PROMISES Message

Dare to wink at someone driving past today. Listen to your heart beat fearless and love completely. Make your eyes dance. Be twinkle.

BAM!

Literally just finished a gauntlet with some of the yarn left over from my sock/tabi project the other day. Virb, you totally got this one.

US#7dpn, 1 skein Lion Wool
CO 36 and join
K1P1 rib for 10 rows
6 rows stock st
knit loose piece of yarn onto 6 st
continue stock st in round for 30 more rows
K1P1 rib for 10 rows
BO
[thumb]
remove loose yarn
pick up 14 st and join
knit 3 rows stock st
knit 5 rows P1K1 rib
BO
sew in loose yarn

Knit Now, Suicide Later

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time sitting around wondering what I'm should do with myself. You know, occupationally. I could work at Giant, be a nanny, or go back to Japan and write a book, but the fact of the matter is, I'd much rather sit on my butt all day reading newspapers and knitting. This doesn't really get you out of the house much though. I'm reminded of a saying a resident hottie in my freshman dorm (Yeah, I'm talking to you Dave) loved to recite, "You can sleep when your dead." Ah, puppy love. Anyways, so now I'm telling myself I can knit when I'm old and house-bound, but who's to say that when I'm up there in years I wont have crippling arthritis of the hands? What if I can't knit anymore!? Oh, the wasted years! I think I might just be forced to stab myself with my useless knitting needles.

Conclusion:
You can sleep when you're dead, but you can't knit when you're arthritic. Knit now, suicide later.

On a side note, facebook.com says I'm more desired than 50% of all people. Now, if you take into account that about 51% of all people are actually women, then you could say I'm one of the most desired women in the world (right next to the lesbian-inducing Nicole Kidman). So then why don't I have a date for the b-day? Easy, the ugos are keeping me down.

American Tabi

[For those without knitting skilz, this may get boring/technical. For those with knitting skilz, the pattern is still probably going to be confusing. Virb, if you want to make them let me know and I'll send you a step-by-step.]

I finished my first pair of socks this week. I wanted something I could wear around the house since it's always a bit on the cold side what with the wind around here and trying to conserve heat. I also wanted something that would allow me to slip on my flip flops for quick runs to the store. Plus, I got a great pair of hiking boots last month and I only have one comfortable pair of hiking socks. I finally decided on a high ankle wool sock with a split between the big toe and the little toes.

I bought two skeins of Lion Wool from Wally World. Here is the pattern I came up with on US#7 dpns:


[ankle]
CO 40 sts and join
work 10 rows in K1P1 rib
work 10 rows in stock st
[heel]
put front 20 st on holder
work other 20 st in stock st for 15 rows (for heel flap)
K13, turn, sl1, K7, turn, sl1
K8, turn, sl1, K8, turn, sl1
K9, turn, sl1, K9, turn, sl1
K10, turn, sl1, K10, turn, sl1
K11, turn, sl1, K11, turn, sl1
K12, turn, sl1, K12, turn, sl1
K13, turn, sl1, K13, turn, sl1
K14, turn, sl1, K14, turn, sl1
K15, turn, sl1, K15, turn, sl1
K16, turn, sl1, K16, turn, sl1
K17, turn, sl1, K17, turn, sl1
K18, turn, sl1, K18, turn, sl1
K19, turn, sl1, K19
pick up 12 st on each side of heel flap
K from all needles (64 sts total)
K11, dec1, K18, dec1, K31
cont. decreasing at top on heel flap until 40 sts remain

[foote]
K40 in stock st 25 rows
[toes]
next row, K35 then knit CO 6 and join 10st after CO start to create big toe (16 st around)
work big toe in stock st for 9 rows
row 10 - dec every 4 st
row 11 - dec 4 times evenly and BO
pick up 6 st along big toe knit CO
K36 around toes
dec 2 at pinkie toe every other row 4 times
dec 2 at pinkie toe and 2 at big toe once
K last row then use 3 needle BO
fin.

(Note about photos, in the first photo, the little hole between the big toe and the rest is just a loose strand I haven't sewn in yet and in the second one you can see my mom's sweater vest project lying on the floor... waiting for her to send me the rest of the yarn... so close to finished... SEND ME THAT BLEEPING YARN!!!)

Gotta Stay Stateside - My Show's On!

As many of you know (I'm looking at you, TallE), I'm currently adrift in the seas of minimum skills, minimum wages, and minimum hours at my local Giant grocery's deli department. It's not bad work. It's not great either. Many are asking, "Genny with a 'g', you are a reasonably intelligent person with two degrees out of college. Why don't you get a real job?" Firstly, I kind of like the minimalist feeling of Giant. Secondly, have you ever noticed how unpretentious normal people are? It's great. At work, people talk about things like what day cares are good around here and when their trucker boyfriend is coming back into town. I really kind of like it. Especially since I don't want to leave the US.

I don't want to leave the US because my show comes on over here. It's called Paradise Hotel 2 and until I can watch that quality programming online, I'm staying stateside. If you're going to watch reality television, you can't go wrong with a show based on who hooks up with who and who back stabs who. For example, during last weeks episode, Charte (the ultimate instigator) totally got turned on by the entire group and kicked off. Meanwhile, Krista (the virgin) is still totally insecure about herself and Raheim's aggressive mood swings are getting rediculous. Alright, I'll stop there. I know there are only about 30 other people that watch the show. I hate how stupid the show is, but I love how stupid the people can be. All the "sharing is caring"? Well, that just reminds me of Dawson's Creek and a whole generation was hooked on that one.

New Freedom

Sorry it's been so long.

I quit my job at Fossil Rim (sorry Rob, but no rhino scratching videos). I moved from Glen Rose, Texas to New Freedom, Pennsylvania stopping to see Charlie in Wilmington, North Carolina along the way. I now have a room in Caley&Justin's new home in New Freedom.

As I explore my options for a new job, I've got a part time gig in the deli department at Giant's grocery store. I know what you're thinking, but I really enjoy the work. My co-workers are all nice enough and the work is enough to keep me occupied. I'm I looking for a management position? Nah, I'll let someone else take care of that responsibility. This way, I get to learn everything I never thought I wanted to know about my deli meats, cheeses, and store-made salads and slaws.

(Note to knitters: I'm almost done with my mom's sweater vest. Expect pics some time in April.)