Eight Things

I've been tagged by Laura!

Rules:
Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

One: When I eat cereal, I have to push all the cereal flakes under the milk before I eat them. It's a must. Not for any particular reason other than I've deemed it necessary.

Two: My plans for the future include having a pug, a dachsund, and a few kittens (one of which will be a purebred Maine Coon).

Three: I'm a fan of the short story. In fact, I'd rather read a collection of short stories than a novel.

Four: I knit on the Metro, but only when I'm able to sit by myself. I can't stand it when people stare or try to make conversation about it.

Five: I love a fresh pair of socks. It's probably one of the best things in the world.

Six: I'm an amateur photographer. I almost never have time to shoot anymore, but when I do...it's amazing, I swear.

Seven: I'm in love with Mat Pilates. It's the perfect exercise for me. I can't stand cardio. (Ew.)

Eight: I collect movie stubs. Religiously. I have some from 1996.

I do believe I will tag the following peoples: Becca, Kara, Rachel, Dotty, Carolyn, Margaux, and my two Secret Sock Pals (I'll inform them of their tagging later on...)

Jenn

Thank you Paula!

I finally was able to go get my Harvest Sock Swap package this morning.



My lovely pal was Paula. She sent me two bars of soap, stickers, the pretty pouch, mood stitch markers, the Autumn Leaves pattern, and of course, my Harvest sock (Loksins) and the rest of the hand-dyed sock yarn.



I can't wait to get started on my other Loksin. (After I finish all my swap socks...)

Thank you Paula!

Jen

Progress (finally.)

One finished Monkey sock for my pal. No fear. I've got two weeks to finish another one. If I didn't have school, or work, or the LSAT, I would've had these shipped out faster.



My Harvest Sock package has arrived! I haven't been able to pick it up yet though. (sigh) I will tomorrow. And I will share some loverly pictures of my new sock and goodies. I can't wait!

I love swap. When I'm finished with school, I'm going to do a million of them. Haha.

Jenn

Socktoberfest

There are so many 'fests in October. Oktoberfest, Tocktoberfest, and of course, Socktoberfest.

I have really been celebrating socks so much as spending all my time on socks. I'm attempting to finished up the Monkey Sock Swap. I'm almost done with Sock #1 and will knit Sock #2 as fast as I can. Right now, it's being worked on the DC Metro system and when I have time inbetween classes.

I'm also preparing for the Harvest Sock Swap. I received my pal awhile ago, and when in NC this past weekend, I found the perfect sock yarn. It's Cherry Tree Hill is colorway Cabin Fever.





Perfect for fall socks. And I've gotten one goodie for my pal so far.

By the way, my pal just let me know she's already sending my package. How lazy do I feel??? My pal won't get hers until Nov. but thank god, I only have to knit one sock, so it should be early November.

It's a cool windy day here in DC and I'm wearing my first Monkeys. I'm looking forward to knitting myself a pair of socks soon...which isn't too far off. The way the Harvest Sock Swap works, I'll receive one finished sock, a pattern, and the rest of the yarn. I'm pretty darn excited.

Once my LSAT course is over, and school is winding down, I'm just going to spend a few days knitting like mad. Maybe I'll even finish Glee, aka the Forever and a Day sweater.

Let's hope so.

Jenn

Packing the Alpaca

I'm feeling a bit pressured. In academia. And in knitting too.

I've got a lot of work due in the next two months and I have so many items I want to knit. There's a paper due on Monday, two short stories to write, and the Monkey socks to finish. And honestly, no time. I'm feeling a bit worn out. But just 7 more weeks and I'm going home to NC this weekend. Taking a breather before plunging myself back into life.

I did find myself having a couple hours today to work on the Twinkle Hoodie. I haven't posted about it because it's one of those projects that you aren't quite sure how'll turn out. But it's been coming along very well. It's just ugly to photograph in all WIP stages. (One of my roommates asked what I was making in the beginning. She couldn't figure it out. Haha.) But now...now, it's almost finished. I only need to finished the front edge ribbing and weave in the ends. Oh, and find some huge buttons.

I've got a nice long train ride home tomorrow and I'm going to make the most of it. The hoodie is coming with me (hence the title since it's 50% alpaca), finished or unfinished, simply so I might have something warm to wear on the cold train. And so I can compare the buttons I find to see if they match. I'll finish and block it while I'm home. And wear it back on the train. Good plan, yes?

Monkey socks are going to need to be worked on this weekend as well. Might just sit with the TV and my cat at my mom's house and knit away.

Hopefully, I can relax and still manage to get work done.

Jenn

C.H.O.K.E. strikes again...

I had never really thought my roommate could be a C.H.O.K.E. (Cultural Humiliation of Knitters Everywhere) operative. My roommate would, for the most part, ignore my knitting. Occasionally she would ask a question, seemingly interested in what I was doing. I had never heard a negative word about knitting out of her mouth...until last night.

I'm having a bit of trouble writing down exactly what she said. Not because I don't remember it, but because I remember it all too well. And it's shocking. You might want to have a seat.

Here is the following selection of our conversation gone awry:

Roommate: I'm going to go have a cigarette and then go straight to bed.
Me: (In reference to smoking) Shame, shame.
Roommate: Well, at least I'm not doing anything as boring and antisocial as knitting.

Let's just have a pause, shall we? Because I think we all need a moment to gasp and quite a few moments to understand the full remark. I am not surprised that a CHOKE operative called knitting "boring" and "antisocial." These are their normal tactics. But they have, with my roommate's help, reached a new low. She actually compared knitting to smoking and reached the conclusion that smoking is a better activity. (Time for another pause. Remember to breathe.)

Knitting is a less attractive activity than smoking? For a second, we'll put aside that the facts that knitting is more productive, knitting isn't chemically addictive, knitting doesn't leave a terrible smell in your hair or clothes, and knitting isn't banned in all Washington, DC bars and restaurants. Instead, I'm going to focus on the fact that I've yet to hear of the negative health affects of knitting. No one has ever coughed up phlegm because of knitting. No one has ever gotten cancer from knitting. No one has ever DIED from knitting.

And while I told my roommate that I have more friends because I knit, that I enjoy being productive, that it's relaxing, and moreover that it won't eventually cause my death...She ignored all of this and accused me of spending my time "making sweaters and socks."

Which personally, I'm not sure that's a bad thing. And I would definitely be happier knitting until I'm eighty, instead of dying at sixty or younger of lung cancer.

But maybe that's just me.

Jenn

Monkey Goodness

It's good to be spoiled...The package from my Monkey Swap Pal arrived today and just look at all my goodies!

First of all, the package was just a cute as can be with all the Cheeky Monkey wrapping paper.






And here are my gifts!









There are two very cool notebooks, a cute little stuffed monkey holding so gorgeous stitch markers, a t-shirt to sleep in, a money pouch with a fat monkey (love fat animals, you know), the German Stocking pattern, the most beautiful yarn I've ever seen, and a "learn to spin" kit.



And, of course, my Monkey socks, which fit perfectly.





Thank you, Dotty!

Jenn