Chiquitita

So believe it or not, I was not the driving force to see Mamma Mia. When it first came out I was interested, but it waned. However, WHN has been DYING to see it.

And actually, it was very good. Maybe I gave it more credit because of the whole WE WILL ROCK YOU sucking, but I did like it. We were in the front side row in front of the percussionist. Before the show was going to start he asked us if were were ready. During the show he kept looking at me to see if I was having a good time. It was a lot of pressure. At intermission he questioned our enjoyment level so then I start to worry that oh maybe I didnt look happy enough? But I know I had to look more enthusiastic than our geriatic section that kept grabbing their hearts when the music would start (we were right by a speaker)

WHN enjoyed it becuase evidently ABBA was all he heard as a child growing up in Belgium. He was picking out names for future pets based on the songs. I enjoyed watching the band get into a rubber band fight inbetween songs.

Suffice it to say, I recommend Mamma Mia but dont sit by the band if you dont want that personal touch.

Weasels

Don't you hate it when you lose something important like keys or a wallet and you are almost sure that it's not permanently gone---just misplaced? Thursday night we went to Mammia Mia at Mandaly Bay. I remember having my wallet checking for dollar bills for the valet. I remember that I didnt even pull my wallet completely out of my purse to do it, yet my wallet was missing the next morning.

My purse has a magnet closure meaning that it always closes and people can't readily reach into... People can't. But ferrets can. I knew that my wallet couldnt have just fallen out. But we call the Harley Davidson restaurant (they advertised "the best bbq" so we had to check it out) We called Mandalay Bay.

We tore the house apart. Looked in their favorite hidey holes. For anyone that doesn't know, ferrets like to spend their time stealing and stashing. The older one, Tiffany, she was not a suspect because she only likes soft things (like yarn) or smelly things (like worn socks) She also only has one stash area. The younger one Babette was our prime suspect. She likes rubbery hard things. Unfortunately, she isn't as focused as Tiffany and doesnt hide things in any specific(s) spot.

I shined bright lights and interrogated each weasel. I did the good cop/ bad cop. I said I had a deal on the table for the first one to offer me information. Every Law & Order or NYPD Blue trick I could think of.

The dilemma how long to hold out before I go to the DMV (which in Nevada does not make appointments, but the do have rows and rows of chairs for the half a day wait) to replace my license, cancel my credit/ debit cards, etc etc. I know I feel like as soon as I replace everything, the wallet will turn up. What was even more irritating was for the past week I had my dr license outside of my wallet, and I put it in that evening as we were walking out.

But today, as I was looking to grab my other id's to go to the DMV with my knitting (I thought I would see it as a SnB session but one where everyone forgot to bring their projects) I found my wallet wedged in our futon in the spare room.

Funny thing, later I was at the post office mailing something off to my Spoilee and I left my wallet on top of the postage machine. I remember as I was halfway to my car.

Week 2 and Im already behind

in school in blogging... however, today I am going to tell you how today's grammar class changed my life.

Here are two sentences that I would have conceivably uttered before today, 5:48pm PST.

I'm smarter than him.

My SP is a better knitter than me.

THESE ARE WRONG! Am I the only one that is speaking incorrectly??

The corrections are:

I'm smarter than he.

My SP is a better knitter than I.

The reason (even if you knew the correct usage, you might not why, so here's a bit of useless grammar info)

THAN is an elliptical conjunction meaning it is taking the place of words. When you use THAN it's basically two complete thoughts.

I'm smarter than HE (is smart)

My SP is a better knitter than I (am a knitter)

Notice when I had the words in the () they are two complete thoughts-- meaning you must have a subject.

You wouldnt say

Him is smart or Me am a knitter.

So there you go. It is only day 7 of school and a I have learned something tangible.


OKOK So I said this exact same thing when last semester (7th day too) I was taught in good writing you dump prepositional phrases and LY ending words. I vowed I would stick to it and it lasted a month. But this time it's different. This THAN thing is doable really it is.

Pulling myself together

So I am finally get over round 2 of my personal hell flu. And it's perfect because I got over just in time for 3 days of Winter break. Who needs a whole month? Sure I could have spent the month learning to use my knitting machine, picking out my classes (I still dont have my schedule set), bought my books cheaper online, read the books I wanted to (I started John Irving's latest this past summer) and get a head start for this semester (the hell that is my reading list is for another post); cleaned out closets; screwed off; spent more than 1 day X-Mas shopping and at a place that wasnt valet parking because I didnt have the strength to duke it out in parking lots; KNIT; crochet; felt... I could go on, but really who needs to do all of that? I got 3 days here! Oh wait, I did have 2 days of feeling OK between flu 1 and 2 where I went to the snow. And I did get to buy my textbooks at the university bookstore, so I got to pretend to be real posh. TSK TSK Who needs a discount. I did watch 5 seasons of The Gilmore Girls in a 4 solid day marathon. So yeah, it was a GREAT break.

Enough of me and no time, though I feel like I can still complain, since I still have slight congestion and a runny nose. But at least I dropped the cough. It's so embarassing coughing in public because people look and step away at me like I have the clap but worse.

And maybe it is the drugs talking, but I have been toying with taking a quilting class. Reasons to, I dont know how to sew (yes, I know straight lines is quilting and I can do that) and it seems like something fun to do. I like the idea of having quilts on my bed that I made. Reasons not to, no time and what time I have will get taken away from knitting. The class I am looking at it starts off making really quaint house and barn blanket. I'm not a house and barn type of gal. How long would it be before I can make something I like (I dont know shot glasses and beer can motif who knows) Also, remember when we started knitting and we had no idea of the cost involved in making stuff? I know I have friends that think they are going to get a cheap angora sweater out of me and I have to explain that there is no cheap angora. Do I want to spend my yarn money on buying fabric to make barns and houses?

Dirty little secrets of bulldogs, and speaking of bulldogs, how about my SIL?

English Bulldogs are adorable. Everyone loves them. I can't take mine out without getting a crowd. The most popular questions? (1) how do you keep her fur so white? (2) how much does she weigh? (3) how old is she? (4) what does she eat?

Yes yes she is a joy, but being a bulldog (and this goes for all smashed face breeds) she doesnt have a lot of space to breathe. Air has got to leave her somehow and if not one end... so yes, to be in less delicately, she farts like a whore. The are loud, smelly rippers that progress in ferocity as she gets older. When she was a pup, they were the SBDs but then she started making noises which at first freaked her out, but now she is ambivalent to them. She also snores. She snores loud.

Speaking of bulldogs, there is my SIL. Basically I for some reason want to knit her something. Maybe because I want to get her something for X-Mas (yes I know the date) but she is so particular I thought knitting actually could be something to please her. Everyone says how difficult she is and how specific her tastes are. So much so, that even her mother doesn't want to venture an opinion on what she would or wouldn't like. So far this is all I have been able to gleen from her:
- she likes bold colors
- she's 30
- she has huge boobs (G cup) that she likes to squeeze into baby t's
- she's a book editor for an educational publishing house
- she lives in Ireland (hence, why knowledge of her is so limited)

The two scarf choices I have come up with are BRANCHING OUT done in burgandy Rowan Kidsilk haze. I thought it would be cute for her to wear to work. Or Midwest Moonlight done in Knit Picks Merino Style Hollyberry. She lives in a cold climate and this would be a great utilitarian piece.

The only toy my dog will play with is a tennis ball. I have bought her tons of other things, but she only likes tennis balls. She too is very specific.

LONG OVERDUE THANK YOU

I wanted to thank Ina my exchange buddy for the critical essays book, SEDUCTION AND BETRAYAL by Elizabeth Hardwick from Ina. First the title sounds tawdry, and I do tawdry (and smutty YIPPEE!) Also, since I have to read lots of really long LONG books having little breaks like this is PERFECT. Also, I study lit so think of all the tidbits I will be able to wow my prof and fellow students with. I am sorry for the delay Ina. You picked THE BEST book for me. I will be reading Zelda first because I have a Fitsgerald thing.

SP7 Questions

1. Am I a yarn snob? I prefer to say I am a connoisseur of fine yarns.

2. Do I spin or crochet? I've been crocheting since I was a child. I am planning to learn to use a wheel this year. I get the concept of drop spindling, but the actual practice of it I suck at.

3. What do I store my needles in? I use Denise needles so they have a case, extra needles go in hand me down toolcase. My crochet hooks are the mess of unorganization now.

4. How long have I been knitting, and what is my skill level? 7 years. Intermediate level.

5. Do I have an online wishlist? I need to start one... didnt I say that on the last questionairre.

6. What is my favorite scent? I like citrus and juniper. I like really fresh smells... and bleach.

7. Do I have a sweet tooth? YES!

8. What other crafts or do it yourself things do you like? I'm trying to stick to yarn crafts. THough, I am toying with idea of taking a quilting class but ug everything they are making looks so "quaint." I can do shabby chic, but not quaint. Im trying to learn how to use my knitting machine. I'm still practicing needle felting.

9. What kind of music do I like, and can my computer play mp3s? I listen to alternative, 80s, and big band. I just got satellite radio so I am in heaven (if you ever tried to listen to Vegas radio you would understand... that is unless you like hearing the same three Madonna songs over and over again)

10. What is my favorite color? My favorite color is teal, but I look horrible in it, so my next favorite is green which I look fabulous in ;) I also like burgandies. I've been feeling warm pinks paired with browns lately.

11. What is my family situation, and do I have pets? I'm one goat short of a petting zoo. I have: bulldog, cat (rescue), green iguana (rescue), and 2 ferrets

12. Do I wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear gloves more than mittens. But I wear all of them, many people only think of Vegas is HOT HOT but it gets COLD COLD in the winter.

13. What are your favorite yarns to knit with? Zara, Noro, Malabrigo, and TOUCH ME. (I love me the touch me!)

14. What fibers do I not like? Nah I like most things.

15. What is my current knitting obsession? I'm trying to find a cute glove pattern that has ties on the wrist. I have knitting ADD so there are usually a bunch of things I want to knit.

16. What are my favorite items to knit? No favorites. I love to knit anything.

17. What am I knitting right now? Color-on-Color scarf is yet to be finished (see last questionairre); Im waiting for yarn to arrive any day from KnitPicks for Midwest Moonlight for my SIL. I dont know whether she would prefer that or falling leaves. She's not the easiest to please.

18. Do I like handmade gifts? Yes.

19. Do I prefer straight or circular needles? CIRCS!

20. Bamboo, aluminum, or plastic? Addi's are my favorite for speed, but my Denise's are fast too. Basically speed is everything to me.

21. Do I own a yarn winder or swift? I wish! Not enough people listened to WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.

22. How did I learn to knit? Barbara Walker's Learn To Knit Afghan book

23. How old is my oldest ufo? The squares made from question 22 haven't been put together.

24. What is my favorite animated character? I like Marvin the Martian and the poor cat that always gets paint on her back so Pepe thinks she is le skunk.

25. What is my favorite holiday? Christmas because everyone decorates and I get presents.. but if more people decorated for my birthday...

26. What do I collect? because of all the space my knitting etc takes up, I try not to collect things

27. What knitting subscriptions do I have? Interweave, Vogue Knitting, Cast On

28. Any books, patterns, etc I've been trying to get? Klaralund. I discovered it last night and I must have it.

29. Are there any techniques I'd like to learn? I have the moebius book but I am not getting it.

30. Am I a sock knitter? I am a sock yarn collector... I need to be more vigilant about my sock knitting. I have a pair half knitted that my ferrets dragged under the sofa.

31. When is your birthday? 3/15

STILL SICK

I have been ill now since 12/4. Yes that's right, I can pinpoint the day of the first sniffle. I will not be posting until I dont have a temperature or can spit, sneeze, or ooze mucus on the keyboard.

Everyone looking for me... SORRY be patient and some day, someway I wll return. (But after a month plus of the plague, it's not like I can plan for not being sick you know?)