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The limp is back. Are you as sick as I am of my stupid broken knee? Recently it has been behaving much better. The limp is barely noticeable even to physical therapists, I can walk in heels some days, and I can sort of do a very gimpy little run on a treadmill. Better! Until yesterday when I went to yoga.
Yoga! The drop-in beginner's class I've been attending should in no way strain my knee to the point where I am limping again. But yet! After yesterday's "variations on the warrior pose" class, my knee is swollen, I am limping like a rock star (I don't know what that means either, I'm venting here!), and I just want to say "ouch". I have decided to blame the instructor's scary short-shorts instead of any personal shortcomings. Blast you, knee!
Other issues today: I bit the inside of my lip and now have a little skin-tag thingy that I can't stop chewing on. This is going to be bad. Also, I bought this shitty dress at Old Navy a couple months ago. It is fairly uncomfortable and never hangs quite right. Most importantly, I don't think I have quite the right shoes. But every time I wear it I get tons of compliments, so I bet we'll all be seeing me constantly adjusting the Old Navy dress clear through the season. And lastly, in knitting news, I am 100% all over double-knits. Two-thirds of the way finished with the baby blanket, and for serious, when I get through this thing there will be no more double-knitting. If I accidentally mentioned that I might be available for contracting on another reversible skull bag to anyone (SK), you can just forget it.
Phew. After all that venting, I feel better. Thanks, internet.
I, um, maybe engaged in a Lost marathon with my Tivo this weekend. Now I find myself sitting at my desk humming "We All Everybody" under my breath.
Cripes. Shoot me now (and find my iPod charger).
So I missed something somewhere, or maybe it was my landlord. Anyway, the deal is this: nearly a month ago the water heater in the apartment upstairs sprung a leak into my apartment. Most of the water ran into my bathroom. The clean-up crew ripped up the linolium floor and cut huge holes in the drywall to get it dry before mold started forming. This is all good, right? I thought it was GREAT, especially since the landlord decided to replace the crappy, stained linolium in the bathroom with actual, for-reals tile. Score!
Then last night as I was arriving home from work, my landlady and inoffensive but unfriendly neighbor were chattily unloading stacks of tile and grout mix from the back of her Volvo and piling them in front of my door. They seemed shocked to see me, but did scooch a pile over so the door would open. Thanks. Then the following conversation occurred:
Inoffensive but Unfriendly Neighbor [in far too chipper a tone]: Hey! How's it going?!?
Me [confusedly, as he scampers away, not paying attention to my reply]: Fine. You?
Landlady: Oh, hi Amy. I didn't expect you to be here. [at 5:30ish on a workday?]
Me: Yep, just getting home from work.
Landlady: Well, great, I forgot to call you! Steve will be here tomorrow about 8:30.
Me: Super. I'm guessing Steve is the tile dude?
Landlady: Oh, yes. Sorry. Anyway, he'll be here about 8:30 in the morning. That's okay right? [no pause for an answer] So make sure to have everything you'll need out of the bathroom!
Me: What?
Landlady: Well, the tile process takes three days. Tomorrow he will pull up the toilet and lay out the tile, and Friday he'll grout it. [I'm guessing the third day is to let the grout set, and hopefully replace the toilet. On the Saturday of a holiday weekend.]
Me: What? When you told me that the house would be torn up for three days for this process, you didn't mention that I wouldn't be able to live here during that time.
Landlady [baffled]: The apartment won't be unliveable, you just won't be able to go in the bathroom!
And here is where my head explodes. In a one bathroom apartment, what part of "can't walk on the bathroom floor to use the non-existant toilet" equals "livable"? For tonight I'm going to stay at my 'rents, but I am NOT impressed. Am I crazy for not understanding this situation? I mean, I did tell the landlady I'd rather have a tile floor than crappy linolium when she suggested the upgrade. But am I stupid for not realizing that in agreeing to this improvement, I was also agreeing to ostensibly move out for three days? Obviously, there was a communication breakdown somewhere, but seriously. Does she think I'm going to shit in a bucket?
Unrelatedly, OMG, I love McSweeney's.
I had a great time this weekend socializing with friends (Turbo is in town--obviously much beer was consumed), napping, and partaking in a work-sponsored day at Boondocks Fun Center (Sara and I bruised ourselves in the batting cages, miniature golfed in front of a family with not-very-behaved short people, fake-committed suicide a number of times while arcade racing automobiles and motorcycles, and ate a bunch of crap). Overall, superfun weekend.
What I want to know is why, today, can I hardly keep my eyes open because I am so tired, and also why does it feel like something disasterous is about to happen in my tummy? I'm rested, well hydrated, and should be ready for the week. Instead, I sort of want to turn the broken down boxes under my desk into a pillow and curl up until it is time to go home.
The official line here is I Am Not Coming Down With Something, and even if I am I don't get to go home and sleep it off because a) too much to do, and b) the drywall guy is finally there fixing the flood damage. Wish me luck, pepto, and caffiene.
Official Step One completed.
I just applied to BSU for next fall. I'll be taking two as-of-yet-undetermined prerequisite undergrad classes. Highly probable options are some sort of procedural programming, math, or economics. Wish me luck!
My meeting with my bosslady the other day was great. As far as she is concerned, the organization I work for will fully support my Back To School plans. I know that I have given a lot to this job and been responsible for some pretty cool things happening here. It is nice that the Powers That Be recognize the awesomeness of me. Hee.
Of course, going back to school is a huge time commitment that will drag on for years and years and years (mostly because I am planning on only taking 6-7 credits a semester and no summer courses). Summer 2007 is my last bit of utter freedom. I work hard at work, but it doesn't come home with me, and outside of the job I have very few responsibilities. However, some big, time-consuming stuff may happen this summer. If all goes well, I may be moving into a new house, someplace that could be very long term, someplace that I may buy (not immediately). The story is this: the 'rents are trying to purchase an investment property, and I will be their first (and maybe only) tenant. As is often the case with real estate deals, there are a huge number of complexities, the top of which is we're not sure if the current owners are really going to sell the house to us (them)--even though they moved out yesterday. This leads me to think if it happens, it will happen FAST. These sort of circumstances aren't covered by Amy's Moving Handbook--a document honed over the course of MANY MANY moves*. Though perhaps going from "I love my apartment" to "I live someplace totally different" (across town) in less than 30 days is the challenge all my other moves were leading towards. [Weird grammar there--that sentence should include something about "preparation" and "triumph", but I somehow can't string the words together. Obviously, someone** needs to go back to school and remember how to use her brain.] Anyhoot, moving and settling in someplace new is stressfull and time consuming, and while I REALLY want the move to happen, I also just want to bang on the drum all day. So yeah. Hopefully we'll know soon if it is going to happen. The best part of the whole thing? If I do get to move in, my dream of becoming a puppy parent happens SOON. Tremendous excitement, trying not to let myself get too excited, and a lot of fruitless speculation is going on in my brain.
Since I am not magic and have no crystal ball, I will try to instead focus my mental energies on looking forward to hanging with my favorite nurse--Turbo is home from SF for the weekend--and riding around on my lovely Peppermint Patty in the lovely spring weather. She (Patty, not Turbo) recently underwent some minor surgery to correct an ambulatory problem (exploded innertube from a curb-hopping incident) and inflamed joints (fenders squishing the tires were bent out of the way). See how I kept with the medical theme there? Nurses! Bicycle surgery! Funny!
Oh, and just because it wouldn't be me posting if I didn't mention a little bit of knitting--I've started the blankie I'm making for the soon-to-be newest addition to Mammacita's household. Based on the Hoover blanket from Knitty, the border is bright blue, and the center will be double-knit reversible red and yellow with randomly placed circles. I drew the color charts yesterday! Though I bet Mammacita would rather I finished her maternity tops before the knitting. Hrm. Maybe this weekend I will finally just get 'er done. Keep your fingers crossed!
* note to self: For serious, write down Amy's Moving Handbook. It is awesome and might be helpful to the internet.
** me
My Next Big Plan is to head back to school--a few prerequisite sort of courses, and then on to an information management/technology heavy MBA. I've always viewed school as a way to learn stuff--to become a better member of society with knowledge and critical thinking skills. Not this time, though. No sir-ee, this time I am going to school for the payoff, the paycheck, the fat lump of cash. I'm setting myself up to be 100% employable. I can stay where I'm at, but no longer be hitting a ceiling (obviously, since this is the internet, I'm not going to say a bunch about my place of work and why I need an advanced degree to do a job I feel I'm already qualified for. Oh wait. Ooops.). I could move into a more tech-specific sort of position, either in Boise (with a growing job market*) or I could be in a position to move someplace else. I'm getting old enough and settled enough in my life here (by the time I'm finished with this Back to School scheme I'll be nearly 40) that leaving town probably won't happen. But! Options! Anyway, this is the plan.
And in a few hours I have a meeting with my boss lady. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that I am approved for the Tuition Reimbursement program. Paying for school? Not my bag. I'll get the grades and someone else can write the checks. Plus, I feel I am overdue for a fat raise I won't get, so add on the benefits!
*I know that article is talking about CS grads. I wouldn't be programming, but the need for programmers indicates a trend for tech-industry people. Just go with me here.
So how about you take this survey for the Blog Reader Project? It only takes a minute (or twelve), and you know you are so over work for this week (I know I am). You might as well.
Just click here!
(Yeah, yeah, as noted in the previous most, more interesting stuff coming soon.)
I've been thinking recently about weblogs that I love, and more specifically why my weblog isn't as enjoyable as many of the others that I read.* The basic truth here is that I think I hold my potential readers at [something much longer than arm's] length. Part of the problem is that I don't like to let anyone too close to me. I've got my own stuff, you know? And while I can ramble on for hours and hours about knitting, celebrity gossip, various aspects of Playing Outside, puppies, and the tangled webs of my social groups, I'm not sure how to talk about the bigger stuff--the Stuff of Consequence. If blogging could actually be anonymous, maybe. But we all know that weblogs and real life are not mutually exclusive and writing something online can have pretty disasterous effects--especially since pretty much everyone in my life knows that I have a weblog, and most of my readers are offline friends as well.
"Quelle Surprise" is ostensibly an online diary, but one where I have limited myself to only talking about the most superficial goings-on in the world of me. Plus, you know, lots of knitting. In the past when I've touched on more intimate thoughts it has always been in a pretty vague way. I think the idea with that was "If you already know that Something Is Up, I am publicly acknowledging that. If you didn't already know that Something Is Up, I am telling you that there is stuff, but please don't ask." Of course, this is a dumb way to approach my personal life in my online diary. Those "in the know" misinterpret whatever I say, and the rest of the weblog-reading world just feels confused and left out. My solution has been to just not talk about personal stuff. But, yeah, can you say "boring"? I do. All the time. Right here!
So anyhoot, I am going to make more of an effort to make my online presence more truthful, more me. You may ask why. I mean, I could just decide to stick to the knitting talk, or give up the idea of a weblog altogether. However, I think if I could learn how to open up a little bit, I might be happier with myself. We've all got baggage, we've all got walls. But hello. I'm a single, thirty-two-year-old, renter. I can either keep closing doors, shutting myself away, and tying lots of little knots in string or, um, not. Trying to be a little more accessible? Scary, but probably a good idea.
Also, coming soon to a weblog near you (this one), I'm going to try to be better about actually replying to comments!
*see: Kristy, Laurie, and Heather for some very popular examples
My darling Sarah requested a primer after I mentioned that I had triumphed over the Toe-Up sock. While starting from the toe is BRILLIANT when dealing with possibly Not Enough Yarn, I do have to say that I prefer the cuff-down method. If the fit is off, it is necessary to rip back a LONG way (3+ inches) to fix the situation. Also, I am not familiar with a good elastic bind-off, so the cuff isn't really stretchy enough. I am assuming a familiarity with sock-making, especially with the 2-circs method, and working short rows. In an attempt to give credit, a great deal of this "pattern" is lifted directly from Cookie A.'s Baudelaire toe-up sock. Anyway, here it is:
I used 2 US size 2 circs and some leftover KnitPicks Essential.
Cast on (CO) 16 stitches, divide and join, careful not to twist. Work the following 2 rows until you have 60 stitches (or however many you tend to like for your foot circumference):
Toe:
R1: *M1 (K in front and back of stitch), knit across to last 2 stitches on needle, M1 (K in front and back of stitch), K1*, repeat * * on second needle (1 round)
R2: K all stitches
Instep:
Needle 1 is the top of your foot, Needle 2 is the bottom of your foot. Work pattern on Needle 1 (I did a 2x2 rib), K all stitches on Needle 2. Knit around until the sock measures about 3.5-4.5 inches less than the length of your foot (this is where you have to rip back to if the length is off and you won't know until you have worked the heel turn). I needed to work to about 4.2" less than my foot, but the sock is REALLY stretchy (and I wanted it to be that way).
Gusset:
Continue Needle 1 in pattern as established. Every other row, increase 2 at each end of Needle 2--M1 (K in front and back), K across to last 2 stitches, M1, K1--until there are 30 stitches on Needle 1 and 54 stitches on Needle 2.
Heel Turn:
Needle 1 is now dead to you. You will be knitting short rows back and forth on Needle 2 for the turn:
R1: K48, w&t
R2: P28, w&t
Alternately knit and purl back and forth, working each row 1 stitch shorter (working each w&t next to the previous w&t) until you are on a right side row and you knit 11 stitches between wraps. Make sure to not work the wrapped stitch AGAIN after turning. (On my first sock, somehow I kept ending up with the wrapped stitch on the wrong needle and the stitch count would get horribly off. Irritating!)
Heel Flap:
Still only working on Needle 2, you will be working some decreasing short-rows to get back to 30 stitches. I have to say, I am very impressed with Cookie A. for figuring out this math. I see how it works, but still, the mechanics give me a headache. Anyhoot.
R1: P11, P8 picking up wraps and P2tog stitch and wrap to bulk up holes, on the last wrapped stitch P3tog (the wrap, the wrapped stitch and the first not-wrapped stitch). Turn, but don't wrap!
R2: Sl1, K19, K9 picking up wraps and K2tog stich and wrap to bulk up holes, and on the next stitch (the last wrapped stitch) K3tog (wrap, last wrapped stitch, and first not-wrapped stitch). Turn, but don't wrap!
Work back and forth in stockinette* slipping the first stitch of each row and either P2tog or K2tog the last stitch before the previous turn and the first stitch after the previous turn. Is that clear? Probably not. There will be a gap where you turned the last time you were at that end of the needle. If you are knitting, K2tog across the gap and turn, or if you are purling, P2tog across the gap and turn. Keep working back and forth until there are no more stitches past the gaps (which, obviously, won't be "gaps" anymore, but rather the end of the row) and you have 30 stitches on Needle 2.
*If you like a slip-stitch heel flap, on the knit rows alternately *Sl1, K1* across.
Leg:
Go back to working in the round on both needles, working pattern all the way around the leg, until you nearly run out of yarn. The last inch-ish you can work a cuff if you want. Bind off. (If someone has a good stretchy bind off method, please share!)
Tadum! Toe-up socks!
I am happy to answer questions if any of that is not clear. And if my readers are REALLY lucky, I might insert some pictures someday. I'll have to make another pair of socks using this method and next up for me are a baby blanket for the impending Brawny Swan D. and finally the Maggie sweater from Rowan 31.
Things I am planning on blogging about. Someday.
• Finally! I rent from someone who isn't a slum lord! There may have been a flood, but there are actual professionals taking care of the situation! Promptly! And correctly! Plus, new tile flooring. Also, I am glad in this scenario I am not a homeowner yet.
• Just bow to me, Knitting Master. I have triumphed over the toe-up sock short-row heel turn (though I was attempting the toe-up because I wasn't sure if I'd have enough yarn and I was right--my new socks have a very short ankle) (but still!).
• Squishy camping rocks, plus, a knee update (teaser! it doesn't like to climb or descend steep inclines!).
• School! It's not just to learn stuff for the sake of, um, learning! (still in the planning stages, but grad school is on the horizon) (followed by a fat paycheck) (hopefully)
• I have some thoughts on this one book I never read for my (now defunct) book club and recently finished. I should share those.
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