I've been a bad, bad girl...

I have contracted an exotic, rapidly-progressing virus--yarnbuyingitis. Recently I've bought way more yarn than I can afford. Check out my most recent acquisitions:And this isn't even counting the huge order from WEBS (8 more balls of Debbie Bliss Cathay and 8 more skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Cashmere) and the Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere and Noro Silk Garden I just bought at my LYS. Some of these goodies are going to swap partners, but still. I thought swapping might help me spend less money on myself. Obviously not. If you look closely at the above photo you will see some less expensive yarn from Michael's...I have a few kids's garments on my queue, and kids need washable, non-itchy clothes. I've chosen some cotton since warmer weather is right around the corner. I now HAVE to stop shopping because I'm out of cash until my next paycheck, and most of that money is already earmarked for bills. Paying bills is so boring. [sigh]

Second Sock Syndrome No More!

So I have been knitting 2 socks on 2 circs, and I'd have to say I'm addicted. I only garnered the courage to try two socks at a time by signing up for a Magic Loop class at Angelfire Studios. Go figure, I decided NOT to knit my socks using the Magic Loop. After Carolyn's quick demo of the technique, I decided that A. This technique was easy enough for me to figure out on my own. and B. It did not look like fun. I wanted a challenge, so I made the impulsive decision to use two circular needles to knit two at a time. Carolyn warned us that the 2 circs method was very easy to get tangled. "You'll need to use two balls of yarn, keep one ball on either side of you, move the whole thing when you turn your needles around, and not let any pets or small children get into it." (not a direct quote, but necessary for editorial purposes). I thought about this for about 2 seconds. Moving yarn is a magnet for my cat. I'm kinda impatient and not very organized. I am the queen of tangles. I made my decision. "I'll do it!" It hasn't been so bad. As I was warned, the biggest challenge was the tangles. But my knitting taught me patience. I just breathed deep breaths and channeled my friend Scott's precision and superior problem-solving skills. [He once helped me wind up a ball of Tilli Thomas spun silk with sequins, and we had more than a few snags. I just blithely spun my wrist around balling the yarn until the ball leapt out of my hands and Scott calmly and quickly undid the sequinned snag. Thanks, Scott :-*] It worked! This would be reason 123873598732 why I love knitting: by taking on challenges you learn new things about yourself and do things you never thought you could do. Just a bit of advice for anyone who is inspired to take on this endeavour, as I have: In between round, your needles should never be twisted or tangled, but lying straight across with two little socks hanging between them. One needles shoulc have the fronts of the socks and the other needle should have the backs. When you pick up the stitches for the heel gusset, one needle (the one that had the fronts) should still ONLY have the fronts (instep stitches) and the other needle should have the heel and all gusset stitches. I did this wrong at first and my needles were twisted like some middle eastern cobra in a basket. Not fun. I didn't get a picture of this collassal screw up because I was too furiously knitting trying to get past those awful gussets. The manager I used to work with at Victoria's Secret about two or three years ago insisted that we did not use the term crotchless panties, but panties without a gusset. I know that "gusset" is just the name for a joining wedge of fabric but I can't help making the connection in my head. Stupid heel gussets. But I've moved past them (figuratively--I'm actually still knitting them.) Pictures will definitely be posted when I'm done!

Good call, Britney

Question: Did Britney opt for the anime/Fullmetal Alchemist-like animation in her video for "Break the Ice" so she could make some geek with a pencil and a computer do all the work of video production instead of her?

Possibly. Thank you, Brit, for avoiding yet another trainwreck of paparazzi photos and reports of bizarre behavior from disgruntled PAs.
Check out the video on The Superficial because I couldn't figure out how to link it directly :(

Although I have to say, I absolutely loved the montage of clips/stills from her previous videos set to this song (Piece of Me). I don't know how offical that is cause I found it here on YouTube.

Thank goodness for knitting...

So I had an appointment with my Ear/Nose/Throat doc this morning, and I didn't even realize how heinous the wait was (45 min before 10:00am) and how bitchy the receptionist was because I was so occupied and pacified by my second jitterbug jaywalker. Knitting calms me down aaaaalll the time. It's probably added YEARS to my life due to stress reduction. I once saw a little logo (probably a ravelry avatar) that said "I knit so I don't kill people." I seem to feel like that more and more lately.

So, about this doctor...it's been my first visit there in about a year and a half, so I got a new referral from my PCP (yay HMOS!) Here's how the greeting conversation went:

me: Hello! I have new insurance, so here's my card.
receptionist: Do you have a referral.
me: yes.
recep [rudely]: Can I have it?
me: Oh, I thought it was electronic.
recep [looks at insurance card]: Amerihealth? No!
me: Um, my doctor told me it was electronic.
recep: Well, we have no way of accessing it. If you wnat to see the doctor today, you're going to have to call your doctor and have them fax it over right away.
me: Um, ok.

All this before 9:20 am. Maybe she hadn't had her coffee yet? I know I hadn't, but luckily I also neglected to take my bitch pills. So, I got the stupid referral faxed over. After my 45 minute wait and 6 minute visit with the doctor, I got a look at their computer screens as I checked out and paid my co pay. They probably couldn't access my electronic referral because they couldn't access the internet. Seriously, the computer moniters were like small white boxes. The screens were black with orange-MS-DOS-looking type on them. These machines appeared to be circa 1987. This is the office of the man I trusted with a laser in my throat and sinus cavity?? Oh, well. He is a good surgeon...

I finished the heel flap on my jaywalker, though! Hopefully I'll be done with these little suckers by Wednesday or Thursday. I probably only need 2 nights for the heel gusset, foot, and toe. I can't wait to wear them! They'll be my first finished pair of socks.