I’m blogging, this must be a work day. December 28, 2005 ~ 10:56 am
Posted by Julie in : Random Insanity , comments closed
Newton Observatory ~ Meadville, PA
I’ve had the past four days off. These four days have ruined me. I spent forty-five minutes last night and another twenty this morning searching for a check that hasn’t been sent to me yet. We’re talking tearing-the-house-apart, I-actually-looked-in-the-recycling-I-had-already-taken-to-the-bin searching. I was convinced that this check had been in my possession, I had somehow lost it and possibly thrown it away by mistake when I was cleaning. And I was pissed at myself because (1. this has actually happened to me in the past, you’d think I’d be more careful and 2. dammit, I could have deposited the check today since my work is right by my bank). Then a little voice in the back of my head said to call my mother. I did, and left a voice mail asking if she had sent said check yet. While I was waiting for her to call back, I almost totally convinced myself that the check was in an envelope in the recycling bin that I had looked through five times already. Mom called back and said, no, she had not yet sent the check and I must have dreamed that I had it in my hot little hands.
Four days off apparently makes me delusional and increases my natural tendencies towards OCD and paranoia. It makes time at work crawl by; how can it possibly not be 11:30 yet? And after I get out of work today, I have another four days off. Can’t wait to see what I’m like by Monday.
It is done. December 24, 2005 ~ 3:18 pm
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness , comments closedThe last of the Christmas yarn crafts has been finished. For those who were counting, the final total is seven objects completed since October. Post on the knitting blog tomorrow night or Monday.
In the meantime, Christmas is now allowed to happen.
Christmas-oriented ramble December 23, 2005 ~ 11:50 am
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness, Fambly, In Da Hood, Story Time , comments closedLet’s play a game. That game is called…who is actually at work today and who started their holiday weekend early? Those of you at home, I am jealous. But not overly. Because the only day I have to work next week is Wednesday (it sucks to be the office supervisor…when everyone else wanted the day off, I had to step up and agree to come in). And you know another reason why I’m not jealous? Because the transit strike is over, so I got to ride mass transit to work today. I never thought that would be a treat, but having a simple morning commute was wonderful. Let’s see if I feel that way after work when I’m on the bus with 50 screaming high schoolers. I wish there was a way that I could take mass transit in the mornings and have my bike magically appear in time for me to go home at night. Hey, Santa, think you could work on that?
Speaking of Santa, it has occurred to me that I haven’t told you a Christmas story from my past yet this year. You know you were waiting with bated breath for one. This year’s story is a short, simple caveat for parents. The first Christmas my mom and I were in our new house after my dad died, mom went a little overboard with the presents to compensate for being in a strange house with no daddy. Thinking she was being quite clever, she attached a “To Julie, From Santa” tag on each present. Christmas morning came, I tore through the presents like a bat out of hell, and then looked at my mom with a trembling lip and said “But Mommy, didn’t you get me anything?”. Lesson learned by my mother: no matter how carefully you plan things out, your pre-schooler will inevitably find the loophole. Parents, make sure that your kids get at least one gift that says it’s from you.
Anything else I could write would be a ramble, since I am running on a lack of sleep. This is the last year that I make so many damn presents. Either that, or I start making them in September instead of late October. But in the future, my friends, rants and raves about knitting will be confined to a new knitting blog. And there’s my holiday present to you: those of you who don’t like knitting will no longer be compelled to read about it. Those who like reading about my knitting (and Regan’s and Aimee’s) will be treated to one special blog for projects by all three of us. Coming soon to a blogroll near you after Christmas (because I can’t very well show you Christmas presents before then, can I?)
Fun with Strikes December 22, 2005 ~ 9:56 am
Posted by Julie in : Academic Office Monkey, In Da Hood , comments closed“On the third day of transit strike, the MTA gave to me…15 bikers sighted, one near-collision, and a grouchy union shop steward.” Yeah, I don’t think that song will catch on, either.
The bikers are taking over the streets here, and I love it. I counted 15 of us this morning on the bike path (yes, we have bike paths in Brooklyn). And we’re getting assertive. Some guy jumped onto the bike path in front of me without looking, and the biker behind me and I both yelled at him (I have no bell on my bike. Yelling “watch out” was my substitute bike bell.). Last night, a biker in front of me yelled at people who were walking on the bike path (there is a pedestrian path right beside the bike path, but they don’t want to walk there, oh no). I love it.
Speaking of yelling, I yelled at an SUV driver this morning, who decided that he was bigger than me and he was turning even though I had the light. I don’t know if he thought he was going to beat me, or turn through me, or what, but I used my New York City driver prerogative and yelled at him (there is a lot of yelling going on these days. Also a lot of speaking in parenthesis.) “You stupid fuck, what the hell do you think you’re doing when I’ve got the light?” He yelled back and I flipped him off before riding on. My only regret is that I was wearing mittens, so I don’t know if he realized I flipped him off.
Perhaps the most fun that this transit strike has brought me is hearing Fat Ass next door badmouth the TWU. Fat Ass is the shop steward for the part-time employees, by the way. She spent yesterday railing against the TWU, saying they were “too strong” and had no right to paralyze the city like this. Why would a shop steward say this about another union? You guessed it, Fat Ass has been inconvenienced. And her comfort must come first. To bastardize the old saying, “If Fat Ass ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” I laughed and said that I respected the TWU for not selling out its new-hires when so many other unions, including mine and hers, had. Really, I think her irritation can be summed up by what she said to someone else when she thought I was out of earshot: “If our union did this, no one would care.” You’re right, Fat Ass. And that’s your problem. You don’t belong to a powerful union and resent it. Leave the TWU alone.
They’re saying that the strike will probably be resolved today, and as crazy as it sounds, I’ll actually be a little sorry if it is. I’m now enjoying my rides to and from work in spite of how my assbones ache when they touch the bike seat. I’ll probably bike to and from work when it warms up in the spring. It’s certainly faster than the MTA. But more than that, I like being a part of the history of New York City. This is another memory that people will be talking about years from now, like the blackout or 9/11. It’s another example of how New Yorkers don’t let anything stop them. Doesn’t matter how tough things are, we just put our heads down and keep going. I love this town.
Happy Solstice December 21, 2005 ~ 3:28 pm
Posted by Julie in : Deep Thoughts , comments closedWell, I planned to write this at the exact moment of the Solstice, which according to my Queer Eye For the Straight Guy daily calendar was 1:35 PM, but at that moment I was working on knitting my first sock. So, plan B. I write this as it starts to get dark.
It’s the Winter Solstice, ladies and gents. It is the shortest day of the year, the longest night of the year. Rick wished me a “Happy First Day of Winter” earlier, but given how much I hate winter, I corrected him. I told him to wish me a Happy Solstice or a Happy Yule. Because those two words mean that it’s always darkest before the dawn. No matter how cold it gets from here on out, tomorrow starts the return of the light. Each day will get a little longer. And while the cold irritates me to no end, I think the real reason my temper is on a short leash is the lack of daylight. I am stuck in an office while the sun shines, and I resent coming home in the dark. But after today, minute by minute, my friend the light will return.
Blessed be.
Best Presents December 21, 2005 ~ 9:47 am
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness, In Da Hood, Technobabble , comments closed
A bit of spring ~Meadville, PA
I’m feeling a little cop-out-y today. I’m suffering from advanced PMS and a sore ass from all the biking I’m doing. So, you get a list. A list in no particular order of the best Christmas presents I’ve received this year. Note that it is not yet Christmas, so more will probably make the list.
1.) My new computer. Okay, this one had to be number one, because it’s awesome. I can play Sims 2 on it. My male Sims are being impregnated by aliens. How is that not a winner? Thanks, Mom!
2.) My MTA Enforced Exercise Program. Seriously. Who needs a gym membership when you have to bike to and from work every day? I’m glad the MTA cares about my health. If they only cared about their employees health…of course, if they did, I wouldn’t be biking to and fro all over Brooklyn, would I?
3.) The Bad Cat book that came in the mail yesterday. A gift from a blogger who sends me random presents to cheer me up when I am down or stressed. The Piss Crusader should be featured in this book.
4.) Joy from a present well-gifted. Kim L. called me last night to express her joy in receiving Kermit for Christmas. She had no idea that she was getting that particular project, and when she pulled it out of the box, she exclaimed “It’s Kermit!” Words are not enough to express how happy this made me - a present that gave the receiver joy. This is what Christmas is about to me, kids. Added bonus: it’s the first Christmas present that I’ve given to Kim before Christmas since college. We normally give Christmas presents in May or June because we’re procrastination queens.
5.) A Christmas card from my high school band director. This came in the mail yesterday, and inside was the best present ever - he and his wife are coming to New York in March! This man was my favorite teacher ever (how many teachers will let you call them “Dadoo,” for dog’s sake?), and I love his wife to bits as well.
And now, to work. It doesn’t seem fair that I have to bike here and home and still work, somehow…
Strike on! December 20, 2005 ~ 10:36 am
Posted by Julie in : Daily Grind, In Da Hood , comments closed
Jordana last Halloween. This is how much skin I will be showing on the way home tonight.
The TWU (Transit Workers Union) did it. They went on strike the week before Christmas without the support of their parent union. The MTA is effectively shut down, and New Yorkers had to either take the day off or find a new way in to work today.
For years, everyone has been telling me I should move to Manhattan. I always say “My day job is in Brooklyn, why would I do that?” Today? I was totally proven right. I also proved that it is good to own a bike because you never know when you might use one.
That’s right, kids, I biked the three miles from home to office. I took it slow, I almost got hit by a couple of cars (the traffic jams today are unreal), I rode through unfamiliar areas, but I still made that three mile trek in 25 minutes. 25 minutes. That is a good 40 minutes less than it takes me when I ride mass transit. And that’s on a good day. Bet your ass I’m leaving later tomorrow. I got up at 6:45 this morning, that ain’t gonna happen in the future.
Aside from the cold and the grease I got on my jeans from the bike, it wasn’t half bad. I might do more of it when the weather gets nice. My body (which has not been on a bike in seven months) did not rebel too badly against the exercise this morning, and I figure by the end of the week I’ll either be dead or on the way to getting in shape. (I’m really pulling for “getting into shape,” since I want to see what Rick got me for Christmas and I only have to work one day next week). This strike might not be an awful thing after all.
(And yes, left-wing liberal that I am, I support the TWU in this strike. I don’t think anyone should have to work without a raise like I have. If my union goes on strike, I hope the TWU supports us.)
It’s Not Easy Knitting Green December 19, 2005 ~ 10:46 am
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness , comments closedOr, How I Learned to Stop Stressing and Love the Mohair.
My wrist is sore from working on Rick’s Christmas present all weekend long, so I thought I would write about the knitting tribulation that came before this one. Once upon a time, waaay back in September, Regan gave me a blogger meet-up gift:
Two skeins of Artful Yarns Portrait (a mohair blend) in “The Arnolfini Marriage” colorway. I’m guessing it’s called that because the colorway is based on this portrait. It came with a snazzy little pattern for a one skein lacework scarf. I had no other ideas as to what to knit with it, so I went with that pattern. This was my first attempt with mohair as well as my first real attempt with lace (the Faroese Fuhgeddaboudit? Fuhgeddaboudit. Maybe after Christmas.). For anyone just learning to knit lace or knit with mohair, step away from the skein. Put your needles down. Lace and mohair? Not meant to go together.
I started off this project several at least twenty times. I’m not lying. First I started out with my wooden 10 1/2 needles, but the points weren’t pointy enough for knitting three stitches together, which had to be done four times in each row. So, I dropped down to my aluminum size nine needles. (Note: the pattern calls for size 10 needles, but I do not own size 10 needles and wasn’t going to get some for one lousy project.) Better, but I still fucked up enough times that I was down to three-quarters of a skein. Did I mention that mohair is practically impossible to rip back? It clings to itself like burrs to your pants. It’s like a really good “Red Rover” team, and no matter what you do, you aren’t going to break through. This made tinking (un-ravelling the stitches one by one) a pain in the arse and frogging (ripping out entire rows of knitting) practically impossible. I had to cut my losses, literally.
Finally, I got into the groove of the pattern and went happily on for about 6 inches. Then I realized I had dropped a stitch and while pursuing it down the scarf, I got entangled in a particularly vicious mohair snarl. I lost my temper and yanked, and the little tiny thread that is the core of this yarn broke. I almost cried. I looked at the skein that had been a total bitch to me, had taunted me at every step, and then I looked at its sister skein, which was sitting there completely untouched. I did what any sane knitter would do. I decided the one that had broken on me was obviously the bad seed, took a deep breath, and cast on with its sister. What, you’re laughing at me?
I was RIGHT. Take that, Bio-techs! Here is the scarf that I now call “Kermit” because of the many times I had to frog it:
Ganesh, remover of obstacles, poses with the scarf he helped.
Detail of the lace. Who’s your daddy?
The scarf is beautiful, it’s soft, it’s light and airy and sophisticated and I was actually sorry to pack it up and ship it off (it was a Christmas present), but it’s a gift that very few (actually, only knitters) would appreciate. Which is why I sent it to a knitter. I wouldn’t go through this for people who can’t tell mohair from fun fur.
Everyone loves puddin’ December 15, 2005 ~ 10:32 am
Posted by Julie in : Da Cats , comments closed
Brooks Walk, Allegheny College ~Meadville, PA
Cats even like pudding. Until you mix up their medicine in it, and then do they want anything to do with the pudding? No. Not at all. Maybe I’m wrong, though. Perhaps it’s being wrapped up like a kitty burrito and force fed the pudding with a syringe that Jesse objects to, more than the pudding itself. I can certainly think of more pleasant ways to eat pudding, but then again, I would have eaten it from the bowl when it was laid before me like caviar.
And before anyone asks, yes, Jesse is still diabetic, and I am aware that pudding is comprised of copious amounts of sugar. However, we also tried mixing the medicine with wet cat food and tuna, and he wouldn’t eat those. (Side note: what the hell kind of cat doesn’t eat tuna? Ungrateful bastard, kitties on the streets would kill for tuna. They would claw your eyes out and spit on you, fat cat.) When it comes to people food, Jesse likes dry things. Wheat thins, popcorn, Doritos (when I was brushing him last week, I actually asked “How did you get Doritos in your fur, cat?” Never ask these questions, for they are the unsolved mysteries of the universe.), those are what Jesse eats. When I told the vet this, however, he said “I don’t care if you have to mix the medicine into vanilla ice cream and force feed him, just get it into him.” There you have it, vet’s orders. We didn’t have ice cream though. We had pudding. Mmmm, pudding. Everyone loves puddin’.
If kitty death glares could kill, I would be dead several times over by now. Cats? They don’t like medicine pudding.
How to make a knitter weep December 14, 2005 ~ 4:41 pm
Posted by Julie in : Craftiness Is Next To Godliness , comments closedWhen the knitter has shown you the lovely breathtakingly gorgeous lace creation she has coaxed from the mohair some refer to as a “snarly bitch of a yarn,” say “Oh that’s nice! Everyone’s making those scarves now!”.
Um, no. What everyone is making is fugly pieces of fun-fur that have holes because they were knit on gigantic needles so it would be done in a half hour because of the supposed knitter’s ADHD. And if you can’t tell the difference between that and a lace scarf made from mohair, boy am I glad I’m not knitting anything for you. Stoopid unappreciative bio-tech.
