Thursday, October 31, 2013

Frustrating (Day 119 KEDfaY)


So I'm cruising right along on the Supa Sekrit Project #1 and then I hit a brick wall. I spent 4-5 hours today trying to solve a problem on it and I couldn't figure it out. Luckily I *just* made it to 50% on it so I can get points for HPKCHC hopefully.

Next up on the list is my owl sweater and then more washcloths. I can do this but right now I'm going to go read and go to bed. 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Quickie (Day 118 KEDfaY)

No picture because it's too late and too dark and my phone is in the other room and I'm lazy.

Today I finished the part of the supa sekrit project #1 that I've been having the most problems with and I am very happy. It's finally done so to get to 50% will be a piece of cake and I will definitely get it tomorrow. And then I can finish my sweater hopefully in time to be submitted to the local fair. I feel better now that I can see progress on things and things are finally getting finished. It's a nice feeling.

Doctor's appointment today was a quick one. He just looked at my face and basically said to keep doing what I'm doing and hope for the best and if it's not better in a few weeks to come back and we'll go from there. At least it's not flesh eating bacteria. That makes me feel better.

Just a quick update today. I want to go get some things done before bed. I've started reading the Game of Thrones series and it's actually pretty nice to read before bed although not many people have been brutally murdered at this point, just a few.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Itchy (Day 117 KEDfaY)

Please ignore the missing dresser drawer. I took it out to empty it and just hadn't put it back yet.

More knitting on SSP#1 today. I am 2/3 through this one part that I've had problems with and it's FINALLY looking right. I'll work on it more tonight. I don't think I'll get much done on it tomorrow since tomorrow is my trip to the doctor and an altogether day out. I'm really hoping I don't have the flesh eating bacteria. I can't afford to be in the hospital right now. Again, no necrotizing flesh on my face but this is the doctor who gave me an EKG last time I when I just needed my Pap for the year so who knows what he'll do. 

The worst part about this rash right now is that it itches like crazy and I can't help but pick at it and scratch it which means I'm washing my hands a million times a day. My hands are all dry and gross now because of it. I already had a thing about picking at scabs and now my face is a huge series of scabs that I just want to pick at. It's not fun. Hopefully the doctor will give me some helpful advice tomorrow. Who knows. In the meantime, I have a supa sekrit project to work on. 

Monday, October 28, 2013

Phantom-y (Day 116 KEDfaY)


Whoo! Something else to mark off of my to-do list! It didn't get mailed today. Why, you ask? Because I didn't want to walk to the post office. 

So my kinda being sick has been a really nasty rash all over my face. It's super unattractive, let me tell you. I suspect it's a bacterial infection because I've also been more tired than normal and I've had a feeling of just being sick without any symptoms aside from the rash that is threatening to take over my face. So, going out in public is not really a top priority of mine. I can deal with being stared at when I dress funny or when I'm making an ass of myself but being stared at for something I can't control like a seemingly incurable rash on my face would probably make me cry.

Last night, while getting ready for bed, I noticed, that, after a week and a half of various treatments, it hadn't gotten any better and in some places actually looked worse so I resigned myself to the fact that I have to go do the doctor to get this fixed. I have tried every home remedy and basic first aid recommendation I've found online and nothing has helped and some have made it worse. I didn't really want to go to the doctor because it's a hassle because I don't have a car but at this point, I need to. Add to the situation the fact that there is flesh eating bacteria 'round these parts, and I decided that I definitely need to go. Nothing looks like it's necrotizing at this point but one can't be too safe. Thanks, Florida

I scheduled my appointment for Wednesday and I'll mail out my commission then. Until then I have Supa Sekrit Project #1 to finish, my sweater to finish, and three more washcloths for HPKCHC to finish. All due at various points in the next few weeks. I'm sure some of those things would be done if it weren't for the disgusting rash on  my face. Once it starts healing, I'll probably post a picture but right now just imagine the Phantom of the Opera minus the singing and kidnapping of random teenage girls. 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Finish Line (Day 115 KEDfaY)


I am so close to finishing this dang hat. If it weren't for the pesky ear flaps it'd be done or at least to the point of just needing to do the poof. It has taken me a lot longer than I want to admit to working on this hat. I guess that's what I get for going and bragging about how awesome I am at knitting. The plan was to mail it out tomorrow but I don't know if I'll get it done in time and still have time to walk to the post office. I *think* I will but I don't know for sure. I'm going to try to finish up the ear flaps tonight so that all I have to do tomorrow is the poof. I hate doing pom poms. They're such a pain and I always feel like they're such a waste but a Cunning Hat wouldn't be the same without it. 

In other news, I have no other news. I made soup today. It was alright. It's not the best but it's not the worst soup I've ever made. But right now, I need to go finish a hat! 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Cunning (Day 114 KEDfaY)


Look! Knitting that I can show you! WHOO!

That should be exciting. I think it's exciting. I'm making a hat for a friend who has commissioned it. It is  a Generic Sci Fi Ear Flap Hat of Cunningness. It's an easy hat. I think I might actually spend more time walking to the post office to mail it than to knit it. I don't know for sure but I will definitely time it just in case because that would amuse me too much if that were the case. 

As for being sick, kinda, I'm still sick, kinda. I seriously didn't start knitting today until about an hour ago. It's just been one of those days, I'm sure you've been there. My exciting moment of the day was resetting my phone because it needed it. I've spent a good portion of the day trying to figure out what apps I need and where they were. If that doesn't tell you how exciting my life is right now, I don't know what will. 

Friday, October 25, 2013

Check! (Day 113 KEDfaY)

She is as surprised as you are that she's sitting on my lap
I finished my test knit and then instantly started feeling sick. That is how my luck is going right now.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Kinda sick-ish (Day 112 KEDfaY)

She is really bad at hiding. 

Ugh.

That's how I feel. I have a weird sick thing happening that I really don't want to talk about because it's kinda embarrassing and I'm not over how embarrassing it is yet. Once I get over it, I'll share but for right now I'm just going to remain sick. Trust me, I have a rough draft of an essay all about it already written, I'm just not ready to share with anyone yet. I can be private sometimes. No, really! I can!

I've worked on the test knit. It's slow going, which is something that Lee Meredith said when she sent out the test knit but it's slower than I expected. I consider myself an incredibly fast knitter (only because I've been told by lots of people that I knit quickly) so when I say it's slow going, it's slow going. I am enjoying it, I just don't feel like I'm getting anything done on it. It doesn't help that I had to restart. It is looking better now though and I'm 2/3 of the way done now, I just have to finish it up so I can get the rest of the stuff I need done. I go months and months without needing to do anything and then all of a sudden, 4 different things need to be done within a week of each other. Buh.

And I'm sick on top of it. Sorta. Again, more on that later.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

You'd think I'd have some sort of system by now (Days 110 and 111 KEDfaY)

But no, I don't.

I blame not feeling well. Can I do that? I haven't been feeling too hot over the past few days and that's meant lots of naps and not a whole lot else. Well, except knitting. I've been knitting a lot. But it's all on stuff that I can't show you so...Just trust me here.

Restarted the test knit last night. I missed a huge pattern instruction and I wasn't liking how it was turning out so I decided to restart it. No big deal. Just have to focus my attention on that now instead of other things. Whoo, scheduling things!


Monday, October 21, 2013

Deadlines (Day 109 KEDfaY)

If she fits, she sits even if there is a bigger box that she fits in better just over there. 
Today, the yarn I ordered for a hat that I'm making for a commission FINALLY arrived. I ordered it last Monday and it just got here today. I guess I'm spoiled to really fast shipping but seriously. I hope to get that done and mailed out by this weekend but I have a few other deadlines I have to deal with first. The halfway point on SSP#1 is due on the 31st to get points for HPKCHC. The test knit I'm doing for Lee Meredith is due Saturday. My sweater needs to be done by the 1st ish so I can submit it for a local fair. I don't expect it to win but it would be nice to have a hand knit of mine recognized for its awesomeness. Supa sekrit project #1 is going much better now. A technique that Lee Meredith explains in the pattern I'm test knitting is actually coming in SUPER handy for SSP#1. I am very thankful for that. SSP#1 is also looking better and I think/hope I won't have to rip back again. *fingers crossed*

The good thing is that it's going pretty quickly. The bad thing is there's still a lot to go to meet the halfway point. 

The hat that I was commissioned for though should be quick, only a couple of hours. It's a simple hat but a darn cunning one, nonetheless. Now to just figure out how to get everything done on time! 

Busy (Day 108 KEDfaY)

This blog does not necessarily endorse the company on the mug, I just wanted to show off my new mug. I've had ones similar to it on my wishlist for about two years now. The Boyfriend got it free from work and since he doesn't use mugs hardly ever, he let me steal it.

Today has been busy with work on supa sekrit project 1. Since I actually have some deadlines for it, I figured it should get some attention this week. I actually have to schedule my time this next week because of various deadlines, which I'm enjoying. Scheduling something in my life that doesn't involve a tv schedule makes me feel like I have some importance.

Wow, this went dark fast.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Ehhhh (Day 107 KEDfay)

I honestly don't remember if I've used this picture before or not but it amuses me.
More knitting on supa sekrit projects. Not much else to talk about right now. Have a picture of a cat. 

Friday, October 18, 2013

SHHHH! (Day 106 KEDfaY)

No picture today. It's much too dark to try to get a cell phone pic and the cat has disappeared. I think she's moved onto the next stage of her attempt of murdering me. She's started being friendly towards me and has gone so far as to cuddle with me earlier today while I was reading. Obviously it's an evil plot.

Knitting today has all been supa sekrit knitting. I'm test knitting something for Lee Meredith which I have been sworn to secrecy about. I'll show you of course once I'm done with it but for now you just have to trust me that it's awesome and fun and I love it.

But for now it's bed time. Just wanted to pop in and do the post real quick. It would've been a no dialogue post if I had gotten a picture earlier today but I didn't because I forgot. *shrug* Oh well!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Supa sekrit (Day 105 KEDfaY)

She's got no legs! (Jkjkjk she does)

I finished two more parts of the 2nd supa sekrit project. The best part is that I'm not saying how many parts there are (there are four hundred ninety seven parts). 

I haven't picked up the first supa sekrit project again. It is now at a place of intimidation and frustration which is better than yesterday when I was just frustrated. It's an improvement I guess. I'm hoping by Saturday or Sunday I'll be willing to deal with it again. 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Supa sekrit projects for everyone! (Day 104 KEDfaY)

I have no explanation for why she looks terrified. 
Since I've started my second supa sekrit project, there will probably be more pictures of the cat. I'd tell you all about it but it's for my brother and he's a sneaky little shit (love ya!) and I don't want to take any chances of him finding out what I'm making him. It's awesome though, I will say that. 

As for the first supa sekrit project, I am frustrated beyond belief with it right now. I have to rip out a BUNCH of rows after I thought I fixed the problem. Well, I didn't. So. Yeah. I'm super frustrated.

In good news though, I have been commissioned by a friend to make something for her. It's not due until Christmas, so I have plenty of time to try to get other stuff done first. She posted on twitter today, a picture of a crocheted uterus. I then said that I could knit her one. She responded, "Could you make one with a chestburster coming out of it?" How could I say no to that? You can call my friends a lot of things, but "normal" is definitely not one of them. I have yarn, I just need to plan really. I have some ideas but nothing concrete but again, she's not getting it until Christmas so I have plenty of time. Supa sekrit project #1 though is on a much tighter deadline and it's being a super pain in the ass. It's in time out because I'm so mad at it. 

I might also be test knitting something in the near future which will also be supa sekrit knitting. So expect lots of pictures of the cat. Maybe I can get her to be playful one day and do a photo shoot so you don't have to deal with crappy cellphone pics of her.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Bra-less (Day 103 KEDfaY)


Today was definitely less productive than yesterday. I was probably just as productive, it just doesn't seem like I was productive. I finished my mom's Christmas present and it's currently blocking and drying right now. I figured out what I'm making my brother for Christmas and started planning that. I worked out for the first time in a very long time. I showered. I edited a rough draft a bit. Putting it in a list makes it seem like I accomplished more, but I don't feel like I really did anything. 

Maybe it's because I didn't put a bra on today. Who knows?

Monday, October 14, 2013

Productivity (Day 102 KEDfaY)

Pretty picture of the yarn I spun instead of what I worked on today because all I worked on was the Supa Sekrit Project. 
I spent most of my day today knitting on the supa sekrit project. Right now I'm where I was before I had to rip back and I am SO MUCH happier with how it's turning out even though it's going to make finishing a pain in the ass. I'm almost at the halfway point timewise for what I guesstimated on this project and I'm not even halfway done SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING.

But I've had some good news today. Not a lot but a little and you know what, it made me smile like a lunatic for about two hours. More information once I get it. I also did some writing today, outside of the blog. Once it's finished I'm going to submit it to all of the places I can in hopes that SOMEONE will publish it. I submitted another piece to a publication. It's already been rejected once from another publication but I really like it and I have faith in it. It just has to find it's audience.

You know what must be boring? Reading about writing about writing. It's pretty boring for me but that's all I have going on right now that I can share and so I thought I should share what I can. I also did laundry today but that was much less exciting and no where near as productive.  

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Random Project Update! (Day 101 KEDfay)


I think I fixed my problem.

The one I had with my spinning the other day. Did I talk about it? I was trying to make a 4 ply yarn from two 2 plied yarns and it turned into a hot mess. So I untwisted it, respun the two separate yarns to overtwist the crap out of it then respun it. And you know what? There are some parts that aren't terrible! I'd say half of it is actually nice and turned out how I wanted it to! It's hanging to dry in the bathroom now and I hope to get pictures up tomorrow. I got just about 100 yards of a 4 ply yarn. I'm pretty happy with it. I have no idea what the fiber is. It was some of a destash from someone. It's purple and blue and white and I think there is actual dryer lint in it along with just some fiberfill but I really enjoy how it turned out and I hope there's enough to make the hat I want to make. We shall see.

And as for my sweater, the owl one, it's going great. I just attached the wee sleeve-y bits. I don't know how much yarn I'll have for the sleeves so I just did a provisional cast on and knit three rows then attached those three row bits. Once I'm done with the body of the sweater, I'll go back and knit the rest of the sleeves. I'd like 3/4 sleeves at least but I'll settle for shorter. I have almost an entire skein left for the sleeves so I *think* I'll be fine but I'm nervous about it since I can't go get more of it. 

As for the supa sekrit project, I haven't worked on it at all today. I know what I need to do next, I just don't want to because it's frustrating and it takes more brainpower than my owl sweater. My owl sweater only makes me stop and count once every other row and most of the time I don't need to unless I've really messed something up. It seems that I might actually be getting better at this whole counting thing. I hope to get to the next milestone for the supa sekrit project by the end of the week. I could probably hit it tomorrow but that's if EVERYTHING goes right which it probably won't. This project has been challenging to say the least but I've enjoyed (almost) all of it. 

Saturday, October 12, 2013

WHOO! (Day 100 KEDfaY)


She looks perturbed because the Boyfriend just played Lion King with her (where you hold her up and try to sing the Circle of Life. She wasn't happy.)

Whoo! 100 days! And only once did I completely mess up and skip a day! Whoo!
Today not a lot of knitting happened. I had to rip out a big section on the supa sekrit project because I didn't like how it was looking and I need to redo it. I knit probably two stitches today before I ripped it all out. It's now sitting in timeout because I'm frustrated with it. I needed to do it so that it would look nice and how I want it to but I'm still frustrated with it.

I feel like I should have something with more substance today but I just don't know what to say. Maybe tomorrow I'll have an opinion about something.

Friday, October 11, 2013

I just...whut? (Day 99 KEDfay)

Walked by the bathroom to find this. I don't understand her. 

I finished my washcloth today and I'd show it except it's boring and a picture of a cat looking guilty for drinking out of the toilet is infinitely more entertaining.

I also knit some on my owl sweater. It's coming along nicely even though I only knit 5 rows, I think.

I plied my yarn. I attempted a 4 ply with two 2 plied yarns and it turned into a failed 4 ply. I don't care, it's gonna become a hat I think and an adorable one at that. 

Also was told that a job that I was perfect for and recommended to apply to was already filled so that was awesome. 

I had something insightful to say earlier today but the more I thought about it the more I realized I would probably just piss people off if I wrote it and I'm just not in that kind of mood right now. Maybe later when I care less about people. 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Dizzy Miss Leigh (Day 98 KEDfay)


I didn't knit much today. I only knit a few rows on my washcloth that I've been working on because I've been spinning all day. Like, seriously, all day. I started at 1 and just stopped less than 10 minutes ago. That's 8 hours of spinning. That's a workday full of spinning. I just couldn't help it. I really wanted to spin up that roving I had. I'd ply it now if it weren't for the fact that you're supposed to wait to ply it. I'm very excited about this yarn. It's going to be awesome. 

The washcloth is boring. The supa sekrit project needs to be worked on along with my sweater. That will probably be tomorrow and this weekend. I hope to get to the next big milestone on the supa sekrit project by Monday. We shall see. 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

To Do List (Day 96 KEDfaY)


Sent out my resume today and had it sent to more important people. I am hoping that something comes from this. I really am. I'm getting sick of not being able to buy things for myself or simply having to go without. 

But enough whining (it wasn't a lot of whining but if I didn't stop there I knew I would keep going and I don't want to whine right now). I started a new project because the sweater I'm knitting and the supa sekrit project aren't time consuming enough right now (they surprisingly aren't. I'm ahead of schedule on both of them right now which makes me happy). It is going to be a Christmas gift for someone though so it's still being productive. I have a few more to make but they're mostly hats and those are simple and quick. This should be too, though. It's a cowl thingy. I think the person it's going to will like it. I hope so at least. We'll see! 

In the time being though I have a sweater, the supa sekrit project, numerous hats (4 more I think? Maybe 5?), a few more washcloths, something for my brother (I have no idea what yet), and something for my stepmom and possibly a pair of socks. Who knows what I'm going to get for my step mom though. I'm glad that I started early on Christmas gifts though. I feel less panicky about it than normal since I already have three done. Maybe I'll start another one tomorrow for knit group. Hmm...

I feel better about Christmas this year though than last year. Last year I didn't have a gift for anyone really because I was so broke and so busy that I couldn't make anything. This year though all I have is time and since my stash recently got enhanced a bit, I am not afraid of possibly running out of yarn and not being able to make anything for anyone. I do have to figure out what to do for the Boyfriend though. And for his birthday which is a month away. He might get a hug and a kiss and a winning smile from me. 

Monday, October 7, 2013

Gettin' shit done (Day 95 KEDfaY)


Today I got shit done! I did laundry and dishes and updated my resume and wrote emails and cleaned the bathroom! 

I knit too! I knit a bit on the supa sekrit project. I'm not a fan of this section but once I get through it, I think it'll go really fast. This section is just being fiddly. 

And then I knit some on a random washcloth. Not a whole lot because I'm kinda sick of them right now but I needed something to knit while watching TV. 

But that's it. I feel like I've been cheating these past couple of days but some days you knit a lot, some days you have things to say, some days just nothing comes to mind. Today is the latter. 

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Plans (Day 94 KEDfaY)


Today was a day of just getting things done. I turned in my detention for HPKCHC. We went grocery shopping which we've needed to do for about two weeks now. I worked on the supa sekrit project for another 2 hours and my owl sweater for another hour. Both are going well and I'm happy with how they're turning out. 

Tomorrow is going to be a day of getting stuff done around here. I need to clean up because although we aren't messy people, I still haven't really cleaned in a few weeks because I've been lazy. I also plan on working out tomorrow for at least a little bit just to try to get back into the habit of it. I really need to stop sleeping until 10:30 AM because there's no reason for me to. I think that this bout of depression has lasted long enough and now I need to get off my ass and do things. I feel that that's always the first step, realizing you need to get shit done and actually caring that it needs to get done. 

I feel that I am babbling and not really being coherent and not in any creative way, just in the babbly sort of way. 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Money money money....Moneyyy (Day 93 KEDfaY)

She got a new box. She is happy because it didn't instantly rip as soon as she sat in it.
Lots of knitting on the supa sekrit project today. I'm now only mildly anxious about the tiny possibility of running out of yarn but I think everything is going to be okay with it. 

If you are a regular reader (hi all four of you!) you might've noticed that there are now ads on my blog. The reason why I did this was because you might've noticed that I am still without a job (hence the reason why I can take so many pictures of the cat. Seriously, I've got tons of them on my phone right now. I've got enough that a crazy cat lady would say I have a problem). I know that I'm not going to make enough to pay a student loan payment with the money I make from ads but it will be more than I'm making now even if that isn't saying much. So, please bear with me. If you spy an ad that is offensive to you in some way, please screencap it and email me. It takes a lot to offend me but when I'm visiting blogs or webcomics, the last thing I want is an ad shouting at me about how I needs ta go ta church or what have you. I want my blog to be entertaining. (You might notice I try really hard at that.)

Also if you are wanting to advertise on my blog, because, you know, you might someday, email me and we'll try to get it figured out! My email address is over there -> somewhere. You're smart people, I'm sure you'll find it. 

Maybe one day someone will want to pay me more than just partials of pennies per click through for my random babbles. 

Hey, I can dream. 

Friday, October 4, 2013

Less awkward (Day 92 KEDfaY)

This was the only picture I took that she wasn't moving in. 

Today was an Organize Yarn day but I did get some knitting done. I got approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes knit on the supa sekrit project. I'm ready to do the next big part that is complicated. So yeah. I plan to work on it all weekend in hopes that it goes well and I get a lot done. 

But that's all I've got for today. Today is far less exciting or awkward than yesterday was, that's for sure.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

I can feel it, coming in the air tonight (Day 91 KEDfaY)


Blah blah blah, I've moved.

Part of moving that only one person really mentioned to me is finding a new doctor. I found my new doctor, who I enjoy, but I haven't really liked the birth control I've been on for the last year so he recommended I go to a Ob/Gyn to talk about my options. This idea alone scares me because that's the doctor you go to when you want babies and I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but I don't want babies for a VERY long time, if ever. But I scheduled an appointment anyway and trekked down there. The entire process of scheduling this appointment, the nurses and I have said that it was just going to be a consultation about switching my birth control. That's it. That's all I expected and I was quite happy with just that.

I met my Ob/GYN and we chatted for a long time about options and what the one I'm on now is doing. He said that the type I'm on can cause depression which almost made me shout, "You've gotta be fucking kidding me." But instead I just shouted, "THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE." Seriously, the last year now makes sense. I was having spells of depression for absolutely no reason and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out it was because I switched birth control pills and the one I switched to made me the kid sitting in the corner that even the emo kids didn't want to talk to. 

We're finishing up our consultation and he's telling me what he's going to prescribe me and then he points to the table and says, "Okay, time to do the pelvic exam." 

Um.

Excuse me. 

I didn't know this was part of the deal. Why? Why. Just. Why? I had a pap and everything two weeks ago, surely I don't need another strange man to poke around my vagina. But no. I don't get to compromise about this. 

I change into the gown, which this time was fabric unlike two weeks ago which was a very noisy paper gown, and I sat and waited to be poked, I noticed that the music from the waiting room was being piped into the little examination rooms as well. I was sitting in my fabric gown jamming out to "Hey Ya" and singing along, minding my own business and generally not paying attention to the music.

The doctor came in along with the nurse and the not-quite-resident that he was training, which I don't know if you know but four people in a small examination room makes it quite claustrophobic but I dealt with it. The doctor listened to my heart and did a breast exam (when did breast exams turn into grown men pretending to knead your boobs like cats? Seriously, the two I've had in the past two weeks have both been like the doctor was trying to do his best Maru impression on my boobs, something that I did visualize and then had to quickly forget about as they played with my boobs like giant kittens). As he asked me to lay back before listening to my heart, Phil Collins' "In the air tonight" started playing. Remember how I said the music was piped into the exam rooms as well? If I had to pick a more awkward song, I don't know if I could. So there I am, being felt up by a man trying to be a cat on my boobs, while the definition of '80s drum beats is playing in the background and just when I think it can't get worse, the pelvic exam starts.

Next time you think that your pelvic exam can't get any more awkward, because let's face it, they're generally awkward by nature, I mean, you have a robot duck being shoved in places it shouldn't be shoved usually while a nurse is asking you questions about your life (Where'dyougotoschoolWhat'dyoumajorinWhatbringsyoutoJacksonvilleHowareyoulikingitDoyoumissIndiana etc) and an old man is fondling parts of you that you didn't know could be manipulated that way, just think that you could have Phil Collins singing at you too.




I knit today too but it's decidedly less exciting/awkward than Phil Collins Pelvic Exam.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

We are men (Day 90 KEDfaY)

A cowl I started with my handspun, whoo!

I watch a lot of TV. I might not let on about how much TV I watch, but pretty much when I am knitting, I am also watching something. That's just how it is. I don't see a point in not multitasking when I can easily multitask and it's almost as if knitting and TV watching were meant to be paired together.

So the new season has started up and I'm watching pilots for new shows along with season premieres of shows I already enjoy. The Mindy Project always makes me laugh, Bob's Burgers is always good too (Louise is my spirit animal), I'm glad that How I Met Your Mother is finally wrapping up. I've also enjoyed some new shows like the Goldbergs and Mom. Today, I watched the pilot for We Are Men. I've already seen some people grumble about this show, exclaiming that we don't need another show to tell us the troubles and woes of men because it's just SO HARD to be a man. I'm a large proponent of gender equality, don't get me wrong, but We Are Men wouldn't work if the gender roles were reversed. My brother brought up a good point one day when we were discussing something, I think possibly about Elementary and the gender swapped Watson (if you want to know more of my feelings about that, take a look at Elementary Schooled where we talked all about Elementary this week!). I'm sure my brother had seen this somewhere online but the best question to ask about a character and their actions possibly being sexist or problematic is to ask if it would be okay if the sexes were reversed. 

We Are Men wouldn't work as a TV show if the roles were reversed. If the show about a young woman who had been left at the altar and then went to live with stereotypical "man eater" type women but pines for her ex who is emotionally abusing her the whole time, you would have a TV show fit for Lifetime, not network television and it probably wouldn't be a TV show but a bad made for TV movie complete with makeover montage. The show is problematic. It portrays a lot of people in various stereotypes but I don't think it's another show about men that is mansplaining (a word that I tend to vomit when I say but seems grossly appropriate here) about how their lives are so hard as divorced men. But again, if the show were completely gender swapped, we would be watching a show about an emotionally abused woman trying to go back to her abuser while her sexually promiscuous friends try to stop her and show her the error of her ways. So why can't we look at it as a show about emotional abuse without the hassle of gender swapping? If countless daytime talk shows have shown me anything, it's that men can be abused too and emotional abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender. I've seen it happen to countless people, not just women. 

So while the show is problematic for multiple reasons, I think that we need to look past the sexualized stereotypes for a few minutes and look at the bigger problem of saying that emotional abuse is okay and can be used for comedic purposes. The nagging wife/girlfriend isn't just a nagging wife/girlfriend if she's forcing you to give up a job opportunity that you're interested in or forcing you to stop speaking to your friends. That's an abusive relationship and we should have all learned by now that that's not healthy. 

Don't be these guys.
So that's my rant for today. At the end of it, We Are Men wasn't so bad that I won't give next week's episode a shot. It has potential even if the concept is a little stale.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Best laid plans (Day 89 KEDfaY)


So there is a blanket that I've been working on for three years now. You might notice that there's one lonely little hole waiting for the last hexagon. You might also notice that it seems a bit...wonky. 

I thought I had started connecting them correctly. I thought I had double checked and made sure it would all line up just fine but NOOOOO! Of course not because I am THIS close to finishing the damn thing and I'm off. 

I am now trying to figure out what to do. Do I fix it now? Do I fix it later? Do I ignore it and use it as a blanket nonetheless? Do I add a whole other row of hexes along the side to fix that problem? I just don't know at this point.

I also knit today. I don't have a picture of it because I waited to long to take one so all of the sunlight is gone but if you believe me, it looks a lot like yesterday's picture just a bit longer. I'm back on my anti-anxiety meds as I have mentioned before, which I love. They make everyday little things just that instead of a whole big to-do which I have been known to do about the simplest things. The downside is that my body will not stay asleep for more than about five hours at a time. As I may or may not have mentioned before, I need 8 hours of sleep for the benefit of everyone around me. Just, trust me on this. So this morning when I woke up at 4 am for no explicable reason, I decided to watch some shows and work on my sweater a bit instead of lay in bed and pretend to try to go back to sleep when I know I wouldn't until after the Boyfriend left for work four hours later. I am very happy with the progress so far though. It's coming along nicely. I am worried I might run out of yarn but I've had that worry for a while. I might just end up with shorter sleeves than originally planned. 

Aside from chunks of my skin on my nose falling off, my day has been largely uneventful. After this weekend though, I think I'll take it.