Blogger, I forgive you

Besides, I suppose I should blame myself for not saving. Actually, I probably shouldn't think about it too much, or I might start to grr and argh again. But, I do see that NOW blogger saves your drafts automatically. So I suspect this was not a problem just for me, and I've decided to keep blaming blogger. So there.

Now, I suppose I could continue to blame my blogging hiatus on my uncontrollable rage, but really, I've just been trying not to distract myself from studying. Which I'm doing right now. And, if I'm honest with myself, I find PLENTY of ways to distract myself without writing on my blog (electronic handheld Yahtzee in the bathroom, anyone?), so I might as well spend some of that time communicating with my public. Sue, this one's for you!

So, life updates, then do the knitting stuff (with the much touted photos). First, the basically good news. Even though I will be living in the room of very small door fame starting in July, I've decided that I can cope with the couch crisis. Sue, you'll be happy to know that there are people (some might call them "upholsterers") who can actually take your couch apart and put it back together IN your apartment if it won't fit through the door. Thank you, apartmenttherapy.com for opening my eyes to this wonderful possibility!!! Now, it's not like this service is free, and it's not like the couch wouldn't have to be taken back apart to get it out the door when I move, AND it's not even like I positive the couch won't fit through the door. Though I've done some more precise measurements, involving multiple straight-edges and bisecting things, and it seems like it probably won't. But no matter, this couch disassembly realization has at least somewhat reduced my panic about moving. And that is a good thing.

Second, the more blah news. The boards. After all, this claims to be the blog of a med student, and this is what all the med students (at least the 2nd year ones) are talking about these days. Initially, my test date was today. Then I freaked out about how I didn't want my personal issues to mean I didn't work up to my true potential on the test, and decided to push things back as late as possible. For me, because of travel arrangements and commencement festivities (can't imagine I'll be feeling very festive myself, but oh well) the absolute latest I could take the test is June 6. And so that's when I'm doing it. In Worcester, no less. Now, with a little more time, I'm still feeling like I'm not going to do as well as I would like (perhaps that has more to do with not working so much during the first to years of medical school than anything else, though), but I know I'll do fine, and everything will work out. Plus, imagine how much I can learn in 5 full days! Look at that enthusiasm! (What I'm really thinking: Boo, I just want to go see Knocked Up and watch HGTV. Studying sucks.)

Now, a few knitting related updates. (Sidenote: I should probably somehow get linked into the online knitting world if I'm going to keep this as a knitting blog. Like join a knit-a-long or blog ring or something. Because now I don't think any knitters read it, because I don't think any of my friends are knitters. Something to get on. Word.) First, I finished the scarf for my mother. I realize that the picture below doesn't really look any different from the picture I took of it when it was just a wee little beginning of a scarf, but I promise this is now like 5 ft. long and pretty nice, if I do say so myself. I've also realized this is like the first scarf I've ever finished, because usually I get too bored and quit. I'm quite please with myself. Behold:



And, that's about the only picture you're going to get this time, because I've finished other projects (namely, the shrug I'm planning on wearing to TWO weddings tomorrow--busy day--and my first sock!), but my camera has 1) forgotten the date, so I need to figure out how to reset that before connecting it back to my computer to upload my new photos and 2) lost its computer connector cable, once again. Okay, maybe that was me that did the losing. But either way, the new shrug and sock photos are not making it up until they make it onto my computer, and that might not happen for a while. Actually, if history is any teacher, now that I know that the cable is missing, I'll be come obsessed with the need to find it, and won't study effectively until I do. So maybe we'll get some picutres sooner rather than later.

Finally, on the cat lady front, I went out and bought the girls a cat fountain. What's a cat fountain, you ask? Happily for you, I'm pasting in a picture of it below. Yes, that's the Deluxe model. Only the best.



I'm trying to butter them up, I think, in preparation for my departure. I realized the other day that I'm going to miss their birthday (June 16) while I'm gone. Gasp! I'm such a bad kitten mommy. Now, I also realize that I just made this birthday up based on how old the vet estimated they were when I took them in for their first check up, which means I could just move it to a day when we'll actually all be together (oh my god, I'm so insane!!!). But somehow that just feels wrong. I'll keep you posted.

Oh my god again, I also have found my knitting blog soulmate. It's Crazy Aunt Purl (www.crazyauntpurl.com). She's a very popular lady, so I can't imagine I'm alone in this sentiment, but still, I feel like we have so much in common, though everything that's happened to her lately is like twice what's happened to me. Perhaps I'll expound on this theory soon. For the timebeing, I suppose I should just publish this and get back to work. Woo hoo studying!!!

OH MY GOD I'M SO MAD AT BLOGGER

YES, I KNOW ALL CAPS IS YELLING, BUT THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE DOING RIGHT NOW. Seriously, I just spent like an hour doing a post with many pictures of my new stuff, thoughtful insights into my life, all that crap, and then I went to post it, and BLOGGER ATE IT. GRR, ARGGH!!! Some might say I should have saved it as a draft before trying to post, which is true, but STILL, INJUSTICE. It may take me some time to recover from this and reconcile with blogging. That is an hour I will never get back, and probably shouldn't have spent on blogging in the first place. Le sigh. LE GRR!!!

I am ashamed of myself.

Two weeks without a post! This is surely not in the spirit of pursuing new interests. Sadly, I was pursuing old interests, by which I mean stuff I'm not really interested in at all, by which I mean studying. Ugh. BUT, I've also done a decent amount of knitting (for me) and am almost done with my Shedir AND the scarf for my mom. Unfortunately, the Shedir turned out kind of huge (I swear I checked my gauge...I think? Once?). I'm going to try to shrink it, but I think in the end I'm just going to have to find someone with a huge head to give it too, and then make something smaller to give away.

Ooh, but on the knitted donation front, A Good Yarn in Brookline is going a hat drive for Dana Farber, so I don't have to find someplace to give whatever I make--they'll do it for me! Perfect. When I have something to give, because like I said, barring a shrinkage miracle, that Shedir isn't going anywhere. Happily, I got enough of the light blue Calmer to make another, and I've learned from my first one. Excellent.

For new projects, I've decided to knit myself the Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style to wear to Rick and Monica's wedding with the dress I got for Easter. Assuming my mother gets it dry cleaned successfully...I should look into that. Anyway, I want to knit it in a whitish or cream colored yarn, and I don't want to use the recommended yarn (I think it's CE Allure), because the yarn would cost like $100. SO, the quest for the perfect yarn has begun. I tried some All Seasons Cotton, but I thought the result was way too ropey on the brioche lace pattern, even though the gauge was right. I tried some DK cashmere blend I had lying around, and liked it pretty well, but the gauge was a little off. So, I went yesterday to Woolcott, and got another recommendation--Classic Elite Lush, which is apparently Allure without the cashmere. Sold! I'm knitting up a sample now, but I'm going to go for it, I think.

Hmm, I think all of that would have been more interesting with some photos. Maybe next time. Yes, next time we'll go for more photos. My camera hasn't gone missing again yet, so this shouldn't be too hard.

In non-knitting-related news, one of my cats just ate half of a kind of big rubber band. Uh oh. Now, I don't know who it was (thought I suspect Mary Kate), so I don't really know what I can do. Plan of action: call the mother, and if she says too, call the vet. I wonder if you're supposed to worry if your kid eats string type things, or it's just something unique to kitty GI anatomy. And I wonder who could even answer such a question for me... Also, I've become convinced that my couch is not going to fit into my new home. Where ever it is. This has been making me very sad, and also realize how much I love this couch. There's another photo to put up next time. Well, I guess it's probably a better idea to wait for where I'm moving, and then make very careful measurements to determine the couch's fate. Sob. Okay, getting emotional about the couch means it's time for bed. Night night!

Success!

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! Camera found under a pair of pants in my room. And so, the promised photos. First, the hat (plus bedspread in background):



Next, scarf. This one got a little washed out, but you get the idea. Hopefully my mom doesn't read this, because it's a gift for her...



Finally, because you know I can't resist, cuddling kittens:



And now, off to study. Because Monday is anatomy/embryology day, and this week's topic is cardiology. Here's hoping that a strict and well defined schedule actually gets me studying!

The answer: not very long

Truth be told, I'm kind of disappointed with how quickly I lost the blog fever. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't want to be a crazy many times a day blogger, but almost a week...in the first week? Perhaps blogging is not my destiny...

In my defense, I have an excuse! See, I wanted to take some pictures for the blog (you know, knitting, bedspread, etc.), so I did, but then I couldn't find my camera cable to upload the pictures, and then I got busy. THEN, today, in a fit of blogging inspiration, I found the cable, but obviously now can't find the camera. I remember using it yesterday to photograph some kitten cuteness (cuddling, so cute!), and then I remember putting it down somewhere stupid. You know, like when you say to yourself "Oh man, if I put this camera down here I won't be able to find it for three days," but then you do it anyway? Yeah, that's what I did. If you know anything about me and my space, you know this was a bad idea.

Seriously, I've looked everywhere. The study, in the bed, even in the snack drawer. Nothing. (I did find some Lorna Doones 100 calorie packs I forgot I had, so I guess it wasn't a total loss. Mmm, Lorna Doones...) So, no pictures it is. Argh. I was so upset by this situation that I just got up to look for it again, so no avail. I need to move on. Ooh, maybe doing this post sans-camera will be like going to the restroom in a restaurant when you're waiting for your food to come makes it some faster. (And so I'll find my camera when I'm done, if you didn't follow my vague logic.)

If I DID have photo capabilities right now, I'd be displaying my two most recent works in progress, both of which are almost done. There's a Shedir hat, my first potential charity knitting project (ooh, I should do a post sometime about this annoying thread about charity knitting I read on someone else's blog, but that's another idea for another day), and a lace scarf. Both of these are from knitty.com, revealing my new found obsession with their patterns. With that and all the books I've been buying lately (Lace Style from Interweave? Love it!), I have no idea what to do next.

Ooh, plus, if I had my camera, you could see my new bedspread. Grrr, again, this is too frustrating. Oh well, here's hoping the posting trick works and it turns up!

It's kitten time!

I almost just started this post with "Okay," but then I remembered that my last two (i.e. only two) other posts started with okay, so I'm going to have to be careful about that. Anyway, I was talking to Sue today (shout out to first ever blog commenter, woot woot!), and she seemed perplexed about the idea of a mostly knitting blog. I think it's because she (and let's be honest, this is true of most people who read this) doesn't really care about my knitting. Entirely understandable. But, because this is a very public blog (any of my students out there?), the straight poop about my personal life will have to be saved for non-blog communication. That said, if you know me, you know I've got a big mouth and like to talk about myself and my problems (duh), so needless to say there will definitely be some sharing of the straight poop, probably unconvincingly shrouded in vague language.

Speaking of which, as I was looking through my camera for pictures of the kittens to share, I came across tragic photographic evidence of my past. Oh man, perfect iTune just came on to accompany this part of the post--"I've been cheated, been mistreated, when will I be loved?"--sing it, Linda! Wow, I never realized what a rocking cowbell part this song has. Anyway, I digress. I valiantly plowed through the pain (okay, I'm being melodramatic, it wasn't too too horribly awful, which I count as progress) to bring you, my adoring public...more kitten photos! Diana, these crazy toes are for you:



Yes, that is marshmallow fluff on her nose. No, I was not responsible. Next!



Cute overload, no? I just love when she sleeps in places not meant for kitty sleeping. And finally, the group shot:



Wow, that photo of my old boring comforter really reminds me how much I love my new bedding! Which was definitely one of the best things to come out of the break-up, because I tried to get Jay's approval to get it before and he vetoed it, when really it is fabulous and not very girly at all. Hmm, I think relationship-related digressions means it's time for bed. Ooh, but idea to get out first, maybe I'll use the duvet as a backdrop for the photos of my current works in progress so you can see what I'm talking about! Excellent idea, plus publicizing my projects puts pressure on to actually FINISH them. Good night!

But I'm not sleepy...

Okay, so when I was little, whenever I'd be up late and my parents would try to get me to go to sleep, I would say "But I'm not sleepy," you know, with the sleeee-peeey part plaintively drawn out. Anyway, tonight I find that in spite of the fact that I need to be in class in like 8 hours, the combination of this weekend's red eye and the exhilaration of the new blog (okay, it's probably mostly the time change) is keeping me up. And so I give you photos of past knitting projects! (This is supposed to be a knitting blog, right?) Looking for said photos has made me realize that I'm woefully bad at photographing things before sending them off to their new homes (we've already discussed that I'm also woefully bad at finishing projects for myself and even my immediate family members, so it's not like there are too many things finished lying around the house), so the photos are few and far between. To make up for that, they are fabulously cute. Both these projects came out of my "bunnies for babies" phase last year. First, knitted bunny from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (one of my favorite books...ever). You have to turn your head (or your computer)--sorry, I'm new at this:



My sister (right now maybe the only person who knows I have a blog--Hi Laura!) wants one too, or at least she did last year when I was knitting this on our vacation. I should probably get on that... Now, onto the bunny baby hat from SnB Nation, modeled by its ridiculously cute owner:



Precious!! And with that, my knitting photo library is spent. Pathetic. But only more inspiration to both finish and photograph more projects. Now, must go to bed...