I LOOOOVE the Winter Olypmics

I grew up watching the winter olympics with my Dad, and I still to this day get very very excited in a winter olympic year!

Alas and alack, there is NO WAY I can enter the Knitting Olympics being hosted over at Chez Harlot. I have a monster paper due February 20 and another one due March 1, and olympic-style challenge/focus knitting just isn't a possibility.

So...

(button courtesy of JenLa)

(button courtesy of Julia at Knitterly Things)

I should make my knitting olympics task NOT knitting during the olympics! (Boo! Hiss!) But that ain't gonna happen....

Tagged for a MEMEMEME!

Vicki at Knitorious tagged me for a MEME! Wheeee!

Instructions: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot.

Purls Beyond Price
KimberliNY
Unraveling
Knitorious
Woman Obsessed

Direct from Knitorious: "Select 5 people to tag. I agree with Celia, "...I know these things are akin to chain letters and they take some time, but there's nothing like direct questions to learn more about folks." Personally, I copy and paste into a new post, save it as a draft, work on it for however long it takes, and then publish it -- sometimes it's nice to have a heat-and-serve post ready to pull out of the freezer, you know?"

I'm tagging some ABQ bloggers, courtesy of Meg's recent post. Consider yourself tagged, and do as you see fit: Meg, Rebecca (Aussie Girl in ABQ), Scout's Knitted Swag, The Frayed Knot, and Strange Little Mama.


What were you doing 10 years ago?
Starting my second semester of college (holy crap, I'm old!). There was so much going on then- boyfriend, parent's divorce... but it was a great semester. We had a lot of snow in late Januray that year- very fun.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Starting my second semester of law school. I think I had just gotten my first semester grades, and was pretty psyched about how I had done.

What were you doing 1 hour ago?
Procrastinating- reading blogs instead of working on my law review note.

List five creative things you want to achieve this year:
1. Get back in the habit of cooking. When I'm cooking fairly regularly, I take more risks with flavors and dishes. Confidence breeds creativity.
2. Find creative projects to make the most of the yarn I have.
3. Maybe even design a knit pattern!
4. Take better pictures. Experiment with macro mode.
5. I want to improve my legal writing. Not exactly creative, but something I need to work on. My legal writing tends to be very dense and technical. I use lots of quotes and complex sentences. Good legal writing is much more accessible- shorter, clearer statements, more persuasive in its simplicity.

List five snacks you enjoy:
1. Fruit
2. Cheese sticks or cheese and crackers
3. Chocolate
4. Real Coke. Only when I'm feeling really not diet oriented.
5. Peanut butter

List five things you would do if money were no object:
1. Spend a year living abroad, or travel around the world. Go to the moon. Maybe all three.
2. Buy a house.
3. Learn auto mechanics.
4. Make a big donation to my alma mater, so financial concerns don't force them to go co-ed.
5. Fix the health care system in this country.

List five bad habits:
1. I bite my fingernails.
2. I am pretty judgmental.
3. I'm not particularly humble.
4. I have a hard time letting go.
5. I HATE admitting that I'm wrong or that I don't know something.

List five things you like doing:
1. Knitting
2. Skiing
3. Being with Mr. C, regardless of what we're doing
4. Being with girlfriends.
5. Walking

List five favorite gadgets:
1. Would have been my laptop, but I hate it now. Screw Dell.
2. My iPod Nano.
3. Ball winder and swift. Without a doubt, two of my all time favorite, most useful purposes, especially in conjunction with my kitchen scale and McMorran Yarn Balance. So, 4 gadgets for the price of one!
4. Ice cream maker. I rarely use it, but I love it when I do.
5. Google.

Name one thing you like about yourself:

I think I'm pretty interesting. Good or bad, I'm not boring.

I heart knitting

I have some finished objects to report! Some are old- can't remember if I ever posted photos or not...



First up are the socks I finished on the way back from Michigan. I love them, despite the waaay too pointy toe on one of the socks. I got the yarn at Taos Wool Festival this year, and based the socks on a pair the seller had for sale in their booth. This is Plain and Fancy Sheep and Wool yarn, a sport weight merino wool. These folks raise the sheep, shear the sheep, spin and dye the wool. FABULOUSO. But, they're pretty thick socks and are very toasty, so this wimpy winter we're having probably won't allow me to wear these a whole lot. I love them anyway.



My Flora from Knitty! I love love love this. It's 100% pima cotton and the yarn is so incredibly soft it's just unbelievable. This pattern was quick, satisfying, and I wear it all the time. It's the perfect thing to throw on when you need a tiny bit of warmth, and I love that it's so neutral- the off white means I can wear it with anything. This is a winner.



Finally, my Tilli Thomas Disco Lights Scarf. I love this. The yarn is 100% silk with matte sequins in the same bright blue strung throughout. I did a modified version of the Airy Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and I am really happy with the result. This yarn was obscenely expensive, and I don't think I'd buy it again- I had a hard time figuring out what to make with this yarn, given the limited yardage I had (one ball has 175 yards and retails for $38- YIKES! What was I thinking???) You really need more yarn to make something spectacular- this would make a gorgeous wrap or camisole for special occasions- but alas, that makes the price absolutely rediculous. Still, I love the color and the way the scarf turned out... just don't think I'd do it again is all.

Wedding Pictures!

Check them out HERE.

Sorry for the crappy quality- my camera croaked at the end of the night. It is still limping along now, but I think it's just a matter of time before the life support stops working....

Technical Difficulties

My Dell Laptop, aka command center for Woman Obsessed, is currently dead. Revival is estimated for Thursday afternoon... In the mean time,

DON'T BUY A DELL! I've owned this thing for a year and a half and have had 7 problems requiring service calls. 2 of those resulted in misdiagnosed issues, and the most recent fried my battery and heaven only knows what else.

We (hope) to return to regularly scheduled blogging upon the resurrection of the laptop...

Resolution Check: Week of 1/16

Pounds lost since January 1: 6

Yarn bought since January 1: Still None

Number of dinners cooked week of 1/16: 1 (goal is 3), but was out of town 4 nights

Number of lunches brought from home week of 1/16: None (goal is 3)

Number of workouts week of 1/16 (goal is 4): 3 (goal is 4)

Number of old-fashioned letters written in January: None yet.

Back from the not so frozen north!

Hey! I'm back from Michigan, which, like New Mexico, is experiencing a warmer than normal winter. My Mom grew up in Michigan, right on Pontiac Lake, and she was shocked to see that there wasn't a single lake that was completely frozen over... Normally the lakes are so frozen that people can drive cars across them. Global warming, anyone?

The wedding was a riot. More later- I took a ton of pictures that I'm in the process of posting. I loved seeing my family. It's a shame we're all so far apart.

I also, courtesy of several hours on planes and in airports, finished the cabled socks! They're generally pretty good- fit is about right, maybe a tidge big. BUT, that one pointy toe is REALLY ANNOYING. Not sure if it's so annoying that I'll try to cut and kitchener, or steek and cut, or something else drastic, but it is a very visible flaw in an otherwise satisfying pair of tootsie warmers!

I'm behind on school work, so watch for an FO post and a wedding post later this week!

It Has Begun.

After my second day of class, I can tell you right now that Health Law is going to be the class I skimp on in terms of work. Simple reason, too- it's the last class of the day, and I keep telling myself I can do the work over my lunch break. Yes, I am delusional.

So, I have now completed 2 health law classes without so much as cracking the book.

Must. Stop. Before. Spirals. Out. Of. Control.


Anyway, off to Michigan for the weekend- the first of all the cousins is getting married this weekend!

Blashphemy

I may be the only person in the blogiverse who thinks this, but

I think Noro makes hideous yarn, and that hideous yarn turns in to very expensive, very hideous garments.

Save yourself the heartache and make a scarf or a hat- horizontal stripes in muddy, blurry colors look awful on EVERYONE.

Just my not so humble opinion!

Super Fun Day!

Meg and I met up for a sushi lunch on Saturday, then hit the yarn store. I DIDN'T BUY ANY YARN! WOOHOO! We got to meet the fabulous Scout,, and it was so cool! What a neat gal!

I did not escape the yarn store unscathed, but there was NO YARN PURCHASED. I got the new Vogue Knitting (sorry, but I didn't see anything I think I'll knit. Ah well.) AND a magnetic yarn and needles for the back of Lola, My Corolla. This is a much needed bit of personality for my very bland, but very reliable, vehicle. Also got a set of Brittany Birch straights to use on the Birch shawl... Birch on Birch! Woo hooo!

After absorbing the fibery goodness, I went and got my hairs cut. Baby, it was time. What do you think of my new do?





I LOVE it. The cut is really short, with lots of texture. Very sassy. I find that I tend to act out a bit with my hair when I am working in a very conservative environment. I whacked all my hair off when I worked for the Senator in Washington, DC, and the federal judge thing seems very similar... Gotta have some style, even if I'm wearing boring black suits every day!

Knitting Status

Currently on the needles:

Socks. My own design (can you believe it?!?!?!) Plain and Fancy Sheep and Wool in a mity green. One done, cast on for the second. Love the completed sock, BUT the toe is too pointy!





Birch, Rowan pattern. Kidsilk Haze. MMMMM.
Crappy photo, but really, it looks horrible at this point! The shawl looks like 3 inches of mid-blue furry ruffle.





Imminent Cast Ons:

Jaywalkers. In Knitterly Things Vesper Sock Yarn, not sure which color (I have 3 to chose from!)

Swatching for a Cashmere sweater- yarn courtesy of Meg (birthday gift!!!) Pattern will probably be the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.


Lurking:

Frost Flowers Shawl in Lacy Lamb, minty green. Started this in December and had to rip. Several times. I'm intimidated, but will cast on when I'm ready to Boss My Knitting Around!

Fair Isle something... mittens? hat? socks?

The Perfect Sweater. This, alas, presents a glitch in the No Yarn Till May 15 Resolution. Official perfect yarn is Cascade 220, and I do not have enough in the stash. (I have 1 ball red, 1/2 balls of lime green, hot pink, and purple.) Do I carve out an exception? Or make the Perfect Sweater in an Unperfect Yarn that I already own? Options *might* include Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in off white (not sure if I have enough, but might...) and Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran in navy (definitely have enough). Maybe Meg's cashmere would work- need to see what the Perfect Sweater gauge and yardage requirements are...

Baby Stuff. 3 girly things. All due in April-May.

Resolution Check:

Pounds lost since January 1: 6

Yarn bought since January 1: NONE, evne after a trip to the LYS Saturday!

Number of dinners cooked week of 1/9: 2 (goal is 2)

Number of lunches brought from home week of 1/9: 1 (goal is 2)

Number of workouts week of 1/9 (goal is 4): 3 (goal is 4)

Number of old-fashioned letters written in January: None yet.

This is going to be a GREAT semester....

I am super psyched about this semester. Here's what's on my plate:

Classes- only 3- YAY! And all are on Tuesday and Friday.

Water Law: The initial class reading was phenomenal- this class will probably be as much about Northern New Mexico's quirks and history as it is about water law. Water law is fascinating- the law itself is complicated, it's a VERY emotional subject in the desert southwest, water is intertwined with history, religion, sociology, it's totally policy-based, and it is a finite resource. The professor is supposed to be phenomenal, and I am really looking forward to this class.

Health Law: I had this professor for about half of my torts class, and he taught a few of my bioethics classes, and he is WONDERFUL. This class should be fascinating- mostly legal issues in health care (the class alternates between focusing on law one year and on policy in the other year).

Conflicts of Law: This will be my third class with this professor, who I adore. At first glance, the subject looks kind of straightforward- like stuff we've covered already in Civ Pro I and Civ Pro II. But, it is a major area of law, so I'm sure I'm missing something. I do wish this professor would teach a class that started at a time OTHER than 8:15 am- I am not exactly a morning person. Ah well.

Other: On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I'll split my time between an externship and my job.

I've got an externship with a federal judge. This should rock. The law clerks are great, and my first assignment looks really interesting. I expect to learn a LOT- this judge has a reputation as one of the hardest working/most efficient/super intelligent judges in the state.

I'm also working for the same law firm I was with in the fall- love it. Love the work, love the people, love the environment, love that I know what to expect. There should be at least one trial this semester, which will be super fun to watch...

The only thing I'm not excited about is Law Review. It's a giant pile of baloney. Law Review looks great on my resume, but that is, in my ever so humble opinion, the end of its merits.

Local Politicking

I had a fascinating evening tonight. (Knitting content soon, I SWEAR).

My Mom and I went to the town meeting about Montano Blvd. For the non locals, Albuquerque is town split down the middle by the Rio Grande. The part of town west of the river is BOOMING- major development. But NO infrastructure. Montano Blvd is one of the few bridges across the Rio Grande, and is a MAJOR cross town artery. We live ON Montano, between the river and the first major intersection east of the river.

The bridge was built for 4 lanes, 2 each direction, but was striped for only 1 lane each way. Montano cuts through the wealthiest part of Albuquerque, home of lots of rich people with land interests that go back forever. There have been major lawsuits over restriping the road. Back in last October, a court finally decided the restriping to 4 lands could go forward, and the Mayor got his crews out THAT NIGHT and got the job done.

Well, the rich folks got together and pointed out that the regional transportation board (not sure who this is, exactly), never amended the regional transportation plan, and that the restriping put the City in violation of that plan. This apparently jeopardizing millions of dollars worth of federal transportation dollars.

So, they put up orange barrels last week, restricting traffic to one lane each direction. And all the people who commute along this road think that our neighborhood wants only 2 lanes, so they've starting honking their car horns all the way along Montano, to let us know how displeased they are with the 2 lanes. The honking starts about 5:00 in the morning, and goes on every 5 minutes or so until after I leave for school, and continues until 11:00 at night.

Tonight was a public meeting in front of the transportation board, and it was fascinating! Lots of strong opinions on both sides. I was fascinated to see all the creative solutions coming out of every day people- too bad the city isn't doing anything!

I personally think there's no way Montano can only be 2 lanes- we need all 4. Desperately. Immediately. NOW. Yesterday. Even though my bedroom window is about 30 feet from the highway, even though the traffic noise is annoying, we need 4 lanes. We also need more bridges across the river. Among other things.

Anyway, a lot to think about, INCLUDING the fact that my Mom may have met someone at the meeting. Wink wink, nudge, nudge....

Knitting Note To Self:

Two friends are preganant with girls- one due end of April, one due end of May. Another friend is pregnant with baby whose gender I can't remember (edit- it's another girl!) due end of May.

Get crackin on that baby stuff!

Also- BF's sister's husband asked for a ribbed neckwarmer in a dark, machine washable yarn to wear when he goes deer hunting. Are you going to do this or not? Maybe for next Christmas?

Hurrah!

The Christmas Pounds are GONE! YAY!

I've started the Birch shawl from that Rowan Magazine. Love it. The first time stank and I had to rip out 6 rows of mohair (ouch!)- just couldn't get the stitch count to turn out right. Now I'm using stitch markers to count off every 10-stitch repeat and that seems to do the trick.

Sorry so brief- internet is down at home and I don't want to spend too much time blogging from work!

Two Fantastic Books

I read two really great books over my winter break: Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, and Susan Jane Gilman's Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress. Both fall in the memoir/autobiography category, and both authors have really fantastic voices.
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment KitchenBy Julie Powell

Julie Powell wrote the first blog I ever read: The Julie/Julia Project. Julie decided to cook every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. Julie cussed her way through all 524 recipes but she made it. The blog was fantastic- entertaining, personal, manic, hilarious, honest. I am thrilled to report that the book is even better. Powell writes about her life during "the project" as well as the process of working through the recipes and blogging about them. She gives us a closer look at what she was going through, how the project came about, and how the project has changed her as a person.

Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress
By Susan Jane Gilman
I loved this book. I picked it up while I was in Arkansas over Christmas with the BF's family. I stared it almost immediately, and laughed out loud at least once every other page. Almost every chapter had me thinking, "holy cow, this could be me" (except the one where she falls in love with Mick Jagger....) The author talks about growing up as a child of hippies, listening to Free to Be You and Me. Yeah, that would be me. All in all, this book is honest, hilarious, and very very entertaining- highly recommended!

Christmas Stocking Photos!

Mr. C's Stocking
Originally uploaded by woman obsessed.

Here's the secret project I didn't ever post about- A Christmas Stocking for my boyfriend. He spent Christmas here, instead of with his family, and I wanted to be sure Santa had a place to leave him goodies!

Pattern is from a booklet by Wool You Order, and I used Dale Heilo for the stocking. This thing is huge- 2.5 feet long. It was a fun knit.

Christmas Stocking
Originally uploaded by woman obsessed.

Happy 300th Post!

This is my 300th post- a whole lot of rambling about very little of anything.

To celebrate, I'm updating my resolutions (how exciting!)

Specifically:
I gained 4 pounds since Thanksgiving. Baaad. Means I'm at a 20 pound goal, not the original 15.

Also, I am extending my yarn fast as well- NO YARN BUYING AT ALL THIS SEMESTER. Them's fighting words. That means no yarn purchases between now and May 15. Anyone want to place a bet on how successful this will be???

Happy New Year!

What a wild couple of weeks! Mr. C was here for Christmas, then we went to the midsouth to spend a week with his extended family, then I spent 3 days with him in Austin. Was a great trip. Would have been better if I hadn't been stricken with 7 days (and counting) of the plague... Ah well. Doctor visit tomorrow- my over the counter cocktail ain't cutting it anymore.

I did finally get some knitting time! I finished a sock (pointy toe looks lame, but otherwise fits fine) and a scarf, both for me. I started and ripped two shawls- apparently the holdays are not conducive to lace knitting for my poor addled little brain.

And, I have RESOLUTIONS! In no particular order:

• Cook dinner at least twice per week
  
• Take lunch to school at least twice per week
  
• Get to gym three times per week, plus one 30+ minute walk or other workout on weekends. (30 minutes of exercise 4 days a week)
  
• All the resolutions so far point toward the ultimate goal, which is to lose 15 or 20 pounds. 15 gets me into a good, healthy, manageable weight. (Update: Now at 20 pounds, since I gained 4 in the last 2 months of 2005).
  
• Get a federal clerkship (unfortunately, I have very little control over this one....)
  
• Write at least one old-fashioned letter per month
  
• Take better knitting photos- no more FO on the floor crap
  
• DON'T BUY YARN in January or February. After that, we'll have to reevaluate on a month by month basis. (Update: Extended to May 15. Yep, it's a spring semester yarn purchase ban.)
  
• Go camping at least twice.
  
• Finish my *@^(#$^@ law review article.
  
• Not obsess over the fact that this is the year I turn 30.