Just don't ask me to explain

I am old. I say this with complete comfort and an embrace of the curmudgeon-ness that accompanies it. The most pressing way this elderliness is manifesting itself lately is music. Man, I just can not find a way to care about most new stuff on the radio, be it on the rock station, the alternative station or the “cool” station here in town. And don’t get me started on Top 40. I was a teenager in the 80’s and still like a great deal of what I listened to then -- U2, REM, The Smiths, Adam Ant, Duran Duran. You get the idea. On the other hand, I love some good rock-n-roll. I’m a huge Rush fan (going to see them tomorrow -- w00t!), have mad props for Iron Maiden, dig on Queensryche, Gator and I had a little tribute sing-a-long when Ronnie James Dio died -- again, you get the idea. Irish music? I’m there. Other random stuff that prevents me from getting prettily pigeon-holed? You betcha.

Even most of what I consider new stuff that I like well enough to spend money on I realize with a bit of disbelief is already 3-5 years old -- Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco!, The Faint. It’s kind of like when I realized not long ago that almost all of my go-to clothes were over ten years old. How do these things happen?

Yes, I’m old, but it seems very strange to me in a kind of weird way. Now, I know the cliché is that you get old, look to the younger generation, and say, “That’s not even music -- that’s just noise!!” I don’t have that. Not at all. Well, okay, there’s that death metal crap that Gator listens to sometimes where the lead “singer” is really just a lead growling throat screamer -- I mean, there’s no tune or anything! But I sort of digress. From the point I was choosing to make, anyway. Death metal notwithstanding, most new music bores the crap out of me. I mean, I can’t even stand to listen to the entire sample clip on Amazon. Bored! Moving on! Nothing remotely interesting happening here! It’s frustrating, not only because listening to the radio can become torture, but because it’s uncomfortable to talk to most people about new music. Inevitably, someone will start talking about some person or band that I know only because I remember that I couldn’t switch away from it fast enough, and I find myself cocking my head at this person and thinking, “How can you, who seem like such an intelligent person, actively listen to that crap on purpose???” And, yes, someday this intelligent person may be one of you darling people that I love.

So, actually, all of this is really just background for what I’m going to do next. I’m going to inflict my music opinion on you. Yes! More than I already have! But, you see, the great thing about doing this on a blog is that you can cock your head at me and wonder about my sanity safely behind my back. Or skip it altogether. You have so much control here!

I feel about music the same way I feel about literature and the visual arts. I don’t come for the technique. Yes, I understand that without some technical expertise the finished product will be crap, but I figure that kind of comes along with being a professional. You can have awesome technique and still produce a crappy final product. I also don’t come for the subtlety of tone in the third beat of the 41st measure or the artful metaphor on the last page of the sixth chapter. For the most part, I don’t come for an artist’s statement. I have a brain and can read primary source material. Soap box to somebody else. What I want is to be moved. It doesn’t have to be dramatic or life-changing. If I want more, you’ve got me. I don’t have to know why. Frankly, I don’t care why. I want something that strikes a chord. No deep analysis. It can be totally stupid and nonsensical, but it’s got to make me want to listen/read/see it again. Period.

Amazon has hundreds of free MP3 downloads that I sift through occasionally. I try to do it monthly, but I just realized that I hadn’t done it since about February. Oh, look! Sus sucks at being timely about something! And something she actually likes to do, even! Imagine that! (Egad, how do any of you even put up with me?) Here’s my extremely scientific methodology: I start the clip. Within about four seconds I decide, based on my level of boredom, whether I will commit to downloading the song or skip directly to the next clip. All the songs I download (this is a very small percentage) go into a playlist and onto Ippy, my iPod for a few days of repeated listening. Then I cull out the ones that are actually boring or otherwise annoying after all, and everything else goes in the permanent lineup. I’ve purchased a couple of albums due to this (BLK JKS, Har Mar Superstar) but, honestly, I often find that even if I like one or two songs by an artist, the rest of the album does nothing for me. So I play my free songs game and have a grand ol’ time.

And now I will force it upon you! play before a live audience (sorta)!

Without further ado, here are my picks for best free singles on Amazon.com, August 2010 version!

• Beautiful People by The Books. Freaky, geeky goodness. Mathy, numbery geeky goodness. Droning in a human computer kind of way. The horns at the end get me every time.
  
  
• Devil’s Got Your Boyfriend by Tracy Bonham. My hips can’t sit still during this one. And they don’t lie, kids. Deep, throaty and dark vocals. Bright, sweet, innocent overtones. Needs both, but they’re both there so we’re good. Very, very good.
  
  
• Diamonds are Forever by Chaka Khan. ‘Nuff said.
  
  
• Jennifer by Ashton Nyte. This guy sounds remarkably like Peter Murphy. I really like Peter Murphy. I’m not put off. But I’m not sure I can classify his as “new” to me because of it.
  
  
• Keep Your Eyes on the Road by Lone Wolf. Completely addicting. Great opening riff; not just you basic verse/chorus construction. Serial melodies, let’s call it. Probably the best of the bunch.
  
  
• Left of Center by Serj Tankian. Oh, you brilliant Armenian! Not as frenetic as most of his work with System of a Down (love!) but still full of his special brand of energy. Rock on with your bad self, Serj.
  
  
• Lost Weekend by The Qemists. Reminds me a great deal of The Faint which, for goth rock, is pretty rockin’ good. The Qemists are more upbeat and rowdy, though. I don’t know -- It’s hard and I like it.
  
  
• Mary Magdelena by Viva and the Diva. Imagine Sinead O’Connor became a caricature of herself (oh, wait…) and started singing with Concrete Blonde. I don’t know about you, but I’m interested. I wouldn’t want a whole album of it, but I’ll take this one and listen over and over and over…
  
  
• Requiem for a Dying Song by Flogging Molly. Irish punk rock. You just try to keep me still during this one.
  
  
• Suicide Messiah by Black Label Society. Now here’s some metal I can get behind.
  
  
• When I’m Wrong by Doc Hammer’s Weep. Nice mix of synthesizer and guitar. Reminiscent of The Church.
  
  
• Yes Yes Yes by Elsinore. Toe-tappin’ pop fun. Catchy and straightforward. Nothing wrong with that.
  

And there you have it! A selection of free mp3 downloads that I like. There are several whole sampler albums for free on Amazon as well (I especially like the middle eastern stuff), but that’s another post altogether. Maybe you’ll find something you like as well. If you do, please share!

Woe is me (feel free to jump directly to the picture)

So I am home sick today with a head full of cotton wool soaked in vinegar (or at least that's what it felt like this morning), and that seems like a perfect opportunity to go on at length about how my aging body is betraying me and how that is affecting my life including, most importantly, my handwork. Now that I've slept like the dead for the better part of the day, that is.

About eight months ago, my right elbow started hurting. Soon, I couldn't even straighten my arm without intense pain. I went to the doctor who determined that I had lateral epidondylitis (tennis elbow) that was actually due to a (probably very old) rotator cuff problem. Physical therapy for my shoulder was prescribed and a cortisone shot in my elbow so I could stand to do the exercises. Theory being that once I strengthened the shoulder, the elbow would resolve itself.

I'd never had a cortisone shot before so I didn't know what to expect. It worked like a dream and after two days my elbow was completely pain-free. I breezed through physical therapy and everything was peachy. Then I opened a bucket.

To be fair to myself, it was a weird bucket. Five gallons with a sealed lid that could only be removed if you cut several spots around the top with a pair of snips. I apparently didn't snip sufficiently because when I went to pull the lid off, I felt what seemed like a separation in my elbow and intense pain. It swelled up but I iced it and by the next day it was a little better. Since this happened at work, I went to work injury where they assured me I had just strained a muscle, put me on restrictions for a week and the pain slowly lessened to nothing. Two weeks later I had a completely clean bill of arm-related health.

Then the cortisone wore off.

Since then I've been trying not to go back to the doctor, but I've been in constant pain. I do not just want another cortisone shot and another round of PT. I'm a Smart Girl (tm), so I've been researching some of my problems on my own. I've learned that my pecs were very shortened and I've been stretching them which really does seem to affect my elbow. I am sore in every trigger point of my right latissmus dorsi, but I've so far been unable to find a lasting way to relieve this. And, let me tell you, the effects of this muscle are far-reaching. My teres major is pretty pissed off. And my triceps are none too happy. I read, I stretch, I exercise, and sometimes it seems to help. But it just doesn't last. I'm not quite ready to give up, but that day may come. But if their response is another shot and another round of PT, that copay will be the last of my money they'll see.

The reason I tell you all of this: It's really cut into my handwork. It often hurts to crochet or knit. So I'm not getting much done. Which particularly sucks because I have this big project I'm working on for an extremely dear friend who got married last Saturday and I'm not even half done. Now I realize that Miss Post says I have one year to present the happy couple with their gift, and it's not that I've never utilized this convenient rule of etiquette in the past, but I really should have been able to get this done. And that just makes me sad.

So that's my story -- things are pretty slow around here. But while the cortisone was still chugging away, so was I. I showed some in progress pictures earlier in the process, but I failed to show the finished product -- an imminently pretty cross stitch for my mother-in-law. And I got it done in plenty of time for Mother's Day, complete with mat and frame.

Click to embiggen
It's not high art, and it's not a show of immense skill, but I think it is just very, very pretty. It was a kit that I luckily stumbled upon in a clearance bin, and it was hilariously called a "Weekender". This is about like the redonculously named "Square-A-Day" tablecloth that I've ranted about before and remains the bane of my handworking existence. Seriously, who are these people??

So now I continue to plod along on the big wedding project when the arm doesn't stand in the way. But at least it's not titled something that constantly makes me feel like a slow, inadequate crafter with too much of a life. I'm free to impose all of that upon myself.

Reason I love the interwebs #239

None of this is brand new news. I'm just now getting around to posting it.

You may recall that, some months ago, I designed a crocheted snowflake. Before I posted the pattern, my dear blog buddy Judy beta tested it. In thanks, I whipped up a small, pretty, useful knitted gift -- the Soap Sweater. It's soap, encased in a wool sweater that will felt as it's used and I think they're darling.

Soap Sweater by Cynthia Hall
(cable pattern from Very Cably Mittens)
Patons Classic Wool

I sent it off to her, it was well received, and everything was lovely.

And then, maybe as a thank-you for the thank-you gift, or maybe because I'd complimented others she had made (okay, maybe I'd done that about 27 times, but it wasn't a hint, I swear), or maybe just because she is awesome, I was gifted with the wonderfulness that is...

...wait for it...

...the incredible lavender chicken potholder!!!!!!!!!


Isn't it glorious? Doesn't it scream, "my kitchen is a delightful place to be!!"? I've had it for awhile now and I still get giddy every time I see it. Yay! Thank you again, Judy; I lurve him! I am thinking of naming him Ramon.

And that is why I love the 'net. It's where my friends live. :)

_____

90

Today is August 6, and yesterday was my father’s birthday. He would have turned 90, and it had passed completely unnoticed. This is the first time that has happened. The truly bizarre thing is that realizing this made me realize that I had also completely failed to notice the passing of the anniversaries this summer of his and my mother’s deaths as well. It’s been thirteen and fifteen years, respectively, and I don’t especially want to commemorate these dates. However, it does seem strange and jarring once you realize that you have effectively forgotten to commemorate them. It’s a double-edged sword – on the one hand I like to think it means I’ve gotten on with it as I’m sure they would like me to do. But on the other hand it feels selfish, as if they’re not important enough to warrant the smallest of gestures, not even the raising of a glass and saying, “Here’s to you, Papa!”

Here’s to you, Papa.

Does it really matter what day I say that?

Oh look, a chicken!

I warned you that I had things to show you from my downtime. And I'm doing it right away, even, before I'm distracted by something shiny or yarny or whatever. And since I'm still treading water with the whole loss-of-bloggal-direction thing I'll just jump right in. So, more show-and-tell it is, then! Lucky you!

My cousin got married recently and I wanted to make her something different and fun. She's not just starting out in the world; she has all the household stuff she needs and so did he and I'm sure they've merged everything delightfully and, knowing her, it's all way cooler than I would have purchased anyway. So I tread off the beaten path and made a pillow from a pattern I'd been enamored of for some time. I picked a funky color scheme and I'm pretty pleased with the result. Apparently, so are they! I didn't get a good photo in natural light, though, before I sent it off, so the show-and-tell is not optimum. I imagine we'll all survive.

Terra Cotta Pillow by Kathleen Garen
Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool and Vanna's Choice Solids
Size US H hook

As you can see, my version is totally not terra cotta, and I like it a lot better. And without the mind-numbing flash, you can't see the pillow form through the stitches. I swear. Yes, another in the long line of arguments for natural light photography. When I ever claim to be anything other than the most pathetic of photographers, I'll let you know. Hugs.

Actually, I say that, but the other project I made for them did manage to get decently photographed. Oh, you thought I only made them a pillow? For shame! I also sent them -- just as the last snow melted and it started to get nice and warm -- a smitten!

What's a smitten, you ask? I'm so glad you asked, for I shall tell you! And show you, even!

So you know when it's cold, and you're outside with your sweetie, and you want to hold hands with him, but it's too cold to be bare-handed, but you don't want to just hold hands through your gloves because that's not as romantic as touching skin, but brrrrrrrrr! it's too cold for all that open air skin touchin'? You know that one? Smitten to the rescue! One mitten for two hands! And in the shape of a heart, no less!! Freakin' brilliant, I tell you.

Smitten by Julie Weisenberger
Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick in Claret
size US 11 and 13 dpns

I'm in love with this adorable thing. I may make a hundred. Okay, that's totally a lie, but I'll make one for Gator and me. Someday. Probably.

Until the next shiny thing comes along.

_____

Who are you, again?

Howdy! I'll just get right to the angst.

I simply don't know who you are, anymore.

Ah, melodrama. But it's very true, in a way. I started this blog when I found out that I would be moving away from my husband for a matter of possibly years and I wanted to show him what I was up to in the big city known as Beer Town. I invited the world along, and we had a great time. I met new people and they seamlessly became part of the audience. I found out that other family members were relying on this blog as their main method of knowing what I was up to. Friends that were often featured in my posts from Milwaukee are now reading to keep up with me now that I'm back in College Town. But I've lost my main audience. Gator is here with me everyday and we share all the wonderful little daily things that make marriage awesome. So I don't have to show him what I'm up to via the innernets, I just turn around and say, "Hey, Honey!"

I have no intention of giving up the blog. But I just haven't figured out who I'm talking to, exactly. Crafting blog buddies are always supportive of my handwork show-and-tell and I figure they are interested in the minutiae of my crafts, because I'm interested in theirs. But I don't assume that my sister is all that enthused about snowflake after snowflake and pictures of my dinner when I go out with friends. Okay, I don't assume anyone is enthused with pictures of my dinner, but Gator always thought it was pretty cute when I did that and now he's only, like, six feet away from me, and I don't know what to say on here anymore.

This is going to be a process. And it's still going to be mostly show-and-tell, because that's what I do. I make things. And there's just no way a blog about me is not going to be heavy on the things I make. And until I figure out what else it's about, that may be about it. I don't blame anyone who gets bored. But I figure no one will get as bored as they would if they came by again and again and saw nothing but the Olympics post. And the Olympics were a long time ago, I know. I mean, Evan Lysacek is already halfway through Dancing With the Stars, fercryinoutloud.

Plus, putting the angst right out there makes it smaller, so they say. We'll just see how that works out, won't we?

So in the meantime, show-and-tell, it is!! I've been very busy throughout my blog silence, but as it is Monday, we shall, of course, focus of Snowflake Mondays!

It's certainly been snowing up in here, as evidenced by numbers 4 through 11 from 99 Snowflakes!


It's kind of odd to see flakes all lined up like that, I think. And some of these, I must admit, are not shining examples of flawless blocking. But I bet they're awfully lovely on someone's tree this winter, regardless.

But that's just a teaser -- an aperitif, if you will. Back in February, I stated that I wanted to design two snowflakes this year. Well, one down! It was super fun and I think I'll be doing more than just one more this year. It would be great if I found time to design one a month, but I'm not going to hold myself to that, especially once it gets really nice out and I'm out and about more than crafting. But I'm very happy to be back on the design end of things, even if it's something as small as a flake. Instead of winging it, like I did with the Fancy Star flake, I was guided by a photograph of an actual snowflake. I like the idea of that because I'm a little turned off sometimes by snowflake patterns that are really just small doilies and not reminiscent of any snowflake ever found in nature. Not that they aren't beautiful, but it's just not the road I want to take.

So, without further blathering on about crap you don't care about, I present:

Crystal Fantasy Snowflake
(available as a PDF file in the sidebar)


Finished Size: Approximately 4 1/4" diameter using size 10 cotton and a 1.6
mm (US 6) steel hook.

Note: This pattern uses American crochet notation.

STITCH GUIDE
Picot Cluster: (Ch 7, slip st in fifth ch from hook) 3 times, (ch 5, slip st in
fifth ch from hook) twice, slip st in ch below third slip st from hook and in next
ch, ch 5, slip st in fifth ch from hook, skip next ch, slip st in ♥ next 2 chs; repeat from ♥ once more.
______________________________________________

Ch 6, join with slip st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 9, ♥ dc in ring, ch 6; repeat from ♥ four times more; join with slip st
to third ch of beginning ch-9. 6 ch-6 sps.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, ♥ ♪ ch 3, dc in next ch-6 sp, ch5, slip st in second
ch from hook and in next 3 ch, ch 3, dc in same sp, ch 12, slip st in fifth ch
from hook and in next 6 chs, work picot cluster, ch 11, slip st in fifth ch from
hook and in next 6 chs, ch 1, dc in same sp, ch 8, slip st in second ch from
hook and in next 3 ch, dc in same sp, ch 3, ♪ sc in next dc, repeat from ♥ four
times more, then repeat from ♪ to ♪ once; join with slip st to first sc; finish off.

Block and stiffen using a 6-point blocking pattern.

This design was inspired by one of the over 5,000 micrographs taken of
snowflakes by amateur photographer Wilson A. Bentley in the late 19th
century. He was the first person to photograph snowflakes and the results are
still stunning.

Photo by Wilson A. Bentley. Property of the public domain.

And there you have it. I like it much better than my first snowflake design, which I figure is how it should be. Happiness!

Super huge hugs, thanks, and kudos to my awesome blog buddy Judy who beta tested this pattern and made me sound more competent than I am. You totally rock, girl!!

Next time I'll tell you about the non-snowflake related things I've been doing! Won't that be fun?

Whoever you are.

_____

Olympic snowflake Monday

I'll probably be a little quiet for the next couple of weeks while I watch a lot of skating and skiing. It's not personal, I promise. You should probably just go enjoy some skating a skiing too. It's pretty fun.

It is Monday, howver, and snowflakes are appropriate to the Winter Olympics, so I'll show off the latest - #3. Riveting, I'm sure, but that's what you get around here. If you haven't figured that out yet. :)


Ooh! Skiing! Bye!

_____

When you procrastinate your ways to procrastinate, what does that make you?

Yes, it's true, sometimes I can't even procrastinate efficiently. Remember waaaaaaay back in, oh yes, March, when I told you about the fun little game I played on Facebook wherein I made gifts for five people by the end of the year?? Yeah, that one! Well, the last gift was received earlier this week! In February! So, either "end of the year" meant December 31st and I failed miserably, OR, "end of the year" meant twelve months from the day I joined the meme, in which case I made it with weeks to spare. I'm just going to put the blinders firmly on and say it's the latter. Even though I'm pretty sure it was originally worded in such a way that I don't really get that out.

I already showed you Byron's java jacket, but I'm going to re-show so it's a complete set. And, you're a rather captive audience, hmmmm? Hehehe. I also made small modifications in the same pattern for gifts for Julie and I'm Still Calling Her "New Friend" Veronica. I love these so much. I can't believe I haven't made myself one yet. The little cable is my favorite. :)

Quick and Basic Coffee Cozy by Andrea Piernock
Patons Soy Wool Stripes and Classic Wool
Size US6 dpns

I also showed you the beginning of Don's gift, but it went through a bit of transformation after it's last cameo... Don's a cool guy and a bit nerdy (which is why I love him so). I remembered him talking about a certain graphic novel many years ago when it first came out. And when the movie version of that graphic novel came out last year, I hoped that a commemorative hat would do the trick! Turns out I was right! I'm so glad he likes it. :)

Time Thief Watch Cap by Antoinette Buchanan
Unknown yellow acrylic blend with felt applique
Size US8 dpns

Speaking of nerd boys I love, Gator's best friend Wiggins was also on the list. Yes, we call lots of people by the last names around here. We're fun that way. Anyway, as a classic geek, I figured he could always use another place to stash some dice. And a dice bag shaped like a die was just too good to pass up.

D4-Shaped Dice Bag by Claire Nordlow
Red Heart Super Saver yarn
Size US8 straight needles

That's five! Whew! In the interest of full disclosure, it was the dice bag that did me in. I wanted to finish it before I started the last two gifts, but I was stymied. It was a little big fiddly to put together and get the numbers even. So I procrastinated it. I only finished it around New Year's. It turned out it wasn't so bad in the end. And I love the finished project. It was totally worth it, I think.

That's how one procrastinates the procrastination. You'd think it would take more talent than that, frankly.

_____

Flurries of fury!!

I swear, people are crazy. When I was a kid, we got a snow day about once every four years. And it's not because it didn't snow! I remember getting stuck in the school bus on hills, in driveways, in ditches. We were late sometimes, and sometimes we all got off the bus and went into the student's house whose driveway we were stuck in and their parents gave us all hot chocolate, but school wasn't canceled. If it was, you could bet there was a drift in the pasture twice as tall as I was.

It snowed last night, an inch or so, enough that Gator had to brush it off the windshield of the truck. So, of course, there was no school today in about four counties. It did snow all day, but by 8:00 a.m. it was melting faster than it was falling. I came home to less snow on the ground than there was yesterday. There's already talk of no school tomorrow. Who are these people?? I know, I've fully entered curmudgeondom and will soon be talking about how far I used to walk uphill both ways. But really!!!

Once again, I have snow of a different variety to show -- #2 of 99 Snowflakes.


It's a little bit larger than the last one -- certainly larger than I thought it was going to be. I'm not even sure it qualifies as a mini-flake. It might be an actual grown-up.

I've been thinking about flakes a lot. I realized recently that my own design, the Fancy Star Snowflake was on the Snowflake Crochet-a-long at Crochetville last year. I liked designing it, but I totally winged it. I just picked up a hook and started. I'm very interested in sitting down and planning one out. I've been looking at pictures of real snowflakes for inspiration. I'm setting myself a goal and you are witness to it: I would like to design two more snowflakes this year and offer the patterns for free here and on Ravelry. I would also like to design one other thing, but I'm not sure what yet. I'll keep you posted.

I've actually got lots of things to show you, but I've been waiting because some of them hadn't been sent and received by their new owners yet. I'm still waiting just a bit but then I'll bore you with endless show and tell as is my wont. :D

In the meantime I'll update you on the cross stitch which I've spent quite a bit of time on this week. Again, I'm realizing how slow I am at this.


I like it, though. I just hope I can finish it without getting stressed. I hate for my hobby to stress me out. That's kind of the opposite of the point.

During the Super Bowl (Oh yeah! Geaux Saints!) I started Baktus. I'm gonna love this. Easy peasy knit, awesome and useful little scarf when you're done. And perfect for in front of the TV.


It's great for showing off fun sock yarns somewhere other than on your feet. If you're into that sort of thing. It appears that I am. Hmmm.

Punch Tow Truck!

We were on our way home from work and stopped at a red light. All of a sudden Gator punched me in the arm. As this is actually not usual behavior from my beloved, I said something along the lines of, "Hey! What the -- ??"

"Slug Rooter," he said nonchalantly.

"What????"

He pointed out the front window to a van approaching the intersection. "Slug Rooter."

Sure enough, there was a van just like this crossing in front of us.


I just didn't realize you get to make up new Slug Bug variations on the fly.

Now I know.