesson, I'm not giving you either. You'll have to suffer through what I hope will be no more than a fortnight and a half until knitting is completed on it (we'll see how blocking and construction goes... as well as the eternal search for the perfect buttons.)
In the meantime, we all need to sit down and have a serious discussion about The Worsted Shire before the year ends. I have enough people interested to get this project off the ground. I have our resident quilter, wine-maker, vegetable-grower, bog-swimmer, welder, and goat-cheese-herber all lined up. I have started researching NEA grants for getting big-name fiber artists to do residencies. I'm committed to Cashmere, Pygora, and Nubian goats, alpacas, a couple sheep, chickens, and of course a guard llama. I have the plans (from a book of 1970's farm buildings) for goat barns.
I'm only missing two things from the plan: a location and money. This is where I can use you. Well... not "use you" in the manipulative sense... rather employ (without benefits or pay) your gifts and talents. I need you to start being nice to your rich great-aunts and great-uncles that never had kids of their own. If they have what the real estate world would call "acreage"- please introduce us so that I can dazzle them with my smile and baby blues.
I leave you with a photo to light the fire of fiberfarming under your tuchas (Happy Rosh Hoshannah! See: my love of Jewish holidays)
*Photo taken on camp field trip to Southwicks Zoo in Mendon, MA... I was in charge of the camera and of all the scores of animal exhibits, not one picture was taken outside of the goat petting zoo*
Let me just let you know that I'm so jazzed about year 2 out of college. I'm still rocking my job as a childrens programmer and the health benefits are about to kick in. I'm putting more loops in yarn than the Republican party is putting loops in legislation. I'm days away from investing in my first spinning wheel. I've made it through 2 triathlons, and have one more to finish my inaugural season in three weeks. I'm still dating that guy who laughs at 80% of my jokes, which is 30% more than required for my own enjoyment of company.
To catch you up, I'm knitting a sweater. I know I promised a photojournal, but let's be honest about the immediate gratification standards of our society. I could have posted teaser pics with close-ups of cables or seams. I know that each and every one of you just wants finished product and you want it now. In order to teach you a lesson, I'm not giving you either. You'll have to suffer through what I hope will be no more than a fortnight and a half until knitting is completed on it (we'll see how blocking and construction goes... as well as the eternal search for the perfect buttons.)
In the meantime, we all need to sit down and have a serious discussion about The Worsted Shire before the year ends. I have enough people interested to get this project off the ground. I have our resident quilter, wine-maker, vegetable-grower, bog-swimmer, welder, and goat-cheese-herber all lined up. I have started researching NEA grants for getting big-name fiber artists to do residencies. I'm committed to Cashmere, Pygora, and Nubian goats, alpacas, a couple sheep, chickens, and of course a guard llama. I have the plans (from a book of 1970's farm buildings) for goat barns.
I'm only missing two things from the plan: a location and money. This is where I can use you. Well... not "use you" in the manipulative sense... rather employ (without benefits or pay) your gifts and talents. I need you to start being nice to your rich great-aunts and great-uncles that never had kids of their own. If they have what the real estate world would call "acreage"- please introduce us so that I can dazzle them with my smile and baby blues.
I leave you with a photo to light the fire of fiberfarming under your tuchas (Happy Rosh Hoshannah! See: my love of Jewish holidays)
*Photo taken on camp field trip to Southwicks Zoo in Mendon, MA... I was in charge of the camera and of all the scores of animal exhibits, not one picture was taken outside of the goat petting zoo*
Friday, February 19, 2010
New things keep rolling...
If I learned anything in college, it was to not jump at every single opportunity that presents itself.
Clearly I did not learn anything in college.
I have a lot of balls in the air (still- not one of them is a full-time job) but I'm slowly finding my place in the real world (socially... obviously not vocationally.) I have my knitting which I'm loving and can't get enough of. Shout out to the ladies at In the Loop in Norfolk (since I know they are reading!) I just finished what I'm calling the "hoping for spring hat"
I could never get the hang of any colorwork pattern that I tried, and decided to spice up this one with some carries of acai yarn through the purl sections. I feel more confident in working with color, and plan to pick a fair-isle project soon to really test out my skills. BUT, I have my first sweater to complete! I ordered the yarn yesterday and could not be more jazzed to get cracking. It's a cabled cardigan designed by Josh Bennett that appeared in the current issue of VogueKnitting. I chose the same yarn/colorway as the pattern, which I usually don't do because I like to make things with my own touch, but the pattern and the yarn are both beautiful. If it ain't broke... am I right?
So I am excited to do the play-by-play photojournal of my sweater and hope that you all are equally excited to see it.
Enter the next ball in the air- spinning. Technically spinning is two balls and here's why:
Spinning (part a): Spinning my own yarn. I am enrolled in a yarn spinning class at Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI- Home of the American Industrial Revolution. I love love love the class and spinning my own yard. It is extremely rewarding to create something that gets me one step closer to owning my own fiber-producers (see: any post about goats). I've been spinning for two weeks now and almost have my very first plied hank of yarn. I was frustrated at first with the difficulty of getting into drafting the wool from roving, but spinning is all about being gentle, which I had trouble with, being as intense as I am. Once I lost the death grip on the roving and the sprint-speed on the treadle I began making yarn of which any sheep would be proud to be a part. The people in the class are awesome, too! I realized just how well we were clicking when we were all watching the instructor ply yarn and one lady asked, "I love your socks, did you make them" and the remaining three of us all pointed to our feet and said a collective "Uh-huh!" I died inside from the beauty of the moment.
With this class I am also renting a Kromski Sonata wheel, and it is AMAZING. I am sad that I will have to give it back soon. Hence the "Wheel Fund" change jar on my nightstand.
I should also remention what a wonderful Christmas gift this class was from Dave!!!! <3
Spinning (part b): Cycling classes are going well. I am on track to becoming an instructor at the Adirondack Club (hello easy yarn money!) I was also recruited for Team P.R.I.D.E. for Spin for Hope- a spinning benefit for the American Cancer Society. I am in the process of raising money for the team, and without going into the sobering details of how cancer has affected all of our lives, I will leave you all with a link to help me reach my goal.
The last ball I have in the air is triathlon training. What?!?! Yes! I have started training for (sprint-length) triathlons. I got in the pool for the first time two weeks ago and haven't looked back. I start formal training the first week of March and am looking at triathlons to do in the summer. What's the real impetus? There are many weddings to go to this summer, and I need a cool talking point. I think, "None for me thanks, I have a triathlon tomorrow" sounds way better than "Fill it up! I've been graduated for a year and have been 50% employed since then, excuse me while I crawl into this bottle"
Awesome... keep rocking out, everyone!
Clearly I did not learn anything in college.
I have a lot of balls in the air (still- not one of them is a full-time job) but I'm slowly finding my place in the real world (socially... obviously not vocationally.) I have my knitting which I'm loving and can't get enough of. Shout out to the ladies at In the Loop in Norfolk (since I know they are reading!) I just finished what I'm calling the "hoping for spring hat"
I could never get the hang of any colorwork pattern that I tried, and decided to spice up this one with some carries of acai yarn through the purl sections. I feel more confident in working with color, and plan to pick a fair-isle project soon to really test out my skills. BUT, I have my first sweater to complete! I ordered the yarn yesterday and could not be more jazzed to get cracking. It's a cabled cardigan designed by Josh Bennett that appeared in the current issue of VogueKnitting. I chose the same yarn/colorway as the pattern, which I usually don't do because I like to make things with my own touch, but the pattern and the yarn are both beautiful. If it ain't broke... am I right?
So I am excited to do the play-by-play photojournal of my sweater and hope that you all are equally excited to see it.
Enter the next ball in the air- spinning. Technically spinning is two balls and here's why:
Spinning (part a): Spinning my own yarn. I am enrolled in a yarn spinning class at Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI- Home of the American Industrial Revolution. I love love love the class and spinning my own yard. It is extremely rewarding to create something that gets me one step closer to owning my own fiber-producers (see: any post about goats). I've been spinning for two weeks now and almost have my very first plied hank of yarn. I was frustrated at first with the difficulty of getting into drafting the wool from roving, but spinning is all about being gentle, which I had trouble with, being as intense as I am. Once I lost the death grip on the roving and the sprint-speed on the treadle I began making yarn of which any sheep would be proud to be a part. The people in the class are awesome, too! I realized just how well we were clicking when we were all watching the instructor ply yarn and one lady asked, "I love your socks, did you make them" and the remaining three of us all pointed to our feet and said a collective "Uh-huh!" I died inside from the beauty of the moment.
With this class I am also renting a Kromski Sonata wheel, and it is AMAZING. I am sad that I will have to give it back soon. Hence the "Wheel Fund" change jar on my nightstand.
I should also remention what a wonderful Christmas gift this class was from Dave!!!! <3
Spinning (part b): Cycling classes are going well. I am on track to becoming an instructor at the Adirondack Club (hello easy yarn money!) I was also recruited for Team P.R.I.D.E. for Spin for Hope- a spinning benefit for the American Cancer Society. I am in the process of raising money for the team, and without going into the sobering details of how cancer has affected all of our lives, I will leave you all with a link to help me reach my goal.
The last ball I have in the air is triathlon training. What?!?! Yes! I have started training for (sprint-length) triathlons. I got in the pool for the first time two weeks ago and haven't looked back. I start formal training the first week of March and am looking at triathlons to do in the summer. What's the real impetus? There are many weddings to go to this summer, and I need a cool talking point. I think, "None for me thanks, I have a triathlon tomorrow" sounds way better than "Fill it up! I've been graduated for a year and have been 50% employed since then, excuse me while I crawl into this bottle"
Awesome... keep rocking out, everyone!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Life's Plan
I apologize for leaving you all hanging for so long, but had I updated last week, it would have been an incoherent political tirade over the outcome of the Massachusetts election for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat.
With that said, I have a plan to use Scott Brown's new position to my advantage. Stay with me.
My new love is the Norfolk Public Library. I love not paying for books. It's the perfect set-up. You leave without paying, and the Catholic guilt that you haven't been able to beat out of your body doesn't interfere because you haven't stolen anything!
I have most recently been reading Michael Pollan's works as well as Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and I am inspired to rethink my own feelings and attitudes of food. I now am non-stop planning my first vegetable garden and am preparing myself to grow produce for the first time. Sure, I killed a solo-cup herb garden last year, but if the Author of The Poisonwood Bible can do it, how hard can it be?
But the gardening dream doesn't stop there. I think the only vocation that will make me truly happy in life is farming. The farm down the street from me will probably go up for sale in a few years. The town of Norfolk was a hotbed for residential development for the past 15 years. We all know that farmland lost is farmland lost forever. I refuse to see this beautiful piece of land go to families that take on 50 year mortgages and then cannot afford to furnish their extravagant homes. I have every intention of writing to Scott Brown for a farm subsidy (usually only given to farms that produce cheap corn and soy) to purchase this farm and begin operation to feed my community from our land. Norfolk Community Farms (our name-to-be) will not only produce food for the community, but provide a place for the members of the community to, well, commune.
Ok... I said it... I want to live on a commune. But I don't want to weave my own clothes out of wheat, or make my own variety of tofu. We'll leave those tasks up to internet suitors that appear to just be sending messages to everyone in a 25-mile radius while listening to the music of ThunderPussy.
I've forgotten what I was talking about...
Ah, yes. Farming. I'm also assuming with the popularity of FarmVille on Facebook, I can garner support from the townfolk. It will be like FarmVille in real life! If we simply have a few, full-time employees, everyone else can stop in for 10 minutes after work... JUST LIKE FARMVILLE!
If I can't get the subsidy, I will then commence plan B.
Plan B:
Run for Norfolk Town Council on the platform that this town is out of control with spending money on new building. "Vote DiRenzo. A School is not a building, it's a community of people." Slowly embezzle the non-school money into my own pocket, and then buy the farm. If I use the land to give back to the community, I won't feel bad about it.
Anyone know where I can get organic soil wholesale?
With that said, I have a plan to use Scott Brown's new position to my advantage. Stay with me.
My new love is the Norfolk Public Library. I love not paying for books. It's the perfect set-up. You leave without paying, and the Catholic guilt that you haven't been able to beat out of your body doesn't interfere because you haven't stolen anything!
I have most recently been reading Michael Pollan's works as well as Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and I am inspired to rethink my own feelings and attitudes of food. I now am non-stop planning my first vegetable garden and am preparing myself to grow produce for the first time. Sure, I killed a solo-cup herb garden last year, but if the Author of The Poisonwood Bible can do it, how hard can it be?
But the gardening dream doesn't stop there. I think the only vocation that will make me truly happy in life is farming. The farm down the street from me will probably go up for sale in a few years. The town of Norfolk was a hotbed for residential development for the past 15 years. We all know that farmland lost is farmland lost forever. I refuse to see this beautiful piece of land go to families that take on 50 year mortgages and then cannot afford to furnish their extravagant homes. I have every intention of writing to Scott Brown for a farm subsidy (usually only given to farms that produce cheap corn and soy) to purchase this farm and begin operation to feed my community from our land. Norfolk Community Farms (our name-to-be) will not only produce food for the community, but provide a place for the members of the community to, well, commune.
Ok... I said it... I want to live on a commune. But I don't want to weave my own clothes out of wheat, or make my own variety of tofu. We'll leave those tasks up to internet suitors that appear to just be sending messages to everyone in a 25-mile radius while listening to the music of ThunderPussy.
I've forgotten what I was talking about...
Ah, yes. Farming. I'm also assuming with the popularity of FarmVille on Facebook, I can garner support from the townfolk. It will be like FarmVille in real life! If we simply have a few, full-time employees, everyone else can stop in for 10 minutes after work... JUST LIKE FARMVILLE!
If I can't get the subsidy, I will then commence plan B.
Plan B:
Run for Norfolk Town Council on the platform that this town is out of control with spending money on new building. "Vote DiRenzo. A School is not a building, it's a community of people." Slowly embezzle the non-school money into my own pocket, and then buy the farm. If I use the land to give back to the community, I won't feel bad about it.
Anyone know where I can get organic soil wholesale?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Like Clockwork
I do very few things like clockwork. I can't even do clockwork like clockwork. One thing I can count on (other than my family's need to take simultaneous showers when I'm already running late with my day) is my nervousness when I get halfway through a knitting project that it will be too small. I am experiencing this now:
Readers, meet Daybreak. Daybreak, readers. He's about 60% finished and the edge that's not on the needles is what is to wrap around my neck. I'm estimating that there will be another foot or so added to it, which is only six inches per side, which isn't enough. Urgh, now I'm just knitting through the pain and hoping that it will all come out in the wash (then block.)
I also go back and forth worrying that it looks like a bumble bee. When I don't think that- I think it looks FANTASTIC! The other good knitting news is that I have selected my first sweater pattern. This month's issue of Vogue Knitting contains an article on Boy Meets Purl and there is a phenomenal cardi that I think would look rather dashing on me. Three things need to happen before this starts: 1) Daybreak needs to figure his shit out and grow a little on the edge, 2) The next issue of Vogue Knitting needs to come out so that I may check out the current issue from the Norfolk Public Library (we're in a recession!) and 3) I need to win big from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in the near future so that I can buy the suggested Rowan yarn to make it... As only one of these three are a definite, I'm not quite holding my uncardiganned breath, but am still hopeful.
Switching topics, I bring us back to my quest to try new things in 2k10. I nettipotted for the first time yesterday. I didn't just frivolously decide to add this to my list, I haven't been able to breathe properly out of my nose in MONTHS. Obviously I bought it weeks ago and have been too terrified to actually try it. I said, "Anthony, grow a pair and jut do it!" I opened the box, tore into a saline packet and tilt my head forward and jumped into my new life. I cried a little bit... not out of any emotion, but because of the unexpected feeling. Also, all of the youtube videos I watched to prepare myself had people keep their mouths open. So I did. And I drooled. I'm not proud, but I had to share my experiences to make you all the more wiser. You can indeed keep your mouth closed when nettipotting.
I'm sorry for being so graphic, but I've been breathing like a King for the past 30 hours and feel like I need to raise up my nettipot, thank the academy, and of course, Jesus.
Readers, meet Daybreak. Daybreak, readers. He's about 60% finished and the edge that's not on the needles is what is to wrap around my neck. I'm estimating that there will be another foot or so added to it, which is only six inches per side, which isn't enough. Urgh, now I'm just knitting through the pain and hoping that it will all come out in the wash (then block.)
I also go back and forth worrying that it looks like a bumble bee. When I don't think that- I think it looks FANTASTIC! The other good knitting news is that I have selected my first sweater pattern. This month's issue of Vogue Knitting contains an article on Boy Meets Purl and there is a phenomenal cardi that I think would look rather dashing on me. Three things need to happen before this starts: 1) Daybreak needs to figure his shit out and grow a little on the edge, 2) The next issue of Vogue Knitting needs to come out so that I may check out the current issue from the Norfolk Public Library (we're in a recession!) and 3) I need to win big from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in the near future so that I can buy the suggested Rowan yarn to make it... As only one of these three are a definite, I'm not quite holding my uncardiganned breath, but am still hopeful.
Switching topics, I bring us back to my quest to try new things in 2k10. I nettipotted for the first time yesterday. I didn't just frivolously decide to add this to my list, I haven't been able to breathe properly out of my nose in MONTHS. Obviously I bought it weeks ago and have been too terrified to actually try it. I said, "Anthony, grow a pair and jut do it!" I opened the box, tore into a saline packet and tilt my head forward and jumped into my new life. I cried a little bit... not out of any emotion, but because of the unexpected feeling. Also, all of the youtube videos I watched to prepare myself had people keep their mouths open. So I did. And I drooled. I'm not proud, but I had to share my experiences to make you all the more wiser. You can indeed keep your mouth closed when nettipotting.
I'm sorry for being so graphic, but I've been breathing like a King for the past 30 hours and feel like I need to raise up my nettipot, thank the academy, and of course, Jesus.
Monday, January 4, 2010
2010 New Things
I've decided that 2k10 is the year that I will no longer be able to end a thought with "...in this economy." This is because the economy is going to turn around.
For this to happen, I've decided that all Americans need to try something new periodically. Since I have my finger on the pulse of the nation and have a grand understanding of economics, this will work. It will work if the "something new" involves putting money into the economy.
Today is starting two of my new things.
The first is a boxing class at the Adirondack Club. 1 hour a week punching a bag will probably end in me in tears at some point, but I'm excited and I have my bandanna all laid out to be tied on a keep the sweat out. How badass will I look in boxing gloves? And by "badass" i mean "incongruous..."
The second thing I'm trying out today is knitting from a pattern I purchased. All of my knitting has been off of free online patterns or out of library books. But I had to buy "Daybreak" by Westknits.
Today was the grand re-opening of my favorite LYS, In the Loop. 15% off everything! Yes please! I got the yarn i needed for daybreak- Louet Gem- brand new at ITL!
All I can say is that I'm trying to find the words to describe this yarn without being disrespectful. Keep an eye out for updates on the Daybreak.
For this to happen, I've decided that all Americans need to try something new periodically. Since I have my finger on the pulse of the nation and have a grand understanding of economics, this will work. It will work if the "something new" involves putting money into the economy.
Today is starting two of my new things.
The first is a boxing class at the Adirondack Club. 1 hour a week punching a bag will probably end in me in tears at some point, but I'm excited and I have my bandanna all laid out to be tied on a keep the sweat out. How badass will I look in boxing gloves? And by "badass" i mean "incongruous..."
The second thing I'm trying out today is knitting from a pattern I purchased. All of my knitting has been off of free online patterns or out of library books. But I had to buy "Daybreak" by Westknits.
Today was the grand re-opening of my favorite LYS, In the Loop. 15% off everything! Yes please! I got the yarn i needed for daybreak- Louet Gem- brand new at ITL!
All I can say is that I'm trying to find the words to describe this yarn without being disrespectful. Keep an eye out for updates on the Daybreak.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Success
Congratulations! We have made it through the holidays.
My only two things to share of this joyous time is that after a tumultuous round of knitting a hat for my boyfriend, I am breaking pescetarianism to eat an alpaca burger. I tried 6 different times to knit him a hat out of alpaca yarn. It kept coming out child sized and my gauge kept being wrong.
Naturally the yarn was tainted with bad karma. I bought different yarn and I chose a new pattern and tried to crank it out on the 23rd (see that blog post) but screwed it up, naturally. I stayed up all night on Christmas Eve trying to finish it. I finally was successful in doing this:
I never want to cable knit anything again in my life... I will spend my cabling time cooking and consuming alpaca burgers....
I have to also share what my boyfriend gave me. I love cycling classes, also called spinning classes. He gave me a spinning class.
But not that kind of spin class. An instructor at Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI offers classes on spinning your own yarn. OMG I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED! I'ma spin the sh*t outa some fiber... can't wait to share it!
I was knitting with some other friends from high school this week and we decided to start our own fiber farm. We're going to call ourselves the Worsted Shire and also carry a line of our own Worcestershire sauce. Get ready!
Happy 2k10
My only two things to share of this joyous time is that after a tumultuous round of knitting a hat for my boyfriend, I am breaking pescetarianism to eat an alpaca burger. I tried 6 different times to knit him a hat out of alpaca yarn. It kept coming out child sized and my gauge kept being wrong.
Naturally the yarn was tainted with bad karma. I bought different yarn and I chose a new pattern and tried to crank it out on the 23rd (see that blog post) but screwed it up, naturally. I stayed up all night on Christmas Eve trying to finish it. I finally was successful in doing this:
I never want to cable knit anything again in my life... I will spend my cabling time cooking and consuming alpaca burgers....
I have to also share what my boyfriend gave me. I love cycling classes, also called spinning classes. He gave me a spinning class.
But not that kind of spin class. An instructor at Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI offers classes on spinning your own yarn. OMG I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED! I'ma spin the sh*t outa some fiber... can't wait to share it!
I was knitting with some other friends from high school this week and we decided to start our own fiber farm. We're going to call ourselves the Worsted Shire and also carry a line of our own Worcestershire sauce. Get ready!
Happy 2k10
Friday, December 25, 2009
OMGOMGOMG
It's here... It's Christmas morning... holy Christ! (literally)
Obviously since I'm still a child I haven't slept a wink and am anxiously counting down the hours until my sister arrives this morning for present time.
This Christmas I asked for a goat. I'm not 100% sure there's a goat down there, but I did leave some local eggnog and a sampler of cookies for the big guy and I'm feeling good about it.
Goats bleat. Did you know that? Every hour on the hour since midnight I've gone to the top of the stairs and strained my ears to hear for the bleating of Amalthea or Christopher (I would have said Amalthea AND Christopher, but I wasn't particularly nice this year. Not naughty, just not nice, but I'm not pushing for anything huge.)
"But Anthony..." (right now, I'm doing your internal comments) "But Anthony, what would you do with a goat?"
I would love it, brush it's hair, shear it and spin its fibers into yarn, milk it and make goat cheese/butter/yogurt, play with it, walk it, take pics of it...
Ok... 4 more hours... I can't tell if I heard bleating or the cratering of a reindeer against the roof... back to working on the boyfriend knitting project.
Obviously since I'm still a child I haven't slept a wink and am anxiously counting down the hours until my sister arrives this morning for present time.
This Christmas I asked for a goat. I'm not 100% sure there's a goat down there, but I did leave some local eggnog and a sampler of cookies for the big guy and I'm feeling good about it.
Goats bleat. Did you know that? Every hour on the hour since midnight I've gone to the top of the stairs and strained my ears to hear for the bleating of Amalthea or Christopher (I would have said Amalthea AND Christopher, but I wasn't particularly nice this year. Not naughty, just not nice, but I'm not pushing for anything huge.)
"But Anthony..." (right now, I'm doing your internal comments) "But Anthony, what would you do with a goat?"
I would love it, brush it's hair, shear it and spin its fibers into yarn, milk it and make goat cheese/butter/yogurt, play with it, walk it, take pics of it...
Ok... 4 more hours... I can't tell if I heard bleating or the cratering of a reindeer against the roof... back to working on the boyfriend knitting project.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Ugg
** 2AM UPDATE**
The knitting gods do not look kindly upon me this Christmas Eve Eve (the penultimate day before Christmas).
Project fail... unravel... restart... need food... can't
The knitting gods do not look kindly upon me this Christmas Eve Eve (the penultimate day before Christmas).
Project fail... unravel... restart... need food... can't
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Crunch Time
I wasn't in the Christmas spirit. I think I maxed out my holiday enjoyment over Hanukkah (and what a fantastic Hanukkah it was!) I realized about three days ago that I'm not excited for Christmas. Maybe it's because I was so behind on gift-buying? that I haven't yet written a Season's Greetings card? or that I'm just scrooging out this year. Why the broken-down sleigh in my heart?
Today I figured it out. It's the freaking dancing Santa at work over which the children crap their pants. They walk up to the desk, push that flippin' button (which also pushes my button), and Santa proceeds to dance, twirl a lasso, and sing a Christmas edition of "Rawhide." As a pescetarian, I take offense. My ears bleed as I sing along to:
"Rolling, Rolling Rolling
Keep them reindeer rolling
Rolling rolling rolling toniiiiiight..."
I cured my Christmas woes last night by finishing my father's shopping for my mother. This way she gets something that will match (Tony is colorblind) and I get the miles on my credit card. My sister and I went to the mall- which still had the same amount of highschoolers as any given Friday. WTF are you all doing here on a school night? It is crunch time, you're just wasted space right now.
So we made our final purchases for Ellen. We also picked up a candle for my sister and a scarf for me as a kickback from Tony for such a wonderful job we did. We already wrapped everything (including the kickbacks) and watched Love Actually. I'm now 'all teams go' for Christmas.
Son of a Bitch!
I'm 8 rows into the knit part gift for my boyfriend and I planned on having it finished by tomorrow. It's like I'm back in college and I'm just sitting down to the 8-page research paper in Spanish that is due in 13 hours. I lit a zen candle, I filled my nalgene, I've got plenty of hand lotion (Nanny keeps the heat high and my skin is brittle.... mmmmmmmm brittle....) and a week's worth of NPR podcasts up on which to catch.
I also have plenty of snacks... oh wait... I need to fast for 12 hours to have blood drawn tomorrow... dammit!
Ok- late night with no food... this might be for the best... I can do it. Just think of Santa. Just think of Santa. Just think of Santa.
*****
I guess instead of eating I'll just look at all the pretty yarn I purchased this week. I freaking love yarn stores. My guess at this is that I'm an attention whore and LYS owners in suburbia are always shocked when a guy walks into their store and commence their inquiry into everything about me. Y-Chromosome discount? No?
The rust Blue Sky Alpaca skinny cotton and the brown tweed Inca alpaca classic will become socks and the black and gray Rowan big wool is to become the 14 pattern on ravelry... time to pick just the right buttons... perhaps the singing Santa's button will 'fall off the truck' as my Italian relatives would say *wink*
Today I figured it out. It's the freaking dancing Santa at work over which the children crap their pants. They walk up to the desk, push that flippin' button (which also pushes my button), and Santa proceeds to dance, twirl a lasso, and sing a Christmas edition of "Rawhide." As a pescetarian, I take offense. My ears bleed as I sing along to:
"Rolling, Rolling Rolling
Keep them reindeer rolling
Rolling rolling rolling toniiiiiight..."
I cured my Christmas woes last night by finishing my father's shopping for my mother. This way she gets something that will match (Tony is colorblind) and I get the miles on my credit card. My sister and I went to the mall- which still had the same amount of highschoolers as any given Friday. WTF are you all doing here on a school night? It is crunch time, you're just wasted space right now.
So we made our final purchases for Ellen. We also picked up a candle for my sister and a scarf for me as a kickback from Tony for such a wonderful job we did. We already wrapped everything (including the kickbacks) and watched Love Actually. I'm now 'all teams go' for Christmas.
Son of a Bitch!
I'm 8 rows into the knit part gift for my boyfriend and I planned on having it finished by tomorrow. It's like I'm back in college and I'm just sitting down to the 8-page research paper in Spanish that is due in 13 hours. I lit a zen candle, I filled my nalgene, I've got plenty of hand lotion (Nanny keeps the heat high and my skin is brittle.... mmmmmmmm brittle....) and a week's worth of NPR podcasts up on which to catch.
I also have plenty of snacks... oh wait... I need to fast for 12 hours to have blood drawn tomorrow... dammit!
Ok- late night with no food... this might be for the best... I can do it. Just think of Santa. Just think of Santa. Just think of Santa.
*****
I guess instead of eating I'll just look at all the pretty yarn I purchased this week. I freaking love yarn stores. My guess at this is that I'm an attention whore and LYS owners in suburbia are always shocked when a guy walks into their store and commence their inquiry into everything about me. Y-Chromosome discount? No?
The rust Blue Sky Alpaca skinny cotton and the brown tweed Inca alpaca classic will become socks and the black and gray Rowan big wool is to become the 14 pattern on ravelry... time to pick just the right buttons... perhaps the singing Santa's button will 'fall off the truck' as my Italian relatives would say *wink*
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
This week in money
The recession is over? Blow me. I've been doing Christmas shopping little by little every weekend and have only had to wait in line once, my stocks are all in the red, the foreclosure rate continues to go up, and, oh yeah, I'm still underemployed (and living at home.)
Not only has this week been another testament to the horrid streak of post-college fail, but I am having roommate trouble.
"Roommate trouble? Anthony, you live at home! Those aren't your roommates, they're your parents!"
Well, back in August, my grandmother moved in with us. She's 96, Irish-Catholic, and hard of hearing. She believes in stockinged-feet, not traveling after dark, and that Obama is a Muslim (and that that would be a bad thing.)
Obviously she knows not of my love life, despite asking my mother if I'm gay on the grounds that I sport an earring. Ellen's only response was, "Oh mom, all the kids have earrings these days."
Well played, Ellen... we have a will to think about!
Nanny likes things in a very particular way. She likes to have her tea with the bag still steeping, a mid-afternoon cookie, and she hates $20 bills. She thinks that the People's Republic of China is printing $20 bills and sending their citizens here to spend spend spend. You can tell if your bill is fake if it has the two-toned print on it. Ask her. She'll tell you.
She sent me to the bank for $500. She doesn't leave the house. Obviously this money is going right up her nose. The awful part about this task was that she had a list of what she would like:
I went to the BOA ATM in Franklin then drove back to Norfolk to go to my bank and told them the story (I left the part out about the Chinese treasury notes). I got her everything on her list. I also got a kickback of one of the fivers (score!) which, just like the rest of the $495, went right up my nose.
Not only has this week been another testament to the horrid streak of post-college fail, but I am having roommate trouble.
"Roommate trouble? Anthony, you live at home! Those aren't your roommates, they're your parents!"
Well, back in August, my grandmother moved in with us. She's 96, Irish-Catholic, and hard of hearing. She believes in stockinged-feet, not traveling after dark, and that Obama is a Muslim (and that that would be a bad thing.)
Obviously she knows not of my love life, despite asking my mother if I'm gay on the grounds that I sport an earring. Ellen's only response was, "Oh mom, all the kids have earrings these days."
Well played, Ellen... we have a will to think about!
Nanny likes things in a very particular way. She likes to have her tea with the bag still steeping, a mid-afternoon cookie, and she hates $20 bills. She thinks that the People's Republic of China is printing $20 bills and sending their citizens here to spend spend spend. You can tell if your bill is fake if it has the two-toned print on it. Ask her. She'll tell you.
She sent me to the bank for $500. She doesn't leave the house. Obviously this money is going right up her nose. The awful part about this task was that she had a list of what she would like:
- 6 $50 = $300
- 15 $10 = $150
- 10 $5 = $50
I went to the BOA ATM in Franklin then drove back to Norfolk to go to my bank and told them the story (I left the part out about the Chinese treasury notes). I got her everything on her list. I also got a kickback of one of the fivers (score!) which, just like the rest of the $495, went right up my nose.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Jewish Winter Holidays
Happy Hanukkah!
I hope you all are enjoying the festival of lights. As I was working Friday night, I set my alarm for sunset time (according to the Boston Globe) so that I could know the INSTANT the celebration started. I have big plans for my first post-baccalaureate Hanukkah and NOBODY is going to ruin them come Hell (in which Jewish people don't believe) or high water (which Moses could part- so I guess I'm all set!)
I brought my Goodwill-purchased menorah- $2.99- to my boyfriend's where we made a traditional kosher-dairy meal. I made a porcini mushroom soup to serve with lox over latkes with a horseradish whipped cream. We lit the first candle of the menorah while I butchered the blessing that I had memorized from a Barenaked Ladies song. His fan was on, so the candles burned down in about 20 minutes, just enough time to eat, in which the delicious meal was consumed quickly resulting with me lying on the floor from oil overload. The remainder of the weekend was filled with frying and sauteeing everything under the umbrella of Hanukkah celebration... fine by me.
I'm not Jewish. Neither is he. BUT, I did ask him to alert me the instant my overenthusiasm for Jewish holidays borders insincerity.
I hope you all are enjoying the festival of lights. As I was working Friday night, I set my alarm for sunset time (according to the Boston Globe) so that I could know the INSTANT the celebration started. I have big plans for my first post-baccalaureate Hanukkah and NOBODY is going to ruin them come Hell (in which Jewish people don't believe) or high water (which Moses could part- so I guess I'm all set!)
I brought my Goodwill-purchased menorah- $2.99- to my boyfriend's where we made a traditional kosher-dairy meal. I made a porcini mushroom soup to serve with lox over latkes with a horseradish whipped cream. We lit the first candle of the menorah while I butchered the blessing that I had memorized from a Barenaked Ladies song. His fan was on, so the candles burned down in about 20 minutes, just enough time to eat, in which the delicious meal was consumed quickly resulting with me lying on the floor from oil overload. The remainder of the weekend was filled with frying and sauteeing everything under the umbrella of Hanukkah celebration... fine by me.
I'm not Jewish. Neither is he. BUT, I did ask him to alert me the instant my overenthusiasm for Jewish holidays borders insincerity.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Jesus Christ and LYS
I’m rocking the unemployment underemployment beard. With this comes a small pile of dirty mugs in my bedroom, a sleep schedule that would make a college student feel guilty, and more time than money. This led me to the interesting equation of finding a balance between a need to feel productive, have some sort of creative outlet, and save money all at the same time. This is why I began knitting again.
While knitting is not any difference in cost than other artistic avenues I could have taken, the finished product is much more comfortable than trying to wear my new oil pastel piece as a scarf. In this economy, I would say I’m doing an okay job looking for inexpensive, but knitable yarn. I do maintain a healthy level of uppitance in selection that allows me to still avoid synthetics- “absolute fiber swill” and anything ugly- “I would rather discuss Tiger Woods than be caught with that on my needles”
The problem that comes with knitting is the inclusion of web2.0 into the culture of the needle. I have been sucked into scouring the Norfolk Public Library page for checkoutable fodder. I have stumbled upon many knitblogs and online knitzines. There's even a facebook-type site for knitters called Ravelry. Without hesitation I joined. Not only am I spending non-working time knitting, I'm spending it thinking and clicking about knitting.
What this really means: I need a freaking full-time job.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
I'm Not Kidding
Many people lament grocery shopping. I am not one of these people. I will tucker out almost anyone while I drag him or her through the aisles of the local A&P. I wasn’t kidding when I told you that I LOVE GROCERY STORES. It’s almost a fetish. Grocery shopping with me is akin to clothes shopping with a 14-year-old girl carrying daddy’s credit card with two hours to go until the cinema will let her back in to see the vampires for the 5th time this month.
Things that make me warm inside: weekend farmer’s markets, kitchen gadgetry, cast-iron cookware, strolling down every aisle of a grocery store and examining every product and imagining what could be done with it.
Things that make me the opposite of warm inside: frozen, pre-prepared foods, canned soups, meat, the aforementioned 14-year-old girl.
*****
Young people often ask me, “Anthony, where should I go for the best grocery store experience?” After I back out of their H1N1 sphere of influence, I tell them to take their time to take it all in and they can enjoy any grocery store. However, if they must know…
My top 5 grocery stores are:
5. Whole Foods - Dedham, MA… the naturals, the organics, the hypocrisy of damming the man while shopping in his store…
4. Trader Joe’s - Natick, MA… who knew goat cheese could be so affordable?
3. Wegmann’s - Woodbridge, VA… terrible customer service, but this place is the size of a small European country and I think they pump oxygen into the aisles so you stay longer. Feels very much like a casino.
2. Giant - Fredericksburg, VA (@Park and Shop)… the nurembourg rally of mullets and manners
1. Elmwood Thomson - Richmond, VA… vegan, soy, corn, and gluten free mac’n’cheese and the best best best feeling of approval when you tell the cashier you don’t need a bag.
How many posts need I before I’m contacted about a book deal to profile America’s grocerias? Add 1 to the tally.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Better. Best
I’m not as good at tennis as I claim to be.
I’ve cheated on more than one occasion at board games with friends.
I don’t know from where this need to always win came, but I know that I can not allow myself to play Yahtzee with anyone on whom I’m trying to make a good impression. Or Monopoly. Or Uno. Don’t worry, I think Scattergories is sacred and deserves a clean existence.
In my time of unemplo… underemployment, I have decided to pick up the sticks again. The winter months are coming and I (and my countless admirers) will need protection from the harsh blow of the New English winter.
I cranked out a couple amateur scarves last month. It’s amazing how fast one can knit when using 15’s. Naturally I took the aforementioned competitive nature and put it to the knitting test. What can’t I make for myself? After finding a pretty sensible hattern (figure it out) on about.com and buying some extremely pedestrian yarn to test it out, I realized, I’m invincible with double pointed needles.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Grocery Stores and Fancy Things
Whilst still in my days of college, a friend and I came to the realization that our three favorite things were: grocery stores, fancy things, and each other.
My fourth favorite thing? Jewish Holidays.
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