Gray.

I'm so fucking tired right now I can't think of a better title, but it sums up what I've been going through over the past week and a half.

That thing that happened in Paris? Yeah. Completely derailed me. Normally I am not overly affected by such atrocities, as it is human nature for some to destroy. We will never have world peace- even if we could identify every violent psycho/sociopath in the world and eliminate them, millions more are born every day. That's why the best way to work towards peace is to prepare for war. Paris, not being a third world shithole, should never have been subjected to those atrocities. The French government failed not only its own citizens, but the international tourists as well.

Anyhow, the shock of the attack affected me really, really deeply. Only now am I starting to pull myself back together and re-focus myself. I've mentioned before that my creative urges are at their strongest in the face of misery and darkness, and I think it's because I feel the need to create tangible beauty to combat whatever forces of evil have been lurking. So I've had MAJOR castonitis for the last week and a half, but I've made some great stuff. A pair of gray and black striped knee highs, a pair of socks with my first ever afterthought heels, a beautiful hat which is now up in my shop, and another pair of socks that I cast on tonight. I just finished dyeing a whole batch of sock yarn too- well, mostly over dyeing. Only one skein was white. One I had previously dyed and wasn't satisfied with, and the rest just looked like they'd appreciate makeovers. So now they're all gorgeous and lovely and drying, and... I REALLY need to get into Christmas knitting and baby knitting. Holy shitttt. Not gonna panic, just gotta really buckle down and get started. I've got time.

But I really just wanna knit a whole bunch of socks :-(

Knittin' Like a Sock Star!

Awww yeeeahhh, who learned how to knit toe up, 2 at a time socks on magic loop? With a new to me heel? THIS BITCH.

Never mind the fact that I've only ever knit top down, one at a time socks on dpns, with heel flaps and picking up stitches and that whole shebang. And that I haven't knit socks in years. Nope, I went whole hog into this. I'm currently just past the heels (short row heels) now and I'm gonna knit until I run out of yarn. I LOVE magic loop. This is so fucking cool! And... the yarn I'm using fucking sparkles. I'm all about them twinkle toes. I can't wait to wear them!

I'm getting ready to film episode two of the podcast on Friday. Gotta gather my subjects together, and my show and tell stuff, and re-paint my nails. I don't want to brag or anything, but um, I've already made $.06 on YouTube. But I promise, even if I shoot into the stratosphere and make a whole dollar, that I will remain humble. I won't forget my roots ;-)

Ok, this was a short update. I'm gonna knit a little more and then head to bed. I've got to head out to the post office tomorrow to ship out another order. I really need to look into buying packaging online, paying $1.99 for a cardboard box is pretty stupid. Especially when their boxes are always too big anyway. Peace out!

I Need Caffeine & I Need It NOW!

Goddamn, I've got a mighty powerful, foggy as fuck headache looming. I let work take priority over food today, and now that I've "eaten", it's too late. My body is holding a grudge.

Anyhow, I got a FUCK TON of stuff done, and I'm really proud. Podcast got completed, and took FOREVER to finally get up, but it has a sweet intro and outro and I've earned myself 9 subscribers already! I finished all of the yarn from the last batch, photographed it, and listed it, except for one skein that is still drying and HOLY SHIT THAT ONE SKEIN IN THE SODA ASH, oh dear. I better re dye that one tonight. Oops. This is the third time I'm dyeing it- that yarn really didn't take dye well at all.

I'm currently designing a squishy cowl pattern to go with the squishy neon yarn I can't sell, and it's an absolute delight to work with. The colors, the texture... it's fucking fabulous yarn. \

ok, enough of this headache. I need to go address this now. Later!

The Countdown Begins, Eeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

Alright, I've gotten a LOT done this week, including stuff that wasn't on my to-do list because I didn't realize it HAD to be on my to-do list. I even managed to get to the store(s- had to go to three to get all ingredients) and make dinner tonight. I attempted to attend a live webinar on improving one's Etsy sales, but I'll be watching the replay in a bit because we had major internet issues.

I re-created an intro, uploaded 6 videos to my channel so far, monetized said channel, created an AdSense account (still have no idea what the fuck that's for, but one step at a time here. I'll get it eventually), created a cute little trailer for my channel with the help of Groucho, figured out how to get around the mirror image problem on my webcam (thanks, MovieMaker!), have gotten much more experienced with MovieMaker, and I'm confident that tomorrow's filming will be just fine. Aside from my own insecurity about my looks, that is :-P I feel like my mouth looks really weird when I talk. And I'm prone to a double chin. Not to mention those lovely yellow teeth from years of being a smoker! But, hey, it's the content that counts... mostly. I will still aim to be as aesthetically pleasing as I can be, for my own sake.

I am now back on the fence about WordPress. I know now that Blogger is compatible with AdSense, and if I'd like to link the two in the future, I'll need to keep that around. I don't need my own website yet, which is why I had originally thought about switching- I was planning ahead. I think I'll sit tight for a while though.

All I have left to do is set up Free Pattern Friday (which means I'll have to take pictures of the shawl I plan to share, and write up the super easy and quick pattern. I'll have to link it to the pattern that inspired it though, I think) and get together a topic list, in order, as well as gather everything I'll be showing off. And... I need to repaint my nails. Fortunately, I have a manicure in mind- my package from my friend arrived today, and she was MORE than generous, sweet fuck! I am all set for makeup and nails for quite a while. Well, I've been set for nails for a long time now anyway, but now I'm set even more!

So, for ease of reading in the near future when I come back to check shit off:

-Free Pattern Friday
-Topic List/Show and Tell Items
-Manicure

...and I'll be all set! Woo! I can always film before I do Free Pattern Friday. I'd like to get good daylight happening for this, so I'll have to get up a bit earlier than I usually do.

Aw crap, I forgot I have tea steeping. Dang it, I hope it's not too bitter. It's really delicious, a new Celestial Seasonings blend- Watermelon Lime Zinger. Fucking BADASSS.

Ok, off I go to rescue tea and stuff. Bye!

Ha!

Remember that time I was all like, "I'm not gonna forget the caveat in my intro graphics!"

Yeah, that was a good time.

But! I do have both intro and outro finished. And I'm sure I can just edit the intro.

Then again, I was ALSO sure I could just add my animated cat gif into the intro, and that did not work out AT ALL. When trying to figure out how to make it work, seemed to reach a dead end. Eventually, I will get that sucker in there. But, for all intents and purposes as of right now, both are done, minus the warning. I'm especially proud of the outro... it includes a cute little four line poem that incorporates the phrase, "on fleek." WHO'S GANGSTA NOW?!

...I think I was gonna say something else, and I forget. You see, there's a FUCKING MOSQUITO HERE. IN MY LIVING ROOM. AT 3:51 AM ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 20FUCKING15.

'scuse me, I've got murder to commit now. 

Today Has Been GREAT So Far!!!

...and I've only been up for about 4 and a half hours. I woke up to the news that a friend of mine is sending me some of her long haired cats fur to spin (she has FOUR!) along with some goodies, AND I won a contest on another friend's facebook page- I won a perfume called SexyPants. I'm so excited!!!

I made some great progress so far on my To Do list as well:

-Download Windows Movie Maker, maker that movie program my bitch. 
Downloaded, and practiced on a video of Groucho. Basic edits, but fun!

- Make a final decision on intro and outro music for podcast.
I shall be starting with Cool Vibes, which I'll cut around the :23 mark, and ending with Sweeter Vermouth, which doesn't need cutting as it's 24 seconds in its entirety. All music is from Incompetech. They've got a GREAT selection, and really amusing captions on some of the blurbs. 

- Figure out how to best position laptop for maximum flattering angleage. I don't wanna be showing off my impressive double chin for an hour, people might feel inadequate.
Alllll those books out there in the living room, they have suddenly found uses. 

- Remember to include warning in intro graphics- this is not a podcast to listen to with impressionable kids around. I'm not going to fucking censor myself, sorry not sorry. 
- Amending this to "create intro and outro in the first place", I won't forget the caveat :-P

-Gather list of topics to discuss, and in order, for first podcast. Also gather list of yarns, WIPs, etc to be discussed. These are the physical things I'll be showing off.

- Decide what I'm doing for Free Pattern Friday- I've decided that the first Friday of every month will be Free Pattern Friday. I've got about three lined up, just have to decide which is which.
Decision made, just need to start and finish :-P Of course, if finishing doesn't happen, I have an already made item to show off. 

- Sniff around WordPress, set up WordPress. Move blog stuff over to WordPress, change Ravelry link for Vermeer bracelet.

- Finish knitting needed for Free Pattern Friday, if any.

I'm in pretty good shape, I'd say. Gonna get intro and outro done tonight, as well as over dye some more yarn. Still waiting for some of the cotton to dry. But I did list some Unicorn Farts! Such cool yarn, so goddamn squishy!

UNICORN FARTS!!!

I AM A FUCKING ROCKSTARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

I learned how to animate my logo!!!

I did it all in Photoshop. It was surprisingly easy and fast- well, fast because it consists of three frames, two colors, and one frame is a repeat. I am so fucking PROUD of myself right now! This is a bit of a hurdle cleared on the road to Successful Podcast Friday. I'm going to use it somehow in the intro. And, fortunately, I just had the foresight to save it without the background too, so it'll be more versatile.

Ok, SO!
To Do list:

- Download Windows Movie Maker, maker that movie program my bitch.

- Make a final decision on intro and outro music for podcast.

- Figure out how to best position laptop for maximum flattering angleage. I don't wanna be showing off my impressive double chin for an hour, people might feel inadequate.

- Remember to include warning in intro graphics- this is not a podcast to listen to with impressionable kids around. I'm not going to fucking censor myself, sorry not sorry.

-Gather list of topics to discuss, and in order, for first podcast. Also gather list of yarns, WIPs, etc to be discussed. These are the physical things I'll be showing off.

- Decide what I'm doing for Free Pattern Friday- I've decided that the first Friday of every month will be Free Pattern Friday. I've got about three lined up, just have to decide which is which.

- Sniff around WordPress, set up WordPress. Move blog stuff over to WordPress, change Ravelry link for Vermeer bracelet.

- Finish knitting needed for Free Pattern Friday, if any.

- Might wanna practice makeup. I'm pretty good (meaning I'm a pro at eye makeup, and I don't wear much else) but maybe look at self on camera and evaluate if something needs to change. It's not that I'm aiming to be Miss America, but I would like to present myself in a certain way to potential viewers. I don't go out shopping without changing into non pajamas and brushing my hair, why should meeting strangers on the internet be any different?

Annnnnd I think that's all. I'll come back to this tomorrow night to see what I've gotten done, and to add to it if need be.

I'M. SO. EXCITED.

Did I mention I'm really fucking proud of myself? Hang on a minute, I wanna talk about it. I am one woman. And I am wearing a LOT of different hats right now, for this fledgling business. I am the supply buyer, the product producer, the social media marketer on 4- soon to be 5- platforms, the promoter, the shipping and handling wench, the graphic designer (now with animation!), the podcast director and producer, and the creative direction. I am EIGHT PEOPLE in one. The decision to make this a success came with the realization that I needed to expand my knowledge and my skill set tremendously. Are things happening overnight? Fuck no. Can I see myself grinning about a much larger bank account balance a year from now? Fuck yes. I'm in this for the long haul. I'm not giving up. With each foot hold I find, and each step up I climb, I'm getting out of the hole I dug myself into. I am smart, I am capable, and I am strong. And I will always find a way.