Wool & Words

That's what being so far away from home feels like right now. Not much I can do but pray and give.

I only had one family member in the New Orleans area, and he made it to New Iberia late Sunday night. From what I can tell, most of my friends and their families in the area got out. But I can't tear my eyes away from the news coverage, from the images. This city where I spent many a summer vacation, where I spent part of my college years, where Steve and I had great fun, where I always feel at home--utterly changed forever.

The people on the rooftops, the stories, horrific enough without images, of floating corpses. There was footage today of a house that was burning. Water up to the second story, but the roof on fire. And nothing could be done to stop it.

My state will rebuild. But it will never be the same.

Posted by KnitNut at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My family is fine. They live 150 miles west of New Orleans, so they're going to be soggy, but OK.

The hype is true: New Orleans can't really sustain a major huge hurricane. Not many coastal places could, frankly, but the sea level issue and the levee system really demonstrate why it could be so awful for New Orleans. Katrina just wasn't the one to do it.

Prayers and thoughts and all good wishes to those affected by this storm.

Posted by KnitNut at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'm really excited about this, as if it gives me some cred or something. Hehehehe.

Modern, Cool Nerd 69 % Nerd, 56% Geek, 30% Dork

For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd. Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)! Congratulations! Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in either of the following: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Professional Wrestling Love & Sexuality Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Posted by KnitNut at 08:04 PM | Permalink

The toughest thing about teaching isn't the teaching. Sure, it's tiring and sometimes students give you grief, but that's really not the hard part. For me, the hardest part is the prep work.

Figuring out what I want to cover in class, how that fits into the plan for the semester, finding activities that will have the learning results I want but won't bore the he** out of anyone. I love teaching writing and literature, but sometimes the prep just gets me down.

So I take great pleasure in preparing for my knitting classes--cause there's much joy in the knitting! Today I finished the first of two projects for an entrelac class--a scarf in Manos which is to die for.

I'd die for a photo about now, which I can't share because I left the scarf at the shop.

Project two for this class is a pillow cause I just had way too much fun knitting that scarf. LOL.

Right now I'm working on a shrug in Plymouth Suri Merino. I want to finish it now because I'm wearing a tank and the AC is making my shoulders a bit chilly!

Posted by KnitNut at 09:15 PM | Permalink

Picked up a copy of this at the LYS yesterday:

In love with several patterns, particularly the capelets from Ann Budd's master pattern, Nora Gaughan's cabled capelet, Teva Durham's argyle poncho, and the two gorgeous lace pieces by Shirley Paden, Kathleen Power Johnson, and Evelyn Clark. And more. I love this book!

Posted by KnitNut at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I had all these grand plans to write a blog entry about my visit to the county recycling center today. But that's boring. So here are some shots from the couch.*

Of course, I'm knitting. Garter stitch squares for a baby blanket.

*My coffee table is a mess. That's the state of all coffee tables, isn't it?

Posted by KnitNut at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Steve does this periodically and I thought I'd give it a try. This won't be near as entertaining as his are.

1. If you haven't seen it yet, run--don't waddle--to March of the Penguins. Incredible birds. Incredible film. If only we humans were as consistently concerned about the well-being of our children.

2. I love yarn.

3. My sewing machine and I had a counseling session on Saturday and we've decided to stay together for the sake of the chil--ahem--the projects I have planned. Someday I'll actually show you what I've been up to. I'm actually not bad at this sewing thing.

4. Sharon Miller is a genius. I just received her Wedding Ring Shawl pattern and I am overcome. I bow before her greatness. She is my lace hero.

5. The start of the semester brings the same faces, the same sundresses, the same rush attendees. Tomorrow and Friday Park Hall will be beset by the same god-awful number of freshmen asking where room 56 is. Patient and not-so-patient grad students will tell them politely and not-so-politely that the BUILDING is 56 and that the room number they seek is on that thing called a schedule. Hijinks will ensue.

6. Gift knitting is difficult. Why can't I just go for the simple hat and scarf or booties and cap? What compels me to shoot for the moon every time? Is it love or is it a complex?

Off to knit afghan squares...baby shower is Sunday.

Posted by KnitNut at 06:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

My sewing machine and I aren't speaking. I'm terrified of cutting my next project.

You may return to your knitting now. I know I am.

Posted by KnitNut at 08:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

CDs from the CD Swap have started coming in. So far, I've received CDs from Melanie, Jacey, and Paige. I'm loading up my car changer with all these new tunes--fabulous!

Posted by KnitNut at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The run to the end of the semester isn't any less icky because it's summer. In fact, it made it a bit more icky. I'm turning my grades in today and then settling in for a jam session--Steve loaned me all of his Cowboy Bebop DVDs, and I'm on disc 3. That plus my knitting will keep me occupied for a little while today. I'm working on multiple items: gifts and class models. Sigh. I'm really drooling over several items in the new Vogue Knitting, including the cape in that big Tahki ad. I don't want to make it in the called for yarn, though, and sent off to KnitPicks for color cards as I'm considering a couple of their new yarns for the project.

And sometime today, I need to get to a store that has a copy of The FairTax. Apparantly, it's selling out in various places. I foolishly waited till Sunday to get a copy, and the Borders I went to was sold out. I'll be checking my local this afternoon.

Posted by KnitNut at 09:45 AM | Permalink

I meant to post this a few days ago. It's the playlist for the CD I made for the swap.

1. Season Cycle--XTC
2. "In Just-"--e.e. cummings
3. Que Sera, Sera--Doris Day
4. Southland in the Springtime--Indigo Girls
5. Easter Theatre--XTC
6. The Garden of Delights--Lisa Loeb
7. "The Summer Day"--Mary Oliver
8. See the Constellation--TMBG
9. Soft Serve--Soul Coughing
10. Master Blaster--Stevie Wonder
11. Summer's Cauldron--XTC
12. "Spring and Fall: To A Young Child"--Gerard Manly Hopkins
13. Moondance--Van Mornison
14. Half Harvest--Michael Penn
15. Harvest Festival--XTC
16. The Wind That Shakes The Barley--Dead Can Dance
17. "Winter, or the Song of the Wrens"--Alfred, Lord Tennyson
18. Snowman--XTC
19. Winter--Tori Amos
20. Christmas Morning--Lyle Lovett
21. Excerpt from "Little Gidding"--T. S. Eliot
22. The Wheel and The Maypole--XTC

I had a blast doing this CD. Since I lurves me some poetry, and I needed to test drive some software I'm using for my Fall class, I did sound recordings of the poems. That was fun.

And yes, there's a lot of XTC on this disc...I love them.

Posted by KnitNut at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)