Fail

Yes, I failed.

For Ravelympics, I picked the Maui shrug, which I though was an easy pick (even though you're supposed to pick something that would be challenging to finish during the Olympics) but the joke was on me. I didn't finish it. I got the body piece finished, but I did absolutely no finishing or construction. So, what I have to show you is a somewhat long rectangle.



Beyond this, I've also failed to post about the things I promised would be soon in coming in my last post. Three strikes and I'm out?

Which brings up an interesting topic -- how long after an event is too long to post about it on a blog? Not the sharing of childhood memories or past events that tie in nicely with some current topic, but just the kind of stuff we go around and take pictures of, thinking, "I going to blog this". The WI State Fair was weeks ago, but is it ever really too late for pictures of amazing quilts and Elvis impersonators? Yes, but how about the photos of me with Tom Bodett and Carl Kasell from when I attended a taping of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! last fall???

Miss Manners just doesn't address these kinds of things.

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Promises, promises

There's a lot to tell you about, but I'm in a flurry-of-activity place right now, so I'm going to post a little bit and make promises that I will post more really soon. And then we'll just see how that goes. :)

I tagged a project for the Ravelympics, though I didn't join any teams or anything. It'll just be between me, myself, and my blog readers. So, about five of us. It's the Maui Shrug, and I started it during the Opening Ceremonies at my friend Rachel's house while drinking wine and eating cheese and grapes. She knows how to throw my kind of party, that Rachel. I'm using sport weight yarn instead of worsted, so I went up a hook size and the result is that the pattern has less definition than the example in the pattern and considerably more drape. It will be close-fitting, so I think it will work out fine. I've made some progress, but I'm going to have to crank it up if I want to get it finished and blocked (such that acrylic will, but it will a bit) before the Closing Ceremonies. Here's my progress so far:


That's about 18 inches and it needs to be at least 42 inches. Here's a closeup of the stitch pattern:


I would have more done if I could work on it while I actually watch the Olympics. Why can't I, you ask? Well, because I tried crocheting while riding the exercise bike, but it just doesn't work very well.

Don't even ask, I'll just tell you.

I don't have a TV in my cute little abode, so to watch the Games, barring a party at the home of someone with a TV, I have to watch in the exercise room of my building (or I could go to a bar, but then I'd have to buy something, and I've become such a miser lately). If I watch in the exercise room then, ostensibly, I have to exercise. Most especially if someone else is there. Often there isn't and I can take nice, long breaks. But during my 2 1/2 hours of watching last night, I rode for 1 1/2 hours total. And during my breaks I was all sweaty. So, no crocheting. But I'll get the shrug done -- I still have plenty of time to sit around on my backside and listen to All Things Considered. Never fear.

Along with my increase in bike riding, I've also started a new little fitness regime. Last week I started the One Hundred Pushups program, wherein one trains to do, oddly enough, one hundred pushups.


Yes, I know. One hundred pushups. Every time I say that in my head, it sounds like Dr. Evil saying "One million dollars". And it sounds like a ludicrous thing that I, the queen of sloth and no-upper-body-strength, could never ever do. I'm doing "girl", or knee pushups, obviously, and for my initial test I could only do three. Three. And they were some of the crappiest pushups you've ever seen, too.

So I'm a week and a half into it, and I'm happy to announce my humble little progress -- in my max-out for the last two days I've achieved seven very respectable-looking pushups. Yes, I'm pleased as punch with seven. It is, after all, a 133% improvement in a week's time. And they're no longer crappy! My high school gym teacher wouldn't even yell at me to keep my butt down!

It's a "six week" (LOL!!) program, but it will likely take me the rest of the year. But I don't mind. As long as I stay reasonably motivated, I think I can really do this. I'll keep you posted.

That's all for this morning, but watch for coming posts about the Wisconsin State Fair (including Elvis impersonators!!) and my dream about The Apocalypse! Yes, it's all excitement, all the time, here in Beer Town! Have a great day, and don't get too wild out there!

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Thankfulness

I'm playing hooky from church to get some stuff done around the house before I go to the State Fair today. Even though I'm staying home this morning, I should still take a few moments to be thankful for all that I have. I will share this very incomplete list with you.

• My sweet, loving, supportive husband, who I love very much.
  
• My relatively good health.
  
• A wonderful bunch of friends in Milwaukee who are fun and caring and who keep me from becoming a hermit, which is something I tend to do.
  
• The ability and opportunity to do graduate studies in an exciting field that makes me happy and has obvious application in the "real world".
  
• An awesome family of really cool people who put up with my foibles and love me anyway.
  
• A great adviser and faculty in a graduate program that is close-knit and supportive.
  
• A fun neighbor who likes to show me around parts of the city I've never been before.
  
• The ability and opportunity to make pretty things for the people I love.

Taking the time to consciously give thanks is the most important part of going to church for me. And like I said, it's a really incomplete list. But those are the things in the front of my mind this morning.

With that last one particularly in mind, I have a couple of FO's to share. Even though they're both for me. Not that I don't love myself, it's just not what I meant... Oh, screw it. You know what I mean. Just look at the pretties, would you? ;)

I finished the Primavera socks and I like them very, very much! I think this is a pattern that will be used again! They're just lounging by the pool for a bit this morning...


Pattern: Primavera Socks by natalja.
Yarn: Berroco Comfort Sock in color 1811 (which I think is discontinued). Fingering weight; 50% nylon, 50% acrylic. This yarn is very soft, but a bit splitty. Overall I enjoyed working with it, but this pattern is more frustrating with splitty yarn. I managed pretty well once I got the hang of the "tricks" needed to overcome the problem.
Needles: Boye aluminum double points, size 2 (US).

I recently got new sunglasses and, as is the current style, the lenses are quite large. I love them and call them my Diva Shades. But I needed a case for them so they don't get scratched up in my purse. My other glasses cases were not big enough for the awesome largeness of my new shades. It also had to work up quickly because I wanted it now! I'm impatient like that. Enter a single skein that I got on clearance at my LYS last year and had never figure out what to do with:


Pattern: I made it up. Thinking of writing it up, even though it's really simple and you can probably tell what I did just by looking at it for 0.5 seconds. What do you all think?
Yarn: Lana Grossa Maxi in colorway 612 (also discontinued). Bulky weight; 100% virgin wool.
Hook: Size J (US).
I had the button lying around and it worked great. I like this very much. I hope I have enough yarn to make a little case for my digital camera, too.

Okay, must get ready to go to the Fair, where I will watch pigs race and eat many foods on sticks. It's going to be glorious! And people say that Americans have no culture. Bah!

I'm very thankful that you've visited my blog today. I'm thankful for those of you with whom I regularly communicate and for the lurkers I know are out there. I hope my blog does something for you. It does a great deal for me. Thank you!

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