Addendum

I just got back from my pickup lesson with my regular instructor this afternoon, and we went through everything I would need to do for the test. I was actually pretty comfortable with everything, so I'm not worried about it. He said that they often don't have white belts stay there long, but it will get progressively longer and longer between tests as more and more techniques and forms and such are added, and my forms and 1-steps are solid. We'll see on Friday afternoon, I guess (the pretest date, since I can't make the regular test date, I get to go early! Yikes! Gonna get it over with!). It will actually be kind of nice to only have to do everything through once or twice instead of over and over and over like we do in class!

Alright, off to a meeting, then a quick blocking review with one of my actors, and then I'm going to find some time to write everything down (that ALWAYS helps me remember) and knit until the run through tonight. Yay!

I went to the studio (I learned a new word the other night, tkd studios are do-jahngs, as opposed to dojos, which are Japanese studios) and was able to catch one of my instructors between classes yesterday. Not the one I normally work with, but the one who did my orientation and started teaching me my form. She was very understanding, and told me that if I didn't feel comfortable testing yet that was okay, and I could test next time around if I wanted. She said that when they have lower belts (white, orange, and yellow) in the class, they cycle through the material for each belt several times, only the form work stays the same. And of course, the form is what I am most comfortable with right now, whereas my 1-steps and self-defense I still have to stop and think about and it usually takes me two or three tries to break the harder board. She suggested coming in for a pickup class to go over everything I'll need for the test, and of course the only time free is this afternoon. Good thing we cancelled the afternoon rehearsal today! If I don't feel comfortable with everything after that, I'll cancel my test slot and test next round. I rarely get nervous or feel unprepared for tests of any kind, a trait that drove my friends nuts in school. I figure I either know the material or I don't, and I'll do my best. I figure my teachers know the material better than I do, since they're teaching it, and if they think it's time for a test, I can at least try it. What's the worst that can happen? I don't get it this time and have to do it again? My real concern is that I haven't done the equivalent of three classes in a week before and my muscles might revolt! I went running yesterday, then thought "Y'know, maybe I should give myself a break this week..." so I only did twenty minutes and most of that was walking (I did a run 2 minutes/walk 5 minutes cycle). I did just over a mile in twenty minutes! I know it's slow for you real runners out there, but I thought it was kind of nice. I try to do at least a mile whenever I go, since I normally have a limited amount of time before I have to be in rehearsal or a show or a meeting or something. Chrissy's a runner, and she'll run for 45 minutes or so and do 4-6 miles, but I get way too bored too quickly for that. Particularly when I don't have my music, like yesterday. She's also been running for a lot longer than I have. I really really want the pool to open again so I can go swimming!

I moved up to the booth last night for rehearsal - ahhh, the freedom! I can knit in total peace, although the LBO (who is a first year tech student and not at all comfortable with lights, he's more of a costume person) was totally shocked that I could watch the show, call the show, comment and take notes on the show, and still have my hands move totally independently. Granted, I can't do it on all shows - it would have been totally impossible during Seussical, for instance - but this one is totally doable. He asked if it was like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. I don't think it is. It's more like...studying with music on, I guess. One part of your brain registers the music (the knitting) and (at least in my case) tells the hand to tap the pencil (or bob your head or tap your foot or several other tempo-keeping movements that tend to drive other people crazy in the library) in time with the beat, but you don't really notice it because the majority of your focus is on the studying (the show). The knitting is in the background.

Gotta go finish laundry, since I kind of need a clean uniform to wear this afternoon. Stupid heat making everyone sweaty in class. What do they expect us to do, exercise or something? ;-)

Got the new KnitPicks catalog and found some really cute sweaters in the Modern Classics book. I might have to save up some pennies and get that. Still gotta do my Stitches homework, too!

Erg?

I really need a pic of someone doing the confused llama ears. It would so perfectly match my thought processes right now. There is a testing session coming up in class, so tonight and next week were/are mostly going to be spent working on forms and...whatever else goes on during testing. Having not gone through it myself yet, I don't know. What I do know is that my name is on the list as eligible to test for my orange belt. I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, it seems a little quick, but on the other hand, I know the form, I'm comfortable with the form, and spending another eight weeks on it (the next available testing date) seems a little overkill, even if I do have to think about my balance on the front stances. (Someone needs to nail my back heel to the floor one of these days.) I've picked up pretty much everything else we do in class, even if I don't yet have the speed and power and instinct most of my partners do. (My partner tonight was a girl maybe a little older than me, who had a brown belt with an orange stripe on it. Not sure what that is.) According to the American TaeKwonDo Association (the national association my studio is affiliated with), an orange belt is a "beginner student [who] sees the beauty of the art of Taekwondo but has not yet experienced the power of the technique." (Copied straight off the packet of info I was given when I began classes, and I believe can also be found on the ATA website) Which is kind of me. I don't know. I think I will try to talk to one of the instructors sometime this week. I have to decide before Friday in order to get a testing slot, although I will probably have to do a private test anyway, since I'll have a show on testing day. I just don't want to go too quickly and get too ahead of myself. I want something real to brag about, y'know? ;-) Oh, and Sir gave me permission to watch one of the sparring nights once my schedule clears up. I technically don't have to get involved with sparring until camo belt (three belts from my current one) but I'd like to at least have an idea of what is in store. I hate walking into things blind.

Oh, and I've done eight increases on the sleeves for Short Row Stripes. I'm so bad - I was gonna be all about the UFOs, but it's like I can't put this down. The majority of my UFOs are socks, and I am definitely going to finish at least one pair by the end of this run. Maybe two. Okay, that may be pushing it, since the show is only 80 minutes long. It would be nice, though. I'm definitely going to finish Mom's socks, and then I think I'll pull out the Jaywalkers. It's been a while since I've done some socks for myself. And there isn't anything wrong with the Jaywalkers, nothing to fix or frog or anything. Just gotta finish 'em. Then, after that, I'll get Dad's cursed socks out and fix and finish them.

And did I mention I got my confirmation for Stitches West? I did - I now officially have homework to do: 12 rows of garter stitch in the round for the Two Handed Basics class, and getting a picture of a sweater I'd like to copy for one of the design classes. That's it.

Okay, it's 1:00a, I'm out of water, I'm out of Baileys (no, I have not been drinking all night, but I did indulge in one glass), and I'm actually somewhat tired, so I'm going to go lie down now and attempt to sleep and get up early enough to do some laundry before rehearsal in the afternoon.

BoredBoredBoredBoredBored (and a little Grumpy)

So, tech started at noon today. We were done with the show at 3:30. We ran it again this evening just for shits and giggles, and will do the same tomorrow evening. Then we'll run it again, mostly in the evenings next week, open Friday, and call it a running show. It's a good show, but I've seen it too many times already, even with the tech. Socks will most definitely be worked on during the runs of this show.

I can't believe how bored I've been lately. I know I'm super PMSy, but normally I am just fatigued. Totally wiped out with no energy whatsoever. Not this time. Right now I, unfortunately, have lots of energy and can't focus or be entertained by any one thing. The show doesn't interest me. Everything at work seems so trivial. Seriously, my job is to smooth feathers and make sure everything happens on time...so someone else can be entertained. It's not brain surgery. The games I normally play don't interest me. The only thing interesting me right now is knitting, House, and, for some reason, exercising. This week I've been to class, gone running twice, done pilates and balance ball, worked on my form and some drills I remember at home, and have done pushups and situps more frequently than usual (meaning, at all). Weird. It feels good, though. Unfortunately, I've also been insomniac lately. It's driving me nuts. I hate sleeping so late in the mornings and wasting them. And Teddie has suddenly decided that my closet floor is now his litter box instead of his real litter box. Weird, gross, and more than a little frustrating.

On the plus side, I've done five increases on the Short Row Pullover sleeves. I've done several more repeats on Tumbling Blocks. That pattern is so damn easy, it's almost absent minded, but it looks so cool. I've also been working on Mom's socks at rehearsal, and, given the brainpower that is necessary for that particular show, maybe I'll get them done by the end of the week.

Oh, and Colleen, congrats on opening The Full Monty! Are there links to any production photos from your show?

Ugh. I want to go to class. And I've pretty much decided that I'm going to try sparring - but I can't start until after Feb. 11 and I'm going to talk to the instructors and some of the other students first and maybe get some idea of what to expect. Of course, I still have time to change my mind, but hey, that makes two nights a week I can get out of the house and out of the theater!

Ow (not much knitting, sorry, but there is some!)

Once again, loved class. Once again, seem to have done a pretty darn good job of trying to break my wrist and hand. Oh well. Eventually, it'll toughen up, right? Btw, bags of fleece stored in the freezer make nice ice packs while you're looking for the real ice pack. Sir made a point of looking at me when he reminded the class that everyone was invited to Thursday night sparring starting next month. (They currently spar in Friday nights, but the class schedule is changing next month for some reason.) The idea of sparring makes me nervous, because I really don't know anything about it. I'd like to be able to watch a session before doing anything, but I somehow don't think I'd be allowed to show up and not participate. I have a couple weeks still to think about it, though. And that would work out well, as in a couple weeks, I'll be in performance for Barrymore or be between shows again, and should have Thursdays free. There was another white belt there tonight, so it was nice to not be the only one, but I realized that I kind of prefer working with some of the higher belts. They challenge me more and teach me more. When I'm partnered with someone who knows what they are doing, I can watch and learn and feel like I'm learning. When I was partnered with the other white belt, I think we both kind of felt stupid and did some covert watching other pairs trying to figure out what to do until I asked one of the instructors to help us out. We did some new drills tonight and I had a harder time with them for some reason. But, I did move up to a harder board since I blew through the first one, and one of the instructors started getting on me about my stance during my form and making each move crisp and snap. (Yes, Amanda, it totally clicked for me tonight what you meant about the doboks "snapping".) I really love that I'm doing this now. I need to find some drills, to do at home, or do better at remembering the drills we do in class, though.

Okay, on to knitting, what most of you came for anyway. First, thank you all so much for your comments on Rogue. I'm pretty pleased with it myself. Of course, when it's your creation, you can always find fault and do the "If I did it again, I'd change X." But I wore it to work the other day and no one went "Where did you get that hideous thing?", so I guess that's good. Of course, I'm the only woman involved in this show, so the rest of the guys might not figure it out. But anyway, since I finished a sweater, I get to start a new sweater. Gotta keep the categories going, y'know. I swatched (really and truly, swatched! I had to go up a needle size!) and cast on the sleeves for the Short Rows Striped Pullover. I've also done more repeats on Tumbling Blocks and actually worked on the second of Mom's socks. For some reason, though, the socks were REALLY hurting my hands today. I don't know if it's the dry air or what. Those are my three main projects right now. I'm anticipating a lot of sock work in the next few weeks, as we go into tech and performances. Oh, and I have to do my Stitches homework. I hope the final packet comes in the mail soon! And I still have to make hotel reservations for that weekend. Oops!

Teddie is much better - his eyes cleared up after a day or so. He's still a little sneezy, though. I've been feeling better, too, but have been having trouble getting to sleep this week. Don't know why, but I've been lucky to be tired by 3:30a lately. I know I'm a night owl, but that's just ridiculous, and it seriously cuts out your morning free time. Tonight I'm going to take a sleeping pill and try to get to bed at more reasonable hour.

AHHH! There's a Rogue in my apartment!!

Forgive the pics. It's hard to take pictures of yourself.
Full shot:


The hood and neck detail:


The sleeves and sides:


Project: Rogue Sweater from Girl From Auntie
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Blue Heather
Needles: US 8 and 9 (had to change when going from round to flat knitting)
Started: April 28, 2006
Complete: January 15, 2007
Notes:

1. Knitted cast on for the body, twisted German cast on for the sleeves.


2. Rolled hems on body and sleeves.


3. It actually wasn't that difficult of a knit. You kind of get into a rhythm with it. The killer for me was the sleeves. Next sweater, I'm doing the sleeves first.


4. This was my first "finished" sweater, and it actually wasn't too bad. There were some lessons learned, though. The first being that increases and decreases should be done at least one stitch in from the edge, not on the edge. I didn't hear of doing that until after I'd finished the majority of the knitting. I can now see where it would make seaming a lot easier. I also blocked the sleeves the first time I finished them but not the second, and I think that would have helped, too.


5. If I made it again, which is possible but not in the immediate future, I'd do the kangaroo pocket, and the same bust size, but lengthen the body. Or maybe I would go up a bust size, give it a little more ease. I like how this one fits, really.

Woo! I've made two sweaters! Next up in the sweater department? Fiona Ellis' Short Row Striped Pullover from the Fall 2003 Interweave Knits. I saw Cara's version of it and fell in love. I think I have finally found a way to work through some of the blue shades of WotA in the stash. Hell, I jumped straight in with Rogue as my second sweater, why not keep up the tradition of jumping in way over my head? No, it's not The Sweater, but I'm still looking for that, and I have the yarn for this already. Oh, and I've done a couple more Tumbling Blocks repeats. It currently looks like this:

Anyway, that's one UFO down, lots more to go, and I'm still probably gonna cast on for that next sweater. The TeddieCat is sick, I think he has a cold (he has runny eyes and he's sneezing a lot), and I have to go back to work tomorrow. Gonna take Mom's sock in tomorrow, in the off chance I get any downtime. I really want to go to class and I hope that maybe we can get out of rehearsal early enough later in the week so I can go.

Push Up The Sleeves!

Well, one sleeve anyway. One Rogue sleeve has been successfully lengthened, capped, seamed, and attached to the body! It's probably not the best finishing job ever, but hey, it's the first time I've done it. All I have to do now is one more sleeve and I'll have a finished sweater! Now I'm in the process of unseaming the second sleeve so I can frog the cap and add the rows.

I've also finished the cross-stitching on the Butterfly Expressions and began the backstitching. I did a few more repeats on Tumbling Blocks scarf, too. Maybe I'll get something actually done this weekend. I have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off before the craziness of next week starts.

House just might be my new guilty pleasure. It won't ever out-guilty pleasure Law & Order, but it's still great. I may have to go find Season 1 somewhere and find out how this all got started.

What Show Are We Talking About Again??

Oy, my brain hurts. In the past 24 hours, I have sat through design concept meetings for Company (yes, Amie, Sondheim's Company, which we're doing concert-style) and The Importance of Being Earnest (the two of which will run in rep this summer - talk about style differences!), made up sides for The Man Who Came To Dinner auditions, and am getting ready to go to a meeting with the director for Barrymore and then a general design concept meeting for The Real Thing and Urinetown (also running in rep together). Oh, and I'm getting stuff prepped for the two new interns coming in this semester, so I have to have Outreach stuff and all their handbooks and paperwork ready, as well. I've given up trying to have the proper scripts and notebooks and whatnot for each meeting. I just bring my production calendar and a notebook and pretend that I have the faintest idea what show I'm even supposed to be thinking about right now. It's really a good thing that stage managers don't have much to do with the design process here, other than to make sure everyone is playing nicely together and no one is thinking about doing anything that would potentially kill an actor or crew member. I'm really glad that Chrissy has sort of taken over auditions next week. Granted, it's for my show, so I should be doing them, but some higher-ups who shall remain nameless decided it was a good idea to schedule auditions (for my show) at the same time as Barrymore rehearsal (also my show) and since Chalk Circle doesn't start rehearsals until the next day, Chrissy and the returning interns kind of got stuck with auditions. Which means I get stuck with doing the orientation for the new interns and Outreach. Sigh. It's been a weird week!

I did finish the first of Mom's socks last night, though. They are ever so slightly too short in the foot for me, so they should be fine for her. Of course, I cast on the second sock as soon as I finished the first. It just wouldn't be right otherwise. So a UFO partially FO'd. I guess. I want to finish the cross-stitch tonight and tomorrow, and then work on Rogue this weekend. I've been using Tumbling Blocks as my travelling project instead of socks this week. I tell myself that it's because I knew I was so close to finishing the sock that I wanted to have a needle handy to kitchener it, but it's really because I like petting the cashmere yarn. Ahhh....

My hand continued to hurt yesterday (knitting didn't bother it, though) but is better today. I have a rather pretty bruise on the side of it, though. However, my abs and shoulders, which surprisingly did not bother me at all yesterday, are killing me today. I think they're making up for missed time.

Alright, gotta go find out what the director wants this time!

Report

1. I have made some progress on some UFOs but not completed any of them yet. I am to the toe on the first of Mom's sock. I have restarted Tumbling Blocks and am two and a half repeats in (I love this yarn. I may be addicted, which is a bad, bad thing). I trashed the Winter Night afghan. (Yes, that's right. Trashed, not frogged.) I'm about halfway through redoing the first sleeve cap on Rogue. I have two more Chinese symbols and the backstitching to do on the Butterfly Expressions cross-stitch. I'm going to frog the April Fool's Socks completely, and rip Dad's socks back to the start of the heel and adjust the stitch count for a toe-up flap and gusset from there. So, progress has been made, it just doesn't feel like it. I'm hoping to get at least one project finished by the end of this weekend. (Probably Rogue.)

2. I had my second taekwondo class tonight. We did the same basic structure, only instead of self-defense moves, tonight we broke boards. Different levels have different...hmm...skills, I guess to use to break the boards (reusable plastic ones). The hardest one I saw in class was a black belt who did this flying leap kick thing, it was really cool. Mine was a simple elbow strike, but it only took me two tries to break it. I really enjoy that class, and I'm kind of bummed it's only once a week. That's probably a good thing in the beginning, though, as my right hand in particular is pretty torn up from drills, and we did this killer ab/leg thing at the end of class tonight, so I'll probably be all sore again tomorrow. Unfortunately, I can't go again for two weeks, since they are closed next Monday for MLK, Jr. Day, and I have rehearsals the rest of the week. I really hope we somehow get out of rehearsal early enough on Tuesday or Thursday next week! I had a really hot guy only a few belts higher than me as my partner tonight, though, and he was pretty patient and nice to me, so that was nice compensation.

3. We started our summer meeting marathon at work this week. Since we don't have students or interns this week, and we're going to try a new summer schedule this year, they scheduled this week of design meetings for all five shows. I'm sitting in meetings for three of them. I'm only doing two and a half shows this summer (Company, Lifeboat - which I am not thrilled about, but whatever, and the Solvang run of Urinetown), so I'm also assigning myself the task of keeping an eye on the interns on the straight plays, which means having all the information they'll need. Company is also going to be one of the first shows to run in rep, so it will be exciting to see how that plays out, and we have to work closely with the production/design team for the show it is repping with to get them to fit together anyway.

Anyway, my hand really hurts, so I'm going to go sit in a hot shower to ease the sore muscles, then ice my hand and go to sleep. I gotta have energy to sit through all those fun exciting meetings tomorrow. (Mental note to self: DON'T leave the coffee on the counter while rushing out of the house tomorrow morning. It's necessary to surviving the day!)

Sore!

Okay, I'm not nearly as sore as I expected to be, since I had my first taekwondo class last night. I wasn't planning on having class last night, just the orientation, but the instructor pointed out that I might as well stay - it would give me an extra week in the program, rather than starting next week. (You only go to class once a week, but you can go on several nights.) I have a torn knuckle, bruises on my forearms, and very very sore arms, but it was great! We did some warmups and stretching, then drills in pairs (hence the reason I have bruises on my forearms - I was paired up with a black belt and had trouble gauging distance for her kicks with the pads), then form work, then some self defense moves, and a cool down/stretch. There are all levels in the class, from poor little me all the way up, and about the only time that we separated into levels was for the form work. Everyone was really great, though. I'm sure I didn't really help my partners learn or practice anything, but they helped me! One purple belt I worked with was really great about explaining things as we worked, and the instructors were also great. (The instructors are a husband and wife team - the wife is pregnant, so she isn't involved directly in the classes right now, but she did my orientation and taught me the first part of my form.) Everyone is Sir or Ma'am, no matter what age or level. It's kind of cool. And it's a hell of a workout, but I never felt out of breath, just really hot and sweaty and muscle fatigue. I love that.

Anyway, back to knitting. You know what the problem with UFO work is? Trying to decide what to work on! I ended up working on Mom's socks last night. I want to work on everything now, all at the same time, but I don't want to work on anything, either, y'know? I think my goal for today is to get the Winter Night sewn together and get a border on it (I'm going to try a simple single crochet border) and work on Mom's sock until I can start the toe (about an inch and a half, I think). I also really want to work on my cross-stitch and...well, I asked for and got a small beginners sewing machine for Christmas. I want to start learning to quilt, too. I need to find some rich handsome great guy to fall madly in love with me and lets me spend all day just working on crafty stuff. I can dream! =)

2007

WARNING: Long Post, Lots of Pics, and Some Non-Knitting Content

I'm back home and trying to get my life organized. Teddie survived his vacation at the vets, although he literally has not been more than 2 feet from me since he got home, except to use the litter box. The tree is coming down today and furniture is getting rearranged to make room for the new computer (of course, the cable jack is on one side of the room and the DSL jack is on the other!). New shelves are also going up to make the apartment look less like a dorm room and more like a grownup's place. (Gotta love Target and their stackable Cubicals!) It doesn't help much, but it's better than pastel colored milk crates. I can't wait to get everything set up just right!

Okay, last year's resolution of an FO a month didn't work out so well. I had ten finished objects in 2006, not my ideal twelve, and rarely did I have one a month. So, I ended up with more UFOs than FOs. I'm also going to try to get a decent chunk of my credit card paid off this year, if not completely paid off, so the majority of the knitting for 2007 will be from the stash. And yes, this does count sock yarn, unfortunately. I'm saying "the majority", as I am going to buy enough nice yarn to make a sweater for myself this year, I just don't know what kind yet. With this in mind, I joined up with Martheme from the KR Forums for her KnitUFO group. I took some time off to make buttons, and you're welcome to them, but please be warned that I have no idea anymore where I got the original images, so I hope no one gets upset that I am using them!

I spent yesterday going through my stash and WIPs, re-organizing and re-inventorying them. I went over to Michaels and found some cute baskets at 50% off, so I got a set of three (one big and two small) as WIP baskets. Large projects such as Rogue and my afghans go in the big one, socks go in one of the small ones, and scarves and shawls go in the other small one. Apparently, they meet the inspection criteria:
I have a current count of 13 (ooo!) WIPs: 3 afghans, 1 sweater, 2 scarves, 1 shawl, and 6 pairs of socks.

1. Scrap Sock Yarn Log Cabin Afghan. This one lives in my desk drawer at work, so I don't have a picture. This is a very very low-key project, as it depends on my leftover sock yarn and I knit socks very slowly. It will be done when I say it's done, which will probably be ten years from now or something.

2.

Rogue sweater. In all fairness, I had this completely knitted according to pattern in November of 2006. Unfortunately, the sleeves were too short, and I'm now in the process of unseaming the sleeves, frogging back the cap, adding two inches (12 rows) of length, redoing the cap, reseaming the sleeves, and setting them into the body. Really, not much work, but I just haven't sat down and done it. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Blue Heather (much much bluer than in pic, I wanted to show off the cables), US 8 & 9 needles.

3. Jaywalkers Take 2. Another pair of Jaywalkers. This one is actually turning out pretty decently, but they got put on hold when Mom asked for socks for Christmas. Figure 8 cast-on, YO short row heel (will probably frog and try a toe-up heel and gusset again), magic loop, 25% complete. Spunky Eclectic Spunky Sport Green Gables, US 2 circs.

4. Mom's Socks. Almost done with the first one. Need to measure to see if it's the right length to start the toe. Gorgeous colors, fun knit. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport Lakeview, US 2 circ, magic loop.

5. Dad's Socks. Need to be frogged and restarted. Work out the stitch count to an even number for the heel. May do them cuff down instead.

6. Regia Socks. My first sock ever, need to make a mate for it. Regia Jacquard 5181, US 2 circ, magic loop.

7. April Fool's Socks. Two at once on one US 1 40" circ. Yarn = great, pattern = wearing. Have to pay attention, as it changes every two rows and goes very slowly. May get frogged, as I've barely worked on them at all, but I love the colors. Spunky Eclectic Spunky Sock Berry Pickin.

8. Simple Stripes Socks. Started to test the striping effect. Slightly too big, may have to frog and restart. Taken off the needles to rescue them for another project, I think US 2 circ. KnitPicks Simple Stripes Storm.

9. Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf. Love the pattern, love the yarn, may go into a gift pile. Paton's SWS Natural Denim, US 9 circ.

10. Tumbling Blocks Scarf. Lots of progress, eh? Seriously, I had almost four repeats done, but something kept nagging me about it. Then I realized that although I had read the pattern correctly, I had not been interpreting the pattern correctly and not repeating certain stitches in the right places. So, it got frogged and I will have to restart this soon. I love this project and this yarn. Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere Lagoon, US 4 circ.

11. Snowdrop Shawl. Again, I love this pattern (I'm thinking I need to do more lace), and the yarn is just gorgeous. It's a much more royal blue. I may not do the edging, though. KnitPicks Shadow Jewels, US 5 circ.

12.
Winter Night Afghan #2. I have 13 squares done. That's enough for me. I'm going to seam these up for a lapghan and call it done.

13. Chunky Diagonal Stripes Afghan #2. The problem with this project is that it isn't very portable, what with five skeins of yarn needed and never knowing how quickly the stripes will knit up. I love the project, but it probably won't get done for a while.

I haven't really set up a deadline for these projects. I've noticed that the projects that I have completed in the past have actually been done fairly quickly, but I usually am focused only on one project at a time. There are a few projects that I would like to start this year as well, such as Pomatomus socks, a basic sweater, and a designed sweater. I have the yarn for the Poms and a stripey basic sweater, and the designed sweater will be my reward. I also have six or seven cross-stitch projects that I really want to work on again, as well. I haven't even begun to inventory all the floss and whatnot I have, although I did get a new organizer for it.

On a totally unrelated note (if you just read this for fiber and kitty info, you can tune out now), I signed up for a beginning adult taekwondo program yesterday. I can't wait to get started - I've always been interested in martial arts, but never went through with actually learning any. With my schedule, regular classes are usually out of the question. This place, though, will allow me to come once a week on Monday evenings for at least the first part of the program and possibly private lessons if I want them and can't fit the regular ones into my schedule. I have an orientation tomorrow, where one of the instructors will take me one on one and introduce me to what I will need to know to participate effectively in class and not feel totally stupid, and then I will start class next Monday. I'm very excited and very nervous, but this feels...right.

I've also been thinking a lot about some of my other interests. Specifically, history. I love history. It's always been my favorite subject. If one of my professors hadn't lost one of my term papers, blamed me, and failed me for it, I would have had a second minor in history. Ancient history, specifically learning the truths that legends are based on, is my favorite, but really, anything is fair game. To me, history is very easy. It's just stories. True stories, but stories, and everyone in every time in every place has one. It's fascinating. I think this is also the basis for my interest in the paranormal as well - what is a ghost story if not a part of history? If I could do anything I wanted right now, given unlimited time and resources, I'd go to school for archaeology and continue working in theater while I was in school. I'm seriously considering looking around for such opportunities. I think one thing I can do right now in my downtime is start doing some local research. What stories are here where I live now? How old is this town? What about my hometown (probably where I'll actually start)? Who lies in these cemetaries? What stories did they have? With this in mind, 2007 is also going to be my year of historical facts. I'm going to put together another blog/site to try to get my historical interests organized. Big job, and who knows if I will actually be able to do it and keep up with it and even stay interested for a whole year, but it also feels...right.