one reason we explore ways to move our bodies

this dance is gorgeous.

hail the conquering hErooooooo! lalalala lalala

yes indeed,

Momma! Momma I'm coming HOOOOoooooOOOOME

thesis defended = check (success)
edits back from the dean = check
knitted baby blanket done = check
leaving Minot residency forever in less than 80 hours to rhett and my four legged furry babies = check

Things I will miss:
the camaraderie of my 22 classmates who I spent 15 hours a day with for the last 2.5 years
my knitting group
baan rao
bigtime bistro
karaoke
pandora
netflix
cheap alcohol
cheap, fast shipping

that is all.

now can I make socks????

bullying.

I am a few months late coming across this video, and I wonder how he is doing now, half way through grade 8.

This video shows an incredibly brave and strong young guy, who's face reveals the pain he has endured from his tormentors.  .  

http://www.shewired.com/news/2011/12/04/whats-going-on-8th-grader-jonah-heartbreaking-anti-bullying-video


let's teach our kids to learn from other kids (with videos like these) about how bullying can harm.

going to where cali driver's don't need to drive in snow

indeed. Minot is a scary snow place when no-one from North Dakota is from the North. A little snow falls and people go all crazy-like with the gas pedal.  I had a free  ice car-pades show on my way to school with all the triple lux spins.  As long as they don't hit my car with their summer tires.

So, here I go to San Diego, and yes, I am completely winging it. OK, that's a lie. I will be at a conference during business hours for the most part. But outside of that, I am winging it.  OK , that's also a lie, I am kind of relying on other cohorts to have some direction.  Sounds like I am staying in a pretty trendy area so walking and beer or wine may be the mix when I am not edumacatin' myself.  Depending on the reception I get for my thesis poster I could be celebrating in smartypantsness or drowning in ownedness.

At least I will be warm in my newknitsweater!!!!!
wait. It's cold in San Diego, right? Like 40 below?

wow. last week was so stressful I was seeing double; and I almost finished my sweater as a result! I love the catharsis knitting provides.   Taking things one day at a time, and starting to remind myself I will be in San Diego next week. (note to self: print poster)

I am on to the final band that wraps around the sweater, add buttons and block! Really excited about this.

T minus 40 days untill December 19th

HOLY shit.

my eyes are bigger

 I am beginning to detect a pattern in my personality in respect to taking on more than I should.  Good idea? want ALLLLLL there is to do with it!  oh.... wait....

can I get the status on my life please?

Thesis:
The problem with a thesis is you don't know if the result of a work session will make your brain feel better and more in control of your content, or worse and spiralingly (my own word if you must know) overwhelmed about the content. Toss of a coin, really.

Knitting:
The acorn lace on my sweater is great as long as I don't screw up to the point of frogging. Which I have done. Thrice.

Family.
I miss.

Running:
pulled a decent 8k run out of my bum @ the women's breast cancer run for the cure in Bismarck, ND.  This only proves my practice of slacking training.  I'll readdress this theory when I fall over.  In other news, a 27 year old man fell over and died in the Toronto half marathon. http://www.canada.com/health/Runner+dies+Toronto+marathon/5558589/story.html

Everything else:
I'm sorry, I don't have time for everything else.
Except, Jelly Belly's are all hype. I have finally decided after years of deliberation, despite their popularity, they do fall short of their following. Just because flavours have a fun name and are fun colours does not mean they are fun to eat.

Finally finished the body of the blanket. 

I think I'll need more brown yarn and a couple of weeks to finish. 

In other news, 5 of the same dog toy arrived in the mail today. Bijou is not spoiled.

woe is me.

Whilst studying adolescent language tonite, I came to a most horrid realization.

The World Health Organization defines the following:
youth 15-24 years
young people 10-24 years.

.....*

so, that's it then. I have long left my youth, behind. I am officially no longer a young person and have not been for years..

I am, however, also not old enough to express my disdain in a mid-life crisis.

oh, what is a girl to do?

SO. I'm just going to say it.

I am terrified of math-speak. In fact, I pretty much go "blankslate" when asked to think mathimatically. Documented math anxiety effects.
My statistical interpretations and Chapter 4 are currently the scariest school related aspect of my last semester and all I can do is visualize turning in my finish project.

Do not ask me questions. specifically math questions. stay away from those.

sock lesson number 1.

KNIT LOOSER!


(I should also mention purl three and I are NOT friends).

and a moment in time and space

I finally found a moment by the grace of the graduate school fairies to break my sock virginity :) I am now in the midst of my first toe up sock. The plan is to have the first one done so I can take the second one on the plane to San Diego in November for my thesis poster at ASHA.

I searched a bit online for yarn stores in San Diego and posted on a san diego ravelry thread, and I am already getting a great impression of that city- another poster from there actually offered to take me to a few stores while i'm there! of course, I don't know if that will work out, but the gesture itself was really nice.

I really hope to post some pictures of some things soon.  I am already running about 8 hours short of what I need in a day. Some day, my camera will meet my blog. Some...day.


On another note.... possible underwater photoshoot end of october. This could be fabulous.

it's magic

well this was a stressful week. Good thing knitting is brilliant to chill the limbic system. 

got the hang of a much wanted technique whilst beginning my...first fall sweater! Magic loop, I think we are going to make friends. 

check

It's a good thing I have so many things to distract myself from frustrating thesis committees. it's a bad thing I have so many things to distract myself from frustrating thesis committees.

8k in bismark in october check

finally starting the lore sweater check

ready to tackle socks again check

did I mention I've also been doing squares for the sock blankie? now how to attach them. 

can students go on sabbatical?

is it December yet?

blocking.

I suppose it is time I pay attention to this necessary piece if I am to give out anything I make.

I really liked the way Techknitting explained how and why to block knitting on her blog:

http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-block-hand-knits-heres-why-and-how.html

* not to self (since right now I am the only one who visits my blog haha...ha)  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, even if you want to because you know you do want to.

and I must give this typetime: Completed my first Trail run in the Badlands of Medora, ND.   last weekend with some friends! (note to self: post a photo)

one thing at a time homie

I have decided to pair back my learning curve with the socks and do one sock at a time. 

But, for now that is on the back burner. I am knitting a baby blanket for a baby that has already been born so, I'm late! i'm late! for a very important date!  New skill in this one, not much but I'm using 2 different colour skeins and carrying each when I switch the stripes (brown-blue-brown-blue-blah-blah), Which, technically I have not done before so i am still on the gain side.

Anxious to get started on my SWEATER!!!!! may have to begin before the blanket is done, we'll see what my self restraint looks like, much determined by stress levels in this last semester of grad school gauntlet.

cheerio

uno

well,

here it finally is, my first blog, accumulated from enough different reasons to finally start one. In no particular order I imagine the main topics will consist of
1) documenting my trials in knitting from beginner and beyond
2) the trials of a new (and beyond) career in speech language pathology ( I is all grown up now?)
3) adventures of bijou (the french bulldog) and aziza, aka killerzizi (the tortiseshell cat)
4) some SLR photog/ art interest.

I'll begin post number one with KNITTING.
I have plunged into the pool in May, something fierce.
I have dumped money into needles, thread (addicting btw), and managed to complete with minimal pain, about half a dozen items beyond the token scarf.
Now I am trying socks.
shortrowtoeandheelmagiclooptwoatatime (breath out) , socks.
after all, why not start with the method I want to continue forward with?

now, can you imagine, there is no youtube or book tutorial that has alll of these on my wishlist? I have been trying to piece together the instructions .... one about provisional cast on (check)
one about magic loop (but with a different toe and caston)
how is it going?
aaaarrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
not well.