Syndactyl Salutations

Thoughts on writing, knitting, and the world around me.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Quickie

I was going to do an actual post, but I have a headache through which I can barely see straight, so I will just say that I have spent the last few hours immersed in Harlot-y goodness (which has nothing to do with the headache), and for which I owe Stephanie a debt of gratitude.

Beautiful spring day, a couple of rows on a Big Sack sleeve, Mexican for dinner. I hope to have a full post in the next day or two.

Monday, March 28, 2005

Better Now

The funk has lifted enough to let me refrain from whiny post titles. It is still raining like cats and dogs around here, but it is slightly warmer than it has been.

More good things:

*I finished the first sleeve and started the second for Big Sack.

*I turned the heel on Mom's sock.

*I started the heel flap on my sock.

*I began more heavily editing Washing Silver and got through 30 pages Saturday afternoon.

*Easter dinner was very tasty and equally relaxing.

*I worked out after work, even though it was nasty and miserable out.

*We finally saw Frida, which I loved. I think I need to learn more about her life.

Okay, I'm going to make this short, just wanted to check in and get the negativity off the top of the page.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

I am grumpy and unpleasant to be around

Okay, it's less true today than it was yesterday, and even then it may have been mostly in my head. I was tempted to post a sign with those words on it on my desk at work yesterday, but I refrained. I don't know why, but I am in a funk. It could be the weather, but not entirely, since yesterday was decent. I think it's just the early-Spring transition mindset, I'm hoping I'll shake it off soon, whatever it is.

I got the heel on my mom's second sock turned this evening. I did not, however, have the stamina to pick up the stitches for the gusset. I love turning heels on socks. It's the fourth time I've done it and I still think it feels like magic. I lost my printout of the basic sock pattern I use and had to print it this evening to remind myself of the intricacies of turning the heel. It seems like I'd have it down by now, but I still need to peek at the pattern from time to time.

I now know why people refer to "sleeve island". The few inches between the end of the increases and the beginning of the raglan decreases seem to be taking forever. I'm nearly there, though, I should be able to begin decreasing tomorrow evening.

In other news, I got all the initial edits from my first reread of Washing Silver put into (or taken out of) the file the other day. I have cut about 2 1/2 pages so far. I'm going to print it out again and do a more intensive read/edit session this weekend. I expect it to get smaller still before it can be expanded again.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Sweater Progress

I finished the front of Big Sack last night and immediately cast on for the first sleeve. That would be my first sleeve ever. I'm nearly to the third set of increases, so while it's not completely flying, I am making progress. I decided yesterday that I'd like to have the sweater done by the end of April, so that I can wear it to the all-school picnic at Long's Park. It's usually still cool enough around here then for me to need a sweater. We'll see how it goes, but I'm glad to finally have a target end date, rather than just going with "whenever" as a time frame.

The two socks are stagnating, most of the way down the cuff on the second sock on both pairs and I just can't get into them. Maybe I'll work on Mom's for a while today.

I'm going to skip knitting at Gallery 141 again. Today's lame excuse is that I seem to have an irritated nerve in my left foot and don't feel like doing much moving around. Oh, and it's grey and miserable and I'd rather not have to go out anywhere. Please don't hate me, guys, and I hope you have fun.

I got my first three Netflix selections in the mail yesterday, haven't watched any of them yet. I think we'll get to them this afternoon, once Ebbie and the kids get back from grocery shopping.

Happy Spring! It'll get better from here, right?

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Succumbed

I feel somewhat better. I signed up for my free month of Netflix, I have ten movies in my queue. I feel as though I've accomplished something. Yes, I realize just how lame this makes me. No, I don't particularly care.

Stasis

We've had registration for the past three days, and now that the most hectic part of it is done, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. I'm not much of a St. Patrick's Day reveler, even though I have the appropriate heritage. I'm sitting here looking at various things I could work on, be they knitting, editing, organizing...and absolutely nothing is holding my attention.

Ebbie is at band practice. This usually isn't a deal, but my own devices don't seem to be giving me much help.

Sorry, can't help but whine sometimes. I'm about to start the raglan decreases on the front of Big Sack, but I don't know if that will happen tonight.

It's been a very strange week, for a variety of reasons. I think I need more structure in my life, or maybe not.

Randomness over.

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Reading Washing Silver

This has been an asocial weekend. I know, most of my weekends are, but this time I could have gone and knit with people and to a birthday party and I did neither. Socializing seemed like an effort I just couldn't handle. That's not to say I didn't go anywhere or do anything.

I spent four hours this afternoon at my local Borders reading my manuscript copy of Washing Silver. I haven't read it through for a couple of years, since a couple of months after turning out the first draft, really. It needs work. Whole sections should probably go, along with lots of little things. Major character development is required, the same goes with dialogue and conflict. That being said, I don't hate it. I think the story itself is fairly strong. I just need to strip it back to the framework and rebuild from there. I just hope I'm ready enough to get back to writing to be able to do it. The start would be to make the changes I identified today, I suppose. Haven't done that yet.

Knitting is coming in dribs and drabs these days. I'm doing something every day, but in small amounts. I'm almost to the heel flap on my mom's second sock and just about done with the fourth cable repeat on Big Sack. (This scant progress is probably part of why I didn't go knitting today, but only part.)

I hope all you Knit NYers had good luck and fun at the sale this weekend. I got the email this evening, not that I would have made it to Manhattan this weekend.

Saturday, March 05, 2005

Random Happenings

I tend to be a homebody for the most part, but every once in a while I get out and do something a bit different.

Thursday evening I got together with a handful of friends to watch Can't Stop the Music, an over-the-top camp movie starring Village People, Steve Gutenberg, and Bruce Jenner. The friends I watched it with are pop culture fans of the highest order, the one who'd gotten it on Netflix got it sheerly for the camp factor. I am not as much of an aficionado of pop culture, yet I was the only one who had already seen this thing. Yes, I do wonder why I am admitting this here, thanks for asking. While watching it, I completed a cable repeat on Big Sack, so it wasn't all bad. I think I'm up to four now, or starting the fourth, maybe. I'm enjoying working on it, even if I am going fairly slowly.

I didn't do much knitting or pick up ink for my printer today because my sister was in town. I went to her newest rental property to help her get started on renovations. In other words, I spent a couple of hours pulling some tenacious little plant out by the roots from between the bricks in her front sidewalk. It was a lovely day to be outside. A bit windy, but the street we were on was fairly sheltered, so we stayed comfortable. It almost felt like Spring, and the snow made some melting progress.

I got Washing Silver printed to page 20 on Thursday before the black ink cartridge gave out, so tomorrow my mission will be to get me to an office supply store to replace it. Does anyone else love office supply stores as much as I do? I tend to go in for one thing and end up wandering for much longer than necessary looking at all of the stuff that would definitely help me get organized...

Anyway, I had my mother try on the one completed sock, just to be sure I'd gotten it right, and I had. I'm so pleased, maybe she'll have a pair before summertime.

Enjoy the rest of your weekends.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Incremental Progress

Yes, the knitting is glacial at this point, but that's okay. I think my mother only half-believes she's actually going to get a pair of socks, anyway. I'm on the third cable repeat of Big Sack (of course, they are only 10 row repeats), but I am making it grow slowly. I've been tired enough the past couple of days that I haven't even wanted to keep my hands occupied whilst staring at the idiot box. No more GRE studies lately either.

I'm not doing National Novel Editing Month, but getting the email reminders that it has started and seeing the news that Stephanie has finished yet another knitting book has made me think about dragging Washing Silver (my 2002 NANO effort) out of hibernation. I think I've put enough distance between myself and the initial draft by now.

And I took a black and white photograph this morning because the light was right and the composition was interesting.

Maybe spring is in the air after all.