April 13, 2008
· Filed under books, internet freakishness
This book freaked me out as a kid.
You’re Watership Down!
by Richard Adams
Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you’re
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You’d
be recognized as such if you weren’t always talking about talking rabbits.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
January 27, 2008
· Filed under books, knitting, movies, yarn
as I always am when reading a really good book; that soon the book will draw to a close and there will be no more story, no more involvement with the characters and their universe(s). We went to see The Golden Compass a few weeks ago and I have been fairly obsessed with reading the books. I’m through The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass waits for me by the bed. There’s also Lyra’s Oxford
to be read, and others by Philip Pullman, but no more of the His Dark Materials series. Amazon has a really nice boxed set of trade paperbacks just like the ones I bought separately at Barnes & Noble (I couldn’t wait even for overnight shipping). I held off reading this evening so far by wasting (?) some time preparing the Chocolate Butter Cookie recipe for tomorrow’s baking, I have knitting to do (although not much, since I fear I’ll run out of yarn right before the last row. Damnit.), and I also have god is not great (How Religion Poisons Everything) to read (courtesy of my rather religious SIL by way of my Amazon wish list. Amazon makes for strange bedfellows.), as well as Stumbling On Happiness. So there’s much to do, but I’m itching to get my eyes on The Amber Spyglass. What to do, what to do?
E2A: An Etsy package came today with some gorgeous yarn inside (“You Look Wonderful Tonight” by Ellie at Crazy4Dyeing). I’ve been watching her blog for some time now (last May she tagged me for the “8 Random Things” meme) and she’s really come a long way, both in her knitting and her dyeing. Would that I were so adventurous! To the yarn: The colorway is inspired by the Michael Bublé she was listening to and I must say, it is soft, subtle, beautiful. Just like his music. So I put up the swift and ballwinder and made myself a nice fat centerpull cake out of the yarn. I’ll start it on two pairs of size 1 circs when I run out of the Jitterbug. I’ll call Flying Fingers tomorrow to see if they’ve got any left (their website says no), or I’ll order from ThreadBear.
January 26, 2008
· Filed under G, books, technology
apart from the ones I have, why geeks are better than regular men. I have to say that every single item on Ahmed Bilal’s list is the honest truth. Plus, penguins are so cute! This isn’t to say that geeks don’t have any drawbacks; they are men. They snore, fart, and belch, and get just as caught up in their own kind of sport as non-geeks do (although I haven’t seen any body-painting during a NeverWinter Nights game). I think for the most part that they are more solitary creatures, which suits me fine; I like nothing better than spending a quiet night home with my love and my knitting watching something the MythTV has gotten for us after a home-cooked meal. You see, there’s science in cooking, and my geek is all about that. There are even books about it, like this one:What Einstein Told His Cook. It’s on his shelves somewhere. There’s a sequel to it, I’ll have to check it out. He’s into the why and how of things, and if that seems aggravating, it is sometimes, until he gets to the bottom of whatever it happens to be. Then it’s a joy watching him explain the intricacies of whatever he’s just gotten his brain around.
All in all, if I had to choose my husband all over again, I’d do it in a trice, without any hesitation. Sure, we have our ups and downs, all couples do, but life is so much more interesting with him than with any other man I’ve ever known. Love you more, sweetheart.
—–
On this day: I am so cold 2007
September 9, 2007
· Filed under Halloween, books, knitting, spinning, work
has been finished. I cried my silly eyes out at the end, and I’m still teary just thinking about it, but I’m happy. Happy to have the conclusion, happy knowing that it is a series that I will definitely read over and over again. And for those of you who’ve also finished reading Deathly Hallows, happy for all the reasons you, erm, know about. What drama!
Today was register training day at work. Although slim, the training was sufficient to get me through the first few sales and returns without fear of catastrophe. Working retail for twenty plus years has given me a great appreciation for the ways of the cash register, with all its individual tweaks and oddments (”Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”), and the register at C&B is no different. Well, very different, but in essence, exactly the same. You ring things up, you collect money, you give a receipt and the merchandise. There’s a great parting of the ways between the culture at TCS and at C&B, and for that I am truly grateful. C&B stands behind her employees much more firmly, with little to no exception being made in the running of things. I won’t go into the gruesome details, but there is a much stricter adherence to policy; there are definite rules in black and white, where at TCS, every single thing was a shade of grey, open to discussion. I thrive on that adherence, it seems, I need people to play by the rules. I spent a good portion of my therapy in learning how to stop trying to get everyone to play by the rules, learning that it was not my responsibility to be the policing faction, to just “go with the flow” (something I still rail against mightily) and let people get away with, if not murder, then some semblance of unfairness. I don’t believe that the squeaky wheel should get the grease. Straighten up and fly right, and stop asking for what isn’t rightfully yours. Stop trying to get over on everyone. No one owes you anything special, just because you think they do and you happen to have a big mouth. End of rant.
Tomorrow’s another day off (my new, regular day off, besides Saturday). I’ve got errands planned (bank, stupidmarket, nail salon) and perhaps I’ll get in some spinning. I’ve got questions about the pattern for the Hallowig, but no one to turn to in real life; I bought the yarn at WalMart and can’t very well go to a reputable yarn shop and beg assistance. Maybe I can email some of the Ravelry members who’ve knit it and ask for help. It’s worth a shot.
August 29, 2007
· Filed under Halloween, Life in Peekskill, Zeke, books, knitting, meds, tv, work, yarn
We went to Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and spent a ridiculous amount of money on pale blue linen curtains (what was I thinking? I’ll have to iron them all!) to put up in the dining room, and some green and yellow striped viscose (I think) ones for the living room. So that our nosy neighbors will stop watching our tv. We also bought some accessories for the master bathroom. Every time I look at them, it makes me smile. I may turn the mat around so that it’s facing the loo.
I returned all of my company tshirts back to TCS for my former coworkers to enjoy. Also dropped off a pair of baby socks for MNK’s as yet unborn baby. Found out from my sister that the other pair that I’d knitted for Zeke will be too small for him by the time it’s sock-wearing season, so I’ll drop them off for TH, who’s due in February. I found out today that BMM’s expecting, too. I was never that friendly with her though, and her political views are about the opposite of mine, so perhaps I’ll leave off investing any time for her. I spent some time dishing with my friends, and the more I hear, the happier I am to be shot of that place. I start C&B on Tuesday at 9:30 am. Squee! Gary said he’d take me to Woodbury Common Outlets tomorrow to clothes-shop; I’m in dire need of acceptable clothing. One pair of khakis to my name, and Dockers at that! Not that there’s anything wrong with that…I’ll have to try Daffy’s and Dress Barn Woman and Lane Bryant too, I think The Gap is going to be too expensive.
I’m working on Knitty’s Hallowig out of some horrible hot pink Caron Simply Soft Brites (No Dye Lot!). I’m suffering along using a pair of Clover Takumi bamboo circs, because I needed to start knitting this thing and Flying Fingers is temporarily closed while they bring in their fall yarns, and Cornwall Yarn Shop is just a little too far away to justify the gas for one pair of needles (I also can’t trust myself to only buy the Addis I need once I’m there, and not to fall into a bushel of OnLine Supersocke). The stickiness of the acrylic yarn coupled with the grabbiness of the bamboo is making for some very painstaking knitting. I’m assured, however, that the end result is going to be completely awesome. (I’ve decided that I really need to stop saying “awesome” ever since watching an episode of Eureka where most of the geniuses turned dumb and to illustrate this point, they had one of them use the word in a surfer tone of voice. Must. Stop. Saying. It.) The better part is that it’s moving quickly. And they were only eight dollars.
I’m on page 119 of Deathly Hallows, most of which was accomplished waiting for G at the dentist’s office. It’s really good.
Saw Dr. W today and we’re reducing my dose of Wellbutrin down to 75 mg BID from 100 mg BID. We both agree that it isn’t doing me any good any more, and there is always the risk of it producing mania. He gave me another boatload of samples of Geodon. That’s another $500+ saved, thank you. I hate insurance companies.
August 25, 2007
· Filed under books, cats
July 27, 2007
· Filed under Life in Peekskill, books, work
Thursday morning’s Very Exciting Event has precipitated another, linked, Very Exciting Event Friday at 1:30 pm. After my therapy session, so I’ll be able to prep beforehand. I’ll know the outcome of all this mystery Sunday or Monday.
I had some really good conversations at work today. One was with a woman whose perfume smelled like cocoa. I asked her what it was, and she said that she gets it made for her on St. Bart’s. It was delicious! But unattainable. I’ll have to see if Demeter Fragrances has one that smells like cocoa. Nope, just checked. They have “Chocolate Chip Cookie” and “Brownie;” I ordered a mini-splash of each to see which I like better. She recommended this book, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
. She said that it was all about not living in the past, and not living for the future, but on concentrating on what is in your life right now at this very second. Good advice, I’m putting the book on my Top Ten Wishlist.
There’s something rotten going on in Peekskill. I can’t talk about it yet. I don’t really understand it all.
Posted 1:59 am
July 21, 2007
· Filed under beads, books, food, gardening, pampering, shopping, technology
Our neighbor down the street very generously gave me the phone number for her cleaning people, Marlene and Veronica. They both speak English fairly well, meaning that they appear to understand what I’m saying and that I have only a little trouble understanding them. I keep getting them mixed up, and it isn’t because they look alike, because they don’t, but the one who does the talking when they’re here is Veronica and the one who I’ve spoken to on the phone is Marlene. So I keep getting them mixed up. I’ll get it, eventually. Anyway, my floors are now clean enough for even me to feel comfortable walking about barefoot. And the surfaces! They shine!
On the first of my two trips to Stop and Shop today (the second was for more tinned chicken and Texas Pete Hot Sauce), I noticed in the window a huge sign welcoming everyone to the Midnight Madness Harry Potter Sale that began at 12:01 am and ended 59 minutes later. So instead of waiting until the 24th for my library edition to arrive (Amazon had trouble processing my card, and neglected to email me until it was too late to get here for today), I picked up a regular hardback first edition of Deathly Hallows. So as soon as I make my way through the last 3/4 of Phoenix and wade through Half-Blood Prince again, it’ll be ready and waiting for me.
I made a pair of silver heart and Swarovski crystal earrings for Jenn for her birthday, I think she’ll like them. I need to wrap them and the book and blow out my hair to be ready by the time we have to leave. Jack says it’ll take just over an hour to get to Hoboken barring all traffic. And no, we did not pay $857.13 for him, we got him on Amazon.
More planting…here are pictures of Samson and Delilah, the Snow Fountain Cherry and Kwanzan Cherry that we had the landscapers plant for us. Samson is in the front yard, and Delilah is in the back. What I don’t like is that there is now a multitude o
f yellow leaves on each tree. Shit.
Tell me that this isn’t the freakiest picture you’ve seen today: 
Click here for more. Thanks to Hula for the link to the Pravda site!
July 21, 2007
· Filed under books, cats, movies, pampering, shopping
Ally at Salon Diva in White Plains helped Anne Marie, my stylist, blow out my hair for the vision of loveliness you see here. However, Ally has been to the Arnold Schwarzenegger School of Hairdressing and pulled on my hair so hard that my scalp is bruised. Anne Marie did a really nice job with the cut and color (something called Goldwell Illumen) (roll back my age ten years, please and thank you), she knows my hair very well after twenty-one years of loyalty. I’m vexed as to whether or not to blow it out again for Jenn’s birthday party tomorrow night. I know if I use the curling iron I can make it so Gary will like it. Straighten, then curl. My naturally curly hair. I know. It perplexes me, too.
We’re going to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tonight. I’m partway through rereading it. I bought the paperback version for the express purpose of keeping my hardback as pristine as possible. The movie starts at 9:40 in Mohegan Lake and right now it’s 9:16. Tigger is climbing all over me and the back of my chair (you weigh 19 pounds, cat) as if he were a kitten. Sweet boy.
I went to Anthropologie to buy a gift for Jenn and found this great little book, Small Graces; The Quiet Gifts of Everyday Life. From the inside flap: “Small Graces is a journey into the sacred moments that illuminate our everyday lives…Through the exploration of simple acts, Small Graces reminds us to chart a course each day that nourishes the soul, honors the body, and engages the mind.” I think she’ll like it. I think I’ve actually given it to somebody else before, just can’t remember who. If I had thought ahead, I could have gotten it on Amazon for about $5 less, with free shipping, but I didn’t. As it is, the book cost an additional $3 for parking at The Wastechester Mall on top of the price of the book. I should have just parked at work across the street like everyone else does. Le sigh.
UPDATE: Order of the Phoenix was really good. Dolores Umbridge frighteningly reminded both of us of Mary Foster! I’m trying to get over the deletion of so many details from the book, but it’s hard. I’ll just finish reading Phoenix, then reread Half-Blood Prince in order to have prepared for Deathly Hallows, arriving tomorrow by UPS. The Wiki page has a plot summary of DH; I can’t allow myself to read it before I actually read the book. I’ll just have to wait.
