a triple win - you, me, and those in need

Around the holidays each year, my thoughts turn to charitable giving. I am blessed to live a comfortable life, and I am grateful that I have enough discretionary income to knit, spin, take photos, and travel to see my fiber friends. Yet I know that there are many who struggle to afford even the basic needs of life.

This year, with especially difficult economic circumstances, food banks are anticipating greater demand for their services this winter. In lieu of exchanging Christmas gifts, my extended family is donating cash to a food bank instead.

I thought this would also be a good opportunity to do some destashing. I've gone through my stash to see what I can part with, and I will donate 50% of the asking price to a food bank.

This is a triple win!

• A win for you, because you get some new yarn but know that half of that price will go to feed the hungry.
• A win for me, because I get to clear out my stash and make a bigger charitable donation this year.
• A win for the food banks, because cash is the most valuable donation they can receive. With cash, they can buy food at wholesale prices. Not only can they get more "bang for the buck" at wholesale prices, but they can also buy items that they need the most.
  

Take a look at what I’ve got for sale in my stash for sale page on Ravelry, and remember that half of that price will go directly to a food bank to help the hungry during the holiday season!

Lots of good stuff is there ...


And more!

PM/email for more info or shipping prices. Thanks for looking!

rockin' the vote

I voted today, and I hope you did too. I won't say much, because Carolyn and Carole said it better than I could.

At 7:15 this morning, we waited in traffic that stretched for nearly a mile. (8/10 to be exact).

We cast our votes. But stickers were not given out at our polling place. I think I'm the only knitter who didn't get a sticker.

Maybe I should follow Maritza's lead and make my own.

{Oh, breaking news, Obama just projected to take Ohio! Back to CNN ... see you tomorrow, to celebrate, I certainly hope!}

you would think ...

... that with a shiny new camera, I would take more photos of the knitting, yes?

Sadly, no. I've been taking lots of photos of myself, but not so much of the knitting. I've finished a sweater and a pair of socks that you've seen in progress, but no photos. I also whipped up a quick hat for charity and started swatching for a sweater, but no new pictures of these either.

I'll make it my mission to get some decent pics in the next few days, but these dark days are such an obstacle ... (Hey, a photo of me modeling an FO counts as a self-portrait too, right? It's a two-fer!)

What else have I been up to recently?

Well, laundry, for starters ...

And yardwork ...

And a bit of quilting ...

Tonight, I'm off to go knit with friends, and I am SO looking forward to an evening of friends, food, and fiber. Ciao!

help! calling all creative sorts!

Thanks for your comments on yesterday's post about the how and the why of the ways in which we present ourselves online. Elisa put it nicely:

"reading blogs takes time, so there needs to be something compelling in the blog to keep us coming back. People who are real, and who post about their real lives, are much more compelling than those who stick to knitting, only knitting, just the knitting."

So, more on the coaching, sort of ...

This is G. She and I joined the team the same year, G. as a brand-new coach and me as a 10 year old swimmer.

Over the past two decades, G. has become not just my coach, but also a friend, a mentor, a sounding board and confidante, and the dispenser of sage advice and the occasional much-needed kick in the ass.

In one month, she will turn 50. G. is creative, and perhaps even a bit sentimental. She definitely appreciates the time and the thought that go into special gifts and recognitions. When her daughter graduated from high school she commissioned a friend of mine to make this quilt with photos and memories from her daughter's years on our team.


So, I'd like to do something special for her 50th birthday, which happens to coincide with her 20th anniversary of coaching. I'd also like to get our swimmers and other coaches (and perhaps even our alumni swimmers) involved.

• • • HELP! • • •

Here's where I need your help coming up with ideas! I can sew, I can do basic quilting, and I'm fairly handy with paper (I designed and made custom invitations for our wedding!). And of course I can knit and spin.

I would love in some way to incorporate the words of our swimmers, since that's sort of a team tradition. Our athletes are all ages, from elementary school through high school. I was thinking of asking them to respond to one or more of the following prompts:

• why G. is a good coach
• what you have learned from G.
  
• an adjective to describe her, and why
• a memory you have of a team activity that involves her
• something special or unique about G.

I can then work some of those words into whatever I do. I'm leaning towards something quilt-y, but I'm not sure what. Probably not in the team colors, which are bright pink, white, and royal blue -- all of already us have so much in those colors, and they're not really colors that she would choose for her own style.

Oh, one more thing ... our swimmers' suits are all decorated with handsewn sequins, rhinestones, and beads, so a small amount of embellishment like that would make any quilt a "synchro" quilt.

Any ideas? Help me brainstorm in the comments!

P.S. This is me today, at the same age as G. was when I met her. I've learned so much from her in the past twenty years, and I only hope that someday I can return that favor to someone else.

the posts in my head

Last week, Phoe wrote about blogging, as seen through her eyes. Her post, and the comments that followed, made me think.

Bertha asked "Why do I love reading about other people’s lives (good and bad) but assume they’d have zero interest in mine? I don’t know."

And I agree with her. I love reading about other people's lives. I'll admit that part of it is probably just voyeurism. But I also like to read the little vignettes from everyday life. Family, work, health, the occasional forays into politics or religion, and the photos and words about the things we see every day. (Like, who would have thought that a rusty backhoe could be so beautiful?)

Like all bloggers, I compose posts in my head as I go through the day. I rarely sit down and write them, though. While I'm not interested in daily blogging, I do think I may write a bit more in the coming weeks. Maybe. Because I'm noncommittal like that.

***

Tonight is the first practice for the season. As a lot of you know, I coach a synchronized swim team in my hometown. Last week, I realized that this fall marks 20 years of my involvement with the team. I started competing in 5th grade, and started coaching when I was in college. In addition to coaching, I'm also a certified zone judge, and will start working on my national level judge's rating this year.

I love the girls that I coach, and I love the sport. Although it is a second job, and I do get paid, I don't coach for the money. (It's a YMCA team. The pay is not huge!) But I take my commitment to the team very seriously, and spend 10-15 hours a week at the pool, in meetings, or on the phone or email related to coaching.

This year, because it's the right thing for the team, I will be coaching 10-14 year olds. I'm a little bit apprehensive. This age group usually has a lot of *ahem* personality! Let's see how it goes ... I'm sure I'll blog more about it.

overextended

OK, kids, that's your vocabulary word of the week.

Overextended: to impose on someone an excessive burden of work or commitments.

Apparently, I'm not the only one in this boat. I was talking with the Mafia about this yesterday, and Kellee feels kinda the same, I think.

Being overextended has kept me offline more than usual. I miss you guys out there. Hi! {waves!}

Oh, and do you think that the overextendedness has anything to do with the TMJ? (Umm, is the Pope Catholic?) BTW, thanks for the good suggestions about how to deal with this. I'm seeing my awesome chiropractor, which I think will really help. I've also seen a naturopathic doctor, and got some good advice on things I ought to change in my life style for overall healthier living. And, I got a referral to a mind-body program that offers medical symptom reduction classes. I'm actually pretty excited to check this one out. I think some coping strategies would be a good thing, and am 100% behind the idea of the power of the mind-body connection.

Anyways, since I had back-to-back work, appts, and meetings from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. tonight, and have to be at a working breakfast early tomorrow morning, I should go to bed now. (See, overextended!)

this week's edition of ask the internets

Hey, I'm back from vacation. More details to follow -- re-entry is tough. If I owe you an email, I'm getting to it, I promise.

In the meantime, I thought I'd throw out a few questions for the advice of all the wise people out there in online-land.

1) Does anyone know of a good *free or inexpensive* sound editing software that runs on a Mac? I'm mixing music for the kids I coach, and my version of my old software is for a PC. Here's the kicker -- I need to be able to import and manipulate stuff I buy from iTunes, and many programs make that impossible.

2) Any words of advice for treating TMJ pain? I've had a delightful earache for the past three weeks as a result of clenching/grinding my teeth. I think it's a stress response, but I'm very confused about why the pain didn't show up until after grad school - aren't I less stressed now than I was for the previous 15 months?

The site linked above describes me perfectly, including the part about NSAIDs not really working well. Those 800mg tabs of ibuprofin? Nothing useful there. The NP prescribed Percocet, but I haven't filled the script, as Percocet makes me a little loopy. Ahem.

I have a nightguard fitted by the dentist, but it makes the problem worse rather than better. Chiropractic treatment is showing some promise. I'm going to see a naturopathic doctor later this week. I'm leery of acupuncture (fear of needles) but if someone out there tells me that their brother-in-law's accountant's wife was successfully treated this way, I might try that too. Anything else I'm missing?

serious cleaning, and a new sweater

Happy Labor Day weekend! We've been laboring -- we spent 7 hours cleaning the house yesterday. For reference, see Thom's opinion of my housecleaning skills here, near the bottom.

We're still cleaning today ... serious cleaning. I just vacuumed the lint filter in the dryer, and Thom is scrubbing the sump pump as I type. He's afraid that the mold on it is toxic, and has asked me repeatedly if I think it will make him sick. He just came upstairs to ask if I'm blogging about his fear of the mold. (I wasn't, but of course now I am!)

Dude, I don't plan to clean like this again for at least another six months.

Labor Day always feels like the last day of summer to me, regardless of when the season really ends. And once fall rolls around ... it's sweater season!

So, last week, I cast on for a new cardigan. I'm really working to eliminate keep the stash from expanding, and hopefully get it to shrink a bit. You may have forgotten about this, since this was a resolution that I made way back in January 2007. Since then, I've only purchased a few skeins of sock yarn, and yarn to make gifts, which are both allowable exceptions. Somehow, the stash seems even bigger than when I started, though. I guess that's because I've also received yarn as gifts, and in swaps, and when other people have destashed. Oh, and that spinning habit that I picked up seems to add yarn to the stash, and take away from the time needed to knit and eliminate stash!

Anyways, there will be NO yarn purchases for myself (except sock yarn, and I don't need any more of that, since I have enough for 26 pairs in the stash!) until ... umm .... a long time from now! Needless to say, the new sweater comes from the stash.

This is the Apricot Jacket (Rav link), knit in Cotton Ease. $1.39/ball back in 2005. Or 2004? A $10 sweater, woo hoo!

Technically, it's not really the Apricot Jacket. I'm using a yarn at a smaller gauge, and wanted a larger sweater than the pattern was designed for. Basically, I took an Ann Budd cardigan pattern (all hail Ann Budd), tweaked it a bit for my preferences, and threw in the design features from the Apricot Jacket. We'll see how that all works out. So far, so good, though.

Last night, I finished the back, and cast on for the two fronts. We're taking a vacation next week -- spending a week in Maine -- and I hope I can finish this in time to have some FO shots on the beach. Let's see how that works out.

Whoops -- gotta run. Off to a cookout, and then picnic with Thom on the beach. Toxic mold not included :)

if everyone else's husband jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you push yours too?

Pete did it. So did Dale. And Scott.

Obviously, it was Thom's turn.

Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Him: It’s made with love.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
Him: The clutter and the crap.

Me: That's two things. Anyway, what is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
Him: My hat.

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
Him: I don’t know. I don’t think so. Although the trip to get your wheel in NY was expensive. And long.
(Last year we drove from his parents’ house in Western MA to Syracuse in order for me to buy a wheel. In my defense, it was a damn good price, and a lovely scenic drive.)

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
Him: No not really. (Pause.) Picking up after your clutter?

Me: Wait a second, you have a collection of expensive German toys in the other room.

Him: That’s true. I do have a good collection of them. But I don’t know how to make a comparison. What’s the fair market value of your wool?

Me: Moving right along … Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
Him: (Long pause). No, I don’t think so.

Me: You can't remember any times in particular?

Him: No, honestly I don’t. It’s never really bothered me. It’s annoyed me but it hasn’t embarrassed me.

Me: Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?
Him: (Longer pause). Merino?

Me: Good answer!

(Ah, but he wasn’t done answering yet!)

Him: Two-ply … Umm, you really like those sheep from Iceland but I have no idea what they’re fucking called.

Me: So, can you name another blog?

Him: The Femme Nazi?

Me: (Hysterical laugher)

Him: Oh, Knit Mafia ... or something like that. Hey! Are you typing that? Don’t write that -- she’ll be insulted!

(pause)

Wait, Ravelry! I know Ravelry!!

Me: So, do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?

Him: No, not really.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
Him: Yes. You test to make sure that your rows and crap are all lined up and you’re using the right stitch and counts. And then you wrap it around my head to make sure that the texture is correct.
(I believe he is referring to the time when I couldn’t believe that when given an entire yarn store to select from, he asked me to knit a hat made out of Lopi. So I rubbed the swatch on his forehead to make sure it wasn't too itchy. Apparently, this was a traumatic experience.)

Me: Do you read Aswim in Knits?
Him: No. Not in a long time.

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
Him: Yes, when you put that photo up of me burning my pants. Which you’ll probably hyperlink to this fucking thing, right?
(Note: comments lost in an upgrade, but I think he did leave one!)

Me: Damn straight I will! Umm, maybe…

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
Him: No, I think the house would be cleaner if you cleaned.

Me: It’s not so much about the knitting, huh?

Him: No.

Me: Thanks so much for playing along, is there anything you would like to add in closing?
Him: My wife is a wonderful knitter. She gives me street cred when I hang out with my friends in the department of agriculture*. And, let your friends know that I was raised right. I know how to cart wool. Damn, I mean card. Whatever, I did it once at summer camp. Yeah, that’s about it.

* I think he’s referring to the spinning here, and maybe the sheep and wool festivals.

I think I'll keep him.

I want a new camera!

In 10 days, I will be done grad school. I cannot wait!!!

Last night, I hinted to Thom that I would like a new camera as a graduation present. If by hint, you understand this to mean "I told him that I would send him an email with links to the camera he should buy me," then you would be correct.

Right now, I am using a three+ year old Nikon Coolpix E5600 point and shoot camera. I'm ready to play with the big kids, though, and get something with more capability and versatility. I'm thinking a DSLR, or as I still think of them "a big black camera with cool accessories."

So, since you, my fair readers, tend towards the opinionated side (yes, you! ... and you ... you too!), I thought I'd ask what you think of your DSLR camera(s). What camera do you have? What features do you like? What do you find irksome about your model? What do you wish your camera could do that it doesn't do?

I'm not sure exactly what I am looking for in a camera, but here are a few things that I know I want to do with it:

• I want a camera that I can use indoors without a flash.
• When I do use the flash, I want it to recharge quickly. (Right now, it takes my camera 3 seconds to save an image and 5 seconds to recharge the flash, so I miss lots of good photos.)
• I'd like to be able to add a lens that I can use to take decent photos at a distance. Not really far, but maybe 100 meters? (Like, say, taking photos of my swimmers at meets!)
• I want to take candid photos of kids (like this one or this one), so I want to be able to use an auto mode, or have a manual mode that is pretty easy to set up/adjust so that I don't miss the good photos!
  

I'm not afraid to read a manual, or buy a book, or take a class, or ask advice, in order to learn how to get a camera to do what I want it to. That said, I'm not looking to be a super highly technical photographer, so I don't need the fanciest or best possible camera out there.

Really, what do I want to do? I want to learn to take beautiful pictures like Ashley, Maryse, Caro, PumpkinMama, Phoe, Cheryl, Maritza, Adrian, and Tiennie. (And, umm, like lots more of you talented peeps out there. I'd link to all of you, but I do need to return to my paid employment momentarily.) Clearly, these individuals all have an artistic eye, which is the biggest part of their photo-taking ability. But I bet a good camera helps too :)

What cameras should I be looking at? What kind of questions do I need to think about? What features will I want?

Opinions, please. Bring it.
(And, umm, if you have other friends who like to take photos with their DSLRs, send 'em this way to share their thoughts!)

no internet!

What a week. First our shower sprung a leak, and then our internet service went on the fritz. Hopefully it's just a modem problem. Our cable modem from Comcast has a panel of LED lights, including one for the power, and none are lighting up. At lunch today, I went out and exchanged it for a new unit, so hopefully that will solve the problem. If so, I'll post more this weekend. If not, I'll be back next week!

crappers

Remember earlier this week when I had trouble sleeping? Yep, it's happening again. I slept until 11:0o this morning (I took a vacation day) and now I am WIDE awake. I finished watching Season 3 of The Closer but I'm bored with watching tv. I knit for a while, but I'm bored of knitting. The horror! I did homework earlier and I just can't bring myself to read any more about strategic budget planning this evening. So I screwed around online for a while. And I found this, which killed some time. And now I'm back to being bored. Crappers.

the post in which I talk about things for my feet

It's 1:00 in the morning and I can't sleep. This NEVER happens to me. I'm a damn good sleeper. In fact, I slept 9 hours last night, and napped for another hour or two late this afternoon. Oh, maybe that's why I'm awake now....

So, I guess it's a good time to pop by the blog for a visit.

What have I been up to? Let's see, I knit a sock:

(Traveler's Stocking, from Knitting on the Road. Raveled.)

I started the second one, but I have to follow the chart for the top part of the leg, and I have no attention span right now.

So I started more socks, this time with some handspun(!).

I'm up to the heels now, and I'm enjoying them immensely. I love them so much that I don't even mind their fraternal-ness.

Oh, and these have been getting some use:

I've started the Couch to 5K running plan. Weeks 1-3 were ok, but week 4 is kicking my ass. In a good way. I am waaaay out of shape, and it's time to do something about it. I'm aiming to run a 5K around Labor Day, or just before or after. I'd like to lose 30 pounds too, and I'm hoping this will help.

Well, I should probably wander back to bed. See if I can fall asleep, since the alarm will go off in less than 5 hours. Nighty night!

still here, but surprisingly quiet

Test, test ... is this thing still on?

Oh, hi!

Yeah, I'm still here, even if I haven't been saying much. I've been keeping busy with work (new office location!) and school (6 weeks to go before I finish my degree!) and coaching (almost at the end of the season!), like always. I've been remarkably content for the past couple of weeks, and spending time away from the computer. Nothing special going on, just a convergence of lots of little things that have made me happy. And the nice weather never hurts!

Oh, and hey ... I've been spinning!

About 500 yards of heavy laceweight/light fingering weight. Merino/tencel blend. Good spinning, craptacular plying...


Some fluffy targhee on its way to becoming yarn ...

Singles for a 2-ply fingering-to-sport weight.

I need a nap

Every feel mentally exhausted for no particular reason? Yeah, that's me.

Last week, I traveled to Chicago for work. I presented my first-ever talk at a national conference. I was one of 6 speakers on a one-hour panel, so it was hardly earth-shattering, but I was still pretty proud of myself!

Then I had a nice long weekend. My office relocated, so we had Tuesday off, and I took Monday as a vacation day. On Monday, I did some studying, but on Tuesday I just hung out, knit, spun, and watched DVDs. But I'm still tired.

Now I'm back at work. Here are my two favorite views from my new office:

(Out my windows)

(In my fridge)

I'll be back with knitting and spinning updates when I muster up some more energy.

because I obviously need one more thing to do ...

As if blogging, bloglines, flickr, and Ravelry didn't keep me busy enough, I keep getting Facebook invitations from knitters (and others). I suppose it's time to update my profile there, too ...

letting go of the rules

You might have noticed that the last 3 posts were all about my birthday. I still have one more birthday post in my head, but I need to scan a photo first. Over the past week, the chances of me, the scanner, the photo and the laptop all being in the same room at the same time were hovering right between "when pigs fly" and "snowball in hell".

I also have a bazillion other posts in my head, but I have yet to write any of them because, well, I made myself the arbitrary rule that all 4 of my birthday posts needed to occur in sequence with no other posts in between. So, I haven't blogged about anything else because that would be breaking the rules. Dude, it's my own blog, and my own damn rules. Yet, it did not occur to me until a few minutes ago that I could actually break the rules with no negative consequences. Yeah, I'm a bit of an obsessive rule follower. (It has also been pointed out that I am a bit obsessive about, well, pretty much everything.)

Today, I wanted to show you two of my favorite pairs of socks. I love WIP posts, and FO-shows, but sometimes I wonder what happens after the blocking and photography are complete, and the paparazzi go home. So, I bring you two of my favorite pairs of socks in their everyday habitats.

First, my study break socks. I began these towards the end of last semester, and finished them up pretty quickly. The stripes and colors amuse me to no end. But, it's a truly special look when I wear these with my polka-dot pajamas.

(I do believe that I look a bit like Bubbo here.)

I also really like my STR Monkies. I can't take credit for these, as they were a gift from the Mafia. The flash muddied the colors, so you can see a better photo here. They are super snug, which is perfect (I hate saggy socks), and very comfortable and warm.

This might sound gross, but I have to ask this ... when my feet sweat in wool socks, they smell different than in cotton or synthetic socks. But, when I wear my STR socks, they have their own unique smell, different than any other wool socks. Has this happened to anyone else? Or it is another one of those peculiar things that only happens to me?

And, with that lovely thought, I am off to class!

Upon turning 30, part III

Normally, I try hard not to be too materialistic. (A battle I am ever losing, but that's another story for another day.) But, on my birthday, I am all about the gifts!! Today, the fibery gifts.

This year, I've met so many lovely bloggers in person for the first time ever. At Rhinebeck, I got to chat with Kate for a while, and we've exchanged some emails in the months since. We're both knitting from the stash in 2008, and trying to make a dent in the yarn piles. But, since yarn received as a gift is an exception to the stash rules, I can gratefully receive this lovely skein of sock yarn.

This is a new-to-me line of hand-dyed yarns called Dicentra Designs. The colors are gorgeous, and they remind me of Noro Kureyon, colorway 40. (One of my favorite handknits is my Klaralund sweater in color 40. I made this sweater pre-blog, so I'll have to go take a photo of it for Ravelry.) This skein of sock yarn is 476 yards, so it might also be a candidate for a baby sweater. Wouldn't this make a gorgeous BSJ? Thank you, Kate!!

This year, I've also made friends with new bloggers that I have yet to meet in person. Phoe is one of these new friends. Always a generous knitter (she gives away knitted gifts on her blog!), Phoe celebrated HER 30th birthday by giving gifts to others. I was lucky enough to win the turquoise prize, which arrived at the end of last week.

This is a skein of laceweight yarn from Yarn Ahoy. The color, Desert Wind, is a subtle blend of pale turquoise and shades of brown and gold. I'm considering using this to knit the Artemis stole, designed by Alison Green Will. (In case I don't knit that one, Phoe also included a pattern for a lovely triangular shawl.) This skein is somewhat different from my normal knitting color palette, yet I realized that it will match many items in my wardrobe. I love it. Thank you, Phoe!

I have one more post about turning 30 that is rattling around in my head. After that, back to my normal semi-lucid blogging.

Upon turning 30, part II

Last week, I mentioned that Thom got me a new toy for my birthday.

I've never owned an iPod before, so this is all quite new to me. I do listen to podcasts on my laptop, but I don't have a huge list of favorites. And my music collection is, at best, pathetic.

So, enlighten me --

What are your favorite podcasts, knitting or otherwise?

What music should I check out -- new, classic, or inbetween? (My tastes are all over the map, so fire away!)

Upon turning 30, part I

Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes last week. Every time I got a comment, or an email, or a Ravelry message, I smiled and laughed. I feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful, and often irreverent, community.

So, this week, I shall post a bit more about turning 30. It's a big birthday, so let me milk it for a while, okay?

First, I must thank the Mafia, yet again. She was one of the ringleaders of a birthday celebration at work.

She had nothing to do with this lovely carrot cake. I repeatedly demanded expressed my fondness for carrot cake to our office's chief cake orderer several weeks ago. Apparently, I was successful in making my voice heard.

However, the Mafia may have had something to do with this gift ...

Pretty, huh? What was inside?


Apparently, turning 30 makes me officially geriatric. Although I can't give her all the credit hold her entirely responsible for this gift. I do believe that our Fearless Leader (that would be Boss Lady's boss, for those playing along at home) may have aided and abetted her. Luckily for me, there was a gift receipt included in the bottom of the bag :)