mcstuffin

road trip 2005

2005-08-03T19:00:00.000-05:00

we've made it all the way to rapid city, south dakota! yoohoo! we had some exciting stops along the way, including the spam museum in austin minnesota, and to the less chemical but equally eerie badlands. the plants are faring the trip well, although theyre getting a little toasted by the sun roof. we're making the all american trip to mount rushmore tommorrow; gotta rest up and get our fill of cable tv tonite. :)

more from the road soon, hopefully a little closer to arizona??

one more thing- i heard about the white sox stitch and pitch-- if only we were in chicago a little while longer....

on the road again....

2005-07-30T01:25:00.000-05:00

so the house movers and the car movers came today, everything without a glitch in sight (not how i predicted it to be, a good thing, right?) the apartments all empty, except for the computer sitting on the floor-- there wasnt much action for us here in the apartment, so michael and i went out for pizza and a movie (wedding crashers- i think i was a frat boy in another life). the big movin on out happens in two days........

one more thing

2005-07-17T00:08:00.000-05:00

this will be the last, really. (i have to go to bed asap, early morning flight to florida tommorrow...) heres the progress on my scarf-- not too shabby, eh?

oh happy day, part deux

2005-07-16T23:57:00.000-05:00

2. and wait!! theres oh so much more! she sent the greatest books, both right up my alley: an adorable book , the gift knitter, thats ALL about knitting for babies and dogs (my absolute favorite knitting recipients!)-- our friends' new baby is going to be mighty toasty for this upcoming chicago winter! she also a knitting journal, which is a great reference and a great way to keep track of the ongoing projects!

3, and wait!! theres even more!! she also sent 2 adorable seed kits (very appropriate for the new yard in arizona), the cutest beaded picture frames, super handy portable mirror and tissue case, chocolate (which, btw, michael has enjoyed already), and the greatest note.

so to my secret pal, i cant thank you enough- you are incredibly kind and generous, and you never fail to make my day! you are the greatest.

oh happy day!

2005-07-16T23:40:00.000-05:00

yesterday michael and i spent the day in oak park, visiting our friends and their new LOVELY house, and look what was waiting for me at home!! i was so excited, my secret pal is too awesome! so first off, i have to say again, my secret pal rocks, as usual! and the package was so great, i have to go through the items in more detail:

1. so first off, take a look at the great yarn my talented secret pal dyed with kool aid! its gorgeous, and all my favorite colors- blues, purples, dark reds, just amazing!
im thinking of a hat and mittens, perhaps??

penguin obsession

2005-07-11T00:52:00.000-05:00

okay, one more photo of a penguin-- i cant take it! theyre too cute!

how much is that penguin in the window?

2005-07-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

we just saw march of the penguins, and i cant get over how cute they are! ack. if only i could get my hands on a domesticated penguin... can you imagine, fluffy little penguins, all huddled up in the chill thats my living room?! unbelievable.

free at last!

2005-07-06T17:39:00.000-05:00

great news! im finally done! residency is over!! i have to say, my last day/call was a slight anticlimatic- the night was actually insane and busy, but then when the next resident came for sign out in the morning, it was over. done. and that was pretty much it. i did, however, put up a huge stink at medical records- in typical hospital fashion, the folks down there claimed that i didnt do a few dictations, even though, oddly enough, the hard copies of the dictations were stapled in front of each chart. hmm. after about 10 minutes of attempting to make a logical arguement ("So, if i didnt do the dictation, how is it that its RIGHT HERE in front of the chart??") i finally negotiated that i would type the dictations over. ah, the oddities of residency....

so this month, in my time that i am officially off, i have accomplished alot so far: 1. played mini golf over the 4th of july weekend; 2. endured the crowds at the taste of chicago; 3. started a lacy scarf using the awesome choo choo yarn that my SP sent my way; 4. made some travel plans to visit michael' s parents (AND do some wedding planning!) and visit my own.

ooof, its going to be a good month!

2005-07-06T17:37:00.000-05:00

is anyone out there? i sort of looks like im lost in space inside this suit. :) anyhoo, just one of the fun attractions at nextfest...

yippeee!

2005-06-29T18:08:00.000-05:00

so exciting news!! two parts. one, i finally finished my sweater! woohoo! here are some rather dark pics of the sweater, on the table and on me. it was billed as a summer sweater in knit 1, but perhaps it should be a summer sweater in a place with constant AC. now, in the tradition of finishing one project and moving onto the next, im going to knit a scarf with the cool yarn my secret pal gave me. yay!

two, tommorrows the last day of residency, and my last call ever as a resident. thank god. its also my birthday (great day to be on call, eh?), but being done with call will be a gift enough....

2005-06-29T18:06:00.001-05:00

the sweater revisted

2005-06-29T18:06:00.000-05:00

the sweater finally done!

robotic dolphin

2005-06-24T17:02:00.000-05:00

so its a happy day- only 6 more days of residency, 2 more calls, AND i have the day off tommorrow- woopee! its about 95 degrees outside today, and even in the AC im absolutely melting-- everyone keeps telling me that in arizona, with the dry heat, summers arent so bad. i think that in any heat-- arid, dry, moist, wet, whatever--im going to be a big sweaty mess.

so plans for saturday: sleep in, of course, and then were headed out to nextfest- the technology fair sponsored by wired magazine. i can barely use my tv, so im guessing that i wont be the most savvy of attendees, but therell be things i can get on board with, such as: 1. a self cleaning kitchen! 2. flying cars! 3. bionic dolphins! now, i was planning on getting a dolphin dolphin, but why bother with all that living tissue?

a battery change for the camera and look what happens...

2005-06-19T23:02:00.000-05:00

one more thing before bedtime: heres a photo from our day off, and a photo of the awesome keito dama lets knit mag my sis got me when she was in nyc. i think i have to get a handle on patterns in english and then tackle the japanese chart patterns, but hey, im always up for a challenge. plus, after this residency thing is over, ill have a lot more time on my hands...

2005-06-19T23:01:00.000-05:00

how my sister is feeding the knitting obsession...

2005-06-19T22:58:00.000-05:00

poolside

Yay for secret pals!

2005-06-19T22:38:00.000-05:00

On friday, i got my first package from my secret pal (who rocks, by the way). woohoo! included in the package: yummy chocolates (which were gone shortly after these photos were taken), very cute soaps (cinnamon and peppermint scented!) in a great knitted bag, 2 issues of knitter's mag, both of which have fun projects, and beautiful crystal palace choo choo ribbon yarn- just beautiful!! and the perfect color!

so to my secret pal, thank you so much, you are just too awesome. you totally made my weekend!!

im thinking of a scarf with the yarn....

2005-06-19T22:36:00.000-05:00

close up of the yarn- future scarf, perhaps?

2005-06-19T22:35:00.000-05:00

how great is my secret pal?

strange television addiction

2005-06-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

for the past two weeks, ive been watching dancing with the stars with scary religion-- love those dancing celebs! (although, i have to admit, im not even sure who these "celebs" are...) this tv addiction ranks up there with america's top model-- have no clue why im so interested, but i cant stop watching. so far, my favorite jiving star is joey from new kids on the block, i think he deserves a comeback.

so heres another excuse as to why i havent posted new photos to this site- the batteries in our camera died, after a very long day of picture taking on monday (our PL-3 day off!) anyhoo, very exciting photos are soon to come, including: 1. new knitting magazine! 2. orchids my sis got me for our residency commencement dinner! 3. me, actually relaxing by a pool (!)

melting....

2005-06-13T00:14:00.000-05:00

michael and i are camping out in the living room tonite, as we have for the past two-- the bedrooms like a sauna, and the living room AC is too hard to resist.

during her trip to ny, while checking out her new digs, my sister stopped by kinokuniya and got me the latest issue of keito dama- exciting!! so now that ive just barely learned how to read knitting patterns in english, im going to learn how to interepret japanese knitting charts. anything for a new project....

since im too lazy to get the camera out now, ill post the photos of the mag tommorrow...

my secret pal rocks!

2005-06-09T18:18:00.000-05:00

thank you so much to my secret pal for all the emails and e-cards-- its so fun to hear from you! all your letters totally make my day... :)

2005-06-04T20:34:00.000-05:00

my sweater in progress!

2005-06-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

im fussing around with the computer, procrastinating as i do best. michael went to play poker, and im left to my own devices- not good. :) so heres a photo with nan from the art fair today, and heres a photo of one side of my sweater. if all goes well with doing work today, maybe ill reward myself by starting the second side of my sweater!

2005-06-04T20:27:00.000-05:00

at the art fair with nan

2005-06-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

yay! i heard from my secret pal, and im so excited about this whole process. what a great idea-- a chance to meet someone new and to spoil a good person from the knitting world.

to kick off my FREE WEEKEND (free weekend! free weekend!) i have so far: 1. had a huge nap after getting back from call; 2. subsequently had a wicked calf cramp after the nap and ate a banana in response; 3. ate a delicious steak and scallops dinner made by michael; 4. slept in !! until 9! 5. and now listening to wait wait dont tell me and eating eggs and bacon for breakfast. ah, free time. doesnt get much better than that. :)

were going to a friends house to eat brats and ribs; where is this newly minted midwesterner going to get brats in the middle of arizona??

2005-06-01T17:16:00.000-05:00

i got out of work early today, with the (good) intention to work on my abstract poster presentation, but its way too nice outside and im way too unmotivated to do that (right now, at least. i hope).

michael has to take an online statistics course for his graduate school program and we got the textbook in the mail today. woohoo! i admit, im a math nerd (thinking about stats takes me back to my math olympiad glory days), but i promise i will only help. i will not do homework. i will not take tests. i promise!

secret pal 5!

2005-05-31T20:44:00.000-05:00

hey there to my secret pal! hope these answers are helpful...

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

i pretty much knit with everything-- acrylic, cotton, wool; whatever strikes my fancy. i love natural fibers, especially alpaca. mmm.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

i don't spin right now, but im interested in getting into that one day. i own many crochet needles, but i never got past making one chain (a lumpy, bumpy one at that).

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

no allergies that im willing to admit to, although cats do make me mildly itchy. and at times, i have a wicked post-nasal drip. unrelated to smoke, pets, fibers, or perfumes.

4. How long have you been knitting?

i just started september 2004, and im loving it.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

no, i dont.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

im really into gardenia right now, and i love essential oil scents like rosemary and peppermint. right now im wearing the perfumes kai and marc jacobs. im also loving my fig scented candle- yum.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

i dont have a sweet tooth, though i will never (ever) turn away chocolate if offered.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

i like sewing, linoleum block printing, cooking, and baking. and i LOVE plants and gardening. ive hooked a few rugs in my time, although ive left my last rug project unfinished for over a year now....

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

music im listening to now: the shins, iron and wine, arcade fire, keane, damien rice, wilco, MIA, air... the list goes on. im a technological dummy, so even though im sure my computer can play mp3s, im not exactly sure how to make it do so. its a shock that im even using a computer to type this. play cds- now that i can do.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like brown and green, but im trying to brighten up my color palate- purples a nice color. i tend to stay away from really bright colors, like red and yellow.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

engaged. im dying to get a dog, but until i move and finish my current job, i dont have the time or space, unfortunately.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

what a question! i hope that i am happy and healthy, and that i am surrounded by people who i love and who love me.

a new car wouldnt hurt, either.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

i love knitting with berroco yarns, also with blue sky alpaca.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

i dont like eyelash yarn. or shiny/ sparkly yarn.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

knitting things for other people's babies, and hopefully expanding to knitting for other peoples pets. doggie legwarmers, anyone?

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

i love knitting little things, like baby booties. also like to knit scarves and head wraps.

17. What are you knitting right now?

ive been working on the puff sleeve cardigan in the spring/summer issue of knit 1. only the right front to go.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

ponchos are cute, but ive actually never made one!

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

straight

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

i like bamboo the most-- most of my needles are aluminum and came from my fiance's mom, which i love.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

i havent knit a pair of socks yet, but im sure that ill love it.

22. How did you learn to knit?

From a book.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

i usually start and finish one project fully, so i guess i dont have any UFOs as of now. it does take me a long time to finish a project tho-- ive been working on this sweater for 2 months now....

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

i love tree frogs! they are too cute. back in the day, i had two wonderful tree frogs, sticky and dot, who have since gone on to the big pond in the sky.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

thanksgiving-- cant get enough of that turkey and gravy.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

um, no. i have an awful lot of clothes and shoes, but i dont think that counts.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

none, but i do buy knit 1 and vogue when they come out.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I would love a copy of "vintage knits;" i want to read "another bullshit night in suck city: a memoir" by nick flynn. i read an excerpt in the new yorker a while back and thought it was great.

2005-05-29T13:38:00.000-05:00

from the looks of this blog, it seems like i'm constantly at work... maybe that is the case. ah well. i am, as predicted, at work, hoping that this day will go quickly-- maybe if im awake tommorrow ill have a little time to enjoy memorial day. only 32 more days of residency (yes, ive resorted to counting), then we're off to arizona in no time.

some good news- i signed up for secret pals 5 and looks like im in and all systems go! im excited-- can't wait to sit down and tackle the questionaire...

wide awake in the middle of the night (again)

2005-05-14T02:32:00.000-05:00

so its 2:32 am, and i am at work and wide awake (as per usual). only 2 more calls to go this month- yoohooo! thats a major cause of celebration.

update on the logs: exactly the same.

update on the sweater im knitting: working on the second sleeve, then onto the right front. im afraid that its going to look like a huge clown sweater (the sleeves look gigantic) but i guess ill have to wait and see...

happy birthday!

2005-04-30T10:47:00.000-05:00

today is sweet m's birthday! yay! everyone should celebrate in his honor!

2005-04-28T03:29:00.000-05:00

It's 3:30 in the morning, and I'm sitting at the computer at work right now. I really should go to bed, but I get all weird and wide eyed at night (early morning?) and then regret it come real wake up time.

only 10 more hours before I get home- yay. missing m and the plants and the logs and the comfy comfy bed.

I'm going to take another photo of mr. and ms. shiitake log but my prediction is that it'll look remarkably similar to the first...

sweet dreams

2005-04-24T11:41:00.000-05:00

mr. and ms. shiitake log!

mr. and ms. shiitake log

2005-04-24T11:03:00.000-05:00

Finally a day off- spending the morning with M and breakfast with the beatles (from our Ithaca days!). Gotta love bacon and sentiment.

The newest addition to our project family are shiitake mushroom logs. Mr. Shiitake log spent 24 hours in the frig (to force fruiting), and now we're eagerly awaiting our shiitake bonanza. Here's the first photo post fruiting. If you can't tell the difference, Mr. Shiitake log is on the right.