Denial

After the first few days of not writing, I thought, no biggy, I'll put something up eventually.
Then, after over a week, the guilt set in.
I kept thinking, "I can't write now, I'll have to go on and feel like a dork for not being able to keep up with the writing-everyday thing." Which, of course, is silly, but there it is.
As it were, I've been kept busy with surprises- big and little. Plus the constant barrage of homework keeps my life interesting.
School: I've got two huge paper deadlines looming over my head, and I'm getting very nervous about both of them. I've done a lot of research on my topics, but some of the research isn't going the way I thought it would, which is making things... difficult. I feel as though I could work on just one of them nonstop, no work or sleeping until it's due and I still wouldn't be happy with it. Perhaps that's the world of academia I've entered into...
Work: B&N has been fine, but I'm getting very burned out at the climbing gym. Don't get me wrong, I love working there, but my boss has been scheduling me so much lately that I don't have time to finish my homework... or get enough sleep to function well elsewhere. Today I was over 200 pages behind in my American Renaissance reading for class in Moby Dick, which isn't okay. This situation needs to be fixed immediately.
Play: Not much, let me tell you. My knitting has slowed to a crawl- though I'm finally almost done with the ridiculous socks for my friend Sam- I have the silly pink toe left on the last one and that'll be it. I also quickly knit up a hat during a long car ride for a buddy who bought the yarn for me. Short story behind it- he's one of those guys that always wears a hat, and only recently did he stretch his one trusty beanie out enough that it doesn't fit anymore (plus gross climber boy = unwashed hat). We have our local climbing competition coming up, and he's very superstitious about needing a hat. Which is where I came in. I just need to close the top and it'll be ready to wear. It's been a nice brainless knit, perfect when my head is stuffed with so much other stuff.
I have a couple of projects in the works that I'm excited about, but those shall be revealed at a later date... ;)
Off to do some reading now, and not feel as silly for taking such a hiatus on my blog. It won't happen again... at least for awhile... :)

Fresh Bread!

I had my first afternoon/evening off for a long time yesterday, so I got to go home, relax... do a bunch of reading homework... and then get some projects done I've been needing to for awhile.
For instance, I packed all my yarn in an old suitcase around the apartment, and now if it doesn't fit in the suitcase I must have too much of it (I know, I know... but honestly, the stash was getting ridiculous and I have to go on a heavy yarn diet anyway).I also started on a long-overdue project- one that I wanted to wait on until I had all the proper tools, but realized that it was silly to wait and I wanted to get it done soon anyway. So I started on it, enjoying the feeling or creating again.I also endeavored on a brand-new adventure- MAKING BREAD! A lot of coworkers have been raving about something called Artisan Bread- super simple bread recipe that takes four ingredients and makes up in practically no time at all! Since I'm the type that burns toast, it was a pretty crazy endeavor for me to embark on, but it was really challenging and really fun.
It went from doughto rising dough in just a couple of hours, with me only mixing things and leaving the bread mixture on the counter for effort.Then this morning I stuck a test loaf in the oven, and it came out beautifully!!! So beautifully, in fact..That I had to prepare another one right away!
My bread for a wonderful sandwich for dinner is cooling out on the rack right now, and if it work out I will ecstatically post the recipe that I used for all to try.
Tonight- work and a lot of reading.
Along with tasty homemade bread sandwich.
Mmmm... :)

Dawn

Because of daylight savings time, I got to see something this morning at home that I normally see much later, while shelving at work:The sunrise!
It was pretty enough for me to stop getting my things together for a very long day, warm my hands on my mug of coffee and watch for a little bit.
Sometimes, no matter how busy or crazy life can be, it's nice to just take a minute to breathe and watch the sun come up... if only for a minute.
In regards to the busy/crazy life mentioned earlier... let's just say I'll be very happy when Friday rolls around this week. I've been swamped with extra homework and research, a group presentation tomorrow that turned into me doing most of the work so it's acceptable, and extra shifts at work. Tomorrow is one of my first evenings off (starting at 6... is that sad?) and I may try my hand at making Artisan Bread. It should prove interesting and exciting! If I have too much homework to do that, I'll probably attempt it on Friday instead. We'll see how it goes- it would be nice to have homemade bread. Much tastier, too.
Off to get some sleep before another long and hectic day.
Hopefully I can enjoy the sunrise a little tomorrow, too.

Progress

My knitting project right now is something that I'm very ready to be done with. Awhile ago I started a pair of socks as my traveling project, and I'm making them out of leftover bits of yarn from other random projects. I didn't realize until I was well into the cuff of the first sock that they were going to be pretty close to ugly. Pretty close only because they were pretty colors individually (variegated sock yarn for both colors) but together, the striping and the colors are... well, let's say they're not to my taste.
Because of how they looked, I've been putting them off for the longest time, and only this week did I really take them out to finish them. I'm just finishing the short row heel on the second sock, and a couple more nights at VE and class periods will hopefully finish them off for good.
I need to get them off the needles not because I need the needles, but they've been my only project I've had time for since I started school, and I hate that I've been working this long and hard on a stupid pair of easy to knit socks that I don't even want to do because they're ugly... but they're for a friend. And I'm willing to suck it up because of that.
Plus on this side of Halloween, Christmas is starting to look awful close...
Less than two months close...
Scary close...

Halloween!!

Halloween is hands down my favorite holiday of the year. This includes planning for costumes, making cookies, decorating all around the apartment, and most of all, making my costume.This year I had big plans. My costume idea was one I've wanted to do for a long time, and the parts slowly came together- but I was foiled again this year. Carmen Sandiego will have to wait until next year, since I have this thing about wanting to have my costumes be good and accurate. When a decent hat for my Carmen Sandiego costume didn't materialize, I had to switch to something else- something that fell right into my lap when I walked into Ragstock and saw the dress hanging on the shelf, with minimal tweaking and heming to get exactly the effect I wanted.Alice in Wonderland is up there on my list of awesome Disney movies, and it never occured to me to be her until I saw a dress that fit the part perfectly. I did have to buy a skirt to convert into an apron, but that was piddlesticks compared to trying to make a Carmen Sandiego hat.
I'm really happy with how it turned out, and my costume was recognized all night long! Lucky for me, I had a prop to make it easier to recognize me.Tyler bit the bullet and went as the Mad Hatter to complete the look, and we got a lot of compliments on the costumes.
Oh, and yes- we made the hat. It took a lot of foam and cursing, but it got done.
Halloween was fantastic as usual, with the rain holding off till today, and only a chilly breeze off the lake deterring us from wandering around town too much. It was a great Halloween, and now that it's over I'm a little sad- especially since that initiates one of my busier months as far as homework and knitting go. After all, Christmas seems a lot closer this side of Halloween.
Today I'll be ignoring the Packers/Vikings game (which I've heard every other Minnesotan is watching, but it's not hockey so I'm not terribly interested) to work on my two papers and getting a bunch of reading done, and if time lets me I might go check out Where the Wild Things Are at the local theater.
One last note- November has typically been the month that I attempt to do a post a day, and I'm going to try my hardest to keep that up, but don't be surprised if it turns into a post every other day. I'd feel bad if every post becomes, "Homework today, not much else", but hopefully I can keep it more interesting than that. We'll see how that goes. With the amount of knitting I have to do, it shouldn't be too hard... :)
Off to read!

Book Reviews and Projects

I've been doing a lot of reading for class lately, so I haven't had a ton of time to get in pleasure reading. The stuff that I have been able to squeeze in, however, has been fully it.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, both by Stieg Larsson, were surprise enjoyments for me. I have to admit, the titles threw me off a little bit, and it took awhile to get into the books, but once I did I couldn't stop. They're intriguing and catch you up in a world that you can't get out of, and the second book ended with such a cliffhanger that now the wait for the third and final book is going to be long. I generally don't like to give out a ton of information about plots or anything, I'll just say that these are worth starting and giving a chance because they're different and thoroughly enjoyable.
I re-read Twilight and New Moon since I'll be going to the movie when that comes out in late November, and as per usual they were fast and fun. I'm not a full-out Twilight-crazed fan (Harry Potter was mine) but they keep me entertained, and I'm always up for a girl's movie out. Plus I almost always have to read the book before I see the movie... just because. :)
My American Renaissance class has been requiring a lot of transcendental reading, including Thoreau's Walden and Emerson's Nature essays. Once you get past the different style of writing and language, it's incredible to read and even more incredible when you consider the time and age that these guys were writing in. Thoreau goes into a long rant in one of his essays about clothing and how ridiculous it is to follow trends, because "Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new". No wonder it's still read today- it's universal, and very funny. You can see why they've been quoted time and again in yearbooks.I got some great mail yesterday- my new ballet slippers have arrived! I love dancing in brand new slippers- the canvas is still pretty and unmarked, fitting perfectly to my foot when I push out into tendu or up into arabasque for an extension. I fitted them yesterday and did some stretches and basic warmups around my apartment, and I'm excited to use them for class when I (finally!) am well enough to go back. I also started a project to make a scrapbook of all the mail I receive, just to keep things tidy and display some of the beautiful postcards and letters that people send me. I don't like the idea of throwing any of that away, and by putting it in a book I can go back and read through it when I want.
Today- more rest, watching the rain come down outside and being glad I'm inside. I have a lot (a lot) of reading to do for class and paper research, so I think I'm going to make a pot of coffee, grab my highlighter and pencil and snuggle under a blanket to work hard on that. I have a pair of socks that require my attention when I want a break, and hopefully I'll be showing off those soon.
Au revoir, mes amies. Stay dry and warm today- it's gross out!

How I Spend a Friday Night

After recovering (I thought) from the flu, I went back into full studying and work and dancing mode this last week. My cough that had lingered from the flu got worse and worse, and it wasn't until I went into the doctor that I got diagnosed with Bronchitis for the second time in my life. I was supposed to go down to the cities for a Wedding Fair with the amazing Larissa, and now I have to spend the weekend at home, in bed, taking stuff to keep the inflammation of my throat down. If I take it easy I was told it would be over soon, but I'm still very unhappy to be out of commission two weekends in a row. Boo!
Last night I rebelled a little and decided to do something productive with my time. Or rather, 43 productive things with my time.
I had some Halloween-esque cupcake holders and two boxes of cake mix I got awhile ago, and I decided to have a crazy Friday night and make as many cupcakes as I could, frost them with orange frosting, and sprinkle with black and purple and ghost sprinkles. :)
Armed with tissues, Halloween (the original) on TV and enough tea to sink an ore boat, I set out to have a night that was relaxing and hopefully help me to not feel as terrible that I was missing things this weekend. Luckily, I had help in the shape of a Tyler!He was in for the night, sick with both cold and just getting over flu so I was in good company. It was a ton of fun, sprinkles got all over everything and I enjoyed the original Michael Myers slicing everyone to pieces. I'm thinking about doing a Halloween marathon Sunday night if I'm done with homework and am staying awake all right.
One last story- we didn't have any eggs for the cake mix, so we had to run real quick to the Co-op to get some in my car since it was raining buckets outside. On the way out I suppose I was really distracted between the rain and getting the keys out and a coughing fit and stuff on my mind and I yanked opened the door of my car... right into my forehead. If you look closely at the picture above you can see the goose egg forming on the left side of my head, and this morning it's nice and blue and big with a gash in the middle. I always hurt myself doing stupid things, and now I have to tell people I opened my car door too violently into my own head.
Maybe I'll make up a different story to explain this one...
At least I have lots of delicious cupcakes to help me get over this one...