I Think I Won the War

Ha ha Pablo, I won the war.

Lookie at the Twitter thingie! You should do it too cuz it makes it quick and easy to blog a quick thought. Yaaaay!

Yesterday I was in class and it was so boring that my nose began to bleed.

TRUE STORY!

My Next Quilt

Did I mention I've started quilting? Yeah, I'm taking a quilting class this quarter. It is totally hardcore and awesome. I LOVE IT. I just finished my first project (almost), a wall hanging (picture to come because I suck). The project is supposed to be a bigger, more ambitious design. I like trees. So my next project will be 66 x 42 and it will be amazing. Dig:

I'd Be Pissed Too

I guess Johnny Cash was pretty pissed one of the BeeGees bought his house

Overheard:

At Wegmen's:

Little Boy: "Mommy! Mommy! Look! Fruitloops!"
Mom: "I don't believe in Fruitloops."

Well that settles it.

Me: "Why have you been so grouchy lately?"
Erin: "I'm going through menopause."

I Wish I Had A Fat, Lazy Hamster

I love my hamster Pablo dearly.
But. BUT.
I found out he is the devil. Case in point:

He chewed through his cage. And escaped. The 12 hours he was on the loose were the scariest of my life. I looked high and low for him but alas he was no where to be found. Now I know that when an escaped hamster doesn't want to be found, he will not be found. Remembering that Pablo is a creature of the night (Ha! A sure sign of the devil!) I waited untill that evening to continue my search. I had grand plans of setting a trap and catching him that way but sometimes, beer and drunkenness get in the way.
I laid myself down to sleep that night and was awoken at a rude hour by the sound of scratching. I knew it had to be Pablo. I turned on the light and there he was! I cornered him by the door and attempted to pick him up. He hissed at me and tried to bite my hand off with his mutant teeth. HE HISSED AT ME. Up untill that point, I thought hamsters were silent creatures. Did I mention he hissed at me? Pablo wriggled out of my grasp and ran away into the depths of my room. Note to self: the next time your hamster is on the loose, it would help to have a clean room. Pablo thought he could escape by disappearing into my closet. What he didn't count on was the power of hunger. He was lured out eventually with food and returned safely to his cage.
But! The story is not over!
Sunday I found myself asleep over my Medical Terminology textbook as usual. Waking up around 1AM (apparently the witching hour for hamsters) I decided it would be a good idea to take out my contacts. Opening the door of my bedroom, I discovered a horrible sight: Pablo had chewed through the duct tape I'd put over the hole as a temporary fix and was about to escape again. Thank goodness for boring Med Term books.
Evidence:

The rest of the story is too harrowing to recount. I really wish I had a car. I need to go to Walmart to return the flimsy replacement cage I bought and buy a fish tank. BECAUSE HAMSTERS CAN'T CHEW THROUGH GLASS. At least, I hope they can't.
Right now Pablo is being punished by having to live in the tiny auxilary cage. He made sure to let me know how he feels about it though, by peeing on the wall.
The battle continues.

Dear Modest Mouse,
I woke up at 7:20AM this morning and downloaded your new album from iTunes.
Thank you for rocking so hard.
Love,
Mary

Dear Roommate,
I don't care how hyper being out in the cold makes you, I just want you to shut the hell up.
Love,
Mary

Good Things

Hey! Its 2AM and I can't sleep. Forgot to take my little friend, Ambien. So what does one do? Blog of course! Here are some good things that have been happening lately (cuz focusing on the positive makes me sleepy):

-Working my ass off all quarter + getting good grades = Dean's List! (And I thought I would never understand math!)
-Father-daughter dinner dates
-Egg cups!
-40% off coupons for awesome fabric
-On sale fabric
-Finding out that buying fabric is just as much of an addiction as buying yarn...priceless
-Knit Picks circular needles!
-Watching little neighbors grow up...little Miss Asia is nine years old now and quite the little character. I remember when she was four. She is one of the best parts about visiting home.
-Seeing friendly friends you haven't seen in a looooong ass time.
-Talking to Daddy and figuring out that everything is going to be ok.

Something not so good? Going home and catching the bad cold your mother has. At least I think I have it. Its only in the sore throat stage at the moment - lets hope it stays that way.

What Has Been Going On

It is finals week here at RIT and that means that I finally get some breathing room to write something substantial on this here blog. So here goes...

My father lost his job.

This could not come at a more inconvient nor worse time. My father had been having problems at work for quite some time but my parents kept the true gravity of the issues he was dealing from my brother and I, so we had no idea about what was actually going on. Basically, my father ran a branch of a bank based in Western Wisconsin. He came to the job with a lot of experience, knowledge and business connections. And smarts. Lots of smarts. His bosses turned out to be narrow minded and couldn't handle the fact that he was smarter than them. (This is how the situation was explained to me). So they looked for an excuse to get rid of my father. My dad's expertise is in coporate finance and loans, and after one loan went bad (which was not his fault) he was told that if he made another mistake he would be fired. So time goes by. A family friend comes to my father for a loan. This was a man my father thought he could trust. A man whose work as a contractor had seen our family through remodels and minor repairs. This man did not hold up his end of the deal and my father was held responsible. So, instead of being fired, my father quit.

This is what hurts my heart: my father is 60 years old. He was 1.5 years away from retirement. Now he has to start over again. My father's plans for his retirement included teaching at the University but that job isn't open to him untill he is 62 and fully retired. While severance pay and benefits are going to last my parents untill August, I hate to see them have to go through this level of stress. They keep telling me that it is going to be ok and everything is going to work out. But I can't stop from worrying anyway. That they have to put into motion their plans for retirement sooner than they expected. It hurts.

I am so angry at the men who did this. My father is a good, honest man and he didn't deserve this. I cannot be so far away from my parents and not know what is going on. This is truly unfair to them, to people that did nothing to have this burden put upon them.

Overheard

As I was walking down the hall on the 3rd floor in Building 7...

Guy on cell phone: "Yeah? Are you getting really big?"

I would not lie to you.

A little Belated

I should've posted this on the actual day but....better late than never

Thoughts Whilst In the Lab

- In the spirit of Erin's recent post (I can't link directly to it for some reason) about the name of her first-born female child, I would also like to share with you the names I hope to name my hypothetical children.
For a boy: Ampersand. Only I would spell it "&"
For a girl: Tilde. I would spell it " ~ ".

-Being here for so long kinda makes me want to barf.

-And that's all for now cuz Katie is giving me a ride home.

Tonight is Wine and Cheese! Yay! The one party that Biomed kids most look forward to!

Um yup. Ever since Erin said that I write about stuff that I tell her in real life, I've been really self conscious about what I write on my blog. Soulmate or not I shake my fist at her! Btw, she has her own blogaliciousness now. Way to go. Maybe she will stalk herself?

In other news, apparently I recieved a notice stating that I am being considered for jury duty. Jury duty in Eau Claire, WI. I have to fill out and send back in a questionnaire and send it in within 10 days OMG!!!!!! I can't wait to have fun with this. I obviously can't serve (um? higher education in NY state? makes commuting difficult) but this is exciting! I wonder what the case is about? Is it juicey? It better be!

Reporting from the Other Side

I have healed myself through the powers of sleep, a cool air humidifier, powerful decongestant and Grey's Anatomy. Take that silly head cold!

You will be happy to know that this young gentleman of whom I spoke of in my last post has since been fired from his position in the Biomed Lab.


YES

Where the urge to kill comes from

This is where the urge to kill comes from: it comes from sitting in the biomed lab, doing unpaid work, waiting for the person who was supposed to show up at 6 to come in. This is the second week in a row that he hasn't shown. This kid is AWESOME. Last week when this happened, I said, "Hey dude what was up with not showing up for your shift?" and the kid said, "I forgot I worked on Tuesdays." But you showed up the week before? It's tough to do your job and be responsible, I know. But lots of people manage to do it everyday and somehow we are all still alive. It's crazy, isn't it? It's things like this that makes my blood surge with the burning of a thousand suns, my eyeballs bulge out of their sockets and my biceps grow to the size of The Man Who's Arm Exploded arms and I feel like I can rip someone's head off their neck-hole without breaking a sweat. It isn't so much anger, this feeling, I believe it is the urge to murder another human being.

And another thing! Next quarter, I want to take classes that don't involve writing at all. I am tired of it. No papers or detailed content outlines or elaborate project proposals. Only Wine Tasting and reading stuff for me.

Part 1 of Some Open Letters

Dear Isaiah Washington,

I love your character on Grey's Anatomy. However, I have a slight beef with you. WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT YOUR YAPPER? The more you open your mouth, the deeper and deeper your foot goes into your esophagus. Shut up, would ya?

Kisses!

Mary

(See here)

Some Good Things:

-I can smell the new Harry Potter book coming. Write JK Rowling! Write like the wind!
-New Modest Mouse album. When? I dunno. The happy email I got said, "Soon." Please don't toy with my emotions like that. All I do is love you Modest Mouse.
-Cabling? With the knitting and stuff? Count me in! I am teaching myself, yessireee.

PS I need to see This Sporting Life with Richard Harris. In fact, all ruggers do. Apparently the man does some serious battle on the pitch. I would too if it got me out of the coal mines. Alas, the movie seems to be unavailable everywhere. I'm gonna wish on a star real hard!

I think that should do it.

When I grow up, I'm gonna get me a sturdy litttle dog. Like a Boston Terrier or a pug or bulldog. I'm gonna dress him in rugby jerseys and name him Scrummie. When I grow up.

My Triumphant Return

I was walking back from Crossroads yesterday when I noticed a huge flock of tiny birds that were moving and undulating and circling my apartment building as if they were a school of fish swimming in the ocean. They all alit on the grass by the parking lot but soon found themselves circling the air in waves again. It was mesmerizing to watch.

I feel like I have no free time. I have class and lots of work. The only time I really have to myself is at night but by that time I feel like I'm going to collapse. I gotta do the stuff that gives you the energy. You know, the crack.

This year finds me eagerly anticipating Christmas. I reveled in the putting up of decorations and driving around looking at houses that were all decked out. I'm really excited to give the gifts I've bought for my loved ones. I love thinking up gifts to give people and then giving them and knowing that what I got them was exactly what they wanted.

Short enough entry for you Erin?

Day 30: The Last Hurrah

Can you believe that this is the last day of NaBloPoMo? I can't but here it is. Wow. I did it. I'm so proud of me. While I'll be in a bit of a blog-hibernation, I definately think I will be updating this here blog more often than I used to. I think writing is really theraputic for me, even if no one reads this.

BUT I HAVE YARN PORN


Mmm Koigu. I think I'm in love.

I'm having trouble focusing. This is bad. This is a problem. It is all my father's fault. You see, my Dad had horrible eyesight. He wore Coke bottle bottom glasses essentially and I can always remember him saying when I was little, "I'm going upstairs to take out my eyes." (Daddy code for contact lenses) He was nearsighted with astigmatism. Then, in the early days of laser eye surgery, he had the procedure done. He could see again without glasses or contacts. Sadly, he passed the genes on to his children. I seemed to have gotten the best genes (My mutant teeth? Courtesy of my Dad). I've found lately that I can't tell if something is in focus when I'm looking through the viewfind in my camera. Its the stupid astigmatism giving me problems. Sigh. But! Look at the delicious yarn! Yum!

This is the sock that I've been working on for the boy. It's a pretty cool slip stitch pattern. Tonight I made the heel flap. Tomorrow the heel turning shall commence. I like turning the heels of socks a lot. I think its kind of magical. I go back and forth and back and forth and when I'm done, its this nifty little heel that I made by doing hardly anything special.

Day 29: I see the end

Baby's first Koigu. The picture kind of sucks a lot. I'm gonna try again tomorrow. The sun couldn't decide if it wanted to come out or not. Of course it's my luck that after I finish taking the pictures that the sun begins to shine in all its glory.

I went to the Doc today and just unloaded a lot of what's been bothering me. My meds have stopped working. I try and restrain myself from talking about my struggles with depression on this blog. If you go way back in the archives, I am no-holds barred sharing everything but as the years have progressed, I've had to learn that I have to live with a disease and I've become more private about it. I don't really talk about my troubles with my RIT friends, even the boy doesn't know the whole story, and I like it that way. There are just so many emotions attached to what I've been through that in actuality make it the most difficult to talk about my battles. But back to the Doc. So I unloaded and felt a lot better and for the first time in a long time I feel like things are going to be ok. I'm going to find the right combo of meds to feel good and the world will be sunny again.

Tomorrow is the last day of NaBloPoMo. Wowie. I'm really proud of me that I managed to post the whole month, through finals, wisdom teeth extraction, excrutiating pain. I'm really just awesome.

Day 28: Adventures

Today my mother and I drove to Minneapolis to yarn shop hop and visit all the pretty new architecture. I've been pretty excited to do this since before break, as I a) love Minneapolis and b) love hanging out with my mom. BUT driving anywhere with my mom is always an...adventure. Today was no exception.

Since we go through St. Paul anyway we decided to hit one of the fancy yarn shops in Maple Grove, the Yarnery. Damn this place is fancy. Every fiber imaginable, even buffalo! Buffalo! I know! Did you know bisson have really soft coats? I didn't untill today. (But guess how much 50 grams of buffalo yarn cost...$61! Yikes!) I am getting ahead of myself here. This place is a little out of the way and a lot of tricky to get to. My Mom, bless her soul, was having an off day, which means, because it was kinda humid out, her lungs were restricting the amount of oxygen that could get to her brain. Less oxygen to the brain means less brain function, less brain function means WE COULDN'T SEEM TO FIND GRAND AVENUE. Oh Mom. She babbled on about a shortcut someone had told her about after we missed the exit for the fifth time and had stopped to look at the map in a random creepy parking lot for the third time. I must give her credit though, had I been driving, I probably would've lost my shit and driven us into the Mississippi River. Finally, I turned on the navigation system and punched in the address. Huh, who knew the car could give you directions. Apparently, poor Darlene (what we named the voice lady on the GPS) had just been growing cobwebs all this time. I love Darlene for being completely unassuming and understanding. For always recalculating the route no matter how many times my Mom missed the turn had to circle around the block again. And again. My poor Mother felt so bad for wasting so much time fiddling around, trying to get to the silly Yarnery. Bless her.

So! To yarn! I had my first experience with Koigu. You know, the Premium Painter's Palette stuff. It's like cocaine for knitters. What I'm trying to say is that I went to worship at the alter of Koigu and I am converted. I got me some. It is beautiful. I cannot stop looking at it. Pictures to come. I also picked up a pattern for a pretty nifty Entrelac hat. Am I obsessed with that technique much? I think so. After the Yarnery, it was off to Depth of Field Yarn. While the Yarnery could be considered your luxury, hour long massage, chocolate cherry raspeberry creamy yum yum yarn shop, Depth of Field is your bread and butter, every day is my birthday, you are my soulmate yarn shop. They stock all the basics with a kick ass sale loft. Picked up 2 skeins Plymoth Sockotta and another set of size 1 needles. Bored yet?

Minneapolis has seen a bit of an architecture boom recently. Four new buildings have gone up, all designed by world-renowned architects. There's the Guthrie Theater designed by Jean Nouvel, the Walker Arts Center designed by Herzog and de Meuron, the Minneapolis Public Library designed by Cesar Pelli and the Minneapolis Institute of Art designed by Michael Graves. I was really looking forward to seeing any of these buildings. But because of all the time spent trying to get to Grand Ave, we only had time for the Walker. Nonetheless, it is awesome. I don't understand why traffic doesn't stop constanly on Hennepin, as driver's stare in awe at this feat of design. Such eye candy. I wanted to take pictures. Really I did. BUT MY FUCKING JAW WAS KILLING ME. Stupid me brought along no Advil. Stupid, stupid. It was dark too and the busy traffic scared me and there was no place to park and did I mention my jaw hurt? I'll be home again in three weeks and then we'll try to have a grand architecture tour.

I think that's enough for one day.

Day 27: I can see the end and it is beautiful

A long time ago I wrote an open letter to Rene Zellweger. In it I expressed certain issues that had been bothering me, namely her penchant for a tooth pick like physique. It is in that spirit that I present the second of my open letters - that to the lovely doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital.

Dear Doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital (ahem Grey's Anatomy),

You guys need Zoloft. I know Seattle is a dreary place and some people have that seasonal affective disorder, but seriously, cheer up. If I was to ever visit Seattle and get into a horrible freak accident and end up at your hospital I don't think I'd want any of you operating on me. Sorry, but its true. You see, I am of a school of thought that scalples and sexual tension do not mix, much like vinegar and vomit.

Even so I find myself captivated every week and would like to know why. I find you all incredibly whiney and yet I cannot stop watching. Your soap opera OR lives reminds me of ER back in the good days before Uncle Jesse (Seriously, wtf? He is a close second to people I don't want treating me in a medical emergency.) joined the cast and George Clooney was still rocking it, being a man-slut pediatrician. In fact, I think Dr. Ross left Chicago to go to Seattle. (!!!) I digress. Remember on ER, when it was Nurse Hathaway and Dr. Ross and will they or won't they and Dr. Carter will he ever get some loving. So I guess you all have that going you.

And Meredith Grey! Remember that time when you swore off the sex and decided to take up knitting? How goofy was that! I have to say that bothered me a little bit. You were doing it wrong. You don't knit a sweater that way. Na uh. Not that I have ever knit a sweater but I have seen one knitted in real life and it was kind of different from the way you knit it. But props to you for taking your knitting to a bar. That's how to rock it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that against my better judgment, I like you guys. Yeah I know. I want to barf too. Just send me somewhere else if I end up in your emergency room, ok?

Lots of Love,
Mary

Day 26: For reals!

Pain makes you do silly things, kids. For instance, yesterday I felt like I was a goat who got rejected by the other goats and swiftly kicked in the mouth. So I would have totally had an excuse to skip out on NaBloPoMo. But Mary doesn't quite stuff quite that easily. (Ok, sometimes I do. If it is a job bagging groceries or something.) Through the pain of wisdom teeth, I vowed to post on my blog. Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is beautiful! Anyway, on to other topics. I have a delightful story for you, cica 1992. This time I took pictures!


Oh yes, here we go. I think this was the first book I "published." To properly introduce myself to my adoring readers, I needed to let everyone know all about me.

Um...the cover page. Early graphic design work going on here. I see some promise.

I get right to the point.

Age seven. Old enough to have experienced so much of the world. And what the hell am I? Some kind of triangle person with T-Rex arms and crazy hair? Self image obviously needed improvement.

I was pretty enamored with my cat. She was a mere kitten as of that writing and although I was afraid of her at first, I grew to love her dearly. Don't laugh at me about being afraid of kittens. That drawing is totally true to life too.

That's kind of weird. Thanks for sharing.

I guess I was hoping to find some people to share in my fetish. Sadly, no takers.

Again! I mention the age! The cat! The brother who denied my existence!

Oh man I will have to dig up some other gems for you before this whole NaBloPoMo thing is over. Sweet!

Day 26

I still feel like I got kicked in the teeth by a goat.

Whyfore?

Day 24: Blast from the Past

So remember when I wanted to post snippets from my old journals but hesitated to because of illegible handwriting and/or anger? I have a solution! I used to be a very prolific short story writer when I was 7 and 8. We had this thing called Writer's Workshop that was all about learning and applying the writing process. We were encouraged to write and illustrate our own stories, go through an editing process, then "publish" our own books and share them with our classmates. I wrote many a book. So I have a treat for you. As it is now officially the holiday season, I give you: Merry Christmas by Mary M. (Sadly, I wish I had a scanner so I could scan in and show you my fabulous illustrations. I fear a simple photograph would not do them justice. Also this entry is very last minute.)

Merry Christmas by Mary M.

I like to build snowmen. It is hard work to build.

I like to go caroling. Do you love caroling?

I like Christmas. Decorating the tree is fun.

It is fun to cut snowflakes. That is fun.

So, how do you like the way I celebrate Christmas?

About the Author: Mary is seven. She likes to draw. She likes to read.

Eh? Not exactly Pulitzer Prize winning but a start. I think two sentances was quite enough at age seven to describe my feelings for the Christmas season. Sadly, those feelings would experience a metamorphosis of sorts over the coming years. But that is a story for another day. I'm still in a lot of pain here, folks. I really hope I don't have an infection. That would suck ass and really mess up my life. I still have a good supply of Vicodin so hopefully, I 'll pull through. Tomorrow, pictures I hope.

Day 23

What I am Thankful For:
- Vicodin
- Food that is soft
- Wonderful family and friends
- Grey's Anatomy
- Vicodin (I'm really really thankful for it)

Pain in my jaw. Ow ow. Cuddling with an icepack seems to help. I want this to stop. It got real old real fast. It would be nice to open my mouth like normal again.

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and ate well and such. I'm too stoned to write more. I like Vicodin.

Day 22

So I was going to post a snippet from one of my old journals as suggested in No One Cares What You Had For Lunch. However, I discovered something.

I was a really angsty teenager.

I was so angry! Where did all the anger come from? Oh my! If my 16 year old self could meet my 21 year old self, we would totally have a serious chat. I think I would just give myself a hug. I'm far enough away from high school that the memories have mostly faded. Three years into college and hey, high school wasn't so bad. It was bad. I don't think I'm far enough away from the person I was when I was in high to laugh about it yet. Maybe if I go back further into my journals....

Ah! Yes! My Babysitters Club journal. Man I was so excited about Babysitters Club back in the day. Ok, lets see. Shit. My writing? It is illegible! Wow. Was I trying to make sure no one would be able to read my journal? I was pretty successful. Then again, I was 10 years old. Who can write at 10?

Maybe I should just have a big bonfire and get rid of all the embarrassing stuff. Or I could put them all in a trunk and fill the trunk with concrete and throw the concrete filled trunk into the deepest, darkest part of the ocean. Ha! No one would find them then.

Day 21: No laughing

I will murder you if you laugh at me. Puffy cheeks are not attractive.

Day 20: Mshsshejk

Thoughts on wisdom teeth:
-I like Nitrous oxide.
-Weird that I got to listen to an iPod through the whole thing. It is interesting to hear Ani Difranco cover Dylan's "Hurricane" while some one is yanking things out of my mouth. But I didn't care because the gas, IT IS AWESOME.
-Post surgery? I WISH I COULD CHEW. I've only eaten applesauce today. I quite enjoy it but I wish I could eat something other than that and the soup part of chicken noodle soup.
-Vicodin. Mmmm.
-Hanging out on the couch all day? Also cool. That Big Lots commercial I keep seeing? Not as cool.
-It is a little disconcerting to take blood soaked gauze out of my mouth. I didn't know my mouth could bleed that much. Don't worry, I took pictures.
-And dude, I totally had the dental assistant save my teeth. Yessss.

Day 19: Home!

I'm home at last. I have been scheming all day, trying to figure out a delightful post for you. No dice. Home is great. My Mom was all excited for my arrival. My bro and his lady met me at the airport and transported me back to EC. (It's 90 from the Minneapolis airport to hoooome.) We get into the garage, park the car, and immediately the door that connects the house to the garage is opened. My Moms is standing there in her nightie, all atwitter. Dad was back there somewhere too, pajama clad and crabby he was awakened. But its not everyday your daughter comes home to visit from college. As far as I can tell, EC hasn't changed too much. But then again, I haven't been beyond the grocery store yet. My Mom and I went on a mission today to stock up for the Great Wisdom Teeth Removal. She is excited. What mother is excited for her child to have teeth ripped from her gums? MINE IS. We got yogurt, bananas, soup, and stuff to make smooties. Yes! The only downside to this whole affair is the missing of Thanksgiving dinner. I am lobbying for yams this year - a break from tradition for us - as they are another food that can be mashed up and consumed by someone who will be like a baby cutting new teeth. That all goes down tomorrow, bright and early in the morning. I got movies to watch too! Yippe! It'll be like being home sick except that I'll have gaping holes in my gums!

In other news, I survived Data Analysis and managed to score a B. Yay me! I'm so proud of me. I worked really really really hard and it paid off. Wowie zowie.

I want to photographically document my wisdom experience and we'll see what kind of entry comes out of the whole thing tomorrow.

Day 18

I went to the Public market this morning with Fuji and Kerry. I love the Public Market, especially the sense of community I get from it. Rochester is really just a city made up of a bunch of different little sections but everyone from all over comes to the Public Market. The Farmer's Market in EC recently got a make over. The city built covered stalls for the vendors to display their goods at. It's like the Public Market but on a much smaller scale.
Heading home today. Can't wait.

Day 17: Almost Home

This is one photo from yesterday. Probably one of my faves. The leaf came from a gorgeous tree that only in the last few weeks decided to change colors and shed its leaves. I love the light. Sunset light.
I'm still going through Maggie Mason's book. So I should have something lovely to write about tomorrow. For now, I am distracted by packing and other thoughts that are pulling at my mind. I love you all.

Day 16: Yessss

This picture is real. Today, Rochester rained all day. The rain stopped and the sky began to clear right at sunset. I glanced out the window and saw this amazingness. Of course I had to grab my camera and run outside.

It looked so surreal. Like a Dali painting or something I only dreamed about.

I am constantly looking out the window. My desk is situated next to the window in my bedroom. I can sit at my computer and just turn my head to see outside. The is of a parking lot and the rear of some of the academic buildings. But the sky is always beautiful to look at.

This is often the view at sunset between the apartment buildings and parking lots that I see when I head home from class. I always wish I had my camera with me to document it and today I did. Lucky shot.

Today started out kind of blah. But I don't think I want to talk about the blah reasons. These reasons are best kept to myself so I can put them behind me. However, the day perked up when I had lunch with Dan. Then I came back and checked the mail. Yess! No One Cares What You Had For Lunch was sitting in my mailbox. There was another surprise too! A postcard from my dear Miss Asia. I used to babysit for that kid. She was 4 when I started to sit for her and now she's 8. I feel old. The postcard is very cute, along with her writing that wavers over the card. I remember when I was learning to write and managing to write across a page in a straight line frustrated me to no end. I couldn't seem to master it. I stuck pages of lined paper underneath my clean, blank page to help me. I still can't really draw straight lines. But I don't let it bother me.
Tomorrow, a post from the book. Today I recommend things. Mary recommends: looking at the sky, listening to the This American Life podcast, sleeping in to the perfect time (I vote for 10AM. Not too late, but still not too early.)

Day 15: Meh

I finished all the work that needed to be done to end the quarter.
I kicked ass on my data anal final.
I'm tired.
What am I doing tomorrow? Writing an awesome post cuz I will for reals have gotten No One Cares What You Had for Lunch in the mail.

Day 14: Survivin'

Today was another long ass day of work. Have you ever tried to use iDVD? It is a bitchy bitch. For reals! I wish I had clever and snarky things to say about iDVD, but alas I don't. It was just very trying. It took me way longer than I planned on to do the stupid I had to do in iDVD and I didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted at the library. Its just as well. There was some girl talking on her cell phone at the study areas and I forgot my graphing calculator. Data Anal is hard to do without a grapher.
I wish I had something less mundane to write about. Tomorrow I should be getting No One Cares What You Had for Lunch. Then I can titillate you with all kinds of things.

So here are some things I've been enjoying reading (granted, its mostly knit blogs):
Yarn Bee
Yarnstorm
Knotty Bits

Christmas is comin'. I totally hope Santa brings me some of this. Too bad its all sold out right now. But enjoy looking at some damn fine yarn porn.

Day 13: How lucky! A Real Post

Hot Leg Warmers
Originally uploaded by tohellwithme.

Lookit! Another finished project! Yay me! These legwarmers literally flew off the needles, they were such a quick knit. Here are the specs:
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted
Needles: 10.5 dpns
Pattern: None really. Just 2 strands held together for a k2, p2 rib.

Miss Fuji requested leg warmers as she likes to rock the capris well into the chilly months. Because I love Fuji dearly, I obligied and whipped up a pair for her. Most of the time, when I knit for other people, I don't get anything in return but this time was different! Behold!

The Awesome Bag
Originally uploaded by tohellwithme.

Super awesome bag! A genuine Linny Lu original. I love this bag. The colors, the pattern, and the size are all perfect. I'm tickled that Fuji made me this in return. I lurve it.

So finals week is going ok, thus far. I spent a few hours at the library going Data Anal till my eyeballs fell out. Tomorrow won't be any different. I have my Personal Finance Management final - which isn't that important to me - and then the rest of the day to prepare for Data Anal. Plus some miscellaneous work to finish up. Sigh. Its almost over, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I know there were other exciting things I wanted to write about, I just can't think of them now. Boo. As far as knitting goes, I'm moving right along on a hat for one of my rookies. I've left the socks for Dan I was working by the wayside but will probably pick them back up again for the planeride home. I am intrigued by the Entrelac technique. There is a pattern for a ginormous stole/scarf thing in the Scarf Style book that I want to try. Here is a good example of Lady Eleanor, as the pattern is called. (PS that blog is really cute, you should look around while your there.) I think to introduce myself to Entrelac, I will first make a dishcloth using that technique. There is a pattern can be found here. But I must say, I love the way Entrelac looks and I can't wait to try it out. Huzzah! Hopefully more pictures and such tomorrow. I got some stories to tell.

Day 12: OMG!!! That was a close one!

Almost didn't make it! Shit! I've been so busy today - waking up all hung over, then fixing my AV project then cooking with Erin for the rugby dinner we had at our apartment then hanging out and working on data anal then THE BEARS GAME. Argggg. I keep sayin' I'll post something better the next day and today I was gonna do it but other stuff got in the way.

PS The Bears are awesome.

Day 11

Yo this NaBloPoMo thing stops for no one. I just realized that even though I am getting all sassy and classy, I still have to write a blog post.
In between studying for my data anal final, I went with Katie to the High Falls Film Festival to see a showing of What Remains, the documentary about Sally Mann. Sally Mann is one of my favorite photogs. Her work is fine art but even from a biomed photo perspective it is approachable and easy to understand. A lot of fine art work seems hostile to me because my eyes aren't especially trained to look at it the way I can look at a scientific picture. The movie was really good and inspiring, especially the way it shows how Mann lives art every day in her life.

I guess I will try to write something more cohesive tomorrow. For now I am getting sassy and classy!

Day 10

Oh sweet jesus I made it through week 10. Ha ha! Week 10 I kicked your ass and lived to tell the tale. That being said, I still don't quite have the energy to muster up a real post so here is a fun thing that has been going around the blogs.

here's how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that's playing
5. new question-- press the next button
6. don't lie and try to pretend you're cool

Ready? Ok go!

opening credits:
"Please Don't Tease" - the Donnas
waking up:
"The Greatest Cowboy of them All" - Johnny Cash
first day at school:
"Angel, Won't You Call Me?" - the Decemberists
falling in love:
"Perfect" - Smashing Pumpkins
breaking up:
"Somebody Led Me Away" - Neko Case
prom:
"Where Does The Good Go" - Tegan & Sarah (oh so perfect for my prom experience)
life's okay:
"Song Beneath the Song" - Maria Taylor
mental breakdown:
"Better Way" - Ben Harper
Driving
"When You Sleep" - Cake
Flashback
"Stiff Upper Lip" - AC/DC
Getting Back Together
"Carrying Cathy" - Ben Folds
Wedding
"Little Room" - The White Stripes
Birth of a Child
"She Is Beautiful" - Andrew WK
Final Battle
"The Blood of Cu Chulain" - The Boondock Saints soundtrack (oooh good one itunes)
Death Scene
"Go Tell the World" - Joy Zipper
Funeral Song
"Oceanside" - the Decemberists
End Credits
"This Little Girl of Mine" - Ray Charles

Hmmm interesting choices here iTunes. I think most songs are appropriate except for The White Stripes choice. What were you thinking iTunes?

Day 9: Oh my! How fine!

I have just finished by far the most trying day of week 10 so far. I started doing work at noon today and did not stop. Now I am done. I got a lot done but I am mentally drained. A more substaintial post will come tomorrow when I can think and process normally again.

Day 8: Oh, its great!

Rainy and yucky here in Rochester. But's nothing to say of the shit storm that apparently happened in Wisconsin. What happened Wisconsin? I leave you alone by yourself and look what you did! Look at Arizona's example. Democrats win control of the House in Wisconsin but when it come to letting 2 people who love each sign some legal document that says they can get certain tax benefits you get all in a huff. Today I am sorry to say, I am not happy and proud to be from Wisconsin.

More later...

Day Seven

Hey this blogging every day thing is going pretty well.
Today was quite uneventful. It was just busy and full of work. That is what is to be expected on day 2 of week 10. All this counting of days - it's day 7 of NaBloPoMo, its week 10 day 2. Makes me dizzy.
So in mundane news in Mary's life: got a decent grade on my last Data Anal exam. Yesss. Ummm. All I really did today was a lot of school work. Nothing funny or noteworthy happened. I got my final photo project just about finished. I'm sorry. Its that absentminded lethargy that happens during week 10. Your brain is really only focused on school. But soon! I will have a copy of No One Cares What You Had for Lunch of my very own. And I will have 100 possible blog post to choose from.

A thought for the road...I am listening to Nirvana's Unplugged in New York album. It is strange to hear Kurt Cobains voice and think about his death. Back in my teen angst days, he was a figure I clung desperately to. His words sustained me in a way and reassured me that I wasn't the only person who felt the way I did. (As I am sure he did for many people.) Here I am several years later, listening to the music of a man dead for 10 years and I am casually writing about him on my blog. Listening to his songs makes me think about how far I've come. I can't remember feeling that much in despair. I'm glad I'm so far from it and I'm proud of myself. I think Cobain's music helped me out of it and listening and looking back, I am happy where I'm at.

Day 6 Yo!

First things first: big birthday shout outs go to Miss Sworva Jean, who turns 21 today! Damn girl! I can't wait to come home and take you to Chester's!!!

Yes...home. I was talkin' to Miss Sworva all through class this morning on my computer using the internets and talking to her made me all excited to go home. It has taken me a while to appreciate the trappings of home. When I started college, I was so excited to get the hell out of Wisconsin and the Midwest and have this big adventure. Going home was such a downer. But now its different. There is no one who equals my Mom or Dad or my Sworva or even my kitty. Going home means that your mom takes care of you and you don't have to do laundry or worry about cooking for yourself because your mom missed you and she just wants to do stuff for you. My Mom is so excited for me to come home. I'm getting my wisdom teeth out first thing and I think she wants one of her babies back to nurse. She keeps talking about making me pudding and such. And then there is Sworva! And we can craft and drink the seasonal Leininkugels and catch up. I can't wait.

Week 10 is coming along. It seems everything will fine once I can get past Wednesday. Wednesday seems to be the day when alllll the profs decided to make things due. To torture poor Mary. But Wednesday. Take a deep breath. Let it out. I can do this. I can make it to Wednesday. I just remembered. After Wednesday I still have to get my final film done for AV Production and study like crazy for data analysis. Don't celebrate too soon. Deep breaths. Soon this craziness will all be over.

Day 5 of NaBloPoMo

Wee! 5 days in a row! I'm doing it, doing it, yeah! I was looking at the stats for this blog and I'm nearing 350 posts. Wowie zowie! I think I started this thing back in sophomore year of high school. It is now junior year of college. Looooooooong time.
Erin is watching Family Guy and I can hear snatches of it every now and then. It is quite silly to only hear fragments. So today was another day of doing nothing. Well. Not so much. I worked on the word part of my final photo project. The assignment is to write technical articles about some photographic process or another. So I chose to write about fluorescence: how to do it, what it is, etc, etc. I have most of the words down, now I just need to finnish taking the pictures. I can't believe the quarter is almost done - just week 10 and finals left. I can't wait to go home. Well, I guess going home will be ok. I'm getting the wisdom teeth out which will be...interesting. My Pops keeps telling me it is going to be oh so horrible and my Moms says not to listen to him, he just had a bad experience. I don't really know what to think of the whole process. I'm ok with pain. I've had teeth drilled and the only midly unpleasant part was when they nvocain shot went in. Other than that it was fine. So I think sipping on smoothies and eating cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving will be ok. I'll live. It'll involve a lot of couch time. So maybe I won't be too hopped up on painkillers to get some knitting done. I hope.
I slept for a while this afternoon. I think I am fighting a virus or sinus infection of some sorts. I think its better to sleep on the weekends than to be sleeping a lot this coming week. I need my energy, yo! Its week 10! Wake up Mary.
Perhaps it is time to put my nose back to the grindstone and see what else I can squeeze outta my brain on fluorescence.

Where did the afternoon go? I was innocently reading and then all of a sudden I was asleep and now it's 5:30. I guess I was tired. Eh, its the end of the quarter.
So NaBloPoMo is going pretty well. It's kinda exciting reading posts every day from everyone in the entire world ever. Posting every day means even posting on the weekend. That's cool.
Sorry. I'm still pretty fuzzy and bewildered from sleep. I'll have something better to write about tomorrow.

Day 3

Maybe I should post earlier in the day? Hmmm
So this whole post a day thing is going pretty well. I kinda like it. Erin and I just made a Jack Apple Pecan Spice cake. What is this? you ask. Well. It is a spice cake with apples, Jack Daniels (yes! whiskey!), pecans and other assorted goodies. It is in the oven as we speak. Well, as I write this. The cake batter requires two tablespoons of whiskey while the glaze requires three. Um, which can you taste the whiskey more in? This cake has the feel of the perfect cake for fall. Warm and moist with apples and...whiskey.
I was late for work today. Oopsie. Dan spent the night and he kept pressing the snooze button on my alarm. Then decided to tell me it was 7:27. Thanks dude. I threw on clothes and raced out the door. I made it there by 7:40. Damn I walked fast. I hate being late. But I think I posted sometime back about that? Not sure.
Another thing I hate is checking out and returning equipment to the photo cage. We are doing group projects in AV production and my group is conducting a lot of interviews as part of our film. The people we chose to interview all have different schedules and of course that leads to filming on different days. So that also means checking out equipment on different days too and then returning it. So I was returning the video camera and tripod. The cager who was checking me in was real snotty. Oh! My favorite! First he bitched at me because I put the tripod in its case the wrong way...um I didn't know there was a right way? Then as he was checking in each indivdual part of the camera kit proceeded to again give me shit about how the cords were arrange. They needed to be neatly coiled. Again, I had no idea. I've checked out a stupid camera tons of times before and returned it the way I found it and no one has said anything about how the cords were coiled. Then he made me coil them. Well fuck that. Cagers piss me off. I know its busy up there and you are responsible for expensive camera equipment but don't take it out on me. My job isn't the easiest too, ok? I'm actually responsible for people's classwork and if I fuck up I'm in bigger trouble then you. Shooooooove it.
On to nice topics.
Um
I guess I don't have any. I'll let you know how the cake was.

Awww Yeah Day 2

Elle's Finished Hat
Originally uploaded by tohellwithme.

This is Elle. This is Elle wearing her new hat, hand-knit by Me! Last November Elle asked me to knit her a hat in a specific style and even bought yarn for me. Well I tried real hard. But for some reason (much like seed stitch) increases bewildered me. So the hat sat in a plastic bag in my stash box. I finally felt confident enough to pick the hat back up again and knit the whole thing up in less than a week. I really love the color - I think it really suits Elle, besides the fact that it's called "roasted coffee bean" and Elle is a coffee freak. So my habit of knitting hats lives on.
Sorry. That last bit was kind of disjointed and weird. I'm trying to listen to the This American Life podcast. It's really good by the way.
So its day 2. Yup. My data anal exam went pretty well I think. Is it weird that I kind of like data analysis? It's the only math I've ever done that really makes sense and that I can see myself using in my life. There is something really satisfying about crunching numbers and going through the steps and coming up with something coherent and cohesive rather than x=2.5 or whatever. It's numbers that actually have meaning and it forces me to think a lot about the processes I'm going through. I can see why its in the curriculum in our major.
It's Thirsty Thursday. Yay. Who cares if you have to work at 7:30AM? I don't. Wee.

First Post of NaBloPoMo

Happy NaBloPoMo month! Ummm so I know its 10:58 on day one but better late then never right? Remember a few posts back when I was complaining about how Data Analysis was taking over my life? Yeah well I have an exam tomorrow morning. I like to obsessively study before the exams I take. For the classes that matter to me, anyway. We are allowed a 5x7 notecard and my writing on my card is teeny tiny. You need a microscope to read it. The joints in my hand hurt from writing so small and knitting up a storm when I wasn't writing big enough for an ant to read. I am gonna be so glad when that exam is over tomorrow but my hand is gonna hurt a lot. I'm left handed and I've always held my writing utensil of choice kinda funny. I guess my elementary school teachers couldn't deal with it because they put me in "pencil grip therapy." I had to meet with this lady once a week or so and we would do all sorts of exercises to get me to get used to writing the "correct way." The therapy sort of took but I found I couldn't make my writing as neat when I griped my pencil the correct way. So nowadays, I switch back and forth. Only problem is, the "wrong" way makes my hand cramp a lot faster then it used to.
I was going to post about another knitting project I had finished but my bed is calling me. I'm not really a night person. If I get going on something, then I can be up till 1 or 2 working on it but really I prefer to go to bed at a decent time and wake up early. So while I'm between the sheets around 11, I'm really asleep around more like 12 or 1. I stay up and read or watch downloaded TV shows on the computer. Lately I have been staying up to knit, which is dangerous, but I find late night is the only time I have to knit. It would be just like me to stay up all night knitting.
So tomorrow I will be better at posting earlier. I'll let you know how the exam goes. And Miss Sarah McK? Don't get discouraged about blogging! It is fun to write for yourself even if no one reads it. That's why I've been doing it. Because I can type faster than I can write in a journal. My hand can't keep up with my thoughts. So keep on, keepin' on. You're doing great!

PS - How crazy was Lost tonight? I was worried the show turning into suckiness but tonight was an episode that went back to the way it was season 1 and 2. Damn.

See you tomorrow!

I'm doing it! Yes Miss Sarah McK, roommate extraordinaire and I had a little talk about blog posting and we both came to the conclusion that NaBloPoMo should be participated in. So Sarah's link is over in the sidebar as is a funky button linking you to the NaBloPoMo homepage. Yes!

Finished Project!

Big Bad Baby Blanket
Originally uploaded by tohellwithme.

Hey how ya doing? I'm cool. Yeah I know its been. A while. I like how I talk to my blog like more than a handful of people actually read it. I've been busy with school and such. Ruby is over now, so I think my life will not be so crazy. But it is also week 9. Let the crazy commence. But! I am posting this to tell you about a finished knitting project that I've much neglected to write about. Above is the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch n' Bitch. It was knit with Knitpicks Shine in Grass and Holiday. (2 strands held together.) I love the effect the solid color and the variegated have together. I ordered the yarn in January when cousin Maggie announced to the family that she was pregnant. We Mihajlovs were excited, we love babies. I decided that since it was January and the baby wasn't due till June maybe I could get a little something knitted for the kid. I decided upon the blanket. But alas, school got in the way. For some reason also seed stitch utterly bewildered me and I put down the blanket in frustration for many months. Well, that baby was born and the blanket still wasn't done. My mom came to visit in July and helped me get the seed stitch under control. The blanket was back on track. I knit it up in about 3 weeks. Then it was blocked and sent off. This was also my first project that I blocked. It was scary. But in the end, everything turned out real nice. I got a card in the mail last week from Maggie thanking me for the blanket. I didn't realize before how good it feels it knit for another. Especially family. She sent pictures too. That kid has gotten big and cute. He is definately (he's a boy by the way) a Mihajlov. I see traces of our family's signature features in his face with a mix of his Pops too. But of course I see the Mihajlov.
So I've got a few other projects to blog about but that is enough for one day. I was thinking about signing up for NaBloPoMo as I think it would be an interesting challenge. Can I do it? Do I have time? Would I fail miserably? I have one day to decide. Might be an interesting writing excersise.

Math Is Evil

In this post, Mary talks about how evil math is.

I apologize blog for neglecting you. You see I'm taking this class. It's called Data Analysis. Maybe you've heard of it? I didn't take it by choice, it is required. Required! The problem is, it has taken over my life. When I am not in other classes, I am in Data Analysis. When I am not doing homework for other classes, I am doing Data Analysis homework. I am up till late late doing homework for this evilness. When I am not thinking normal thoughts, I am thinking about Data Analysis. Each week I am consumed, swallowed whole almost, by the gaping beast that is Data Analysis (homework). The weekends? Are used for catching up on Data Analysis text note taking-ness! And don't even get me started on prepping for an exam in that class. I have been obsessed with studying for the past 2 days. The only reason I am even writing this post is because I am telling the little voice in my head that screams "Don't you have something to do for Data Analysis?" to shut up SHUT UP. I have a test tomorrow. I am gonna kick that test's ass yo. And then? I'll get maybe a day or two off, and then its back to Data Analysis again. Ugh.

I can't believe how busy I've been. I find every spare hour I have is scheduled in to do something. It is a bit daunting. But I like being busy. I hate being idle. School, work, rugby, sleeping. Everything must be scheduled. I barely have time to stop and notice that the trees are changing and the air is crisp and hey is it October already?

This weekend is Parent's Weekend. I am really looking forward to seeing my Mom and Dad. This year for the rugby game, I will actually be in for more than 10 minutes. (Unlike last fall but that is a long story for another time.) Everytime I think about the game, I get excited little butterflies in my tummy. Because we think we can win against our arch-nemesis, Buff State. Because we have been practicing hard all week. Because our field is a shit show (to say the least) and we've been practicing on it all week and its a home game so we are used to it's mushy consistency and they won't be. Because we all want our parents to see us kick some serious ass.

Love you all. Miss you Sworva Jean. People ask me about my bracelet and when I explain about who Evelyn is, I miss you all the more.

Rochester, Knitting, and Other Things

I deleted the last post. I don't want to whine on this blog anymore about how sad and melancholy I am. I am trying to overcome depression and I will not let myself get so low that I find it necessary to type it out and lay it down for other people to read about. Its annoying. I am gonna be stronger from now on.

Today was a good day. You know when kind of notice the change from summer to fall, a couple of weeks after school starts when the weather changes ever so slightly? Suddenly its crisper and the mornings are cold and the afternoons get darker faster. Today was one of those days. It was beautiful. I've always tried to decide what my favorite time of year is. I thought definately it was summer for awhile because of hot weather and ice and swimming in lakes and no school. Then I was all about winter because of sweaters and hot chocolate and snow. But I think this time of year is my favorite. Its transition time and the air feels so ripe with possibilities. But I am fickle and often feel like every time of year is my favorite. I don't think I should have to choose.

But to get to the point. Today Rochester suprised me. I'm sorta limited in my explorations of Rochester - I have no car, the bus system is unreliable and I'm stuck at RIT. Henrietta is very different from the rest of the area. It's a place where people come to work, not live. But Katie took me to her neighborhood where she had found a yarn store. It was tiny with lime painted walls and shelves brimming with yarn. Everything I touched was so soft. A giant, fluffy white dog took up most of the tiny store. The owner was so nice and she chatted with us. I was really excited to find this place as Rochester seems to have a dirth of good yarn shops. There is one down on E. Henrietta Road but it is mostly full of novelty yarn. A nice selection of Lamb's Pride though. There's another one downtown in Midtown Plaza. That one is great but it is all the way downtown and Midtown Plaza is a bit creepy. I think I will definately come back when I am looking for something special. Down the street Katie and I visited the gay coffee shop. We bought delicious smoothies - berry blast for Katie and blueberry pomegrante for me. We both felt giddy with the discovery of the yarn shop and the coffee place. Rochester is full of suprises.

So I finished the baby blanket I made for cousin Maggie's new baby boy. It turned out beautifully. As soon as I finish this I am going to block it and hopefully send it out next week. I really hope she likes it. It's enourmous and so soft. I picked out cotton yarn because he is a California baby and wool would just not do. I hope another of the cousins gets preggers soon so I can knit another one.
I am also working on yet another hat for a friend. I also got some nifty yarn to make dishcloths with. Knitting is lifting my spirits.

Um so go watch this. It will make you giggle.

Adventures in America's Dairy Land Part 2 of 2

I recieved a dispatch from home today. The rotted meat stentch will not go away. My mother reported that putting boxes of baking soda in the freezer only made it worse. (What?????) Any suggestions?

Ok, part 2. Part 2 is not nearly as exciting as part 1 but I still find it shocking. Last Thursday Northern/Western Wisconsin was hit by a huge string of severe thunderstorms. These storms were pretty nasty, bad enough for the storm sirens to go off. Of course being typical Wisconsinites, we ignored the sirens. Anway, no severe thunderstorm is not without its share of damage. Usually downed tree limbs, power outages, etc, etc. Our house has been lucky the last few years. We've managed to escape with very little damage to our vegetation. And we our house is situated in such a way that it is backed up into some lovely woods. So one would expect tree limbs everywhere after a storm - not so. In our front yard along the curb, we have 3 trees planted. My father planted them when we first moved in about 10 years ago. They were but mere saplings at that time but have grown into might trees since. The middle tree of the 3 has been suseptible to danger though. In the past few years its been damaged by lighting, making it weak. Sadly, the middle tree did not survive this storm. Lighting attacked it again, hitting it right at the base where the roots meet the soil. Where does so mighty a tree have to fall? Why, right into the narrow cul-de-sac street of course! The tree stretch almost to the other side, practically blocking the road. Mother came home after the storm had passed from a reading teacher function of some sort and announced that the tree was down. There was general rushing outside to view it even in the dark and gnashing of teeth. (Well I gnashed my teeth.) Needless to say, I am saddened by the loss of our tree. The 3 trees at the edge of the yard were like a beacon of comfort or arms craddling our house. It made the vast front yard seem less expansive and homey. Now there are 2 and they are much too far apart for my taste. The City was called in the morning to come pick up the downed tree. I didn't get a chance to photograph before it met its end. I stupidly took a shower thinking the City would not be so prompt in its pick up. My mother watch the tree, and said that it fought valiantly against the wood chipper the City vehicle had brought along to make transport easier.

Fare thee well tree, I shall miss you.

Adventures in America's Dairy Land Part 1 of 2

My visit home was refreshing and relaxing. I got some of my issues solved and allowed my mom to dote on me. Wisconsin was surprisingly enjoyable this time around. However no trip home is without the requisite "adventure." Ok so not really an adventure per se, but more like "weird shit happening to Mary while she happens to be visiting home."

So we have a big ol' deep freezer. It lives in the laundry room. Inside my mother stored a ham, a turkey, various meat products and other frozen sundries. Somehow, someway the freezer was turned off on Tuesday last. No one knows how it happened. The whole family didn't notice its idle state untill Wednesday when a suspicious, rancid smell permeated the entire house. I was minding my own business in the den, trying to watch Gilmore Girls when I smelled it. I thought something in the garbage had gone bad. Soon I was summoned to the laundry room by dearestr Mumsie. There the smell was especially heinous. There, I finally figured out what could possibly produce a stentch such as that: spoiled meat. I have personally never experienced the distinct smell that is spoiled meat and I'm not proud to say that now I know and can identify such a scent. Mother and I removed all the defrosted items from the freezer and sealed them in garbage bags. Everything was placed back inside the freezer to await the arrivial of my father. What to do? There was melted freezer ice mixed with meat water. It couldn't be bailed out easily. Would Dad have the magic solution? Alas, no he didn't. We ended up proping the freezer up on one end with a pile of books. And guess who got to bail out the nasty water? I did! I thought I might die with my head stuck down in nose-offending depths. But I survived and lived to tell the tale. Sadly, it doesn't end there. The next day, the stench had not faded any. I was forced yet again to plunge into the icy depths of the freezer, this time armed with a lemony-cleaner to try and fight the stentch. The cleaner mixed with the meat smell was so strong that I choked and felt the back of my throat burning. But again, I cheated death. The lemon stuff didn't help too much. We finally ended up leaving the freezer door open and avoiding the laundry room. So the moral of the story is: don't unplug your deep freezer. Duh.

And tomorrow: the story of the tree.

So I'm home for the week bitches. Yeah I know. You are really excited.

So the story of Pablo. I've always wanted a hamster. My parents wouldn't let me have one when I was a youngster. So I made one out of clay and put it in a small cardboard box I had cut the sides out of to make "windows." I covered the windows with clear plastic wrap so you could see inside. I even make cedar shavings out of constuction paper. I loved that hamster. Till I squished him. So then Pablo came along. My cousin Cindy (who I worked for this summer) had a friend who had just gotten a puppy and could no longer give the family's hamster the attention he deserved. So she was looking to find him a good home. I jumped at the chance to adopt him. So I did, duh. I was thinking of naming him something like Taco or Burrito and then getting him a friend and naming it Taco or Burrito too. So they would be Taco and Burrito. But I met Pablo and realized that 2 hamsters wouldn't work. I don't know why so don't ask. The little girls in the family I adopted him from had named him Pablo and I liked that name. I thought it suited him. So I kept it. As far as namesake? Let's say Pablo Picaso. And so I loved him and we are happy together. Except for that time he was a bad hamster!! I was letting him run around the apartment in his ball when I noticed he hadn't rolled into the living room in a while...a long while. Suspicious, I went looking for him. Maybe he got stuck somewhere? NOOOOOOO. I was walking toward my bedroom, Pablo scrambled out from underneath one of the armchairs in the living room. He was free of his ball! He ran into my room and under my bed. Uh oh. This was a problem. How was I going to get the little bastard out? How did he get out? Eventually, Pablo decided to stop being a bad hamster and he came out. Back into his cage he went. Bad boy! I still don't know how he got the top off his ball and got out. That's why duct tape is important when you own a hamster.

I'm home for many reasons. I've been having headaches/migraines for about a year now and they are starting to become more frequent and bothersome. I was going to see a doc in Rochester, but my mom the worrier wanted me to come home. So I did. Hopefully, I can get some answers. Its nice and totally weird to be home. I haven't been in EC since March and I hadn't seen my Dad or bro since May. So its nice. But I also can't wait for school to start again when I get back to the ROC. I've missed it so. Did you know that summer is really boring? Well it is.

Introducing...




Pablo!! The most amazing hamster in the world!!!



I love him so.

Hey am I dead? Nope not in the slightest. I have just not been doing anything interesting. Oh yes. But! You can look at my pretty pictures. Uh huh. I really need school to start. For reals.

I don't care what you say, Motley Crue's Too Fast for Love was an amazing album. Yeah that's right. I'm not embarassed to admit it either. I spent much time in my car driving fast over hills in the boonies to that album. Don't you judge me.

Um Crawdaddy much? Booyah.
Reminds me of that time at Camp Manitou that we went Crayfishin' for Hobby Hour and we used Lester Lace with a paper clip bent into a hook on the end for a "fishing pole" and a piece of hotdog for bait. That is the only way to catch Crawdaddies. The Wisconsin Way. When we didn't end up catching anything (and I had no idea why) we made up song instead. Because we had promised the rest of the camp crayfish for dinner and we failed. But it is a happy memory.

Well shoot, its been almost a gull dern month since I posted something in this here blog. Damn. I've had computer issues. My harddrive decided to have a stroke. Everytime I tried to turn on my computer it emitted a high pitched scream. Oh poor computer what did I do to you? So off la compy went to Apple where they fixed her up in a jiffy. She came back fresh as a daisy. And wouldn't you know it, Smartie (that's me) hadn't thought to back up her music or digital snapshoties a head of time so she lost all that stuff. Sweet. But my computer no longer screams.

Summer time in the ROC is quite fine. It is hot and sticky. It rains. But luckily it is not flooded here. Although one day it did rain and all these Crawdaddies appeared in the parking lot, snapping at the pedestrians like they owned the place. Um, weird. And the muskrat/swamp monster had a baby apparently. Cuz there is a smaller version of it running around. However I do miss my dearest Sworva. Oh my love. I wish I knew how to quit you.

I am turning 21 on Monday next. The fact that this momentous occasion is a mere week away is quite daunting. Everyone in college awaits this age with much excitement and then proceeds to celebrate it with zeal and gusto. Which is exactly what I wil be doing. Some days, I still feel 17. I don't feel as if I am I should be as old as I am. I am halfway done with college and almost legal. Who am I?

A happy 4th to you all whilst I ponder this question....

Too Cool.

That is one angry mama goose. Maybe because we were blowing bubbles and getting too close to her and her babies?
That is pretty much what I've been up to these days. Job prospects are still bleak. Booo. I have but one co op possibility left and just one on campus job prospect. (Interview for that on Monday.) Its tough. I'm broke-de-broke and can barely buy groceries. But that's the boat that everyone is in, right?
So on to the other stuff I guess. There is a crazy flock of geese living in the pond in front of my apartment. They think they own it. This summer they will wish they never came to live here. This is the part where I laugh evily.
For fun, we have been playing epic games of Monopoly and having pajama parties. We collaged all afternoon today and watched a million episodes of Next. We were planing on heading down to Syracuse to see my dear friend Pecky perform with his rapgroup but alas we lack the funds to get into the show. Tomorrow, there is a Greek fesitval going on and the Fairport Canal Days. (As in Erie Canal.) So we shall be heading out to those festivities. Plus little cousin Pod has a skating show so the three roommates shall go to spectate that. In other news, my childhood dreams might finally be realized. We are possibly adopting a hamster. I'm excited! My mom sent me a package yesterday contain beef jerky, Crystal light, a book about Julia Child, bubble gum and an issue of Volume One as I like to keep up on my EC haps. It made my day. I also swam 1300 meters yesterday and am pretty damn proud of myself. Felt good. And its been frickin hot here so the pool is always "cool". Haha I'm super funny. My love is coming to visit next weekend as well. I'm looking forward to that. So all in all, things are going well except for the job stuff. But with fingers and toes crossed that will work itself out.

I leave you with this: the story of the most awesome guinea pig. Enjoy. I hope everyone's summers are going well thus far. Keep me posted on your goings ons.

Quickie for you.

I woke up this morning cryin' and I don't know why. Finals week is here and that means that school is almost done and everything I've come to be used to is going to be over and done with. I don't want it to end. I'll be in Rachachacha this summer. And I'll have faboo Katie living with me and trips to the beach with Elle. But I still don't know what I am doing yet as far as a job goes and my love is moving back home and I hate this uncertaintity and I just want to fastforward so I know everything will be ok. Ok?

Be Nobody's Darling by Alice Walker

Be nobody's darling;

Be an outcast.

Take the contradictions

Of your life

And wrap around

You like a shawl,

To parry stones

To keep you warm.

Watch the people succumb

To madness

With ample cheer;

Let them look askance at you

And you askance reply.

Be an outcast;

Be pleased to walk alone

(Uncool)

or line the crowded

river beds

with other impetuous

Fools.

Make a merry gathering

On the bank

Where thousands perished

For brave hurt words

They said.

Be nobody's darling;

Be an outcast

Qualified to live

Among your dead......

So. Julie and Julia. Quite a delicious book. Quite a delectable read. Julie and Julia cronicles the year that the author, Julie Powell spent cooking all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Something like 524? I think. Anyway, the author lives in a tiny apartment with a tiny kitchen and this presents all sorts of problems and whatnot. Thinking back, I did not find myself hungry all the time while reading this book. They are a lot of meat recipes and meat and I have a tenuous relationship. I digress. My favorite parts were where when Powell decides to cook something "interesting" like beer marrow or calf's brains. Yum. And she fucks up a lot. And says so herself. Which is exactly what would happen to me if I were trying to cook French food. Like making pasty dough 15 times. So I highly recommend this book. Its not just about cooking, its also about Powell's search to find herself. See the passage I quoted in my last post. So yeah. Its good.

This week has found me frantically searching for a summer co op. Problem is there is practically nothing out there. Booooo. I am staying in my beloved Rachachacha this summer. Because I can't bear to be away from this city. Really. No. I feel like there's nothing in EC for me job wise. I am not going back to sharp for a 5th summer there. I am definately not going back to Sacred Heart for a 2nd summer in purgatory. So I am staying here. I don't know if I will visit at home. Really. I don't. Just give me a frickin co op already.

Check my flickr I got some sweet rugby shots up. Yeaaah.

"I have no claim over the woman at all, unless it's the claim one who has nearly drowned has over the person who pulled her out of the ocean." - from Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. Great book, I will get up a post about it soon.

Sweet! Chicago Bans foie gras in Resturants.
Best quote:
It's terrible!" chef Didier Durand, proprietor of Cyrano's Bistro and a spokesman for the Illinois Restaurant Association, told AFP.
"In Chicago they banned smoking (in restaurants) now foie gras - what's next? Sex?"
The ban is an attack on personal freedom and will lower the "gastronomic level" of the city, Didier said.

That is one less poultry liver I have to worry about encountering the next time I am in Chicago. A diseased live no less. The ducks have won another battle.

Create your own Music List @ HotFreeLayouts!

Yeah that's what I've been listening to lately. I HIGHLY recommend Neko Case. Highly. Dude.

Here is some springie-ness for you. I've been wanting to post lovely photos I have made but have been quite lackadaisical in doing so. Spring has made it to Rochester and yet I find myself feeling kind of blah. School and all those other wonderful things have also left me feeling blah. I have been trying to knit and whathaveyou. I got some gorgeous sock yarn when last I was home and I found a pattern that incorporates a basketweave style pattern. But yet. I am using size 1 needles for the first time ever and it is like knitting with toothpicks. The yarn is fingering weight too and that is like knitting with embroidery floss. It is going to take a lot of getting used to.

I took a writing class this quarter to satisfy some academic requirements and am really enjoying it. I amaze myself with how easily I have gotten back into the swing of churning out papers and whatnot. Being a photo major does not allow for much writing of papers which I kind of missed. At least I've got that going for me. Yay.

This is a quickie cuz I feel like such shmooo (yes that is my new word) for neglecting you oh blog!

Today's lesson: drinking Red Bull at 9:20 AM in not such a great idea. I got jittttttttttters now! Yay! I've got my super boring writing class to sit through! The one that has no break! Actually its not super boring and I really love it but I am going to vibrate to death for the hour and 40 minutes we sit there. Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
At least it wasn't a double shot of espresso....
Oh how I love Red Bull! Especially when it is free and the Red Bull truck stops by the rugby field during practice and we all get a free can! Ohhhh yesssss.

K, shut up Mary.

But wait! I thought this was pretty sweet.

Yeah!

Let me tell you a story...

I want to tell you a very special story.

Once upon a time, I was wasted at a rugby happy hour. Now I know many stories start like this but this one is different. Its special, didn't I tell you that already? Anyway, I was a wee bit sloshed at a rugby happy hour. The week before I had been hit on by this guy that lived at the rugby house but who didn't play rugby. I had told him to try again the next week. So he was trying again. And I was creeped out. Cuz he showed me his room. He had a bird. It was his friend. The I found out he was ooooold. I was outta there. I found my darling Erin by the bathroom. She chatting with a group of ruggers. Among them was a young gentlemen. I was immediatley drawn to him. He had warm eyes and the greatest smile I had ever seen. I drew closer and introduced myself. I then proceeded to trace the letters on his sweatshirt. It was Dan. Who cared about that other creepy dude? We went to sit on the stairs to talk. We exchanged screennames. His had a Lord of the Rings reference in it. That thrilled me. It meant he read. Books, even. I scrawled my phone number real big on his arm. Then he had to go. And I was left with other creepy bird dude who I soon shot down. Dan called that night and we hung out the next day and the rest is history. Now it's a year later and we are still together. (Oh mushy mush. Feel free to barf.) He makes me so incredibly happy. So yeah. That's my story.

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

Beautiful and Smart

An interesting thought from my Wild Words from Wild Women calendar.

"...Who ever thought about Margaret Mead's looks? Or Mother Teresa's beauty, which lies in an older face lit with intelligence, a mouth that show compassion? The media should point out owmen who are beautiful because of their great mental and intellectual achievements too." - Liv Ullman

So it seems I've managed to find some breathing space for the big round of tests. Hi everybody!

Here's what's bugging me:
I finished my final project for biomed photo on monday. (It was an education science poster about frog skin. I think it kicks ass, I am so in love with it.) I sent it off to be printed. On Tuesday, I picked it up and took it to be mounted and laminated. I was ready for crit the next day. I wish all of my classmates could've been. You see, we've had 7 weeks to do this project. During that time we had only 2 other projects to complete. And they were simple and really not very time consuming at all. That said, we had 7 weeks to work on our posters. And yet. Certain people who routinely show up late for class and crits showed up late for this one. With crappy work. This makes Mary angry. I worked really hard on my poster and got to crit on time. Other people choose to not be on time and come in late and still get to put up their work for crit. Frankly, its rude. It feels like crit isn't worth their time and they can't be bothered to stop and look at what everyone else has done. And offer comments and such. My work isn't worth their time. So certain people show up and throw crap up on the wall. And complain about how if they had more time they could've done better. We had 7 weeks. I'm just tired of it. Last year, with crazy pregnant lady, if one was not on time for crit, sorry Charlie, your work doesn't go up and points got off the assignment. Rules like that force you to respect others' work. But this year is sort of loosy goosey. Sigh.

I could also start in with the Men's rugby team and their unwillingness to support the Women's team as we are struggling to recover from some major changes but I'm too hungry to do that.

Hey! EC kiddies! Who wants to go see the Maori Dance Theater with me on Monday the 6th? Sworva? It will be supa fly. I promise.

Hey kids.
I am writing to you from my second home, the biomed lab.

It's week 9. I am gonna fall off the face of the Earth for awhile. As it seems I have done so for the past few weeks. I'll be back in the EC March something. I don't know. Booo.

Check out my Flickr. I got some new stuff up there for you to look at. Keep checking back there. I'm gonna try and put up interesting biomed stuff too that I've been doing this quarter. I finished a knitting project too and I'm a gonna try and blog about it if I can find a spare moment. Aww jeez fingers crossed I can get through the end of the quarter.

Happy Valentine's to you early. No bitterness for me this year and not because I have a significant other this time around. I love V-Day cuz I love making Valentine's and making someone smile. Valentine's is about love. Not just about boyfriends and girlfriends. Its about loving yourself, your friends, and your significant other if you have one. But no big if you don't. So don't put all kinds of pressure on yourself if you don't cuz in the end that stuff doesn't matter. Love matters and loving yourself matters.

Y'all gotta check out my flickr cuz there is some new stuff up there. And sunday night around this time is the only time of the week that I have to do bloggy stuff or flickr stuff. Cuz college is like that. Booooooo.

For Erin: I will make sure the date is right in my profile this time. :)

But wait there's more!

Pink is funny and she speaks the truth. (I am learning that this is blog etiquete - link via (flea)

All I really wanna talk about is knitting but I don't really have the patience to do a post about it. Plus I have a super secret project that I can't talk about. So shhhh. But however, I do have 2 interesting items that amused me.

Number One:
A quote from my Wild Words from Wild Women Calender
"Lets get real, honey, you can look a little cheap." - Paris Hilton

I think Paris is a gonna be a pretty interesting old lady. Interesting looking. All saggy.

Number Two:

Katie Holme's incredible inflating and deflating belly. Also, it doesn't appear to have grown any since her pregnancy was announced in October. Don't go calling me a celeb gawker, I'm just saying this belly of hers is alittle suspicious.

I'm a pretty flower!


You are a Rose:

You are creative, sensual, passionate, and bold.
You pour your heart into everything that you
do. Alluring and gifted with strong sex appeal,
you very easily draw people in with your animal
magnetism.

Symbolsim: The rose has always been a flower
heavily loaded with symbolism. In general it
symbolizes desire, passion, beauty, and
enchantment.


Which Flower are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


Oh my...scandalous. Oh! You should check out my flickr! I put up my photos from Florida! Enjoy!

I love you, Rosey Grier.

This is the damn finest thing I've seen in a long time.

Dispatches from winter break coming soon.

Ho ho ho!
Merry Christmas my lovelies! Also Happy Hannukah or Solistice or whatever it is that you celebrate. Cuz there are so many wonderful holidays this time of year! I love it! But what I love even more is seeing palm trees instead of snow for Christmas! Yaay! That's right, I'm in West Palm Beach, Florida. I saw an iguana yesterday (pictures to come) and many beached jellyfish. Amazing! Jellyfish! Iguana! Beach! Love you all!

In terms of my sock, which I was crowing about on my last post, I have come to a standstill. The directions have turned to gibberish and I need my trusty translator (Mommy) to help me decipher them. So my sock is on hold till I go home agian. I return to hats. I am going to try and crank out 3 hats in the next 2 weeks. I don't want any cold heads over the winter break. Also, this will allow me to concentrate on my sock. Plus I have to make a mitten. But socks are pretty exciting. They have kind of made me feel invincible. Like I can do any knitting project I want to. Dog on it, I will!
Hmmmm digital media is pretty boring. Screw paying attention.
I have a swimming class this quarter. I am happy to be all stinky like chlorine. But I don't like the itching aftereffect that chlorine gives me. The weather has turned cold and we have snow that has stuck. I find myself getting caught up in the spirit of the holidays. As some of you know, Sharp Photo made all of my high school christmases miserable. Christmas was generally not a holiday I enjoyed. But now, 2 years out from working a christmas season at Sharp. I find myself giddy over the tiny christmas tree that Erin set up in our apartment. I am giddy to see the reaction I will get from certain people from the gifts I will give them. I can't even think of one thing I want this Christmas. I am so thankful for everything I have. Yarn is cool of course, but I have such wonderful friends and family and I am feeling so content. I couldn't ask for anything more at the moment. Except for more hours in the day to knit. Hehe. What are you thankful for this Christmas? Let me know in the comments.

Sock Progress!

Oh my holy god. I've turned the heal on my first sock. It was amazing and not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Short row shaping is amazing!