Ten On Tuesday 8/31/10

This is a list of my own devising. I hope you will pardon my hi-jacking of this meme.

10 Ingredients I like to mix and match for my morning oatmeal
Spices
1. Cinnamon
2. Ginger
3. Allspice
Sweeteners
4. Sugar
5. Brown Sugar
6. Molasses
Etc.
7. Chopped Apples
8. Pumpkin Puree
9. Raisins
10. Nuts

Planning Posts-Pros and Cons

So the month is almost over and I'm reflecting on my attempts to plan my posts waaaay ahead of time. At the beginning of the month I was gung-ho and thought it would solve all my blogging-during-the school-year woes. Well, it really doesn't. I mean, I still need to write the posts and coming up with the ideas and writing them on the calendar is not the same thing. I suspect that writing "Today's theme is ___. Please discuss." does not constitute a blog post. Worse, sometimes the only thing I can come up with is (sometimes lame) titles and nothing more (this post included.) Having a lot of drafts and scheduled posts also throws off my post count, too. In late July I noticed I was getting close to my 1500th post and thought I might make a little fanfare for it. Well, this post is my 1500th...while I'm writing it, but it probably won't be the 1500th published post. I promise it makes sense to me.

I do like the scheduling option though. Sometimes I'm super inspired and have ideas for several posts in one day (ok, it's rare, but it happens.) It's nice to be able to stock-pile posts and not worry about the blog for a few days, but still have the option of sharing an FO (during the Summer. FO's have become scarce since school started.)

Friday Fill-In 8/27/10

1. You do your thing; I do mine and sometimes we might agree.

2. Coffee is what's been on my mind on and off all day (the day has just begun.)

3. Remember when there were no reality TV shows?

4. Knitting, blogging and cats are three of my favorite obsessions :-)

5. During the last year I really thought about my life and reassessed some things.

6. Starbucks puts a smile on my face.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to vegging out, tomorrow my plans include more vegging out and Sunday, I want to continue to veg!

Thank Heaven for Ten on Tuesday!

Instant Blogfodder! This week we have a choice: "10 Things You Wish You Had Known When You Started College" or "10 Things You Would Tell a College Freshman". Hmmm...since it's been so long since I started college, I'll just tell you what I told Offspring when she left for college.

1. The professors will try to weed out weak students. Don't panic. Show them you belong at college.
2. Don't get pregnant.
3. Don't take a drink from anyone.
4. Don't put your drink down.
5. Don't drink too much.
6. Eat right.
7. Get enough sleep (which is NEVER a problem with her.)
8. Have fun.
9. Don't spaz. We are always here for you.
10. Try new things (but see #2)

PS: KittenWatch 2010 Continues.

Let The Week Begin

Well, I didn't quite meet my goals this week-end. I did manage to get the toe-up BlueRose socks going and I had a good visit with Offspring in Tuscaloosa. I don't know what happened to Sunday. I spent much of the day doing worky things and trying to figure out what to do with my classes next week. These 103 minutes classes just scare me. I finally wrote some lesson plans and the next thing I knew it was bedtime.

I'm not really feeling it this week. I hope it goes quickly, but that I also find at least my "B" Game (I'm afraid I might be on my "D" or "E" game right now.) I sort of feel like I didn't get a week-end since we spent so much of Saturday on the road...completely worth it, but still. And I miss knitting! I just want to sit down with a completely inspiring project and finish it and show it off.

I should probably mention that KittenWatch 2010 has also begun. By my calculations, Bella/Bela should be entering her 8th week and I'm starting to get excited (Hubadub, not so much.)

Talking To Myself- A Stream of Conscisouness Post

Better get started on that toe-up version of BlackRose...hmmm, let's see "cast on 60". Well, it worked for cuff down but I've done enough toe ups to know that's going to be way too many stitches; wonder why it's not too many in one direction but too many in another? I'll try 52 stitches. Luckily this pattern is mainly stockinette with a lace insert, so I don't have to worry to much about changing the number. Ok, toe is done let's start the lace. I guess I'll do like Sarah said and just look at the chart upside down. I sure wish I didn't delete that e-mail so I could remember which Sarah and link to her blog...hope she will recognize herself when she reads the post I'm eventually going to write. Heeey, why isn't the pattern working upside down? Nothing is lining up the way it's supposed to. Did I miss a yarn over? Maybe a decrease? Screw it, I don't have the mental energy to figure it out. Tink Tink Tink. I'll just work it right way up. I think I can definitely say I don't like this yarn. It's seriously splitty and actually a leeetle to heavy for socks in my opinion. I don't know what to do about sock yarn if I'm not going to be buying animal fiber. I can't think of one decent animal free sock yarn.

Two full repeats; that went fast. Let's give it a try on. Yoinks! Too big. Let's try this again on 48 stitches, but wait...the lace is worked over 17 stitches, if we are only talking 24 stitches per needle, it won't look like an off-center lace panel running up the side, it will look like I decided to do a design on the front and not the back (an poorly at that.) What to do what to do? Why don't I just do those little lozenge looking things in the middle and just skip the wingy parts? Yeah, I can do that. Well, these two look ok, I'm not sure about the opposite direction leaning decreases though. I think I'll make them lean toward each other from now on. No one will notice. The first two will be in a shoe anyway. Boy the road to Tuscaloosa is bumpy and twisty...kinda makes knitting hard. Sort of annoying, really.

Maybe theses lozenge thingys look more like acorns. Can I still call the project BlueRose? I mean, there is nothing rosy about them, now. Jebus the yarn is splitty. Woo hoo time for the heel! Why do heels make me nervous? Must be the counting. Done! Let's try this sucker on.



Ooo. Sort of took that at a weird angle. Makes my foot look kind of weird. Oh well. Wonder why toe ups feel like they knit up faster to me?

Bound and Determined

Hubadub and I are headed to T-Town  (Tuscaloosa) this morning to spend some time with Offspring for her birthday. We figured she would have other plans Friday night and spending time with her parents was not high on her list of priorities (if you know what I mean.*) I'm looking forward to a cranky, hungover child.

But so help me, this weekend I will...

• cast on my Mojo socks 
• start the Blue Rose socks (again) as toe ups.
• mail the Dancing Dishcloths dishcloth I still owe from July.
• mail my own Traveling scarf.

I should probably mention that Kiama has come to a complete standstill. I have to seam up the sleeves and I just keep putting it off.

*The University of Alabama recently made the top 20 Party Schools List.

Happy Birthday Offspring!

Today is a milestone, a dumb one, but still a milestone. You are 21 and you can now legally enter a bar and order a beer*. So here's to you Offspring!

21 Offspring Factoids/Thoughts/Stories

1. You've slept through the night your whole life. I don't think I ever had a colicky, screaming baby night during your infancy.
2. You used to read me bedtime stories. (I still remember you reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to me when you were 6 and halfway through it asking you could just read to yourself from now on 'cause reading aloud took longer. *sniff*)
3. You started doing your own laundry at an early age.
4. The first time you cursed is one of my funniest memories. You were in the 4th grade and had dropped the book you were reading. That was the funnies "Dammit!" I've ever heard. Not to mention the funniest look on your face when you realized what you had done.
5. I don't know how it happened, but you were a very conscientious student. Heaven knows your mother wasn't.
6. Although early on I feared you would never like football, you have exceeded all my expectations and become a huge fan of the game.
7. It's strange but I didn't begin calling you Offspring until one of my students called you that during your junior year of high school.
8. Everything I know about Harry Potter I learned from you. Sure I read the books, but I don't have the encyclopedic knowledge you do.
9. I love that you have a Free the Midwives bumper sticker on your car. 
10. You are beautiful. Inside and out. Don't forget it.
11. You are smart.
12. You are kind of ditzy, too.
13. You have a big heart and you care...sometimes too much.
14. Somehow, despite who your mother is, you are pretty accepting of everyone. Not half as judgmental as I am.
15. I admire your independence. I was not so independent at 21...and I had an infant! You handle problems calmly and with confidence. I secretly envy that quality.
16. You took up knitting for about two weeks a few years ago. It still breaks my heart that it didn't stick (although I still secretly hope...)
17. You were recently told that you get over emotional. You come by it honestly, but I don't find anything wrong with wearing your feelings on your sleeve. I like not having to guess your mood.
18. Family means a lot to you...and that means a lot to me ;-)
19. I still love you even though the cat you asked me to foster turned out to be pregnant.
20. I hope you know how proud we are of you.
21. Please be careful tonight. Just because you can order beers until you are sick drunk doesn't mean you should.

*I'm no dummy.

Boring Post

I really can't wait until someone invents a way to download all the thoughts in my brain to blogger. That would really simplify things for me.

Boring Bits Part I
I finished two books so my grand total is now 14.
#13 Free Range Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot)
#14 The Reluctant Disciplinarian by Gary Runbenstein (Never hurts to refresh classroom management knowledge/skills)

Right now I'm not reading anything so I may or may not make it to 17 this year.

Boring Bits Part II
There is still little knitting on the radar. I'm working on the One-Row Lace Scarf Re-do and contemplating the start of Ocean Moods. The directions say to cast on 91, but even on size 2 needles I think that will be awfully wide. I'm thinking I may delete a 12 stitch repeat or 2. I've also still flirting with Mojo. I've even printed the pattern so I'm one step closer to starting it. Something in my gut tells me I need to make a pair of socks, but I need a little more than plain vanilla.

Speaking of socks...remember these?



Absolutely no progress has been made. For the life of me I cannot figure out why I can knit a pair of toe up socks in fairly short order, but cuff down takes me forever. I'm thinking of frogging these (boy this yarn is getting ratty) and starting them again toe up. I'm just not sure about the pattern. Should I knit it as is or upside down? Has anyone out there done a cuff down stitch pattern in the opposite direction? I could use your advice.

I Will Blog...

But I make no claims about the quality of writing/content. In fact, I'm thinking a bulleted list is in order.

• I signed up for Revenge of Dish Rag Tag today. SQUEEEEEE!'
• I signed up for the Fall of term of HPKCHC as well.
• Like I have time for this.
• I feel like I'm settling in to a work routine, and I have more time for knitting...but I'm in one of my Knit Malaise stages.
•  There is a football game on tonight and it makes me happy.
• I would be happier if we had some football weather to go with it (as in cooler temps.)
• Aaaand that's about all.

Wow. My blogging is going to suffer with this new job and no knitting.

Catching My Breath

Whew! What a week!! I made it and I don't think I've ever been so happy for the weekend. I haven't read one blog post or commented anywhere. :-(

I love my new job...but I miss the folks at my old school, too. There are pros and cons at both places, really. Here's a quick run down:

New School Pros

• There is  a later start time.
• Administration doesn't care if my tattoos show (do you know how refreshing it is to wear short sleeves and a skirt?)
• The AC really works (I do believe that I could hang meat in my room...if I weren't vegan that is.)
• The students have wonderful manners and take their classes seriously. They must maintain a 2.5 overall average and a 3.0 in their "academy" (their chosen field of study ie: Building Sciences, Medical, IT etc.)
• The other Spanish teacher (my mentor) is awesome.
• The block schedule (That allows a 103 minute planning period twice a week and only having to teach 4 classes a day.)

New School Cons

• The Cafeteria smells funny.
• There is much more paperwork.
• Most of the other teachers all seem kind of...unfriendly. They don't smile much.
• The gradebook and attendance software is really cumbersome.
• The block schedule (Which means two days a week I have no planning period.)

Old School Pros

• My friends
• Less paperwork
• Smartboard

Old School Cons

• The number of jerk students/jerk parents outweighed the number of nice students/jerk parents (and this was probably the main reason I left.)

Now the week is over and I have some time to think about knitting. I  frogging some past FO's and reusing the yarn.

I finished The Old Man of Storr and I disliked it intensely.


I still love the cat, though.

It was just meh. I think the yarn really prefers to be a lacey scarf (like this one.)

I've also got that One Row scarf I finished in early July. I was pretty "meh" about it, too.



It still wants to be a One Row scarf...it just wants to be thinner (don't we all?)

Friday Fill-In 8/13/10

1. Music should be soft and low.

2.Coffee is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was: nothing.

4. Mexican (as per Offspring's request); it's what's for dinner tonight.

5. It's all been a blur.

6. Knitting is what I feel like doing right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching my breath, tomorrow my plans include a movie and Sunday, I want to get ready for week 2!

Thursday Thirteen 8/12/10

I have almost finished my first week at my new school. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought I would do the following Thursday Thirteen.



Thirteen Reasons Why We Need Knitting (and Crochet!) in Our Schools

1. It improves fine motor skills. 
2. It improves concentration skills.
3. It teaches patience.
4. It teaches perseverance.
5. It teaches the value of following directions.
6. It teaches creative problem-solving (aka: fudging)
7. It stimulates spatial-temporal reasoning.
8. It is non violent (In some cases. I'm not saying I haven't wanted to stab someone who insists on talking to me when I'm counting.)
9. It inspires creativity. 
10. It provides real life math applications.
11. It can serve as a spring-board for cross curricular lessons (history, math, geography, economics etc.)
12. It encourages face-to-face interaction.
13. It gives me an excuse to knit on the job. (I will concede that this is a purely selfish reason.)

The First Day of School

Since I'm Jewish, I'm going to forgo this week's Ten on Tuesday (10 Reasons to Love Bacon) and tell you about my first day.

I survived.

aaaaand, that's about all I can muster right now (I'm actually writing this Monday night.) I'm bushed! The kids are great, things weren't as crazy as I thought they would be and I think it's going to be a great year. I'm a little scared about Day 2--103 minutes classes and NO planning period, but I will survive that, too! I can't wait until I finally have some semblance of a routine, though.

Kiama- The Thrill is Gone

I continue to plug away on Kiama. The knitting is still enjoyable. The stitch pattern is not a difficult one and there are aren't a lot of complicated shapings. I'm getting a little tired of the shrug section. The total length will eventually be 36" long and it's starting to get unwieldy. I'm also a little concerned that the beginning looks a little sloppier than the end (although it doesn't appear that the gauge is different.) I guess I had to get used to the yarn.

Speaking of the yarn, I still like it....until I come to the end of a ball.

The yarn is a mix of cotton, linen and acrylic wrapped with a filament of nylon and it is slippery as a cat trying to avoid a trip to the vet. I've tried the Russian join, but the nylon filament oddly has now give and it's impossible (and painful) to try to pull the needle and yarn back through itself. I'm starting to worry about weaving in ends and what will happen the first time I put her through the wash. I know it's heresy, but I may have to resort to knots.

I'm hoping that moving on to the next section will breathe some life back into me, but the thought of picking up 189 stitches is daunting...not to mention the fact that I have to increase up to 300+ stitches. *sigh*

Para los Hispanoparlantes

Perdóname por favor. Hace mucho tiempo que no escribo en español. Es que soy muy perezosa y escribir un post en inglés y también en español es much trabajo. No sé qué hacer porque a veces tengo ideas para posts en español y a veces no. Me parece que 1. muchos que hablan español también hablan inglés y 2. es fácil entender un blog de tejer...especialmente cuando hay fotos y enlaces. Ahorita estoy pensando en escribir al menos un post por semana en español y escribir los otros en inglés. Me importa que practico mi español y también que me pongo en contacto con los que hablan español. ¿Qué piensan de esta idea?

¿Y porqué estoy pensando en eso? Pues, primero el año escolar empieza el 12 de agosto. Y también porque algo pasó que me afectó un poco. Tenemos* nuevo maestro de español (también es el entrenedor para el equipo de fútbol americano.) Hace mucho años que enseña (historia y español) y su mamá es de España. Estoy seguro que es buen maestro, pero cuando entró en su clase para hablar con él y ofrecer mi ayuda él me dijo "No hablo español durante el verano." ¿Qué? ¿Un maestro de español que no quiere practicar con otra maestra que también habla español?

*Pues....ellos tienen nuevo maestro. Acepté nuevo trabajo el miércoles pasado.

Knitting Rules I (Try To) Live By

• Always make time to knit. (You will go insane if you don't.)
• If you don't love it, don't bother with it.
• Cast on the second sock as soon as you cast off the first sock. Don't even take time to admire the first.
• Avoid making anything with buttons. They will never get sewn on. You know they won't. Quit telling yourself they will.  
• Weave in ends as soon as you cast off.
• Swatch it.Yes, swatches lie, but even a half-hearted swatch (my specialty) is better than none.
• Block it. I don't care how well you knit, your project needs a blocking.
• Secure all projects and yarn-stuffs before going to bed. This is especially important in households with cats.
• Ignore the yarn snobs.
• Ignore the knit bullies. These are the folks who think you have to be able to do "X" to be a "real" knitter (whatever the heck that means.)

Friday Fill-In 8/6/10

1. Life is full of surprises.

2. I'm kind of freaking out but I have to  keep going.

3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: heard from (person's name).

4. Chesseless pizza is what I'm thinking about for dinner sometime soon.

5. On the 1st day of August I was at home. I didn't do much.

6. I try to be lively and energetic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to knitting and catching up on blogs, tomorrow my plans include coffee with a friend and Sunday, I want to watch the Hall of Fame festivities!

Wowzers!

It has just been non-stop since yesterday. First the interview and job offer, then some drama getting released from my other contract. It wasn't ugly, but as much as I didn't want to burn bridges Madame President was not happy and I get the impression that the bridge is nothing but ashes. My e-mail account was disabled within HOURS. (While I worked there it took a freakin' act of congress to get any thing done technologically.)

I'm not going to lie and say things have been rosy. A couple of times I've thought "what have I done?" (Especially when I found out Open House was scheduled for the same day I was hired),  but I really feel I made the right choice. There will just be some adjustment.

Mainly I wanted to say thanks for all your well-wishes. The e-mail notifications have piled up and I wish I had the energy to respond to every one individually. I suspect there may be some blog silence from me...including the comments I make on ya'll's¹ blogs, but I hope it's just for a short while.

---

1. I bet the English teachers out their are cringing.

We Interrupt this Regularly Scheduled Post

No, really. I had a post scheduled, but I'm postponing it in favor of some important news.

I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!

I didn't necessarily go looking for it. I just knew that I had been somewhat unhappy with professional situation and thought I needed a change.

I always tell my students "Be a part of the solution, not part of the problem." Well, the public schools in my area have some problems (but not as many as the press would have you believe.) Many of the problems stem from the numerous private schools in the area and the public's unwillingness to support the schools financially. It is difficult for our system to attract good teachers. Most choose to work in the neighboring counties or private schools.

Well, the public schools just got one new and (I hope) good teacher. I'm still teaching high school Spanish, but now I actually have a colleague. I won't be the only Spanish teacher at the school any more.

There is so much more I could say, but I've spent quite a few sleepless nights mulling over pros and cons and searching my soul (a bit dramatic, but true.) I report to work tomorrow and will spend the day running around town completing paper work and then trying to set up a classroom. The students start Monday! Yikes!

WIM* Wednesday 8/4/10- Pattern Taxonomy

I started thinking the other day that I have a kind of classification system for patterns. I didn't really plan on creating one. It just sort of happened.

1. Look-worthy: These are patterns that in all likelihood I will never make. There are a lot of patterns that I admire and appreciate the artistry of and I like them...just not enough to actually expend the energy to make them. The Lace and Cable Top and pretty much anything in the Twist Collective are examples of patterns that fall in this category. These types of patterns cross my path via my friends activity page or a book or magazine. I generally admire them and move on.
2. Fave-worthy: These patterns make it to my fave list. A pattern that makes it to the fave list may or may not make it to my queue and may or may not be cast-on. Recent fave-worthy patterns include Tango, Maia Shoulderette and Cabled Waistcoat. (FYI: I have 700+ patterns in my faves.)
3. Queue-worthy: I believe in love at first sight and some patterns deserve to go straight to the queue. Edgy, Truro and Paulina all went straight to the queue. Now, make no mistake, there is no guarantee I will ever get around to actually casting on any of the patterns on my queue. The three lovelies I just listed may end up in the Perpetually Queued sub-category.
4. Start-worthy: This category is the hardest to explain it is very difficult to say what will make a pattern start-worthy. It's a combination of mood, stash, barometric pressure and hormone levels. Sometimes I plan a project and look through my faves and queue for something start-worthy and compare patterns to my available stash then I will go through all the projects that came before me. Other times I just get a wild hair while exploring around ravelry and I will print and start a pattern immediately even though previous to getting on the computer, I had no plans for starting a new project. Acid Pop Scarf is a recent wild hair addition to my projects page.

*Works in Mind

Ten on Tuesday 8/3/10

Ten Things to Take With You On Vacation

1. Good company
2. Directions to the hotel
3. Books
4. Magazines 
5. Knitting for the ride.
6. Knitting for the hotel.
7. Knitting in case you finish #5 or #6
8. Knitting in case you get bored with #5-7
9. All patterns, yarns, needles and notions needed for #5-8
10. Small bag for pajamas and toiletries. You'll be too busy knitting to do any thing more than lounge around.

Things I Just Don't Get

In the category of knitting/fiber...

• Sweaters knit in pieces
• Top Down Socks (But I'm trying to understand!)
• Double Pointed Needles (except for I-cord, then I get it.)
• My Ravelry Queue (I never knit a thing from it.)
• Cowls 
• Charging for a dishcloth "pattern" that uses a stitch pattern from one of Barbara Walker's treasuries. 
• Spinning (Sorry. I hope I can be forgiven for this one.) 
• Pattern repeats that begin on the wrong side.

In the category of cats...

• Why the pregnant cat (due in three weeks) is slimmer than my not pregnant cat.
  
  

Miscellaneous...

• Iced Coffee
• Grumpy people
• Mean people
• Math
• Anything sugar-free 
• People who "sale" their items. (I wonder if they sale alot.)
• Why I report back to work on a Thursday
• Why the students start back on a Thursday 
• Why the first day of school is a half day (Maybe because it's Thursday?)

Bring On August: Back to Work and The Return of Monthly Goals

A long time ago... in a galaxy far, far away...I made monthly goals. As the school year wound down and my end of year malaise increased, I let the writing of monthly goals to the way of the Dodo bird. Well, it's August (!) and school is about to begin. I need to be careful that I work to live, not live to work. Even though the school year is starting, I want to continue to blog and still get knitting done. The better organized I am, the more time I will have for the activities I enjoy.

I'm in the I Blog group on Ravelry and a few of days ago AndiPants asked if we kept to a posting schedule or just blogged as inspiration hit. Generally I'm a more "fly by the seat of my pants" blogger, but I was really impressed by the folks who said they planned out their blog posts every month. So, I begin my August list of Monthly Goals with...

• Plan my blog posts more carefully. I created a calendar and I've already filled in a few topics for dates in August (and September and October, too!) Hmm. I guess that means I've already reached my first goal. I get a sticker!
• Finish Kiama.
• Finish Old Mann of Storr.
• Finish Grrlfriend Market Bag. 
• Continue to work on Acid Pop scarf (that I had no business casting-on in the first place)
• Decide whether to cast on Edgy or Mojo socks
• Return to Knit Nite (I've been rather a hermit lately and haven't gone.)
• Mail the July dishcloth (oops.)
• Walk at least 5 times a week. Psh! I'm not putting that in writing!

Uh oh, the list is getting long. I better stop thinking.

I will leave you with this one, dream goal

• To find a pair of vegan shoes that won't break the bank and will show off handmade socks to perfection.