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Sunday, January 23, 2011

The DH is fired as a receptionist and Snoozing Fur-balls

A few weeks ago, the DH called me at work to tell me someone had called to say...I'd won a drawing. 
I asked from where...he didn't know. 
I asked what I'd won...he didn't know. 
I asked if he'd taken a phone number...nope. {wry grin}
I had to laugh and I told him he was fired as a receptionist. 

A few weeks before that, I'd visited The Tucson Yarn Company during a Lantern Moon event and dropped my name in their raffle drawing - and I actually didn't know what the prizes were. 
But that was the only place I'd put my name in for a drawing, so I called them. 

They were very gracious and confirmed they had indeed called and spoken to my husband and I indicated I'd come by over the weekend to pick it up. I asked what I'd won and they described a pretty silver/grey bag I had actually looked at during my visit but that I'd put back down because it had "stuff" in it (rather than being an empty, obviously for-sale bag it looked like a kit). 
And that's the one that I'd won!
(Spiffy, huh?)
And the stuff?
(Yes, That's Gryphon "shopping" for something to chew on that I will
take away from him as soon as I put down the camera...)
There's a bit of sparkly silver yarn (Louisa Harding Glisten), a selection of "soak" samples and clever "soak" labels, an Everlasting Bag Stopper Pattern (wonder if I'm supposed to use the sparkly Yarn to make a Bag Stopper? Maybe not.) and Gryphon's favorite, Lantern Moon Gelato

After being deprived of his chew-toy of choice, Gryphon took a nap in the sunshine with Mikale and CooPurr: 

Mikale and CooPurr were pretty soundly asleep during the camera flashes: 

But CooPurr stirred to peek at me and stretch: 

And me? I'm splitting my time between blogging, laundry, and a couple of knitting projects (preemie socks, Reba's 2nd sock, and some test knitting) and enjoying the Eureka episode I taped a few months ago. 
Hope you-all enjoy some craft-y time this afternoon as well! 

Monday, January 17, 2011

Oscar & MLK

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Dr. King was killed when I was pretty young.
He was killed before I was thinking much past not losing my shoes on the way home from school in Hawaii (because I would take the pesky things off as soon as I left school grounds).

He was killed quite a while before I learned that skin color made a big difference to some people.

But Dr. King's legacy lives on. He continues to inspire and teach.
And I think we are improving and learning to Coexist on a lot of levels. 
Yes, we still have a ways to go, but today we're closer to Dr. King's Dream than we were in 1963.

As promised, please find below pictorial evidence of what Oscar, the low-maintenance Office Cat "wears" for MLK day.
I think Dr. King said it best. So in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Oscar is simply and poignantly adorned with these still beautiful and inspiring words:
 (Excerpts from the Aug. 28, 1963 "I have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King. Jr.)

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.""

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. "

May we continue to learn and grow and accept - and dream.

My heart, sympathy, and wishes for healing are offered to the victims and families of the senseless January 8th shooting in Tucson, Arizona. 
Thanks and healing are also offered to the Emergency Services and Medical Personnel who made Tucson proud on such a dark day.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

2011 Goals (I don't like to make "resolutions")

"Aspirations" is another good option to "resolutions" but it seemed too "lofty" a word for my mundane, down-to-earth goals. 

KiniaCat 2011 Knitterly Goals:
  1. I signed up for the Master Knitter Program in 2010 but have done little toward completion beyond general study and tracking down supplies. Hence, I’ll be knitting a lot of swatches in the first few months of 2011 so I can ship off my submission for review and still have some time for correction/resubmission based on the review response.
  2. I think it's time to try knitting socks - from the toe up!
    A co-worker recently asked for preemie socks for her new grandchildren - and I found a tiny toe-up pattern that might suit and get me started on this goal. (Pattern courtesy of Nicole Eggers-Runge - Thank you!!)
  3. The traditional dieting entry - with a twist...back to the Yarn Diet. (didja catch the pun?!?)
    I must reduce the scary stash! (And there’s some lovely yarn in da stash just a'calling my name…)
    The general rule is to only acquire more yarn after twice the amount of stash yardage has been used and to avoid random, lustful yarn purchases that are not associated with a specific project.
    The Yarn Diet does not apply to any Sock or Technique clubs already joined or renewed and the diet will be temporarily suspended if I get to go to any major knitterly events (I'm only human, after all!). 
  4. Color work. 
    Time to give knitting with multiple colors a real shot. Lik-a-dis. (Maybe the mitten version...double the new technique challenge!)
    And in support of this goal, my In-laws gifted me with this inspirational Colorwork Club from the Unique Sheep.
KiniaCat 2011 Personal Goals:
  1. Firstly - an age-old issue relating to Mindfulness.
    I need to build in a pause/time to consider before I speak. I have a lack of editing between my brain and mouth sometimes. Not generally hurtful…more along the lines of TMI/boring.
    Although...there are occasions when I "open mouth, insert foot" - and then gnaw on my toes in embarrassment. I think more sleep would generally help with this goal, but there is a base issue here that I would like to improve.
  2. I would like to invest a 1/2 hour a day in pursuing non-knitting related goals. (This is necessary because I would like to spend my entire day on knitting-related goals.)
    Clearing out old magazines, filing receipts, going through my closet, music, movies...(extra trips to the recycling charitable thrift-donation folks are planned in 2011!), remembering to water my plants on a more regular basis, ~ Blogging ~(!). The to-do list goes on and on.
    Just a 1/2 hour a day would make a huge difference so that is the plan. Uh, goal.  
  3. I am planning to continue the more regular exercise habit I returned to in late 2010.
    I feel better. I sleep better. I fit into my jeans better... (Hallelujah!!).
  4. Another age-old-problem for me - sleep deprivation.
    Sometimes it is caused by random, frustrating insomnia.
    However, I must take responsibility for the majority of my sleeplessness of late.
    The "I'll go to bed after I do 1 more thing" (times 5) delay.
    The inevitable lie: "I'll just log into Ravelry for 5 minutes...".
    The other inevitable lie: "Just 5 more minutes and I'll get up...".
    The big challenge of this goal is a loss of time with the DH: The staying up late to visit and talk with the DH - who works a different shift than I do.  {Sigh}
Well, that's plenty.
The technique-based knitterly goals should be relatively easy - and fun.
I think documenting the Master-Knitter goal and progress here will help that goal move along.
The Yarn Diet is the most well-thought out - and I've successfully yarn-dieted before.
However, the personal goals are more challenging to quantify - and to stick to.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to you and yours! 
Let's see what we can accomplish in 2011!!
Christmas Amaryllis