Thoughts on Birthdays...
Because, in fact, it is my birthday. Today. I am 24. Woo!
Y’ever notice that birthdays are those holidays that you care about but you don’t. A summer baby means that you don’t bring donuts or cupcakes to elementary school on your birthday like everybody else. I couldn’t even do half birthdays because my half birthday is 12/23.
Sometimes it just seems like the most random holiday. Have cake and presents! Just because! Oh, and you have to wear a funny hat now.
And if you make a big deal out of your birthday, you feel silly because, I mean, it’s your birthday, it’s not like the world’s going to end or anything. Woo hoo, I’m 24. BFD. And then if you don’t make a big deal out of it, no one notices and then you’re sad inside. Cuz, gosh darn it, you wanted a free dinner and some cool stuff. And they forgot your birthday. Which obviously means your friends don’t love you and your parents wish they’d aborted you instead. Not that, you know, they forgot.
Most of my birthdays, after the goody bag and funny hats stage, have been non events. I turned 21 on vacation with my parents, my brothers, my aunt and a few Brazilian cousins out of the country, where the legal drinking age was old enough to see over a bar. When I was in high school, I had my birthday dinner three weeks after the fact at a restaurant where my parents had a coupon. I woke up in the middle of the night and was violently ill. Last year, my mother was in town, and I had dinner with her and my aunt at the Lebanese Taverna in Pentagon City.
Of course, when I was a camp aide for girl scout camp, I told my girls when my birthday was. I brought cupcakes, one of my camp counselors brought a cake and at close of the day, the entire camp sang happy birthday to Kestrel (my camp name). That was weird.
So, I’m making a big deal this year because, well, I feel like it. It’s MY BIRTHDAY, dammit! Today, I got "surprised" with pastry at work.... like
other folks, I worked on my birthday. Y'all... in the future, when half the company is gathering in the lobby for no real reason and then tell me that N needs me downstairs when she hasn't even shown up yet? That's special. And I work in theatre, ladies and gentlemen.
Then I went out to dinner with
Ms. Libby where we had Thai food and I had a chocolate martini (eh) and most of her Tom Collins (yum!) and on the way out we found a guy with parrots! We got a polaroid taken of us with PARROTS ON OUR HEADS! (It's a polaroid, so you have to wait for us to find a scanner) And I came home to find packages from friends back home (and let me tell you, opening the pagan books in front of my (tolerant) Catholic aunt and friends was a little awkward). These same "friends" are off seeing a preview of
Serenity. Without me. The bastards. I don't care if they're in San Francisco and I'm in DC!!!! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!
(Have you noticed that that is a great excuse for anything? 'Christina, I need this report in a hour.' 'It's my birthday!' 'OK, Monday's fine.')Number of times happy birthday was sung: 5
Also, my friends at work made me wear a stupid hat all day.
I think I'm the only one who has these problems...
So, I'm cleaning the living room because guests are coming into town this week. Unsurprisingly, the living room is full of knitting accoutrements, including several stitch markers and a couple of tapestry needles. I'm wearing 'I don't care' clothes - yoga pants and tank. I have no pockets.
Later, as I'm putting stuff away, I get to explain to people why jewelry (well, hand beaded stitch markers, but same difference) is falling out of my boobs.
::headdesk::
Even in my sleep?
I find it odd that I've begun consistently dreaming about knitting. I've had four dreams (that I can remember) about knitting in the past two months. I've had a few others that I can remember before then.
This morning, it was about laceweight yarn. See, I was about to have a summer of lace (and then the
Summer of Lace started and TOTALLY STOLE MY IDEA. That I hadn't told anyone about. Damn psychic thieves). I've got a Madli's shawl from
Interweave Knits Summer 2004 in that pink laceweight I dyed and a
Lily of the Valley shawl from Knitters in a black silk/cashmere. But, in Christina Dreamland, I decided I needed a white shawl (which I've been thinking of making anyway). My mother bought me 1200 yards of laceweight white wool and I was debating patterns and finally decided on the Flower Basket Shawl from
Interweave Fall 2004.
Then I woke up and realized I'd overslept. Damn you, yarn!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MY SPINNING WHEEL BROKE!!!!!
It's the bit that connects the wheel to the treadle(s). It's probably fixable but I have no idea how to do this. Have I mentioned that I bought this thing on May 8th?! MAY 8TH! THAT'S A LITTLE OVER A MONTH!
OK, OK, it's probably a faulty part and not the part of the vendor or manufacturer. But still, I want to ask for my money back. Or a partial refund. Or something. Not that they'd give me anything. But... but... wah!
Sorry, SP5, you're not going to be getting the yarn I was spinning for you any time soon.
We interrupt this silence with an entry...
Right. Yeah. I've been busy. I don't even have good excuses like some folks. No medical drama, just work and gasp! socializing. Yes, I have a somewhat small but active social life for the first time since... well, high school. But only for the past few weeks. Things might chance tomorrow and we'll be back to your regularly scheduled FOs.
First, I've been spending a lot of time spinning:
This is ingeo silk and it is a great and a frustrating spin. There's a nice draft to it, but it breaks easily, especially if you don't add enough spin. I had it fall apart in my hands while plying. A LOT.
Also, nearly nearly NEARLY finished is Rainy Afternoon:
Based on a Norah Gaugan Classic Elite pattern from the 1990's, I've cardiganized it, added some waist shaping and made the neck deeper. The problem? The neck band on one side is at least 7 (and probably 14) stitches longer than the other side. And the bands are done separately and the neckbands are done on top. Did I realize this AFTER I finished weaving in all of the ends and started attached buttons? Oh, you bet I did.
I'm also working on a Sitcom Chic that's actually flattering. It's about four rows away from the the yoke detailing. At some point, I'll actually take a picture.
Off to spin for my SP5!
I don't quite get the joke of
this Penny Arcade, but it's amusing, nonetheless.
Pictures of a FO and some handspun soon, really.
We have a winner!
Well Read Little Oddball wins the name that wheel contest.
My new Babe is called Witch Baby! Send me an email to get your yarn!
(Sorry the green mohair has some serious tension issues, but it is my first spun on the wheel)
