The new year is well under way, and I'm doing well, too. My class is smaller than usual (only 29 students, now), and they aren't nearly the behavior problem I had last year. We're planning our DC trip again, but this time not until school is out for the summer. And we're struggling to get enough people to go. Thank you, Wall Street.
I'm drowning with work for my graduate classes, so I haven't been knitting much. Finishing up a lot of UFOs mostly, working on them a few minutes here and there. I hope to arrive at zero UFOs by this summer. And I don't intend to frog most of them!
I was home today, and I watched the inaugural. I cried as he was sworn in, and again when he spoke. I've never done that before, and I've lived through a lot of inaugurations. (But then, I didn't watch the last two. I couldn't stomach it.) It was amazing to see the virtual sea of people standing in that freezing weather, just to watch Obama being sworn in, to cheer when he was, and to cry throughout. I'm not black, but I can understand a little, how much this must mean to all our black citizens. It means a great deal to me, as well. Hope has come home.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Merry Christmas to all
2008 is drawing to a close, and I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. It's been a tough year for everyone, including me, and I'm looking forward to having it behind us. I know the problems that plague us won't be cured on Jan. 1, or even on Jan. 20, but at last, I think this country is ready to take a different route to solving them. Much was made of Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, but I think much more in terms of the necessity of hope. We haven't had much hope in the last decade, but that's, finally, changing. And it is way overdue. Here's hoping we don't squander it.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas. I know the retailers are bemoaning the poor retail sales figures, but that, to me, isn't a signal that Christmas was somehow poorer for it. An interesting sidenote to all the financial doom and gloom was the fact that craft stores were experiencing a large increase in sales this holiday season. People seemed to be taking the plunge into handcrafted items, or in making their own handcrafted items. I think that's wonderful! And while I know that many of the folks plunging into hand crafts this season will drift away once the holiday is over, at least some of them will discover the joy and satisfaction of making things with their own hands and their own creativity. To me, that's a good thing.
Having said that, I have to admit that I didn't make a single thing for Christmas this year. (go ahead, gasp). I did, however, buy some handmade craft items for several people at our annual Harvest Festival. (does that count?). But for my brother, who is VERY difficult to buy for, I opted to give him something he would like, but his wife would never buy for him. (She's German, and frugal (thank God)). So he got an authentic NFL Tony Romo jersey, which he can wear while slavishly watching every Dallas Cowboy game ever played. (Or he can hang on the wall and admire during the offseason.) He's been a Cowboy's fan since he was 8 or so, and now he's 44, so he was due. Thank goodness I was able to find one on discount, though. That shirt retails for $229 -$249 on the official NFL site, and most other retailers. I was appalled that something machine made out of cheap material would cost that much, when handmade items from quality materials so often can't even bring $100 without people complaining. But, I guess you have to figure in the devotion of the NFL fans, which makes them willing to overpay for their toys.
It rained all day on Christmas here. It's the first time I can remember it raining on that day for years and years. I had to laugh, though, when I checked the forecast for the next week. It's cold and overcast, and often raining, until New Year's Day, when it's predicted to be sunny and in the 70s. Never fails, it seems. The one day millions of people will be tuning in to Pasadena, the weather is postcard perfect. All those millions trapped in snow and ice will hate us, just a little, because of that sunny January day. Ah, well. It's better for all those folks riding the floats, anyway.
So, I hope this holiday season finds all of you well and content, that you and your loved ones are safe and warm, and that in this tough time, you've all found the hope you need to carry on.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas. I know the retailers are bemoaning the poor retail sales figures, but that, to me, isn't a signal that Christmas was somehow poorer for it. An interesting sidenote to all the financial doom and gloom was the fact that craft stores were experiencing a large increase in sales this holiday season. People seemed to be taking the plunge into handcrafted items, or in making their own handcrafted items. I think that's wonderful! And while I know that many of the folks plunging into hand crafts this season will drift away once the holiday is over, at least some of them will discover the joy and satisfaction of making things with their own hands and their own creativity. To me, that's a good thing.
Having said that, I have to admit that I didn't make a single thing for Christmas this year. (go ahead, gasp). I did, however, buy some handmade craft items for several people at our annual Harvest Festival. (does that count?). But for my brother, who is VERY difficult to buy for, I opted to give him something he would like, but his wife would never buy for him. (She's German, and frugal (thank God)). So he got an authentic NFL Tony Romo jersey, which he can wear while slavishly watching every Dallas Cowboy game ever played. (Or he can hang on the wall and admire during the offseason.) He's been a Cowboy's fan since he was 8 or so, and now he's 44, so he was due. Thank goodness I was able to find one on discount, though. That shirt retails for $229 -$249 on the official NFL site, and most other retailers. I was appalled that something machine made out of cheap material would cost that much, when handmade items from quality materials so often can't even bring $100 without people complaining. But, I guess you have to figure in the devotion of the NFL fans, which makes them willing to overpay for their toys.
It rained all day on Christmas here. It's the first time I can remember it raining on that day for years and years. I had to laugh, though, when I checked the forecast for the next week. It's cold and overcast, and often raining, until New Year's Day, when it's predicted to be sunny and in the 70s. Never fails, it seems. The one day millions of people will be tuning in to Pasadena, the weather is postcard perfect. All those millions trapped in snow and ice will hate us, just a little, because of that sunny January day. Ah, well. It's better for all those folks riding the floats, anyway.
So, I hope this holiday season finds all of you well and content, that you and your loved ones are safe and warm, and that in this tough time, you've all found the hope you need to carry on.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Fall is here, even if it is in the 80s!
Well, the calendar says fall is here, although our weather doesn't seem to agree. It's been warm most days, with an occasional very hot day thrown in. But, our nights are cooler, and there's even been fog once!
In my head, I must think I live in the East, because I've just been on an Elann shopping trip, and bought a bunch of new yarn. (Not that I don't already have wayyyy too much yarn!) But the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan in Summer Rose was calling my name, as was the Berroco Smart Mohair in Orchid and the Peruvian Highland Chunky in Hyacinth. I also picked up a Debbie Bliss book, Out of Town. It has a cute little cardigan just right for the Astrakhan.
I used to be all about pullovers in my knitting, but lately cardigans are appealing to me. I'm not even sure why. And I still have lots of pullovers in my waiting list, so I haven't given up on them. Maybe it's just that cardigans are more practical, but I'm not sure I believe that, either. So, who knows? Maybe I'll even, some day, get around to knitting socks! I have sock yarn, and sock needles already. Oh, and sock patterns too. It's just the will to knit socks that is missing.
I don't knit in the round(but I can), I don't like tiny needles(but I have used them), I don't knit just to try out some new technique. I knit sweaters I want to wear, or sweaters I want others to wear. And I don't have a lot of time during the school year to knit, so complicated stitching techniques just aren't for me. (When I do have a lot of time, it's in our blazing hot summer, and knitting slides down the list of things I want to do, living in my un-airconditioned apartment). It actually makes sense for me to knit socks during the summer, since they're small and won't make me feel hot with lots of partially complete sweater parts sitting in my lap. Maybe next summer will be my sock summer. Then again, maybe it won't.
I do knit lots of cabled sweaters. To me, that's uncomplicated knitting. I don't know why. The very first sweater I knitted was cabled, and I loved it. Large amounts of stockinette bore me to tears. Seed stitch I love, but large amounts of it put me off. (I'm a thrower). I guess I just don't need mindless knitting, because my free time isn't really free. Either I'm online, in graduate school, or I'm grading papers, or I'm reading for my graduate classes. I can't knit during any of that, so when I do knit, I'm not doing anything else at the same time. I envy people who can sit for long stretches and just knit. I wish I could. I'd be way more productive if I could devote real time to knitting. I keep telling myself that when I retire, I'll knit up a storm. (I keep telling myself that cause my stash keeps growing, and I already have enough stashed to keep me knitting for more years than I have left, most likely. Unless I live to 120 or so.)
But, like clockwork, when fall arrives, I start buying yarn, and planning what to make from it, and actually knitting. I may not knit anything from what I buy when I buy it, but eventually, it will all be used. I hope.
In my head, I must think I live in the East, because I've just been on an Elann shopping trip, and bought a bunch of new yarn. (Not that I don't already have wayyyy too much yarn!) But the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan in Summer Rose was calling my name, as was the Berroco Smart Mohair in Orchid and the Peruvian Highland Chunky in Hyacinth. I also picked up a Debbie Bliss book, Out of Town. It has a cute little cardigan just right for the Astrakhan.
I used to be all about pullovers in my knitting, but lately cardigans are appealing to me. I'm not even sure why. And I still have lots of pullovers in my waiting list, so I haven't given up on them. Maybe it's just that cardigans are more practical, but I'm not sure I believe that, either. So, who knows? Maybe I'll even, some day, get around to knitting socks! I have sock yarn, and sock needles already. Oh, and sock patterns too. It's just the will to knit socks that is missing.
I don't knit in the round(but I can), I don't like tiny needles(but I have used them), I don't knit just to try out some new technique. I knit sweaters I want to wear, or sweaters I want others to wear. And I don't have a lot of time during the school year to knit, so complicated stitching techniques just aren't for me. (When I do have a lot of time, it's in our blazing hot summer, and knitting slides down the list of things I want to do, living in my un-airconditioned apartment). It actually makes sense for me to knit socks during the summer, since they're small and won't make me feel hot with lots of partially complete sweater parts sitting in my lap. Maybe next summer will be my sock summer. Then again, maybe it won't.
I do knit lots of cabled sweaters. To me, that's uncomplicated knitting. I don't know why. The very first sweater I knitted was cabled, and I loved it. Large amounts of stockinette bore me to tears. Seed stitch I love, but large amounts of it put me off. (I'm a thrower). I guess I just don't need mindless knitting, because my free time isn't really free. Either I'm online, in graduate school, or I'm grading papers, or I'm reading for my graduate classes. I can't knit during any of that, so when I do knit, I'm not doing anything else at the same time. I envy people who can sit for long stretches and just knit. I wish I could. I'd be way more productive if I could devote real time to knitting. I keep telling myself that when I retire, I'll knit up a storm. (I keep telling myself that cause my stash keeps growing, and I already have enough stashed to keep me knitting for more years than I have left, most likely. Unless I live to 120 or so.)
But, like clockwork, when fall arrives, I start buying yarn, and planning what to make from it, and actually knitting. I may not knit anything from what I buy when I buy it, but eventually, it will all be used. I hope.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
No, I didn't die!
Okay, so it's been months since I posted anything. I've been busy! And not very knitting inspired. Between running a PTA, working on my MS in Reading and Literacy, and teaching 37 ten-year-olds, I just sort of stumbled through the rest of my overly full days. This summer I just stopped doing anything. No PTA, no teaching, no classes for my Masters. By the time I'd said goodbye to my students last June, I was exhausted. I was literally too exhausted to even read the first week I was off. (This from a woman so totally addicted to reading that she panics when she's down to the next-to-last new book on hand.) I slept, I watched TV (not much, since my attention span was competing with a gnat's for last place), and I did nothing. I don't mean I sat around in a lotus position mediating, but I didn't do anything that required a lot of energy or any brain involvement. It was lovely.
When I'd recovered sufficiently to at least read, I ordered up a lot of books on teaching reading, and teaching in general, (and a few good mysteries) and read those. That took up July, and a bit of August. Then, once August was here, I began thinking of how I was going to change my teaching this year, what I was going to continue doing, and began organizing lesson plans, activities, etc., for my soon-to-be new students. And then, of course, I got back into my classroom to begin getting it ready for those students. This involves some heavy labor, since in my district, they pretend to have really cleaned your room, and think they can fool us into believing it by moving all the filing cabinets, bookshelves, desks, chairs, and whatever else is in the room into the center of the room and leaving it all there. Naturally, there's no one to help move it all back to where it belongs except me. And full filing cabinets are not easy to move!
There's something profoundly satisfying and hopeful about setting up my classroom. I don't really know who my students will be, since the list we get at the end of the year mysteriously changes over the summer. But I enjoy rearranging my classroom, trying out new arrangements, revisiting old ones. Clearing out my files. Reorganizing my library. Designing and putting up new bulletin boards, and planning for their replacements. Preparing the new lessons, revisiting old ones, bringing my vision of the new year to life.
And then there's the rush of the first few days of school, of meeting and getting to know the 35 students you'll spend the next 10 months with, teaching them and learning from them, as I hope they will do as well. September is my insanity month, when I get consumed by the tasks at hand. The assessments, the scheduling, the scheduling mix-ups, the idiocy that is our principal (scheduling 130 students for pictures in a 5 minute window? Oh, well, since it's taking longer, you teachers will just have to shorten your lunch period so I can do this.)
At any rate, school has started, I've survived the first 2+ weeks, and all's well. My own classes don't start for another two weeks, which is nice. I've been surprised, really, at how much of my Reading and Literacy degree involves classes that don't really have anything to do with reading or literacy, but it's been an interesting year, nonetheless. Now, if they would just alter their calendar a little bit, so that their ending dates didn't coincide exactly with the grading dates for my school!
I haven't even really kept up with my favorite blogs, which I've sort of made an inroad on this weekend. But I have been knitting, the last few weeks. A few UFOs were found and transformed into FOs. A few are still in the process of becoming FOs. I did make one new item, but it will never be an FO. A lovely little vest that worked up perfectly, except for the finishing band. No matter what I did, it just turned out ugly. Pick up exactly the number of stitches specified, it's too loose. Pick up a few less, it pulls. There was no happy medium. It's partially frogged as of now. At present, I'm working on finishing the sleeves and doing the button band/collar for a cardigan, and finally sewing up a cute vest I made with Rowan's Big Wool last year. It's been sitting in a transparent bag, in pieces, to reproach me, and I finally succumbed today.
So that's it. I am alive and well, just still, and always, busy.
When I'd recovered sufficiently to at least read, I ordered up a lot of books on teaching reading, and teaching in general, (and a few good mysteries) and read those. That took up July, and a bit of August. Then, once August was here, I began thinking of how I was going to change my teaching this year, what I was going to continue doing, and began organizing lesson plans, activities, etc., for my soon-to-be new students. And then, of course, I got back into my classroom to begin getting it ready for those students. This involves some heavy labor, since in my district, they pretend to have really cleaned your room, and think they can fool us into believing it by moving all the filing cabinets, bookshelves, desks, chairs, and whatever else is in the room into the center of the room and leaving it all there. Naturally, there's no one to help move it all back to where it belongs except me. And full filing cabinets are not easy to move!
There's something profoundly satisfying and hopeful about setting up my classroom. I don't really know who my students will be, since the list we get at the end of the year mysteriously changes over the summer. But I enjoy rearranging my classroom, trying out new arrangements, revisiting old ones. Clearing out my files. Reorganizing my library. Designing and putting up new bulletin boards, and planning for their replacements. Preparing the new lessons, revisiting old ones, bringing my vision of the new year to life.
And then there's the rush of the first few days of school, of meeting and getting to know the 35 students you'll spend the next 10 months with, teaching them and learning from them, as I hope they will do as well. September is my insanity month, when I get consumed by the tasks at hand. The assessments, the scheduling, the scheduling mix-ups, the idiocy that is our principal (scheduling 130 students for pictures in a 5 minute window? Oh, well, since it's taking longer, you teachers will just have to shorten your lunch period so I can do this.)
At any rate, school has started, I've survived the first 2+ weeks, and all's well. My own classes don't start for another two weeks, which is nice. I've been surprised, really, at how much of my Reading and Literacy degree involves classes that don't really have anything to do with reading or literacy, but it's been an interesting year, nonetheless. Now, if they would just alter their calendar a little bit, so that their ending dates didn't coincide exactly with the grading dates for my school!
I haven't even really kept up with my favorite blogs, which I've sort of made an inroad on this weekend. But I have been knitting, the last few weeks. A few UFOs were found and transformed into FOs. A few are still in the process of becoming FOs. I did make one new item, but it will never be an FO. A lovely little vest that worked up perfectly, except for the finishing band. No matter what I did, it just turned out ugly. Pick up exactly the number of stitches specified, it's too loose. Pick up a few less, it pulls. There was no happy medium. It's partially frogged as of now. At present, I'm working on finishing the sleeves and doing the button band/collar for a cardigan, and finally sewing up a cute vest I made with Rowan's Big Wool last year. It's been sitting in a transparent bag, in pieces, to reproach me, and I finally succumbed today.
So that's it. I am alive and well, just still, and always, busy.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
I'm feeling better!
The antibiotics have done their job, and I'm officially over my bout with pneumonia. My doctor is still telling me to take it easy, but he and I both think the worst is over (finally!)
I got some good news at work this week ~ I was selected Teacher of the Year for my school! I am both honored and excited to be chosen (even if it does mean more work, writing essays, doing an interview, etc.) This is part of the National Teacher of the Year, but I'm not counting on that. I'm not even counting on becoming my own district's Teacher of the Year LOL
On the knitting front, well, there's nothing new. I have basically been going to work, coming home, and collapsing. I haven't had the energy to knit in weeks and weeks, and I don't even have the energy to choose a new project right now.
Both my graduate courses and report cards are due next Friday, so the coming week is going to be very hectic, as I write my final papers for my grad courses, and report cards for my students (now numbering 37, due to a new boy who arrived Thursday). I kind of doubt I'll find either the energy or the time to do any knitting until after all this. At least I get a couple of weeks off grad school after the 14th!
I got some good news at work this week ~ I was selected Teacher of the Year for my school! I am both honored and excited to be chosen (even if it does mean more work, writing essays, doing an interview, etc.) This is part of the National Teacher of the Year, but I'm not counting on that. I'm not even counting on becoming my own district's Teacher of the Year LOL
On the knitting front, well, there's nothing new. I have basically been going to work, coming home, and collapsing. I haven't had the energy to knit in weeks and weeks, and I don't even have the energy to choose a new project right now.
Both my graduate courses and report cards are due next Friday, so the coming week is going to be very hectic, as I write my final papers for my grad courses, and report cards for my students (now numbering 37, due to a new boy who arrived Thursday). I kind of doubt I'll find either the energy or the time to do any knitting until after all this. At least I get a couple of weeks off grad school after the 14th!
Friday, February 8, 2008
I'm alive, but not very well
I apologize to everyone for not posting for so long. I've been down with pneumonia, and I'm just now slowly recovering. I had to spend a couple of days in the hospital, and miss a week from work (and my school, too). I haven't gotten anything accomplished in ages.
To my swap buddy, I need to apologize for not getting your package in the mail on time. I've just been too ill to do anything about it. I'll try to finish the package this weekend, and mail it on Tuesday, but it really depends on how well I feel (which isn't wonderful, yet).
I obviously haven't been knitting at all, either. Between the illness and the meds to cure said illness, I've just been a zombie for the most part. So, apologies to all, and hopefully I'll be back to posting regularly soon.
To my swap buddy, I need to apologize for not getting your package in the mail on time. I've just been too ill to do anything about it. I'll try to finish the package this weekend, and mail it on Tuesday, but it really depends on how well I feel (which isn't wonderful, yet).
I obviously haven't been knitting at all, either. Between the illness and the meds to cure said illness, I've just been a zombie for the most part. So, apologies to all, and hopefully I'll be back to posting regularly soon.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
And the Winner is....
It's been a rough two weeks, and last night was the worst. The wind kicked up here, and first, ripped my bedroom window off its track, so it had to stay wide open all night (and all day today until I could get home to crawl up on my dresser, remove the screen, strong arm the window arm back onto/into its holder, and finally (Yes!) crank it closed). Next, the open window let enough of the gale force wind in to knock over a large container holding my jewelry, scattering it all over my bedroom. While I was on my hands and knees, gathering up the scattered jewelry (and fending off my cat, who was fascinated by all the small shiny objects), the power went off. And stayed off. All night. So there I sat, in the dark, in the cold (my one and only wall heater is in a boxed in hallway, with 4 rooms, 2 doorless, opening off it. Needless to say, it doesn't heat anything much), afraid to go to sleep for fear I'd oversleep, waiting for the power to come back on. It didn't. I got to put on my make-up in my car this morning, and couldn't do much more than brush my hair (which normally desperately needs blowdrying into shape.) Sleepless, frozen, wild hair and sketchy makeup, I made it to work on time, much the worse for wear.
I didn't get to put all the names into a bowl until today, but I did finally get that done. (I'm behind on several other things, too, thanks to last night.) And so, congratulations go to Grace! She's the winner of all 5 skeins of Araucania Atacama alpaca yarn, and given how many wonderful shawls she has knit, I'm sure she'll put this to beautiful use, too. So, Grace, send me your address, and I'll get this off to you as soon as I can.
I didn't get to put all the names into a bowl until today, but I did finally get that done. (I'm behind on several other things, too, thanks to last night.) And so, congratulations go to Grace! She's the winner of all 5 skeins of Araucania Atacama alpaca yarn, and given how many wonderful shawls she has knit, I'm sure she'll put this to beautiful use, too. So, Grace, send me your address, and I'll get this off to you as soon as I can.
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