I've moved!

Hello, remaining readers! I'd just like to let you all know that I've moved to another blog. It was time for a fresh start.

From now on, you can find me at The Owl and the Acorn.

I'm still here

I'd like to tell you that I haven't been around because I've been too busy having exciting adventures, but that would be a lie.  Truth be told, I haven't updated because my life has been too dull to  report on.  School was far busier than I would have liked, and the summer has mostly been recovery time.

There have been a few note-worthy things though.  I visited a good friend who lives far too far away.  I'm getting back into knitting and cooking, and I've been making serious efforts to make the tiny basement apartment I live in feel more like a home.

Here's just a little bit of what I've been up to:

Saartje's Booties for a friend's baby-on-the-way.

A crumble made with wild Himalayan blackberries that a friend and I picked.

My far-to-far-away friend Kaitlin and me.

Good night, internet.  I promise I'll be back real soon.

Procrastination to the Max

Yes, I'm still alive, and no, I haven't come up with a 101 in 1001 list yet.  I have been compiling a list, but it's not at 101yet.  I just want to make sure I don't forget anything.

But I did make a nifty terrarium today instead of studying for my Physical Geography midterm!

 

All of the plants are from my yard.  There are at least two species of moss, a succulent and two other mystery plants.  It's pretty patchy right now, but the moss should fill in the gaps pretty quickly.  It was lots of fun to make, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

101 in 1001 Update

Hiya, guys.  Just thought I'd check in and explain why I haven't put up the promised 101 in 1001 list.  Long story short, I had a mild dental emergency immediately followed by a really bad cold, so I've been too busy and/or out of it for the last week to come up with the list.  The new "up by date" that I'm setting for myself is Sunday evening. 

Have a lovely day, internet!

I'm back, baby.

It's been a year and three days since my last post.  I sure dropped the ball on that one.  But don't worry, internet.  I'm back for good, and you're going to be seeing a lot more of me around here.

Regarding my 2009 resolutions, I didn't do very well.  In fact, I pretty much quit around January 15th.

• I did make a minimal effort to eat in season and local vegetables.  I did try not to buy vegetables from farther away than California, but didn't go out of my way to find food from the island.  I didn't learn to can.
• I didn't make any presents.  Not a single one.
• I don't think I made more of my own meals, but I did learn to make a few new things like kick ass Japanese style rice and udon soup.
• I hardly knit or crafted at all last year, I'm ashamed to say.
• The last answer covers the "knit a whole garment" one, too. 
• I actually did do a lot of hiking during the summer, but nothing since then.
• I did spend a lot of time with some of my newer friends this year, but very little with old ones.
• I moved, and was forced to do some massive de-cluttering.  The new place is kind of cluttered, but not nearly as bad as the last.  I'm still gradually getting rid of crap.
• Lucy the bunny is getting lots of attention these days.  I didn't get around to this resolution until kind of late in the year though.
• Ah, school work.  I've been doing a lot more studying than usual, but I still feel that I should study more.  I could blame working too much, or being stressed, but when it comes right down to it, I've been goofing off.  But I've started full time school, and I did survive.  The next term starts on Wednesday, and I'm going to try not to let the six science based classes kill me. This will require doing as much studying as I possibly can before midterm period starts.
  
• I did all right with exercising last year, I guess.  I walked to and from work and school for most of the year, but I usually do.  I didn't do it every day, and I didn't do more than I absolutely had to.
• I did watch less TV, but only because I've had less time available to do so.  It still takes up about the same percent of my free time.
• Didn't finish my Level 1 spinning, but did take Level 2.  Again, I've been goofing off.
• I have $0.31 in my savings account.
• I think I ate breakfast about 20 times last year.
• I may have drank a little more water than usual, but still not enough.
• I've been going to the doctor for acute things, but not chronic ones.  I went when I walked head first into a concrete pole, but I haven't gone for my hip and knee pain.
• I've spent more time doing school work.  I guess that's productive.  Very little of my free time has been productive though.
• Obviously, I didn't write here more often.  The journal didn't work out either.
  

That covers it.  I'm not proud of it.  I'm working on a 101 in 1,001 list that should be up by Tuesday evening at the latest. This decade will be different.

Obligatory New Year's Resolutions Post

I'm not a big fan of resolutions, but I'm kinda doing them this year. It's mostly things that I've always been meaning to, but have never really gotten around to. Okay, here goes, in no particular order.

• Eat more local in season vegetables, and less crap. Learn to can so I can eat local vegetables when they're not in season, too. It'll be lots of fun, because I'm lame.
• Make more presents instead of buying them.
• Make more of my own meals.
• Get off my ass and knit, crochet, and do other crafty things more often. Actually, I suppose that ought to be get on my ass.
• Knit an entire garment. So help me, by the end of the year, I will have knit at least one full sweater.
• Do more outside activities like hiking, running and going to the beach.
• Spend more time with friends, and make new ones.
• De-clutter my home, and make it pretty.
• Spend more time with Lucy.
• Do more school work, and try not to die once I start full time school.
• Exercise every day. I need to get into decent shape if I'm going to do more hiking.
• Watch less TV.
• Finish my spinning projects so I can take Level 2!
• Save money.
• Eat breakfast everyday.
• Drink more water.
• Actually go to a doctor if I have a health concern instead of ignoring it.
• Spend more time being productive.
• Write in my journal/here more often.
  

I'm sure there's more. Anyhoo, I'm off to get started on that.

Money things.

Some exciting (to me) news. I got a semi-unexpected backdated raise and worked 48 hours this week. By my calculation, that works out to nearly $190 of disposable income on this next pay cheque. I'll also have stat pay on the next cheque, which adds about another $115. All after tax. I don't do nice things for myself very often, but I feel like I've worked hard this year, and deserve to buy myself a nice birthday present.

I've made up my mind to blow this cash on an iPod nano, and a set of Knitpicks Options nickel plated interchangeable circular needles. Oh man, my fingers are already tingling in anticipation of those beautiful needles. As for the rest, I may get a MUCH needed massage (I'm pretty much sore everywhere always), or I might buy some pretty new yarn for a sweater, or roving. I've gotta get some yarn for those needles, right? Yarn is far more important than my health. :) Oh, or maybe a sewing machine. Maybe I'll be responsible and save it. . . We'll see.

In other news, the first Hedera sock is almost done. It's a good pattern, and I like how it looks, but the lace pattern was too repetitive to keep me interested, so I let it hibernate for a zillion years.

Next on the needles will be metal leaves, I think. That'll be exciting.