Swanky Blog

MOVING DAY

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:23:18 -0700

You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 22:10:41 -0700

I could just be menstrual, or maybe I have just come to a realization. I think I am a little over-stimulated by Ravelry. For quite some time now I have found myself restless whenever I am on the site. Looking for something interesting to read. Or finding updates on old scandalous threads. Or maybe just hanging out in LSG talking about everything that isn’t knitting.

I have been in a knitting slump for the last two weeks. Paralyzed by a large amount of knitting that HAS to be done. I have about three or four patterns on the list of things to get done, and I think the amount of time those things are going to take is just overwhelming me. I have been on spring break this week and I haven’t touched a knitting project.

I get in these funks occasionally. It has to do with my anti-authoritarian streak. When enough piles up on my plate, either personally or professionally I start to get all resentful. I work harder than everyone, I have to handle more than everyone, I am more stressed out than everyone. BLAH BLAH, WOE IS ME, BLAH.

Funny thing is, I am terrible at doing nothing. If I do nothing, in response to my overwhelmed-ness (yes Jen, I made that UP!) I get depressed from doing nothing. It is a classic catch-22. Overwhelmed, or depressed? Oh the happy choice!

I am not going to make any grand decisions, because I know all of these feelings are amplified by hormones right now. It doesn’t help that I am FAT and unhappy physically. Although I’ve been taking my vitamins, I am not feeling that much better and THAT is depressing me as well. I am in the midst of a full-on FUNK.

So what to do? I have to seam this afghan, and doing that may help with the knitting funk. I am going to try and have a great productive day tomorrow. That will help my over-all mood. And last but not least, I will do what I have the hardest time doing: cut myself some slack. We’ll see how that goes. :shrug:

I will add this little bit of flavor for you all. Because I think it is just a funny picture and it captures my mood:

Why the West Wing Makes Me Cry

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 09:28:00 -0700

Most episodes of the West Wing make me cry. As did the first few episodes of John Adams on HBO. The reason for this is simple. I wish government was like that.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not under the impression that working in the White House even remotely resembles what we see on TV. What makes me sad is that it isn’t. I know that most conservatives hated that show because of the politics of the characters. But if you could put aside your disdain for the political leanings of the writers, you could probably admit that it would be really cool if our government was full of people who really care about the common man, who want to make the world better for everyone, not the just few. People who think that justice is great, equality is wonderful and access to government is king.

*sigh*

I got into working in politics because I am one of those people. But I found out pretty quickly there was no room for people like us in politics. Politics is filled with wannabes and ladies in waiting. Either people who only want to “be the man” or are happy with being the “man behind the man”. People who care more about legacies than actually accomplishing anything. Power or money hungry idiots who have a plan for every contingency, except, you know, solving an actual problem for the common man.

Okay, I have to stop, I can feel myself getting worked up. Tomorrow I will start posting progress pics of the Afghan project.

Snarkiness

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 14:01:40 -0700

Alright. I have a bone to pick with..... well I don’t know. But here is the thing. Stop trying to tell me that I can’t complain about something I get for free.

I don’t care if it’s free. The reason it is free people is so that you will sign up. And the reason they need you to sign up is because they charge people to advertise in their little newsletters. Or on their websites. At the very least, they advertise their own products to you. Do you really think you are getting something from a company because it warms their hearts to give stuff to you? No! You are getting free shit, so they can make money, so they can pay to warm their own damn hearts. Seriously, where the heck did you all go school? Candyland?

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a free knitting pattern. Everyone who offers you a knitting pattern for free is getting something out of providing you with that pattern. Either exposure for themselves, or traffic to their website where they sell advertisements, or whatever.

Now don’t misunderstand me. I am a businesswoman. I don’t have a single problem with people trying to make a buck. That is, after all, the American way. What I have trouble with are the nitwits out there that think because something is provided for free, you cannot critique or complain.

Examples: I subscribe to Knitting Daily. I am sick of crap about crocheting and spinning. Seriously. It isn’t called Crochet Daily or Spinning Daily. It’s called Knitting Daily. Now I can unsubscribe, that is true. But I enjoy what little content ends up being about knitting so I continue to subscribe. When I broached this issue on the Rav forums, I received a ton of flack from people saying that I wasn’t entitled to complain about something I get for free. Really? Why the fuck not?

The next example is my favorite. I have been reading a lot from designers lately who are just starting out. Their logic baffles me completely. “I don’t want to charge for a pattern, because I don’t know how good it is, or maybe it has mistakes in it and stuff.” Um, WTF? You can put out a shitty product with your name all over it, and it would be okay, because it’s free?

Get a life people! There is more to value than “CASH” value. Things can be worth something, even if they are free. The fact that an item is free, does not make it immune from critique or complaint. And for Pete’s Sake, if you are going to put a product out there that is for shit, don’t put your name on it. Do you really think that if someone downloads a pattern from you for free and it sucks or is full of mistakes, you really think they’re going to pay you for the next one? You’re high.

CONFIDENTIAL TO JESSICA:

Here is the additional photo of my man you requested. If he sees this, I’m so busted! And yes, I always wear a crown. Don’t you?

On Health and Well Being

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:03:21 -0700

Well I have solved some of the mystery surrounding my recent health complaints. This is a two part story that may or may not be related. First of all, I went to donate blood this past week. This is something I have been trying to do every few months in honor of my grandparents who are now gone, but who donated frequently. The last time I donated, I was right in the middle of my period. They checked my HiB levels and I was just below the level you need to be to donate. I asked them to wait and try again in a minute, and when they did, I was over the mark.

This was a very bad idea. I was violently ill for two days after the last time I gave blood. Nausea, dizziness, terrible fatigue. I swore I would never donate again during my period (something they do not ask you by the way). And I swore that if my HiB level was low next time, I’d skip it.

It just occurred to me that you might not know that HiB measures the amount of red blood cells in your blood stream. (I didn’t know exactly what it was until I was so sick last time and looked it up. When you are low, that means you are anemic. Which is totally common when a woman is on her period, so I didn’t worry too much at that point.

So this past week I went to donate and low and behold I was really low. I mean, I was so low that they said if I came back anytime in the next four weeks, they would not let me donate. So I went home and did a little more research. And what I found really pissed me off. All they symptoms I have been struggling with for the last few months, that I had written off to general illness due to the flu, are all symptoms of anemia. DUH!

There are over 400 different kinds of anemia, cause by a myriad of conditions. The most common causes are nutrition (not getting enough iron), low levels of B vitamins (which aid the body in absorbing iron from food) or gastro-intestinal disease such as Crohn’s or Celiac’s. Some of the common symptoms include: easy fatigue and loss of energy, headaches, rapid heart beats, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, and oh yeah my favorite, CRAVING CARBS! You can get more info about anemia here.

Long story short (too late) I am taking a new B-Complex supplement and the doctor thinks I’ll be back to my old self in about two weeks. I’m upset that I have suffered with something so fairly dangerous for so long and it is something simple and easy to remedy. Sometimes I forget how important it is to be a good advocate for ourselves when it comes to doctors and our health. Why didn’t it occur to me to go to my doctor and ask about this after my last experience with donating blood? :rollseyes: *

Anyway the second part of my story is the fact that we discovered our bathroom is completely full of mold. One of the tiles in our shower came off and there is literally no wall behind the tile. It has rotted away! I don’t know if the mold issue is possibly related to my rapidly worsening anemia problem because I haven’t looked it up, but I wouldn’t be surprised. I can tell you that we have been sick A LOT in the last year.

Luckily, we are renters, so we will either have the landlord deal with it appropriately or we’ll move.

So that is my news for today. Not all good, but I am very relieved in a way. At least now I know what I am up against. It is relatively easy and quick to fix, and I should start feeling a lot better very soon!

*Confidential to the Commune: I am still convinced that the anemia could be related to the flu that has gone around. A lot of people that have been sick this year have commented about lingering fatigue. Perhaps the flu attacks something in the body that helps regulate the production of red blood cells? Or it could be related to the fact that some anemia can be caused/exacerbated by over use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofin!

A Break from the Important for the Important-ER

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:50:46 -0700

An FO! No way? Yes WAY!
I finally finished my mom’s birthday socks. Woot! And I started back on the clapotis for Kristal. I am hoping for that one to be done in the next day or so.

I really needed to get some things finished. I am supposed to be participating in the Year Long Gift-Along.

Here are my upcoming projects for that. I have a hat to do for the MIL and some slippers also. I also have to do a pillow for my mom for Mother’s Day with the yarn I dyed a few weekends ago.

The theme of the site is to be doing all your gift knitting all year long instead of all at once during the holidays, or at the last minute before a birthday or occasion.

Let’s see, the vitals on my FO. It’s Hedera (Rav Link), by Cookie A, shortened to be an anklet. The yarn is Colinette Jitterbug in Allzarino. Knit in the round using two Size 1 circs. Which by the way, is the only way I have ever knit socks.

Alright. I have a half hour before I have to leave for work, and I want to work some more on the Clap.

(Edited 3/29/08 for general lazy sloppiness!)

You Cant Go Home Again

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:58:58 -0700

At least that is what they say. It seems every year this time of year has me hopelessly longing for home. Some of you may not know that I grew up in Alaska. This particular time of year is special in Alaska. If it has been a mild winter, it is finally starting to warm up. By the beginning of April, the snow is melting and the sun is shining.

I used to sit in Biology class and stare out the big glass windows. The warm afternoon looked so inviting. The air is still crisp, but the sun warm on your face. Back in the day, we had open campuses in the high schools. We’d pile into whoever’s car was handy and drive to some fast food joint. Personal pan pizzas were the newest rage at Pizza Hut.

I was watching “Men in Trees” this morning. It isn’t the best show on television, but they show a lot of scenes of what looks a like home. Sometimes it looks so familiar it makes my heart hurt.

The truth is though, it isn’t home that I’m longing for. What I miss doesn’t exist any more. The carefree days of no responsibility. Of sun drenched snow banks calling to me from the clean fresh air. Boys driving too fast and girls wearing sun dresses and snow boots. It’s the past that calls to me. Happy wonderful memories.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the details. The day to day routine that fills our time and uses our energy. The bills, the kids, the laundry. Oh the laundry. Someone has soccer practice. Another has papers to grade. But the moment is all that we have. This very moment that we are living in. When the moment ends, you might never have another opportunity to regain the love, the hurt, the sadness, the happiness that you had in that moment.

In an instant, something so unexpected can change everything in your life. Will you wish you graded those papers? Will you wonder if you should have worked an extra hour last week at the office? Will you be sad that you couldn’t buy that new pair of shoes?

If this was your last moment, how would you spend it?

RIP Joel. We’ll miss you.

Meme

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:56:38 -0700

I’ve been tagged! Here it is:

The Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 (or more) pages.
Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe - Sandra Gullan
(#2 in the Josephine B. trilogy)

2. Open the book to page 123 and find the 5th sentence.
"It appears we’ve been discovered Captain." I said. (Okay, it isn’t technically the 5th sentence. But it was the best one on the page.)

3. Post the next 3 sentences.
“And now there will be rumours.” Captain Charles spurred East Wind. She bucked into a gallop.

1. Tag 5 people. Hmmmmm. I’ll tad Turtlegirl, Tia, Jess

Well that’s three. I hate being on the end of these things. I don’t know anyone else to tag who hasn’t been tagged!

Join or Die

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:35:32 -0700

Are you all tired of my political rants? I can’t help it. My political side has been in a slumber for a while. I don’t know who or what woke it up, but I can’t seem to make it go away.

So John Adams started this week on HBO. For anyone who lives under a rock, it is a mini-series based on the biography by David McCullough. I didn’t make it through the book. Although it was very good, it was long and I was distracted by knitting. Sue me.

Anyway, the series is inspired and inspiring. God we take a lot of things for granted. And we leave way too much to people who have not a better clue of what to do than we do. It’s time for a little revolution my friends. Don’t worry, you need not take up arms against your government. (Are you listening NSA?) You simply need take control of your own life and in so doing, you will rule this country. Every powerful man, woman and company in this country depend on you and the dollars you spend to maintain a strangle hold on the middle class. Revolt now!

My my, how times have changed.

You Just Cannot Make This Stuff Up

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:59:28 -0700

Better than fiction. The new Governor of NY is already on his way out. Hours after being sworn in, he’s busted for having had an affair with another woman for years. Nice.

Of course, his story is a little less exciting. No steamy nights at the Mayflower for him, just some quicky sex at the Day’s Inn. Really Nice.

God I love a good sex and politics scandal. If this wasn’t so transparently a move to get rid of the Democratic leadership in New York, I would actually be laughing out loud. Oh well. What goes around comes around.

In a way, it might be a good thing. Let’s just get over this shit once and for all. The entire country’s economic system is about to crumble and we’re all going to wallow in the slop that is the past sexual escapes of a politician that most people STILL have never heard of.

How does this affect you? You might ask. Well you might. It doesn’t. It shouldn’t. It’s time to move on from this kind of sham story designed to take our attention off the real story right now, which is how de-regulation and purposeful actions have caused an international monetary crisis. And Greenspan finally admitted we’re in the worst economic predicament since before the second world war.

But I digress. I need to add some knitting stuff up in this bitch.

I have finally almost finished my mom’s socks. I need to get started on some new designs. I have some time off coming, so I’ll be able to get some work done then, hopefully.

I finished reading the first book in the Josephine B. trilogy. Nice fun read. I like historical fiction. I’m not sure how historically accurate the character writing is, but the scenes, the society, the details, all seem pretty spot on. I’m waiting for a friend to finish the second book.

I have some sumptuous new yarn from Hazel Knits. You should all check it out, it is beautiful stuff. I am currently feeling up (sorry Wendy, I like the naughty references) some of the Soy/Merino. Inspiring!