Thanksgiving Weekend Recap
26 Nov 2007 1 Comment
in Fabulous Friends, Family, Let's All Go to the Movies, Off the Needles, Weekend Update
* My sister and her boyfriend, my parents, Wes and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast and enjoyed mass quantities of turkey, pumpkin and chocolate.
* Wes & I watched You Kill Me starring Ben Kingsley. It was excellent. Totally wacky, totally odd and totally enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it. (The Puffy Chair, however, is the first DVD I have actually turned off and returned mostly unwatched. Don’t do it. I warned you.)
* Food food food and friends! We had several great meals with my parents, and a fun lunch with my sister’s best friend and my former roomie and her boyfriend.
* Wes & I rented and watched Rome: Season II (that’s in Roman numerals for those of you who care….). Ten episodes in one week was a commitment, but we weren’t sorry. It was just as good as the first season and left us both hoping for a season 3 – unlikely, but we can hope!
* The knitting. I had a little mishap with some gloves so I focused my energies on the Southwest Trading Company’s Soysilk Man’s Golf Shirt for the store. I finished it late tonight and can’t wait to take it in. My only complaint is that the pattern lies – it asked for 9 balls of green and 4 of navy and somehow I had 4 of the green leftover. Now I’m no mathematician, but the sweater is whole and wearable and I can’t figure out where 4 more balls would go.
* The first boxes have been packed. Let the moving begin. *groan*
The Weeked Update
29 Oct 2007 Leave a Comment
in Fabulous Friends, Knitting Content Ahead, Let's All Go to the Movies, Weekend Update
This weekend FLEW by. There certainly wasn’t a lack of things to do.
Friday night started off with a bang as I got dismissed early from work and headed over to the LYS for Bad Girls Knitting Night: The Halloween Edition. We had wine, popcorn, candy and knitting! I worked on my Jaywalker socks on the magic loop (almost done) and the men’s golf shirt I’m working on for the store (not even close to done). Other knitting this weekend included my first 8 squares for the San Diego Wild Fire project. I’m mailing them off first thing tomorrow morning to become blankets. (and starting on my second set of 8 for this week….)
Saturday morning (well ok noon!) I met up with some friends to celebrate my coworker’s birthday. (Happy 29th again Miss J!) We had lunch at Canter’s Deli and then headed over to the El Capitan theatre for Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-d. What a great afternoon!
Then I raced home to do a quick change and head off for an evening of fun. A while ago Blenda from Oz and I took some pole dancing classes. Well last night was a Pole-o-ween adventure. We dressed up and headed over to Harvelle’s for some drinks and a little pole time. Then we boarded a party bus and headed out for to see some strip clubs and pole dancers. Around 11pm we went back to Harvelle’s and partied with an awesome jazz and blues band. A few pics are attached here. Let’s just say that this is the NOT safe for work costume. 
Weekend Wrapup.
08 Oct 2007 2 Comments
in Let's All Go to the Movies, Off the Needles, The Boob Tube, Weekend Update
Well I had hoped to have more than one finished object for this evening, but alas I worked all day and played all night so I didn’t quite make it. I did finished the Cabled Blanket this weekend though. Thanks to all who chimed in on the border – I decided to go with a magenta and a few rows of single crochet. The finished product is below.
Other highlights of the weekend included a wonderful Saturday night with my sweetie, discovering the series Bones (thanks Netflix!), working at the yarn store, and seeing Across the Universe tonight. It was excellent and I would recommend it to anyone who has even a passing interest in the 70′s and the Beatles. I have never really connected with 70′s movies or the Beatles music before but this was a great musical revue with outstanding performances and a really sweet story.
TomorrowEEEK TODAY is back to work, although I start 50% for a new department so I’ve got lots to read and learn.
Starting to Jaywalk.
01 Oct 2007 1 Comment
in Here Comes the Bride, Knitting Content Ahead, Let's All Go to the Movies, Weekend Update
It simply CANNOT already be October 1 and Monday AGAIN. I just don’t know where the time goes!
This was a pretty good weekend. Friday night, the weekend kicked off with a Bad Girls Knitting Night at the LYS. There was liquor, munchies and lots of knitting. I had a great time! And no some yarn did not jump into my hands…. not even a little bit (well ok I bought a few things for my secret pal, but that’s it!)
Saturday my mom and I met up to do some wedding planning. I think I found the dress I want. We visited two stores and I found two dresses, both of which are vastly different from each other, but upon reflection last night, one of them is the one I see myself in on my wedding day. All of a sudden it’s starting to get very real. I’m getting married!!! I’m not going to post pictures here because I want to think about it some more, and also because I want the pictures I post to be of me in the dress on my wedding day. Guess you’ll all just have to hold out.
Saturday night was movie night with my honey. Poor guy has been working out like crazy to train for a half marathon in Kansas City in a few weeks, and he had run 13 miles earlier in the day so he was a bit tired, but we had a good “date night” anyway.
Today was chores: laundry, starting to weed out the junk in my place (I think my stuff has sex and multiplies when I’m not looking!), and back up my computer. I also managed to watch the second season of Weeds on DVD which was fantastic! Mary Louise Parker is excellent and the writers really come up with some great stuff.
Finally, there was knitting. The title comes from my new project, Grumperina’s Jaywalkers, which is coming along nicely. I had a few balls of Koigu left over from a different project and this seemed like a stripey way to go! I also put in some time on a baby blanket I’m working on. Unfortunately I’m a little stalled on the dress I’m working on. I got all the way up to where the arm shaping comes in (working from the hem line upwards) but the decreasing in pattern isn’t working at all, so I’m contemplating it while I work on the other projects that ARE working. Sound like procrastination anyone?
Occasional Perks
28 Sep 2007 2 Comments
in Let's All Go to the Movies, Office Games
Although I seem to complain about my job, some days it’s just really cool to work here. Today we got a perk courtesy of the fact that we have CREATIVE in our title. Today in the spirit of creative and artistic endeavors, we got to view the movie Breach at work, followed by an hour Q&A with the film’s writer and director Billy Ray. Let me say that even before the Mr. Ray uttered his first words, I was entranced by the movie. I don’t know what rock I was hiding under when this case broke, but I really didn’t know the true story going in to see the movie. While the story itself is compelling, intriguing and scary, the acting was amazing. Chris Cooper is genuinely moving, and portrays a man that we should justifiably hate for his treasonous acts with such complex character and passion. Ryan Phillipe and Laura Linney round out this excellent cast, and their performances are no less inspiring. I would highly recommend this movie!
After the movie concluded, Mr. Ray graciously sat with us for over an hour and spoke about his influences in writing and directing this movie, how the script changed throughout (45 drafts!) and explored the basic (and incredibly complicated) art of bringing a story to life.
And all this occurred during normal business hours and counted as part of my work day. Can’t beat that!
(As a side note, Mr. Ray is currently working on the script for the remake of Westworld – a favorite of my father’s, and the first movie that genuinely scared me so badly I barely slept for days.)
ETA – We also dined on all 4 of the major food groups today: Popcorn, Pizza, Ice Cream and Cake. We did miss the tuna group!
Another weekend gone.
24 Sep 2007 Leave a Comment
in Knitting Content Ahead, Let's All Go to the Movies
This weekend, was as usual, composed of relaxing, knitting and movies. I was ready to lay low for a bit and the rainy weather on Friday definitely fit my mood. Saturday I sept at the knitting store. Sunday I went for coffee with a friend and grocery shopping. Otherwise it was movies and knitting.
As you can see I finished another few sets of blocks on the Modern Quilt Wrap. At this point I’m at the half way mark. I also started working on another charity blanket – #12! – another little star in some great baby yarn I have had stashed away, waiting for the right time to play. I love how it’s coming out!
Lastly, I watched an incredible movie tonight – Water. It is the story of two young Indian widows, one only seven, and the other in her late teens or early twenties. It chronicles what the lives of widows are like in India and how they survive. Although incredibly sad, the movie manages not to be a downer, just a poignant beautiful film. I would highly recommend it. (And the soundtrack is fabulous – I can’t wait to buy it!)
The Silver Screen
10 Sep 2007 Leave a Comment
in Let's All Go to the Movies, Weekend Update
This weekend was spent (mostly) knitting and watching movies. There was a bit of activity in there – pole dancing at the new studio and some sushi – but otherwise it was pure relaxation. I watched the following treats:
Shinobi – This is a Japanese retelling of the Romeo & Juliet story in the 1600s in Japan. A boy and a girl from warring Japanese ninja clans living in the mountains meet. The cinematography is amazing in this movie, and just the style of the film is unlike anything I’ve seen before. A definite recommend!
The Groomsmen – Think about having a wedding and then think about how dysfunctional family can be and you have this movie! From the creators of The Brothers McMullen this movie was uncomfortable and touching at the same time. It gave us a few nightmares about our own wedding, but hopefully none of them will come to pass!
The Painted Veil – Edward Norton and Naomi Watts bring this film to life. It is the story of a bacteriologist in London who volunteers to go to China during the cholera epidemic. As the story unfolds you see how two people can be both cruel and tender to each other. I really liked this one.
Happy Labor Day!
04 Sep 2007 Leave a Comment
in Knitting Content Ahead, Let's All Go to the Movies, Off the Needles, Weekend Update
This has been a wonderful long weekend! It started on Friday with a blissfully short half day of work. From there, I picked up some munchies and headed over to Knitmeister S’s to care for the little beasts on the right. And oh the little beasts they were…. in the space of less than 24 hours they had gotten into the good yarn, into the pots and pans on the counter and done a pretty good destroying number on the blanket hanging over the back of the couch. And that wasn’t all — as I was refilling the food and water, and cleaning the litter box one of these little beasts crawled into the litter box and peed OVER the side of the box onto the floor. I am SO never having pets.
From there it was on to A Mano and an afternoon of knitting followed by bad girls knitting night. I managed to finish the flower petal baby blanket – a sample for the store. I may even be teaching a class on how to do it this October. It came out really nicely – whimsical, fun and happy. Perfect for a new baby. Bad girls knitting night was also a hoot, especially when we sampled the Lilly Pilly wine. Things just got a bit silly.
Saturday I woke up fairly early to head to the knitting store for a day of work and fun. There I took on a new project – the Mitered Scarf from Folk Style. I have to say that this is a great book, and a beautiful piece. The book has a number of garments that, while a little fussy, are really ingeniously constructed. I can’t wait to make the skirt on the cover or the Asian inspired sweater.
Sunday I went back to A Mano for more work and fun, and then came home to watch movies with my sweetie. This weekend I rented discs one and two (of three) of The Scarlet Pimpernel that aired on A&E a while back. I can’t wait for the 3rd disc to show up… I remember loving the book and this was a really great rendition of it.
Today was chores, visiting the kitties again, and more knitting of course. I managed to get a few loads of laundry done earlier today, and then spent some time with the kitties before their daddy comes home tomorrow. They were much sweeter today. I lounged on the couch and they came and laid on me, alternately napping and grooming me. After that it was off to the market and home again to a yucky warm house.
Tonight I watched some Survivorman with Wes and whipped up this cute little Miss Dashwood hat for Tadpole. (We know she’s a girl now and her name is going to be Melody, but for some reason Tadpole has stuck in my head.) I have enough of the cotton left over to maybe make a little sweater to go with the hat, so now I just need to hunt down some patterns.
So that was pretty much the weekend. I wish Wes had been around and that we could have BBQ’d and enjoyed our time off together, but I know this is the last few months we’ll be apart, so it’s ok. Now it’s just back to work.
Happy Labor Day!
Simpsonize me.
23 Aug 2007 Leave a Comment
in L'il Ole Me, Let's All Go to the Movies, The Boob Tube
Even though I don’t watch the tv show much and didn’t see the movie, I was curious to see what the “Simpsonized” version of me would look like. The verdict? I couldn’t find the right hair, but it’s not too bad. Thoughts?
For your very own, go here.
A Good Weekend
23 Jul 2007 Leave a Comment
in A Book is a Woman's Best Friend, Geocaching, Let's All Go to the Movies
Wes and I got to spend our first weekend together in a while. Friday night we laid low, ordered some yummy Thai food and watched the movie The Covenant. It wasn’t a great movie, but it whetted our appetites for some magic.
Saturday was double feature day. We joined up with Knitmeister S and Blogless Will for a morning showing of Transformers followed by an afternoon showing of Harry Potter. Both movies were excellent. Transformers was good old fashioned summer fun (Yeah Bumblebee!) and Harry didn’t disappoint either. Thought I’m not into the Harry Potter books (thus avoiding the lines this weekend for #7) I do enjoy the movies.
Saturday night we met my parents for a great Italian dinner to celebrate Dad’s 61st birthday! I got him a few good reads: Wicked and Wild Trees, which he’s planning to take with him on their trip to Canada this week. It was a lot of fun.
Today was exercise and outdoors day (since yesterday was sit on our ass, watch movies, and eat food day!). We started this morning with a workout. He, who has been training for a while, ran several miles this morning. I, who am a total workout wimp, walked a mile on the treadmill, cycled 2.5 on the bike, and did the weights circuit in the gym, followed by situps. I feel sore already, so tomorrow ought to be fun. This afternoon we headed out to pick up a few things in Target (why are there no 1 piece swimsuits for women this year?!? but that’s a subject for another post…) and then went Geocaching a bit. Unfortunately for us it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and what we were looking for was mostly hidden in parks overrun with children and people. We did manage to find one however, and find a nice bench to chill on for a few.
Tonight we’re home watching more movies (The Clearing starring Robert Redford, Willem Defoe and Helen Mirren – it was interesting), some Man v. Wild, and have a little dinner. The only good part about starting a new week is that we’re a little closer to our cruise!
