Sockage

I am thrilled to present my Sockatta cotton/wool blend sock for you to enjoy. Thrilled because the last couple of times I have tried to add a photo, it hasn't worked. Also was glad to finish these, though they were a fun pair to work on, and very fun to wear. The stripe pattern sure is interesting. I got the two socks to match fairly closely, so I consider that a success It's a 4x2 rib, and that seems a good choice on a cottony sock. It stays up nicely, and feels pretty good.

Now I am working on "walking away socks" (the one in the middle of the photo, if you have the pattern) and have finished one of them already. It's in sport weight yarn, so the first one went quickly. They'll be nice and warm with clogs or birks.

I got some new sock yarn this week--one a Schaeffer yarn from the usual store, which is in blues and teals and SO soft. I hope it's sock yarn and not shawl yarn... and the other is very happy Socks That Rock that Jody brought me back from her yarn buying fest in New York. She was so nice to bring her friends so much yarn! Even though one blob of reddish yarn sorta looked like a tumor or someone's liver to me...Anyway, there was some other really interesting looking blue/green yarn that came in this week and I got enough to make mittens and socks. Really, I'll get to it all sometime. And I got chunky yarn to make that cabled purse everyone is making one of--I do like the purse, and I think I'll like it in the colors of that yarn.

Marching band season is over at last. Yay. The older boy's band came in 15th, which is in the middle of the pack at Area. Katie and I ran over from the yarn shop to watch it, and it didn't traumatize the former drum major TOO much to be at a contest again. It was nice to have an "expert" observer with me. Plus, I also taught two more people to knit yesterday and did a class on felted holiday ornaments. Whee.

I spent a lot of time thinking about applying for that job last night and today (good to have something to think about when the minister is telling about stuff you already know--Jewish death/funeral rituals). Then I came home, wrote what I will choose to believe is a kick-ass cover letter, and applied. I am so glad Work Man looked over my resume and gave me some tips. I asked for support during Joys and Concerns, and I am sure all those vibes will be helpful! Plus my online friends are sending thoughts.

Got a lot of hugs at the Ye Olde Spiritual Centre today. A couple folks were real sweet--I think it will be a real relief to my friend Scott if I get this job, so he'll feel better about the one I lost out on where he works. In any case, I am sure something will come up for me. After my big dip into self-doubt and general downer-ness last week, I am back to feeling OK about myself and my prospects. Hard not to with such great support.

I have a couple more stories, but am so tired I will stop here and maybe post more later.

translation: Lee and I had lunch together looking over the resume. After that we had lunch a lot. Because it was fun.

Comments

Anonymous who is really Tina said...
Okay, so I now need some good "healthy" thoughts. I've missed the last two days of work, have tomorrow off normally. I went to ARC yesterday (YAY for them being open on Saturdays!), and found out that I have an ear infection and maybe strep throat.He didn't do a strep test, because he was 90% sure I had it, I wouldn't have gotten the results from the culture until Monday (or something like that), and the antibiotics he gave me for the ear infection will knock out the strep, too.But, yeah, generally icky. Kat can't wait to meet you, and I think she was to learn how to knit! YAY!
Sunday, October 29, 2006 10:32:00 PM

Sam said...
How long do we have to wait (and do YOU have to wait) to learn about the job???The candles continue to burn for you.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006 6:25:00 PM

Bordering on Happy...Watch Out

You know I don't spend a lot of time posting about how durned happy, but I have just had a few really nice days, so it's hard to deny that I am enjoying life at the moment.

Of course, being Suna, I have odd reactions to happy things. Today we were "leaked" the info that there will be a permanent job in our department opening up. It's currently my fondest wish. To get to keep working with the same folks I work with now would be so, um, "awesome." But I panicked and sorta felt sick at first. I know there are others in my dept, and other former contractors, too, who would love this job. And while I am really sure I have a lot of great qualities and that my colleagues and boss like my work, I also know that the two new guys are also really good. Oh well, as Work Man put it, ALE is a competitive environment, so you have to be up to competition. And use all the advantages you have. Thank goodness I have at least one permanent employee who'll let me know what kinds of questions they'll ask, what they want to see on my resume and all that. That same employee said at one point today, very quietly, that he will do everything he can do make me permanent--he doesn't want to think of not having me around--he'd miss the other half of his brain, I countered. Yeah, that mutual devotion thing will help a lot! It's been a lot of fun getting to know a new, good, friend that well. Lots of laughing, fun coincidences, and really fun work, believe it or not. I have missed having someone like the Wonderful Dave to work with--someone who works like I do and enjoys doing creative stuff as a team. Yet lets me work alone when I have to write (and vice versa).

I do have strong reactions to things. A coversation about war, the draft, and kids going to war started at work. Work Man told us about his son writing about the sound of a bullet going past him, and how he couldn't read any farther. I got nauseated, just to think of anyone's son having to go through that. All I could say was, "I guess I have really strong feelings about this." I know everyone thought I was being a self righteous pacifist or being judgmental about people who volunteer for wars or whatever. But this one was just a part of how strongly I feel about the kids. My kids. His only kid. Austin's son. That they should not have to be placed in places where other kids shoot at them. Since they kept on talking about it, I had to leave for a while. I did get a nice hug out of Work Man when I came back. But I am not sure, sometimes, why I have such strong feelings about only certain things. Most things I have a perhaps overly existential view on. But the three or four issues that get me, they really get me. I just can't believe people really WANT the world to be set up this way. But I guess they do.

Ha, this evening, the older boy and DP were having a "discussion" about how the world should be, and I listened to his passion about human rights (though he sees things a bit "sideways"), and I sure did see myself. It is absolutely thrilling to hear my own child arguing strongly and surely about what he believes, and hearing how his thought processes are maturing. I am glad he is in the youth group, even if it's a pain for him to get there--I know he gets to talk about issues that matter with like-minded young people and some really thoughtful adults.

Highlight of older boy's recent life? He got to dance with the tuba players in the Baylor Band last night, at Festival of the Bands. He was so THRILLED. And the band was so good. Wow. Our kids made me proud. Plus the younger boy and his middle school band were by FAR the best middle school band there--he's performed a lot lately, too, and drummed well. Oh, and my "third boy," the eighth-grade tuba player I met at the first football game of he season, he did well, too. He and my younger boy really enjoyed sitting with the high school band on Friday and playing songs with them. This kid's a hoot--very outgoing and good with adults. His dad just watches him and shakes his head (the dad is nice, too).

I'm proud of the younger boy, who is sticking up for himself at school in a very mature way. He was stuck in classes with a very disruptive kid who once tried to hurt him. But he managed to convince the guidance counselors to let him switch two of his classes, so he could concentrate better. I didn't have to do it for him. He did it himself. This is the same child who used to just put his head on his desk when stressed out at school. Amazing.

And hey, I finished a pair of socks. I took pictures, but I can't get them to show up, I guess, once I have typed something in here.

translation: At this point I am thinking of Lee as a really, really good friend, whom I could like more, but can't. I did hug him before I went home, after he was so nice about the war thing. And I realized at this point that he liked me as much as I liked him. But there was no indication of anything other than being friends. Anyway, for those interested in chronology, that was the first hug.

Comments

Anonymous who is really Tina said...
Yay for being happy!Don't let ALE tell you that you are "too good" for a promotion/permanant position - they told Bryce that when he worked there several years ago. I should be at CwS tonight, though I don't know how long. Kat is moving here tomorrow, so I have to finish some cleaning stuff tonight. Icarus is still unfinished, I still have sock ADD, and my brother's baby is due earlier than they thought so I've been devoting energy to knitting baby stuff.I have good news at my workplace, as well - remind me to tell you about it.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:33:00 AM

Anonymous said...
So, in addition to adding my blog to bluebonnet's site, you should add this knitting podcast: http://limenviolet.com/ (their blog is here: http://limenviolet.blogspot.com/). There is much giggling, and hilarity, and it's not always PG but it reminds me of CwS, hehe.I also enjoy "It's a Purl, Man" - which is hosted by a male knitter (gasp!), and is quite enjoyable. There's another one called "At the Yarn Shop" which I love but hasn't been updated in a while.I have more, but there's at work and I can't remember them. :sigh:
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 10:04:00 PM

Sam said...
I love that you have a chance at that job. I am vibing hard and lighting candles that if this is the right job for you, then it should be yours.Take careSam
Thursday, October 26, 2006 10:37:00 PM

Another List of Things

I am too tired to write much, so copping out by answering weird questions I got off someone else's blog again after a quick news update.

Brief update:

• I am happy that the older boy's band got a "1" at their competition so get to go on--they sounded wonderful, hardly like a high school band.
• I actually got happy Friday after getting perverse pleasure out of solving problems at work--trying to figure out how to work within a very arbitrary system of writing, and we made it fun--yay to my two marvy coworkers.
• I was so happy on Friday, that I danced and sang through an entire losing football game, thereby confusing my lovely boss, who sat with me so I was not alone any more, but greatly entertaining her nephew and middle school students who came to play with the band.
• I really enjoy the knitting store and the nice people there. It's fun to help people out and try to figure out some of the interesting characters who show up.
• Aha, that's it. I am viewing life as a puzzle lately and doing better than usual to solve things.
• Had a nice chat at the Olde Spiritual Home with someone whose spirituality is much like mine today--I am glad that chance meeting occurred. She's also deep in the bowels of the underworld at the moment.
• I will post more later on how I feel about two friends leaving my former employer.

OK, here's the quiz:

"If the entire internet jumped off a cliff, would you?"
No. I have never watched anything on U-Tube, so I can actually resist trends. Heck, I didn’t believe that trend for graphics on websites was actually going to last. Ha ha ha.

1. FIRST NAME? Sue but I really prefer Sue Ann or Suna

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, Bettye Sue and Doris Ann, two aunts. Glad I am not Doris Bettye

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Listening to a song, “Mother, I Climbed” by Tracy Grammer.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? You betcha

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Haven’t had any in so long I can’t remember. Salami of some kind.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Depends on who I was.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? :this is it.:

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Special K with “red berries”

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not usually

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Depends on what day you ask.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Vanilla with chocolate and caramel swirls, or dulce de leche

14. SHOE SIZE? 7.5-8 US

5. RED OR PINK? red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Judgmental, inability to find an appropriate life partner before someone else finds them.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Corey Creekmur

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Tina, from whom I got this expressed it well. I will say that, no, I hate emails with this stuff in them.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Denim pants, red shirt, blue shoes. Red hand-knit socks. Turquoise and ruby earrings.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Sample of gray cake frosting my son was making for an odd school project..

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Myself typing.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? teal

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Rose, mixed with violet

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Deana, fellow band mom

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? voice

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Why yes, I do.

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Ace Pear Cider

28. FAVORITE SPORT? baseball

29. EYE COLOR? Brown, medium

30. HAT SIZE? Normal

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, they shift around too much for my eagle-eyed need for detail

32. FAVORITE FOOD? squash

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy. It’s the only way I get to see happy. LIFE is scary.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

36. HUGS OR KISSES? kisses

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Bread pudding

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Barbara loves lists.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Nearly everyone.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Two political books by Geoffrey Nunberg and Noam Chomsky.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? trackball mouse.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? End of the baseball game, then Saturday Night Live. Was at a band contest most of the time.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My kids laughing

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Switzerland

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I know who likes me

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Sarasota Florida

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Tina who loves pink

translation: marvy coworkers are, I think, Greg and Heath.

Comments

Barbara said...
Of course, you knew I'd love it. :) Now I need to know what political books you are reading and if you'd recommend them. I'd like to get Pete another book to go with his CD version of State of Denial. I put the list on my blog too. Thanks!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 8:27:00 PM

Suna said...
The books were at work when I wrote the post. They are: Talking Right, by Geoff Nunbuerg, and Failed States by Noam Chomsky. Thanks, pal.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 8:08:00 AM

Suna said...
ACK, that is Nunberg above.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 8:08:00 AM

Sam said...
Loved this so much I copied you and Barbara and Sandy and did it on my blog too.Take careSam
Thursday, October 26, 2006 10:38:00 PM

Mission Statement

At the last week work group meeting, the boss asked us to consider writing a mission statement. Thinking she’d check, I mentally worked on one on the bus to last week’s football game (good distraction), then I wrote this down.

Never stop learning: To become a better person
Never stop caring: To better help others
Never stop working: To move toward a better world

It works for me—hits on my three goals—to help myself, others, and the world be their best. Notice I didn’t mention “love.” I want to care, but not so much that it causes problems.

You know, it seems really pretentious to have a personal mission statement. But, it was a good exercise to distill my life goals into something short and pithily repetitive.

translation: "I want to care, but not so much that it causes problems," means I don't want to mess with anyone already in a relationship.

I’ve been working really hard this week and listening to fairly loud music to drown out the incredible amount of noise in our row this week (lots of loud international phone calls, meetings with excited Indian people, plus the usual coworker shenanigans). As I do so, I keep running across lyrics from songs that I like. Nothing so profound as that Dave Carter song from yesterday, but I find a lot of those Indigo Girls lyrics from my Mental Crisis Era still whack me, like these two from the same song:

I’m haunted by geography
And the flora and the fauna of your heart

And

My regrets become distractions
And I cannot do them justice.

That one used to be in my email .sig. Sure describes the current modality.

The best one is this one, off a KGSR live compilation:

“my left brain knows all love is fleeting.”

That’s about it. I hope to improve my mood by seeing knitting friends tonight. I have missed them. Will have to continue to miss Jody for a while, but maybe I will be able to see Cheri later in the week. Maybe Tina and Katie will both be there tonight. They cheer me up.

Comments

Katie said...
I'm so honored to be mentioned in your blog! You cheer me up too! 24 minutes until I can head to the LYS - See you soon!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 4:42:00 PM

Barbara said...
Love the mission statement -- I can relate to much you wrote, but you knew that. :) You are not alone.
Saturday, October 21, 2006 3:23:00 PM

Morning Blues

This is the picture I was going to put in yesterday, but could not upload all day. It's the little cabin we stayed in at the park over the weekend. The beds are back by the louvered windows, which are nice, because you can open the windows and get air but people can't see in. A lot of the cabins are right next to the lake, but ours was next to the road--so it was close to the restroom.

I can tell it is getting near October 31. I get into the dwelling on things aspect of this time of year early sometimes, and that has hit. I am busily re-evaluating my life and finding that I come up short. One thing for sure is I am glad I have the kids--as much as I need love in my life, they at least fill that need. Probably the thing I like least about myself is how much I crave romantic love in my life--my true ambition has always been to find a life partner to love and receive love from and spend a lifetime with. And the sad conclusion I have reached is that it will never happen. I will continue to accept whatever arrangement I currently have, and watch any potential "real" partnerships whither away due to circumstances and other commitments. Must be my karma to have really, really rotten timing when it comes to meeting people I could truly form a bond with. I was handling that well the last couple of years, but every once in a while it eats at me, and this is one of those times. I found myself thinking, "Well, I can just focus on the kids and wait to die so I can try again next time." Cheery.

For those of you who panic any time I express anything negative and feel the need to report it to others, no I don't need antidepressants, and no I am not suicidal and no, I am not incapable of teaching a knitting class when I am feeling critical of myself. I am just feeling introspective and am a Pisces. We're melancholy.

Between this and feeling pissed off at myself for being impatient with coworkers and not being able to shut the f*** up about it, I remain unhappy with me. At times like this I can see why so many friends disappear.

In good news, the visit of the DP's brother is going fine. I guess because I have hardly seen him. I am glad they are having fun, though. And I still love my new boots, and the older boy still loves his contacts. The younger boy gave me a lovely Warhammer ork figurine for my office, and the coworkers seem to have liked it. He sure can paint tiny details, and is really good making weapons look real. Hmm, is that a skill to be proud of?

Little tidbit: I heard a beautiful song over the weekend. It is from a Tracy Grammer CD (hey, only time I am allowed to spell "grammar" wrong) called Flower of Avalon, with songs written by her late husband, Dave Carter. The somg is called "Mother, I Climbed." Holy cow it was a mesmerizing song. Here's the last part,which totally fits my frame of mind:

Lay me down in the dark womb of your love mother,
The years pass outta countin
But no prophet comes to comfort me
Lay me down in the dark womb of your love mother,
I climbed the holy mountain
I found nothing to believe

translation: Yeah, yeah yeah. So, apparently I did a lot of thinking that weekend and realized that sitting there being unuappy in a platonic/adversarial relationship with the other adult person living at my house and focusing on the kids was, perhaps, not my ideal life after all. But, still I was of the opinion that the only person I felt a kinship with was ineligible. I saw Lee as someone who was fine in his current life--and he had given me no indications otherwise. Not a word of complaint. Note the lack of statement that maybe I'd like to pursue or go after Lee. That was not part of my intentions. At all.

Comments

Vicki said...
I'm glad you are keeping up with this blog, Suna. I always enjoy reading about what's going on, including the down times. It's great that you write so honestly about your life. I think most people have the kinds of feelings you described today, but we don't often talk about them.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 1:58:00 PM

Anonymous said...
I'm glad you are not suicidal or in need of anti-depressants, but if you DO decide to forey into the world of the medicated, I highly recommend Welbutrin.Keep on blogging,Love,Des
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:18:00 PM

Barbara said...
Do you know how many times I've thought to myself: "in my next life". The sad thing is they aren't big things, like be a rock star or live in France; they are little things like 'be really, truely happy'. Oh well, in the meantime, I try to find the happy in the small things. (guess I'm in a blue mood too)
Saturday, October 21, 2006 3:27:00 PM

Cave People

I am back from the fun time at Inks Lake State Park, which is quite near the scary bar I vowed never to return to a couple of months ago, but a much better place by far. It is rainy, so the first place the Dear Partner was supposed to play, at the park, got canceled. Still, they let us have the cool little mini-cabin to stay in overnight for free. The cabins have two sets of bunk beds, a table, and four chairs, but most important, heat and A/C. I think I could manage to camp if I had one of these! We were the closest one to the restroom, which was nice, since one of us got up about 6 times in the night to visit it. Man, old dudes and their “issues.”

Anyway, once we were settled in a really nice park ranger gave us a tour of the place, to entice DP to come back in the spring and play a gig there. I was all for it, if I got a vote. I always liked that park, the few times we got to go on church campouts there back when XH was around. (Speaking of him, he was here to see the boys this weekend and dog-sat, and stayed at our house with the kids over the weekend—it saved him big bucks for a hotel, and me dog kennel fees. Isn’t that civilized??) This park is in the part of Hill Country where all the pink granite is everywhere, and it is so lovely, covered in many colors of lichen. It’s just spectacular in the spring, too—height of wildflower country as well.

The cave is called Longhorn Caverns, and we headed out there after a while. The gig was so much fun. Lots of natural reverb, perfect temperature, and a nice audience. They had just been fed a lovely dinner, went down in the cave for the show, and then came back up for coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. The cave used to host dances, and was improved by the CCC during the Great Depression. A very interesting place. DP did a good job, and even sang the song he wrote for me, which was sweet (it’s a piano song, so it took him a while to figure out a way to do it on guitar—no way we were gonna take a keyboard down into a cave.

Other than traffic noise (darn those diesel pickup trucks) and DP’s restroom visits, it was a lovely, quiet night, not too cold and not to hot. I was pretty refreshed, even by such a short visit and no chance to go hiking (it started to rain as we were leaving, so there went the little hike I wanted to go on). But, we drove home the long way, so I got to see a lot of hills, lakes and scenery, through the drizzle.

I spent the rest of the day at work, because I had gotten behind due to those things last week I was dealing with. I finished the thing I was working on and need to start another one to get back on schedule. Just me and the Work Guy (and Mrs. Work Guy, who I met and is very nice) are up here. So, I played loud music and enjoyed the OT pay.

translation: There was no relationship other than friendship at this point. None whatsoever. Genuinely glad to meet Mrs. Work Guy. Spent the day...working. With a bit of chatting. Well, I would have chatted with whoever was there, anyway.

April 2007: I also want to add that it was nice to have this final pleasant respite with Jeff. It's a good memory for both of us. I am SO glad we can be friends and still care about each other, even as we move on.

Comments

Sam said...
I loved reading about your weekend. Sounds like you had some much deserved time away and a chance to relax in a beautiful setting.Take care
Sam
Sunday, October 15, 2006 7:35:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Sounds like a lovely weekend! I'm glad you enjoyed it.Jody gave me Tarot Art Nouveau! I'm so excited!Other than that and the news about my friend moving here, I've been having a pretty "meh" week. I've had an upset stomach all week, and it also appears that I might be developing arthritis.I'm waiting on insurance cards to come in the mail so I can go to a doctor about it.
Tina
Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:47:00 PM

Clear Vision

I wanted to share an experience from yesterday. I took the older boy to get contact lenses yesterday. He takes a lot of showers and changes clothing without prompting now, so I felt like he could probably handle it, and it is really not good to try putting the lacrosse helmet on over glasses--he ruined a really lovely pair this time last year by doing that. So, he goes in and gets approved for them, and makes the decision for himself as to what kind he wants (I just listened). Then the doctor put in the contacts--he got them in the first try.

He looked around the room. The biggest, hugest, most awed smile came across his face. I don't think I have seen him so happy since we went to the Former Work conference in 2005. Then he said, "Wow, peripheral vision--I haven't had that in SO long!" And he was thrilled to be able to see me out of the corner of his eye. I am betting his lacrosse and marching will improve with his new vision.

It takes a while to get used to him without glasses, but it is a good thing. He seems to be taking it very seriously, and will carefully build up wearing time.

It will be a long weekend from now on--Pfootball at Pflugerville tonight, then Dear Partner and I go to a state park, where he has a gig in a cave and they are letting us have a rustic cabin for the night. Then we come back and he has some fundraiser to do sound for, then his brother shows up for a week. I am so not prepared, but will cope.

Comments

Anonymous said...
Aw, how cool! A gig in a cave AND peripheral vision!I miss my contacts, hehe. I wore them every day from when I was 12 until I was a senior in High School, when I got way too busy to bother with putting them in every day. Then when I got to where I wanted to/was able to wear them every day, they dried my eyes out really bad.I've yet to find some that work for me.See ya Saturday at the LYS, right?
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:14:00 AM

knittingwoman said...
my 2 middle boys wear contact lenses. For similar reasons, it is difficult to wear glasses in a fencing mask. The older of them who is 19 works as a paramedic and just switched to the 30 day contacts that he can keep lenses in for more than 24 hours if he is working. I got contacts at 16 and loved them, gave up wearing them after about 15 years. The newer ones are great and the 2 week then throw them out is great for teens.
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:20:00 AM

Sam said...
He is growing up! It is neat to read about the maturation of friend's children although if mine would slow down and stay the age they are now for a few more years I would be very happy.Have a wonderful time in the cabin and in the cave. A weekend away sounds glorious.Take careSam
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:36:00 PM

Barbara said...
Awesome on the contacts front. It is so exciting when they grow up and reach a sort of milestone that they are excited about. I can't wait to hear about the cave concert -- how cool to hear real 'underground' music. :)
Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:36:00 AM

Jennifer said...
Coolness on the contacts. :D I am utterly phobic and skeeved out by the thought of touching my eyeball, but I am assuming Alice will want contacts when she is older. Her lenses are SO thick and *whispering so she can't hear me* she looks so much better without her glasses on!
Monday, October 16, 2006 7:06:00 PM

Crappolapalooza

I am dealing with a fairly crappy day from a work perspective--the hated document I had trouble getting someone else to work with last month ended up in MY hands to convert to HTML, and I discovered it was absolutely messed up. I tried to not mention it and fix it myself, but after two days, I had to give up. Then, the original reviser got ahold of it and began feeding me a steady stream of updates and excuses for why there were many pages of content in the appendixes, blah blah. Yes, I am patient. No, I am not that patient. I was finally driven to vent at the person in charge of the project, who told me I should have come in MUCH sooner, and who then whisked me away to an off-site Asian lunch (woo) and a lovely trip to Sam's, where the item we were looking for was no longer available. It is good to have a Work Man Friend.

Sadly, that did not fix things, as it turned out all sorts of fascinating fiascos revolved around the document. We kept wondering, "Why has no one complained about it?" only to find there was a really old version of a totally different document on the official website. Ha ha. I guess. But, after some time in the stairwell staring at the blackland prairie, then help from the other "real employee" dude here, normal breathing resumed. I am still waiting on the document so I can HTML-ify it, but I am being kind, supportive, and nonjudgmental. I believe that will balance my karma. Since my card from yesterday and today was the 5 of Pentacles (the one with people looking like they are fighting), I am not totally surprised.

Rule to Live By

On a happier note, my newest coworker is turning out to be a really nice and smart guy, so I am enjoying having him around. He thought up this new axiom, which, if you are a grammar person, will crack you up:

The Law of Conservation of Apostrophes

This world contains an exact and correct number of apostrophes distributed among all the words written by humans. The people who fail to use apostrophes when they should are precisely balanced out by the people who use them when they shouldn't.

This is the kind of stuff technical writers think about while waiting in traffic. But it MUST be true. Think about it. Explains a lot of really, really irritating signs you see on the sides of roads!!

OK, off to get the older boy some contact lenses.

translation: OK, look, the first time Lee and I ever went to lunch together and it was to keep me from having a hissy fit. Not romantic. OK, we did have a nice talk in the stairwell. Public place. Talked about work.

Comments

sandy said...
Bleagh. I hate when Tech Goes Bad. I had to re-install an OS this week at school...on the iMac!
Thursday, October 12, 2006 9:59:00 PM

Jody said...
Glad Work Man is helping you through the rough spots.{and, fyi, you might want to change that Pentacle to a Wand. 5 o' Pentacles is something way different.} =)
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:46:00 AM

Sam said...
I am one of those who can never remember where to put apostrophes. Actually, I am better with them than I am with commas.
Friday, October 13, 2006 9:38:00 PM

Things That Make You Smile

Greetings from stormy central Texas. My radio keeps blanking out when lightning strikes. No complaints. Rain is SO good. And it has cooled down a bit, too. Such a relief. I am ready to wear different stuff!

Sometimes fun events happen and you can’t help but smile about them, even long after they happen. Like last Friday, when I went to the yarn store after work. One of the regulars (a beautiful, vivacious woman often described as “larger than life”) had just brought in about twenty pairs of shoes. Why? There was a $9.99 sale at Dillards, and she had called and asked for sizes, then bought shoes for everyone at the shop (and LOTS for the store owner and her daughters!). They had so much fun trying on shoes. Well, a couple more of us had showed up since she went to the store, so she got OUR shoe sizes, packed up her very patient little daughter and went BACK to the store. She even got shoes for a lady who’d never been to the store before! I got a pair of pointy-toed salmon/orange pumps with wooden kitten heels, which she picked because they match the Swallowtail shawl (how sweet!) and she also bought me some shiny gold espadrilles with long laces, because I’d said I’d like some espadrilles. They are a hoot. It was a real blast as everyone tried on their shoes and decided if they liked them or not—I liked mine just fine and have worn the orange ones twice already. The only misfire was that the store owner ended up taking her daughter two right shoes instead of a pair—not too bad, considering the chaos! See what I mean—things like this remind you that there are a lot of good people in the world, and that generosity abounds, even when sometimes it seems to hide.

What else makes me smile? Recently it’s been my own thought processes. I have been having some weird bursts of creativity. I heard a thing on NPR about new radar that can detect tailgaters, so they can be ticketed. Tailgating is a huge issue and a real danger today, and it is the norm here. If you leave more than one car length between you and the car in front of you, someone will get in there. I had this vision of a way to deter this behavior. You put sensors in cars that detect when there is an object less than a certain distance away when you are going over a certain speed (it could change as you speed up). It would make a horrible sound that would drive you nuts until you backed off. I think that would be a good item, and I smile to think of how irritating it would be to the majority of drivers around here.

I am moving toward becoming “me” again. Bill D. talked to me at church about getting back together to practice. We haven’t practiced our music since last September. For one, Austin has been too busy being a Re-Liv person and doting on his fiancee (which is a nice thing to do, of course). For another, I really lost confidence in my ability to sing after Jeff’s “critiques” of our singing (and mine in particular). I heard a tape and was not thrilled myself because I was my own worst critic—but on the other hand, we have had a lot of fun working out songs and harmonies for the past many years. So, I even checked with my music friend at work, and he might be willing to play bass with us. That was a big step—just asking. Maybe we can sing/play again and I can get my voice back (it is pretty gone, but I am sure I have all those parts still memorized).

translation: Yes, I asked Lee to be in my music group. I admit that I did it because I enjoy being wtih him. But, as a friend, at this point. By this time we are pretty close friends and enjoy hanging out together. No touching, nope.

Comment

Barbara said...
Hey, I think I heard that same NPR story about tailgaters! I like your idea - now, how do you go about getting that into the real world? I'm glad you are feeling like 'you' again. I like you and I think you have a beautiful voice, although I wish I'd get to hear it live and in person.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 11:10:00 PM

Knitting Thoughts, Not too Exciting, WOW

I took notes on what I wanted to write about, but of course I left them at work. So let’s talk about knitting.

I bought A-Maiz-ing yarn made out of 100% corn (our friend, maize) on Saturday, and am making a test washcloth out of it. The label says machine wash and dry, so I want to see if that is true or not. It has a nice texture to knit with, though it squeaks on bamboo needles. The matte appearance is also a nice change from so many shiny yarns of late. And the solid colors are very well saturated and rich. I got a multi-color one for fun and am making up a pattern with a cable in it.

A friend found silver double pointed needles on the Wendy Knits blog, and I was drooling over those. Thank goodness they sold out. But, I ordered a bunch of yarn from Jody’s yarn co-op thing, which will make up for not getting silver knitting needles. I will have plenty of shawl material for quite some time after that!!

I also have been trying out the KnitPicks needles (I am the only person I know, it seems, who didn’t rush out and buy the set, but I use such tiny needles most of the time that I’d have to buy all the separate circulars anyway). But, I am using a size 4.0 mm on my alpaca laceweight item, and the joins really are great. But, they are slippery on that extremely fine yarn. So, I am not sure if I ought to get them or not. Ideally, those joins on wooden needles would be perfect. I love wooden needles, since my knitting is looser than “normal.”

I am almost to the armholes on my angora vest, which seems big to me, but is the exact width the instructions call for. And I am doing fairly well on the laceweight item (blanket, shawl), after taking a while to get used to that fine yarn. I am progressing quite well on my Sockotta socks in a very interesting long-repeat berry, fuschia, yellow and orange stripe, halfway through the leg on sock two.

I had lots and lots of other stuff to write, honest, but it will have to wait until tomorrow when I can get to where the notes are. There’s just so much work to do at work that I don’t even have time to find break time to write anything (which is good—I love being busy and doing interesting stuff, and today I learned more very interesting things and felt productive. Woo.

As for WOW I had meant to post last week about the other television thing that has me chuckling, the Southpark episode on World of Warcraft has gotten all the kids in the neighborhood in an uproar. They all felt like "they" were on TV. The older son watched it while playing the game with friends, so they did real-time commentary IN the WOW World. It's been the talk of the town for anyone of WOW age (I guess that's under 40). Those Southpark dudes sure know their current events, even if they are a bit tasteless at times. But then so is that Mencia fellow, who alternates between insight and insult.

Tomorrow stuff on my brilliant ideas for inventions, weird-ass coincidences that knock me sideways, and something interesting.

Comment

Barbara said...
corn yarn? how cool is that! can't wait to see a FO. :)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 11:11:00 PM

Wish I Had More Time

I was going to post a bunch of ideas I had and some knitting stuff, but ran out of time today--my hands were hurting from updating so many websites--Sunday is the only day I have to do any of my freelance/free stuff any more. But, Dear Partner's latest podcast, the Live Oak Coffeehouse AND the yarn shop are all fixed up, mostly. I can't figure out WHY the PDF files I made of yarn shop calendars keep being interpreted by my FTP software as "in use" and won't upload. I exited the software that made them, exited other applications, blah blah, no use.

Argh, and I didn't even draw a tarot card today.

Promise to try to squeeze in some blogging time tomorrow!!

High School Television Fun

Now, that's one fine looking sousaphone player, isn't it? Everone at work kept saying, "He looks JUST like you only his hair is a different color!" That made me laugh, since our hair is actually the same color--they've just never seen my actual hair.

I posted this because I saw the new television show, "Friday Night Lights" last night, and it's all about high school football. Not only that, but it was filmed right here in my home county. Lots of folks we know were in the crowd scenes, but I didn't spot anyone. I did, however, recognize each football stadium shown (they showed more than one, though supposedly it was the same. Definitely recognized the weird berms of dirt at the Pflugerville stadium. The show was pretty good, and does not really exaggerrate much about the importance of high school football around here.

We are fifth in central Texas, btw, after barely beating a much better team last week. In the photo at left, the older boy is in front of the cross town rivals' stadium, a rather rickety one, but where you feel nice and close to the action. We play in "the Palace" for our home games. The fanciest high school stadium I ever saw. Has a HUGE Jumbotron thing that plays instand replays and such. But you are farther from the action. I have to say the pageantry of Texas high school football has not lost its appeal to me so far. Even a cynic like me gets caught up in all the flags, the horsie that runs up and down the field, etc.

So, if you want to watch another television show that is soap-opera-like, check out "Friday Night Lights" and see what it looks like where I live.

Comment

DianeS said...
I enjoyed the heck out of Friday Night Lights, myself. Except that I kept forgetting it wasn't real. I was yelling at the kids that they needed a defense and stuff. When the kid got a bad hit and was lying face down and still, I remembered very well what it was like when one of your fellow students was clearly injured, though I don't recall anyone being that bad off. It was as if the last 34 years hadn't happened and I was back in the band!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 10:33:00 PM

Knitting Questions from Someone Else's Blog

This was in the blog of Tina and I know it is for some secret pal thing (because it had "SP" in the title!) but I thought it would be fun to answer the questions anyway, to see what's up with me and all that. Hope it's OK to do this!


1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like wool that is soft the best, though I also love alpaca and silk. I guess most natural fibers. Nowadays there are some manmade things I also like, so I guess I have not answered the question. OK. I got it. From a knitting experience perspective, I like Lorna's Laces Heaven mohair. I just love the way it feels running through my hands. For wearing I like Zephyr in shawls. I like silk and silk blends against my skin (ooh that Alchemy stuff, yum). For socks, Trekking feels nice, and I think that Peace Fleece looks nicest--great sheen.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Straights are in a new Longaberger basket I just got yesterday. I forget what it is called, but it is fairly tall and thin. Circulars are in a hanging needle case with pansy fabric on it that I special ordered from a nice ebay lady.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned to knit when I was 8 from the usual grandmother, and taught myself purl and the other basic skills from the green book that had crochet, knitting and tatting in it that everyone in the 60s owned. After that, I learned from books. Of course, I purled the wrong way for a long time, thanks to not understanding the diagrams, but I honestly didn't know anyone else who knitted until grad school. Now I have figured all that out, and am careful to teach how to not twist stitches whether I am teaching English or Continental style knitting. I'd say I am an advanced knitter, in that there are few things I probably could not knit (a lot I would not WANT to knit), but I don't think I know all the interesting techniques out there, or am the most skilled. But, I am quite obsessed with learning more!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have an Amazon one but do not use it.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) food smells. Rose and violet. Which interestingly enough you can now buy in detergent and fabric softener. I stocked up.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I prefer salty to sweet, probably, but do love caramels and dulce de leche anything.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I want to learn to spin. I am a good crocheter, and have made a few quilts (but am not great at sewing). I am good at embroidery and needlepoint. I learned to tat but don't do it much. I like ceramics but have not done it in a long time. I am a very poor painter.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? Oh, since I do not have a secret pal this matters little. I do have a lovely Creative Zen MP3 player with a lot on it. I listen to rock and folk mostly, plus classical and New Age. I have a wide range of tastes, but my favorites are complex harmonies, complex guitar parts, and lots of layers of sound (Springsteen).

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Purple is #1 and green is #2. I like them all, in the proper context, but have never been really fond of orange. Like it better now.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have a roommate/partner who is a musician. I have two sons, 15 and 13. A pug and a blind corgi. A tabby cat who is normal. A blue parakeet. Lots of tropical fish though my red-tailed shark died.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Sure. For decorative purposes.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? socks and shawls.

13. What are you knitting right now? socks in 4x2 rib, just started yesterday and already on the gusset. A baby blanket/shawl in suri alpaca laceweight, a faroese shawl in Helen's Lace, a vest in an angora/wool blend, light blue Lang yarn.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? You bet. Especially jewelry

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? circular, rosewood, ebony or bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes to both

17. How old is your oldest UFO? I still have something I was working on for my mother who died in 1984. Can't bear to part with it.

18. What is your favorite holiday? May Day

19. Is there anything that you collect? anything with pansies on it, and Longaberger baskets

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I have all the books I want except the Aran book by Alice Starmore from the 80s--I can't believe I bought all her books EXCEPT that one. I get a bunch of knitting magazines. Vogue, Interweave, Knitter's...I like patterns. They make me think so I can go make something else up.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Probably but I can't think of any right now. Let's see. Spinning. Dyeing with something other than KoolAid. Ah, I have never needle felted or knitted with wire--that would be fun.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Oh yes. Lots and lots of socks. Just look at my Flikr sock photo collection! US women's size 7.5

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 03/05, one day before Customer Suzanne (as opposed to Employee Suzanne) from the knitting shop.

Comments

Barbara said...
Not only is it okay, I love it! I also stole it for my own blog. :) Say how to do like working with Helen's Lace? I've seen it and thought about trying some for a shawl or something.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:57:00 PM

Suna said...
Hey, Barbara. The Helen's Lace is a bit slippery but has a lovely soft texture and a nice sheen. The colors are spectacular. The suri alpaca is REALLY something. I think the blanket/shawl I am making will be a "wedding ring" shawl, because it sure is fine.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006 5:20:00 PM

Trust, and More Good in the World

Odd combo of topics, I know. But that's how I roll, man. Deal with it.

Sock

So, here are my latest socks. They are just plain socks, in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in a colorway custom dyed for the store I bought it from. I forget which one--a real store with an online presence. It is interesting that the two balls of yarn pooled slightly differently (which you could tell if you could see both--I'll upload the photo of both socks to Flikr shortly). I like the perky colors, which remind me of a box of crayons.

I sure love to knit socks. Always working on a pair in my spare time. Which is not much lately--I have so many things to do on my only day off that I get totally overwhelmed. Lost a web client because I simply didn't have enough hours in my life to plow through all the stuff and put it up. Tells me I need to retire from all these web sites. I have, at least, cut down a lot.

Trust

It being the "Day of Attonement" of course the minister talked about forgiveness today (and we had to sing Unitarianized Hebrew songs). And while it was a semi-pointed message about the unpleasant events of the church past, she also said a couple of interesting things that apply to other things as well. One thing was that it's important to remember that you can forgive without going back to trusting someone (or an institution, in the case of a few of my issues). She did this long meditation about forgiveness, some of which was actually pretty good, but it made me feel like once again the ministers were chastising the congregation. I've only been back a month, and I am already weary of it because they go to such incredible lengths to carefully point fingers at all parties (people who don't like change, people who want to do things their way...blah blah). Oh well, I will sit back and wait to see if they dump consensus as a decision making process or not. Heck, today it was so predominantly "new" people that I hazard to guess that 90% of the people there wouldn't care about it one way or another.

I know things change, and that the past can't come back, but I do miss my old community, heck, even some of the ones who used to drive me batty. I thought the people who founded Ye Olde Spiritual Community were pretty cool people, with a wonderful vision and a lot of feisty persistence and all encompassing love for each other and the community. Yeah, love sorta messed things up, too, but really, it was a nice community of like-minded folks for a while there. I am glad I got to be a part of it for a while. I am even feeling well enough to deal with most of the folks I have trust issues with (yes, even he-who-reads-blog-but-never-comments)--because, as the minister said, the only way to get it back is time--let it build back up. It's part of growing stronger and better as a human being.

More Good in the World

I can't get over how much I am enjoying the boys these days. The older one still listens to me, and will sit with me while he plays WOW and IMs friends, and talk to me about the ethics of what he's doing. Or he'll ask my advice in the car--today about what kind of college would be best for him. And he takes my input into considerations! He's kind, too. I was a bit down after the Spiritual Community events today, since I'd gone to a meeting where we talked about dissolving a project I've been involved with a long time. More change. So, he encouraged me to have lunch with him at a place I would like, and proceded to say cheery things to me and even discuss his love life (I let him know he had one--he was blissfully unaware). That shows a pretty well balanced teen boy. I said, "So and so likes you," and he agreed that it was a nice choice, could be much worse, and it was good news. He didn't blush, clam up or get all whacky about it. What a guy. Just watching him deal with other people shows me he has a good head on his shoulders--if someone puts him down, he manages to defend himself without a counter put-down. This is just good stuff!

Also good in the world are all the reminders I am getting that I am not alone, and that people care about me. For example, at the Spiritual Community another couple of nice elderly ladies told me they had missed me. And one, the nice one who knits a lot, mentioned that sometimes you think a lot about someone and wish them well but never manage to let them know. That's true. And a shame. I also received a couple of very nice email messages from friends who reminded me how much they care. It reminds me of what he-who-reads-blog-but-never-comments has said before and repeated very recently, which is that perhaps things do happen for a reason. OK, agnostic Suna put in "perhaps." But, it is worth remembering that even painful experiences or events that seem like they ended up not being worth it have good aspects, and that all these things bring interesting new people into your life who you'd never get to know otherwise. And to me, the people are what count the most. So, yay to all the Former Work people, Ye Olde Spiritual Community members, the Yarn Store employees and customers, the school band parents, Austin's Largest Employer's employees, the Dear Partner's musical friends and associates--you all rock and I have learned a lot from you.

THANK YOU, FRIENDS.

ps: I realize I thank my friends a lot in this blog, but where else can I do it in one swell foop???

pps: thanks to Cheri and Jody for being so nice to my sister yesterday--vibes for her to get a new job soon will be appreciated.

Comments

Barbara said...
Love the socks - great colorway. :)I love the way the minister said this: as the minister said, the only way to get it back is time--let it build back up. It's part of growing stronger and better as a human being. I will need to muse on that for a bit. Sounds like a lovely lunch with a very grown up teenager. kudos!
Sunday, October 01, 2006 10:34:00 PM

Still paddlin' said...
Awesome socks! Bet they're comfy, too.I can't say it enough. Thank YOU for all you've done, and are doing. I know that you have affected my life in ways that you probably don't realize. I'm sure others feel the same. You taught me some valuable lessons...ones I am glad I have learned, and am finding them very useful today. You are appreciated.You deserve a lot of credit for moving forward in a good way, despite the events that have transpired. Way to paddle your own canoe. ;)Rock on!
Monday, October 02, 2006 1:44:00 AM

annulla said...
Wow, what great socks! Interesting post, gorgeous socks.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006 11:29:00 AM