So busy and yet so not busy!
I've finished my final formal training class at work and am now in OJT. The crew job I got ultimately put into isn't what I expected at all, but I don't dislike it. That might just be because I know it's relatively temporary - I got a full-time position with my squadron that starts late October, so my time will be probably 80% doing squadron work and 20% crew work. It's also kind of interesting, because instead of doing a lot of orbital analysis and actual tracking of things, I do more statistical data and sensor analysis to make sure that the people who do do the orbital analyses are gettng the best data they can get. So I have to be able to understand not just the orbital data that they use and why/how they use it, but also the capabilities of all of the sensors we use to get that data AND a decent amount of the programming code that is used to process it. So space geek stuff, computer geek stuff, and management geek stuff.
In knitting, I have another pair of socks on the needles (Leyburns in my beloved Mountain Colors Bearfoot), and the OpArt baby blanket has been resurrected. My friend Sarah (a die-hard Sharks fan, along with her SO) informed us this week that she is expecting a little one, so I have ripped it back a bit and re-started it with some teal and possibly a thin strip of dark yellow in addition to the black and white. I think it looks pretty awesome so far, and there is a good feeling about the blanket again. I'm really happy about it!
Oh, and not only did I score a rockin ticket for the November Kings/Blackhawks game down in LA, but I have been able to save up enough for a quick weekend trip to Chicago next month and tickets to a Blackhawks game at the United Center with my family!!!! I'm so stoked to be able to a.) experience a home game in Chicago and b.) get to go to a hockey game with my family! Now I just have to decide which jersey to wear! (Sharp's has the best record so far, but it also has the most experience.) I've been coerced into thinking that the Kings might be my team when they aren't playing the Blackhawks - I went down for a practice the weekend before last and really enjoyed it. You don't realize how LOUD hockey is, even without a crowd cheering during a game. Ice skating is loud, the stick hitting the puck is loud, the puck hitting the boards is loud, the players hitting the boards (or ice, or other players) is loud. It's crazy, and I love it!
Speaking of loving things and good times, there were two launches on base last week, last weekend I got to hang out with John and the girls at their new place in Burbank, and tomorrow Chrissy and I are hitting up the farmers' market in SLO! I've been busy in the evenings and it's been hard to make it to classes at the dojahng. It's much more convenient to work out on base - either running the trails, the tracks, the streets, or the treadmill or using the weight equipment at the gym - and it's free. Breaking in new running shoes, too, because the time off from running this summer has killed my run time and I'm vain enough to want to not be the worst PTer in the squadron.
Taking tonight off to watch Ghost Hunters, knit a bit, and pick up the place so Chrissy doesn't have a heart attack when she comes over tomorrow. I have a rental car right now (finally getting those awful scratches fixed up on my baby! She has almost 80k miles already! ) and have come to the conclusion that I will never own a Honda Civic. Pretty blue color, but uncomfortable car! =P
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Drive-By Posting
I actually do have things to share, like pics that made my friend Cy and I feel like we were all high-class hoitytoity when he came to visit last weekend, and three (three!) current knitting projects (none of which I have any idea what I'm going to do with), but I haven't been feeling well all weekend and so I'm just going to post pics instead.
A baby blanket I started for a dear friend who has since miscarried =( I can't bear to frog it, so I keep working on it in spurts, but I have no idea what to do with it now. I thought about maybe giving it to Sir and Mrs S when their new little one is born sometime this month, but that seems kind of crass and bad juju-ish to me. On the fence about it, but it is fabulous "I don't feel good and just want to curl up in bed with a book or a movie" mindless weekend knitting. Pattern = OpArt Yarn = Caron Simply Soft in Black and White.
You've seen this before, but this is a much better pic of my A New Angle. I've decided not to put borders on it, because I like the edges as they are. One of the joys of Ravelry is that the designer actually saw it and wondered what I had done differently that "the holes look so deep you could fall into them!" The only thing we could come up with was the color scheme. No matter, I love it!
Pattern: A New Angle Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable in Amethyst, Lavender, and True Grey.
The spoils of my playoff pool: Blackhawks colored yarn from Draygone Yarns! (Our very own Puck This raveler! Who did a lovely job on lovely yarn, even if she is a Canucks fan ;-) ) Just basic socks, new mindless knitting during class breaks/study time project. Stripes always make socks go faster, I think! Again, I don't really wear socks all that much (although I have been lately), so we'll see if I keep them or give them away.
Final current knitting project is pic-less for the moment, because I can't get the lighting right. And, to be fair, there isn't much of it right now, anyway. I'm finally putting my skein of yummy Claudia Handpainted Silk laceweight to good use as an Adamas Shawl. I got about ten rows into it, didn't like the fabric, and frogged it. I started it again tonight on smaller needles and I'm liking that a lot better - already through the first chart! Again, though, I have no idea what I'm going to do with it - I don't wear shawls myself (and if I did, I don't have anything that would go with this, sadly), and I don't know anyone who does. I'm such a process knitter. I'll keep working on it and decide what to do with it when it's done!
On a non-knitting note, my friend Cy came out to visit the weekend before Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, work did not cooperate like it had promised it would, but we still managed to get some Central Coast tourism in.
While there are lots of really good vineyards around here, I will once again recommend Tolosa Winery up by SLO. They do have daily tastings, but on Saturdays and Sundays they also offer wine & cheese pairings. It's a bit pricier than a regular tasting ($20/person), but you get to hang out back in their Heritage Room (which has a fantastic view), get to taste really yummy wines and (surprisingly yummy, because I'm not generally a cheese person) different cheeses with them, and in general get treated like you're the most important person who has ever crossed their threshold for an hour or so. (Hint: Do NOT do this on an empty stomach, or you might have to sit for a bit longer than an hour or so if driving - they pour with a bit of a heavier hand for these!)
We also hit up Pismo Beach and the pier there, as well as splurging for pizza and beer at Klondikes Saturday after I (finally) got off work. After Pismo, we came back to the apartment, watched a bit of football, and then headed down to LAX so Cy could get his flight back to Kentucky. I was actually granted the next day off work, so I still got in a bit of a weekend, albeit not much. Started a new class last Tuesday, and have been busy with that, my current ERAU class, and my CDCs (um, how to explain? AFSC-specific lessons the AF thinks you need to learn - on your own time, of course - before they will promote you to a new skill level) ever since.
The ankle is still giving me fits on occasion, and I spent this past weekend borderline nauseous and headachy, which didn't help things at all. I did run a bit yesterday, though, and hope to get out again tomorrow - I'm limited to three workouts per week right now, so that plus squadron PT on Thursday should do it for the week. I would rather go to class, but I am very very much out of running shape, and, sadly, squadron PT tests take precedence over black belt tests. I might still go to tkd tomorrow night if the running workout is short and doesn't irritate anything. We'll see.
A baby blanket I started for a dear friend who has since miscarried =( I can't bear to frog it, so I keep working on it in spurts, but I have no idea what to do with it now. I thought about maybe giving it to Sir and Mrs S when their new little one is born sometime this month, but that seems kind of crass and bad juju-ish to me. On the fence about it, but it is fabulous "I don't feel good and just want to curl up in bed with a book or a movie" mindless weekend knitting. Pattern = OpArt Yarn = Caron Simply Soft in Black and White.
You've seen this before, but this is a much better pic of my A New Angle. I've decided not to put borders on it, because I like the edges as they are. One of the joys of Ravelry is that the designer actually saw it and wondered what I had done differently that "the holes look so deep you could fall into them!" The only thing we could come up with was the color scheme. No matter, I love it!Pattern: A New Angle Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable in Amethyst, Lavender, and True Grey.
The spoils of my playoff pool: Blackhawks colored yarn from Draygone Yarns! (Our very own Puck This raveler! Who did a lovely job on lovely yarn, even if she is a Canucks fan ;-) ) Just basic socks, new mindless knitting during class breaks/study time project. Stripes always make socks go faster, I think! Again, I don't really wear socks all that much (although I have been lately), so we'll see if I keep them or give them away.Final current knitting project is pic-less for the moment, because I can't get the lighting right. And, to be fair, there isn't much of it right now, anyway. I'm finally putting my skein of yummy Claudia Handpainted Silk laceweight to good use as an Adamas Shawl. I got about ten rows into it, didn't like the fabric, and frogged it. I started it again tonight on smaller needles and I'm liking that a lot better - already through the first chart! Again, though, I have no idea what I'm going to do with it - I don't wear shawls myself (and if I did, I don't have anything that would go with this, sadly), and I don't know anyone who does. I'm such a process knitter. I'll keep working on it and decide what to do with it when it's done!
On a non-knitting note, my friend Cy came out to visit the weekend before Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, work did not cooperate like it had promised it would, but we still managed to get some Central Coast tourism in.
While there are lots of really good vineyards around here, I will once again recommend Tolosa Winery up by SLO. They do have daily tastings, but on Saturdays and Sundays they also offer wine & cheese pairings. It's a bit pricier than a regular tasting ($20/person), but you get to hang out back in their Heritage Room (which has a fantastic view), get to taste really yummy wines and (surprisingly yummy, because I'm not generally a cheese person) different cheeses with them, and in general get treated like you're the most important person who has ever crossed their threshold for an hour or so. (Hint: Do NOT do this on an empty stomach, or you might have to sit for a bit longer than an hour or so if driving - they pour with a bit of a heavier hand for these!)We also hit up Pismo Beach and the pier there, as well as splurging for pizza and beer at Klondikes Saturday after I (finally) got off work. After Pismo, we came back to the apartment, watched a bit of football, and then headed down to LAX so Cy could get his flight back to Kentucky. I was actually granted the next day off work, so I still got in a bit of a weekend, albeit not much. Started a new class last Tuesday, and have been busy with that, my current ERAU class, and my CDCs (um, how to explain? AFSC-specific lessons the AF thinks you need to learn - on your own time, of course - before they will promote you to a new skill level) ever since.
The ankle is still giving me fits on occasion, and I spent this past weekend borderline nauseous and headachy, which didn't help things at all. I did run a bit yesterday, though, and hope to get out again tomorrow - I'm limited to three workouts per week right now, so that plus squadron PT on Thursday should do it for the week. I would rather go to class, but I am very very much out of running shape, and, sadly, squadron PT tests take precedence over black belt tests. I might still go to tkd tomorrow night if the running workout is short and doesn't irritate anything. We'll see.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Maybe Katie
One of my favorite songs. Not just because it's my name and one of my favorite silly bands, but it's so darn catchy!
-"Maybe Katie", Barenaked Ladies
-"Maybe Katie", Barenaked Ladies
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