My Little Piece of The Net

Goals for the 26th year

Quit Smoking.
Write to Someone I Admire (Can be anyone from friend to celebrity).
Send 27 Post Cards (I miss connecting with people outside of the internet).
~~Leave the State for vacation.~~
Pay off my credit cards.
Give handmade gifts for special occasions. (Due to my schedule, I will give as many as I can)
Publish writing.
Sky dive or bungee jump.
Start a work out routine.
Debate with someone and try to see their side.
Walk for a cause.
Take a dance class.
Read a book a month (at least).
Give a gift to a stranger.
Hang out with my brother more often.
Seek Grammar/Writing Education Opportunities.
Volunteer my time outside of school.
Stop to reflect on the good things. (May decide to blog it, may decide to write it down in a journal).
Maintain a sick time balance at work.
Save up for a cushion/emergency fund.
Slumber Party/Diva Evening. (I miss sleep-overs!)
Learn to walk in heels!
Bring lunch to work (at least 3x a week).
Take a financial workshop.
Learn to cook/cook more often.
Go Camping!
Stop spending all my money on coffee!

A Productive Sunday.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

I have completely emptied out every single email address I have. Boy I was getting behind on those emails. Sorry guys I am a terrible pen pal over the holidays. Then after that I went through and caught up on all the Ravelry group posts ( I was surprised to find there wasn't many). I emailed a couple of people I was interesting in coversating with and then moved onto the next task. Blogs. I went through my entire Friend's list on Ravelry and caught up on all the Holidays News, then I hit my usual reads. After that it was time to start working on my blog. I wanted to add a finished section as well as a Groups and Alongs Section. So I did, then I noticed how difficult I found the font to read. So I figured if it was hard for me, it might be hard for others so I increased the size and made it bold. Does it help at all ?

Now I am blogging before I prepare to get ready to go to my mom's house. We're supposed to help her put together my brother's new desktop. Also, we need to bring over their presents. OMG! I totally forgot to blog about this! My mom got engaged over the holiday weekend. Her birthday is the 21st and her boyfriend of 7 years proposed to her! He set up a suprise party at the place they had their first date. So that got her, then they brought out a hat and started singing Happy Birthday.. Well tied to the hat was a ring and a card that said will you marry me?
HOW CUTE IS THAT! So needless to say, my mom is over the moon.

As far as knitting goes, I am making terrific progress on the Tree Jacket. I am planning on bringing it with my tonight to work on while the computer tech (Grim) works his magic. The Cobweb stole is definitely not going to work, I am definitely not skilled enough or patient enough to work that pattern. So I bought another one lastnight. It's the Feather Lace Shawl (link to the right). I casted on lastnight and I think I am going to do well with this pattern. I am using Sublime's Mohair Blend in White. I went to the yarn store, gift card in hand, and got enough yarn to finish the Accidental Drop Stitch Vest (link on right). Finally!! -=giggle=- I also picked up some black yarn for Grim's fingerless gloves, and Lambs Pride Bulky in Black and Neon Green for the Record Bag I want to make. However, now that many are telling me the Stitch'n'Bitch Nation pattern will work, I might just use it for that instead. Lamb's Pride will felt right? I confess I know nothing about felting. -=giggle=-

I am hoping to get a lot of projects completed this new year. I joined A Loose Knit Along, which is dedicated to working on projects for Christmas. That's why I went ahead and picked up the yarn for Grim's gloves. I also jumped on the wagon and joined Project Spectrum. I really want to be more receptive to color and what I can create with color.

I have a whole bunch of goals for the New Year. My number one goal being the EVER so Typical goal of quitting smoking. I want to but at the same time I don't. I know it's bad for me but I enjoy doing it. You know, one of those things.

Any top goals for you guys?

Anyways, I hope everyone has/had a wonderful weekend.

Labels: Blogging, Emails, Engagement, Felting, Laptop, Loose Knit Along, Mom, New Year, Project Spectrum, Ravelry, Resolution, Yarn

posted by Valerie @ 1:49 PM 4 comments

Another Question

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Would you trust a laptop in a hand knit bag? I can't find a backpack anywhere without it costing me an arm and a leg so I thought I would make a messenger/laptop bag. Only thing is that I don't want it to end up breaking of ripping and there goes the lap top. What do you think?

Labels: Knitting, Laptop

posted by Valerie @ 11:19 AM 9 comments

A Post!!!

An actual honest to god post. -=giggle=- Unfortunately, no pictures right now, I have a bunch that need to be resized before I can post them. Knitting updates are at the bottom if you want to skip all the holiday/personal info.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! My holidays were wonderful. It was definitely a year of being spoiled rotten. Amongst the gift list I got a new laptop (my mom), Freddy's Nightmare Box Set (Pounce/Grim), Beautiful Egyptian Earrings (Moontear), Fatal Frame 3 (World's best game! Grim) lovely clothes, a book on the Philosophy of Horror (Pounce), a gift certificate to a book store and my Favorite Yarn Store, and the surprise of all suprises... Tickets to see Phantom of the Opera, Orchestra Level on Broadway!!!! That came from Grim, who knows how much I adore that play. It was on my top ten things to experience before life's end list. I have literally been singing the songs everyday since getting them!

Christmas was not without it's chaotic moments though. Let me tell you about the Pork Roast vs. my tooth... Don't worry it has a happy ending. So, I take a bite of roast and I am chewing along. All of a sudden I feel a sense of... something being wrong. I tell Grim, rather forcefully, to move and run to the bathroom. Sure enough, I have completely shattered one of my back teeth. Upset, I explain to the family what happened. His mother loads me up with gauze and orajel for the evening and we head home. I end up taking an IBprofin and a pain killer. Well, I had an allergic reaction to the pain killer and ended up itching myself skinless all night. -=giggle=- I call work and tell them I am going to be late. So I get maybe 4 hours of sleep. Then I call the dentist and they tell me they are closed until the 27th. Shit. So I go to work, uncomfortable but surviving. The next day comes and I get an appointment at 3:30. Well let me tell you folks, a broken tooth in your mouth can make you feel really sick. So I push on through the day feeling like total hell. I leave a little early due to the bad weather and get to the Dentist office, anticipating another pulled tooth. Turns out, it was only a filling that shattered. The bonding grew weak, split and shattered. So all he had to do was take the part I saved and glue it back on with bonding! To top it off, he didn't even charge me! I am dubbing that my Christmas Miracle. -=giggle=-

Oh, another miracle. I passed both classes this semester with B's!! I totally bombed the math test. Trig will never be a strong point for me. I was entirely surprised that I did so well in Bio though. I think making up those labs and doing well on the final helped a lot.

So over the 4 day weekend I did actually get alot of knitting done. I finished My So Called Scarf. Then on X-mas eve I ripped the Tree Jacket back to start. I managed to get the entire neck done by Christmas Day afternoon, I am currently on Row 9 of the 29 I have to do for the upper body. I set it down after transferring it to bigger needles after I nearly lost all of it while showing Grim my progress. I didn't want to risk my sleep addled mind making a mess of it all. Tomorrow we're going to the yarn store so I can buy yarn for the Cobweb Stole. I am going to be making that to wear to see the Phantom of the Opera.. Hopefully it will be done in time. Wish me luck on that endeavor.

For now my dears, I think that is all. I wish you all a wonderful and safe New Years! Don't get too crazy out there!!

Labels: Christmas, Cobweb Stole, Dentist, Finals, Holidays, My So Called Scarf, Phantom of the Opera, Presents, Tooth Drama, Tree Jacket

posted by Valerie @ 2:21 AM 2 comments

A Quick Post

Friday, December 28, 2007

I intend to post alot of stuff tonight, that is of course if I can wrestle the home computer away from Grim. I made the mistake of buying him a new Video Card and a couple of really nice computer games for X-mas, now I can't get online anymore. -=weeps=-

I do want to send a special THANK YOU to Joann, who was actually my Secret Santa. I also want to send out a very public apology to Jennifer. I have positively no idea why you have not received your package. The only thing I can figure is that it is lost and they don't want to fess up to it. That way they can keep it at "In Route" in their computer system until the end of days. So I am making you a new box with a whole new variety of goodies. =)

Labels: Grim, Knitting, Secret Pal, Thank You, Update, Video Games

posted by Valerie @ 8:20 AM 0 comments

Quick Pattern Question

Thursday, December 27, 2007

I want to make this pattern but I am not sure what it means when it says w1. fwd.

I think it means Wrap 1 around needle forward but I don't want to be wrong. Any help would be appreciated!

Labels: Cobweb Stole

posted by Valerie @ 8:00 AM 4 comments

Merry Christmas Eve!

Monday, December 24, 2007

I'm back in the nick of time to wish all of you a Merry Christmas! I have been catching up on blogs, Myspace and Raverly messages.. Now it's time to start posting again!

On the knitting needles: The Tree Jacket will never be off the knitting needles, I will be 90 years old and still on the repeats in the beginning. -=giggle=- Honestly, I have maybe done 5 rows in a month. My So Called Scarf is coming along beautifully though. I am pretty much just going to knit it until the yarn runs out. Then it's being shipped off to a lucky recipient that I need to apologize to for getting her package off late. Everything else is pretty much on hold right now. I am really trying to tie up a couple of projects before I dive into another one.

So I was saying in my last blog that I need to find some books on tape to listen to while during knitting. I found a couple, "Blood and Chocolate" - Klause and "Black Creek Crossing"- John Saul. Then I got a beautiful new laptop and put it in the bedroom. Now I can watch movies without messing up Grim's video gaming mojo. -=giggle=- I think that is why I have gotten so much knitting done on that scarf, uninterrupted movie watching. -=giggle=- I have plans to drive my butt up to the yarn store soon and buy more yarn. I really want to make this! It looks too cool! But I think I am going to buckle down and settle in on the Tree Jacket after I get done with the scarf.

So I have been taking out knitting books from the library left and right lately. I positively can not understand the hype about the Knitting Kimono book. I mean the concept is cool but I am looking at the patterns and wondering how you would wear that in everyday life. Some of the patterns would be cool as around the house gifts but I just don't know about some of the designs.

I have a couple other books I want to talk about but I can't think of them off the top of my head right now. So alas, I will bring this to a close for this evening.

May you have a wonderful and Merry Christmas!

I'll post tomorrow before we leave for Grim's family's house. I want to show you guys some pictures of the recent knitting and goodies!

Labels: Christmas, Kimono, Knitting, My So Called Scarf, Tree Jacket, Update

posted by Valerie @ 3:57 AM 5 comments

Rolling Along

Monday, December 10, 2007

I have made a little progress on "My So Called Scarf". I really want to find a book on cd to listen to while I knit though. Grim is bitching about the fact that I watch movies non-stop when I knit. So I have been doing things other than knitting to avoid feeling like I have to watch something. -=shrugs=- I am just not a big silence person I guess.

Anyways, in the midst of my pause from knitting.. I am more than halfway through Fight Club. I decided that I wanted to read the book and see what I was missing from the movie version. It's a really good read. Anyone who is a fan of the movie, should definitely read the book.

That's it for now. I need to get some sleep. I'm probably going to post something Wed since tomorrow is a math test.

Hope all is well in the cosmos for everyone else!

Labels: Fight Club, Knitting, Update

posted by Valerie @ 9:53 PM 3 comments

-=wave=-

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Unfortunately, I haven't been doing alot of knitting this week. By the time I get home from work I am exhausted. I don't know if I am fighting something or what but man have I been tired. I have worked a little bit on more washcloths for my Secret Santa pal. I hope she likes them. I'm planning on sending the package out tomorrow so tonight is the finishing night.

For all you zombie lovers out there. If you haven't read Walking Dead, you have to go get it or take it out of the library. There are three altogether and I just got done with the first one. It's a comic, so it's a reaaaally quick read and worth every moment spent on them.

My blogs are going to become a little more random. Finals are in two weeks and I totally bombed my last math test so I really need to put in the extra effort. Thank god this semester is almost over. I don't know if it's the Biology on Saturday or the Math class in general or both but I have not been as active in my education as I need to be. I definitely skimmed by in Bio so far and I need to take the finals very seriously. So if I dissapear, I'm studying and know I miss you guys and knitting. -=giggle=-

Anyways, that's about all for now..

By the way Bourne Supremacy ROCKS! I can't wait to see the next one! More to come hopefully soon. I need to take pictures of my Secret Santa package. For now though, here is a swap package that I really needed to post but haven't had access to the good ole' computer to do so. Sorry guys!

My Fiberflix Swap Partner Emmdy sent me! The candy was gone within the first couple of days and I have watched Dawn of the Dead about 5 times already. -=giggle=- The other "so bad they're good" movies, I haven't seen yet. Thank you Emmdy!

There are a couple of other packages that I need to post. My Day of the Dead Package from Jaime (Knit Nerd), My Hogwarts Package from Peggy and my Secret Santa Swap package from Jane! Thank you everyone for sending me such wonderful gifts.

And Jane is a meanie! She sent all these cute little gifts and then a big package wrapped with a note saying "Do Not Open Until the 24th" Argh!! I can't open it. I just can't and Grim said if I peeked he would go to every knitter on my bookmarked list and tell them that I am a cheater. Guess I have to wait, eh?

Labels: Bourne Supremacy, Finals, Knitting, School, Swap, The Walking Dead

posted by Valerie @ 7:57 PM 2 comments

I'm Back!!!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

This is a really late blog post. To all my readers, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! The trip to Mississippi was wonderful. We had some snags in the beginning. Newark, New Jersey airport sucks! First off, we were delayed about 4 to 5 hours leaving Albany. We get to Newark only to see out plane for Memphis take off without us on it. So we had to get a hotel room and hang out till morning. All turned out well though. We got there and had a wonderful time. I could not have asked for a better meeting between my family and Grim. Everyone loved him and he loved everyone in return. I admit to being extremely homesick. I miss them all so very much. Pictures and a movie to come once I get all of them formatted. I did not take a lot of pictures which urks me but I should be getting some from my family.

I'm trying to think of what else I wanted to write about. I did not get any knitting done while I was there. But I have gotten some knitting done this weekend.

Tree Jacket take 2 - I have this weird problem with this particular pattern. I stop paying attention and screw it up! However, the screw up is on a part that is going to be bunched up and unnoticeable. So I am leaving it.. Unless I make a huge mistake, I am finishing this thing if it kills me.

My So-Called Scarf - I like this pattern a lot. It's definitely a yarn hog though. I don't know if I am going to have enough Malabrigo. However, I think I am going to have to rip back a little ways, somehow I ended up w/ holes.

My First Fair Isle attempt - What do you think? I wanted to try a new technique, so I pulled out the Washcloth yarn and went to town. Any pointers?

That's pretty much it on the knitting front. I have made a rule to myself that I am going to stop watching movies I haven't seen before and knitting. That's asking for disaster aka the Tree Jacket and the So-Called Scarf holes. -=giggle=-

I did get the opportunity to see a couple of movies that I wanted to mention here.

Live Free or Die Hard: Decent movie. Typical of the action flick genre. You know, unnecessary blowing up random things, panic, chaos and a hero. Bruce Willis is terrific in his role. The story line was really interesting for an action flick as well.

Shrek 3: Very Cute. Funny in parts, doofy in others. A Typical Shrek movie.

1408: What an awesome movie!! So good in fact I can't believe that Stephen King wrote the concept for it. I have actually read the short story though. It was good but not as great as the movie. For once changes from the original format improved the film overall. John Cusak was perfect for the part. The movie definitely put me on the edge of my seat. I recommend watching this movie to everyone. Oh, but if you get the Director's Cut version, the ending is totally different from the Original Released Version.

The Holiday: Romantic comedy. It was a very cute story. Not the best romance I have ever seen but worth seeing at least once. I'm not to fond of Cameron Diaz but I love Kate Winslet and Jack Black's performance.

The Birds: What an interesting movie. Although not my favorite Hitchcock film but it was worth the time spent on it. It's amazing how he can make anything creepy and suspenseful. I don't see why people worship this movie though.

Bourne Identity: Wow, Matt Damon kicks arse! -=giggle=- At least he does as this character. I liked this movie a lot. I am a fan of assassin movies though. They are so inventive in their ways of inflicting pain on another individual. How can you not like that ? I am behind the times and in desperate need to get the other two so I know why this is dubbed the best trilogy that has come out lately.

Alrighty... I think that's about it for this one. I have to get some stuff done tonight before bed.

Night night everyone!

Labels: Fair Isle, Knitting, Mistakes, Movies, Update, Weekend Finale

posted by Valerie @ 7:24 PM 5 comments

About Me

Name: Valerie
Home: Troy, New York, United States
About Me: I am 26 years old. I work, go to school, participate in roller derby and knit every chance I get. Oh, I also love hanging out with my boyfriend (Grim) and two cats (Kiya and Sigh).
See my complete profile

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