A first time meme

When Was Your First Time?

A meme, because Knitting the Blues did it, so why not me, too.

1. Who was your first prom date? My school only did a senior prom, so I went with my boyfriend Bob. Alex. That guy. It was a good time, as I recall- I got to say hi to my friend David who looked darn good in a tux (he looked more handsome at his wedding, though, since his happiness shone through). I remember sitting with Alex's friends, more than mine, which was fine, but meant that it wasn't exactly my crowd.
2. Do you still talk to your first love? I haven't spoken to him lately- I know he got married last summer, to a girl who was in my sister's class in school. Good for him!
3. What was your first alcoholic drink? Wine, for Shabbat. My first drink-drink though was a kahlua and cream at a family party when I was... a fairly early teen. My aunt thought I should learn how to pace a drink, and I paced it so well that the milk was warm by the time I finished it!
4. What was your first job? I worked at Northern Reflections at a mall- they sold tees and shorts and things. Think teacher-type clothes. My mom and I wore their stuff almost exclusively.
5. What was your first car? I drove my Dad's car in high school, but my first car is my Toyota Camry! I call her Bizness, and she's going strong 5 years in.
6. Who was the first person to text you today? I don't text much. Last text was from my sister, which is pretty normal. She asked me a question and I didn't know the answer- also normal.
7. Who is the first person you thought of this morning? Probably Jamie.
8. Who was your first grade teacher? The name escapes me... but I liked her.
9. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? No idea, I was real little! The first time I went on a plane ride alone was to visit my aunt and uncle in California, when I was 8.
10. Who was your first best friend and are you still friends? Caroline LaChance was my best friend in elementary school, but she moved away. I remember she played guitar, but left-handed (her guitar was strung "backwards"). After that, my soulmate and best friend and everything to me until our horrible friendship-ending fight in 8th grade... Susanne. I hear she's a doctor now. We only spoke once, for about a minute, from our fight in 8th grade until this very moment. And that minute wasn't until senior year of high school, when I went back to NH while visiting colleges. Friendship breakups are worse than any breakup with a lover, by a million miles of hurt.
11. What was your first sport played? You're joking, right? I did fence...
12. Where was your first sleepover? Probably at Wayne and Cheryl's, friends of my Mom- they had a daughter a few months younger than me.
13. Who was the first person you talked to this morning? My cubicle mate. I don't talk until I'm at work, since I live alone and I don't talk on the metro in the morning. It's bad form.
14. Whose wedding were you first in? Sharyn's!
15. What was the first thing you did this morning? Looked at the clock and realized I'd ignored 3 alarms yet again. Pondered skipping a shower and breakfast, but decided just to be 10 minutes late so I could actually shower AND have coffee.
16. What was the first concert you went to? The first one I remember? I swear it was Chubby Checker in Concord, NH. First real live cool rock show? HFSTival in 1999.
17. What was your first tattoo or piercing? One hole per ear, I'm so boring.
18. What was the first foreign country you went to? Canada, or maybe Mexico with my parents very briefly.
19. What was your first run in with the law? My friend was driving and got pulled over by a cop for speeding. The cop thought my friend was kidnapping me for dastardly reasons, and I had a hard time explaining that he was just driving me home from stage crew, because I didn't have a license yet! No licentious conduct whatsoever. He ended up getting out of the ticket, I think...
20. When was your first detention? I got a green slip for being in the cafeteria when I was supposed to be heading out for a field trip. I was only in the cafeteria looking for my class, though. I don't recall ever earning detention, though I voluntarily skipped recess to stay out of the cold in NH winters.
21. What was the first state you lived in? New Hampshire!
22. Who was the first person to break your heart? Susanne. Mike did it pretty good, too, though.
23. Who was your first roommate? Rosemary.
24. Where did you go in your first limo ride? Never been!

Toodling around the House

I finally did a massive housecleaning this past week- cleared out all the junk accumulated in the "front hallway" and tidied up the kitchen, did tons of dishes, and vacuumed the "whole place." The quotation marks are requisite, since my apartment is not exactly large. And the front hallway is... a couple feet of space between the front door and the living room bookcases, but no matter! It's growing on me. I loved my home in Bloomington best of all, because it was big and had great light and I had a sewing room slash study. This Arlington home isn't bad though- I still miss having a real bedroom, but I do love having it set up with distinct "rooms" and seeing the TV from bed those rare times I do that.

What did I do the second I got it all pretty in here? I decided to tear through all my sewing supplies, fabric, and patterns to try and organize things. I didn't finish a lot of organization, but I did find some entertaining things. I have two copies of two different costume patterns- but at least I know why I have duplicates. And I have an amazing vintage dress, in the right size approximately, but I'm still too scared to try making it.

I made my first eBay order in years - to get 30s reproduction quilting fabric. Or rather, little pre-cut squares. They came in beautifully laundered, ironed, and cut to 4 inches, and I need to get some subtle white patterned quilting fabric to make my pinwheel quilt. This should be a really quick project, once I find the background fabric. In fact, I think I started this whole sewing supply expedition to determine if I already had any! I also wanted to try playing with fabric while watching Project Runway- which is infinitely better this week than last.



Et voila, a bunch of sorted stuff:


I found a bunch of patterns I already have the fabric for and should be ready to work with ASAP: a spiffy long denim skirt in a swishy bias cut (dark denim inherited from my Mom needs to be washed); tons of a burgundy cotton blend I bought at Walmart months ago for a new RenFest skirt; and a quilted handbag (all the fabric is already cut out- beautiful pink and yellow Asian prints).

It's never all sewing around here. An updated sweater back:


And from just after I started the sleeves:

Because I am a Muppet girl- N is for Nationalism

I found these recently, and thought you might enjoy as well.






(in case you can't tell... it's a patriotic cat)

Moving right along

With good friends you can't lose... oh wait, this isn't the Muppets.

It's 1:30 in the morning, and I have no desire to locate my camera. In the backpack? In a random purse? Right here on the table in the living room, which is current covered in random things because I haven't tidied up in a while? Who knows.

All I do know is that the fronts and back of my Cotton Bam Boo Sweater are DONE. And I already cast on for the sleeves.

I also finished the main sewing-up of my muslin for the dress I am attempting to sew. I paused it after last weekend because I couldn't figure out how to sew in the pocket, or the pooch pouch. Once I decided to ignore the pocket completely, it only took a few more hours to seam the whole thing up. Detailed inspection shows that it, unfortunately, does not quite fit. It's pretty close... but I have to do some thinking about how to fix it. I was so excited to finally fit a pattern size without alterations (even a pattern that already has done the Full Bust Adjustment for me). But I'm just a fraction too petite for the regular, and way too narrow in the back and shoulders compared to what the pattern company imagines for someone of my bust and waist. It's loose in the hips, too, but I actually quite like that!

I originally planned to make the muslin with 3/4 length sleeves, to get more practice with fitting them. If I get the main sheath part of the dress to fit, I'm going to just make it sleeveless. The cotton blend is so soft and cool, that even my cheap fakey muslin would be the perfect little summer dress. Again, if I can get it to stop gaping strangely in the bust and back... I have these hopes that installing a zipper will help, but I have definitely sewn enough to know that it isn't the panacea I could dream of.

This should be a very crafty weekend and week ahead. All I have on my calendar during the week are the Kabbalah class (more on that to come), and of course running. This weekend I'm checking out my neighborhood Saturday farmer's market for the first time, having dinner with a neighbor, and seeing BATMAN. Lots of time in between for working on sweater sleeves. The quicker I can finish them, the quicker I can do some steam blocking, sew it up, and do a whole bunch of ribbing for the neck and button bands! This sweater has to be done before the Olympics, so I am quickly running out of time.

In for a penny, down for a pound

I started using SparkPeople. Figured I should be tracking my nutrition as well as taking up this exercise shtuff. The biggest thing it's made me realize so far is that I still really stink at drinking water. I like water. I sip it throughout the day, sometimes. But my overall daily intake is usually ... about 3 glasses. Or even just one. Even with trying to boost my intake, I'm closer to 6 than to 8, but after only a week of trying really hard I'll take it.

Tonight's run was 8 minutes jogging, 5 minutes walking, 8 minutes jogging. First 8 minute jogs, and I just killed them! I am still a loser walking on the treadmill, but I do have it on an incline. 8 minutes was a breeze while watching trashy TV- I have a secret love for The Girls Next Door, that show about the Playboy Bunnies. I did one of their workouts on FitTV through my cable box, and it was surprisingly hardcore. Didn't hurt to do it, but the next day I felt like my thighs were exploding. Interesting.

But never fear, this isn't a fitness blog. Just hard not to think about it when I am still sweaty and headed for the shower. To tide you over until I have some more knitting content, since today was library day and I spent a good part of the evening reading a third of a book on a bench outside... I have a few pictures from the Fourth of July in my parents' neighborhood in Raleigh. The little local parade was adorable. Nothing says independence like babies on parade.

The things you do when you don't do what you should do

I had a huge to-do list for this weekend. Yesterday I blew most of it off. I chose instead to go for a run at the gym (day one of week 5!), and then I did some ab work- I can actually see a tiny bit of difference in my middle already, which is pretty fantastic. After I got back from the gym I moseyed upstairs to the pool, realized I forgot a towel, but managed to find one and get back up to the roof and take a dip despite my apparent lack of mental acuity post-run. The pool felt so delightful, though I only paddled about a few minutes and then read a bit in the sun. I am not a sun-worshipper by any means, but sometimes I just love to spend a half hour soaking it in. After my dip, I went straight to Silver Spring and watched The Muppet Movie at the AFI Silver. It was fantastic, though my pal Ben and I were about the only adults there sans kiddies. Nobody sang along, which I found a bit upsetting. We walked over to Downtown Silver Spring for dinner, and came upon a concert in progress. Live music outside- entertaining. We ate at Lebanese Taverna (oh the deliciousness) and had a nice chat, and cupcakes from CakeLove, before heading home.

After all that fun, I figured today would be chore day. I did manage to do four loads of laundry, and I changed the linens and cooked sloppy joes for dinner. I did some dishes, too. Other than that? Not a single thing crossed off the to-do list. Sure, I finished a book and read a comic. I worked a tiny bit on the sweater back, but am still a good 4 cm away from the back neck shaping (so maybe 5 or 6 cm from finishing the darn thing). I wasn't just sitting around watching DVR without being productive, however. I pulled out one of my sewing projects and got to work!

I realized this afternoon that the main reason I haven't been sewing is that I have no space in which to sew. In Bloomington I had a second bedroom to use as a study and sewing room- an entire bedroom that I could cut fabric in, a sewing machine on its own table, and plenty of room to have my ironing board set up full-time. In a studio, this is a bit more difficult. My big PC died a hard death last week, however, so I haven't been using my big desk at all since then. And I hardly ever use my balcony, so I decided it would be worthwhile to block off the doors by sticking the ironing board in front of them. Et voila, a fully functional workspace!

I didn't get super far on the dress, but that's because I got stymied by the directions for the front pocket. After looking up some reviews on Pattern Review, I realized not only that everyone had the same issue, but most people decided not to add the pocket anyway. Who wants a massive pocket right in the middle of the tummy- a pooch in front of the pooch, so to speak. I definitely am not doing enough crunches to feel comfortable with that myself, so hopefully putting the rest of the dress together should be a breeze this week! I'm making a muslin first, out of some fabric my mom gave me years ago- it's a light blue-green. It will probably be a wearable muslin, assuming the sizing works.

To review, this is the pattern I'm working with:


And here's my new and improved sewing space:


Now, to finish the muslin, make the dress, and finally vacuum and tidy the apartment. And do all those other things I decided not to bother with, in order to sew instead. Here's a sneak peek at what my "living room" looks like when I don't actually bother to tidy up on a weekend. On the sofa- two finished sweater fronts, a nearly-done sweater back, a sweater that needs ends woven in. On the table- 3 books finished this weekend, 7 library books to read, one in progress. Measuring tape. Pita chips and marshmallows (it's been a cocoa week). And next to the coffee table is a cross stitch project and the stain-guard I really need to use on the sofa!

Runnin' and Runnin

In my case, I suppose it is more jogging than anything, but I have a really proud moment. First, I haven't missed a run in a bit. The log goes like this:
6/29, 7/2, 7/4, 7/7, 7/10. That's... the way it's supposed to be. I've finished Week 4 of the Couch to 5k, which means I have two more interval run/walks and then the third run coming up is ... 20 minutes of jogging. Straight. I'm so excited!

The second really proud thing is that although I still hate the idea of running, and frankly don't really want to do it, and don't really enjoy it, I've gotten to the point where I don't keep track of how much time is left in the jogging sections as much. I still am pleased and relieved when I can go back to walking, but I just don't hate this as much as I did. And the feeling afterwards is fantastic. I've exercised to reduce stress before, but nothing has worked so well and so quickly as going for these little runs. By the time I'm done with my cool-down walk and ten minutes of ab work, I have completely let go of any anxiety I felt before I walked over to the gym. It's like the calm of yoga, only more invigorating. And a lot sweatier. I wonder if I shouldn't be burning off the pounds faster for all the sweating and bouncing and whatnot that occurs while I'm on that treadmill!

I haven't been running outside these last few weeks- I like to on Sunday morning, when not many people are out on the streets around here. It's a very church-y community. But it's just been too hot for me to be willing to run outside. To make up for this relative laziness, since this part of town is hilly and I'm thus missing the benefit of running on inclines, I do try and set the incline on the treadmill. Not too high, since I really can't handle it, but at least I make the effort.

Besides running, I can't say that I've been knitting much. In part this is because my hands hurt pretty badly from knitting with the Cotton Bam Boo.

I have to finish this sweater up soon though, and this weekend I'm going to work on it very seriously. I should be able to finish the back (again), and hopefully get pretty far into the 3/4 sleeves. This is because the Knitting Olympics are coming up, and I have to knit an entire sweater during the games! If you're a Ravelry user, you can find us in the Ravelympics forum. For the rest of you, I can only say this:
cast on during the opening ceremonies. For me, that's at 8:08:08pm on the East Coast, while I will hopefully be sitting in the National Sculpture Garden listening to jazz. Knit like the wind. And bind off (and weave in ends?) during the closing ceremonies. Pick a project you think is viable, but is a challenge.

For me, I'm knitting my absolute final commissioned knitted item. A simple stockinette sweater, for a former coworker. I hate hate HATE working on commission, but this is exactly the challenge to force me to knit the sweater and give it to her. Especially since I promised I'd get it to her by September- what fortuitous timing!

On a completely unrelated side note, I'm fanatique for So You Think You Can Dance. And how awesome is it that they did Bollywood- and my favorite couple got to do that style! Beautiful, athletic, and just lovely. Thank goodness for DVR.

Speaking of music...

Matt, of Fools & Horses, was just interviewed in the Baltimore Sun! Good for him, and the band. You can read it online.

M is for Music

Of all sorts.













I can't believe I only have one photo of my own guitar (the teal one I'm holding above). I have been playing guitar on and off (mostly off) since 3rd grade... and that's not even my only guitar.

I am not a huge photographer, but I am usually the one behind the camera in my group of friends. I am sad I have no photos of the Shabbat dinners that turn into sing-alongs, or singing with my roommates through the years. I don't have any photos of singing at camp, or my guitar lessons, or any proof at all that I used to play the saxophone and the bells.

The iPod is a fitting ending to a view of my music, however. That little device has changed my life. I'm on iPod number two now, and they are my tie to modern music, to current pop and to my old favorites Joni Mitchell and Dylan. I use it for my running podcasts for Couch to 5k, and I use it to keep myself sane when the world around me is too chaotic. It's my perfect device, giving me music whenever I need it. And everyone needs music in their life.

Cotton Bam Boo Tastic, and how the girls are a signal of weight loss to come

I called Woolcott and Company, my friendly yarn shop. I'd say my neighborhood yarn shop, but since the yarn for my pink cardigan was a vacation purchase in Cambridge, Mass... it's not my 'hood so much.

Not only did they still have more balls of yarn in the right color- it's even the right dye lot. Never one to turn down the quirky wonderfulness of fate, I've ordered two skeins which MUST BE more than enough. I probably only need half a skein, but these are not things you take lightly when you have to add this much fabric for the bust-line and still want to have 3/4 length sleeves. If I end up having way too much, I'm sure I could come up with some interesting uses for it. Cute little baby sweater tops the list (as an accent color, if not enough for a full little sweater or hat).

While the new yarn is wending its way to me, I've been re-working the dagnabbit sweater fronts. And this time they really are zooming. There's something to be said for re-work- at least it's easier!



It's funny what it takes to get a person to realize their real size. I'm making size C of this sweater, 39 and 3/8 inches around. And it looks to be fine, width-wise. And yet I needed to add significant space to accommodate my significant frontage. I know this- I know my bra size, and I know I'm not a tiny person. But it's still an awfully visceral way to be reminded of what I'm really like. It doesn't quite match up with my self-perception.

My general size is like that. I'm a great deal bigger overall than I can really comprehend. I'm getting it, though, and this has lead to some pretty big changes. I don't just have a gym membership, I go to the gym on a regular basis. And I'm working up to going on a more frequent regular basis. I started the Couch to 5k running plan, and just finished week 3 this evening. I walk home from work on occasion (it takes an hour and a half or so, with a big ole hill in the last half hour). I wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day. I started doing crunches again, and other ab exercises, because my waist size has increased commensurate with my bust size. I have started cooking more, and especially cooking things that I can pack and take to work for lunch. Every lunch I bring with me saves me 8-10 dollars and ensures I have some notion of the nutritional content of what I'm eating. I also miss doing yoga, but haven't been brave enough to try any of the classes at my new gym. I do it at home sometimes, and hope to get more into it again soon.

I wish I could say all these changes were making a big impact- and I suppose they are helping. I gained 15 pounds after starting my new job, and when I began a new medication, and I've lost that excess weight already. But I have a long way to go, and it's incredibly important that I not get complacent. I may be the bounciest and flubbiest chick working out at my gym, but at least I'm there- and eventually, surely, more of the weight will come off. Maybe someday I won't need to alter my sweaters anymore, and I won't need as many skeins of yarn or as much time knitting to have beautiful hand-made tops that fit.

I'll keep you posted.