An Accretion of Randomness

You know, the whole Random Wednesday thing came up because I had all this random crap stuff rattling around in my brain to blog about, and I finally just decided to stop trying to come up with a reasonable blog post about any of them, but put them down in no particular order and let everyone else try to figure out what the hell I'm on about.  I spend enough time trying to wrestle with my brain already, right? 

Anyway, now that I have carte blanche to be random at least one day a week (and you know, it's randomer if it's not on Wednesday, right?), I cannot remember even the Random Wednesday blog items for more than five minutes at a time.  Yes, it has come to this.  I think of this thing I've been meaning to tell you in the shower (no, I mean I thought of it in the shower...oh never mind), and then it's gone by the time I'm putting my socks on.  Or, you know, rinsing my hair.  I don't know.  Anyway.  I'm just going to keep this post in draft form, and then when I remember things, assuming I'm not in the shower at the time, I'll put them here.  And then at some point I'll post it.  Which, if you're reading this now, already happened.  Yah.  Anyway.

1. One thing I've been meaning to blog about is the Netflix "friends" doohickey.  Kat with a K added me as a Netflix friend when I blogged about having signed up for Netflix, and I love it.  We can recommend movies to each other and see each other's ratings.  It's pretty cool.  Despite the fact that I emailed Netflix asking them for a blogthing for inviting friends via the blog (and no, I don't want to be an affiliate, I was more thinking of doing free advertising for them), they haven't come up with a button or anything.  So anyway, if you have Netflix and you want to share movie recommendations, you can add me as mama at mamacate dot com, or email me at that address and tell me to add you.  And that would be cool. 

2. I've finally gotten some discipline and started biking to work instead of driving.  Walking takes about 40 minutes (it's about 2.5 miles), so biking is really the best plan.  The problem is that it's a bit of a hilly route, so there's one place where I have to walk my bike, and I don't like that.  I'm no Claudia when it comes to hills (actually when it comes to a lot of things, sigh).  But I'm proud of myself, and I'm hoping to keep it going.  I have a coworker I'm biking with, and that will hopefully keep me motivated.  My other motivation is that if I bike to work, I can eat whatever the hell I want.  I realize the math here doesn't exactly work (hey, it's a hilly 5 miles; both ways, okay?), but it works for me.

3. This is hilarious. Make your own "On Notice" list.  I'm here at work on Saturday, so you'll notice a rather work-focused theme.  Sorry.  Anyway, here's mine.  Thanks, Stephen.

Honestly?  The SAT will be "dead to me" as soon as I'm done with this project.  Hear that Gaston?  No chance of rehabilitation.  But then, y'all have bigger problems.

4. While we're on the topic of Things I Watch On TV, did you know about 30 Days?  I had just heard about it when the last season was over; the new one just started up, and dude, it's wicked awesome.  Funny, interesting, thoughtful.  A little stunt-like, but so far both of the ones I watched left me understanding both sides better.  Thumbs-up baby. Anyone for a little Reality TV Sociology? (Oh dear, just realized it's on at the same time as Project Runway.  More reason to get Tivo.)

5. About Project Runway, if you don't have enough Tim Gunn in your life (and who could possibly, really?), you can read his blog on the show site.  Oh wow, a podcast too.  Carry on, Tim!  But could you do something about the design of the bravo show site?  What *is* that?

6. I found yarn for Elizabeth!  I'm not sure I mentioned that I gave up on trying to resize the triangle design in the front while knitting it in DK instead of sport-weight yarn.  My row gauge (right on) and my stitch gauge (way off) were in completely different proportions to the original gauges, so, had I just recalculated for stitch gauge I would have wound up with a very short and squat triangle.  I'm sure the recalculation would be possible for someone who thinks in geometry, but that's not going to be me.  In the end, I wound up finding a yarn that is basically what I was looking for all along: Taj Mahal.  It even comes in my color, a dark red (scroll down).  Now to get focused and actually *knit* the thing.

7. Well, this is a two-part accretion; I guess I'll post it today.  I'll be moving the last of the furniture out of the living room this weekend; Monday they come and put plywood up so that we can't get into the upstairs or living room in our house.  That's before they come with the concrete cutters and the backhoes and pull the front half of our house off.  Fun!  Excitement!  Despite the abject chaos my life is in, I'm feeling optimistic.  There's nothing like grinding drudgery to make one realize that when one has a) 1 (one) job, b) a house with more rooms than people (total rooms, not bedrooms), c) kids in a new and closer-by school that doesn't add nearly two hours to the daily schleppage, one might actually have a good time.  So I just keep thinking about this winter (see how I'm being non-specific with the timeline) when all this will be behind us and we'll be reaping the benefits, and I will sit, knitting, in front of a new fireplace, enjoying ample leisure time.  That is, once we've cleaned up from the blegger I'll be having to celebrate. 

Anyway, it's all good.  Carry on!

Comments

[JoVE]

I was having trouble with hills until Mat pumped my tires up and they magically became easier. I'm still not as fit as those how bike regularly but it made a big difference. Glad you are biking to work. Good for you. Good for the environment. All good.

And glad you found a yarn that works though it says worsted on the page you linked to, so I'm confused.

[Juno]

Taj Mahal? Nice.

Swatched yet?

[Dena]

This is the first season that I've watched Project Runway and I can't get enough. Thanks for mentioning the podcast and blog. And I have 30 Days Tivoed, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. Soon though. Works been crazy with all of the new Noro closeouts. And well all that Rowan too. You know about the Rowan, right?

[Dena]

Ooo, I just noticed your mention of Taj Mahal. I knit the swatch for that yarn, and it was really nice to work with it. Have fun.

[Jessica]

I just invited you to be a Netflix friend. :)

[Laurie]

The process is HELL, but there is something fun (and hard-wired) about change that is good.

I'm all for grinding drudgery. I don't think I will seriously and wholeheartedly complain ever again about routine. Once snatched away, it becomes precious. My neighbor down the street called me Tuesday. His wife was waterskiing, and DESTROYED her knee. Broke the tibia into shards just below the knee. She will not only not water ski again, normal walking is in question. And the neighbor down the street? The one who had lunch with DH while I was at work? His cancer is getting aggressive, and invading his lungs. He needed surgery to get out the fluid so he could breathe. He is actively (and realistically) thinking about his dying. So I'm sitting between the two houses (literally) almost holding my breath and wondering when it might hit ME again. I'm happy for any moments of normal these days.

[Norma]

You'll get better on the hills a little at a time, and you won't believe how fast the change will be. I predict by September you won't even need to walk your bike. That's wonderful. I wish I had the kind of job I could do that, but I'm driving all over the state and have 50 pounds of equipment. Not so practical.

I love the "On Notice" board.

[Lee Ann]

Dude. Batteries, duct tape, and a backlight that works. Sushi is at stake, here. Not to mention your sweet self.

[Riin]

I'm glad I'm not the only the one whose brain is scattered. I usually think of things I want to write when I'm riding my bike, and of course I can't write anything down then. Speaking of which, it's great you're riding yours! Re the hills, make sure you're in a low enough gear when you're going up those suckers. It'll make it a lot easier on your knees.

JoVE mentioned pumping up tires. I actually pump up my tires to the maximum recommended pressure (indicated on the side of the tire) every day). This really does decrease rolling resistance, i.e., make it easier to go faster. If you don't want to be quite so OCD as me (understandable), I'd still do it once or twice a week.

[Ruth]

My poor parents ... I demanded that the whole family rush through dinner last Wednesday so that I could find out who got kicked off Project Runway. (I figured it was going to be Keith, but couldn't think why. I suspected drugs. Patternbooks were a bit of a let-down.) Stupid central time.

[Kate]

You have no idea how much I wish I could too say that the SAT is dead to me. Naively I thought that when I took it in high school I would never have to think of it again. Yeah not so much.
Oh - and don't get me started on the dreaded College Board... BLECH!!

[Martha]

Yay to you for riding your bike!! I haven't been able to for at least a month now (combination of reasons) and I miss it. It's a great way to work off post-work tension. And a pre-dinner beer tastes so much better after a bike ride!

Mountain bike or road bike?

[michaele]

thanks for the on-notice board. I've been watching 30 days for a while - and I think it is fabulous. My students always say that there's no point in making arguments in their essays because they'll bnever persuade anyone to change their minds. That show is living proof that it is possible!!!

[Marji]

shoot, wish I'd read your post about which yarn you chose before going to Stitches, I could have stopped in the WEBS booth and gotten touchy feely with Taj Mahal to know what you are working with. I must be a bit of the P style too in making decisions, because after all the swatching I went through, and yarn acquisition, I found another yarn, and bought it, at Stitches for Eliz I. Start again.
Isn't Eunny amazing? I too love that FI she just designed. BTW, you will LOVE the maple. relax about it.
and I missed PR last week, being on my way to Stitches and not in any proximity to a TV. ;(