There are too many runners

My morning commute takes me alone the southern edge of Central Park, which is currently being prepared for the New York City Marathon. That means that all of the people that have traveled around the world to race on Sunday are preparing today and mowing down pedestrians that actually use the city streets for transportation purposes. All I wanted to do was to hind a safe haven in my office away from strange creatures that think running 26 miles is a hoot. All that exercise is making me twitchy.

Okay, I think I got that out of my system. Well, probably not, but whatever.

Last night I got the entire front of the pink monkey backpack finished, as well as half of the gusset for the bunny. I decided to go with the off white of the bunny's face just to bring the colors together. As I finished the money, I realized that he looks like an albino. I, again, chose the off white for the face, bordered by a rust color. But the monkey has another color around the edge, which I decided should be peach. well, let's just say that the monkey could use a little time with some UV rays. It's still cute, just a little pale.

Okay, I am down to 16 hours before I have to start writing like a crazed fool. That's right, midnight is the kickoff for my trip into insanity. I mean my next trip into insanity. If I get a little side tracked when I post and go on for a couple of pages, forgive me. I hope to get into a groove as sson as I can. I will do this. You may ask,"Marney, what will you be writing this year?" Well, I still don't know. At this point, I am open to ideas and suggestions. I have been reading some of the forums for NaNo only to find that it may be important and possibly necessary to include the following in my novel:

• Ninjas


• Godzilla


• Aliens


• Dream sequences


• Ninjas


• Fantasy worlds


• Anything that drones on for pages without having anything to do with anything


• And did I mention Ninjas?

I am going to end this post with a weblink that is sure to send me straight to hell for posting. Well, at least I know that upfront. Enjoy!

http://www.jesusoftheweek.com/

It Should be Friday Today

I have had to spend all morning convincing myself that today is actually Thursday. It really doesn't feel like a Thursday. It has much more of a Friday vibe. Maybe that's because tomorrow is Halloween. It's not like I have plans for the big event this year, it has just gotten my whole week out of whack. I'm debating about getting a mask or something to wear at the office. Nothing major, no blood (like last year), I'll wait until I've been here for longer than 3 weeks to spring anything like that on them.

Well, last night, I found myself at a fundraiser for the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich at the Harvard Club. One of my co-workers strolled in my office at about 4:00 and asked if I was busy at 5:30. Nothing like planning ahead for these things. Apparently, my company put this event on for the governor without letting us know about it. Instead of facing a small gathering and poor showing, the troops were rallied (all 11 of us that were in town and available).

So, the governor spoke for a bit about his past, his credentials and even his comments about the Chicago Cubs fan that caught the controversial ball in Game 6 against the Marlins. In the end, I came to the conclusion that I like the governor of Illinois better than I like the governor of New York. (Well, come to think of it, George Pataki doesn't make it high on the list of people that I would vote for or even give the time of day to.) As it was said at least twice last night, I think Governor Rod Blagojevich may be going places. Keep your eyes out for him.

Enough about politics. I have progress to report on the backpack extravaganza. I finished the front last night and the back this morning. I had about a yard left over from the skein of purple yarn that I found. That means I have to do the straps and the gusset in a different color. I have quite a few options, but I think I will narrow them down to either the off-white that I used for the face of the bunny or pink which is not used anywhere else thus far. Either one would get dirty pretty easily so that shouldn't be an issue. I'll take a good look at these colors when I get home tonight. The front of the second back pack is already on needles. If things go well, I should have many of the pieces finished by the end of the weekend.

Cardigan Completion

I finished the cardigan for my niece last night. I think it came out really cute. I was trying to figure out buttons for it, but of course, I have no buttons in my vast collection that even come close to that dusty rose color, especially not 6 large buttons. So, I imporvised. As it is for a 6-year-old, I thought I could have some fun with it. I found 2 yellow, 2 purple and 2 pearly-icy-pale bluish white buttons in the same size and style. I alternated them down the front and voila! my masterpiece is finished. I suppose I could do embroidery on the collar to go with the buttons, but I am not sure that I really want that. I think I'll leave it as is.

I also started my backpack extraveganza last night. I think I will have to make the straps and gusset a different color for the purple backpack. I don't think I have enough of the purple yarn that I found in my stash. I did find plenty of pink for the other bag. Maybe I'll do the straps and gusset in one of my many shades of pink. That should work out well.

What a Weekend

All that is left on the "World Series Cardigan" is the collar, the buttons and the edging. I finished sewing up the pieces this morning. I think it may be a bit big for my niece, but a) she will be able to grow into it, and b) she can wear it over other clothes. I'll probably have it all finished by tonight.

I started making back packs for my nieces for Christmas, a la the one I made for the Stitch 'N Bitch book. I have so much yarn in my stash that is about the right gauge for these bags, and would be machine washable, that I can't justify going out to buy more yarn for these bags. I'm not sure if I will be able to finish them in time. I guess we'll find out, now won't we.

The poker game on Saturday night was a lot of fun. I think by winning again this week, I proved that my previous win (that would be singular) was not entirely a fluke. I think I am figuing out this game. Well, mostly I do well playing "Omaha High-Low." I think I like having more options with cards. By having 4 cards in your hand and 5 on the table, there are many more ways to make up that 5 card hand. I really didn't have much of a taste for 7 Card Stud, which was dropped after the first round. Such the gambler, I am!

Not much else to report. I better get back to my editing duties.

NANOWRIMO

Well, it is almost that time of year again. I am pondering giving it another whirl. I don't think I will continue on with the project that I started last year, if I do write again.

Let's see, should I try to write?

• No travel planned (except for Thanksgiving to Connecticut)


• Much less demanding job - as far as hours go


• I really want to get back into writing again - I have been saying that for a long time


• I like to have relatively unattainable goals - which I seem to be lacking these days


• I could write in the theatre while I'm working - a great source of creative inspiration


• I have nothing in mind to write about

So where does that leave me?




I'm such a sucker!

Mail Call

Yesterday was an exciting mail day for me. Not only did I get my highly anticipated bank card (it's about &%#@& time!), but I got a package with a complimentary copy of Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook and the bunny backpack that I made for it. Oh, what a happy day it was for me! The first thing I did was load up my current WIP into the backpack, as well as the new book.

I am going to go out on a limb here and sing the praises of Debbie Stoller's book. Not only does it have fun, unique patterns (bikinis, matching sweater/dog sweater sets, hip tanks and sweaters, socks to make the Pippi Longstocking in all of us proud, and so on), but the instructions are clear and updated for the hip knitters of today. Take the old rhyme for learning to knit, revisited: Go in the front door/ and grab your scarf/ then take it outside/ before the cat barfs. She has also included a bit of her own history in knitting to make the jouney, the lesson and the connections a bit more personal. Go out and buy this book! Well, don't forget to marvel at the bunny backpack, either.

Today, as I was walking out of my apartment for work, I realized what a knitting junkie I truly am. I am wearing my graduated rib sweater (no photo),
with my hat (well, the black one, really),
and my scarf,
with my bunny backpack (this is one of the "making of" photos that I sent to Debbie - I still am camera-less after my purse incident in New Orleans).

Anyway, today I am meeting Meg for a knitting kunch. I will be working on the "World Series Cardigan." As the game did not go into overtime last night, I only got up to the shaping of the armholes. No game tonight so we'll see how it works for knitting. Tomorrow night, I will be playing poker during the game (don't think the game will not be on for that game) so I think the cardigan will have to miss Game 6.

Baseball and Papa

I have started calling this cardigan my ""World Series Cardigan" as I was working on it until the game was over last night, all 12 innings. In the Ninth Inning, as the game was tied, I had the back finished and started the front pieces in the extra innings. Now, please keep in mind that I really have very little desire to know the outcome of most sporting events. In fact, I am usually content to ignore their existance. But since I am rather close to a Yankee fan, I find that my tolerance level for the game has changed. Well, at least I am being productive about it.

I heard yesterday that my grandfather, Papa, was put in the hospital and diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We already knew that he was struggling with Diabetes as well as general failing health, with spells of disorientation, loss of memory, and other rather scary symptoms. So, needless to say, I was not entirely together yesterday. But the news I got from my mom today is that the doctors are able to adjust his medication and he is doing much better.

Moer Projects

Last night I was pondering the Country Rose Red Heart TLC that Nana gave me when I was in town. It is rather pretty and soft. I thought it might make a nice sweater, perhaps a cardigan. So I rustled through my pattern book and came across my Vogue Knitting: Vintage Knits and decided to make the cardigan on the cover, which I had been eyeing for some time. Well, the pattern is for a child's sweater. Then I thought, that is even better, because I wouldn't have to worry about the pink sweater/orange hair combination. Then I realized that my youngest niece will be turning 6 in November. So another project is born. To beat that, it is small so it should go pretty quickly. I need to have a a bit of instant gratification with my projects. 2 blankets and an aran sweater don't really give me much of a sense of completion.

Right now, the back is about 1/3 finished. I have also decided not to do the embroidery on the collar. I wasn't really sold on it. It should be able to stand without the flowers.

On an update of my errant bank card, I called my bank on Friday to find out where this card is and if I can get it ASAP, as I have been without it for 3 weeks tomorrow. Come to find out, they were waiting for me to send them a "pin card" for my new pin number, but they never told me that I needed to send them anything. I really lost it on the poor guy that answered my call. I know it wasn't his fault but I couldn't take it any more. After much screaming, I got them to send me my card (not expediciously as they don't do that with cards) without the pin card. Theoretically, I should see it sometime between tomorrow and Monday. In the mean time, I swapped cash for a check for some money and have been working at the theatre for cash. I feel like I'm back in college.

Is it Monday already?

So here I am in my TOTALLY EMPTY office. I was under the impression that we were supposed to be in at 7:30 on Mondays due to a weekly staff meeting. Well, on my second week here, I arrive at about 7:35 (had to stop for a bagel) only to find taht there is NO ONE here! The good news is that I did get a key last week and can at least make it inside and on the computer for some much needed updating time.

If you have a chance to go to see Dave Attell and Lewis Black in their national tour, DO IT. It was such a fabulous night. They are absolutely hilarious. Okay, so they weren't the cleanest acts in the world, but when Lewis Black pointed out that all of our society's woes could be linked back to the perpetuation of the lie that Candy Corn actually tasting good, I was totally hooked. The "host" of the show was Mike Birbiglia who I had never seen before. But, he was much funnier than the opener guy, Mitch Hedberg. Well, you can't win then all.

In really exciting news, I went to get my eyes checked on Saturday. I figured that since I still have the eye insurance for the rest of this month that I have been paying toward all year, I might as well use it before that is no longer an option. I am merely waiting for these people to hand me a cane, a pencil cup and a dog. After dealing with horrible eyesight for the past 20 years, my eyes are still getting worse. How much worse can I go before they just tell me to give it up for good?

Ah, I hear stirring here in the office. I guess that means that I am no longer alone.

It's Friday

I have made it through a full week of the new job. I think it was a good move. I guess I'll come back next week.

I suppose that I should do a little knitting update. It has been way too long since I have done that. Okay, here goes.

Right now, I have my aran sweater still on needles. I am about 1/2 way through the back (the front is finished). I haven't really spent a whole lot of time on it as it takes much more concentration than I have had for a while. I am thinking that soon it will back in the regular loop of projects.

I have the yarn fairy blanket 2.0 also on needles. About two months ago, I tore it all out because it was going to be too wide for the amount of yarn that I have. Now I am on the 4th pattern repeat section. That makes it about 18 inches or so long. This oen takes less thought, but it isn't mindless knitting.

The chenille blanket for Nolan is total mindless knitting. The problem with that one is I am trying to only work on it at his place (no kitty fur to attatch to the chenille) and I haven't taken it over there yet. Well, I wanted to use it as my plane project, which is what I did until I forgot to include the extra ball of yarn on the last flight and I couldn't go any further.

Lastly, I think my next big and rather urgent project is to find a way to house the massive quantities of yarn that I have accumulated this year from the liquidation of Nana's stash and the yard sale boons. My cozy little studio is currently overrun with balls of yarn that Nekko, Koshka and George like to unravel, unroll and play with while I am gone. The shopping bags are really not cutting it.

Well, that brings me up to date with the fiber World According to Marney.

In other news, I am still recovering from my purse snatching 2 weeks ago. My mailbox and garbage keys arrived on Wednesday night. Let me tell you, between the stinkiness of the garbage and the mounds of accumulated mail, I was very relieved to see my Super at my door. I got my cell phone last night (same phone number!!!!) amd it is working just fine. Still no Bank Card (which makes getting any of my money a little challenging). That is really all that is left. I have my driver's license (at least the temporary one until the envelope from Mom comes in the mail) and my new Library Card (which cost me $1.00 to replace!!!) as well as one of my numerous drugstore discount cards.

Tomorrow night, Nolan and I are going to see Dave Attell and Lewis Black. I can't wait! We have been planning this adventure for about a month now. For me, that is a scheduling eternity. For all of you out there that have tried to set up time to meet with me, you know that I rarely know what I am doing anytime in the near future, let alone months in advance, unless it's for work or a major function, like a Pagan Lesbian Wedding.

Getting Back into the Swing

I have been back in NYC for 3 days now and I still feel like I am never home. I started my new job on Monday. Everything seems to be going very well. The people here are very nice.

You may be asking, "Well, Marney, what is it that you are doing these days?" Well, a lot of my job has to do with editing and e-publishing investment analyses. There are other things that I do, but that is the big one. Right now, I am hoping to get 2 or 3 of them out today. My main role is to "coordinate" and "facilitate" the analysts to make sure that all deadlines are met. It may not be rocket science, but it seems to work for me.

In other news, I am still up to my old tricks. I made it to a new Broadway show on Monday night. It was The Retreat from Moscow with Eileen Atkins, John Lithgow, and Ben Chaplin. It was a beautifully constructed piece about the very hairy divorce of a British couple that had been together for over 30 years. For the most part, I really enjoyed this play. There were a few things that needed to be fleshed out a bit more, like the character of Jamie, the son. He really didn't seem like much of a person. Oh well.

Tonight, I am looking forward to a quiet evening at home with my kitties. They are starting to wonder if they need to find a new roommate since I am never around. Maybe I'll have a chance to do some updating on this rather neglected blog this week.

I'm still here

I think I have just about reached my limit on traveling. I landed in the Portland, OR area on Monday. Keep in mind that this is only 2 days after I got back home from New Orleans. I feel like I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in about 3 months. I have to admit that all of this chaos is starting to wear on me. To make things more interesting, I have a very full week ahead of me with family and friends.

Yesterday, I took a 2 hour trip dwom to Eugene, OR for the rehearsal for the wedding that inspired this trip. Before I got there, I met a friend for lunch in Corvallis. I got to see her cutie little boy. He's about 15 months old and cute as a button.

After that brief moment of catching up, it was off to Spencer's Butte for the rehearsal. As I had never participated in a pagan wedding before, I figured it was a good idea that I pay attention. Especially when I got a speaking role. I got to be one of the "Quarters," namely North/Earth. After the detailed coaching, we all went to dinner at Pizza Research Institute for some pretty amazing pizza. I had never had pizza with corn on the cob before. It really was quite delicious.

Then came the two hour drive back to Mom & Dad's house. If I would have thought it through, I would have gotten a room in Eugene for the night, but no, silly me decides to make the trip down twice.

So I get back to the park this morning at about 11 AM for the casting of the circle. The weather was pretty beautiful for the ceremonies. We got a couple of hours of sun for the pictures, too.

I have to say, the ceremony was really beautiful. There was clearly a focus on nature and spirituality without taking things into a highly religious realm. Okay, so having to "cut a doorway" into the circle that was cast seemed pretty goofy, but if that's what they want, I will be happy to go along with it. Also, I have never had to hold a bowl of dirt at a wedding before. (It goes back to the earth thing.)

The reception was back at the couple's "house." Well, actually the house on the lot that they park their winnebago. As I got there, a tarp was being stretched along the back yard. This was also about the time that the rain started coming down and the wind started really blowing. After a few quick thinking wedding party members got things rolling, the tarp (torn twice by the billowing gales) was pitched for the carport.

I have pictures of the circle casting, the sunlight picture taking time and a little of the reception yard, until the battery in the camera died. I struck a deal with another of the bride's maids (ironically who also works at Hairspray and is dating someone I worked with on a past show) to swap pictures.

Well, that's all I can go on about right now. I'll try to post some photos soon and tell you abount the 6 (although I was promised 7) wedding cakes.

On the Bayou

Here I am in New Orleans. Things are going well, sort of. I am enjoying the wackiness stuff that goes on here. The food is good, well, at least the small amount that I can eat. Last night I went to the only vegetarian restaurant in all of New Orleans. Go ahead, tell me how crazy I am. I am just tires of grilled vegetables or bland pasta. There is more to not eating meat than just serving side dishes.

The worst part of this trip happened last night, my purse was stolen last night while I was dancing like a crazed maniac. It is not as bad as it could be. I only had 2 ATM cards (cancelled right away), my Corporate Discover Card (nobody takes Discover anyway), about $7 in cash, my camera (not happy about that one), my house keys (not happy about that one, either), my cell phone, the phone I was using for my meeting and about a million of the drugstore discount cards.

So, here I am in New Orleans with no access to my money or credit cards. It's a good thing that this is all expense paid.

The best part of this trip was having Nolan visit for a couple of days. It was almost like a vacation for a couple of days. Gotta love that.