King of Anything

I have been having a lot of fun with a photo app lately. It is making me wonder if there's a pin-hole camera app out there yet.



I've also been trying to run again. Motivation is difficult to come by, after a day at the barn. But I've been borrowing my neighbor's dog and my best friend's husband and between the two, I manage to get out at least twice a week, if not three times. I hate running during a run, but I love it afterwards. My shins continue to hate me afterwards, but I think they'll eventually shut up.



I've been knitting more. It is weird to realize that I keep thinking I need to watch more tv, but that means more knitting time. I left the tv on the other night when I went to do night check and when I came back inside and open the door, I froze for a second at the sound of voices upstairs.



Rumor has it that we're in spring. I'm not convinced, given the number of days I've spent cold. But things are blooming and the world looks pretty again. Plus, it keeps raining rather than snowing, so there's that.

Random thought: how many people actually scrub their ears when they bathe? I remember reading about mothers nagging their children to scrub their ears (and behind their ears) when they took their weekly bath... but I don't know if I have ever actually scrubbed behind my ears.

I'll have to start doing so lest I feel dirty.

We Are Nowhere and It's Now*

Huh.  Imagine that.  Dead silence for a few months.  Like that's never happened around here before.

The universe has a cruel sense of humor and timing.  But hey, new friends are always a good thing ... and new friends who give excellent hugs are even better.

At the Getty, in LA. Drinking wine and enjoying awesome weather and better company.

I finally got new sneakers.

I've been running 3-4 days a week.  Up to about 2.5 miles.  I really love it.  I'm hoping to continue this in PA, and have scouted out a few running groups, races, and trails.

While Mom was out here, we went to a local cemetery.  There were some beautiful old stones.

I move back to PA on August 11th.  That is very soon.

I don't want to leave IL, but I also do not want to not be in PA.  Why hasn't a personal tele-porter been invented  yet?

 The Getty has some beautiful grounds; I enjoyed them more than the art inside.

I am getting really excited for the coming football season.  I might even drive back out to IL for the PSU/UIUC game.

Yes, I am insane.

 CPaAG has some of the nicest, most caring, and thoughtful people around. RAWR!

The idea of being done with school at least for a few years is finally starting to sink in.  What is life like without homework?  Or papers?  And with free time to read for pleasure?

However, with two part time jobs and a volunteer position at the Holocaust Museum in Philly, I might not have that much free time.

 I don't think I spent nearly enough time in Chicago.  Guess I'll have to come back.

Summer went by very, very fast.  Almost too fast?  At least, these last few weeks have been too fast.

I went to Chicago, I went to LA.  Lei came to visit, Phil came to visit.  Mom came to visit.  I spent very few weekends at home.

Rusty colicked and had to be put down on Thursday, May 28th, 2009.  He was 33.

I did get to say goodbye to the old man.

*Bright Eyes

Orts and Bits

Really, do I ever write anything that is not some sort of random collection of the things floating around in my head? Finished Object posts, you say? Those don't happen all that often anymore, so I'm going to say "not really."

That said, on to the random collection of stuff that is floating around my head:

Sleep: I have gone to bed after 6:30am more times this semester than I have before midnight. This is not cool. This needs to change. (I do not see how this could change in oh, a month and a half.) If I am not asleep by 1:30am, I am considering just not sleeping tonight. I woke up around 2pm, so really, it would only be at the start of a three hour class that I would be awake for over 24 hours - that's totally doable. And then I can nap for an hour on the way to a rock climbing field trip and then climb for three hours. I SEE NO FLAWS WITH THIS PLAN.

School: Ugh. Do not care. I graduate in a month and a half. GRADUATE. They'll give me pieces of paper that make it official and everything! (Fools.) However, there are some ... 55 pages that need to be written between now and then. GAH. On one hand, I want to graduate and not thing about papers or anything, on the other hand? Graduate? Only real people, ready to face the real world graduate. Also, those people have learned something in the last four years or so. Have I learned anything? I do not know.

Ballet: Was awesome. I probably would have gone to that show even if I weren't taking a class that required me to do so. TheUrmily, however, ditched me in favor of BATTLESTAR GALATICA. There is nothing more that I can say here, other than to also mention that she canceled Thursday plans for Mad Mex because it was raining. Just .. fail.

Apartment: In theory, they have mailed the lease to me. I have not yet had it show up in my mailbox, but they most certainly went ahead and cashed the check I sent them. However, we suddenly have a new problem: Any assistantship I might get would start on August 16 - the lease starts August 18th. Tomorrow, I shall beg them to let me move in three days early. They keep claiming that they'll have plenty of time to clean and paint and remodel between July and August 18th, so what would three days be, now really?

Running: After trying to be nice and offer someone an onion ring, I have been roped into a weight loss challenge. Apparently, the goal is to lose 9lbs by the end of April. That's about 21lbs a week, which I think is pushing it a bit. I think I have talked the rules committee into accepting a weight loss goal of 7lbs for me, which I fee is much more reasonable and also, healthy. But, if by the end of the month, you have not met your goal of 9lbs, you owe $5 per pound remaining. Those who do make their goal get to split the pot. (Also, I find it interesting that a) I am the only female involved and b) this is a challenge set up to work best if some fail and some don't fail. We don't like it when everyone succeeds, it would seem.) So far, I have no idea how this is going, as I have eaten chocolate in some form or another every single day. And on Monday I had a milkshake.

However, in hopes to not owe $45 at the end of the month, I have started the Couch to 5K program.  Someone else has already done all the thinking, I just have to follow instructions.  To help me do so, I purchased an Eddie Izzard show in CD and have been running to that.  I will admit, it is somewhat difficult to run when you are laughing, but it is much more fun.  Also, you get great looks as you jog along, giggling merrily to yourself.  As you pass all the frat houses.  Ah, college towns.

Knitting:  Oh, right - the theoretical point of this blog.  I stopped by the yarn store the other day to purchase what I THINK are the correct size needles for the ill-fated Eagle's Flight Socks.  Only, they didn't have them.  No, seriously- they did not have them.  WTF, world?  Apparently, US2, 2.75mm, have been on backorder for some time.

So I came home and very carefully redisprited the tail I had left myself during my cast on.  And now, I can wear the sock without cutting off circulation to that foot.  I am still debating if I want to rip out the toe and reknit a slightly longer toe, so that the foot will be the correct length.  I think I will end up doing so, I just can't face the idea of messing with that sock anymore.

I am also currently turning the heel of the second KnitPicks sock that I am knitting for Klunk- that one should be done in a week or two, and then I get to play a new pair of socks!  I am excited.

Time to wrte another to-do list.  I write a mean list - pity I rarely manage to cross anything off.  And I can't even add things like "eat chocolate" to my list anymore.