Well, today has started in fine form. Oof, Tuesday did, I should say. I started this entry on Tuesday, which was a right mess of a morning. I woke up at around 5:00 AM to the cacophony of one of the worst storms I've seen in a while. Bear in mind that when you rent a basement apartment beneath a family home with two small children, the noise of a terrible storm is not by any means limited to thunderclaps, howling winds, and pounding rain. Oh, no. It also comes with the added aural pleasure that is the screams, teary wails, and running stomps of two very mobile, very anxious children. I am usually a big fan of taking the time to find the hidden symphony in the noise of every day life, and thunderstorms are usually great fodder for such meditative listening, but just as a wailing two year old ruins a "true" symphony, it also ruins a natural one.
I'm a smart cookie, though; I invested in earplugs a few weeks ago. I went back to sleep and happily stayed there until about 7:30. Of course, when I woke, it was not to the chirp of my alarm. Instead, I heard the pinging sound that my cell phone makes when it's inching towards a dead battery. This, of course, didn't make sense, since my cell phone was plugged in to charge before I went to bed. I went to flip on the light only to find that the power had gone out at some point in the middle of the night, and it wasn't back. Thanks to a handy flashlight given to me by my mom "just in case" (since she knows I'm seldom practical enough to think about my need for such things until AFTER I need them and don't have them), I was at least able to clothe myself and get out the door to work, if with crazy, damp, curly hair from lack of power to my hair dryer. The rest of the day was considerably uneventful, since massive storms and fallen trees tend to keep people away from yoga studios.
Wednesday provided a little reminder that we're not quite out of winter yet by dropping some snow flurries on the city, which I of course enjoyed. I've gotten to the point with this winter, though, where I refuse to wear big sweaters. If I have to have ten layers on, that's fine, but I'm not wearing a sweater again until next year, thank you. Being a knitter helps with this goal, I think. There are always more hats and scarves.
Wednesday afternoon and all of Thursday was spent with my family in my home town, which was nice, if at times a little draining. My sister's beautiful twins, Will and Emme, turned six on Tuesday, so it was good to get to see them. They're getting so unbelievably big.
I have some shopping for my swap partner to do today, so I have to cut this short. I'll certainly be back soon to blog about this Saturday's upcoming wedding. I'm excited. :)
2.21.2008
Tweny-First: Getting Back on the Blog-Wagon
It's amazing how time just... slips by. Every day I come here, planning to write something, but lately I've been in something of a slump. I've been a little bummed off and on, which generally results in a lot of self-reflection and attempts at self-improvement. So, I've been doing a lot of the things that make me feel good outside of my regular routine. I'm working on sticking blogging back into that, so I hope you'll forgive my ridiculous absences. :)
I've been working on activating my brain a lot more, since I feel like intellectual stimulation seems so hard to come across since entering the 9-to-5 world. I've had a voracious hunger for leisure reading, which I finally indulged last week by buying five new novels, and borrowing two more. I got Stiff, which I've been dying to read (no pun intended) since I took a class on Death & Dying a few years ago, and The Princess Bride, which has been one of my favorite movies since I was a kid. I've never actually read the book, so I'm looking forward to diving into that one. I also got The Knitter's Book of Yarn, which I'm having a blast with, and The Monsters of Templeton. I've always loved Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magic realism style, and Monsters of Templeton is supposed to be very close to that, so I can't wait to see how it shapes up. I'll post some brief reviews up here if anyone's interested. :) As dorky as it is, I also like to keep my brain sharp with crossword puzzles and sudoku books, so I've been going through all of my old, finished ones and finding any puzzles that I haven't completed and finishing them off before I go out and by more. I know, I know, I'm a nerd, but I hate feeling like my brain isn't getting the exercise it wants and needs.
Speaking of exercise, tomorrow marks the beginning of a little test that I'm putting myself to. I want to work out every day for 30 days, either through hot yoga or through going to the gym. Since I work at a yoga studio, it shouldn't be too hard. I've prepared by spending all day today doing nothing more than running a few errands and casting on for a new pair of socks. Other than that, it's been a fat lot of being lazy.
I'm loving it. :)
I'll be back soon. We'll see if I survive the next 30 days. :) Wish me luck!
I've been working on activating my brain a lot more, since I feel like intellectual stimulation seems so hard to come across since entering the 9-to-5 world. I've had a voracious hunger for leisure reading, which I finally indulged last week by buying five new novels, and borrowing two more. I got Stiff, which I've been dying to read (no pun intended) since I took a class on Death & Dying a few years ago, and The Princess Bride, which has been one of my favorite movies since I was a kid. I've never actually read the book, so I'm looking forward to diving into that one. I also got The Knitter's Book of Yarn, which I'm having a blast with, and The Monsters of Templeton. I've always loved Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magic realism style, and Monsters of Templeton is supposed to be very close to that, so I can't wait to see how it shapes up. I'll post some brief reviews up here if anyone's interested. :) As dorky as it is, I also like to keep my brain sharp with crossword puzzles and sudoku books, so I've been going through all of my old, finished ones and finding any puzzles that I haven't completed and finishing them off before I go out and by more. I know, I know, I'm a nerd, but I hate feeling like my brain isn't getting the exercise it wants and needs.
Speaking of exercise, tomorrow marks the beginning of a little test that I'm putting myself to. I want to work out every day for 30 days, either through hot yoga or through going to the gym. Since I work at a yoga studio, it shouldn't be too hard. I've prepared by spending all day today doing nothing more than running a few errands and casting on for a new pair of socks. Other than that, it's been a fat lot of being lazy.
I'm loving it. :)
I'll be back soon. We'll see if I survive the next 30 days. :) Wish me luck!
2.14.2008
Twentieth: Something Springy This Way Comes
I saw this "Longing for Spring Swap" on a favorite blog, and was moved to participate. It's been a rough couple of weeks over here in my neck of the woods, so I'm doing my best to focus on the positive and do things that make me feel good about life, people, and the universe in general. Doing nice things for others tends to make me feel good, so here we go! I'm excited to join my first swap. :) Here's the questionnaire:
Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft?
I only knit, and I've been at it for about 5 years now, though I really got serious and started knitting more than charity-blanket squares in the past two or two and a half years. My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when I was very very young, but I never quite picked it up.
What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
I love anything soft, specifically alpaca and cashmere and non-scratchy wools. I also love anything in with an interesting colorway. Company-wise, I love almost everything by Malabrigo, Debbie Bliss, and Rowan (unless it falls into the dislike categories below! :) ).
What are your least favorite yarns/fibers?
I don't really like pure cotton (though Rowan Calmer is okay). Otherwise, I don't like novelty (eyelash, fun fur, ribbon) yarns or Noro, because it's much too scratchy for me, in spite of the beautiful colorways.
What are your favorite colors?
Anything that can be found in a peacock's tail. Jewel-toned blues and greens and purples. Rich, saturated colors tend to be my favorites. Wine and deep garnet and chocolate tones score well with me, too.
What are your least favorite colors?
Tans, creams, pinks, most oranges, and pastels (all colors that have a tendency to wash out my very fair, pink-undertoned skin).
What ‘warm weather’ project are you looking forward to making this year?
I've been wanting to attempt a lace shawl (this one, specifically), though I don't normally give much attention to the season of what I'm knitting. I'd love to do a cap-sleeved Sahara sweater for spring this year, though.
What are you favorite scents?
Anything natural and light and not overly perfume-y. Nutmeg and chai and pumpkin are wonderful, and I also love honeysuckle and gardenia and Japanese cherry blossom in the floral vein. Quince and brown sugar and vanilla and clean linen are also favorites for my oil-burner/incense habits! I also love those smells you can't bottle, like the way it smells when you drive up a dirt road on the way to the lake in autumn.
Least favorite?
Citrus smells, sun tan lotion (that awful, overbearing, coconut smell), and all heavy, fake scents.
What is your favorite flower?
Orchids, lillies, tulips, freesia, sunflowers and honeysuckle.
What are you favorite spring time hobbies/activities?
My absolute favorite thing in spring is going to a grassy spot with a blanket, my dog, and a book (and usually a pretty journal, too) to spend the day outside reading and soaking up nature. Nothing inspires me like being outside in the springtime. Dying Easter eggs with the family and having a cup of warm tea in the morning when the air still has a chill on it are also great.
Do you have a garden? If you do, tell us a little about it. Do you like to plant flowers or vegetables?
I live in a basement apartment with very little natural light, so no. :(
What are your favorite sweets?
Smarties, wintergreen lifesavers, and chocolates (chocolate/caramels, like Rolos & Riesens, especially).
Do you collect anything?
I love books (I really want to build a wonderful library... my amazon.com wish list is far too long!) and yarn, of course, but I also like beautiful quotes and old typewriter keys (I'm odd, I know). I wouldn't call any of them collections, though. Just things that I have trouble resisting when I see them.
Do you have any allergies?
Gratefully, no.
Do you have any pets?
A west highland terrier (Wesley) and a white, long haired munchkin cat named Smidgen who eats yarn.
I always give such long answers to things like this. Can't wait to see who I'm spoiling!!
Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft?
I only knit, and I've been at it for about 5 years now, though I really got serious and started knitting more than charity-blanket squares in the past two or two and a half years. My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when I was very very young, but I never quite picked it up.
What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
I love anything soft, specifically alpaca and cashmere and non-scratchy wools. I also love anything in with an interesting colorway. Company-wise, I love almost everything by Malabrigo, Debbie Bliss, and Rowan (unless it falls into the dislike categories below! :) ).
What are your least favorite yarns/fibers?
I don't really like pure cotton (though Rowan Calmer is okay). Otherwise, I don't like novelty (eyelash, fun fur, ribbon) yarns or Noro, because it's much too scratchy for me, in spite of the beautiful colorways.
What are your favorite colors?
Anything that can be found in a peacock's tail. Jewel-toned blues and greens and purples. Rich, saturated colors tend to be my favorites. Wine and deep garnet and chocolate tones score well with me, too.
What are your least favorite colors?
Tans, creams, pinks, most oranges, and pastels (all colors that have a tendency to wash out my very fair, pink-undertoned skin).
What ‘warm weather’ project are you looking forward to making this year?
I've been wanting to attempt a lace shawl (this one, specifically), though I don't normally give much attention to the season of what I'm knitting. I'd love to do a cap-sleeved Sahara sweater for spring this year, though.
What are you favorite scents?
Anything natural and light and not overly perfume-y. Nutmeg and chai and pumpkin are wonderful, and I also love honeysuckle and gardenia and Japanese cherry blossom in the floral vein. Quince and brown sugar and vanilla and clean linen are also favorites for my oil-burner/incense habits! I also love those smells you can't bottle, like the way it smells when you drive up a dirt road on the way to the lake in autumn.
Least favorite?
Citrus smells, sun tan lotion (that awful, overbearing, coconut smell), and all heavy, fake scents.
What is your favorite flower?
Orchids, lillies, tulips, freesia, sunflowers and honeysuckle.
What are you favorite spring time hobbies/activities?
My absolute favorite thing in spring is going to a grassy spot with a blanket, my dog, and a book (and usually a pretty journal, too) to spend the day outside reading and soaking up nature. Nothing inspires me like being outside in the springtime. Dying Easter eggs with the family and having a cup of warm tea in the morning when the air still has a chill on it are also great.
Do you have a garden? If you do, tell us a little about it. Do you like to plant flowers or vegetables?
I live in a basement apartment with very little natural light, so no. :(
What are your favorite sweets?
Smarties, wintergreen lifesavers, and chocolates (chocolate/caramels, like Rolos & Riesens, especially).
Do you collect anything?
I love books (I really want to build a wonderful library... my amazon.com wish list is far too long!) and yarn, of course, but I also like beautiful quotes and old typewriter keys (I'm odd, I know). I wouldn't call any of them collections, though. Just things that I have trouble resisting when I see them.
Do you have any allergies?
Gratefully, no.
Do you have any pets?
A west highland terrier (Wesley) and a white, long haired munchkin cat named Smidgen who eats yarn.
I always give such long answers to things like this. Can't wait to see who I'm spoiling!!
1.28.2008
Nineteenth: Kind of a Big Deal
So much has been happening lately. It's been busy and hectic, I won't lie, but it hasn't been anywhere near all bad. In fact, a lot of what's going on has been pretty rewarding, in some way or another.
Work, first of all, has been absolutely insane. We had a grand re-opening for the studio to celebrate the completion of the renovation and give new students an opportunity to meet our beautiful new space. We expected about 75 to 100 people, including existing students, to come through the door in the course of the 9 hour Open House. Instead, we were blown away. Word must have traveled, because we had almost 400 people come in. I greeted, talked yoga with, and gave tours to so many people that I had no voice by the end of the day, but it was a smashing success. Since that day, we've been averaging over 100 students PER DAY. That, my friends, is pretty awesome (especially considering that it's almost double our daily student average for November and December - this is the thrilling data that I'm paid to crunch over the course of my day). Granted, more students equal more work, but with more work has come a raise and a boost in benefits! Oh, AND the studio pays for all of my gasoline now, which is basically an extra $120.00 a month on top of my raise. I'm a lucky girl.
Speaking of work and luck (or, well, being appreciated, I suppose), one of my fellow building-mates did something incredibly kind this past week. In appreciation of the little things that I do for her to keep her business running smoothly (none of which do I consider outside of the realm of common courtesy and kindness), she gave me a gift certificate for some private Pilates sessions with About Movement Pilates. I totally need it, and she suggested that it should be helpful as I continue training for my 5K goals. I can't wait to schedule my first appointment, but I'll admit that I'm a little shy about my lack of Pilates ability. My core is not my strongest region. :(
In terms of knitting, I've been on a roll. Not only did I finish my simple, garter ridge scarf, but I also finally finished the hat that I was making for Jesse. Of course, it took 3 tries before it was deep enough for his big head, but I finally got through it (and without having to buy a second ball of yarn! Hooray for leftovers from the garter ridge scarf!). I finished it just in time, too, since it snowed 2 days after I gave it to him! Atlanta doesn't see a lot of snow, so I feel like it was the universe's way of congratulating me on the hat. I'll show you the hat if Jesse ever takes a picture of it, but in the meantime, I can show you some of the snow!! To those of you who live further north, please bear with me. As a Carolina-born girl who now lives in Georgia and has maybe seen snowfall 12 times in her nearly-24 years, I am excited by even the most meager of flurries. :)
My parents came to town, and as you can see, we had a blast. There was sledding, snowball fighting, and all around revelry. Oh, and for the sentimental record, the scarf I'm wearing in those pictures is the first thing I ever knit. Wesley is also wearing a handknit "collar" that was really just a swatch of slip-stitch colorwork that ended up fitting around his cute little neck, so he told me he wanted to keep it. It was a good day for Atlanta-area knitters. Our work was called to task and performed in fine form. :)
I've had a considerable case of finish-itis lately, especially in terms of a few sock-mates. I'll show you some pictures of that next time. I've been on a budget-necessitated yarn diet lately, so I've been working with what I have. :) Though, speaking of yarn, I have to give a massive thanks to Holly of Hollyarns, who had an awesome destashing contest recently, and I won. The prize is 3 balls of elann.com Super Kydd in a gorgeous Ice Blue color and some fabric for quilting. I can't wait to make something out of it... perhaps a pretty lace shawl. I'll be sure to post pictures of what I make, Holly! Thanks again!
I'm still working on those 2008 goals. Look for a progress report in the next couple of days. For now, I've blathered too long. Thanks for all of the get well wishes! I'm feeling much better. :)
Work, first of all, has been absolutely insane. We had a grand re-opening for the studio to celebrate the completion of the renovation and give new students an opportunity to meet our beautiful new space. We expected about 75 to 100 people, including existing students, to come through the door in the course of the 9 hour Open House. Instead, we were blown away. Word must have traveled, because we had almost 400 people come in. I greeted, talked yoga with, and gave tours to so many people that I had no voice by the end of the day, but it was a smashing success. Since that day, we've been averaging over 100 students PER DAY. That, my friends, is pretty awesome (especially considering that it's almost double our daily student average for November and December - this is the thrilling data that I'm paid to crunch over the course of my day). Granted, more students equal more work, but with more work has come a raise and a boost in benefits! Oh, AND the studio pays for all of my gasoline now, which is basically an extra $120.00 a month on top of my raise. I'm a lucky girl.
Speaking of work and luck (or, well, being appreciated, I suppose), one of my fellow building-mates did something incredibly kind this past week. In appreciation of the little things that I do for her to keep her business running smoothly (none of which do I consider outside of the realm of common courtesy and kindness), she gave me a gift certificate for some private Pilates sessions with About Movement Pilates. I totally need it, and she suggested that it should be helpful as I continue training for my 5K goals. I can't wait to schedule my first appointment, but I'll admit that I'm a little shy about my lack of Pilates ability. My core is not my strongest region. :(
In terms of knitting, I've been on a roll. Not only did I finish my simple, garter ridge scarf, but I also finally finished the hat that I was making for Jesse. Of course, it took 3 tries before it was deep enough for his big head, but I finally got through it (and without having to buy a second ball of yarn! Hooray for leftovers from the garter ridge scarf!). I finished it just in time, too, since it snowed 2 days after I gave it to him! Atlanta doesn't see a lot of snow, so I feel like it was the universe's way of congratulating me on the hat. I'll show you the hat if Jesse ever takes a picture of it, but in the meantime, I can show you some of the snow!! To those of you who live further north, please bear with me. As a Carolina-born girl who now lives in Georgia and has maybe seen snowfall 12 times in her nearly-24 years, I am excited by even the most meager of flurries. :)
My parents came to town, and as you can see, we had a blast. There was sledding, snowball fighting, and all around revelry. Oh, and for the sentimental record, the scarf I'm wearing in those pictures is the first thing I ever knit. Wesley is also wearing a handknit "collar" that was really just a swatch of slip-stitch colorwork that ended up fitting around his cute little neck, so he told me he wanted to keep it. It was a good day for Atlanta-area knitters. Our work was called to task and performed in fine form. :)
I've had a considerable case of finish-itis lately, especially in terms of a few sock-mates. I'll show you some pictures of that next time. I've been on a budget-necessitated yarn diet lately, so I've been working with what I have. :) Though, speaking of yarn, I have to give a massive thanks to Holly of Hollyarns, who had an awesome destashing contest recently, and I won. The prize is 3 balls of elann.com Super Kydd in a gorgeous Ice Blue color and some fabric for quilting. I can't wait to make something out of it... perhaps a pretty lace shawl. I'll be sure to post pictures of what I make, Holly! Thanks again!
I'm still working on those 2008 goals. Look for a progress report in the next couple of days. For now, I've blathered too long. Thanks for all of the get well wishes! I'm feeling much better. :)
1.25.2008
Eighteenth: Something to do when you're sick at work
Back at work today, still feeling sick and exhausted and unable to focus on any single thing for more than approximately three seconds, so what to do?
Budgets? Eh, requires at least six to seven seconds of consecutive focus for progress.
Answering emails and phone calls? Done.
Preparing to train the new employees coming in at 1:00? Ha.
So, yeah... Online quizzes? That, my brain can handle.
First, the results of a little political compatibility test I found over at Paperclips. I'm amused at how much quizzes like these, even when politically oriented, make me think back to, "Which movie hottie r u most compatible with?!?" sorts of quizzes from my middle school years. Oh, Barack Obama, we were born to walk hand-in-hand through the cherry blossom trees in DC. I knew it. :)
90% Mike Gravel
90% Dennis Kucinich
87% Barack Obama
86% John Edwards
82% Joe Biden
82% Chris Dodd
81% Hillary Clinton
74% Bill Richardson
37% Rudy Giuliani
24% John McCain
22% Ron Paul
20% Mitt Romney
19% Tom Tancredo
16% Mike Huckabee
8% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
There's also this fun throwback to chain-email quizzes that I found both at Jeneration-X and YarnCrawl's wonderful blogs...
What time is it? 12:14 PM
What's your full name? Courtney Johanna Elizabeth DeGennaro (My parents knew I was the last one they were making, so they wanted to squeeze all those unused names into me)
What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theater? There Will Be Blood which is perhaps the best film I've ever seen, no exaggeration. Daniel Day Lewis gives what might just be the best performance in cinema history. Please please please go see it.
What are you most afraid of? To be honest, I don't know. I have a hatred of teeth and seeing them wiggled or removed or damaged, but I wouldn't call it a fear. I guess I'm with Robin in that I fear losing teeth or having them broken. Yuck!
Place of birth? North Augusta, SC/Augusta, GA
Favorite food? Oh, I can be such a foodie. I love sushi, but when the mood strikes, I can't pass up a Brickstore brick burger with bleu cheese. On a cold day or when I'm not feeling well, it's all about tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich with my mom. Oh, and muffins.
What's your natural hair color? Brown
Ever been to Alaska? No, but I hope to cruise up there some time. Seeing the Northern Lights is on my list of things to do before I die.
Ever been toilet paper rolling? I was such a goody-two-shoes... Nope.
Love someone so much it made you cry? Hmm... not in the psychotic and co-dependent way, no, but I've been so in love that the sheer beauty of it (and of life itself) brought me to tears. So in that regard...Yes
Been in a car accident? No, but they tend to happen within 2 car lengths of me with disturbing frequency. Either helping afterwards is my superhero power, or causing them is my supervillain ability.
Croutons or bacon bits? Neither, I prefer a fresh spinach salad with strawberries and mushrooms and balsamic.
Favorite day of the week? As cheesy as it sounds, I'm not partial. I try to make every day count.
Favorite restaurant? One Midtown Kitchen
Favorite Flower? Sunflowers, gerber daisies, freesia, orchids, lillies, and those gorgeous yellow/cream/orange roses with red tips
Favorite sport to watch? Football when it's an important game (like the superbowl or a college bowl game) or soccer, especially the world cup
Favorite drink? Diet Pepsi! Especially the wild cherry and vanilla variations
Favorite ice cream? All, please. I do love rocky road, vermonty python, cinnamon and anything with raspberry, though.
Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney movies, WB cartoons.
Ever been on a ship? A tacky gambling cruise ship for laughs. ("Girl, you know you don't never gamble wit' no panties on!" is a favorite quote overheard on THAT one)
What color is your bedroom carpet? My bedroom has black, polished concrete floors. That's why my slippers are my most prized possession.
How many times did you fail your driver's test? None, thank you.
What do you do when you are bored? Knit, read, check, and re-check blogs, Ravelry, shop on bananarepublic.com, jcrew.com, and gap.com, or read
Favorite TV show? I enjoy Grey's Anatomy, Survivorman, and Law & Order SVU
Last person you went to dinner with? Does lunch with Jesse at Taqueria del Sol count? Other than that, I don't recall. The under-the-weather brain refuses to dig up records for more than 5 minutes in the past.
What time do you get up? 7:45 to 8:00, unless I'm going for a morning run, in which case 7:00 or 7:15ish.
What are your favorite colors? I like peacock colors, specifically blues and greens.
How many tattoos do you have? None, thank you. I've never looked at my body and thought, "Wow, I should've been born with a butterfly above my butt. Let me fix that."
How many pets do you have? 1 dog, Wesley, the most adorable beast on earth. I also might be taking ownership of my family's Munchkin cat, Smidgen, soon.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? A circle has no beginning and no end.
What do you want to do before you die? Too much to list here. I've been thinking of making a goal list of 101 things, though.
Have you ever been to Hawaii? No, and I don't particularly care to. I'm more of a mountain person than a beach person.
Have you been to countries outside the U.S.? I've been in international waters. :(
Time this survey ended? 12:46 PM. Now I only have 14 minutes to kill before my trainees come in. Hooray.
Next time, a real post. Promise.
Budgets? Eh, requires at least six to seven seconds of consecutive focus for progress.
Answering emails and phone calls? Done.
Preparing to train the new employees coming in at 1:00? Ha.
So, yeah... Online quizzes? That, my brain can handle.
First, the results of a little political compatibility test I found over at Paperclips. I'm amused at how much quizzes like these, even when politically oriented, make me think back to, "Which movie hottie r u most compatible with?!?" sorts of quizzes from my middle school years. Oh, Barack Obama, we were born to walk hand-in-hand through the cherry blossom trees in DC. I knew it. :)
90% Mike Gravel
90% Dennis Kucinich
87% Barack Obama
86% John Edwards
82% Joe Biden
82% Chris Dodd
81% Hillary Clinton
74% Bill Richardson
37% Rudy Giuliani
24% John McCain
22% Ron Paul
20% Mitt Romney
19% Tom Tancredo
16% Mike Huckabee
8% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
There's also this fun throwback to chain-email quizzes that I found both at Jeneration-X and YarnCrawl's wonderful blogs...
What time is it? 12:14 PM
What's your full name? Courtney Johanna Elizabeth DeGennaro (My parents knew I was the last one they were making, so they wanted to squeeze all those unused names into me)
What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theater? There Will Be Blood which is perhaps the best film I've ever seen, no exaggeration. Daniel Day Lewis gives what might just be the best performance in cinema history. Please please please go see it.
What are you most afraid of? To be honest, I don't know. I have a hatred of teeth and seeing them wiggled or removed or damaged, but I wouldn't call it a fear. I guess I'm with Robin in that I fear losing teeth or having them broken. Yuck!
Place of birth? North Augusta, SC/Augusta, GA
Favorite food? Oh, I can be such a foodie. I love sushi, but when the mood strikes, I can't pass up a Brickstore brick burger with bleu cheese. On a cold day or when I'm not feeling well, it's all about tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich with my mom. Oh, and muffins.
What's your natural hair color? Brown
Ever been to Alaska? No, but I hope to cruise up there some time. Seeing the Northern Lights is on my list of things to do before I die.
Ever been toilet paper rolling? I was such a goody-two-shoes... Nope.
Love someone so much it made you cry? Hmm... not in the psychotic and co-dependent way, no, but I've been so in love that the sheer beauty of it (and of life itself) brought me to tears. So in that regard...Yes
Been in a car accident? No, but they tend to happen within 2 car lengths of me with disturbing frequency. Either helping afterwards is my superhero power, or causing them is my supervillain ability.
Croutons or bacon bits? Neither, I prefer a fresh spinach salad with strawberries and mushrooms and balsamic.
Favorite day of the week? As cheesy as it sounds, I'm not partial. I try to make every day count.
Favorite restaurant? One Midtown Kitchen
Favorite Flower? Sunflowers, gerber daisies, freesia, orchids, lillies, and those gorgeous yellow/cream/orange roses with red tips
Favorite sport to watch? Football when it's an important game (like the superbowl or a college bowl game) or soccer, especially the world cup
Favorite drink? Diet Pepsi! Especially the wild cherry and vanilla variations
Favorite ice cream? All, please. I do love rocky road, vermonty python, cinnamon and anything with raspberry, though.
Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney movies, WB cartoons.
Ever been on a ship? A tacky gambling cruise ship for laughs. ("Girl, you know you don't never gamble wit' no panties on!" is a favorite quote overheard on THAT one)
What color is your bedroom carpet? My bedroom has black, polished concrete floors. That's why my slippers are my most prized possession.
How many times did you fail your driver's test? None, thank you.
What do you do when you are bored? Knit, read, check, and re-check blogs, Ravelry, shop on bananarepublic.com, jcrew.com, and gap.com, or read
Favorite TV show? I enjoy Grey's Anatomy, Survivorman, and Law & Order SVU
Last person you went to dinner with? Does lunch with Jesse at Taqueria del Sol count? Other than that, I don't recall. The under-the-weather brain refuses to dig up records for more than 5 minutes in the past.
What time do you get up? 7:45 to 8:00, unless I'm going for a morning run, in which case 7:00 or 7:15ish.
What are your favorite colors? I like peacock colors, specifically blues and greens.
How many tattoos do you have? None, thank you. I've never looked at my body and thought, "Wow, I should've been born with a butterfly above my butt. Let me fix that."
How many pets do you have? 1 dog, Wesley, the most adorable beast on earth. I also might be taking ownership of my family's Munchkin cat, Smidgen, soon.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? A circle has no beginning and no end.
What do you want to do before you die? Too much to list here. I've been thinking of making a goal list of 101 things, though.
Have you ever been to Hawaii? No, and I don't particularly care to. I'm more of a mountain person than a beach person.
Have you been to countries outside the U.S.? I've been in international waters. :(
Time this survey ended? 12:46 PM. Now I only have 14 minutes to kill before my trainees come in. Hooray.
Next time, a real post. Promise.
1.24.2008
Seventeenth: A Brief Visit
I've been home sick most of the day today with a yucky feverishness, all-over-ache, inability to focus, and general exhaustion. Of course, to fight off the boredom that inevitably comes with being home sick, I've been fiddling with my Ravelry page and I've made some progress. I finally have pictures of almost all my projects up (except for the hat shot that I'm waiting on from Jesse).
Check it out! I'm so irrationally proud of myself. :)
Oh, and in my moment of weakness, I bought myself an early birthday present in the form of some Artyarns Supermerino from Wendy over at Knit and Tonic. Apparently my self restraint has fallen with my immune system. What can I do? :) Go back to bed, I guess....
Goodnight.
Check it out! I'm so irrationally proud of myself. :)
Oh, and in my moment of weakness, I bought myself an early birthday present in the form of some Artyarns Supermerino from Wendy over at Knit and Tonic. Apparently my self restraint has fallen with my immune system. What can I do? :) Go back to bed, I guess....
Goodnight.
1.08.2008
Sixteenth: Featuring frustration, a bit of gratification, and exceeding verbosity
It's only 10:35 AM, but so far, it's a beautiful Tuesday.
I went to Helen, GA this past weekend to pick up some Pioneer Porridge from a small, local mill up there (don't worry, they ship, and it's worth it). Their porridge is my absolute favorite breakfast treat, and having a big bowl sprinkled with brown sugar on a cool morning always makes me think fondly of early mornings with my mom, who introduced me to the wonderful stuff. Just smelling it cooking, even if I'm the one cooking it, takes me to the kitchen table in my parents' house, sitting with my mom and talking about everything and nothing while we plan our day. I had to get some for the "you're a part of my life and I love you" baskets that I'm making for a few people. They were originally going to be Christmas presents, then (when I didn't get paid on schedule) they became belated Christmas presents, and now they've become "Happy New Year/I appreciate you" gifts. Who says gift giving out of love for someone can only happen on a few, pre-selected days of the year? Down with that, I say.
On my way up to Helen, I got something of a shock. You've probably heard that Atlanta's been in a drought for the past several months, but nothing has been said about it lately, and it's rained several times, so I think a lot of people (self, unfortunately, included) have stopped worrying or being as conservative with water as they were when it was in the news all the time. Well, the drive through North Georgia was a wakeup call. The whole 1.5 hour drive, I didn't see a single stream, river, or lake that had more than a trickle of water flowing through it. It was an upsetting reminder of just how much we need to always be mindful of how much we take from this world. It's frustrating to me to see the yoga studio running ambient fountains because the owner likes the sound they make when water is in such dangerously short supply. It stirs my need to do something. I feel like contacting appropriate agencies and finding out how I can help, beyond the usual showering rather than bathing, not letting water run, only doing full loads of laundry and dishes, etc. The need to make a difference has once again been stirred in me.
Other than the water-shocker, the trip up to Helen was really lovely. I decided to pull over on the side of the road to stop at a farm (not an agri-tainment sort of farm, just one where all the animals were within sight of the road) and pet a few big, fleecy sheep, donkeys, ponies, and Shetland ponies. There were also goats, llamas, and alpacas hanging out near me, but none of them would get within reach. The sheep were so gorgeous and soft that I was wishing for shears. I don't know how to spin, but to play with that fleece, I'd definitely learn. The only disappointment of the trip was the lack of a yarn shop.
I suppose I owe you some knitting content, don't I? Well, the knitting life provided some frustration last night. I still haven't tried blocking the simple scarf I made. Instead, I've been working on Jesse's hat (putting aside the trial version, as he'd picked out a yarn and we were both a bit eager to see how it knit up). He chose Manos del Uruguay in granite, and it's really gorgeous.
See? Not a colorway that I'd normally choose, but it's really beautiful and it's really him. The yarn, you see, is not the source of the frustration. Jesse's head? That's the problem. He's a normal looking boy, but you'd never know it if you were trying to knit him a hat that would fit, sight unseen.
I worked up the hat according to the pattern for the Irish Hiking Hat on Ravelry, and matched it, depthwise, to another hat that I know he's worn before. Even still, when I put it on (knowing that his head is bigger than mine) it didn't even reach my eyebrows. So, of course, I ripped. Being in the zone, as it were, I immediately started going again, leaving out numerous decreases in the pattern, almost doubling the depth of the hat, and finishing with about 2 yards of yarn to spare. He came over and tried it on, and it's still too shallow. Granted, not nearly as shallow as the first attempt was, but it still needs about an inch to an inch and a half more before it's perfect. Which means another $20.00 ball of yarn for a few measley yards. Curse him and his big head. :)
In goal-reaching news, I'm doing well, but it seems that my crazy-distractable brain can only achieve a few goals at a time. I DID get up and run for the first time this morning, though, and it felt really really good. I didn't hydrate enough before (or at all during), though, and I think that hurt me. I ran-jogged nearly 2 miles, which is good for me as a relative beginner. I think I need decent running shoes, though. The ones I have don't seem to be cutting it. Anyone have any recommendations?
So far, running in the morning has given me incredible energy, and I'm just in a darn good mood. I hope the day continues on this upward trend.
Namaste, everyone.
I went to Helen, GA this past weekend to pick up some Pioneer Porridge from a small, local mill up there (don't worry, they ship, and it's worth it). Their porridge is my absolute favorite breakfast treat, and having a big bowl sprinkled with brown sugar on a cool morning always makes me think fondly of early mornings with my mom, who introduced me to the wonderful stuff. Just smelling it cooking, even if I'm the one cooking it, takes me to the kitchen table in my parents' house, sitting with my mom and talking about everything and nothing while we plan our day. I had to get some for the "you're a part of my life and I love you" baskets that I'm making for a few people. They were originally going to be Christmas presents, then (when I didn't get paid on schedule) they became belated Christmas presents, and now they've become "Happy New Year/I appreciate you" gifts. Who says gift giving out of love for someone can only happen on a few, pre-selected days of the year? Down with that, I say.
On my way up to Helen, I got something of a shock. You've probably heard that Atlanta's been in a drought for the past several months, but nothing has been said about it lately, and it's rained several times, so I think a lot of people (self, unfortunately, included) have stopped worrying or being as conservative with water as they were when it was in the news all the time. Well, the drive through North Georgia was a wakeup call. The whole 1.5 hour drive, I didn't see a single stream, river, or lake that had more than a trickle of water flowing through it. It was an upsetting reminder of just how much we need to always be mindful of how much we take from this world. It's frustrating to me to see the yoga studio running ambient fountains because the owner likes the sound they make when water is in such dangerously short supply. It stirs my need to do something. I feel like contacting appropriate agencies and finding out how I can help, beyond the usual showering rather than bathing, not letting water run, only doing full loads of laundry and dishes, etc. The need to make a difference has once again been stirred in me.
Other than the water-shocker, the trip up to Helen was really lovely. I decided to pull over on the side of the road to stop at a farm (not an agri-tainment sort of farm, just one where all the animals were within sight of the road) and pet a few big, fleecy sheep, donkeys, ponies, and Shetland ponies. There were also goats, llamas, and alpacas hanging out near me, but none of them would get within reach. The sheep were so gorgeous and soft that I was wishing for shears. I don't know how to spin, but to play with that fleece, I'd definitely learn. The only disappointment of the trip was the lack of a yarn shop.
I suppose I owe you some knitting content, don't I? Well, the knitting life provided some frustration last night. I still haven't tried blocking the simple scarf I made. Instead, I've been working on Jesse's hat (putting aside the trial version, as he'd picked out a yarn and we were both a bit eager to see how it knit up). He chose Manos del Uruguay in granite, and it's really gorgeous.
See? Not a colorway that I'd normally choose, but it's really beautiful and it's really him. The yarn, you see, is not the source of the frustration. Jesse's head? That's the problem. He's a normal looking boy, but you'd never know it if you were trying to knit him a hat that would fit, sight unseen.I worked up the hat according to the pattern for the Irish Hiking Hat on Ravelry, and matched it, depthwise, to another hat that I know he's worn before. Even still, when I put it on (knowing that his head is bigger than mine) it didn't even reach my eyebrows. So, of course, I ripped. Being in the zone, as it were, I immediately started going again, leaving out numerous decreases in the pattern, almost doubling the depth of the hat, and finishing with about 2 yards of yarn to spare. He came over and tried it on, and it's still too shallow. Granted, not nearly as shallow as the first attempt was, but it still needs about an inch to an inch and a half more before it's perfect. Which means another $20.00 ball of yarn for a few measley yards. Curse him and his big head. :)
In goal-reaching news, I'm doing well, but it seems that my crazy-distractable brain can only achieve a few goals at a time. I DID get up and run for the first time this morning, though, and it felt really really good. I didn't hydrate enough before (or at all during), though, and I think that hurt me. I ran-jogged nearly 2 miles, which is good for me as a relative beginner. I think I need decent running shoes, though. The ones I have don't seem to be cutting it. Anyone have any recommendations?
So far, running in the morning has given me incredible energy, and I'm just in a darn good mood. I hope the day continues on this upward trend.
Namaste, everyone.
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