Goodbye 2008

The one thing I love about New Year's Eve is that it's the last day of the year. Time to reset, refresh, renew. Of course, every evening is like that, too. I always set new goals for the new day but this is a little different. For one thing, I get to use a new planner:

From Drop Box

I have two because, um, I have split personalities and each prefers one charity over the other. And they're both so pretty and Borders had a sale and . . .

Anyways, it's been a huge year for me.

- I went to Texas to take the most intense exam I have EVER taken in my life. I mean, who goes out of state just to take an exam? I do!

- I went to California for the first time to see a friend. No, going when I was 4 does not count because I do not remember it.

- I moved to Utah and am closer with my friends, even though they don't knit (though one of them makes the most awesome comic called Bishie Hotline and the other makes the most amazing jewelry and Invader Zim things and so on over here at The Thorn And Rose and there are several others who might not make things but are still awesome in their own special way). I'm also closer with family and none of THEM knit either. Oh well, I'm sure they're special in their own way. Somehow. Nooo, don't hit me at the reunion!

- I wrote another novel, this one 75,000 words, which translates into 199 pages and I hated it at the end but I finished anyways and I may never publish because the market really really REALLY doesn't need another vampire book, as ironic and tongue-in-cheek as this one is.

- I lost 12 pounds this year.

And that's about the biggest things I can really think of. As for this coming year, I have a few plans.

- I'd like to pass that exam once and for all.
- I'd like to reach my weight goal.
- I'd like to run a 5k (dream big).
- I'd like to hang-glide, as long as it doesn't cost too much.
- I'd like to knit myself TWO sweaters.
- And I'd like to start learning how to get along better with myself and others.

Oh yes, 2009 is going to be monumental. And I'm putting the 'mental' in it.

P.S. Before I knit anything, maybe I should fix this:

From Drop Box

P.S.S. And not to be an ungrateful wretch, I did get a present from my Rubberswapper friend, ElizabethSABLE:

From Drop Box

See the ad for the Sow's Ear above the yarn? Knitting Cafe. I think I might start one out here. ;) Utah could use more places to knit and spill drinks. XD

Puppy wub.

When I first saw this commercial, I got a little bit sniffly:


But I couldn't help but giggle when I saw the second part months and months later:


Daisy was kind of a similar case. Someone must have thought that they couldn't care for her very well, perhaps someone who was expecting a much smaller dog and within a year, realized that the girl was going to be quite large. So they dropped her off the side of some gravel road and drove off without her. Daisy is pretty resourceful, she made herself at home at a nearby farm where six other dogs were already at home. Dad was there one day with his Scouts, doing some fun boy thing or other when the farmer approached him and offered "Ralph" (hoping that boy dogs go faster than girl dogs, the farmer gave her a boy's name) to him. It didn't take much talking at all, we brought her home.


That's a recent picture, actually. She used to be a bit smaller, thinner, and her ears flopped over at the ends when we got her. She's also well-mannered and a bit of a drama queen. But that's alright, there are enough girls in this family that we all know how to handle drama queens. ;)

Sock Madness has started and I have never knitted a sock so fast. Thursday is generally a busy day and not only did I have Institute but I was scheduled to work that night. The announcement came out that the pattern would be coming out between noon and 5pm EST. I knew I would be lingering around the computer but since I'm a good girl, I went to Institute anyways (a religion class). I tried hard not to think about the socks but when class let out, I was gone!

I managed to at least grab the mail before I ran in and checked my email. ahh, the pattern had arrived--an hour ago! Well, I cast on like a maniac and knitted for the three and a half hours I had until work. Then I knit during my break. Then I knit after I got home and into the wee hours of the morning. Friday at 10, my first sock was done. And strangely enough, the day followed just as the day before had and by Saturday morning, I had two socks finished, off the needles, and snugly on my feet.



They're very nice and I love the construction of the heel, very well thought-out. And I'm in the running for Round 2, yay!

And that's all for now. I feel a little under the weather, most likely due to some bug I picked up. Everyone's sick, my dad was sick this weekend and my coworker has the most alarming cough (though she's finished her antibiotics). But I'm surprised I haven't picked up anything earlier. I must be quite healthy not to get that sick this year.

Still knitting, still studying, not going crazy anymore.

After a marvelously restful, refreshing and rather revolutionary Sunday (alliteration! Alton Brown would be proud), I have regained my perspective and I'm feeling as if I could pass my CPNE (just call it Clinicals, sis - that's what they be). Just that feeling that if I humbly continue to study to the best of my abilities, I will muddle through somehow.

In the meantime, I took a quiz:

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see.

Ah, that does make a good deal of sense (and I'm played by Emma Thompson, there's no one better!).

I'm still knitting but I think the sleeve I finished last week will have to be frogged and reknitted, the tension on it is outstandingly tight. Considering that week, it makes all too much sense. This second sleeve is far looser.

I've also been doing a good deal of reading. My sister invited me to GoodReads.com and I've already invited a few people. Of course, all of my books tend to nest in the bathroom. With the medication I'm on, it's one of the few places I tend to linger in, other than my room at my desk, trying to coax my flash-cards into permanent spot in my slow-moving head. But I go through them (the books) pretty fast that way. If you're interested in signing up, please do! And then add me. :)

My yarn came in from The Sheep's Tale, by the way. It was in marvelous condition, took less than a week and is cheap. If you're interested, head on over. There is a lot of good quality yarn and at discount prices.

That's it for an update. Now go clean your screen. It's dirty.