Sherlock Holmes on the radio, chili chocolate... and knitting my first Annis

And yes, that's recycled cotton from one of the sweaters I unraveled. I screwed up slightly on the second half, but there's no way in hell I'm going back 363 effin' stitches. So it'll be a special Annis ;-) Lesson learned: Use as many stitch markers as you need (in this case, 29!) RIGHT FROM THE EFFIN' START. Also, I've never done short rows before, so I'm sure that'll be an adventure too. (Read: I'll make plenty more mistakes and this won't be going to my sister after all... good thing I've got a LOT more of this yarn ;-) But! I did make peace with reading a pattern from a chart, so I get a fist bump for that. AWW YEEEAHHHH. Gonna do two more rows and make myself sleep... my period finally came and it's making sure I'm very, very aware it's here. Dumb twat... literally! >.< OUCH! 

I did it...

...I watched THE ROOM. In it's entirety. And I don't know how to talk about it, it was so bad. Give a delusional weirdo 6 million to make a movie, and this happens... .... O.O

I don't even know ... I mean... OK, let's talk about something else.


SALVO! I went back and scored two more sweaters today, again both cotton. One a teal women's sweater, one a black men's sweater I had been ogling yesterday. I unraveled the back half of the teal while I watched that awful awful movie.

I don't want to talk anymore. That movie exists. And I can't stop it.

O.O

And the beat goes on...

Still working on my ridiculous novelty yarn scarf... I've decided to come up with a really pretentious name for it, since that seems to be the trend lately. "Snow on Birch Trees", I'll call it. Which reminds me, some guy on the train told me he really liked it. And thought it would make a nice dress... I'm not sure what was in HIS coffee cup, but I'll take some, please!

You know, it may not be a wholly original design, but I don't really give a rat's ass. And I'm pretty sure I finally found a pattern I'm in love with for the Tosh, and it's gorgeous- there are SO MANY GORGEOUS lace knit (and a few crochet)  shawls out there that other people have spent so much time and effort designing, and it really shows. I'm definitely planning on knitting quite a few in the future, as well as designing my own once I get the hang of what I'm doing. And although I *could* easily crochet something plain and simple and utterly boring and brainless based on someone else's super simple and boring pattern (in my sleep, no less), why would I when I'm perfectly capable of taking my knitting/ crocheting skills to the next level by learning something new via someone else's generous gift of a free pattern? Besides, this gorgeous copper yarn is way too good to waste on anything boring. It's NOT "just fucking string"... someone had to hand shear a sheep, someone came up with the gorgeous colorway, etc, etc. It deserves a better fate than mediocrity. *looks at yarn* Sweet thang... I'm gonna knit the FUCK outta you! <3

In other news, I spent last night at the meatball's place. We looked at this awesome Guns n' Roses book about the making of Appetite for Destruction his friend sent him, watched some great  old G n'R interviews, had an amazing, toe curling good time... slept, and woke up and did it again. He went off to work, after we had coffee together, and I walked all the way over to the diner across from Hank's Saloon (where Antiseen is playing soon! YAY!) and had lunch (chicken kebab over rice. Why, no... that's NOT in my list of diet friendly foods, why do you ask? ;-) From there, I walked over to the mall, because I needed to pick up a few things at Target. I found an AWESOME squeaky steak toy for my four legged nephew that I think will be really difficult for him to rip apart (at least I hope so!), picked up fish oil capsules and some vitamin B12, and some bedding items. Ohhh, and of course a three pack of soda flavored Lip Smackers... I swear, it's the only balm that works on my poor, abused lips. I still need to call a friend from high school about Pat... meant to do it yesterday but things got a little too hectic. And now my phone needs to charge so... ugh, I need to stop putting it off :-\ I HATE talking on the phone, but I hate talking about sad things on the phone even worse.

Ok... here I go. Bahhhh.    

The darkness lifting... slightly.

Forced myself out of bed today, and forced myself down to Otto's to say goodbye to my boss before she leaves for Nashville tomorrow. It was physically difficult... I've felt weighted down all day, as though I wet wool blanket had settled on me and I couldn't shake it off. I slept most of the day... I've been having really strong and clear dreams lately, so at least there's that. (Apparently there is such thing as decalcifying the pineal gland, and it DOES work. Huh.)

Unexpected awesomeness: Seeing an incredible performance by an old band with a new singer. Lifted my spirits a little, turned my heart over, and made me just a little lighter. A bartender I used to date was there too, and we had a nice conversation... the best part though, was after I left, and walking towards the bus (which I wound up missing twice, and so took the train instead) I saw my Rummybear outside Beauty Bar, where he now works- one of the old security guards from Don Hill's. We had over an hour long conversation, and it lightened me considerably, despite the fact that it was a silly convo that ranged from mice to peeing in bottles to stupid people at bars. He's like a Caribbean Buddha, always smiling, always straightforward and warm and fair. So, just like the old days when I'd spend forever talking to him at Don Hill's, once again I can do it at Beauty Bar, ahaha. Of course, I've been the grateful recipient of much tender loving from my meatball, who is find of showering me with loving text messages and adorable voice notes and videos... that's gone a long way in cheering me up too.

And last, but not least... knitting a scarf with some ridiculous metallic novelty yarn (Flower by Tahki) has also cheered me up. Nothing like knitting or crocheting through grief... especially with ridiculous yarn. I've been tweaking a diamond bobble motif that I'll be naming for Pat, (Hart's Diamond... I still can't type his name without tears welling up, ugh) but the ridiculous yarn seriously has been a lark. I originally started an open mesh type thing, but then decided it would be better off in a drop stitch pattern. So I modified the Vixen pattern from a tank top in the Sensual Knits book to be worked flat... and so far it looks much better. It'll look even better with the dropped stitches, once I get there, but the best part is... it's still gonna look like someone scalped a stripper muppet named Candy Strips or something like that... ahahahaha. As much as I'm obsessed with my craft, nothing is too precious. I can't see myself wearing it though... chances are I'll try selling it at the flea market in Pennsylvania, whenever my sister decides we're going.

I can't stop making typos... it's definitely sleep time now.  

RIP, Pat :-(

Shortly after my last post, I found out an ex boyfriend from high school died in a car crash. He JUST turned 28... he had so much going for him. Just got a new job, just set up a home recording studio... Needless to say, this news kind of threw me for a loop last night. I still went out looking like a million bucks, but damned if I didn't feel like one. Eventually had to leave, because I just couldn't handle it. Almost busted out crying in the cab home... Made it upstairs and just lost it again. I'm not sure why this hit me so hard...  we certainly weren't close anymore. He was a sweet fella and he is sorely missed by everyone. Rest in peace, dude. 

zommmbeehhhhh

...and now I'm thinking that I should use my yarn for something OTHER than an Echo Flowers shawl, and that I should knit the EF shawl in a lace... because after looking through the project gallery, it seems it looks most stunning in lace. Back to the drawing board as far as the yarn goes!


However, I decided to put what I've learned about nupps into action tonight, and did a little practice swatch... I don't see what everyone hates about them! They're quite easy and fun... maybe it's just because I tend to be relaxed when I knit, and so they're loose and not hard to complete? Whatever it was, I accidentally came up with a really cool scarf pattern while practicing... looks a LOT like a spine. I believe I shall make it my second pattern, muahahahaha! As far as that stuff goes, I still need a name for my business. I've been thinking "Little Temple Window Designs", because that's my full name translated, but that's so fucking loooonngggg. Maybe just "Little Window"? I think I'll have a contest to see who can come up with the best name. Winner gets a free hat :-P

Flippin' tired, off to bed now. Had a wonderful text convo with my meatball tonight. He told me how last time we saw each other, and I left to go smoke a cigarette before getting on the train, and he was eating breakfast in the deli on the corner, he was admiring my hair in the sunlight. What a romantic guy he is... must be a Milan thing, hahaha. I told him in return that I adore the way he looks when he wakes up in the morning, with his tousled hair and sleepy face... he always thinks he looks terrible, but he's so adorable!

...any more of this chatter and I will make myself VOMIT hahahaha! Night night :-)

Hip hop hooray...!

90s hip hop and knitting tonight... still plugging away at this lace shrug...  I learned something new today! Actually I learned a bunch of new things, but the two knitting related things were nupps and a garter tab cast on. I'm always amazed every day that I'm still in love with knitting... rabidly in love. Painting, drawing, poetry, violin... they've all fallen by the wayside. Who knows how long this will last, but while it does, I'm gonna milk it.

...I forgot what I was gonna say, haha. Damn, I'm tired. Still doing good on my diet... saw an old friend today for some, uh, "exercise" ;-), and he said I've lost weight... HA! I've been dieting for a whole three days. I'll take it!

AH! I remember now... it looks like I'm going to be acting as agent for a painter friend of mine. He's offering me a 30% commission on everything I help him sell. I don't know how successful we're gonna be (although he's sold over 400 paintings on his own now!) but it's worth a try. He's talented as fuck... I love his work. Hopefully I can figure out a way to get him more exposure... Setting up a facebook page for his work is a good start so far... but I'm gonna figure out more. It'll be an interesting endeavor at any rate, no doubt... hahaha. Ok... I'm too tired to think anymore. Peace out!