tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-95733692024-03-07T06:38:23.387-05:00KnitpickingJaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-29093869504606094612007-06-27T16:47:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:48:49.064-04:00I've MovedMy blog has been relocated to <a href="http://www.knitpicking.wordpress.com">here</a>.Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-24073098896560441982007-06-13T21:36:00.000-04:002007-06-17T15:59:06.788-04:00The Threat of Knitting<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know that knitting is not a very common pastime, so I have come to expect a bit of reaction from people when I'm knitting in public. The response generally falls into two categories:</span><br /><ol style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><li>Excited interest. The people who exhibit this behavior are invariably knitters themselves.</li><li>Polite curiosity. The people in this category generally look like a combination of amused and befuddled, like they're inwardly saying, "Wow, people still knit?" or "What is she doing with those sticks and string?" They usually smile and go on about their business.</li></ol><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have now encountered a third reaction: thoroughly frightened.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I was sitting in the waiting room at my orthodontist's office, knitting peacefully on my sock while I waited my turn. Across the room was a mother and her daughter, who appeared to be about 6 or 7. (I found out later that they were waiting for their older daughter/sister to get done with her adjustment). The mom took a look at what I was doing, then looked at me with an expression akin to one you might have if you found yourself face-to-face with Freddy Krueger. The fear then morphed into a sort of disgusted look, as if knitting was a deviant act that should only be done in the privacy of one's home between consenting needles and yarn. She then (and this is the part that stunned me) </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >grabbed up her kid and moved to the farthest point in the room from me</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've had some time to mull this incident over, and I still can't make any sense of it. What is so threatening about knitting? Did she think her child would be scarred for life from exposure to knitting? That she might find out too soon how baby </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >sweaters</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> are made? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One thing I did find amusing was that the daughter was singing along to the song "This Is Why I'm Hot", which was playing on the radio. Not exactly wholesome, even when heavily edited. So knitting is terrible but songs about clubbing and promiscuous sex are perfectly fine?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(Oh, and in case you're curious, apparently Mims is hot because he's fly, and "you ain't 'cause you not.") Nice.<br /><br />Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/knitting" rel="tag">Knitting</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/knitting%20rants" rel="tag">Knitting Rants</a><br /></span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-7663904952794105182007-06-05T00:56:00.000-04:002008-12-09T10:22:08.389-05:00Dear SockI<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> want to love you. I really do.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I remember when I saw the yarn that was to become you. It was last Christmas, and I was home visiting my parents. My mother, knowing my love of yarn, took me to a lovely yarn shop. It was the first time I had ever seen Lorna's Laces sock yarn in real life, and I fell in love instantly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Sunday night, as I cast you on , I had high hopes that this was going to be the best pair of socks in the history of ever. I had done all of the calculations to ensure that you would fit perfectly. We were destined to live a happy life together.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And then things went wrong. I'll admit that it is partly my fault. Due to my phenotypic uniqueness, I have to make concessions that others need not worry about. My short stature and weirdly athletic legs mean that if I knit the leg with the same number of stitches all the way down, I get sags at the ankles. But I was not afraid, because I had read </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Rules-Yarn-Harlots-Tricks/dp/1580178340/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6012738-2003644?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181020637&sr=8-1">Knitting Rules!</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> All I needed to do was decrease a few stitches as I approached the ankle.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So I decreased 4 stitches. I was getting 8 stitches per inch, and about a half an inch was all I needed to take up the slack. I then merrily proceeded along with you, turning the heel and racing along the foot. I even stopped to take a picture of you:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmTy0fDLl2I/AAAAAAAAABE/LEIvAv_QkBo/s1600-h/purplesock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmTy0fDLl2I/AAAAAAAAABE/LEIvAv_QkBo/s320/purplesock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072446063827982178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I even posed you with the book, in hopes that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's sock-knitting mojo might rub off on you.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Then I tried you on. A simple decrease of 4 stitches had made you too tight for my ankles, despite the fact that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">my ankles are a full 2 inches smaller than where the cuff falls</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. Why? I don't understand. I'm a scientist, and I can't wrap my head around why 4 stitches made you too tight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As you no doubt know, you have been ripped back significantly since the above picture was taken. I'm going to try again, because I have invested so much time in you and can see your great potential. I ask only that you try to work with me to become the fabulous sock that I know you can be.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Sincerely,</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Jayme</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-52169862190022221102007-06-03T20:12:00.000-04:002008-12-09T10:22:08.522-05:00Forget the Lemonade<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A new twist on an old saying, courtesy of </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.comics.com/comics/pearls/">Pearls Before Swine</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">:</span><br /><br /> <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmNZLP4GPxI/AAAAAAAAAA0/Bt4F5wYquag/s1600-h/pearls21466380070528.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmNZLP4GPxI/AAAAAAAAAA0/Bt4F5wYquag/s400/pearls21466380070528.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071995655124565778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I think I like these endings better than the original.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-1295795247683853882007-06-01T18:31:00.000-04:002008-12-09T10:22:08.629-05:00Friday Surprise<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's been a pretty horrible week. So surprise flowers are a good pick-me-up.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmCebP4GPwI/AAAAAAAAAAs/gr4HxIL54RQ/s1600-h/roses.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/RmCebP4GPwI/AAAAAAAAAAs/gr4HxIL54RQ/s320/roses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071227371374657282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The card wasn't signed, so I don't know for sure who sent them to me. But I have a good idea. Or maybe I have a secret admirer.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-81556068650914098002007-05-25T17:55:00.000-04:002008-12-09T10:22:08.806-05:00Auto Repair, Redneck StyleA long time ago, I got one of those eternally-forwarded e-mails whose subject was Things You'll Never Hear A Redneck Say. Along with "I'll take Shakespeare for $1000, Alex." and "I'll have a Heineken." was "Duct tape won't fix that."<br /><br />Here's an example:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTMjjjrduMX2ChZmJT-plX3CpqEp_C_iMMvKEFLwwZCAEQ6TlmOisKAWOLDWpMgISdr_asvM_uKULKgd3mculKECWQqMrA6hiFJMshxbf24LduKajQ-rKW5QOoLR1gQkTaNdm/s1600-h/05-25-07_1436.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTMjjjrduMX2ChZmJT-plX3CpqEp_C_iMMvKEFLwwZCAEQ6TlmOisKAWOLDWpMgISdr_asvM_uKULKgd3mculKECWQqMrA6hiFJMshxbf24LduKajQ-rKW5QOoLR1gQkTaNdm/s320/05-25-07_1436.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5068621129384869618" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">P.S. Sometimes I love having a cell-phone camera.</span><br /><br /><br />[Listening to: "Coin-Operated Boy" by The Dresden Dolls]Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-80336417682196389412007-04-30T10:43:00.000-04:002007-04-30T10:48:07.618-04:00The Dream That Wouldn't Go Away<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've been having this recurring dream lately. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm on a trip somewhere. Exactly where is always different - sometimes it's a vacation, sometimes it's visiting family, and once it was summer camp(?). The common thread is that it's time to leave, and I can't seem to get everything packed to go. Either there's too much stuff, or it's spread around everywhere, or I can't move fast enough. So I end up missing my ride/flight home.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I guess it must mean something, since I've had this dream about a dozen times in the last few months. But I'll be damned if I know what it means.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-9626091212289285012007-04-01T20:05:00.000-04:002007-04-01T20:14:13.068-04:00Death in the Family<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I just found out that my first cousin once removed died last week. I wasn't close to him - I saw him maybe once every couple of years at our annual family reunion. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that it took a few minutes for me to search my mental file to put a face with the name (in my defense, I come from a huge family with lots of name duplication).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But he was family, and I believe that relatives deserve to be remembered regardless of how close you were to them. So I am posting his obituary from the <a href="http://www.hopestar.com">Hope Star</a>:</span><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jeff Bell</span><br /><br />MINERAL SPRINGS, AR--Jeffrey Wayne “Jeff” Bell, 57, of Mineral Springs died suddenly in a Nashville hospital on March 29, 2007. He was a rancher and owner of an excavation service.<br /><br />He loved his family and friends and was a master storyteller. He was a perfectionist who took pride in a job well done as the beautifully sculpted rolling hills of the Bell farm attest. He was a member of Mineral Springs First United Methodist Church.<br /><br />He was preceded in death by one brother, Larry Marvin Bell and his mother, Cora Mae Bell.<br /><br />Survivors include his wife and best friend, LaNelle Booker Bell, of Mineral Springs; one son, Ryan Bell and wife, Lisa, and their children, Jagger and Skye Bell, of Forney, Texas; one stepson, Michael Walters, of Orlando, Fla.; his father, J. F. Bell, of Mineral Springs; special mother-in-law, Wilma Booker, “Booker Momma,” of Washington; six sisters, Delilah Harbison, of Westfork, Kay Erwin, of Mineral Springs, Lisa Summerford, of Fayetteville, Pam New, of Texarkana, Jeri JOnes, of Nashville, and Tracy Hensley, of Mena; LaNell's brother, Joe Booker, of Washington; one granddaughter, Taylor Bell, of Dallas, Texas, and several nieces and nephews.<br /><br />Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 1, at Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home in Hope, with the Rev. Jimmy Dale and Vickie Stephens officiating. Burial will follow in Mineral Springs Cemetery in Mineral Springs.<br /><br />Arrangements are by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home in Hope. Family will receive friends on Saturday, March 31, from 6-8 p.m. at Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home in Hope.<br /><br />In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mineral Springs First United Methodist Church, Minder Springs, AR. or to Old Washington United Methodist Church, Washington, AR.<br /></blockquote>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-34205809371143708302007-03-23T23:32:00.000-04:002007-06-17T15:48:13.483-04:00Allergies (Or: Mucus, the Scourge of Mankind)It seems that I have a very responsive immune system. Which I guess is good overall.<br /><br />Unfortunately, my body cannot distinguish between a malicious bug and ordinary pollen. This is bad because the main ingredient of the air this time of year is pollen. And so, my allergies are incapacitating me.<br /><br />I just wish I could make my immune system understand that no, pollen isn't a threat. There's no need to go Red Alert, Condition One. Besides, what good does it do for my survival if my allergies make me unable to breathe or eat?Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-86277445521493713422007-03-09T11:06:00.000-05:002007-03-09T11:10:02.678-05:00Strange News Friday<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A little bit of weird news to start off the weekend:<br /></span><ul><li><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/1228631/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Priests to Purify Site After Bush Visit</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span></li><li><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/1227014/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Man Burns Genitals in 'Jackass' Stunt</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/1226838/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Duke Grad Builds Beer Tossing Fridge</span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/1225769/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cops: Groom Hit His Bride With Car</span></a></li></ul>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-44473271448818494342007-03-06T23:53:00.000-05:002008-12-09T10:22:08.965-05:00In Progress<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(A post in which I prove that I actually <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> knitting stuff)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My latest project is the </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_4944911,00.html">Monk's Travel Satchel</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. My progress?</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/Re5GLFCHmDI/AAAAAAAAAAU/dwwk4-h-Ubs/s1600-h/DSC00809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/Re5GLFCHmDI/AAAAAAAAAAU/dwwk4-h-Ubs/s320/DSC00809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039042189217732658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />So far: the front, most of the back and flap, and part of the strap. The strap also forms the bottom and sides of the bag, which means 74 inches of seed stitch hell with size 4 needles. I'm at about the 30 inch mark. So I have a long way to go before it resembles anything like a bag.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Brothers & Sisters" by Coldplay]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-340739066508705592007-03-05T17:33:00.000-05:002008-12-09T10:22:09.136-05:00I'm in Love<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I haven't met this new love of my life yet, but I'm sure our relationship will be very fulfilling. Here it is:</span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/ReybWv0aIkI/AAAAAAAAAAM/1lDVFFZtDZ0/s1600-h/charmed_knits.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KlxLndqI3vc/ReybWv0aIkI/AAAAAAAAAAM/1lDVFFZtDZ0/s200/charmed_knits.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038572898216452674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0470067314/ref=s9_asin_image_1/104-1111016-9403925">Charmed Knits</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">" by Alison Hansel. It combines two of my obsessions: knitting and Harry Potter. Alas, I have to wait until May, when it is released.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-25177613687073578262007-03-04T12:20:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:48:53.934-04:00Sidelined by Semantics<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Another post about the wacky and infuriating world of US politics.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First Barack Obama, then John McCain get themselves into hot water because they use the term "wasted" to characterize the deaths of soldiers in Iraq. Then the retraction - they meant to use the term "sacrificed" instead.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let's look at the definitions:</span><br /><ul style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Waste</span><span style="font-style: italic;">: to consume, spend, or employ without adequate return</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sacrifice:</span>the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So which term you use should have more to do with your opinion of the war, not whether or not the term has a negative connotation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The worst part of the semantic sparring is that it distracts us from having a discussion about the things that matter - what we are doing there, what we should do next, etc. You can spend tons of time arguing about "waste" vs. "sacrifice" or "civil war" vs. "sectarian violence", but nothing is getting done in the meantime.<br /><br />Sigh.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "L' Incertitude d'Heisenberg" by Télépopmusik]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-14396086867429343922007-03-02T10:50:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:48:53.935-04:00The Asian Tour of Pain<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nine months since the braces went on, and everything is going according to plan, though very slowly.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm in the elastic band stage, which supposedly helps line up my bite. The elastics my ortho gives out uses countries to identify the size and strength of the bands, which I guess is useful. I started out with Japan, which seemed uncomfortable at the time, but not too bad. I now realize that Japan is a far nicer place to be than Thailand. Thailand bands are small and extremely strong. It's not been fun.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm glad that ibuprofen is plentiful.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-23321786912859954442007-02-27T13:16:00.000-05:002007-02-27T13:19:07.603-05:00Five Years of My Life in One Comic Strip Panel<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yep, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=821">this comic strip</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> pretty much sums up my experience in grad school...</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-2314230662440984412007-02-27T02:14:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:49:12.149-04:00To Sleep, Or Maybe Not<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The thing I really hate about insomnia is that it occurs only between the hours of 11pm and 6am. Any other time, I could fall asleep immediately. So it seems that I can only fall asleep when I'm not allowed to do so.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fun times.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Knock 'Em Out" by Lily Allen]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-73002326378912400062007-02-26T12:51:00.000-05:002007-02-26T13:02:11.904-05:00Status Report<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Haven't posted in a while. I've been playing on MySpace recently instead. I've reconnected with some friends I haven't seen in years, but posting to this blog has been bumped down on my list of priorities.</span></div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, a short recap:</span></div><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Still have my braces. Hopefully they will be off by the end of the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">- Still being overworked and underappreciated at my job.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">- Still knitting, though not as much as I would like. I've made gifts (sorry, no pictures) and socks:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u22/chemgirl_album/Knitting/DSC00783.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and socks in progress:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u22/chemgirl_album/Knitting/DSC00789.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Also, I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally, which usually happens this time of year. I'm not a winter person.</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-56628697298979945982006-12-05T22:29:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:49:58.108-04:00Multitasking<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For you hunters out there: </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.seasonshot.com">Seasonshot</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Kill your game and season it at the same time. Now THAT'S multitasking. I had no idea that there was a market for such a thing, but there you go.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">If Dick Cheney had only had it during his unfortunate quail-hunting trip last year. He could have literally peppered his hunting buddy.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-3596037690458225602006-11-11T18:56:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:49:58.109-04:00The Best Campaign T-Shirt Ever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.glarkware.com/securestore/c188252p16853678.2.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/petrelli.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Okay, so I would never vote for him, because he's a world-class dick. But at least his slogan is true.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Lust" by Tori Amos]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-37622929702032801192006-11-06T23:57:00.000-05:002007-06-17T15:50:21.092-04:00Thank God It's Almost Over<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Election season, that is.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I am sick and tired of the incessant campaign commercials where Candidate X claims that his /her opponent is a psychopath who kicks puppies for fun and who, if elected, will cause America to be sucked into the Seventh Circle of Hell. Whereas Candidate X's election will ensure that your life will be filled with happiness and sunshine and no taxes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What won't end tomorrow is the speculation about what the future holds if the Democrats manage to take back at least one of the Houses of Congress. Here's a hint - it won't change anything of substance. The government will be just as fucked up next year as it is today. But it may be more entertaining.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Fly Me Away" by Goldfrapp]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-61400302071297518692006-11-02T22:16:00.000-05:002006-11-02T22:30:51.715-05:00Ask Me Later If It Was Worth ItI had my braces adjusted again yesterday. The last wayward tooth is finally bonded (orthodontist speak for putting a bracket on it and hooking it up to the wire). This particular tooth was set back behind its neighbors, so I had to wear a coil spring and power chain (for three months) to make room for it first. And yes, coil springs and power chains are as much fun as they sound.<br /><br />The upside? Without all of that metal in my mouth, my braces definitely look less conspicuous, and my teeth look more normal than they ever have before. <br /><br />The downside? The wayward tooth, having happily hung out where it was for the past twenty years, is not taking to being pulled into a new position very well. It hurts. A lot. I've been sucking down ibuprofen since yesterday morning. And I'm channeling my pain-related bitchiness by swearing a lot. I have found that liberal use of the word "fuck" helps deal with the situation. As in, "My fucking tooth hurts so fucking much! I've taken six fucking Advil, and the fucking pain will not fucking go away!"<br /><br />Okay, so it's not the most ladylike way to behave, but it gets me through the day.<br /><br /><br /><br />[Listening to: "Downtown" by Peaches]Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-81517732883506258332006-10-31T13:10:00.000-05:002006-10-31T13:17:44.522-05:00A Halloween Debunking<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">According to Costas Efthimiou, a physicist at the University of Central Florida, </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/27/vampire.science.ap/index.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ghosts and vampires are a mathematical impossibility</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. Awww.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But luckily for people like Anne Rice, the general population is not easily swayed by facts with which they disagree.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-72236357284515293342006-10-26T20:12:00.000-04:002006-10-31T01:21:06.274-05:00Rewriting the Calendar<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A few weeks ago, the president delivered a </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061011-7.html">speech about the economy and the budget</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. My favorite quote:</span><br /><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"This morning my administration released the budget numbers for fiscal 2006. These budget numbers are not just estimates; these are the actual results for the fiscal year that ended February the 30th."</blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Okay, two things. First, the government fiscal year ends on September 30. Second, and this is the funniest part: </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >February 30</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">? I'll need to check my calendar, but I'm pretty sure that February 30 doesn't exist.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We always knew he had a certain way with words, but now we know he can't even get the calendar straight. </span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-30333462790515539202006-10-21T22:24:00.000-04:002006-10-30T22:40:46.332-05:00Dispatch From the State Fair<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >(Alternate Title: Deep-Fried Nausea on a Stick)</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />For the first time ever, I w</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ent to the North Carolina State Fair. The last time I went to the fair was back in Arkansas in 1991. But I scored some free tickets this time, so I decided to check it out.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />They had rides,</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/1600/midway.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/midway.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">livestock,</span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/1600/baby_donkey.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/baby_donkey.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> and sideshows.</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/1600/sideshow.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/sideshow.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Sideshows. Where you can have your desire to see oddly-sized animals (midget cows, giant rats) and animals with extra legs/heads, etc. all in one place. Whee!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But let's not forget the reason most people go to the fair: to eat wildly inappropriate food. Which, when you're in the south, usually means deep-fried everything:</span><br /><br /></div><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/1600/food.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/food.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Deep-fried candy bars, twinkies, pickles, cheeseburgers, and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">deep-fried Coca-cola</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (new for this year).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Gives me indigestion just thinking about it.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">[Listening to: "Daylight Robbery" by Imogen Heap]</span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9573369.post-6131826004874888772006-10-08T22:32:00.000-04:002006-10-08T22:35:39.134-04:00A Small Diversion<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I could not stomach the thought of working on my ongoing projects, so I whipped out this nifty shopping bag:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/1600/bag.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5113/1168/320/bag.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There's something to be said about a project that can be done in an afternoon.<br /><br /><br />[Listening to: Mozart's Serenade in G, K. 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik", performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker]<br /></span>Jaymehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10567045986389370487noreply@blogger.com0