tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57762979612094150332024-03-12T15:40:16.064-07:00The Narrations of a Neuro KnitterI spent all this time in grad school and all I have to show for it are these !*%$#@& socks!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-42813613763128470052011-11-27T21:51:00.000-08:002011-11-27T21:51:19.222-08:00I'm back!I have officially finished my PhD in Neuroscience! I can knit again! Unfortunately, I'm not knitting anything interesting...<br />
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I am making a basketweave blanket for my nephew... in solid off-white. This thing never ends. I keep knitting and knitting and knitting and I'm getting nowhere. Hopefully I can reach escape velocity on this thing soon because I have other Christmas gifts to get started. In bright colors, and maybe stripes...<br />
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Regardless, I am back in the world of the knitting and will hopefully have a lot of knitted items and patterns back on this site soon!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-58276305339388072152011-08-03T08:16:00.000-07:002011-08-03T08:16:27.542-07:00Immune to caffeineIs it possible to become immune to caffeine? I think I have. But, only 83 more days until I become a PhD!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-74119796696747370562011-05-05T21:05:00.000-07:002011-05-05T21:05:28.267-07:00I want socks too!So I thought since the<a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2011/04/fos-are-like-good-karma.html"> twinkle toes</a> socks for Chris' mom went so well that my bad sock karma was over. I mean, I knit 2 perfect socks that the color change was within 3 stitches. 3 STITCHES! So I decided to knit myself some socks. My mom gave me the most beautiful yarn. <a href="http://kimberbaldwindesigns.com/category/Kashmir.html">Fiber Optics Yarns Kashmir in Weapon Grade</a> (the color isn't listed on the page, I'm not sure why, it's fantastic). Think retina-searing purple. I cast on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twist-of-fate">Twist of Fate</a> socks. I was stoked. Then I learned how to do an Estonian cast on, and it was BEAUTIFUL. Then I did it again because the was one place in the cast on where my tension was off and it looked funny. Then I got to the set up row and made a mistake which I didn't notice until I was to row 2 of the chart. ROW 2! So it took a dip in the frog pond. A repeat of the Estonian cast on, complete with do-over for a tension issue again. Then I made it to row 3 of the chart before I noticed a mistake and I tinked that sucker clear back to the set up row (again) where I had made the mistake (again). I proceeded to knit each row of that chart where I had to tink back on every row until I reached row 7. Then I realized that this might require A) more concentration that I was giving it and B) actually counting each repeat of the chart to make sure I didn't make any mistakes while it was close by and I only had to tink a few stitches. Some people just don't learn easily. But, so totally worth it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NykHEdcc-M/TcNycNjMo0I/AAAAAAAAB4A/lcyQf40Jv1s/s1600/2011-05-02_22-51-01_342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NykHEdcc-M/TcNycNjMo0I/AAAAAAAAB4A/lcyQf40Jv1s/s320/2011-05-02_22-51-01_342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Beautiful. But the color in that picture is wrong. Remember I said retina-searing purple. So soft, so purple, SQUEE!<br />
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Apparently I am able to easily knit socks for other people, just not myself. Life is SO not fair....ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-23989609875024880182011-04-30T16:49:00.000-07:002011-05-01T13:21:19.552-07:00Finally!Hey everyone! I finally got myself together and put the pattern for the Space Invaders Scarf online. You can see it <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-school-space-invaders-scarf">here</a> and download it <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/dls/emily-mitchell-designs/64928?filename=Space_Invaders_26_wide_word_v2.pdf%22%3Edownload%20now%3C/a%3E">here</a>. I am working on a chart to make the scarf less wide, but I decided to stop waiting and go ahead and post it. ENJOY!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-13867897244803022392011-04-06T21:54:00.000-07:002011-04-06T21:54:23.742-07:00A Girlfriend's Review of Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the RipperI'd like to start with several disclaimers. These are my opinions of a video game as I see it from my chair while knitting in the vicinity of this game being played. My opinion probably won't match anyone else's in the world, and that's good. Also, I am not being paid for this opinion. I am just writing for amusement. I did not play this game. This review will contain no mention of 'floaty controls' or 'last-gen graphics'. It likely will discuss pretty colors and voice acting. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Versus-Ripper-Xbox-360/dp/B0038WH0IC?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0038WH0IC" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
I really thoroughly enjoyed this game. I had my doubts. Chris and I had multiple discussions about the meanings of 'historical fiction' and its implications for the ending of this game. I won't tell you what happens, but I will say that it satisfied all parties involved in those discussions. <br />
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This game was fun to be around. I loved the little puzzles within the game. I LOVED the deduction board and piecing together clues to solve the mysteries. I have recently read the Sherlock Holmes series for the first time (thank you Kindle app on my phone). I was endlessly amused at the way the game made subtle reference to many of the things that happened in the short stories and incorporated them into the plot of the game. <br />
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I was also really surprised at the way the game handled a pretty gruesome set of murders without an over-abundance of blood-flinging gore (I'm lookin' at you <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-Origins-Ultimate-Xbox-360/dp/B0045ZIENQ?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dragon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0045ZIENQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-2-Xbox-360/dp/B0047TG2R0?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Age</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0047TG2R0" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0047TG2R0" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />). It handled references to prostitution without unnecessary nudity (cough <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dantes-Inferno-Xbox-360/dp/B001NX4DUQ?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dante's Inferno</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001NX4DUQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> cough). It didn't side-step venereal disease or racial hatred. In all the whole thing was very tastefully done and pretty accurate to both the real-life murders by Jack the Ripper and the literary world of Sherlock Holmes.<br />
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This game is entirely girlfriend friendly. No gore, no boobs and plenty of chances to play along without a controller. I like being able to chime in with a "Did you try this?" or "What if you do that?". It's easy to follow the story without being in the room every single minute of the game-play. My only complaint was the voice acting. Not the best I've heard, but easily overlooked considering the no boobs mentioned above. Turns out I give bonus points for 'no boobs'. <br />
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9.5 out of 10. <br />
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Edited to add: This makes it seem like Chris plays a lot of games with an over-abundance of boobs. This is not exactly true or his fault. Video game designers seem to think their target audience is hormone-drunk 15 year old boys and maybe they are right, but I doubt it. Even respectable female characters in a respectable video game will have melons the size of, well, melons. Also, video game designers may not know the exact female anatomy of a real human boob. I am still fairly young and these games have me questioning both the perkiness of my boobs and the location of my nipples. I choose to believe that I am anatomically correct and these characters were drawn by lusty 15 year olds. Don't tell me if I'm wrong, I'd rather not know.ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-47706846387600409402011-04-05T19:43:00.000-07:002011-04-05T19:48:06.573-07:00FOs are like good karmaRight? Maybe not. <br />
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I finished socks for Chris' Mom's birthday....in MAY! That's right kids. I finished a whole month early! Booyah!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
It's<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twinkle-toes---archived"> Twinkle Toes</a> by Cookie A in Paton's Kroy Sock Stripes (color cyan stripes). That's right, my KAL socks that were doomed from their 'pastie' beginnings worked out beautifully. (Note: Wikipedia is generally not useful for determining the singular form of pasties. It says pastie and pasty [citation needed]. NOT helpful.) Not only are these socks beautiful, but they match. Completely and totally. When I cast off, the color change was within 3 stitches on the 2 socks. I knit 2 whole socks and the color change was within 3 stitches. That's good karma.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YPRigWssA7k/TZvUNdFO9BI/AAAAAAAAB1g/AGiEWYE1BPY/s1600/100_3398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YPRigWssA7k/TZvUNdFO9BI/AAAAAAAAB1g/AGiEWYE1BPY/s320/100_3398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I also finished my Happy Valley Top last seen <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-back-to-our-regularly-scheduled.html">here</a>. I still love it. I'm still going to make a matching headband. I LOVE <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/lornas-laces-shepherd-sport-multi">this yarn</a>. I really do. It made rainbows on my needles and I can't tell you the joy that gave me on every stitch. The only thing I don't like is that it rolls at the bottom, despite being told that "rolls are in". I don't like it. Pictures will come after I block the daylights out of it. <br />
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I recently had to give a talk at the NIH in Bethesda, MD (Washington DC area). <a href="http://www.knitandstitch.com/"> I went to Knit + Stitch = Bliss</a> and they were lovely. They let me smell the yarn fumes and fondle fibers and didn't look at me like I was going to stuff merino in my purse and run (cough cough). I bought souvenir yarn<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hI6wW--ihM/TZvPyxfghtI/AAAAAAAAB1A/bWQyGuO8X5E/s1600/100_3394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hI6wW--ihM/TZvPyxfghtI/AAAAAAAAB1A/bWQyGuO8X5E/s320/100_3394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Classic Elite Yarns Fresco on sale. But my true love is this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0zJcF7NFwI/TZvP34sGvNI/AAAAAAAAB1E/CmLiedWeFA0/s1600/100_3376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0zJcF7NFwI/TZvP34sGvNI/AAAAAAAAB1E/CmLiedWeFA0/s320/100_3376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Oh Malabrigo... how I love you. The colorway is 853 abril in Malabrigo Sock merino yarn. Beautiful. <br />
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Then this appeared in my knitting basket:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rInMn9i6ezY/TZvR6YQFUiI/AAAAAAAAB1I/jadDAdh5zPA/s1600/100_3393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rInMn9i6ezY/TZvR6YQFUiI/AAAAAAAAB1I/jadDAdh5zPA/s320/100_3393.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>on closer inspection:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nffj3qmfSiQ/TZvR-GrxZII/AAAAAAAAB1Q/ZGTDbdssxiE/s1600/100_3395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nffj3qmfSiQ/TZvR-GrxZII/AAAAAAAAB1Q/ZGTDbdssxiE/s320/100_3395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Suspicious....that chart is...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zZClu6s19bM/TZvSAtMtXsI/AAAAAAAAB1U/0T_s2HRpffg/s1600/100_3396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zZClu6s19bM/TZvSAtMtXsI/AAAAAAAAB1U/0T_s2HRpffg/s320/100_3396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Indeed! I have lost it. Look at all those bobbins!! I designed an argyle sock for Chris. I decided to knit it toe up in the round. Look at ALL THOSE BOBBINS! Insanity. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only thing I don't like is this weirdness where the join is:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NUoylrFgf4/TZvSCX_KsTI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/byWHK8V1KUY/s1600/100_3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NUoylrFgf4/TZvSCX_KsTI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/byWHK8V1KUY/s320/100_3403.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's all raised and unhappy. Suggestions?</div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-9630634271069725312011-04-01T20:38:00.000-07:002011-04-01T20:38:54.448-07:00KarmaI need a good karma-cleanse. Desperately. Any good ideas?<br />
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I have had a mysterious illness that no amount of blood-letting seems to help. Don't try to tell me doctors have stopped this archaic practice. My right arm will beg to differ. They just use syringes instead of leeches. <br />
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Then I get summoned for jury duty. AGAIN! I swore that it had been less than a year since my last summons and dug out the paper and.... it was a year ago in December. Not even close. <br />
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A measly 2 hours later my netbook died. The screen cracked right before my very eyes. No amount of explaining could convince Chris that I hadn't dropped, hit or stepped on the netbook. I am me. He knows me, he lives with me. And while electronics frequently self-destruct in my presence, somehow this was something I had done. He watches me walk into walls and furniture daily. I had obviously dropped it and didn't want to admit it. He ordered a replacement screen and when he went to install it, there was a bad wire that had shorted out and fried the screen. Redemption was bittersweet as we hunted for a new netbook. <br />
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I thought I had a perfect karma-cleanse all lined up. I dug out my <a href="http://fibercloset.blogspot.com/search?q=super+2012">Colts scarf</a> and decided to restart it for the <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/09/and-back-to-our-regularly-scheduled.html">6th time</a> . This time I had a great pattern, but it was still a bust. The yarn I'm using sucks. I hate it. Instantly my hands dry out. My fingers actually split open and bled where the yarn was tensioned over my fingers. I think they spun fiberglass in with the wool. So even though it looks like this on one side:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsspsI8_Zi4/TZaXxco9DhI/AAAAAAAAB0s/wQ__j9REKsM/s1600/100_3381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsspsI8_Zi4/TZaXxco9DhI/AAAAAAAAB0s/wQ__j9REKsM/s320/100_3381.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and this on the other:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T0G4LBvlDlM/TZaZhWxX0KI/AAAAAAAAB0w/ObYoYWWRyqk/s1600/100_3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T0G4LBvlDlM/TZaZhWxX0KI/AAAAAAAAB0w/ObYoYWWRyqk/s320/100_3384.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just can't continue. Maybe I will tear it out (again) and wash the whole kit and caboodle and try again. Maybe I will just send it to my Mom and be done with it. Find a different yarn to knit this awesome pattern with. Suggestions?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-41654582765930562132011-02-12T10:45:00.000-08:002011-02-12T10:45:07.905-08:00Glass houses and suchSoooo....maybe I shouldn't poke fun at those still enjoying their Christmas light displays. <br />
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The <a href="http://fibercloset.blogspot.com/2010/12/january-2011-sock-pattern.html">Fiber Closet KAL</a> for Twinkle Toes Socks was posted on December 5th. I cast it on....last night. February 11th. <br />
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Socks and I have a tumultuous relationship (see <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/02/blarg-of-ravelympic-proportions.html">here</a> and <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/05/epic-fail.html">here</a>). As of now they look like pasties instead of socks so I think we are ok.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GolvdYiTgog/TVbUxqQwVFI/AAAAAAAABuk/bIBCmL6mZOE/s1600/100_3365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GolvdYiTgog/TVbUxqQwVFI/AAAAAAAABuk/bIBCmL6mZOE/s320/100_3365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Pierced even, nice!<br />
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So, stay tuned. Socks related hijinks are sure to follow!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-27233006389330532752011-02-01T20:06:00.000-08:002011-02-01T20:06:02.158-08:00It could be worse!On the trip from the airport to Palo Alto on Saturday I saw no less than 6 houses that not only still had their Christmas lights still up, but they were still ON! At least I'm not THAT far behind!!<br />
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On that note, maybe now things will calm down and we can get back to our knitterly scheduled programming...ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-37420795018971681182011-01-31T21:24:00.000-08:002011-01-31T21:44:28.321-08:00Always make the most from the least!I attended a retreat at Stanford University this weekend. This retreat was about my least favorite current project, so I was not excited to go. One of the presentations was by a Stanford professor that used to work in industry. He said that he is always asked about the biggest difference between Industry and Academia. He said that Academia makes the least from the most and Industry makes the most from the least. <br />
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At first pass, this seems to be about money and backwards. Industry definitely has more capital devoted to their projects than Academia. In Academia you are working with taxpayer dollars (not in every case, but in most cases either state or federal funding) so you are expected to generate the most data with the least money. <br />
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However, he explained that in Industry you have one idea that works kinda well. But you push that one idea as far as it will possibly go. You use that idea to treat multiple diseases or develop multiple tests. You make the most from the least. In Academia you have a great idea and you generate incredible data and you write one paper and then you move on. "You are only as good as your next paper." You make the least (one paper) from the most (great idea).<br />
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I really took this message to heart. I want to make this my new motto. I want to live my life this way!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Always make the most from the least!</span><br />
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What more can a person want?ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-84157473072341526422011-01-22T17:09:00.000-08:002011-01-22T17:09:45.443-08:00Never stop learningI feel like this past week has been an interesting learning experience. Last Saturday we helped a friend move. I learned that helping a friend move totally counts as a workout day. I am also the kind of person that believes that if said friend lives in a 2nd floor apartment and is moving into a condo which also happens to be on the 2nd floor and neither place has an elevator, it counts as a week's worth of workouts. I discovered that my head is not harder than the back window of Chris' car. On a related note, I learned that my head <u>is</u> hard enough to insist that I don't have a concussion - just a nasty headache. When the headache is directly caused by a very large bump on the back of my head, maybe I shouldn't be trusted on my assessment of my own mental state.<br />
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Anyway, moving on. I found out that you can stave off an impending panic attack with a very large chocolate covered marshmallow Santa. Also - discount Christmas candy on sale for super cheap is excellent. <br />
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I learned that I am only capable of working 6 consecutive 10+ hour days before I start to have panic attacks (see above). <br />
<br />
Finally, I learned that sometimes you need to celebrate surviving the week with a bottle of cheap champagne. And that's a good thing!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-4712129014686740182011-01-09T17:39:00.000-08:002011-01-09T18:36:11.955-08:00Confessions of an overweight skinny kidI've always been a skinny kid. Now my grad school lifestyle (unhealthy food and absolutely nothing resembling exercise) has caused me to gain ALOT of weight in unfortunate places. I'm also closing in on the end of my thesis and I need the exercise to help keep me sane. So I'm trying the resolution thing. I'm eating healthy and exercising when I can. I'm using Chris'<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kinect-Sensor-Adventures-Xbox-360/dp/B002BSA298?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"> Kinect</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002BSA298" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> to do the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Shape-Fitness-Evolved-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0H9WM?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ubisoft Your Shape</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002I0H9WM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> exercise program. I signed up for their website that helps track the calories you burn. So far so good. The Kinect is pretty awesome because all of the games get us up and moving, which at this point is exactly what we need. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kinect-Sports-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0JBVY?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Kinect Sports</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002I0JBVY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> lets you post videos of you playing the games. It's fantastically funny to watch the videos. <br />
<br />
I figured I would track my progress here, not because it's entertaining but because it might help keep me motivated. I'm not really weighing myself to track my progress. I'm a scientist. I know exactly how long it takes to lose a pound. It's depressing. I also know that weight is just a number. It has a correlation to health at extremes of the scale but not so much in my weight range. So if I'm not weighing myself then I can't get depressed about a number and how little it has changed. I'm hoping it will force me to notice that I have more energy and am sleeping better. I'm hoping it will make me notice how much less stress I have (haha). My goal is to be healthy, reduce stress and not let exercise be another source of stress. If I work a 14 hour day, I don't need to workout. I need to fall into bed, and that's ok. If I need a break from work and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Central-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0HBOI?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Disco Dance</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002I0HBOI" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for 20 minutes, that's ok too. <br />
<br />
Today I broke the 200 calorie burned mark on Your Shape. I've been doing the Zen classes and the personal training so far. I really am enjoying the workouts. I like the potential variety you can have in your workout. I like the short sessions so you can do more sessions if you want, but you aren't locked into a 45 minute workout. I wish the program it designs based on your fitness test was a little more varied. Based on my fitness level and the answers to a few questions, it decided that I wanted to do a toning program. Which is not wrong. But I want to do cardio too. And sculpting. I want to be well rounded. And not bored. So I've been selecting workouts myself and not following my "personal workout" that it designed for me. I also have some trouble because I'm tall. I'm 6'2" tall. When it tells me to lift my arms, they go out of the Kinect viewing area and I don't get credit for lifting my arms. Whatever, I'm not worried about it. I'm moving, which is all that matters. <br />
<br />
So stay tuned. It will either be a success or an amusing decent into madness.....ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-78696275527487159382010-12-24T08:30:00.000-08:002011-05-01T13:15:04.296-07:00Procrasti-knittingTwas the night before Christmas<br />
My knitting's not done!<br />
Why do I do this?<br />
It's not very fun!<br />
I'm knitting and purling<br />
with the greatest of speed.<br />
I'm in such a hurry,<br />
now where is that bead?!<br />
The stockings are finished,<br />
the pillows are stuffed.<br />
I hope that these presents<br />
will be enough!<br />
The carols are playing<br />
so they might inspire.<br />
I pray that these needles<br />
don't catch on fire!<br />
Never again<br />
will I wait so long.<br />
But every year<br />
I sing the same song!<br />
I'm almost finished.<br />
The end is near!<br />
I'm so relieved,<br />
I might shed a tear!<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas to all and to all happy crafting!!ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-15150191813784834022010-10-15T21:56:00.000-07:002010-10-16T13:57:28.686-07:00That wonderful chill is in the air!Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. It always has been. I miss fall. Southern California doesn't really so much have "seasons" per se, which is sad because fall is so wonderful. (Any SoCal resident will now try to tell you that they have Hot, Hotter, Fire and Mudslide seasons, just smile at them)<br />
<br />
It has been unseasonably fall like here a lot lately and I have absolutely been soaking it up for all I can get. I made my friend Tammy go out and play in the leaves with me. We walked to get a pumpkin latte afterward. Apparently that is how Southern Californians note the change in season - new flavors of coffee at Starbucks. (Not that the pumpkin latte wasn't delicious and the perfect ending to our fall festivities.) <br />
<br />
I always thought it was strange that I enjoy Fall so much because growing up in East Central Illinois, Fall was the week between average temps in the 90s and average temps in the 30s. It wasn't very long. And I HATE cold weather. Well, I did when I lived there. Maybe that's why I liked Fall so much. It didn't overstay it's welcome (I'm lookin' at you winter). Fall kept you on your toes. It meant seeing your breath as you waited for the school bus in the morning. Wearing layers to school because you knew it would be hot by lunch. Fall was the only time you ran the heat in the car on the way to work, the air conditioner at lunch and heat again on the way home! <br />
<br />
Fall also meant the start of football season. Even before my current obsession with <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/09/go-ninja-go-ninja-go.html">Ed Hochuli's biceps</a>, I loved watching football. I grew up watching Cowboys games with my Dad and watching the Fighting Illini lose was a great family tradition (also applies to basketball, but that's for winter). <br />
<br />
Fall is the time for looking back on your year and realizing all the things you have to be thankful for. All the blessings you have in your life. I'm not sure why, but that always seemed so much better to me than Spring. Yes, everything is green, shiny and new and you have so much to be hopeful for in the Spring. I guess that is just my practical nature to enjoy the things you have more than the things you wish you will do.<br />
<br />
Fall is also home to my favorite holiday - Halloween! It was always so much fun getting dressed up and going trick-or-treating. My Great-Great Aunt Betty made the best popcorn balls and pumpkin cookies. My Mom was always pretty creative with costumes. I remember my sister and I wearing cardboard boxes covered in white tissue paper with black spots and we were a pair of dice. I also have vague memories of a sweatsuit, a lot of balloons and being a bunch of grapes. Then there was this awesome clown costume that was enormous enough that even I didn't outgrow it in a week. And that's saying something. To this day I go crazy at the first sign of Halloween decorations. I have enough Halloween stuff to decorate a mansion covering every surface of our cozy little home. I also get a little angry about the way the Christmas has totally eaten Thanksgiving and is making its move on Halloween. Labor day had better keep an eye out. Was the entire month of December really not enough for you Christmas? Seriously!<br />
<br />
I seriously hope the next place I live has Fall. I want brisk air and crunchy leaves. I want a chance to wear scarves and mittens and beautiful knitted hats. So Fall, if you are listening, I will enjoy our chance encounter here in SoCal but mark my words - you and I will be spending some quality time together in the not so distant future my friend.ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-34900582157743763382010-10-13T20:53:00.000-07:002010-10-13T20:53:52.947-07:00So totally not back on the tracksBut that's ok. They are fun diversions, like my mom, sister and niece coming to visit for a few days. Then there are not fun diversions like my guy needing an epic 3 part root canal. <br />
<br />
As I was sitting in the waiting room at the endodontist today I had the sudden realization that I am a true child of the computer age. I design my charts for knitting patterns using...<br />
<br />
...not graph paper (but I do love me a green engineering pad and some crayons)<br />
<br />
...not even Microsoft Paint<br />
<br />
wait for it...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Excel. That's right kids! I use spreadsheet software to design my charts. It's like graph paper but changes are instantaneous and way less effort. The intarsia blanket I am designing has gone through 3 complete overhauls all via Excel. It's so easy to set the column widths to make the cells squares instead of rectangles then you click the little paint bucket and have at it. You can even set certain rows/columns to have thicker borders every 5 rows to make counting boxes on your charts a breeze! Seriously. Stop laughing and try it. <br />
<br />
Anyway, so I think I have just about figured out the design for this intarsia blanket I have floating around in my head. I wanted to call it the "Harlequin blanket" because it has green, purple and black diamonds on it. I would have even settled for the "Joker blanket" but Chris has started calling it the "Halo blanket" which seems to have stuck. Why the "Halo blanket"? Because he asked me to pick colors to make his armor on his Halo character and I told him purple and green. They are kinda my default colors. Thus the color of this blog in spite of it being kinda hard to read. But there you have it, the "Halo blanket" it is. Someday when it jumps out of its spreadsheet and into real life I will show you a picture.<br />
<br />
Speaking of someday.... someday I will restart that silly Super Bowl Scarf. I think I have that bad boy figured out too, no excel needed. I'm just not quite ready to take it out of time out. I don't think it has shown adequate remorse over its behavior.ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-26507132915459916562010-09-20T18:57:00.000-07:002010-09-20T19:04:22.803-07:00And back to our regularly scheduled programming<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span>I know I haven't mentioned my knitting on here in forever, or really even written one of these in like a month. I've had some health trouble (beyond those stupid midwest germs!) which means my knitting has been either fast and furious or not at all. And blogging didn't make the list of things that absolutely had to get done, so it didn't.<br />
<br />
I finished the <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/07/so-purdy.html">traveling woman shawl</a> except for blocking, but lets be honest, that's not going to happen for awhile. I just can't seem to take a decent picture of it :<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgKYSexkTI/AAAAAAAABrQ/ipKgpNOqhNk/s1600/100_3339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgKYSexkTI/AAAAAAAABrQ/ipKgpNOqhNk/s320/100_3339.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgKz8pGZBI/AAAAAAAABrY/7tsOYQWu-2E/s1600/100_3348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgKz8pGZBI/AAAAAAAABrY/7tsOYQWu-2E/s320/100_3348.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I also finished a baby kimono for my friend Tammy that is expecting a little girl in November:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgLjuqExcI/AAAAAAAABrg/tij70c-SYGI/s1600/100_3329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgLjuqExcI/AAAAAAAABrg/tij70c-SYGI/s320/100_3329.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgLuvKtcPI/AAAAAAAABro/OfkIXfq6q2k/s1600/100_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgLuvKtcPI/AAAAAAAABro/OfkIXfq6q2k/s320/100_3328.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The yarn is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK Prints in color 203.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>I used a <a href="http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/CLear1/-strse-2909/Kumihimo-Starter-Kit/Detail.bok">kumihimo loom</a> to make the ties and it worked out super cute!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I am working on a top for myself! I started out using a pattern, but in my typical fashion started winging it about 1/4th of the way in. I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport Multi in Happy Valley. I absolutely love it! This yarn is incredible and the colors are gorgeous!! If I have enough left over I am going to make a matching headband/headscarf to go with it. I LOVE IT!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNuPfN-VI/AAAAAAAABr4/qb-5mGILXUA/s1600/100_3342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNuPfN-VI/AAAAAAAABr4/qb-5mGILXUA/s1600/100_3342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNmr0HIOI/AAAAAAAABrw/Gij1P-TuKYo/s1600/100_3341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNmr0HIOI/AAAAAAAABrw/Gij1P-TuKYo/s320/100_3341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNmr0HIOI/AAAAAAAABrw/Gij1P-TuKYo/s1600/100_3341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNuPfN-VI/AAAAAAAABr4/qb-5mGILXUA/s1600/100_3342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TJgNuPfN-VI/AAAAAAAABr4/qb-5mGILXUA/s320/100_3342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm sorry the pictures are weird. Technology is not cooperating. Speaking of not cooperating...</div><br />
I am knitting a scarf for the <a href="http://fibercloset.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-bowl-xlvis-scarf.html">2012 Super Bowl </a>and I have torn it out and started it 5 times! Sheesh. I just can't quite get the pattern that is in my head to work out in the yarn. Hopefully eventually! So now I think we are all caught up on my knitting and hopefully we have this train back on the tracks!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-88875387445495776332010-09-19T18:24:00.000-07:002010-09-20T17:59:24.399-07:00Go ninja go ninja go!That's right kids, we kick it old school around here. Yesterday I went to <a href="http://jack.radio.com/shows/jacks-fifth-show/">Jack's 5th show</a> concert at Verizon Wireless in Irvine. AWESOME! The day started with 2 different cover bands playing 80s music on the side stage down by the concessions. The Spazmatics played 80s pop hits and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1117082869"></span>Metal Shop<span id="goog_1117082870"></span></a> rocked out to some classic hair metal....notably missing was Motley Crue. What kind of hair metal cover band plays 2 Bon Jovi songs and 0 Motley Crue songs?! Anyway...<br />
<br />
The main stage kicked off with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sweet/dp/B000002UQF?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sweet</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002UQF" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and they definitely got the crowd going with "Little Willy", "Fox on the Run" and "Ballroom Blitz". Then Modern English took the stage and rocked their "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Melt-With-You/dp/B001IYWHJ4?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">I Melt With You</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001IYWHJ4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />". <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skid-Row/dp/B000002INR?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"> Skid Row</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002INR" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (minus Sebastian Bach) stormed the stage next and rocked out to some of their hits and some new music. We saw them play at the Galaxy a couple of years ago and they were able to rock the large outdoor stage just about as well as the small club in Santa Ana. Impressive! Then Young MC took the stage for 2 songs, 1 new one and the party staple "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bust-A-Move/dp/B0014SVJSY?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bust A Move</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0014SVJSY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />". Dude can rock a space/track suit like nobody's business. Next up was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Collection-Fixx/dp/B00002MYYB?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Fixx</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00002MYYB" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I wasn't familiar with most of their music, but did sing along to "One Thing Leads To Another".<br />
<br />
Next up was the highlight of my night, my month, let's be honest...probably my year. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Vanilla-Ice/dp/B00000DRBV?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">VANILLA ICE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000DRBV" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />! That's right, the man himself. In the flesh. 50 yards in front of me. AWESOME! He comes out with an intro song claiming he is from the Dirty South. Not sure Miami counts as Dirty South. Then he says that he is going to take us back and kick it old school. The crowd goes wild expecting "Ice, Ice Baby" but no... he says "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Rap/dp/B000TEBIJE?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Go ninja, go ninja go!</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000TEBIJE" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />" The crowd erupts into response with "Go ninja, go ninja go!" OH MY GOD! So excited! I got to see Vanilla Ice perform the song from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. You bet I "rocked out" to that one. Then the showstopper... "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Baby/dp/B0026FHYYW?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ice, Ice Baby</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0026FHYYW" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />" I sang every word at the top of my lungs. I lost my voice. I croaked like a frog, but I kept singing. I embarrassed the pants off of Chris. He was hiding in shame. I did not stop singing! The Ice man finished off his set with a catchy new song <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000TSIZX2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />from his <a href="http://www.districtlines.com/18379-WTF-Album-Music/Vanilla-Ice">new album</a>. INSANE!<br />
<br />
Next up was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hits-Night-Ranger/dp/B000002PIU?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Night Ranger</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002PIU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and they played some of their hits as well as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Damn-Yankees/dp/B0017CW5C6?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Damn Yankees</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0017CW5C6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> hits. It was a pretty incredible set capped off with a much anticipated "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sister-Christian/dp/B001NTZFVG?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sister Christian</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001NTZFVG" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />". Then came <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Cult/dp/B000007VCM?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cult</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000007VCM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I only recognized a couple of their songs. "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/She-Sells-Sanctuary/dp/B000SFQO3E?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">She Sells Sanctuary</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SFQO3E" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />" and "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Woman/dp/B000SG1SWA?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fire Woman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000SG1SWA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />". I was a little disappointed that they didn't play "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Painted-On-My-Heart-Explicit/dp/B001O3KMPA?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Painted On My Heart</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001O3KMPA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />" but whatever, I enjoyed their set. The final act was the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Miller-Band-Greatest-1974-1978/dp/B000002U98?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Steve Miller Band</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002U98" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. They played a few hits, a few covers, a few B sides and a few <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bingo-Steve-Miller-Band/dp/B003GE69IO?ie=UTF8&tag=thenarr-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">new songs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thenarr-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003GE69IO" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Steve Miller also sponsors a rock school for kids and had one of the kids come out and play guitar with him. Pretty awesome. He also had Vanilla Ice come out and sing with him and Vanilla Ice knew every word to every Steve Miller song. <br />
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All in all an awesome night. I have to say my soul needed it. There is something so soothing about live music. It seems to rejuvenate me and shake me out of my weekly grind. <br />
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As a completely unrelated side note: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Hochuli">Ed Hochuli</a> is freakin' ripped. I'm watching the Patriots/Jets game as I write this and holy cannoli! Everytime he makes a call it's a gun show. That's all.ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-82644473948062306412010-08-20T10:03:00.000-07:002010-08-20T10:03:35.026-07:00TGICOOWETAT!Seriously kids. What a rough couple of weeks! But lets not dwell on that. TGIF! TG I'm Cutting Out Of Work Early To Avoid Traffic! Traffic is a way of life in SoCal and avoiding traffic is an art form. I don't know if everyone is trying to cram everything into the last bit of summer remaining or what, because traffic has been noticeably horrendous this week. Which is sayin' somethin'. If you read Crazy Aunt Purl, you have visual evidence of what traffic in Southern California is like. 10 lane freeways resemble mall parking lots. This week was so bad (How bad was it?!) It was so bad that Chris took the toll road home every day of his own free will. Now, that is some traffic people. It incites obscure references to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_Game">40 year old game shows</a> and mental images of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Rayburn">Gene Rayburn</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Somers">Brett Somers</a>.<br />
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Also, Thank God for our <a href="http://www.hitimewine.net/">Hi-Time</a> Wine of the Month club membership. I couldn't have survived the last few months without you...ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-58131246209976959332010-07-25T00:03:00.000-07:002010-07-25T00:03:53.585-07:00Me minus coffee = grouchyI'm a scientist. I experiment. Occasionally on myself. Like today, I woke up and had the brilliant idea to skip the coffee. I decided to go without coffee for several reasons. First being laziness. Another being that I have had trouble falling asleep. I lay there worrying about work stuff, which is definitely worse than working. I have also been having really colorful strange dreams. Many of them involving airports.... go figure. So I decided than rather than the obvious cause (WORK!) that going without coffee would make me less grouchy/twitchy/cranky and help me get to sleep faster. As it turns out, it made me uber grouchy, crazy twitchy and OH LAWDY ME the cranky! I have been a twitchy emo mess all day. I feel like all of my nerve endings are spazzing out. Very unpleasant side effects. Conclusion: MAKE THE STUPID COFFEE.<br />
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On a related note: I'm bottling the rest of my harrowing airport adventures way down deep inside where they can't manifest themselves as Technicolor dreams for me all night. Airport nightmares are supposed to stay in the literal world and not become ACTUAL nightmares. They are therefore relegated to daylight hours only.<br />
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As you could no doubt guess, coffee is kinda important around here. I have a fancy schmancy coffee pot that you set a timer and wake up to coffee first thing in the morning. This is brilliant! Unfortunately, we are not so good at setting the coffee before bed on the weekends. Thus, no coffee awaiting me before work this morning, it being Saturday and all. If you are interested: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-47665-BrewStation-Coffeemaker/dp/B000GHLMI6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1280040943&sr=1-1">This is my home coffee pot.</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Senseo-SL7810-65-Single-Serve-Gourmet/dp/B001QTVS5K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1280041016&sr=1-1">This is my work coffee pot</a>, except mine is white. I signed up to get the pods from Amazon with their Subscribe and save option. As important as coffee is, I have trouble remembering that I need to buy work coffee. Home coffee is already delivered to my door from a coffee company. I now place my caffeine deprived self in the hands of others to make sure I never run out. Now I have someone else to blame! I almost feel sorry for them...ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-87483686776193786222010-07-20T20:24:00.000-07:002010-07-21T17:27:31.168-07:00Me & the airport, sitting in a tree..Y-E-L-L-I-N-G! <div><br /></div><div>I do travel a fair amount - see, living 2000 miles from family means I spend a fair number of hours in various airports to go see the fam twice a year. Also, I travel a bit for work. Nothing crazy. Once or twice a year. I'm not the super savvy "I fly 5 days a week and twice on Sundays" traveler, but I do know my way around an airport. However, the airport and I are not so much on speaking terms. I have a fair number of horror stories I could tell you, and probably will at some point. But lets start with the most recent excursion to HOME. </div><div><br /></div><div>Leave house at 5 am and head to the "airport". Chris and I packed light, i.e. carry-on only. THANK THE LORD! Our flight was at 6:45 am, the first flight of the day. Security, no problem. We are at the gate an hour before our scheduled flight. 10 minutes before our scheduled departure they tell us that the plane that has been sitting there ALL NIGHT just waiting to be checked over has a broken hydraulic pump. So we are going to be delayed. But they are getting one in from LA and it should be there in an hour. We groan. Unless they are flying a hydraulic pump here, there is no way they are going to make it in an hour. Whatever. They say that because Houston was having nasty storms and was delayed everyone would probably make their connections and if they saw someone was going to miss their flight they would call us up individually to re-book on another flight.</div><div><br /></div><div>We chill in the airport bar and watch the World Cup game. No biggie. 2 hours later there is still no hydraulic pump and they have no idea how much longer it will be before it gets here and how long it will take to replace the old pump with the new one. So would all 300 of you please line up to get re-booked. YAY! So Chris and I take our places in line where it takes the 1 poor woman working the counter 45 minutes per person to rebook them on another flight. Multiplied by 300 people means that we were going to get out of that airport approximately the 12th of NEVER. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jump ahead several hours and skip many angry phone calls to the airline 800 number and we finally got someone on the phone who could help. And help she did. She was awesome! It took a long time (~45 minutes) for her to get approval and get us booked on another airline but she stayed with us until we got on the new flight. At noon. A full 5 hours and 15 minutes later than when we were supposed to leave. Double Yay! There was also a minor skirmish with the lady at the new airline about whether we had checked bags (NO!) and she finally decided that she wasn't holding up HER flight and making it late to mess with us anymore and let us on the plane. Why would we lie about luggage? We would be the ones missing luggage... </div><div><br /></div><div>So we get to Denver (new layover spot) and we have 4 whole hours to kill before our flight leaves. At this point we haven't eaten - it's hard to eat when you are waiting in line and trying to talk sense into people on the phone. So between the lack of food and the turbulence getting into Denver we are not in great shape. We found the first available table which happened to be at a little cantina on the 2nd level. We ate some chips, shared a soda and started to almost feel like human beings again. Human beings with another 3 hours and 30 minutes to sit in an airport. 3 hours and 10 minutes of thumb twiddling later - we are delayed because there is a wheelchair marathon in Denver on the 4th of July weekend and there are several people in need of wheelchairs on the plane that we need to get on that can't get off....because the airport was OUT OF WHEELCHAIRS! I'm sorry, what?!?! How does an airport run out of wheelchairs?!?! </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually wheelchairs were found, we boarded and made it safely to our destination. At 1 am. Yay airports! Since this is officially approaching novel status, I'll save the details of our trip and the return flight (more fun!) for later. Sheesh....</div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-48473393009201952732010-07-18T20:57:00.000-07:002010-07-21T17:26:57.797-07:00The PlagueOk, seriously folks....I think I have the plague. I have been sick for over a month! A MONTH! That's enough to drive anyone mad. I thought I had a cold for about a week. Then I revised my theory to the flu during the 2nd week. Diagnosed with a sinus infection that was spreading into my ears in the 3rd week. I resorted to the "From whence you came!" hypothesis for the 4th week. More on the 5th week below. Now I'm at the resigned acceptance stage. Maybe I'll change my name to Typhoid Mary. (except I'm the one that's sick and I don't think I've infected anyone). ((Yay for antibacterial wet wipes and anti-viral kleenex!!))<div><br /></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">The "From whence you came!" Hypothesis:</span></i></b></div><div>Take the <a href="http://aneuroknitter.blogspot.com/2010/06/midwest-germs.html">germy suckers </a>back where they came from! The only place that will still welcome you in spite of your level of germy-ness! That's right kids, I went HOME! It was my niece's first birthday and you only turn 1 once. I wasn't about to miss it, plague and all. Being home and eating Mom's cooking and lots of naps on the couch and I felt sooo much better. Good enough to deem the experiment successful. </div><div><br /></div><div>THEN! My follow-up appointment at the doctor revealed that I actually am still sick. To quote the medical professional: "Normally when someone has this much infection in their sinuses they can barely crawl in my door. I don't know how you are upright!" To which I adamantly stated, "But I feel better!" She responded, "I can see that. You look like you feel better. You're not." She won that round. Another 2 weeks of antibiotics. Antibiotics make me feel awful. Tired and achy and sleepy and HUNGRY! So miserable. </div><div><br /></div><div>More on my adorable niece and her fantastic-ness when I feel a little more like a human being. For now, here's a picture:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_FBDrzi9FPTI/TD1HiNC_gOI/AAAAAAAACi0/qYCzbzM5ajM/s512/DSC01622.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen! The stud in the back isn't bad either ;-)</div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-17030676054590625472010-07-01T12:06:00.001-07:002010-07-01T12:30:32.205-07:00So Purdy!<div>I know I mentioned before that I was making a shawl, but I was in a heavily medicated state. The pattern is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/traveling-woman">Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante</a> and the yarn is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(97, 49, 189); font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; "><a href="http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/sub_yarn.php?id_sub_yarn=15">Malabrigo Silky Merino in Nocturnal</a> </span>that I purchased from <a href="http://knitschtick.com/">Knit Schtick</a>. I love this yarn and I love the shawl. Of course I didn't leave well enough alone and added beads! Yay beads! So pretty!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCzoJmioHSI/AAAAAAAABnM/SMquqU8mV7o/s1600/100_3300.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCzoJmioHSI/AAAAAAAABnM/SMquqU8mV7o/s200/100_3300.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489017297520041250" /></a><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCzoKLUfa9I/AAAAAAAABnU/E967eDghtN4/s1600/100_3299.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCzoKLUfa9I/AAAAAAAABnU/E967eDghtN4/s200/100_3299.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489017307392863186" /></a><br /><br /><div>And speaking of pretty, my gardenia now has not 1, not 2 but 3 whole blooms! <b>3 blooms! </b>Ah ah ah (ala the Count from Sesame Street)! YAY for good patio feng shui!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCznY-UtZ6I/AAAAAAAABnE/qYecz8_wuwc/s1600/100_3285.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCznY-UtZ6I/AAAAAAAABnE/qYecz8_wuwc/s200/100_3285.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489016462090528674" /></a><br /></div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-8843072766060593702010-06-24T22:14:00.000-07:002010-06-24T22:30:47.362-07:00I survived "The Death"...I hope....That's right kids.....my mother (whom I love dearly) gave me "The Death". I have been seriously ill for over a week. I have blown through (haha, get it, "blown" through) an ENTIRE box of Anti-Viral Kleenex in 2 days! That's 112 tissues in <b>2 days</b> people. I was sick enough that I haven't touched my shawl and trust me, that's really sick because I am super stoked about this shawl. The yarn is beautiful and I love the pattern. I haven't gotten to the actual lace part yet, but here's a picture. <div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCQ-TzTnumI/AAAAAAAABls/qLly4qEeRNY/s1600/100_3274.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TCQ-TzTnumI/AAAAAAAABls/qLly4qEeRNY/s200/100_3274.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486578755955047010" /></a><br /></div><div>I am NOT the world's best photographer and trying to get it all stretched out nice on the circular needles in my current Dayquil-ed state wasn't going to happen. Same with finding a light source that made the colors show up accurately. But trust me, this thing is going to be awesome.<div><br /></div><div>I am adding my own "special" touch to the pattern...I know, I know! I can't just leave a fantastic pattern alone. But BEADS! I wanted to add beads to this beautiful creation. I don't know why, but I felt like beads. So before I caught "The Death" I went to Michaels to get some beads. But I couldn't decide on a color or style, so I bought 3 packages and decided when the time came that one would speak to me. It turns out it did because only 1 of the beads actually fits on the yarn. The other 2 are for super fine lace yarns or making jewelry because they are tiiiiiny. But they will get used for some other project at some point. Now I just need to decide where exactly to put the beads. I added them to the chart in a way that I think will look right and didn't require me to entirely re-chart the whole thing. But I am in a pretty constant state of befuddled Dayquil-ness so who knows. Cross your fingers and I will keep you posted with the results!</div><div><br /></div></div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-205405894127758662010-06-20T13:48:00.001-07:002010-06-20T14:05:45.577-07:00Midwest GermsMy family came to visit and I love them dearly, I do. But they brought their germs. Icky Midwest Germs! Mom and I spent the last 4 days of her trip coughing and carrying on. It's the untold story of travel. They come here and bring their midwest germs so everyone here gets sick and they get exposed to California germs and they get sick. THEN they take California germs back to Illinois and everyone back home gets sick. It happens all the time. The silver lining: Chris and I should be immune to Midwest germs when we go Home for the 4th of July/Lily's 1st birthday. Fingers crossed! AAAAAACCCCHHOOOOOOO!<div><br /></div><div>Now for happier news....my family came to visit! My Aunt Carissa, cousin Jessica and my mom all came to visit. They came in on the 11th and we went to Balboa Pennisula and Jess and Carissa played in the water. Mom and I knew better, that water was COLD! Then we went to Huntington Beach and ate dinner and watched the surfers. Saturday we went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park all day. Sunday we went back to the beach and we all got crispy-fried. It turns out that we aren't very good at applying sunscreen evenly. It led to strange patterns of sunburns for everyone involved. Then MONDAY WAS DISNEYLAND! I love Disneyland. It was so much fun! Tuesday Carissa and Jess headed back home and Mom stayed until Saturday afternoon. But we didn't do much else. Just coughed. A lot. And found a new yarn shop that I really liked called <a href="http://knitschtick.com/">Knit Schtick</a>. We met the owner, Lauren, and she was awesome. I bought some really nice <a href="http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/sub_yarn.php?id_sub_yarn=15">Malabrigo Silky Merino in Nocturnal</a>. I think I'm going to make a shawl. So exciting. But first I have to finish up a couple of projects that I have on the needles. Makes me feel less guilty about my startitis. I'll add pictures of the trip as soon as Mom uploads them for me to use. Of course I forgot to bring a camera anywhere we went. </div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776297961209415033.post-5186937176021878182010-06-16T22:33:00.000-07:002010-06-16T22:59:17.637-07:00Bad patio feng shuiHave you ever had one of those periods of time where work seems to suck your soul from your very being. Let's just say, I've been there. <div><br /></div><div>Then today my gardenia blooms. I have owned this plant for.... years..... over 2 years.... and never a blossom. Tons of buds that would turn brown and fall off. But never one flower! </div><div><br /></div><div>Here it is shortly after purchase and repotting:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3-U7o5FI/AAAAAAAABjc/yPxnOoDWJ0U/s1600/100_1684.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 176px; height: 198px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3-U7o5FI/AAAAAAAABjc/yPxnOoDWJ0U/s200/100_1684.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483616302698914898" /></a><div><br /></div><div>Then here it is 1 year later:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3_JEhOVI/AAAAAAAABjk/m37EWzsY0VY/s1600/100_2131.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 151px; height: 196px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3_JEhOVI/AAAAAAAABjk/m37EWzsY0VY/s200/100_2131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483616316694804818" /></a><div><br /></div><div>I know, it looks dead. BUT here it is a year and 4 months later:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3_rGPORI/AAAAAAAABjs/TBpO1lhCr-I/s1600/100_3264.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4CqxFFrDnCw/TBm3_rGPORI/AAAAAAAABjs/TBpO1lhCr-I/s200/100_3264.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483616325828819218" /></a><div><br /></div><div>A bloom! A true flower! A beautiful flower!</div><div>I had tried reading on gardening blogs and websites and tried some strange things....coffee grounds in my gardenia, it was a dark and scary time people... Then one of them had a joke about how finicky gardenias were and only liking light when it was northern light from a southerly direction or some nonsense like that. And I thought, what if my gardenia is suffering from bad patio feng shui? I moved it. That's it! Moved it about 5 feet to the left. AND IT'S BLOOMING! </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes it's the small victories. </div>ANeuroKnitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14218307676788707551noreply@blogger.com1