Purls and Pugs

A little bit of inspiration

I really had nothing to write about today until a friend sent me a link to a video to watch. I think this is a pretty awesome speech:

Mission Accomplished....almost

I finished knitting the Knitscene sweater last night. Then I washed it and dried it. Still loving this yarn! Here it is all ready to be sent off to the publisher. Shh...but I am working on the pattern currently making sure all the math works out and everything looks right.

I am having a little bit of anxiety over this pattern. I'm a perfectionist (and have a math degree), so I want this to work out perfectly. I know there are people who will always complain, but I want to do the best I can and make most everyone happy. It's a character flaw of mine -- trying to please everyone. It's a double edge sword in that I love it when people are happy, but it is stressful trying to do it all! And I don't want to look like a fool (that's a huge motivator!).

Yoda was such a good girl this morning. She woke me up about an hour earlier than normal. Usually, I would be very upset, but we had a bigish snow (yes, again) last night, and I needed to get up to shovel. Because Yoda got me up much earlier, I was able to get my driveway clear and salted before I would normally get out of bed. And this was the heavy, wet, slippery snow that everyone loves. On the bright side (I am so trying to stay positive), I only had to move 3" of snow instead of the 9" that was predicted. And I consider my workout to be done for the day...

Knitting to Perfection

I worked on my sample all weekend. Well, most of the weekend. Friday was rough at work, so I went out. I needed to go out. Mmmmm....beer! But the rest of the weekend was knitting.

I even finished it. Then I didn't like it. I put it on and looked at it in the mirror and decided it wasn't exactly what I was expecting to make. So, I decided to rip out part of the bottom and redo the bottom ribbing. I want this to be perfect for all you excited knitters. So, I am grounded tonight to finish this and the pattern. I can do it...

Ok, going back to beer. If you haven't tried it yet, you need to try Shiner Bock. It's made in Shiner, Texas and is fantastic. I had it a few years ago at a friend's house when it was only available by going to the town to get it. Now, it seems to be everywhere. I had it in Naperville, Vegas, and Plainfield. Plainfield is by no means the hub of microbrews, so I am assuming they are getting out to other small towns as well. This is a dark lager, but it's not heavy like a Guinness. It's very good, and they do have other varieties that I have yet to try. Give it a shot, it'll surprise you!

I thought I would be the first to have a primate...

The other day my mom told me she is a new grandma, and I was really confused. I definitely did not have a kid, and my sister didn't look preggers the last time I saw her, and, if you want to go this far, Lillie has been fixed. So, I responded, "Huh?" See, my sister has been OBSESSED with Orangutan Island. I've been tivoing it, but have yet to actually sit down and watch it. Mostly because the first episodes I have, one of them dies. I don't want to watch that...

Anyway, my sister decided that she was going to adopt an Orangutan in Borneo. It's like one of those "Sally Struthers Save the Kids" things, but with Orangutans. Meet Fio. Isn't she adorable?! She's two years old and in Forest School learning all those important forest skills she needs to survive and be a good mommy. I think I have the cutest niece ever!

We can't let Yoda be overshadowed by the new "arrival" to our family, so here she is showing off her new shirt. While I was in Vegas I saw this in the Hooters gift shop and knew my pug would love it. Doesn't she look totally fab?

And for those of you who actually come here to read about knitting, here is a shot of the first sleeve of the Knitscene sweater. Did I mention yet that I LOVE this yarn? I need to get some for myself...ok, maybe after I use up what I already have.

This sleeve didn't take very long and since I have the directions noted in my notebook, I don't need to do the second one just yet. Instead, I decided to start on the neckline. I need to get the directions for that all written and then it's on to the other sleeve. Then it's math and editing time.

As I was heading into work this morning, I was thinking about this whole pattern thing. I am still flabbergasted that the first design I submitted to a magazine was accepted and that it will hopefully (there is still that chance that it won't make the cut) be published this year! I think it just goes to show that thinking positively and really going after what you want pays off in the end. Will I ever have any other patterns published? I don't know, but I'm pretty damn pleased with myself for having one. For everyone out there who wants to give it a shot, I say go for it...no matter what you want to do, think positively and just do it! (That sure sounds like a Nike commercial...)

Deadline

Yup, the deadline for the Knitscene sweater is coming up fast. How the heck did that happen? Seriously, time went much faster than I anticipated. I am close to done with the knittng, but it's all that math I have to do for sizing that worries me. That's my biggest fear that I will get the sizing all wrong. I guess that's why there are tech editors.

I have no plans this weekend (nope, no dumpsters in my immeditate future), and I think everything works out the way it does for a reason. So, I now have plans of finishing the sweater and pattern. Sounds like good plans, no?

I promise pictures of the sweater, but it looks crazy with part of an arm. You know what I mean, right?

It's not a good birthday until you are peeing behind a dumpster in the city

It's really not. I still have one more year until I am 30, so I figure I can still kind of get away with those types of shenanigans. And for the record, when you make every effort to use traditional facilities, and it's impossible, and you don't want to mess up your friend's leather seats, the dumpster is a necessity.

Anyway, my day started off grand by the purchase of a Michael Kors deep v halter dress on sale. And I had to buy a size 2! That's exciting when you've been working hard to get fit. And everything I tried on looked and fit perfectly. That never happens while shopping!

Later, I went out with my parents for dinner. Something has been going around, and my sister has been sick for something like a week, so she didn't go. We went to Uncle Julio's Hacienda....yum! They seriously have the best margaritas there. I think I have mentioned it before, but just in case, I'll say it again.

After dinner a boy and his friends picked me up to head to a party in the city. It ended up being an engagement party for people I don't know, but it was fun. I even was able to do a little networking! You never know where you'll meet people with opportunities. After the party, we were supposed to go to a Sushi place, but it was closed for remodeling...that's when the pee-pee dance started...I feel I was a trooper by being able to hold it until we were able to get to a Wendy's that was acceptable (you really shouldn't just stop anywhere in the city to potty. Seriously, you never know what you'll find...), but the doors were locked!!! It was dumpster time. I vaguely remember hearing. "Amanda, you seem like a pretty cool girl. Like you've done this before..." Yup, I've got practice. So instead of Sushi, we got BWW. Ok compromise, I guess....but it was a good fun night!

Edited to add: Yes, going behind a dumpster is better than a random toilet. Trust me. I've been in random. I won't go back....

Holy %&@$*!

It's pretty sad when you aren't surprised by these open campus rampages. I'm more shocked that someone would do something so stupid. The way I look at it is, if you want to commit suicide, then do it. Don't take a bunch of innocent people with you.

I think a big shock is that it happened so close to home. When these things happen in states far away, you breath a sigh of relief that it wasn't near you.

I feel really bad for the families of the people that died for no reason. Please keep everyone in your prayers.

WTF?!

Ok, so there was a shooting at my school today. It's still early so no one seems to know all the details...I'm sure it'll make national news. I did not have class today, and I do not go to that campus in case anyone was wondering. I do have friends that work there, and they are all okay.

Please keep everyone at NIU in your prayers.

This is a knitting blog after all....

It is a knitting blog. Folks, I have a deadline, and I need to get my butt in gear. I am getting very close, here you can see the bottom ribbing...then I need to fine tune the pattern and all the sizes (that's the thing that scares me the most!). Any guesses on what I am making?

Here is a new set of Knit Picks needles that I received for Christmas. Well, actually, I just got them...they were intended to be for Christmas, but there was a mix-up. Mom said she was still going to get me needles...isn't she the best Santa? Now, I just need to figure out what I want for my birthday which is 2 days away....oh, the pressure!

I made it there and back...

So, I'm assuming you all realized that I did make it to Vegas since I haven't posted in several days. You would be right...and I'm telling you right now that I miss the sunshine. We landed on Saturday to cold, cold, cold, and gloomy skies. But I still love Chicago, so that's what I put up with to live in such a great city.

So, how was Vegas? AWESOME! It was in the 60s most of the time I was there, the food was great, the shows were fantastic, the crazy stuff was, well, crazy, and the company was fantabulous. Can you tell I enjoyed it? Here are some of the "safe" pictures that I could post. There might be a  couple more later, one of my friend and I with Chippendales, but I need to scan that.

So you might be saying to yourself, "Amanda, why are you wearing your glasses in Vegas?! You should be wearing contacts and looking all hot..." Well, I am scheduled to get lasik at the end of the month, so I have to suffer through a month of glasses. Most people say they look good, like sexy librarian good, but I just don't like 'em. Freedom from glasses, here I come!

Off to Sin City

Happy Fri-Monday, everyone. Yes, I am only working one day this week. I know, it's rough. So, anyway, Sports Fans, what was up with that Superbowl? It was B-O-R-I-N-G until the fourth quarter. Whoa! Then it got interesting. We had a snow shower during it...and driving home from the get-together I was at in the snow at midnight knowing I had to get up at 4:30 this morning was just made better by me knowing that I won't have to see snow for four and a half days!

So, I am packed. Yoda is packed. The house is somewhat clean. Reservations are made. $300 shoes are packed. And I am ready to par-tay in Vegas. This is a much needed distraction. I will feel a little guilty on Wednesday when I am supposed to be in class, but not that much! I'm sure I'll get an email update on all the fun that was had.

Knitters, you have no idea how many non-knitters have freaked out this week knowing that I am allowed to take knitting needles on a plane. Not that I am going to use my Kyusho Jitsu moves on anyone with knitting needles, but that I guess they could be used as a weapon if needed. There was a lot of "how can you bring knitting needles, and I can't bring finger nail clippers?" I don't know, but I like it!

Update: Yeah, so I'm still in Illinois waiting for Midway to open back up. It was closed due to fog last night, thus canceling our flight this morning. After over an hour on the phone with the airline, we are on the 5:00 pm flight out of Chicago. Cross your fingers that the snow holds off that long....

It's 6:30 am and I am exhausted

Holy...Well, we got hit with a huge snow storm here in the Midwest. I shoveled the snow I had last night, and when I woke up this morning I had to pull out the snow blower. I started at 4:30am, and by the time I left for work at 6, we already had another 2 inches on the ground!

Then driving to work was, well, work. I was at 10 and 2 and concentrating the whole time. It's just very draining paying that much attention. Luckily, I know some coworkers with huge four wheel drive trucks on my way to work. So, if I end up in a ditch, I can give them a jingle and get pulled out easy as pie.  No worries.

I have to admit that dispite the mess it makes on the roads, it is very pretty. The snow also makes the world quieter...which makes me think it's just a little calmer and more relaxed. Does the snow calm anyone else down?