Monday, January 29, 2007

Knitting A-round.....

One of my knitting goals is to use circular needles and I found a pattern for a cute little infant hat. This is my stuffed bear modeling it since I've no wee baby to use as a model.

Here's me with the itty bitty circular needles and some stitch markers too. I feel like I'm really getting in to the knitting world.

For me it took a little of figuring out but I will say it was fun to knit stockinette this way since I didn't have to do any purling... I guess that must be why some folks love knitting with circular needles. The bit where I had to use the double pointed ones, though, was a bit frightening and I actually did screw it up a tad. However it still worked out. I am either immediately going to try to make another one just like this to see how long it takes now that I know what I am doing or I'm going to try a pattern for adults and actually see if I can make a hat for me. I've already got my eye on a few of those.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

A Concert at the Empire -- Tom Brousseau

On a whim I bought tickets to see Tom Brousseau in concert Saturday night. I remembered my friend Rebekah saying that he was a high school classmate of hers and I checked out his website some time ago. It seemed wrong to miss an opportunity to hear him perform live. I brought my mom... mainly, because I am just that cool. She was the perfect date, reminding me that we ought to drive separately because if he sucks she was leaving early! Nice. I refused to allow such madness and we drove together. The opening act was Adam Levy of the Honeydogs and he was okay... the first song we heard was a little iffy but he got better once we settled into his style. The theatre was the perfect location for the concert and I was pleased with the audience, the atmosphere and most of all the music.

My favorites were his "murder ballads." I loved the first song he performed and I don't know the name of it and now I can't find it anywhere on the internet... The other was "Darling Corey." He sang mostly his new songs from his current CD Grand Forks inspired by the flood of 97.

He is reviewed on NPR: "Brosseau is generating a lot of buzz by playing in some of Los Angeles' hottest live music venues. His biggest asset seems to be a voice that recalls the androgynous swoops and swoons of sensitive compatriots like Jeff Buckley and Devendra Banhart. He mixes homespun charm with tunes that alternately conjure classic acoustic blues and sepia-toned daydreams. ......... Sometimes his songs seem a little undercooked, as if the sad-eyed tunes are hiding their heads in oversized hoodies. The CD is the kind of no-frills, rainy-day folk record that could have been recorded in 1973 -- and if it had been, you get the feeling it might have become a cult classic."

I was fairly excited to discover that my cell phone actually took a photo that worked... well, it worked as well as a cell phone with no flash might work in a dark theatre. In this shot you can also see Hilary Hahn, a grammy award winning violinist who played with Tom during his second set of songs and she also performed a solo violin set in the middle. She was amazing and wonderful, though her classical pieces did seem a bit incongruent with Tom's songs. Later when they played together it was a lovely meld.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

I Didn't Even Place at Regionals....

Yep. You guessed it. I was an FFA loser. And strangely enough, all the other factoids are completely true.

I auditioned for a film produced locally and turned down the option of being part of the chorus and basically having one line.. however I recently learned that I am in the credits because my audition footage was used... maybe? I haven't seen the film.

Dancing with the Stars is only the adult version of my dancing-lust. I may not be all that great myself, but I've always dreamed I could be. Solid Gold was just the start. They sure don't look quite as "cool" in the picture....

I have a hair appointment scheduled for next Tuesday. I expect I'll simply "trim" my hair... maybe a few inches. It's getting a bit "shaggy."

And last night I brought an open liter bottle full of rum to church. Well, not to an actual church service but I did have it sitting out in the open in the fellowship hall. Part of our weekly trivia team, the Mixed Nuts, decided to take part in a trivia fundraiser for the local city-wide children's choir. It had a Caribbean theme. I couldn't resist. The trivia element featured ten rounds of trivia... we did not do well. However between a few rounds we could identify title and artist of a few songs... we managed to snag three of the those prizes between us... Pam won me this groovy Superman placemat. And for correctly knowing that The Lemon Pipers sang "Green Tambourine" I won a set of three Hello Kitty plastic figures that exemplify the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil postures. I think I would have rather won the grand triva prize of $350 or whatever it was.



The other upside to the evening was that to truly fit the theme I dressed in as tropical of clothing as I could find in the middle of January. Fortunately I had these flip flops in my drawer with my swim suits. So, yes that is ME standing in the SNOW in my flip flops. It almost looks fake it's so sparkly and light in its new-fallenness... One thing is certain... it was damn cold.

Friday, January 26, 2007

How Well Do You Know Me? Some Truths, One Lie...


I haven't cut my hair in 18 months.

In my youth I dreamed of becoming a solid gold dancer.

I won first place in the state creed contest when I was in FFA.

I recently brought a liter bottle of rum to church.

I have a credited role in a movie.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Meet Frank.

Frank's a frog. I like to call him "Hot Lips." He has no sense of humor in the matter. The French never do.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Happy Birthday A.A. Milne... tiddley pom...

A. A. Milne and his own Christopher Robin (1882-1956)

To honor him here are some favorite quotations from the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh.

"Eeyore," he said solemly, "I, Winnie-the-Pooh, will find your tail for you."
"Thank you, Pooh," answered Eeyore. "You're a real friend," said he. "Not Like Some," he said.


"Piglet," said Rabbit, taking out a pencil, and licking the end of it, "you haven't any pluck."
"It is hard to be brave," said Piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal."



“Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon”


“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

“Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you. And all you can do is go where they can find you.”

"It all comes I suppose,"he decided, as he said good-bye to the last branch, spun round three times, and flew gracefully into a gorse bush, "it all comes of liking honey so much. Oh, help!"



“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."”


“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”
He coughed in an important way, and began again:
"What-nots and Etceteras, before I begin, or perhaps I should say, before I end, I have a piece of Poetry to read to you. Hitherto -hitherto - a long word meaning - well, you'll see what it means directly - hitherto, as I was saying, all the Poetry in the Forest has been written by Pooh, a Bear with a Pleasing Manner but a Positively Startling Lack of Brain. The Poem with I am now about to read to you was written by Eeyore, or Myself, in a Quiet Moment. If somebody will take Roo's bull's eye away from him, and wake up Owl, we shall all be able to enjoy it. I call it - POEM."

Eeyore was saying to himself, "This writing business. Pencils and what-not. Over-rated, if you ask me. Silly stuff. Nothing in it."


It's so much more friendly with two.
-- Winnie the Pooh


Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Gracious Gift Givers

I didn't really get into the whole gift giving and getting this Christmas but in the end some gifts exchanged hands.... I got this yummy Amy Sedaris book from Tara and I have only read a little of it, but it's typical Sedaris humor and it totally cracks me up. Rebecca was in tune with my movie obsession and decided I needed a fun little journal for keeping track of the flicks I take in and reviewing them as I watch them... and listing all the ones I WANT to see.



This bag is my "interim" gift... My friend Marcia always goes overboard and right now she's got a greater plan in mind but couldn't wait for that to unfold.... so she got me a BAG that UNFOLDS. It's a cute little pouch when it's not in use... and then it unfolds to this huge funky bag meant for my knitting. It's so I'll quit using ugly textbook company freebies I have in abundance....

Regardless the reason, I love it... I love all my goodies and the girls who gave 'em. Gifts are a treat and I am ever thankful.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Panda Pics

My panda obsession hasn't entirely gone away... I don't even know where it's come from. I guess it's just because they are so darn cute. This little guy is a new panda born to a zoo in Atlanta. I couldn't resist. I was even inspired to watch the panda cam for awhile.


Sunday, January 14, 2007

Knitting in the New Year

I've been a busy little beaver with the knitting this month.... or should I say... little bunny... and my projects are multiplying like so.....

Meet my "Big-Bottom Bunny"

I also decided to try some more felting.... Using my leftover wool from the knitting needle case and purse I made an MP3 player case. It was pure experiment and the knitting part I did in about 20 minutes. The felting took more time than that!

My Creative Zen Cozy

Then I had to try to figure out how to fasten the pouch... I contemplated another crocheted button loop or maybe some velcro but I feared my precious cargo slipping out and crashing to the concrete proving fatal to my MP3 player. Instead I decided to learn how to install an eyelet (Who knew you needed a special tool to do that?) and engineer some crafty way to securely close my MP3 cozy!

Finally I created a scarf and mitten combo for Marci's daughter Sophie. Her sister has a scarf like this made by a beloved cousin and when I saw the exact yarn I just knew I needed to get it for her. Originally I was going to have Sophie make her OWN scarf, since she's learning how to knit but when I discovered how truly tricky it can be to knit with "confetti yarn" I decided to do the project myself. In fact, I got a wee bit carried away by the extra yarn and had to make cuffs for those 99 cent gloves you can buy at Target... with my luck Sophie's fascination with Lucy's scarf has long passed.... either way, it was a fun effort!


Pink and Purple Confetti Scarf for Sophie

Monday, January 08, 2007

Resolutions

Talk less, Listen more, Downsize, Minimize, Buy less, Eat healthier, Exercise more, Take better care of my teeth, Recycle, Reuse plastic sacks or replace with a better solution, Learn to crochet, Try one new recipe a week

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Measuring Up


A couple months ago I learned I actually NEED to get healthy and I've done little to accomplish this goal. Yet, the need isn't going away. So, taking a cue from my pal Sara, I looked into SparkPeople and I am going to TRY to at least use their nutritional counter to monitor what I eat and to become more aware of my eating habits. Like today, for example.. I ate FOUR tablespoons of butter and, actually, the day isn't even over. Yikes.

Friday, January 05, 2007

These are a Few of My Favorite Films .... of 2006

Of my favorite films of 2006, few (if ANY) were actually released in 2006. If anything they were 2005 movies and I got around to watching them in 2006 on DVD OR they were films from many years ago that --I-- recently discovered. Regardless, this is my "year in review" of my favorite films of 2006.

The Man Who Came to Dinner
Charade
À bout de souffle (1960)
Bob Le Flambeur
The African Queen
The Maltese Falcon
Curious George
Walk the Line
V is for Vendetta
Mrs. Henderson Presents
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Paradise Now
Born into Brothels




























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