In many ways, I am a techno-peasant.
I've had the same cell phone for about 4 years. Surprisingly, I use it mainly to make and receive calls. It can take photos. I've taken approximately 3 photos with my phone. (Why - since I carry my camera in my purse?)
I have never sent a text message. It's bad enough when entering contacts into my cell phone to have to hit "2" four times in order to get a small "c" or "9" seven times to get a small "y." I already have a hobby that involves repetitive motion. Why risk TMI?
In doing my job I've had to read printouts of text messages. This is one of the circles of hell to me - the abbreviated spellings and acronyms get on my last nerve. I really don't want or need to know that you are NIFOC.* Spelling was drilled into me in elementary school with all those workbooks and weekly tests. I cannot stop now. I have a friend who will not respond to her kids' text messages unless everything is properly spelled out. You go, girl!
I am thinking of looking into the possibility of getting a crackberry or schmapple's version. When working I frequently end up waiting, sometimes for long periods of time. Rules of decorum prevent me from knitting during these periods of time and it's difficult to do other work also. However, with a crackberry-type device, I could surreptitiously be keeping up with work email or professional-related reading. One drawback is that my work takes me into rural areas where cell phone reception is not optimal.
Even if I get a device, I think I would still be a techno-peasant, partly by choice, partly due to laziness and partly due to not wanting to get sucked into the spending more time on the computer than I already do. Ravelry's bad enough without throwing Facebook and MySpace into the mix. Thank the gods I don't have to write code in order to blog otherwise you wouldn't be reading this.
Well, I've joined one of the online communities (because I had to join in order to access it and do some job-related investigating) and am now in touch with some friends from high school. Already I'm in over my head. I've gotten poked and I have no clue what that means. I don't know about you but I was taught not to write on walls.
Getting in touch with old classmates is really a double-edged sword. It's nice to find out that the kids you spent four years of your life with now have spouses/partners, kids, careers, homes, etc. However, I, for one, do not want to admit how long ago high school was...lalalalala! I can't hear! Let's just say that I have friends who have expensive, aged, single malt whiskey that's younger than some of my classmates' children.
When did all my classmates get so old? I'm not that old. Lalalalalala!
What's next? Wearing mumus? Retirement condo in Florida? Eating dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon and having the Early Bird special in restaurants?
* naked in front of computer
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Forty-five Years Later...
(As always, click on any photo to enlarge it for a closer look.)
While visiting my folks on Thursday my mom had some items to show me. These are items that have survived 3 moves and have lived in a bedroom dresser drawer - possibly since before I was born.
My mother used to be a knitter and had given me her main tool of the trade. She used to do custom knitting as a way to supplement their income and was able to knit while breastfeeding - quite a feat in my humble estimation. She hasn't knit in over 30 years. She still sews and has taken up quilting in the last 10 years.
This is the only booklet (published in 1952) that survived the culling-of-items-before-moving process - probably because she still has a half completed saddle shoulder sweater still on the needles which I'm encouraging her to finish. It will be interesting to see if her gauge has changed.
I love the illustrations - very Leave It To Beaver. A pattern is available for each sweater/vest/pullover/tshirt that is pictured. Quite a lot of patterns are packed into this booklet.
A bargain at any price. It makes me wonder how many booklets were produced by this company. This booklet is volume 344 and the first pattern in the booklet is entitled Pullover No. 2297.
Notice the Mr. and Mrs. Ski Sweaters.
Yes, that's the actual name of the pattern...
which comes in 2 sizes.
I'd never realized how integral pipe smoking was to the manly activities of inspecting fishing gear, relaxing at your hunting lodge, spraying your garden with DDT, golfing, inspecting the hunting hounds, hitting on the Mrs. at the ski lodge, delivering milk, grilling hotdogs, and loading up the luggage for a golfing weekend. When did pipe smoking lose its vogue?
There are also patterns for those manly accessories - socks, wristlets, dickeys, and golf club covers.
What I don't understand are the names given to various vest patterns - in this booklet, they're called Pullover, Sleeveless Pullover (actually there are 3 different patterns named Sleeveless Pullover), Vest, Sleeveless Cardigan, and Sleeveless Sweater.
My mom knit a sweater for my dad out of this stuff.
I've now inherited seven and a half skeins...
and a 40+ year old gauge swatch.
This booklet also has the key to a successful relationship: "Whether he's 16 or 60, give that favorite man of your a hand-knit sweater and watch him glow with pride. He'll wear it and love it (and you too!) for years and years."
While visiting my folks on Thursday my mom had some items to show me. These are items that have survived 3 moves and have lived in a bedroom dresser drawer - possibly since before I was born.
My mother used to be a knitter and had given me her main tool of the trade. She used to do custom knitting as a way to supplement their income and was able to knit while breastfeeding - quite a feat in my humble estimation. She hasn't knit in over 30 years. She still sews and has taken up quilting in the last 10 years.
This is the only booklet (published in 1952) that survived the culling-of-items-before-moving process - probably because she still has a half completed saddle shoulder sweater still on the needles which I'm encouraging her to finish. It will be interesting to see if her gauge has changed.
I love the illustrations - very Leave It To Beaver. A pattern is available for each sweater/vest/pullover/tshirt that is pictured. Quite a lot of patterns are packed into this booklet.
A bargain at any price. It makes me wonder how many booklets were produced by this company. This booklet is volume 344 and the first pattern in the booklet is entitled Pullover No. 2297.
Notice the Mr. and Mrs. Ski Sweaters.
Yes, that's the actual name of the pattern...
which comes in 2 sizes.
I'd never realized how integral pipe smoking was to the manly activities of inspecting fishing gear, relaxing at your hunting lodge, spraying your garden with DDT, golfing, inspecting the hunting hounds, hitting on the Mrs. at the ski lodge, delivering milk, grilling hotdogs, and loading up the luggage for a golfing weekend. When did pipe smoking lose its vogue?
There are also patterns for those manly accessories - socks, wristlets, dickeys, and golf club covers.
What I don't understand are the names given to various vest patterns - in this booklet, they're called Pullover, Sleeveless Pullover (actually there are 3 different patterns named Sleeveless Pullover), Vest, Sleeveless Cardigan, and Sleeveless Sweater.
My mom knit a sweater for my dad out of this stuff.
I've now inherited seven and a half skeins...
and a 40+ year old gauge swatch.
This booklet also has the key to a successful relationship: "Whether he's 16 or 60, give that favorite man of your a hand-knit sweater and watch him glow with pride. He'll wear it and love it (and you too!) for years and years."
Friday, April 3, 2009
Good Habit
In the middle of last week I took a little trip out to the western hinterlands of the state
to see Franklin.
It was a delightful time and, thankfully, no hugs became the subject of international discussion.
He gave a bit of a talk about his journey from being an average-joe-knitter to a knitting humorist/cartoonist and also read from his book. All I can tell you is if you don't have this book...GET IT. My sister - a non-knitter - thought it was HI-larious. And the only thing I had to explain was what intarsia is.
He brought some of his knitted items along to show the audience. The lace was particularly admired by the crowd (which included Joyce Williams).
Christmas in March
This week, while traveling for work, I stopped at a yarn shop for a going out of business sale (because the owner is moving to another state). How could one resist after getting an email announcing 50% off?
This is 10 skeins of Cascade Lana D' Oro, 4 skeins of Wonderwool, 2 Addi Turbo circular needles, a pair of Homestead Heirlooms leather purse handles, and 18 patterns. All for eighty dollars.
And behold, there was light and it was good.
It has been such a rare thing lately to drive home while there is still daylight that I just had to take a photo or two.
Now - off to Late Night Knitting!
to see Franklin.
It was a delightful time and, thankfully, no hugs became the subject of international discussion.
He gave a bit of a talk about his journey from being an average-joe-knitter to a knitting humorist/cartoonist and also read from his book. All I can tell you is if you don't have this book...GET IT. My sister - a non-knitter - thought it was HI-larious. And the only thing I had to explain was what intarsia is.
He brought some of his knitted items along to show the audience. The lace was particularly admired by the crowd (which included Joyce Williams).
Christmas in March
This week, while traveling for work, I stopped at a yarn shop for a going out of business sale (because the owner is moving to another state). How could one resist after getting an email announcing 50% off?
This is 10 skeins of Cascade Lana D' Oro, 4 skeins of Wonderwool, 2 Addi Turbo circular needles, a pair of Homestead Heirlooms leather purse handles, and 18 patterns. All for eighty dollars.
And behold, there was light and it was good.
It has been such a rare thing lately to drive home while there is still daylight that I just had to take a photo or two.
Now - off to Late Night Knitting!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Big Event
Holy %#$@#%#&@^ the last couple of weeks have flown by. Where to start?
Work
You all know I don't write much about my work- the nature of it does not allow for the public sharing of stories. But it has been crazy busy lately and the commuting is not a positive aspect. Nothing is worse than leaving the office at midnight or so and knowing that instead of being home and sleeping in a matter of minutes, it is now a matter of hours.
Guild
This has been a big month for Guild activities. We had our monthly meeting with Janet Szabo as our guest speaker.
She has a fascinating life story - background in science, software tech support, and cancer survivor. On top of all that, she's publishing books on cables. I think I may sign up for her Cable Newsletter.
The BIG event was our annual Knit In this past weekend. We had the Yarn Harlot as our speaker,
offered 10 classes, and a great marketplace - Black Water Abbey, Briar Rose Fibers, Creatively Dyed Yarns, Sophie's Toes (look her up on Etsy under the seller name of emilyparson), The Plucky Knitter, and Yarn Hollow - and these are just the ones I can remember without looking at a list.
As usual, Stephanie gave a wonderful, informative, funny speech.
I enjoy that she includes history, anthropology, medicine, and scientific studies in her speeches while presenting all the information in a very down-to-earth manner. Every time I passed by the auditorium, I could hear laughs - a very good sign.
It was a long, long day - the culmination of a year of planning - but so worth it.
For you readers who have not met me in person, I am NOT a morning person and I use the term "morning" loosely. I admire people who wake up at the same time every morning. If I don't set an alarm, I have no concept of time. Even on the weekends I have to set an alarm - if I don't, there's no guarantee I'll be conscious before noon.
Yesterday I had to be up at 4 a.m. (you all can stop laughing now) and I seriously considered not going to bed at all. But then the grown-up, rational part of my brain said, "Do you really think that's a good idea?" I waffled a bit and it said "Really, now, you are nowhere near 20 years old anymore and at your age, three hours of sleep is better than no sleep." Which was particularly harsh as it knows full well how shocked I was earlier this week when I realized how much gray is in my hair. I feel young, but my hair disagrees. Thank the gods for hair coloring.
So, I had FOUR alarms set to make sure I didn't oversleep. I was so afraid of oversleeping and so unwilling to trust my travel alarm and the 2 alarms I had set on my cell phone that I bought another alarm clock Friday night. And wouldn't you know it...
I woke up before the first alarm rang.
Work
You all know I don't write much about my work- the nature of it does not allow for the public sharing of stories. But it has been crazy busy lately and the commuting is not a positive aspect. Nothing is worse than leaving the office at midnight or so and knowing that instead of being home and sleeping in a matter of minutes, it is now a matter of hours.
Guild
This has been a big month for Guild activities. We had our monthly meeting with Janet Szabo as our guest speaker.
She has a fascinating life story - background in science, software tech support, and cancer survivor. On top of all that, she's publishing books on cables. I think I may sign up for her Cable Newsletter.
The BIG event was our annual Knit In this past weekend. We had the Yarn Harlot as our speaker,
offered 10 classes, and a great marketplace - Black Water Abbey, Briar Rose Fibers, Creatively Dyed Yarns, Sophie's Toes (look her up on Etsy under the seller name of emilyparson), The Plucky Knitter, and Yarn Hollow - and these are just the ones I can remember without looking at a list.
As usual, Stephanie gave a wonderful, informative, funny speech.
I enjoy that she includes history, anthropology, medicine, and scientific studies in her speeches while presenting all the information in a very down-to-earth manner. Every time I passed by the auditorium, I could hear laughs - a very good sign.
It was a long, long day - the culmination of a year of planning - but so worth it.
For you readers who have not met me in person, I am NOT a morning person and I use the term "morning" loosely. I admire people who wake up at the same time every morning. If I don't set an alarm, I have no concept of time. Even on the weekends I have to set an alarm - if I don't, there's no guarantee I'll be conscious before noon.
Yesterday I had to be up at 4 a.m. (you all can stop laughing now) and I seriously considered not going to bed at all. But then the grown-up, rational part of my brain said, "Do you really think that's a good idea?" I waffled a bit and it said "Really, now, you are nowhere near 20 years old anymore and at your age, three hours of sleep is better than no sleep." Which was particularly harsh as it knows full well how shocked I was earlier this week when I realized how much gray is in my hair. I feel young, but my hair disagrees. Thank the gods for hair coloring.
So, I had FOUR alarms set to make sure I didn't oversleep. I was so afraid of oversleeping and so unwilling to trust my travel alarm and the 2 alarms I had set on my cell phone that I bought another alarm clock Friday night. And wouldn't you know it...
I woke up before the first alarm rang.
Monday, March 2, 2009
This and That
Girasole
is on the last long lap. Yes, I'm finally on the knitted edging. I'm a bit disappointed - not with the pattern, but with the size. I was hoping for a larger finished project. We'll see what a severe blocking will do to it. If I ever do this pattern again (and yes, I'm tempted to) I would do it with a much bulkier yarn than Cascade 220 - maybe Ecological Wool. (Click on the photos to see the detail.)
Warm Ewe Up Swap Question #5
What knitting pattern have you worked that you could see yourself making over and over and never get tired of?
Heck - my problem is losing interest on it while I'm knitting it! I've got more WIPS than I can shake a knitting needle at. Some patterns I've made over and over because it's a pattern that lends itself to group knitting or knitting while visiting with others. (Translation - it must be a VERY simple pattern.) So, I've made a number of Farrow Rib scarves and given away most as gifts. It's a very simple pattern that I've got memorized - and there's never much frogging because one only has to count up to three.
I've also made a couple of Noro Striped scarves - mainly because I love the color changes. Now I'm trying yarn other than Noro. We'll see how that works out. I'm sure I'll make more of these - they're good looking scarves and are great for gifts especially for the older nieces and nephews.
As I previously said, I'm tempted to make Girasole again - but I may also find a different afghan pattern I like better.
But will I still be knitting these patterns in 1 year or 5 years? I don't know. Between all the books, magazines, blogs, self-published patterns, online mags, etc., I can't imagine ever coming across a pattern I'd like to do over and over and over again the rest of my knitting life. There's too much variety out there and too many things I'd like to make.
The only exception I can think of may be a "vanilla" pattern for socks for the same reason I currently always have a Farrow Rib scarf on the needles. Because it would be a simple pattern that I've memorized which makes it the perfect visiting/waiting/on-the-go knitting project. And, unlike scarves, one can never have too many socks.
Now I just need to sit down and learn to make 'em!
is on the last long lap. Yes, I'm finally on the knitted edging. I'm a bit disappointed - not with the pattern, but with the size. I was hoping for a larger finished project. We'll see what a severe blocking will do to it. If I ever do this pattern again (and yes, I'm tempted to) I would do it with a much bulkier yarn than Cascade 220 - maybe Ecological Wool. (Click on the photos to see the detail.)
Warm Ewe Up Swap Question #5
What knitting pattern have you worked that you could see yourself making over and over and never get tired of?
Heck - my problem is losing interest on it while I'm knitting it! I've got more WIPS than I can shake a knitting needle at. Some patterns I've made over and over because it's a pattern that lends itself to group knitting or knitting while visiting with others. (Translation - it must be a VERY simple pattern.) So, I've made a number of Farrow Rib scarves and given away most as gifts. It's a very simple pattern that I've got memorized - and there's never much frogging because one only has to count up to three.
I've also made a couple of Noro Striped scarves - mainly because I love the color changes. Now I'm trying yarn other than Noro. We'll see how that works out. I'm sure I'll make more of these - they're good looking scarves and are great for gifts especially for the older nieces and nephews.
As I previously said, I'm tempted to make Girasole again - but I may also find a different afghan pattern I like better.
But will I still be knitting these patterns in 1 year or 5 years? I don't know. Between all the books, magazines, blogs, self-published patterns, online mags, etc., I can't imagine ever coming across a pattern I'd like to do over and over and over again the rest of my knitting life. There's too much variety out there and too many things I'd like to make.
The only exception I can think of may be a "vanilla" pattern for socks for the same reason I currently always have a Farrow Rib scarf on the needles. Because it would be a simple pattern that I've memorized which makes it the perfect visiting/waiting/on-the-go knitting project. And, unlike scarves, one can never have too many socks.
Now I just need to sit down and learn to make 'em!
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