The start of a birthday present for Kendra.
I thought it was about time for a knitting post, lest people start to think I don’t actually knit. What you see above was taken on June first, as I figured it was high time I got myself in gear and started working on a birthday present for my coworker Kendra. Since I’ve started working where I am now, I’ve knit—or at least tried to knit—a present for Kendra every year, since our birthdays are a day a part. Last year, I didn’t quite make it, and the scarf I started last year for her is still on the needles1. Lace sure takes a long time.
So, this year decided I’d knit her something I have a chance of finishing in a month, so I decided on a bag. But, I figured I might want to make sure she likes it, so I had her pick out a pattern from one of the numerous pattern books I have. She picked out “Heather” from 25 bags to knit: Beautiful bags in stylish colors, by Emma King. This is actually the first pattern I’ve knit from the book (I got it for Christmas), and as usual, things are not going to plan.
I’m using Cascade 220 in a purple heather, and I didn’t do a gauge swatch first. The bag is supposed to be a small one, just 6″ x 6″, and when I finished the back, I was at 8″ x 8″, unstretched ribbing.
The oversized bag; this is why you do gauge swatches.
I’ve started on the front of the bag, and while I’m glad the gauge was bigger so that the pony beads fit in better with the design, it still leaves me in a quandary . With the bigger size, I’m going to alter the pattern from a hand bag to a shoulder bag, but that means I need to do a flap to close the bag with, and I don’t know what a good size for the flap is. A third of the bag? A fourth of the bag? I just don’t know.
Also, I don’t know how long to make the strap, since I like my shoulder bags to be able to be worn across the chest (I hate it when the strap slides down your shoulder), but KG doesn’t normally use shoulder bags, so she doesn’t have a purse she really likes that I can measure. Add into that the stretch factor, and it’s just a crap shoot all around.
I think I’m going to line the bag as well, and am undecided if I should put a zipper in the liner or what. At this rate, I should have just sewn a purse for all the headaches this one is causing me. But it’s going to look so killer when it’s done.
A grey clutch knit from Cascade 220.
Since I have no project fidelity, I’ve been working on a bag for me at the same time, although this image does nothing for it. It’s a really dark gray heathered Cascade 220. The pattern I’m using is from Spun Magazine – the Cleo Clutch. I wanted something like this all last semester since I don’t carry a purse when I have a backpack with me. This clutch is the perfect size to throw in the front pouch of my backpack, and stop rummaging all over the place for my wallet, keys, etc. Which always sucked when going into the bookstore, since you can’t take your backpack with you.
I know, I’m such a girl.
Anyway, I have only two more repeats of the cable pattern to go, and then it’s on to the seaming and felting. I hope to finish this bag before Friday , so I can focus completely on Kendra’s bag this weekend. Until I get bored and cast on for a second sock that’s been awaiting it’s mate since February, I believe.
Anyway. When I printed out the pattern, the chart got cut off, and the site went down so I couldn’t print another copy. Working from written out pattern did show some errors, and it took me a couple false starts to figure them out. To begin with the abbreviations contain a critical error that if you have never done cables before would be hard to catch, and the finished project would look rather odd.
>>T4B – Sl next two sts to cn and hold in back of work, p next 2 sts, k 2 sts from cn
By following this, purl ridges will mar the cable on the left-traveling cables. It took me three tries to figure out what I was doing wrong, and it turns out the pattern instructed me wrong. It should read:
>>T4B – Sl next two sts to cn and hold in back of work, k next 2 sts, p 2 sts from cn
This way the cables will come out correctly, looking identical to the right-traveling cables. Also, in the written out instructions of the cable pattern, row 9 just kinda stops before the actual end of the row. Where it ends with p2, it should really say p5, k4, p3, k3, to end the row. In essence, you’re just mirroring what happened with the first half of the row, and by reading your knitting you should be able to see what your doing.
Even though it took me a bit to figure it out, I really like this cable pattern. I nearly have it memorized–I can never remember when the side cables need to cross, but the traveling cables are easy to see. I really can’t wait to see what this looks like done.
—”Carry This Picture For Luck,” A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar: Dashboard Confessional
- Edited to add: Finally finished the scarf. In October of 2009. So it’s not like she had to wait awhile or anything. [back]
Oddly enough, doing yard work leaves me plenty of time to be at one with my thoughts.
Which, in my experience, nothing good has ever come from. So, this weekend, I was thinking about You. It was a pretty in-depth analysis of why I’m friends with him, why I would never date him (not that he’d ever want to), and just his personality in general.
Don’t lie. You’ve had days like this too. While walking the mower back and forth across the yard, though, I hit upon a profound thought that in the four years I’ve known him, had never worked it’s self across my brain.
If there’s a choice between what’s easy and what’s right, I’d place my money on You picking the easy way out, hands down.
I know this seems judgmental, but it’s not meant to be. I don’t think he’s a bad person because of it, and it’s not like I’m going to stop being his friend. It just helps in being able to predict what his possible actions will be when encountering future situations.
By looking at past actions, we can predict the future (and if I gambled, it’s where I’d put my money). For example, lets look at the current status of our friendship.
Situation: Relationship with the Cancer Victim, wherein one doesn’t have feelings for the Victim, and is verbally abused for everything from being friends with me, to wearing socks with holes. Said subject has been given ultimatums involving marriage (perhaps one of the few times when right will overcome easy), friendships, and the like. Breaking up would involve fights, mom’s siding with girlfriends, and being essentially kicked out of the house.
What to do, what to do? The easy thing to do would be to stay with the Cancer Victim, even though everyday a little bit of you would die inside, to the point where one day you could possibly agree to marriage while drunk. Why is this easy? Because it avoids fights, avoids threats of bodily harm to all parties, and keeps the status quo, even though no one is really happy.
The right thing? Break up, obviously. The breakup is the only way anyone has a remote chance of being happy in the future, and I’m including myself in there.
But, as even I know, even though easy is an unhappy option, it’s still got its draw. I know. I did, after all, date Fat Boy for two years, even though I wanted to break up with him after two months. Even if you’re unhappy, it’s a comfortable unhappy. You know what’s going to happen, and can predict the future.
Breakups are hard, even if they are necessary. Easy is just so, well, easy. And until you know what the future holds—which is always sketchy at best—easy is often the way to go. Even if it means you never get to see your best friend, or that maybe you don’t want her anymore.
Do you not want me anymore?
Sorry, self-doubt sneaking in there. Anyway. So, while I know You may choose what’s easy, he’s lucky that I’m choosing what’s right. Because it’s hard being friends with him now that I am the devil’s spawn, according to the Victim. It’s hard to not hang out with him whenever I have free time. It’s hard not to call him on a daily basis. It’s hard knowing that half the time I spill my guts to him, it’s through this blog here, and the rest of the world it going to see it too.
And it’s really super hard to not tell the whole story out of respect for a person who hates me. And even if You said I could come clean and tell everything from the beginning, in excruciating detail, I wouldn’t. Because that’s just too damn easy, and I’m really trying hard to do what’s right, so that You can do what’s easy.
—”Maintain Consciousness,” MmmHmm: Relient K
Blurry cameraphone photo of the busted fence.
This horrible photo from my phone demonstrates just why I really hate people. I realize it’s hard to discern what you’re supposed to be looking at, but that’s a large gap in my neighbor’s fence, with his above ground pool in the frame.
A week or so, someone careened into the fence, knocking it down, and coming within a few feet of the pool. Sadly enough, it isn’t the first time this has happened. This very section of fence gets run into at least once a year. People take the corner too fast—there’s no stop sign to make them slow down before turning—lose control, and end up into this section of the yard. Always someone in the house hears it, and always no one ever gets caught.
Usually the neighbor fixes the fence the first weekend after it’s been knocked down, but I suppose this time he’s fed up with it all, and I don’t blame him. There’s no guarantee that it isn’t going to be knocked down next week. Since this is in a separated, fenced off part of his yard that backs up to the creek, instead of fixing it he’s put up chicken wire or something similar to keep people out. My mum says that he’s waiting for the insurance company to pay for it, because it’s expensive to replace a fence.
Sunday night, though, the most unbelievable thing happened. People went swimming in my neighbors pool. At two in the morning. Also, unable to be seen in the photo is that somebody bent back the chicken wire to gain entrance into the yard, and could be heard splashing around in the pool until one of my neighbors (unclear if it was the guy across the street from us, or the guy who owns the house the pool is at), went outside and started yelling at the punks, and which point the punks jumped into the car they had parked out next to the fence, and took off.
I just don’t understand what drives people these days. I’m sure the punks responsible for both acts are between the ages of 16 and 25, right in my target peer range. And maybe I’m just a closet old lady, but I would never even think about doing crap like this, ever at all. It’s just such a large disrespect of property. These same people who would violate other’s space would flip out if someone thought about doing the same to them.
I can understand why the fence-runners never come forward. They are most likely drunk, and don’t want to get caught. Most of the time, I’m astounded that they never run into the above-ground pool which is right behind the fence with the invisible target drawn on it.
But the midnight swimmers? I don’t understand why they think it’s okay to use someone else’s pool. What’s to stop them from jumping in our pool next time they feel the need for a late night dip? Although, I almost secretly hope they do because our pool is so cold they would scream in pain. Seriously, really cold.
But jeez, people can do some unbelievable things sometimes.
—”I So Hate Consequences,” MmmHmm: Relient K
This weekend has been an exercise in patience, I think.
On Saturday, I did the normal Saturday things, which included de-leafing the backyard (I almost wish we had less trees), and mowing the front yard.
I happen to hate mowing the yard. The job has fallen to me, though, since my brother moved into his own house last November. Our yard is really big with lots of trees which I find hard to mow around. It takes me almost an hour to finish, and thank god it’s the last chore I have to do on Saturdays. Which really means I save it for last.
After lunch, though, my Dad took me out to the SPCA to look at dogs. Since I got straight A’s, he’s finally decided to allow me to get a dog (my mom and I have been asking for one since the house was broken into in December). We didn’t come home with one, because we’re both looking for something different in a dog. He’s got requirements, while I just want something medium-sized or smaller1 that’s cute and friendly.
Oddly enough, we did agree on one dog—a black chihuahua that was oh so cute and didn’t bark at all. Unfortunately, it was in the process of being adopted, so obviously not available for us. It was odd that we agreed on it, though, because neither of us like chihuahuas, and while I would love a toy dog, I didn’t think my dad would.
We came home without a dog, and on Sunday my dad told me that it was up to me to pick the dog, because he has requirements for a dog that will never be met. So, he gave me $100 in “dog money,” and the weekend after next I’ll probably have a new puppy to call my own.
And don’t doubt that I’ve already been thinking up the perfect dog name.
—”Miss Murder” Decemberundeground: AFI
- We’re using our last dog, Zippy, as a measuring guide, since we don’t want a dog bigger than she was. [back]
There seriously has been nothing going on.
It’s so boring around here that I didn’t have the heart to blog about nothing yesterday. Or, it could be that I just couldn’t think of anything good. Whichever you prefer.
I have been doing geeky things, but nothing anyone would really be interested it. But I’m going to tell you about it anyway.
I downloaded the Microsoft Office Beta a bit ago, and damn, it’s confusing. Kinda. Since I mostly use Word out of the bunch, that’s what I’m going to focus on.
The new Word 2007 menu bar.
The navigation bar for the new office programs is slick, but hard to understand. Even though I’ve been using Office since the dark ages, this new nav bar is messing up my mind. Things aren’t where they used to be, and it takes a little thinking to find them again. It doesn’t help that I haven’t really had a reason to create a document since the semester ended, and I downloaded the beta after that.
Options for where to send the file to. Including blogs.
Not that Microsoft made it obvious, but you can actually blog from the new Word, and my last few posts have been published that way. However, I really am not a big fan of how everything is set up. To start with, there is no way to create a blog post without opening up a regular document first. I suppose Microsoft is assuming that people will create a document, and then decide “hey, I think I’m gonna blog that.” Then, when you do choose to blog, it creates a completely new document with the same exact text. Pointless, I tell you. It should be seamless.
I think that if you open a blank document, one of those lovely little tabs should say “blog post,” and when you click on it, it should give you the options you need: publish, publish as draft, remove formatting, etc., etc. When you decide to blog, it shouldn’t make an entirely new document out of it.
Also, I’m a bit afraid to start in with the formatting on the posts. If I bold something, I have no guarantee that it’s going to convert to <strong> over something else. It would be nice if the writer was offered some way to see the HTML before the post, and insert some of your own. I’m unsure how to do lesser headings since any code you type out in the document doesn’t get converted when it’s uploaded . Also, I wish that formatting would be stripped from the <p> tags that Word sends from a regular document to a blog document.
On the publishing side of things, Word doesn’t have a problem connecting to WordPress at all. However, it doesn’t respond as one would hope. When publishing, it sets the timestamp to WordPress’s default, December 31, 1969. It’s rather annoying, because once you post you have to go and edit the timestamp. Also, categories are not supported, so if you’re using them, again, editing in the admin panel has to happen.
I think that if Microsoft wants to make Word a viable option in blogging, these changes need to happen. I really hate posting, and then going in and editing my post, and I don’t want Word throwing bad code after good. If you like what you’re using now to post, don’t even bother with Word’s beta.
I’d go back to Ecto if I wasn’t so frustrated with it too, at the moment.
—”Electricity,” 311: 311
Today is the California Primary Election, and I was going to write a long, detailed post on why all Californian’s should vote.
But, then I realized the reason everyone should vote is really very simple, in my opinion. If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.
Yeah, it’s as simple as that. The sad thing, really, is that of the projected 30–40%1 of voters that will turn out for the election, I personally predict that the ones that don’t make it to the polls will be mostly Republicans.
As a Republican, this saddens me immensely. I understand why it happens—the “Governator” is a Republican, thus the incumbent, so a lot of Republicans feel that they don’t have to vote. However, there are other offices to vote for.
For example: Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, State Board of Equalization, U.S. Senator and Representative, and State Senator and Assembly Member are all up for grabs. Not to mention Superintendent of Schools, County Assessor, District Attorney, and Sherriff all need to be elected with the primary election.
There are also two propositions and a measure to be voted on.
While sure, it seems like a waste to some to have essentially two elections to fill an office, it doesn’t matter. If you’re registered to vote, you should vote. It’s what you signed up for when you mailed in the registration card.
I’m just so tired of hearing people complain about how the government is run, and when asked if they voted, the response is usually no. Then they go on about how their vote means nothing.
The Primaries have snuck up on me, and so this post isn’t really what I wanted to talk about in regards to voting. It’s just a desperate plea to get everyone to the polls. I don’t care who you vote for, just so long as you do it.
Since I have until November for the second round of elections, I’ll be working on an essay-like post all summer about the importance of voting. I have very strong views on voting, even if I’m not politically vocal.
If you have any ideas, or thoughts or anything, let me know. I’m always happy to argue why voting is important 
- Heard this percentage on the radio yesterday morning, and I’m sure it’s pretty accurate. Many people don’t think the primary is important enough to vote in. [back]
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I only wrote about submitting for round 4 once, and I fully didn’t expect to get in, so this is an honor I really didn’t think I was going to get.
I don’t really have much to say about the podcast, other than that I’m sure my excitement comes through. I did tell my Mum and Dustin about getting in, and while they don’t really understand it (not a big surprise there), they’re both happy for me.
Other new 9rulers I’m happy to join in with:
- Ben Gray of OpenSwitch
- Derek Punsalan of 5ThirtyOne
- Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress
However, there is one site I’m surprised didn’t make it in this round, because I thought she was a shoo in, definitely over me. Kristen Pishdadi is a great writer with far more interesting content than I do, and her photo blog leaves me drooling. Hopefully she’ll get in next round, if she still wants it.
Anyway, that’s all for now. Kinda.
Alright, I’m working on a super-secret project with a classmate, and as soon as I figure out the schematics of how it’s going to work, I’ll post the info here. But, like I said. Super secret. Because if it falls through, I don’t want anyone laughing at me.
—”Build God, Then We’ll Talk,” A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out: Panic! At the Disco
Every day, my mum tells me about what happened on yesterday’s reality TV programs.
It’s really annoying because I do not watch reality TV in general. So, depending on the schedule, I get recaps of Amazing Race, Survivor, Daddy’s Little Girl1, and the like. I have no interest in these shows, and I hate having to listen to the recap.
Thank god she doesn’t watch American Idle2, because I think my head would explode if I had to feign interest in that as well.
I know someone is probably thinking, “Why don’t you just tell your Mum you don’t want to hear it?”
But, there’s a problem with that. I work with my mum, and I sit five feet from her for about eight hours a day. We’re the only people in the office, and she likes to talk to me occasionally throughout the day. And so reality-recaps are often the only thing she has to talk about.
At least yesterday she let me be smug all day about my straight As, even if she did ruin it when I was telling my dad.
—”You’re a God,” Everything You Want: Vertical Horizon
