A Guest Post by Jessica

Hello friends, this is Jessica, your guest blogger for the evening. Here is what Briar has done today:

1. Left the apartment at 8am after eating a Donut from Dunkins
2. Took the T to the airport while making references to Charlie and Candy Mountain and the wonderful land of sweets and joy and joyness. Our fellow passengers were not amused.
3. Was asked by a rude woman at Dunkin Donuts where she was from, Briar took this to mean that the women thought Briar had bad manners. Briar ordered a egg, cheese and bacon on a croissant, a medium hazlenut coffee with cream and sugar.
4. SAW TERESA!!!
5. Sat around waiting for Laura to arrive. Played multiple rounds of "That's not Laura", Alisa lost because she kept pointing out old white men or short asian women as being Laura.
6. SAW LAURA!!!!
7. Tried to have lunch at Christophers, but for future reference they don't open until 4pm on weekdays. Briar instead had lunch at Pizzaria Uno's, where she had the Muchos Nachos and a 4 cheese pizza along with two pomegranate margartias. The second margarita was heavy on the pomegranate, which can be translated as easy on the tequilla. The waiter got a big tip.
7 1/2. (Sorry I forgot this earlier). It seemed like a good idea at the time to buy a flask of vodka at Liquor World to bring on our travels. The clerk asked whether we needed a bag or just intended to store the flask in our purse/back pocket. When he realized his comment offended us, he assured us that he got plenty of drunks coming around at 2pm on Thursdays. P.S. He was crocheting a pink blanket.
8. Met Alisa at work and had free ice cream. Briar had a coconut popsicle which she dripped EVERYWHERE.
9. Got sidetracked on the way to the mall because she passed a place that served alcohol. Briar drank a Bellini at Legal Seafoods, that was served with a dried peach that according to Teresa's expert medical opinion "looked like a finger". The bar tender was amused.
10. Went to the mall. We amused a fellow shuttle bus traveler. Lots of clothes were drunkenly purchased, and should probably be returned tomorrow. Teresa was unable to find double sided tape.
11. Came back from mall and went to star where we purchased: five ears of corn, a bag of oranges, a can of corn, a berry pie, cookie dough ice cream, lime juice and a package of bacon (Alisa screamed out "Will 20 pieces of bacon be enough for the 5 of us" as soon as a guy walked by. Since our love of bacon did not convince him to ask any of us out, we assume he is a) gay b) vegan c) blind d) deaf e) all of the above).
12. Returned to the flat and cooked puerto rican rice and ate it communaly out of a bowl. Lauren and Lesley came over (!!!!!!) and we ate the pie (including pieces we dropped on the floor) without using plates (hence the frequent dropping). We proceded to watch So You Think You Can Dance while drinking a combination of Sam's Summer Ale, Strawberry Margartias, vodka tonics, gin tonics, and a drink alisa made up with rum, mailbu, peach schnappes and a splash of flat sprite.
13. We did the wilg dance, famously known for such moves as "Monkey on a Stick", "The Gay" and best of all "The Tampon".
14. All the dancing made Briar too tired to go out clubbing, which was our regular plan. Chris came over and we've been drinking/hanging around the house. Laura just said "I'm so wasted". It's been a successful night.

So You Think You Can Blog? Alisa Judged Me For This:

Tonight's performances on SYTYCD were great. And now I'm blogging about it. I think Alisa was actually embarrassed to be my roommate just now. She probably thought about kicking me out, or moving out. Or just plain slapping me. But what's done is done, and I won't even begin to tell you the things she does, like get me hooked on shows like ANTM and SYTYCD and...oh, Project Runway. *Ahem*

So, I had some disagreements with the judgements, but overall, I think everyone has really improved -- I like the idea of couples staying together so that they get to know one another. Benji and Donyelle definitely have that Fred and Ginger chemistry (is there something there that's more than dance partner chemistry? Eh?), and Natalie and Musa almost definitely have something going on (again, maybe it's just dance partner chemistry, but they seem very very intimate!)

Martha and Travis' hip-hop routine tonight was great. Alisa has this theory that Travis is just going to be good at whatever he does, no matter what. She thinks he's going to win. I am still pulling for Benji, but Travis is a good dancer and can pull of that sexy, masculine thing that Benji has trouble with because he's so cute and goofy! I'm okay with that, but will America and the judges be okay with it? Anyway, I agree with the judges that Martha was smooth like honey and Travis was a little jerky, but I honestly didn't notice until it was pointed out, and I thought they were great! Great!

Jessica and Jamyz were...Meh. Even less than meh? The only thing I feel more meh about than Jessica and Jamyz are contemporary dance routines and spelling your name Jamyz. I don't know. I wasn't very impressed. They're going to be in the bottom three fo'sure.

Natalie and Musa were good, too, but on the "only okay" side of good. Their Quick Step was good, in my mind, but it's only been an hour, and I'm already forgetting about it. It was forgettable. I really love them, though, and this is a stupid reason, but it's because they really do make me believe that they're totally sleeping with each other (I know, I know. He's married...I don't want to lose the illusion though!). I don't know how true it is, and I shouldn't be so gossipy, but seriously, guys! Seriously. And I thought they were good. Are they destined for the bottom three, though? I think there's a good chance.

Donyelle and Benji were great again tonight, with their Pop Jazz, and his eyeliner and the being steamy (ha...steamy), and the way he is so sweet and she is so nice, and they have so much chemistry! They can basically do. no. wrong. Not in my mind. They play off each other really well, and they do have the Fred and Ginger thing going for them, and beyond being phenomenal dancers, they are phenomenal people.

Ivan and Alison's Argentine Tango tonight was FANTASTIC. I know, I know...the judges said they weren't perfect, because neither of them was comfortable with the Argentine Tango. That said, I was peeing all over the couch, they were so fantastic. There were some *SQUEE*ing going on, too.

Aleksandra and Dmitry's waltz was only so-so. I mean, I thought it was good - the dance, anyway. But the emotions? The feeling? The chemistry? There was none! To the bottom three for you.

Heidi and Ryan did a Cuban Rumba tonight. Heidi and Ryan just aren't my favorite couple. That thing they did, where he "beat her bongos" as Nigel put it...that freaked me out. I've seen movies that could pass as softcore porn that I thought were less vulgar. Okay, that was mean, but seriously? I didn't think it was great. I wasn't impressed. Bottom three? Probably not. That's just wishful thinking on my part.

Ashlee and Ben pulled hip-hop this week. They are just about the cutest couple ever (obviously when I say things like this I mean besides Benjelle). They don't seem to have the talent that some of the better couples have, but what they lack in talent they make up for in personality. They have buckets of personality. BUCKETS. I love them to death, and I hope they stay with us longer than some of the more flat people, because at the very least, they seem to get better and better with each passing week, and they deserve to stay. (Also? "You shut your mouth" - Come on!)

I Am B-U-M-M-E-D, Bummed, Guys :(

But at least this thing got off to a better start this time:

My friends start coming in tomorrow, starting with Jess, ending with Laura and T-baby on Thursday. It couldn't have come at a better time, y'all.

I want a job. I'm a good worker, I promise. I'm very quiet, and I like to listen to directions, and I don't even take lunch breaks! I like to make my boss happy, and I work late and I don't even mind! Why won't you hire me?

"I just need something to happen. I need a sign that things are gonna change. I need a reason to go on. I need some hope! And in the absence of hope I need to stay in bed and feel like I might die today."

A New Wind is Going to Find Your Sail; That's Where Your Journey Starts

My job hunt is starting to suck. A lot. As opposed to before when it just plain sucked.

The firms that aren't interested don't even bother to tell me they aren't, and the ones that are don't have any projects right now, but really want me "if something comes in." *Heaves huge SIGH*

I hope that this contract-for-hire position the temp agency found comes through. Again, they're looking for more experienced people, but you never really know. Sometimes they're willing to rethink things if someone they can pay less comes in with *just enough* experience. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.

[Currently Spinning: Tim McGraw - Please Remember Me]

Knitting. And Beer. Let's not forget beer.

The pissy look is completely unintentional, or maybe that's just how I look when I knit.

I love our patio; the table, the chairs...it's my favorite part of the apartment, even if it is also the most under-used. Our new place also has a small balcony/patio. It makes this one look like a football field, but I think I'll be able to fit my dinky table and garden chairs on the inferior balcony. It's the one area that's not completely about space, as long as you can seat two or three people on it. It does make me sad that we never had our poker game with beers and cigars and such, like I had wanted, but hopefully we'll use it a bit when teamawesome (minus a few players) are in town. Yay!

I also decided to photograph the So You Think You Can Hat, even though it wants ear flaps. I might give it to Alisa, though. I can't decide if it's too small for my head, or if it's just small enough. Either way, it will definitely fit Alisa, and I can always make myself another:

Now with pom-pom!

And cables!

You Write Chick-Lit, For Crying Out Loud

I had a poorly written, riddled with curse words, "tell us how you really feel" entry about The Devil Wears Prada, but you know what?

This Times Review does it for me (re: the book).

Take that article, multiply it by 500, and you'll get an idea of how I feel about the movie.

I think I know the answer. I just don't want to face it yet.

I dropped a few stitches in the shawl. I have no idea how this happened. Part of me wants to cry, wants to throw a fit, wants to give up. This is a very small part of me, maybe 10%.

A bigger part of me, I'd say 40%, wants to keep going. Pick up the offending stitch like I did the other two (oy vey), and just keep on trucking. I'm on row 37 already.

The remaining 50% wants to start over. From the painful, stupid beginning, with the 5 dpn, the circular cast on, the wanting to cry, and wanting this to just. be. over. Doing a circular cast on is on my list just above poking my eye with a flaming, blunt poker. I ended up just getting to a point where I knew that the needles wouldn't tangle and that took all of my sanity for the evening when I cast on.

This is why, even though the larger part of me knows I've invested a lot of money in this shawl, and it should be perfect by my standards (I can let a few mistakes slide), I also realize I've invested a lot of time in the mess I already have (that isn't so bad, but it's also not blocked. And it's the center. Not some piece in the overall pattern. Unfortunately).

So do I rip it out? Or do I keep going and hope that I won't be really sad when I'm several hundred rows into this shawl instead of a measly 35?

**Edited To Add**

We're Going to Need a Bigger Whiteboard

Rule number 10 at the Lowman Flat:

Alisa is not allowed free reign of the remote control.

Because of today's "mishap," we are now sufficiently hooked on footballer's wive$. The fantastically stupid thing about it is that because it's a British show, BBC America gets it a season behind, so when we went online to figure out who the characters were, we found things out that we should by no means know yet, and were thoroughly confused by what was going to happen on the Season Premiere tonight at 10.

Still, I heaved a huge sigh of relief when I realized that the new show is Sundays at 10, and Grey's Anatomy has been moved to Thursday (the most glorious of all prime time TV days).

And Now, I'm Probably Going To Watch Some TV

This weekend has been absolutely filled with movies: The Ring Two, The Chumscrubber, Eight Below, The Others, The Jacket, A Bug's Life, and The Machinist.

I know, right? How is my brain not fried?

Yesterday, after Alisa and I signed our lease, we came home. Alisa went for a run while I knit, and when she came back, The Jacket was on HBO. I made dinner, and when I came back into the living room, A Bug's Life had started on the Disney Channel. After that, the Machinist started on Showtime. By the time we realized that we'd sat through three straight movies on the telly, it was 11PM and we both went to bed (except I didn't go to sleep, I watched the Others).

So maybe my brain is fried.

I started a project during So You Think You Can Dance, but I'm disappointed to say it's taking me longer than I had hoped to complete. It's my SoYouThinkYouCan Hat, and even though it's not a brilliant pattern or anything, it's my own design, off the top of my head, so some frogging and altering has been necessary in the past two weeks, before I finally got something I could work with (it's still a bit on the tight side, though). I was working on that a bit yesterday, because I thought it was nearly finished, but before I bound off, I tried it on. It was about two inches too short! Ack! So I had to unravel it. Fortunately, the Noro Silk Garden is really sticky, so I frogged to a point before I'd begun decreasing, and then threaded some spare yarn through the stitches, and am now in the process of picking them up, which is painful and boring, so I'm about 2/3 of the way through. The rest of the day was spent on Frost Flowers.

I do need to stop going to bed at four in the am. It's really bad for my sleep schedule, and I don't feel remotely rested when I wake up at one in the afternoon. Bleck.

Brilliant!

Hugh Laurie in a Polaroid commercial!

Proud New Mommy

Alisa and I signed our new lease today. We move on July 15th. The new flat. The new, most awesome place ever (because any place we are is awesome).

And keeping with the theme of newness, I have a new member in my Polaroid Camera family. It's a Polaroid ProCam, and I am so happy with it. It takes Close-ups! And it Stamps the date on the photo! And it's such a beast of a camera! I lurve it so much. I can't wait for the weather to be less...dismal. I'm going to take it somewhere green. Or somewhere colorful. Try it out, and hope the polaroids don't explode all over me, putting me at risk for another alkaline burn. The captiva is still my favorite film format, but the camera's kind of pissy, and we don't always get along (but I'll always love you, baby).

Wacky Dreams

I had the strangest dream this morning. I was shopping with my parents and my nina and nino, and with someone my age (a female friend, who was fictional). My friend and I separated from the "adults" and went shopping on our own. We took a while, but we were supposed to meet the parents shortly, and when we thought we saw the men walking across the parking lot, we started running to catch the "shuttle" (to across the parking lot, which was a hundred feet away, tops...).

Once we jumped on the shuttle, I was no longer with a girl friend, but with my boyfriend, Ryan (that would be Ryan Atwood, perhaps more familiarly known as Benjamin McKenzie). The shuttle took off, and it was...a plane, not a bus. I was really hoping we'd just loop around, but kept joking that we'd end up some place like Chicago. Or Denton, but in the dream, the instant I said Denton, I didn't know where it was. I kept thinking West Coast, but I was sure it was in New Jersey. I'm a Texas girl. I know Denton is in Texas. Just not in my dreams, apparently. The guy in the couple sitting in front of us was being a real jerk, and the pilot took a real shining to Ryan (Ben).

We stopped at a restaurant to eat, and jerkface guy sat down, so we rushed to the back of the restaurant to be away from them. The pilot wanted us (Ryan mostly) to sit with him, and so we sat down. Then somehow, we were channelling little kids (Ruthie from 7th Heaven, and some guy that was supposed to be her step brother), and they were admitting that they'd known each other all their lives, and that they loved each other. Suddenly they were teenagers, and the boy was professing his love, but Ruthie said, "Eeew, get off of me!" and ran away. I ran after her, but got distracted by a map of the world that had a pikkachu island. See, pikkachu had disappeared, and I was on an elite ninja squad that was assigned to find him (it?). Except...okay, fine. I was Sailor Moon. And it was pikkachu at first, but it turns out we were duped, and it was your everyday, garden-variety hamster.

Yes, I know that the only interpretation for this dream is that I am a freak. The one I had before that involved McDonalds, my grandmother's house, my mom, and a park in El Paso that looked like Boston Common in my dream. I don't remember the specifics, though, and that's kind of a shame. On the bright side, I'm not the only one with WEIRD dreams:
-----------
phil: i had a dream
phil: where you called me
phil: and were like
phil: "phil, i'm in los angeles"
phil: and you went to the so you think you can dance taping
phil: and met benji
phil: and then you ended up getting married
phil: hahahaa
----------
Apparently, my fantasies transcend time and space, and end up in other people's dreams, too.

The Horror!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/06/23/spelling.obit.ap/index.html

Does this mean that there won't be another season of 7th Heaven, after all?

Except It's Not So Much Fun

Now You're Lying on a Hard Wood FloorThink you're alive, but you can't be sure

Alisa and I found a new humble abode! A new flat! With shiny new hardwood floors! And a china cabinet! There's more to tell, but that will have to wait until our friends are in town, because we want to show them first, and I don't want my big blogging mouth to get in the way of Alisa's joy.

So, did anyone else see the Cha-Cha last night? If you know any better, you know I'm referring to the Cha-Cha that Benji and Donyelle did at the end of So You Think You Can Dance, which, dare I say, was better than the Hip-Hop routine they did last week (that captured oh so many hearts). There are many blogs out there that analyze the dances and many forums out there that discuss the contestants, so I won't do that here.

That aside, did anyone else come to the conclusion that Natalie and Musa are totally sleeping with each other?! Because I did. And Alisa did. And Phil, and Reagan....and probably 98% of America. I can't judge too much, because I like Natalie and Musa, but still. Whoa. However, I'm a "Benji Fangirl," through and through, as you can see from the button on the sidebar down there.



I had a discussion about this with Reagan, and she and I admitted that the "problem" with shows like this is that they're not characters; they're normal people with normal lives and it's so easy to imagine that you could be friends with them. By "problem," I mean that they're highly addictive and fun to watch, of course.

I'm thisclose to buying myself a DS Lite. I think I'll wait until Christmas, like Peter suggested, but every time I see a commercial...I want one so bad.

Now Listening: The Honeydogs - Rumor Has It

Like Two Ships Passing in the Night

I have spent my morning doing three things:

1-Starting the frost flowers and leaves shawl (I'm on row 13)
2-Transcribing lyrics for the Landon Pigg song because someone came by this morning looking for the lyrics, and then I had trouble finding them myself. Since it's a free download this week on iTunes, I have no qualms sharing them. That was my second SHAMELESS PLUG. GO DOWNLOAD THIS SONG NOW. If you want, here's a handy dandy link.
3-Taking Scholastic's Harry Potter Quiz, hoping to get on the high scores board (not yet...I keep getting up to around 19-21, then getting stumped on a question)

So that my "morning" isn't a complete wash, here are the lyrics:

Sailed on -- Landon Pigg

Please don't do it, I say.
Cause if you don't love me, it's worthless, anyway.
Please don't trouble yourself,
You'll only go away in the end.

Please don't follow the world that commands,
Cause what's the point in that?
And I keep hoping that all of your plans
Will fall (follow?) through.

Like two ships passing in the night
We're gone
Only the moon and the stars in the sky
Did know to cry for me as I sailed on

Please don't trouble yourself,
I only want your love, you keep giving me your help.
Oh, please stop playing along,
You know, you're wasting your energy
And you're breaking my heart.

Like two ships passing in the night,
We're gone.
Only the moon and the stars in the sky
Did know to cry for me as I sailed on
Why can't you see it now?
You're reckless and in love
Your heart's boiling (pouring?) over
Oh, why can't you see it now?
You're coming of age

Like two ships passing in the night, we're gone
Only the moon and the stars in the sky
They know to cry for me as I sailed on

Surprise! Cable and Rib Socks!

So, you know how I was insanely frustrated with those dangblasted pomatomus socks, and so I started something simpler? I did, and this is the result:

Rib and Cable socks from the Fall 2005 Issue of Interweave Knits, knit in Jaeger Matchmaker in a color called "cloud."

As usual, I have some complaints. The yarn was thin, like the knitpicks essential yarn. I had some holes in the socks. Some were from the pattern (YOs when you turn the heel), but some were where I rejoined the gussets, where I always get holes no matter how tightly I knit. I know that part of it is me, but since this yarn claims it should be knit on size 2 or 3 needles, I feel like it should be knit on size 1 needles with my tension. I can learn to adapt, but I'd rather just use slightly more substantial yarn, I suppose. Or smaller needles with an adapted pattern.

Also, even though maybe they're the same height as in the pattern, they're probably a little shorter. I added an extra cable, but decreased the cuff by ten rows, so it should have nearly evened out. However, even if I'd added one more cable (an extra cable by the pattern standards, taking into consideration the lost rows of cuff), I think they would have barely been the same height as the socks in the magazine.

Stumpy socks disappoint me.

Now Watching: Pepper Dennis (and will never make that mistake again)

Crawled Out From The Pain of Yesterday

I just saw a Liberty Mutual commercial about people helping people that made me cry.

People who know me probably aren't shocked about this -- that a commercial can make me cry, but at least one of my friends knows how hard it's been for me to feel like I'm no longer the type of person who cries during commercials, movies, songs, when I'm retelling sentimental stories...I was going through a tough time, and I'd become jaded and a little bitter. I'd stopped being able to cry. Nothing that happened to me and nothing that I saw could elicit enough emotion to make me cry; I wasn't feeling much of anything.

But now, instead of being jaded, instead of becoming more of a cynic...I like to think that I've just learned a little bit more -- that I have a little bit more experience, that I'll be a little bit more careful next time -- but that I won't stop being me. I'm still the same silly, sentimental, hopeful romantic underneath it all, and even though it's easier to be negative about things sometimes, the hope is shining through a little brighter every day.

Oh, and There Were Buttons, Too

I finally found the Windsor Button store today.

I ended up there after I went to a job interview. The one that's tomorrow. Oops? What happened was this: I wrote the appointment on a calendar that starts on a Monday, then transferred it to a calendar that starts on a Sunday. Or at least, that's my official story, which is what appears actually happened. The unofficial story is that I'm completely stupid and probably inbred, and things like this could only happen to me these days.

So, on my way back home, after confirming my real interview tomorrow (I'll open with, "I was just really eager!"), I decided to find Windsor Button because I've always been a little curious. I wanted to see what kinds of yarns they had, and I needed a crochet hook to pick up a stitch I had dropped earlier today (and I was travelling sans crochet hook because I'm stupid stupid stupid). Once I was inside, I kicked myself for not having been sooner. It's like Michaels meets Pearl meets LYS. They had more craft things than a yarn store, but less art things than Pearl, and lots less stuff than Michael's but it was laid out like a Michaels. Or Pearl. But anyway, I found all sorts of fantastic yarns. "Fun" yarns like Berocco yarns that I can't imagine I'd ever make anything out of that I could wear in public, but it's fun to dream. "Classy" yarns like Debbie Bliss...And...NORO. They had the Noro Daria. It was fantastically weird -- again, I can't imagine what I'd knit with it (those crazy Japanese yarns), but it was so. cool.

I walked out with a cable needle, a crochet hook, Chibi darning needles, point protectors (for my lace), and some Cherry Tree Hill supersock merino yarn (in Green Mountain Madness).

So all in all, it wasn't a terrible day. Except now I'm hungry. And sweaty. And for the love of all that is holy, did not want to go out in today's 96° insanity for what ultimately amounted to "nothing."

In Memory of Sheela

My parent's dog, Sheela, was put to sleep earlier this week. She had a tumor that made it impossible for her to eat, so she was essentially starving to death. My parents didn't notice at first, because she looked healthy, otherwise; wet nose, smiley, waggy-tailed, jumping around -- she was still practially a puppy (only three years old), and since she was so young, the vet didn't think to check for cancer at first.

Sheela was a good dog. She loved to play games with my dad. She would throw her chew toy over the gate whenever she heard the motorcycle drive up, and wait for my dad to throw it back over the fence, and she knew to only do it when she heard the motorcycle approach. She knew more commands than any of our previous dogs, but she refused to roll over, which gave her a special place in my heart. She could roll over, she just actually refused to. Not even for a cookie.

My mom just wanted to put the dog to sleep, but my dad wanted the vet to operate, since Sheela was so young. In the end, they couldn't save her, though; the tumor was too big. She seemed happy enough until the end. I know she had an enormous, unmanageable tumor inside of her, but the vet said it was probably relatively painless. She was suffering a little bit, but it could have been much, much worse, and she seemed happy.

I hope you're in a better place now, Sheela.

Mostly Knitting. And Some Bunnies.

The newest bunny movie is up: Superman. And I suggest you go see it before you continue reading [rest of post is mostly about knitting, anyway, so you can stop now, if y'ont to]

I want to start that shawl, but I'm so scared. That lace is both beckoning to me and making me cringe. There is so much potential for messing up here, and I want it to be PERFECT. So, I have a few things to do. First, I need to make two or three photocopies of the pattern (FOR MY USE ONLY. No copyright infringement here!). This is so I can highlight and post it and jot down notes and have a copy in the apartment, one on my person (or with the shawl), and a spare. At least.

Then, I'm going to browse the errata one more time. And jot them down on the pattern.

And then light a candle and pray.

And then start the shawl.

But first, I've taken the edge off of the pomatomus that was pissing me off by knitting something else. A surprise. A secret knitting project, if you will. Alisa alone (well, and the realtor who was showing us places today) knows what it is, and that's just because she's around while I knit sometimes. So, when I'm done with that, I'll post a picture. And I'll probably hold off on starting the shawl until after that.

I'm kind of beat from looking at apartments today, and then the sushi dinner I had with Alisa, the best roommate in the world. Really, she is. I We (we really only do things together these days. Except I don't go to work with Alisa. But man, if I could...) have a busy weekend, too. Dim Sum, more apartment searching, and a housewarming party on Saturday. Then only Church on Sunday. Except really church, not the Green Day song.

Then? KNITTING!

My World View

One of my more annoying blog habits may be that from time to time, instead of posting my own thoughts, I post quiz results. I know that in the grander scheme of things, this isn't the worst blogger habit to have, and that insted of feeling guilty about the occasional quiz, I could probably improve my blogging as a whole (in other words, focus on why entries that aren't just quiz results still suck). It could be worse. I could not blog for a while, and then post something slapshot just because I feel guilty (blogging isn't for everyone, all the time), or post scattered thoughts fifteen times a day (those blogs aren't fun to read. Sometimes it is about quality instead of quantity. Other times, you wish your favorite blogs would update fifteen times a day). Sure, I could be a better blogger. Sure, I could suck less...edit more...write better...be more witty...

But until then, I found this quiz on Lucy's blog, and while I may post these more often than any self respecting blogger maybe should, I definitely screen and I am pretty picky about the quizzes I post here, okay?

That being said, I was really impressed with this quiz. It wasn't stupid like, "What Character From The O.C. Are You,"* and even though the bit about organized religion probably only applies to the Roman Catholic Church in my head, I think it's pretty accurate:

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative			69%
Idealist			63%
Romanticist			63%
Postmodernist			56%
Modernist			38%
Materialist			38%
Existentialist			38%
Fundamentalist			25%

What is Your World View?
created with QuizFarm.com

*Seth Cohen, btw

Smitten with my new yarn. And Benji.

**edited to include the following hilarious AIM conversation**
----------
mateo4321: briar - you must watch so you think you can dance
dearsweetbriar: uh, are you kidding me? [don't you read my blog?]
dearsweetbriar: benji is my new love
mateo4321: hahaha
mateo4321: DUDE
dearsweetbriar: i'm going to marry him
mateo4321: i was like
mateo4321: benji should go out with briar. ask my brother.
----------
I went to Woolcott & Co. today, out of frustration and general dissatisfaction with my current knitting situation. Won't you believe it, even though I was looking for something to "inspire me," and not necissarily to purchase, I finally found the lace yarn that will be my frost flowers and leaves shawl!

This is Skacel Merino Lace in color 831 (Light Pink). Not only did I happen across this yarn of my dreams, but I was able to use the swift and ball winder at Woolcot & Co. to make these lovely yarn cakes. I'm very excited about this. Do I start the shawl this weekend? I don't know, but now I have all the materials, and I can't wait to tackle this (but waiting may be in my best interest, as I don't want to start lace when I'm tired or pissy).

I also got some Noro Silk Garden because...well, frankly, I can't resist the Noro. I just can't. I mean, look at it!

When I got home, Alisa and I may have watched So You Think You Can Dance. And I may have fallen even more in love with Benji. And I may have voted for him a little bit. Also, Shut-Your-Mouth-Ben. He said, "Shut. Up," today. And Alisa's right. He's just like our Ben, only not straight.

It Was A Dark And Stormy Day

No, really. Look at those ominous clouds!:

Couple that with some wicked loud thunder and that beautiful rain smell, and you've got yourself a real, almost Southern Storm (I miss those. So much. It really does hurt sometimes. There's really no rain like rain in the desert).

So in light of that (and in lieu of venturing out in that), I was going to sit inside and make my mirrored pomatomus socks. That's when it really became a dark day:

This is my upteenth attempt at this (okay, sixth), and that's my fiftieth chart (okay, third). I'm really ready to cry. For days, this is all I've been doing. Casting on, knitting the cuff, knitting at least 15 rows of the chart, then ripping it back and trying again. I want to work on something else, but I have no projects in mind. Won't someone save my sanity?

Things I want to knit include the intarsia band on the hat I want to make Matt (but I don't have the yarn for that, and anyway, I don't really feel like knitting winterwear), and I kind of want to start a shawl, but don't have the energy to take on something so big and intricate.

I could just knit a second pomatomus that isn't mirrored. I suppose that's a possiblity.

*&Goes to corner and pouts*

You Know He Is!

Okay, you're going to think I'm weird, but I need to get something off my chest.

There is something disturbing me about the new Garfield movie, and I don't just mean that they're making it. What's really rubbing me the wrong way is the title. Okay, okay. I get it, it's a play on words. It's a "tale" of two "kitties" whose identities are mistaken.

But, HELLO! This is just the Prince and the Pauper! I know that there are no original ideas in Hollywood anymore, and that almost any story can be traced back to older stories, because there are only so many stories, and the only differences are nuances, or twists, or directions the movie takes. Fine. I get that. I don't even notice it most of the time. Heck, I tell the same stories over and over and over again. I get it, Hollywood.

But to make The Prince and the Pauper starring Garfield, then name it after a classic Dickens novel?! It's just...it's insulting is what it is. And to add injury to insult, this is the only Dickens I ever enjoyed, even though Dickens is insufferable and pompous. Surely there was some play on words they could have come up with using the prince and the pauper? Okay, maybe not...since this rant has been building up for weeks, and I still can't. But I maintain my general lack of respect over the whole situation.

-----End Rant-----

So, I'm watching Sailor Moon, which is just one of the many joys I've discovered recently since I downloaded bittorrent...Laugh all you want (Laura thinks my love of certain anime shows is funny), but Sailor Moon is just about one of the best shows, ever. It's even in Japanese, not dubbed in English, which is kind of foreign to me erm, unfamiliar to me, but it seems better this way. I read that the English dubs dropped a lot [of violence and homosexual references], and cut some episodes, but even so, I only ever saw the first story arc in English, and luck would have it that without any research at all, I've downloaded the second story arc!

Plus, I know he's a cartoon character, but man is Tuxedo Mask dreamy...(I'm still learning all of their Japanese names, but he's more familiar to me as Darrien, which is what I was going to name my first son when I was...whatever age I was when I was watching a lot of Sailor Moon).

-----End Things About Briar You Never Needed To Know-----

Tuesday is the day to Guess Lyrics!

You know the rules: Post the artist and song title in the comments. So far, Minnesota has been in the lead (by Minnesota, I mostly mean Laura. Ben's been helping, too). Here we go:

1) So we're alone again, I wish it were over. We never seem to end, only get closer.
2) I walked across an empty land, I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.
3) Over the sea and far away she's waiting like an iceberg, waiting to change, but she's cold inside.
4) Aruba, Jamaica, Oooh I wanna take ya
5) It's these substandard motels on the (lalalalala) corner of 4th and Fremont Street.
6) When you said, "Tulips," I knew that you were mine, when I caught you there, crying in the night.
7) I looked out this morning, and the sun was gone. Turned on some music to start my day, I lost myself in a familiar song. I closed my eyes and I slipped away
8) And so it is, just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me most of the time.
9) When you walked in, I said with a grin that we were just talking 'bout you
10) Last time I talked to you, you were lonely and out of place, you were looking down on me, lost out in space.
----------
1) Closer by Joshua Radin (Laura)
2) Somewhere Only We Know by Keane (Laura)
3) Other Side of the World by KT Tunstall (Wendy)
4) Kokomo by the Beach Boys (Laura)
5)
6)
7) More Than A Feeling by Boston (Laura)
8) The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice (Laura)
9) The Humor of the Situation by Barenaked Ladies (Laura)
10) Somewhere Out There by Our Lady Peace (Laura)

Ugly Baby Judges You

This "kid" I knew in middle school (who is a totally sweet guy, and I lurve him to death) posted a picture of his baby girl online. There was a bulletin that read, " I uploaded some pics up of my little girl. Let me know what you think!"

My first thought was..."ew," followed promptly by, "gross." I will never tell him this, because, of course "all babies are the cutest baby in the world, but even those are not as cute as yours. I love your baby. Aw."

Don't get me wrong, I'm completely happy for them, and I'm sure she will someday be beautiful, and probably smart and ridiculously charming, if she's anything like her father. And I do usually think that a majority of babies are cute. But there is a time and place for baby pictures, and when the kid is fresh and gooey is not one of them! I could have been eating! Plus, it's a little beyond me why people my age would want children, but then again, I'm in a very different place in life, and it's not for me to judge (although I admit freely that I often judge. At least a little).

To their credit, this baby was planned, and I know she will be loved. And that is beautiful.

THANK YOU O.S.S.P.!!!

This was actually in my mailbox this weekend, but I just got around to photographing it today. My One Skein Secret Pal...is LOCAL. Awesome. She shops at Lucy's store, which I would love to shop at more often, but the unemployment has hindered that a bit lately. Lucy has a bunch of handspun/dyed things at her shop (Mind's Eye Yarns), and I can't afford it, mostly. Not for substantial projects -- only smaller ones. But I love to browse her shop, and I like Lucy.

So thanks, Secret Pal! This is really a beautiful skein of yarn. And sneaky, too! Since I just might have to buy more, now ;)

God, How You'd Like it...You'd Like it to Fade

Here is all the crap I haven't written about since I disappeared off the face of the earth. Each blurb should be its own several paragraph entry, but since it's too late for that, you get sloppily written blurbs. Because blurb is fun to say, and this way, I don't have to think about what I'm writing. Which is why I've avoided writing, anyway:
----------
Alisa bought a DVD player. Now I can watch Grey's Anatomy on the TV! I'm very excited about this, and have already used the DVD player to watch The Village sans commercials (it's been on TV lately, but with commercials and without some scenes...bleh). This is fantastic.
----------
I'm working on the second pomatomus army sock. I really messed up the heel, and had knit the whole heel flap and turned half the heel before I realized I'd done it backwards. Since I'd already messed up, I decided to rip the whole thing out and do a "mirrored" version, instead of two matching socks. We'll see how it turns out. The army socks have sort of been my prototypes and the purple sock yarn is my "now I'm an expert" version. This won't be any exception, I suppose. This is slightly less fantastic, but will be fantastic when I have two completed pairs of pomatomuses. Pomatomi?
----------
I went to two graduation dinners last week. One in the North End with Ben's family and Taz, and one at an Afghan restaurant with Jessica's family and Alisa. Really, it's enough to move me to tears that I was invited. I...there are no words. I immensely enjoyed both dinners and it's really fantastic meeting families. It's one of those things I always realized I took for granted in high school -- that I knew all of my friend's families just because of house visits, and how it's sort of a big deal to meet people's parents now because we all live in different cities.
----------
Jessica's gone. I suppose I didn't post when Ben left, either. They're both gone. I'm a little sad. A little out of sorts. I miss them, but I still can't really believe that this is it. That it's time to move on. Because it doesn't seem different. I just know it is.

Jessica's sisters went out with us on Friday night, and we had a blast. There was dancing, which means that Alisa and I have put in our dancing time for the next six months...but it was fun. I always enjoy the Phoenix when they play '80s and top 40. And while there's some unwanted flirting, the guys there aren't nearly as aggressive as they are everywhere else.
----------
I have an interview next week. I'm excited about that. Really, I am. It's a big company, so maybe I can finally have friends. We'll see, but either way, it's just a placeholder until grad school, so it doesn't have to be the superfantasticdreamjobi'vealwayswanted.
----------
Alisa and I have to move. Because our landlord is an idiot. And kind of a jerk. And unreasonable. And we hope he has so much trouble renting out this space after we move, since he thinks he's giving us a "deal," when in reality, we've already seen some places on craigslist that are less expensive than ours now, and maybe nicer. Maybe not -- but we have more space than we need, anyway. And nicer doesn't always mean bigger.

I hate moving. But maybe this time I'll be able to paint my walls.

Now Listening: Franz Ferdinand - Fade Together

And If Alisa Were on the Eating Team, We'd Have Won the Reverse Contest, too.

The Zeta Psi/WILG cookie bake-off is now legend?

I wonder to which year he is referring, because I heard that last year they whooped ΖΨ, again. I wanted to comment on his blog, but I couldn't figure out how to leave a comment, probably because it's an archived entry? Anyway, I think it's kind of funny.

Sorry about the lack of updates lately, folks. I haven't been myself, but I don't know why. And when I'm like this, I either write it all down in a paper journal, or I don't write it down at all. It's mostly been the latter recently.

I'm not knitting much, but I'm up to about 50 paper cranes. I can feel myself wanting to grow, wanting to accomplish things, but I can't seem to get out of bed. But it's like potential energy right now, and if I can convert it, I'll be fine. Until then...I don't suspect I'll be around too much, unless it's to post inane things like that flash animation (that was hysterical).

Now Watching: M. Night Shyamalan's The Village

Animated Entertainment

This may be the coolest thing I've seen in a while. Click on the image above -- you won't be disappointed.

I Already Knew I Was "Mexican"

I was browsing myspace and blogthings and I found one of those inane "You know you're from El Paso When..." thingies. I laughed a little, and missed home for a bit, and then scrolled down, and saw a "You know you're Mexican when..." I thought that one was also funny, even though I'm not. Mexican, I mean. But since that's the culture I identify with most, and what sets me apart up north, I thought I'd share the ones that really warmed my heart:

You Know You're Mexican When...

• You have ever been hit by a chancla. (also, when mom was on the phone, she'd throw things at us to get our attention to tell us to be quiet or turn down the TV. Sometimes, being swung at with a wooden spoon also shaped us up).
• You grew up scared by something called "El Cucuy" (or instead of saying "the devil stepped on my grave," like one side of my family, I grew up saying "Ay, cucuy..." and shuddering whenever I got that passing chill, or "Uy, cucuy," when trying to be "spooky").
• You light a candle on the night of the Lotto drawing (or for a hundred thousand other things).
• You use your nose and/or lips to point something out (also, using wild gesticuation when I talk).
• You can dance ranchera, cumbia or salsa without music.
• You call your sneakers "tenees."
• Tamales, champurrado, posole and menudo are must haves at Christmastime. (Seriously, it's not wintertime until someone's made the champurrado)
• There is more Budweiser than punch at little Juanito's birthday party. (Coors or Tecate, but you get the point)
• You have told someone not to walk the floor barefoot or they'll catch a cold. (I still believe this, even though I KNOW it's not true)
• You need to point out how much something you just bought cost.
• You've tried to bring a mango back to the US from Mexico, and a bonus point if you actually made it all the way home with it (my grandmother gets like, a bajillion bonus points).

He Certainly Was No Gregory Peck. But, Really, No Man Is.

I just got back from watching The Omen with Chris. It wasn't scary so much as suspenseful, and besides, it's a remake -- and everyone knows what happens in the end. "Please, Daddy...No."

The guy next to me answered his phone twice and kept checking the time. The film seemed dark; underexposed. Not like it was supposed to be, but like the contrast was off, or something. I'm sure it was intentional, I just didn't appreciate it. Especially with cellphone mcgee sitting next to me flashing the light on his phone every fifteen minutes. Seriously. Why go see a movie if you're not going to watch it. At least let other people enjoy. Rent it. Then you can be a dick from your couch, instead of in a theater next to me.

So, on IMDB, Mia Farrow isn't one of the first billed actors? That seems odd to me, but still, my point before wandering over to IMDB was going to be how it's funny that Mia Farrow was the keeper of the devil's baby in this version. When has that come up before? Just kidding.

There wasn't much reason to post except I wanted to say that I'm strangely happy about the commenting on the last post. It was the first week ever that all of the songs were guessed! I'm bad at guessing who will guess which songs, though. For real. There's been a lot of Alison Krauss and then yesterday's two Franz Ferdinand songs, and I was surprised at who didn't get those. Also, all of you who visit...maybe you don't know? Maybe you don't want to delurk? But California needs to represent. I know you all have some pretty good radio stations out there...so that's my lame attempt to delurk you guys. I'll never do it again, I swear.

Lyrical Guessing Tuesday Minnesota Represents / I Haven't Seen Connecticut Chiming In These Past Five Weeks

Okay, the rules (shortened, because...well...y'all should know by now):
Step 4: All y'all take a stab at what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 5: I cross out the songs when someone guesses correctly.
Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is Cheat, Cheat, CHEATING!
Are you ready???

1) This is the last time that I will say these words
2) Something is changing inside of me/Colors seem darker in light.
3) Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
4) As I took step number four, into the close of your tenement, you cast your darkened eyes so low
5) If it can be broke then it can be fixed, if it can be fused then it can be split -- It's all under control
6) Two jumps in a week, I'll bet you think that's pretty clever, don't you boy?
7) I'm all busted up/Broken bones and nasty cuts/Accidents will happen/But this time I can't get up
8) Breaking my back just to know your name, seventeen tracks and I've had it with this game
9) I swapped my innocence for pride, crushed the end within my stride
10) She's blood, flesh and bone, no tucks or silicone...
----------
1) This is the Last Time by Keane (Laura)
2) Don't Deconstruct by Rilo Kiley (Laura)
3) Somewhere Over The Rainbow sung by Judy Garland (Ben)
4) What You Meant by Franz Ferdinand (Laura)
5) The Pioneers by Bloc Party (Ben)
6) High and Dry by Radiohead (Laura)
7) Pulling Teeth by Green Day (Laura)
8) Somebody Told Me by The Killers (Ben)
9) Walk Away by Franz Ferdinand (Laura)
10) She's So High by Tal Bachman (Ben and Laura)

This Was Pointless and Self-Serving...

Fill in the blanks about your senior year of High School. The longer ago it was the better.

1. Who was your best friend?
My best friends were Sara and Aurora, but by senior year, we had broken up our usual lunch gang, and I was spending a lot of time with Melissa, Ashley, Kristen, and sometimes Nina. We had a rotation for driving to lunch, and when Melissa drove, we listened to Cake (more specifically the song Sheep Go To Heaven) and the Brak Show on tape, and when Nina drove, we blasted Kung Fu Fighting (not the cheesy Fatboy Slim version, either).
2. What sports did you play?
HA! By this time, I was pretty much done with "sports." By "sports," I'm referring to the semester I dabbled in tennis.
3. What kind of car did you drive?
I drove my dad's Dodge Ram, extended cab pickup truck - dubbed The Beast. The Beast is not only raised, but the muffler has been altered, so it's also loud. Man alive, I love that truck.
4. It's Friday night, where were you at?
If it wasn't date night, I was probably sitting at home with the folks. Sometimes playing board games, sometimes watching a movie. Because I was awesome.
5. Were you a party animal?
Well, see above, first of all. And second of all, No.
6. Were you considered a flirt?
Hardly. I was considered a serial monogamist.
7. Ever skip school?
Sometimes. One specific time comes to mind. We had decided that after the UIL Contest for Orchestra that we'd just go ahead and take a long lunch, or in other words, skip third period. We drove somewhere that we usually didn't have time for, sat there and shot the breeze, then took the long way back to school. Outside the orchestra room, we were debating whether or not to just skip school for the rest of the day, then the principal (who knew at least two of us by name) came over and asked what was going on. Sara and I put on our confident Student Council faces and said we'd just gotten back from Contest, and how was she doing today? She chatted with us for a while, while Ian sweat his body weight and shook in the background, and then she walked away. It was pretty funny, and we felt no remorse, but Ian never "skipped school" with us again.
8. Ever smoke?
Not a single cig.
9. Were you a nerd?
Oh, heck yes.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled?
No. What would I have gotten suspended for? Staying until 9PM every night to prep for Prom, assuming I wasn't at High-Q, NHS, Student Council meetings, Orchestra rehearsals, or hostessing at Cheddar's? I didn't have time to do anything that would have gotten me suspended.
11. Can you sing the Alma Mater?
Sadly, I can't remember it anymore. I know it's the Notre Dame fight song, and it starts out "Cheers, Cheers for J.M. Hanks High/We proudly stand [?] as our team goes by...la la la la la la la la lala la la la laaaaa-a."
12. Who was your favorite teacher?
This is like Sophie's choice (okay, I need to either read that or stop referencing it). There were Ms. Phillips (Dusty), Mrs. Hiett, Sra. Skindell, Ms. Dunn (now Mrs. Anderson, but still goes by Dunn), Mr. Burrows (who forgot who I was when I visited last year, so I only feel lukewarm about this one), Mr. Turner...These and others were the important people who shaped my life and made it what it is today. But there were too many of them to pick a "favorite," and I learned different things from all of them.
13. Favorite class?
Probably AP Physics because of the people. English Lit was also fantastic, especially when we spent a whole month on P&P, then watched the Colin Firth version on tape. Plus we did Hamlet and then watched the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet. I also really enjoyed Calculus until I was accused of being the reason the boys at my table were doing so poorly (apparently I was a "distraction," which was news to me since I was there to, oh, I don't know, learn Calculus), and I loved government, although I wish I had been able to fit AP gov. into my schedule. One of my more favorite things senior year that wasn't quite a class, but I learned a lot there anyway, was High-Q. Also, the NRA Pistol course Mr. Turner taught. Academic Decathlon, unfortunately, wasn't one of my favorite classes. Maybe I would have done better if it had been...
14. What was your school's full name?
Jesse Mack Hanks High School. I shit you not.
15. School mascot?
Knights.
16. Did you go to Prom?
Yes, I did. Sophomore and Junior year, too.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you?
Not for a million dollars or the threat of a greusome death. Not even if you threatened to take away all of my yarn. Not even the Noro. Got it?
18. What do you remember most about graduation?
That it was such a major let down and not much fun at all. What an anti-climactic ending to all of the memories and moments.
19. Favorite memory of your senior year?
I don't have one. It's not that there weren't any, just that there wasn't one.
20. Were you ever posted up on the senior wall?
I don't think we had one, and No. But if we did, I didn't know about it, and I may have been...who knows cares
21. Did you have a job your senior year?
Certainly. I was a hostess at Cheddar's restauarant. Classy.
22. Who did you date?
Ian was my boyfriend until some time after Valentine's day. We'd been together for a little over a year at that point, but after that I didn't really date much. I guess if I were to look back, Joey and I dated casually for a while, and I guess that Ricky was dating me, but I wasn't really dating him...which was kind of weird. Besides that, I was single until I got to MIT.
23. Where did you go most often for lunch?
Chick-fil-A, Arby's, Bonny's, Schlotzky's...and I can't think of any others. Sometimes we went to Sonic, but that was more of an afterschool event than a lunch event.
24. Have you gained weight since then?
Yes. Quite....mmm...
25. What did you do after graduation?
I went to PI (Project Interphase) at MIT. I didn't have too much time between graduation and Interphase (more than Alisa - who had days. I had weeks). I worked at Cheddar's and just waited to get the hell out of there. Also, my parents and I flew up here with grandma and my sister, and we did Boston -- we did it up right. Saw the capitol, Faneuil Hall, Cheers, the Common...I didn't know what any of that stuff was (aside from the capitol), but we did it.
26. When did you graduate?
2001

Renaissance Monsters/Aliens

This contest asks a simple question: If the renaissance took place in more recent times, and the models were famous movie monsters/aliens, what would the artwork look like?

I Thought Wrong

You know when you get beyond the point of tired, and suddenly the sun is starting to come up, and you realize you just stayed up all night?

I thought that was going to end when college was over.

Responding to stimuli

I got the first season of Grey's Anatomy on DVD today! Even though I've seen them all (I hadn't realized this until after I'd ordered it), it will be nice to see them all again - in DVD quality. I don't know why I'm so hooked on this show. Besides the fact that some of the characters are incredibly annoying, everything that happens on this show depresses me. I really have reached the breaking point on the whole Mer/Der thing. They're hurting everyone around them, and while I think it would be terrible for McDreamy to walk out on Addison, because she's beautiful and amazing and strong and so much less annoying than Meredith, why won't he just leave his wife already?! I mean, he's not even trying to be with her. I wouldn't be upset if he and Mer chose each other and then terrible, terrible things happened to them. That would be quality television. See? Why do I love this show?

Also, Peter might have gotten me started on Avatar...WHY PETER, WHY?!

It will be like Naruto all over again (when I didn't leave my room for days - even to eat - because I had about sixty episodes of Naruto to catch up on). PS, are there any new episodes of Naruto these days? I'm so over this "side-story" thing. Also? Cartoon Network? You should assume that your viewers can READ. Stop it with the english dubbing. Sure, I don't understand Japanese, but I also don't think the voices you got are at all appropriate. I hate you, Cartoon Network - you make it necessary for me to download these episodes on my already full hard drive.

Don't Cut Yourself

me: *emo tear*
Peter: dont cut yourself
Peter: it gets
Peter: everywhere
----------
"When you're young, you think the world revolves around your butt. But as you get older, you realize that the world does not revolve around your butt."
-Frank O. Gehry

I don't know where, Confused about how as well, Just know that these things will never change for us at all

There's been so much going on and yet I've been blogging about none of it.

Things aren't going so well on the job front. I know I need to light a fire under my butt, but it's really hard when I've got thoughts of grad school and getting the heck out of Dodge on my mind. I'm done with this. I'm done with the fruitless job search in Boston and the wanting to work places in New York, Chicago, London, and LA, but not being able to do anything about it because I've signed a lease and committed to one more year, and really, the sensible thing to do is wait, anyway. I'm about two steps away from waltzing to Jasmine Sola and inquiring about the Sales Associate Wanted sign in their window, because really, it's just a job. And retail is slightly different from slinging hash -- which I'm not necessarily above at this point in my life, anyway. I'm sick and tired of standing still. I want to move. I want to go places. I want new things, a fresh start, a different life.

I'm sad, because two of my best friends are leaving. It makes me hurt, like it hurt when my other friends left last year. It sucks being unemployed and poor weird guilty about money, because I can't jet off to Barbados or visit Minnesota (and there are other particulars around that, and despite the jealousy-that-isn't-really-jealousy, I'm happy for Alisa that she got to go -- but yeah, I wish I were there, too). I'm looking forward to a trip to the DC area when Alisa's in Barbados, but at this point, it seems that will be necessary since I'll actually be alone. I still can't fathom that. Alone. For real, this time. (Alisa counts, and I love her for it, but...it's not that kind of relationship -- she's not actually my live in heterosexual life partner :)

I'm starting to get that hopeful, girlish feeling again. The stupid one. The one that...well, gosh darn it, the one that makes me ME. So...GD it. I'm going to embrace it because you know what? It makes me happy. The wistful kind of happy that is usually reserved for fifteen-year-old girls who don't know any better. So what? Maybe I don't know any better. Maybe I don't want to. I'll just keep on keeping on, and one day, I'll wake up and it will have been getting better right in front of me, and I just won't have seen it amidst the rubble. And until then, FINE. Why try to go against the nature of my being? It hurts to do that, so I'll just accept myself and move on.

We played Life this week; me, Ben, Alisa, and Jessica. I only had one baby, and Alisa owned a Sex Shoppe. It was fun (as was writing shoppe...Also of note: Alisa won the Peace Prize. Her reasoning is that her store is a way of "bringing people together.")

The Snow Patrol concert was postponed:

And while there's no one to be "angry" with, the words disappointed, bummer, damnit, Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick, and several obscenities have been used to describe my feelings on the situation. Oh, sure, I'll get to go in August, I suppose, but with my concert track record...Let's see what's on the queue this summer: Cowboy Mouth (for a potential third failed attempt), Fiona Apple and Damien Rice, and even Snow Patrol again (*signs the cross and glances at the sky*). Come on, Karma.

Or maybe I'm just building up for some really really awesome, amazing, GOOD STUFF that's about to happen, and keep happening forever, since I'm paying my dues now.

HA

(I) Have A Type A Personality
You are hyper, energetic, and always on the mood You tend to succeed at everything you attempt And if you don't succeed at first, you quickly climb your way to the top! You could be called a workaholic, but you also make time for fun As long as it's high energy and competitive, you're interested You have the perfect personality for business and atheltic success

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

It Could Have Been Worse

SOCK Progress...

The sock is ready for toe grafting. This is the part that scares me. This sock? This sock is perfect. PERFECT. Okay, there's a row where I missed a stitch pattern. There's a hole where I picked up the gusset stitches. But still. Despite the single real mistake that no reasonable person would notice, the toe scares me. Because even though there are a mere 16 stitches left on this sock after thousands of stitches, and all I have to do is kitchener those puppies closed, I feel like there is so much potential for screw up.

This is where I put the sock down, take a deep breath...do a shot of vodka...just kidding. But I do take a deep breath. Then I dive in...and...

**EDIT**
I'm stupid. All this time, I always wondered why the working needles were away from me when I knit in the round. It's because I knit inside-out and backwards. And this...is how we learn. Mistakes, friends. Mistakes are how we learn to do right next time.

Now Listening: Landon Pigg - Sailed On

Then...You'll Get The Bitch Ending You Deserve!

click to enlarge. Also, see side bar for link to Penny Arcade.

There was some playing of Kingdom Hearts today. I remembered bits of it from when my sister played, but they were nowhere near as cool back then when she was sighing and snapping at me because she'd already played past certain parts, and you lose interest when you're not playing, but merely watching someone play -- even if they ask you what you think they should do next and then don't listen to you, anyway. I mean...I love you, Awbs.

Anyway, yeah, I played this game with Ben until well past 2AM. When stuff that probably wasn't funny started being funny (but I also thought it was funny, I just realized that it probably wouldn't have been to anyone else -- or maybe even us).

The above comic, though, was something that came up twice. It's actually in reference to Kingdom Hearts 2, but I still think it's funny, and somewhat relevant, although it wasn't Jiminy who was giving us trouble today, and we haven't encountered Pooh (because to my knowledge, he's not in this one).

Sigh, such good times. It almost makes me want to get a PS2. But then I remember that I have no interest in most other games. And also...there would be no time for knitting.