gloat.

24667. I am the tetrator! GRAR!

It's taking over my life

Continuing my ever-present quest to get from spot 29680 to 29679 on Facebook Tetris all-time rankings. Been at it all day. Fingers may be broken. Come join me in misery (if you dare).

Hear that? It's the sound of raw adventure.

It has occurred to me as I sit here, watching Baywatch reruns and sipping my sugarfree hazelnut latte that I'm fully unencumbered. I'm young, I'm single, I'm only mildly in debt, I could be living it up like it's 1999. And yet, I sit here, knitting. It's not that I'm saying knitting is a bad thing, as a matter of fact I love it, but what's wrong with knitting while hiking up a mountain? Or snowboarding down one. Knitting on a train to the east coast or maybe a plane to Europe? I mean, it's not exactly as if I have the money to do these things, but there's got to be a way to get out and live life on a budget before I get old(er) and attached. There isn't anything wrong with being old(er) and attached. Actually, I look forward to it one day, but for right now, I need to take advantage of my circumstances before they're gone. If anyone has any ideas, I'm a listening ear.

Oh, and speaking of knitting, there's only one problem with agreeing to knit something really great for a friend. I don't want to give it up. Can't you just sense it's greatness? I'm crying bitter tears of resentment. It doesn't look like much yet but very soon it will.

Notice coffee in hand.

It's around the corner.

Augusts in California. Hot, smokey, dusty but somehow a hint of fall in the air. You can't quite feel it yet, but you know by looking at the calendar that soon leaves will be falling from the trees, pumpkins will be ripening, apple cider will be served and a cold breeze will blow through the windows. Hhhhaaa. I almost can't contain my excitement. 

It turns out my classes are absolutely fabulous, contrary to some of my thoughts. I can't wait to get into the meat of things. 

SCREAMin' Deals

SSmmmmmhhaaa...the smell of paint and pencils, construction and cigarette smoke, confused freshmen and overachieving middle agers. That's right my friends. It's community college time once again. Do you know what that means? Textbook deals. The most exhilarating time of year. It only comes twice so I have to savor it. Ahem, here's the breakdown:

Community college: $125.25

State School: $238.92

Total: $364.17

My price: $46.57 (including shipping and handling)

I saved: $317.60

I need to make this my career. 

Babies everywhere!!

Tomorrow is the official start of my 9th semester in college. What would I do if I had graduated last year? I'd be doomed to work for the rest of my life. Yup. I cannot tell you how excited I am to be going back. I think it's because last semester was so much fun. So much art! Art everywhere! 

Hah. That reminds me of this

What have I done?!

I did a horrible thing today. This morning, while I was still groggy and my mind was weak, my mom dragooned me into going decaf from now on. What was I thinking. The sweet nectar of life ripped from my grasp.

I've been depressed lately at the lack of activity in the blogosphere lately. There were days when I had 20-30 new posts to read. These days, I'm lucky if I have 10. Get crackin' people! You're one of 5 sources of entertainment in my life!

A sad, sad day

The unthinkable has happened. My all-time favorite show, Stargate: Atlantis has been cancelled. The nerds are ticked. They're already beginning a revolt. I'm considering joining in the fight. Insert melodramatic sigh.

A few things I'm thinking about

I really want a garden. It doesn't have to be big, just a little plot of land. A planter maybe? Tomatoes, zucchini, a hint of parsley, strawberries. Especially strawberries. 

When I was little, my family tells me I always wanted to "Chubbel dirt." This could explain why I was always dirty and my current need for some earthen activities now. 

News: Am considering joining the rowing team at new university. Am excited. Will scope out playing field first before making any decisions. Refuse to step into high-powered, girl drama.

After not knitting at all for about a month, in the last few days I have started at least 5 projects. It's a little overwhelming and yet I keep wanting more. I'm considering doing some designing. It's not like I have any talent or really any ideas in mind or the skills to put the ideas into action but I need some more money and am desperately inflating my sense of knitting ability to give myself more options and to give myself confidence. You'll never know until you try I guess.  

One last thing: If you have a cat read this. 

P.S. I am once again drinking a hazelnut latte. I have already almost spilled it on my new computer 3 times. The things I sacrifice for my fix.

Picnic Time

My aunt is going back to Pennsylvania on Thursday so we had a little picnic in the park with her. It was fun and despite convulsive screams at the swarm of meat bees we attracted it was very relaxing. The park has a plethora of birds, all with bad manners who beg for food. This young man met us at our car as we drove up. 

 

We were just sitting, feeding the chickens when I turned around and literally came face to face with this guy. We fed him some chips, I felt bad about clogging his arteries. 

He ate out of my hand! I thought for sure I'd loose a finger. 

To walk off the chips from lunch, we took a stroll around old town. My aunts pounced on the antique stores, I pounced on the art galleries (complete with coffee bar). The first antique store we went to was packed to the ceiling with junk treasures to behold. I liked this little corner, though. When I think of California history this is the sort of image that comes to mind. Rusty tools, gold pans, old leather straps, musty smell. Haaaaaa, history. Gotta love it.

A Change in the Season, Perhaps?

I'm on a lunch break at work. I'm sitting in the lobby area with the doors open and a breeze just blew through. It was so fabulous I decided I had to blog about it lest the world not know how wonderful it was. So I'm telling you, it was wonderful. 

I can't believe how cool it's been the past two days, it almost makes me think summer is winding to a close and fall is starting. At least, that's what Target says because their clothes section is once again sporting snappy faux leather and sandblasted jeans. Fall! Thou comest at last! Summer, I spit on your memory. Ptoo.  

Ka-nit

I have just discovered something fabulous: a cable needle necklace! It's a cable needle but decorative enough to wear as a necklace just in case the irresistible need to cable suddenly strikes you. Ugh. It's a brilliant idea, just take my word for it. 

My knitting mo-jo is back. It's so back that it's forcing me to knit some wool gloves in the hottest heat of California summer. It's a powerful thing this hobby. (If they turn out well, I'm taking down orders. I can't guarantee I'll actually make them, but it's the thought that counts, right?)

Oatlympics

Gymnastics are beginning to take over my life. Tonight, I will be watching the end. I refuse to let myself fall asleep. I took a nap today just to make sure. Also, I'm eating oatmeal. I'm not sure why. It just felt like the right thing to do. 

Contentment

I have Bible study on Wednesday nights. I love it. Somehow when I come home, everything I see and hear on TV and the radio just seem so superficial, so fleeting. Tonight, we studied contentment. It's something I struggle with on a minute by minute basis. It's my default emotion. I need to be joyful in my situation and desire God's will for my life, not my own. 

Haaaaa...

Right now I am very nearly completely content. I'm lounging comfortably in my room, my own little personal space. It's mostly clean. I'm nice and cool. Watching my 4th favorite show. Freshly brewed (by me) latte. Done with work for the day (got off at 10am, my favorite shift). All superficial contentment of course, but content none the less. 

I've been knitting a lot lately. It's mostly inspired by the new gadgets. Pictures to come soon.

Squak

My aunt is visiting from Pennsylvania and is staying with us for the next few days. To celebrate her arrival my uncle (her brother) took us all to linner (lunch/dinner..eh, you get the point). It was some sort of winged joint. Crazy Wing? No. Wing thing? No. Oh, Wing Street. I had to ask my mom. There were rolls of paper towels on the tables. It seems I ordered the wrong thing (a Caesar salad) because everyone else's dish seemed (and tasted; I walked around, sampling.) better than mine. 

At any rate, I feel the need to run a bit on the treadmill but there seems to be a line. 

I'm in the mood for activity. Maybe I can convince someone that we need to go for a stroll down the mainstreet. 

Have Some Paint

I feel a bit guilty about sketching furiously while sitting in church. It's not as if elbows are swinging and I'm doing some grand sighting movements but I'm sure I'm a distraction at least to the people who sit next to me. So in lieu of portrait Sunday, I'm posting some old stuff. Don't worry, the guilt won't last. 

Here are some first attempts at watercolor. I painted these at the beginning of the summer. I decided I liked it enough to take a class next semester. So excited!

My #1 favorite olympic sport is gymnastics. I'm watching the USA men's rings right now. I forgot how physically impossible these routines seem. Regardless of some of the politics and the drama surrounding this year's olympics, you can't help but get a little excited about the whole affair. There's something about these games that makes me more emotional than usual. I'm really not a very emotional person and am usually the scoffer rather than the crier. But with the Olympics I just can't help it. I think it has something to do with the struggle, the glory of the battle these athletes experience. Hm.

Go team.

Le Grande Opening

Today was the Grand Opening of the coffee shop of my employment. We've been preparing for this day for weeks and it turned out to be a rampaging success...and it's still going. 

I'm on the left. Notice red, shiny face. That's because we have nil ventilation back there. Nil. Next are my co-workers Genna and Corrin. Both are very nice girls and I like them a lot. 

Well I'm off to prepare for the Olympics opening ceremony. Neighbour is having a party, and I'm thoroughly jealous. I'm going to brew myself some coffee and sit down for a rousing good time. Bully, bully. 

Oh yeah!

P.S. Look at what I got yesterday. I almost kissed the FedEx guy. 

Really, the only reason I got another one was because it was free. Not that they had to twist my arm or anything. 

let me back in the loop!!

When I got back into the Internet loop I discovered my Bloglines had over 1000 unread blog posts (and growing) waiting anxiously for my return. Determined not to let them down, I made it a goal to read them all. Well, I'm down to about 450. It's quite the accomplishment if I do say so myself. 

Today will be filled with an extra dose of nothing as I try to mentally prepare myself for work tomorrow. It's our grand re-opening and it's gonna be crazy.

hiccup. hhhh....hiccup.

It seems that after months of never having a hiccup, I have been stricken with a persistent and rather violent case of them. It's been on and off for about a week. I finally thought I got rid of them but it turns out they were just lying in wait. Waiting to spring on me at an inconvenient time. 

My aunt from Pennsylvania is visiting sunny California for a couple weeks. Today we met them at a park and had lunch. We ended up at a thrift store (which seems to happen often with my family). I found a huge collection of Star Trek memorabilia! They were all plates and mugs but I decided to buy a couple of the mugs. Scotty and Spock. I already have a Captain Kirk mug. They look like this. They will be joining me in my future life somewhere cold and rainy where they will be in constant use. I'm rather proud of my little find.  

Let's play catch-up

Gosh. It feels so nice to be able to blog when I feel like it again. Seriously, you don't appreciate things until they're gone. It's an old cliche, but so true. 

So what's different since we spoke last? Really spoke, not just a quick jot in the middle of the freezing county library. Well, not much actually. I'm employed. I cleaned my room for the first time in months. I started paying some of my own bills (boo, Maturity.) I've acquired some routines. I've (almost) sworn off coffee and replaced it with tea, but you knew that. I grab a cup of chamomile tea, make sure it's cold enough in my house so I can wear a slouchy sweater and a blanket and sit down to watch Friends. It's a show I haven't really watched since my dorm days but I'm remembering why I watched it so often. It makes me feel good and gives me a good laugh before I go to bed much earlier than I've been used to in the past. It's like I've aged a good 10 years in the last month. 

But then, since I've been going to bed earlier, I've been getting up earlier which 1) makes my day longer, 2) puts me in a better mood and 3) makes me feel healthier. Who would have known what I've been missing out on for the past...22 years. Huh. What a coincidence, it's tea and Friends time. I will be back tomorrow, and this time I can actually hold to my promise!

The blog is back!

Well, today it arrived. Apple said it wouldn't be here until the 6th through the 11th but lo and behold the UPS guy came a-knockin' this morning with a beautiful box full of loveliness. Here's my face when I discovered I was no longer computerless: 

Here's my face when I discovered all of the cool features:

and here's my face when I realized I know how to use less than half of them:

To complete the joy, I have two whole days off before I have to work again. Two! I just don't even know what to do with myself! Two whole days to spend in constant attention to my new Mac. Scream!

The dry spell has ended!!

YEEEAAAAHHHHHGGGGG!!! It came in the mail today!! [More about it later]