I have a living room again!

It's all so exciting. It's amazing what picking up 14 pillows and vacuuming will do to a room. There was more to it than that but not much more. I moved Spike's yoga mat and found three kitty treats which excited him just as much as when he realized I had moved his mat which makes it new and exciting again. He hasn't gotten off it since.
Spike wonders why I am not giving him treats right now.

So I've been working a lot at the coffee shop and working out like a demon. I really like yoga. And I think I might be able to keep this up. I enjoy the classes more and more and actually kinda missed the gym today. I just feel like my body is more relaxed and can move easier. I've known for a long time that I needed to do something but just couldn't get started. And while yoga is so hard and sometimes you think you will die if the instructor says to hold the pose for two more breathes it's also just so awesome sometimes. The stretches and twists are very... I'm looking for a word that relates to being able to breathe that would apply to the previous statement... I dunno. I lost my vocabulary in July. But whatever that word is, that is yoga to me.

I went hiking. This is the bridge that I started to cry on and freaked out and my friends had to lead me across. Those are them waaaay ahead of me. I took the photo to convince myself I was fine. Then I stopped breathing. Why do I go across suspension bridges?

I took lots of pictures. Pretty rivers (I do fine on other bridges... it's those bloody suspension bridges) and pretty rocks. Than I had to go downhill and found out my shoes did not grip and that sucked. I fell right at the end and ended up tearing some muscle filaments in my left foot. Stupid shoes.


Meg came back from sock summit with my yarn. She keeps on insisting it's hers but I'm like... 'it loves ME!!!'



That's true love if I've ever seen it (thanks Janelle for the photo). I also like how Meg is in the background here~ completely unaware that in an hour I will sneak that yarn out of her bag and contemplate leaving the cafe with it since she *so* did not see me take it. I hit her with it instead (thanks Janelle for the suggestion).

This was also the night I spent 90 minutes doing the kitchener stitch for my cardigan. I've always enjoyed kitchener stitch but now I need to clarify. I enjoy kitchener stitch for socks. A looser large gauge over 70 stitches? Hell. My cardigan has hit a few bumps. The darts are too far down to be effective so as Rachel noted~ they look like boobs (or sassy eggs). So I'm going to pull them into this little pocket detail in the back which has some people concerned but don't worry! I'm pretty sure I think I know what I'm doing! Here's some progress photos. Still need to block it again and do some more fiddling.

My tool kit for this cardigan. See the post its with the sheep clips? That's my pattern.

post-kitchener hell

A clip I'm thinking about for the back.

The seed stitch border was stupidly difficult and un-neccessarily hard but I like it.


And I decided to name it by random wiki article and it (I am DEAD serious here) came up with Jan Baas. I know. So what do you think? Can I call it the J. Baas cardigan?

Do I win prizes for the most random blog entries?

Ugh

let's pretend yesterday's blog entry never happened okay? My original idea was to put nothing in the title and then just write 'brain melting' and leave it at that which I didn't think would be appropriate but now I'm thinking it would have been better than the massive quiz entry. I may modify it because it's showing up wonky on my computer.

Today is a review of the Duffy concert I went to with Sheena (Hi Sheena!) on Oct 16 at the Orpheum. It was really good and we had an awesome time~ I LOVE the orpheum. (More about Duffy here). It was interesting because she's still a new singer and so her band, while awesome, wasn't strong enough- and she didn't have any real back up singer so songs like Mercy, which is one of my favorites on her album, fell kinda short comparatively speaking- but songs she did mostly solo, like Syrup and Honey (my absolute favorite hands down), ROCKED! She's a very old-school performer, made me think of Patsy Cline, and was very personable with the crowd. This new video really shows off how she performs- down to the pointing, poising, and clapping (minus the guys doing back flips) but the shoes with the killer heels and the outfit were very similar too.

It was great and I was so happy to be going out and doing stuff!

I have lots to write about for you (knitting workshops, birthday parties, Kung Fu Panda) and hopefully I won't be so zombie. I love Jolene, I really do, but that girl has way too much energy and I still had to work nearly every day she was here (coffee shop) AND my feet were wet all weekend. I'm thinking of not really getting out of bed tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes.

Besides not breathing I was fine!

The first part of the bridge (remember?) took my breath away but I crossed anyways. I was pretty teary by the other side and was non-verbal~ poor Jolene had to guide me over. I mean, we had already paid and I had committed myself so I just kept walking despite the insane fear- the heart-pounding-in-my-throat-I'm-going-to-vomit kinda fear. I think I was ill-prepared for just how much I was going to freak out. It's not fun. So not fun. I was much better going back though, still didn't enjoy myself but I talked to Jolene and even took a photo (turned out blurry). But yeah- here's the bridge from the far side. It was a very rainy, foggy day but we had a really nice time. We got there early and avoided all the tours.
Here's the river we crossed over the bridge. The fog was okay when we were there but when we left we noticed it had gotten really foggy- couldn't see the mountains or anything.
On the far side we did the treewalker tour which was something that I think normally would have scared me but after the bridge it was fine. It was fun actually. I liked that the walkways were narrower so that I felt more enclosed and safe while up high.
Between Jolene and I, I think we took a hundred photos (mostly of leaves and trees- imagine that) (oh, and today at Van Dusen Gardens we took about another hundred photos of, well, leaves and trees).

But I'm so so tired. We left at 9am Friday morning and I didn't return till about 2:30 am on Saturday (I was an awful mixture of dirt-ass tired and drunk). I had to work today for four hours and then we went to the Gardens and then on the bus home I almost died. It was all I could do to get in the apartment and crawl into bed. Jolene is one of those awesome house guests- the ones that cook awesome stirfry and then clean the kitchen. I want to marry that one. Then we got bubble tea and rented Kung-Fu Panda~ awesomeness. We were suppose to go out tonight to some clubs but since I'm vacant girl we decided to stay in. So far we have crammed so much into her visit- fun fun house party, Japadog (I didn't know they had a website!), went on the seabus, visited North Van, I taught her to knit in a coffee shop (not starbucks), bubble tea, Kadoya sushi, VAG, downtown...

God I'm tired.

I have a big photo blog I want to do with all the photos I've taken (seriously- trees and leaves) but maybe later. I'm going to go to bed.

Good night!

Just dip me in chocolate

cause really? Unless you do that life ain't going to get any sweeter. Why am I pimp talking? Well, it's because I'm finally in my career, a career I love and am deeply committed to and believe in fiercely, and yeah- also got a gig on the side you know. Knitting. For money. That's right bitches! I'm getting PAID to KNIT! (Mom- when I said bitches I wasn't referring to you, just need to clarify) I'm working for a lovely young lady who has created a business out of handknitting which makes me so happy! She pays totally fair and charges fair too which makes me happy as well. None of this undercutting crap when it comes to handmade things.

And you know on the same rant; I'm enjoying TOCing (teacher on call). Today was my first 'rough' day where there was no lesson plans or structure but I survived and all is well. The rest of the time I'm really enjoying getting to go in and see how teachers set up their classroom and their different methods of teaching and I am really enjoying getting to meet all these delightful children with just awesome personalities. I am getting to rock the transit and getting to see parts of Vancouver previously unknown to me. It's also getting me really excited about teaching on one hand; where I see all this potential and get really excited about what my classroom will be like and all, but on the other hand it's also really nice to be a TOC. I come home and I'm just, you know- home. I'm getting to see people, go out, it's all good.

On that note, I've spent a LOT of money this month. Um... there was that new computer I bought (ooohhhh.... so pretty!), and of course the accompanying Sims2 games to go with it (why else would you ever buy a new computer if not to play Sims on it?), some really really really fancy undergarments because I deserve it (and I've got these massive bewbs), some work appropriate clothing and preeeeetty jackets (oh so pretty), and some shoes to work in that are nice but not heels. I became a little concerned last week that I was going to turn into a materialistic obsessive shopper. I think it was just the high that came from, well, actually shopping for once. It's funny because I've spent money on these big ticket items but I've been so good on my ususal suspects, like yarn, books, and sushi. I've gotten none yet this month! Crazy I know. But yeah, I think it's just something that I am freaking out about because I've never had an income before, but it's also something that is good to be aware of. Rant over.

I haven't downloaded photos on my new computer yet. I'm scared. I want to keep it pristine and wuvly. My photos were a MESS on my old computer and I don't want to do that again. I'm already very careful about having the right folders and labeling stuff. Anyhoo- basically telling you that to say there are no new photos on this post, but there is a photo of the most precious ever...

Goodnight Malcolm, I love you.

Anthony and Stanton are the SAME PERSON!!!

I keep on mixing up Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony, but Anthony wrote the excellent speech after being arrested for illegal voting (I'm pretty sure the word 'excellent' isn't in the original title but it should be) and Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiment which is equally excellent. See, isn't your life clearer now? In other news, I really shouldn't blog when I've been studying because I have a hard time thinking outside of the studying subject matter.

Still knitting the pink and blue socks (still on the first one-sigh) but I just did the increases for the calf then found out that I didn't need to do them just yet but I'm not froggin and still working on the Sari Silk shawl, I need more stitch markers.

Spike blogged and yes, I am the human under the pile of kittens on that photo.

I'm so glad Jenn is home. It makes more happier kittens and better food (me on my own= frozen veggies and fish every. single. meal.). I'm going to make an excellent mother, I figure that my kids will be excellent chefs by the age of seven by default. And of course, because I love Jenn. I mean, it's so much more fun to make fun of other people when Jenn's here cause she's totally there with me.

Here's my bleeding-angst-photo-artist shot of my hand dyed sock yarn.

Happy International Women's Day

Shouldn't every woman be allowed to sleep in on this day and get free foot massages? Cause, I'd kill for one right now. Seriously though folks, calm down in the back, I'm just going to take a minute and reflect on what this day means to me. I am so insanely fortunate to be surrounded by all the wonderful women in my life. My Mom, who, I mean, is so amazing, I really don't know who I'd be without her because she has helped me realize so much of myself and my abilities. My Grandmothers, Shirley and Hazel, who have these amazing dry wits and calculating humour that makes me want to grow up so I can be like them. My sisters, Julia and Jennifer, who are the yin and yang in my life and who I need more than anybody else in my life. My Aunt Shirley, who makes everyone happy and is the ultimate artist. My cousins, Lisa, Jessica, and Susan, who are those women that no matter the distance or the time I know I can always rely on. My friends who I've carried with me for so long, Jodi, Sheena, Kayla, & Adrienne, all amazing women who I am so proud of and it makes me estastic to be around. And well, me too, cause I rock. And I'd like to thank the academy... oh wait, that's for my leading role as Angelina Jolie's lover in the forthcoming 'Angie Loves Leone'. God I really hope I didn't forget anyone. Thanks to all the amazing women bloggers, and the amazing women Bears for all the cuddles! Love love!