7 Random Things

Madalyn tagged me. I think everyone in the blogland who participates in meme's has done this, so I won't be tagging anyone else.

Here's the rules: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those who are tagged need to write on their own blog those 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I like taking random numbers and making factor trees. Generally, however, I have to be REALLY bored or frustrated to do this.

2. I don't understand how the talk shows that do all the paternity tests, infidelity confessions, and scandals stay on the air. Why do people continue to go on televison to air their dirty laundry, especially in a setting that is not one condusive to healing your bad situation?

3. I regulary contemplate cutting my hair to just a bit longer than what some call peach fuzz.

4. When I was in school, my teachers frequently told my mother that I was not living up to my potential. They sometimes also relayed this information to me. As an adult, I see what they were saying. As much as it frustrated me as a child, it's even more painful to think about it as an adult.

5. When my son was really little, he used to like to watch Rolie Polie Olie. I think I enjoyed the cartoon more than he did.

6. I am a light sleeper. In college, I would wake from hearing someone touch the doorknob, even if the tv was on.

7. Some random foods that I don't like are: gelatin, custard, stewed tomatoes, bananas, jelly donuts, and candy corn.

Back to knitting on the next post.

Craving Mexican Food

The Tank
First, thanks for much for the compliments on the Fixation Tank. It is extremely comfortable. The next time I knit one, and I will knit another one, I will probably make the straps a bit wider and a bit shorter. As much as I love this tank, I feel slightly naked in it and will always wear it as a shell/underneath another item.


Life
My lay-off is finally official. Technically occurred a while back but I was kept on part-time for a while. Since the circumstances at the company haven't changed, my part-time stint is over.

The switch on the door that opens my gas tank is now broken. I cannot put any gas in my car. Our mechanic has found a part so I'll be getting that fixed muy rapido!

Knitting Toe-up Socks and other Knitting Related Items
I'm ripping the Hurricane sock again. Let's just say there was an unfortunate incident with the sock and attempts to recover have not been successful. This poor sock just does not wish to be knit by me. At least I've mastered the Magic Cast-On.

Now, I need to decide if I'm going to start another sock or move on to something else. With the way things are going around here, I'm thinking it may just be time to move on to something new and to revisit the Honey of a Hurricane socks at another time.

Fighting Cancer
In non-knitting news, I walked for at least 3 hours at the Relay For Life event. Our team raised over $4,000.00 and we're trying to raise more before the office closes the books on this year's Relay donations.




At the relay, there was a camp site where a woman had crocheted pretty scarves with eyelets in that formed commemorative ribbons. One of our team members admired it, so I may try to find some pink yarn to knit one for her. I can't imagine it would be too tough to chart out a scarf with eyelets forming the shape of a ribbon. I just need to decide on yarn, edging, length, and width of the scarf.

Back to Reality
Well, I'm off to update my resume, work on cover letters, scour the internet for employment opportunities, and to cast-on for a project I may choose randomly. Maybe now's a good time to knit up some of my Cotton-Ease.

Then...I'm either going to cook or purchase a little Alimento Mexicano. I've got this incredible craving for salsa.

There's also the matter of the burning desire to actually finish a sock that is knit from the toe-up...

Busy, Busy, Busy

I was unable to get a good picture since I was in a hurry but the Cascade Fixation Tank is finished. As a present to myself on Mother's Day, I wore it to church, under my suit coat.


I'll try to post a better photo another day when I have someone to take a good photo or when there is more natural light available.

Meanwhile...

I ripped the Hurricane Sock beginnings and restarted...about ten or more times. I finally have something workable.


If I can find some time in this crazy life of mine to actually accomplish some knitting, I'll soon have a progress shot worth seeing.

Just for Fun
Taken from Natalie at Keeping Me In Stitches

Items in bold are those I've done.
Items in Italic are those I aspire to do.
Plain items are items I have not done and/or don't interest me.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up (actually working on this now)
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone elses handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Where's the Comfort Food?

I have once again commenced knitting the hurricane socks. I decided to have a little fun by attempting the Magic Cast-on another time. Having stopped knitting for a while, it felt good to knit, even if the item wasn't turning out properly. As you can see from the photos, holes abound!





I haven't decided yet if once I rip if I will attempt the Magic Cast-on or if I will try the Figure-Eight. Chances are, I'll try the Magic Cast-on again, three or more ADDITIONAL times if that's what it takes. After that, if it doesn't work out, I'll try the Figure-Eight.

I'm incredibly indecisive. Because of this, I have not cast-on a project yet to try my Denise Needles. I'm debating about starting the shawl that I speak of incessantly, another tank, or Cheesylove. A decision will be made very soon.

Speaking of tanks, I do need to post a photo of the finished Cascade Tank, except I haven't finished it. I still haven't done anything to the bind-off stitches because I change my mind over and over about keeping them or reknitting them. Give me a few days to clear my thoughts and I should have the stitches from the bind-off completely bound and woven.

Since making a concentrated effort to be positive, so much crap has been thrown my way. Why does this happen? So far, I'm maintaining a pretty positive outlook but I kind of lost it a few days ago when this happened:



Suffice it to say, someone backed into me, in a parking lot, on a rainy evening, while I was waiting to get into another space.

I can't say much more about it than that without getting upset but I've just got to tell you.

I was sitting in the car waiting for another car to back out of a space, with other cars behind me, when this car started backing towards me, on the driver's side. Because of other cars, I couldn't go backward or forward. I had nowhere to go. I blew the horn several times but the car kept backing up. I was yelling "NO!" and blowing the horn as the other car smashed into me. I thought it was going to come through the door. I was fastened into my seat belt so I couldn't move even to another seat if I wanted to do that. I had nowhere to go.

Still, the accident didn't kill me. I'll go on.

I just need someone to pass the chocolate pie.

A Knitting Must-See

Have you seen this ?

It's a giant knitted glove.

What an inspiration for making your own patterns!

Life is Good

Things are not miraculously or mysteriously better today. I've just decided that life is too short to dwell on the negative, even if there is a lot of it.

Therefore, life is good.

My son graduates from kindergarten in June. I located a job vacancy that interests me. My car is almost full of gas. One of my favorite people will be visiting soon to help celebrate my grandmother's 95th birthday. My photo editing software is newly installed on the computer.

...and it's time to take these babies for a test run!

I'm not Functioning Properly

I keep starting things and not finishing them. It's as if I've lost my stamina, leaving a trail of unfinished projects (knitting and non-knitting) to tell the tale of dysfunction.

I have still not woven-in the seams from the tank top. I have no idea what the hold-up is. I want to do it. I sometimes carry the doggone thing around in the car with me, even taking it into the office sometimes. Yet, the ends just dangle.

I have not knit a stitch in quite some time. I've carried around the sock yarn and the needles but haven't cast-on. I really want to start but something just keeps holding me back.

I recently lost my job in a lay-off. The company hired me back part-time. They say they'd like to bring me back full-time but can't right now. Unfortunately it's timer to seriously start pounding the pavement and pushing the resumes.

Someone else dear to me has been diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis isn't good. They're trying a new treatment now.

I did manage to go to Knitting Sisters to spend my gift certificate from Christmas. Among other things, I picked up a set of the Denise needles because I've been really disappointed with the tips of all the other needles I've tried when starting lace.

I'm hoping for some good news for my next post. Maybe I'll have a tale of triumph, how I've found a new job or how I've followed-through on things I've started...

Maybe...