Posts in month: January, 2009

Many thanks to everybunny who has been sending all the well wishes and good vibrations. The classic Beach Boys song in the title has been ringing in my head since Friday, and I welcome it. In following up on why I am not attending the Boston Job Fair, I realized that the companies I wanted to see were going to be in Dulles, VA, and not Boston. Hmmm… I see a road trip in my future!

Lately there has been a Meme going around Facebook, and I was tagged by a few folks. I decided to participate and post the results here on da’ blog. If anybunny feels like writing up his/her 25 things, feel free to link me up. =:8
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Rules in Facebook:
Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

01. I grew up watching television mysteries, thanks to my mother — Quincy, Barnaby Jones, Ironside, Charlie’s Angels… We watched it.
02. My favorite television cartoons are Scooby Doo Mysteries and Johnny Quest — I give them full credit for keeping me young.
03. I watch “Murder, She Wrote” almost every weeknight — I love JB’s observational skills and how she uses them to catch the murderers.
04. I still own my first car, a 1970 Ford Fastback. It popped out of Dearborn 3 months after I was born. One of my lifetime goals is to restore my baby back to nearly new for street driving.
05. I still sleep with my giant Paddington Bear, Skipper — a Christmas gift from my sister.
06. I learned to surf during the summer of my junior year in high school — I became addicted and constantly sought for that “high” when dropping in on a wave for years.
07. Surfing inspired me to purchase one of the “Apocalypse Now” surfboards (has not happened yet) and also gave me three of my favorite movies: “Big Wednesday” “Endless Summer” and “Gidget”
08. While in college, I was in the VA Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC). I went from USAF, to USAA, to Corps only, to dropping out completely.
09. Thanks to the VTCC, I learned how to spout “Monty Python’s Holy Grail” and “The Princess Bride” word-for-word.
10. Also, thanks to the VTCC’s seats in Lane Stadium, I became hooked on college football, and have since brought my husband into the fold of NCAA Bowl Games. (GOOOO, HOKIES GO!!)
11. I can be very ADD to the point that I get overwhelmed and have no idea what I should be doing first — that is why I make lists. (FOCUS!!)
12. My OCD for perfection can frustrate me if I cannot finish everything of my task in one session or sitting. (IE, do not come near me when I am occupied or I might bite something off.)
13. My blog posts tend to be long since each generally takes a week for me to write from idea to finish — the Yarn Harlot’s visit to WEBS in May 2008 took months to write.
14. Like most Filipino kids in my hometown, I studied classical piano and took karate — I stopped after 10 years of the piano, 6 years for the karate.
15. I am hooked on knitting — the working of the hand/eye coordination, deciphering charts/instructions in multiple languages, finishing the project, and the seeing joy in the recipients’ faces completely enraptured me.
16. Because of knitting, I am somewhat obsessed with my yarn stash — it is now a nice-sized collection that necessitates an insurance rider.
17. I am in my second marriage — the first happened a week before I turned 29, and lasted 10 months before I walked out.
18. Because of my ex-husband, I became hooked on having a warm towel after a shower/bath and bought a standing towel warmer as my “engagement” present for my second wedding.
19. In Virginia, I played flanker in a local woman’s rugby league for three years before work started taking over my life. I truly do miss playing and the camaraderie.
20. I worked four years at one of the largest hospital networks in Virginia — 2 years as an administrative associate on the graveyard shift at the ER and Maternity wards, 2 years as desktop/helpdesk support for information systems.
21. It does not take much for me to pull close to an “all-nighter” but I will crash at 8AM sharp after staying up for so long — drinking tea and soda just might be a bit of a factor.
22. I have the following contact lenses colors: sapphire blue, turquoise, honey, and lavender — I wore the sapphire ones as my “something blue” for my second wedding.
23. I have 3 photographs I keep of my favorite dog in the world, Natasha, my Golden Retriever who left us on April 27th, 2000 — one of us two on the 3rd Street Jetty rocks, one of her and Penelope Lane Bunny, and one of her in an Elizabethan collar on October 31st.
24. At one point, there were 10 rabbits in the house — our 3 houserabbits plus the 7 that I rescued from a backyard breeder.
25. Currently there are four houserabbits living at home — all are “fixed” and two of them are a bonded husbund/wife pair.

While browsing through Facebook, I discovered one friend was tagged in a photo. The tag was for somebunny’s funeral. Blinking my eyes and shaking my head twice, I clicked into the photo set and matched familiar names with unfamiliar faces — faces that have aged within the past 2 decades. These folks were ones that I might have run into had I stayed in Virginia Beach and kept up in the social scene.

Whenever anybunny that I knew from high school dies, the death never fails to make myself ponder my own life, what I have accomplished, and if I am close to being satisfied with myself. We seem to find ourselves always reaching for some kind of goal running the gamut from a particular yarn to own or a pattern to make, then to graduating with a particular degree or a highly titled career. This week has been quite an adventure.

In our country’s political news:
Sarah Palin still opens her mouth (bad because her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me) spars with President Barack Obama being sworn into office.

At my beloved VA Tech:
That gruesome graduate student’s decapitation spars with the Men’s Basketball team beating number one ranked Wake Forest.

As for myself, I was “pink slipped” on Friday at noontime — I no longer work at Verdasys as a Support Engineer for their Digital Guardian product. The exit interview was a positive one. When I discovered that management had been trying to find another position for me in the company so as to keep me, it offered assurance that I would be welcomed back when the economy turned. This turn of events makes life a little crazier now that Richie and I are both at home. Unlike his last job, our relief is that I was given severance with leftover vacation and I can receive unemployment funds. Since he worked as an IT contractor, he did not get any compensation for all his hourly time at the pharmacy chain’s home office. I am so glad he was able to put away money to cover his time while he was out. Crossing paws, we are hoping he lands one of the positions for which he interviewed, while I take some much-needed mental health time.

In my package, I have until March 31st for Verdasys to cover any medical/dental items. Due to a fear of dentists, I avoid them but have been extremely lucky with my dental health. My teeth are still perfectly straight and cavities are nowhere to be found. I do miss getting my teeth polished and wonder if all that free soda, tea, and coffee has affected them. Since my eyeglasses are showing their years of wear and tear, replacing them and ordering contact lenses seem like a good idea. Guess what appointments I am making on Monday?

This stunning event has awakened opportunities in one of my former fields, 3-phase power engineering. While chatting with a friend from The Corporation, he mentioned that various resellers were seeking folks of my caliber. I then chatted with a reseller friend who worked along The Corporation about my current career status. His response? “If you can relocate, I have a job for you.” Stunned, I asked where — Las Vegas, NV. I tried to imagine Richie in the desert heat, giggled at the visual, and became sad. The only way I could ever leave Rhode Island for better pastures in my career would be if we divorced.

Another positive effect is the obviously increased spare time. For the next few weeks I now can:

• Finish the knitting WIPS and queue that have been on my radar for so long (I laugh like Val Kilmer in Real Genius to my Roanoke buds about the Bias Fair Isle Pullover like Marnie had made — Hahahaha!).
• Finally address the condition of the House. Whenever I became emotionally upset I avoided dealing with it, something that I had always done as long as I can remember. Now that my sister will be up for the Boston Marathon, getting the house ready for her visit is a huge motivation. Plus, I will be back to cooking soon enough. First item to make? Lasagna and garlic rolls!! (FYI: Bread is one of my favorite foods to make. I used to knead up lots of honey wheat bread every winter.)
• Review everything I have learned career-wise from the past 10 years in order to ready myself for any job opportunity that pops up. I had been called a “Boy Scout” at one position because I was always prepared for any mishap or situation; I am kicking it up to a new level to include various skills.
• Continue teaching myself the rudimentary basics of the languages I want to know — French, Danish, Italian, and Japanese. Although since I had found this lace website in Russian a year ago, I might add that to the list.
• Revamp my exercise routine to include my Wii Fit and Dance Revolution. One goal to address is running the Gaspee Days 8K in June. Another goal is to play in the local women’s rugby league. Whoa, I just realized that I can be playing my Wii again! Baseball or Kniittiing anybunny?
• Participate at my various affiliated organizations. I am putting back the hours into Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue that was lost while I was working in Waltham. Ravelry has always been my after hours no-pay job, but I am addressing the more tedious administrative work in my groups and am increasing my time the Ravelry Help! chat room on Lingr. Goody bags and prizes for the Paw Sox “Stitch and Pitch” on May 17th need to be jump-started. Knitting meet ups and LYS visits are being scheduled — I believe no explanation is needed on why.
• Start job hunting, which will involve a job fair in Boston this Tuesday. This also involves updating my website, resume, LinkedIn page, and then networking with my contacts. Where I will be applying is to be determined in three weeks after my mental health break.

Oy, I think I have enough items to keep sparring with the disappointment for awhile… For now I will finish the WIPs that I had started for my friends at Verdasys. =:8

This week I wanted to write one post that would feature three topics: the awesome Twist Collective Trunk Show at the Stitch House of Dorchester, the anticipated package from the Ravelry Helpers Swap, and the MetroWest Guild meeting. Unfortunately disappointment reared its ugly head when the package did not arrive. I am relieved and delighted that the other two topics more than make up for it. However, I will write only on the amazing trunk show and save the guild meeting for later.

Last Saturday on the 10th, I had the immense pleasure to drive up to Boston and visit the posh and comfortable Stitch House of Dorchester. Annissa was graciously hosting the Twist Collective Trunk Show of which Julia Farwell-Clay (known for her work in TC and Moth Heaven) was mistress-of-ceremonies. Fighting the winds and traffic, I had arrived at noon and ended up finding a seat in the second row of folding chairs. Julia and I exchanged waves to each other, and I took some photos of the crowd. Just when I was about to sit back down, I spied my friends from the Common Cod Guild — Guido (of the podcast It’s a Purl, Man fame) and Michelle (Boring Knitter) — coming in from the cold. I walked to the front of the shop to greet them, and quick salutations were made. Finally I settled back into my spot. It was time for the show to begin.

Attending the show held a particular purpose for me. As seen in the photos, I am quite interested in many of the featured sweaters. There were many pieces that had everyone ooo-ing, ah-ing and cooing with delight. I had already purchased Wisteria and Vivian, but was debating on knitting Little Birds and Sylvi. That one pattern was the most anticipated in the show, and it did not disappoint. Julia’s words offered tantalizing snippets on how the pieces were knit, and for whom they were made. I have featured some photos below, but all can be found HERE.

When the trunk show was over, there was much mingling and shopping. I chatted with Julia first, and then met other attendees who had never been on Ravelry. For these future members, I sent invitations on the spot. I later helped Michelle decide on whether she would make Sylvi with Riverstone Bulky or another yarn. Let us just say she is going to make Sylvi in a gorgeous cobalt blue… We both kept staring (okay, it was really myself) at this stately gentleman who was wearing a very cool cabled pullover obviously made in Noro. I introduced myself and asked permission to photograph that wonderful sweater. Besides being a fantastic knitter, Doctor John happens to be a professor of music specializing in the flute. We loved chatting about his lively and interesting stories. It turned out that he used to teach once a week at one of the Providence colleges, and blogs about his loves too.

As I had stated previously, the Stitch House of Dorchester is a nicely stocked shop. Because I already have the yarn for all the sweaters that I want to make, I really did not need to purchase anything. However, I did find more of the Cascade Pima Silk in black for my Mother’s hat and some Addi Lace needles. There was a moment of weakness where I found some decadent Mooi laceweight from Louet. Not only did I remind myself that I have lots of luscious cobweb and laceweight yarn waiting patiently at home, but its short yardage of 350 yards made me put the $50 skein back in the little jar with the rest of its friends.

Whenever I am reflecting back on that day, I call the trunk show a success. Everyone that came seemed to have left with smiles on their faces and satisfied purchases. I peeked inside our goody bags and found Abby Franquemont’s entrelac pattern of Fourth Grade Hat. Delighted with that find, I became determined to make the hat with my worsted weight scraps (after I finish the other WIPs, of course). =:8

Finally I am sneaking in time to enter a blog post! For the past couple of months I have been occupied with work and found myself feeling detached to everything else. Sure, I managed to make it to special guild meetings (courtesy of Guido Stein and the Common Cod Fiber Guild), knitting SNBs/circles, and conferences (Stitches East with the awesome Ravelry Helpers). However there are little bombs inside my head that want to explode. I am wrestling with them during my daily drive, and sometimes hourly at home.

Every year I make resolutions and then immediately break them. They all fall in the same line: weight loss, driving more at work, turning WIPs into FOs, fixing up the house, volunteering more charity work, saving money, and then blogging about it all. Last year of 2008 was full of surprises — both good and bad. I hope to make 2009 a bouquet of sweetness whenever possible. Doing so may involve in closing off harmful relationships (all are muggle ones) to my psyche. If these old ties were true friends, they would understand. For now I shall sharpen my skates and sprint across my icy network as fast as I can. I may even bunny dance during my run!

In the knitting realms, Ravelry has definitely kept my attention — and the attention of over two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) members. Though the membership seems small, Ravelry made its debut to a very select handful on April 11th, 2007 and has skyrocketed membership like a “hockey stick” in a graph. The niche of “internet crafting” is amazing to behold, and Ravelry caters worldwide primarily to knitters and crocheters who are also spinners, sewers, weavers, and jewelers. The site can be very overwhelming to those not familiar with forums, but the information and social networking aspect can be harnessed into powerful business connections.

A few examples are presented in the following:
1. All members are given a Notebook to track their projects, yarn stash, needles/hooks, library, friends, and other items. The organizational aspect helps leash each member’s tigers of piles.
2. Local yarn shop owners on Ravelry have found that when customers come into their shop and are fuzzy on pattern material details (“I think the pattern’s name is ‘Wavy Wimple’ but I am not sure.”), the LYSO can go online and look up the pattern and suggest the yarn and tools necessary to make it.
3. For events like Rhinebeck S&W, TNNA, and Maryland S&W, vast information including what vendors to check out, which hotels to stay/avoid, where to find the best eateries, and when the meet ups occur were communicated in specific forums.
4. Designers have the ability to create their own shop in which members can browse their patterns and decide to buy/download after seeing how other folks did in following them. There are future works that will allow Dyers and Spinners the same ability.
5. Specific guilds, groups, and shops can communicate with their friends, members, and/or customers. Kate, the president of Massachusetts MetroWest Knitting Guild’s group posts messages about upcoming meetings and sponsored events. The “Cuppa Tea?” group brings folks from all over the world to profess their love of tea types and where to find them. The “Ocean State Crafters” group discusses items like where to shop or local events. Gina’s Mosaic Yarn Shop Maniacs host various knit-alongs, list classes, and updates on their fellow members.

These lines of communication have networked folks around the world together. Digesting all of this information is a constant work of art, but I love it. Adventurous stories to come soon — I promise!! Meanwhile, please note the other social webs that I live and feel free to include me. Now, I leave you some of Richie’s chocolate cake with white vanilla “almost buttercream” frosting… Bunny hugs! =:8