Unfurnished Brooklyn

Fiddlesticks

There's a stronger F word I'd like to use, but I'm working on my pottymouth.

I have no computer. I have a very expensive paperweight. The thing just up and died on Sunday night, and I erased my hard drive and started to reinstall Windows XP and... realized I did not have the discs. Well, I have the first, but the second is gone. I think it is in a box of discs I gave to my brother (long story), but he is currently whooping it up in Disneyland (without me, which just ain't fair). As I am not about to buy another copy of Windows, I'll have to wait for him to get back. Grr. So I'll be around occasionally, when I can.

Thanks for the birthday wishes for Cheb. Every ten minutes she asks me when she'll be six. Sigh.

Oh- and one more thing: I cut off all my hair.

The Big 0-5

Yesterday was a very special day: Cheburashka's fifth birthday!

I'm in a mild state of shock. Five years already?? The nearly eleven pound bundle of need they handed me at the hospital is now a tall, smart, funny, creative young missy who can (and does) express her strong opinions in two languages. How is it that some days drag on forever, but the years zoom by?

The plan was to spend the day at Sesame Place, but the rain changed that. At KnitNY on Friday, Cari's friend Christina suggested the Liberty Science Center. I got to see my first IMAX movie: Forces of Nature. Volcanos! Tornados! Earthquakes! Cheb asleep on my arm! I thought it was the coolest thing, though. And of course, LOTR geek that I am, I thought how cool would it be to see The Two Towers in IMAX?

Cheb loved the science center. In fact, according to her she now knows everything about science. And will tell you in great detail. But- don't tell Cheb- we're still going to Sesame Place, as soon as the weather improves. Today the party continues with her father; on Monday the final phase: cake and party games at daycare.

Last night, after cake and ice cream and before bed, she sat on the couch with her chin in her hand, staring off into space. I asked her what was up. Her reply? "I need a strong man."

Um, what??

She went on to explain that she wants to get married to a big strong man, and live in a castle, and be a princess. There I was, all psyched because she's into science and she hits me with this. No more Disney for you, young lady. You know, I'm having a hard enough time dealing with the thought of Cheb going to kindergarten in September- I am so not ready to deal with her search for Mr. Right.

Interesting thing: to get to the science center, we took the PATH train. The closest station is the one at World Trade Center. I passed by the new station not long ago, but didn't really look at it: seeing the doors done in the same style as the old one creeped me out a weird bit, so I left. But this time, I'd get to see the entire station.

Very strange. Big, open space that used to be crammed with shops. The escalator bank looks sort of the same. There was something else about it, and I didn't get it until we were on the platform waiting for the train: there are no walls. There is floor, there is ceiling. No walls. What separates you from the construction outside are huge sheer banners. Really weird waiting there for a train; why, it's perfectly normal to be there in a huge crater. This is the new normal, I guess. I did notice that no one spoke. Even Cheb noticed; she asked if we had to be quiet there, like in a museum.

On the way back, she skipped through with a purple balloon. This normal is just too weird for me.

A funny thing (to lighten up a bit): at Exchange Place (in Joisey!), we changed from the PATH to the light rail. In the plaza at the station, a few people sat at large tables, and a few stalls had been set up. There was a light rain, and I wondered if it was a festival that had been rained out. Too bad, I thought. On the way back, we stepped off the rail into bacchanal. It was a West Indian festival, with flags and people dressed in flags and people barely dressed in flags and the smell of food food food and music blasting from a huge sound system. Wall to wall people. Cheb and I let ourselves get caught up in the flow, leaping out of the stream long enough to get some food, then jumping back in. We didn't stay too long, just enough time for Cheb to learn to 'jump and wave.'

I took a few pictures, including one of a sign about a petition to "keep New York's trash out of New Jersey." Ha- too late! I'm here!

Somewhere, someone's blogging about me

I walked all over Manhattan yesterday, and all over Brooklyn today. One of my errands took me to Coney Island, where I resisted the siren song of Nathan's. I hopped on the D train for the long ride to Harlem, and of course ended up in the car with no air conditioning. Tired. Hot. Slight rocking motion of the train....

Zzzzzz.

I awoke at 34th Street, surrounded by a completely different group of people. The man sitting nearest to me asked, "hey- are you ok? 'Cause you were knocked out. You were like this." And he threw his head back, jaw wide open.

I assured him I was fine, and simply tired. We then had a strange conversation about the heat and its effect on people. I hope no one in the car had a camera/cell phone.

So now I'm on the body of the top-down Kersti v-neck. Yep... round after round of stockinette. Hey, maybe for a change I'll start on the Onde- oh, wait. Stockinette on size 5 needles. I need something cabley in between. Maybe I'll dig up the Must Have cardigan I started last year but threw over in favor of Noro (that happens a lot, don't it?). Or I could just go ahead and make the Silk Garden pullover.

Out of the closet and onto the needles! Out of the closet and onto the needles!

From the comments yesterday, I see some of you are with me on the ruffled-mini thing. Thought I'd add a few more of my fashion peeves:

White pumps. White plastic belts cinched tight. Juicy Couture sweats (its time to let go, ladies). Super baggy pants with boxers showing. Tube tops. And- my neighborhood's contribution to NYC fashion- super sheer tops with regular bras. And not even nice, lacy bras. Playtex Cross Your Heart type bras. Oh, and ruched skirts (coffin-liners, if you ask me).

Oh: yesterday while on my death march through Manhattan, I saw Amanda Lepore. Without makeup.

New York, New York

Lots of errands today, one of which led me to midtown. I had lunch at the Applejack- a sort of old school diner, though they've spiffed up the place since I was last there. Gigantic turkey burger (deluxe! with cheese!), slathered in mustard. Yum.

Then I had to walk it off. I was about 2 hours early for samba class, so I decided to walk downtown. Which put me in the middle of Times Square. I'd like to make note of a few things:

Is Kimora Simmons completely off her feed? Is there something wrong with her? The tasteless home decor is one thing (hey, I don't have to live with her, so what do I care?), but putting a freakin' huge billboard of her nekkid butt on the side of a building in Times Square?

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company?

Attention tourists: thanks for visiting. The dollars you bring in are appreciated (I haven't gotten my cut yet, but whatever). There's just one little thing, though: please stay out of my way. And learn to cross the street- do not stop midway to turn and stare at the giant hand on top of the wax museum. Oh, and don't wear socks with your sandals. Thank you.

Ladies in those micro-micro-mini, ruffled skirts: panties. Check'em out. We'll all be better off if you do.

It occurred to me after I walked a mile and a half that all that walking might not have been the best idea right before an intensive dance class. So I stopped in a park and people watched. Again, ladies: panties. I've been subjected to waaaaayyyy too much ass today. I worked on the Kersti top-down sweater, which seems to attract squirrels.

I started reading Artist's Way. (Segue? What's that?) My Hokum Alert went off (anytime there's any talk of spirituality), but that's just a way for me to try to avoid any soul searching. My writing's stalled again; not totally, but I think I could use a jumpstart, and I have a lot of free time to actually get into this book. There's a knitter's group following the book. I don't have a link, I'll have to look it up again. I may or may not join it. Yep. Lone wolf. That's me.

What the...?

So I spent a lot of time fixing up my computer, and things seem to be okay. I found a cable that had been bitten through (Babykitty!!), and stopped by Staples to pick up a new one. I forgot to bring the cable with me, which of course means I bought the wrong cable.

And yet, the computer works. I had no idea what the broken cable was for. That is, until I put new batteries in the digital camera. Yep- it was the cable to connect the camera. So, still no pictures. Foo.

I'm down to 44 running processes.

The Poncharlotte is on hold; I've run out of the final color with just a few rows left. So... I frogged the jacket I was making out of red/orange Kersti (it looked as if I wouldn't have enough yarn), and I cast on for a top-down v-neck pullover. Aside from the Onde, I don't think I'll do any more summer knitting. I'm just not into it anymore.

Or maybe the Noro in my closet is calling out to me.

I thought cookies were good things....

Well. My computer has gone haywire.

Initially I assumed my Internet provider had screwed up again, but that actually wasn't the case. I found this out when I called them for help (and actually got help!); while helping me troubleshoot the tech dude asked me how many processes were running. It seems that 57 is a bit too many. According to tech dude, 18 is the standard number for my system.

I have no idea what these processes are. I ran Adware and found a few spies, which were responsible for some of the processes. I have no idea which should be running, and which to end. I Googled, I looked at various sites for my operating system- no go. Nothing simple enough for me to understand. Nothing that didn't make my eyes swivel in opposite directions while my jaw went slack and I drooled all over my keyboard.

And then my mouse froze.

I did a bit of cleaning up behind the computer, and made some sense out of all the cables. My mouse is working again. I backed up all the files I want to keep (can you believe I've never backed up anything, other than my writing?). I'm going to clean house, baby: chuck old files, run all the computr fix-it gizmos and try to straighten things out. And figure out what this whole process thing is about.

But I've had a good run; the only problem I've ever had on this computer was cat-related. Babykitty chewed up the mouse cord. Heh. Any glitches were usually my fault. I've got a pretty decent machine.

Free advice is always welcome, by the way.

Unillustrated Brooklyn

Still no pictures. Why? Still no batteries. I've run out on some household stuff, and haven't gotten off my duff to go shopping. Sheesh, it's not like I have a job that's taking up all my time....

Anywoo. I have to take pics of the completed Sueets (one is a gift I should've mailed already), and the Wigwam tank which will probably be frogged, and the Idea Jeans pullover. All this progress, and nothing to show. I'm on the last color of the Poncharlotte; the stitches are all squinched up on the circular, but what the hey.

I haven't decided what to make of the Onde. I ordered the yarn with a 3/4 sleeve pullover in mind, but now I'm thinking of a long-line tank. Tunic. Or tunique, if you will. (I'm a bit amped up on grapenut ice cream and Cari's coffee so if I babble more than usual, there's your reason.) Earlier today I had to run an errand on Flatbush Avenue, where I swear to you I felt woefully underdressed. It seems as if everyone was decked out, and there I was, shlumping along in fatigue pants and a tee shirt. This is all connected, you know: because- feeling underdressed as I was- I did a little window shoppping and found a store that has some cool tye-dyed skirts, and some cotton pants that match the green of the Onde I'm using. I'll have to go back and get them.

Tomorrow the Cheb and I are going here. I know four of the dancers, one of whom is Cheb's godmother. Honestly, I don't much go for performance art, having been subjected to some really horrid things in East Village back in the '80s. That's what I get for dating someone in that scene (who shall remain nameless). But I'm going to support my friends. Hopefully I won't have any flashbacks.

Danger: Rationalization Ahead

Okay, so what had happened was I needed a longer circular needle for my Poncharlotte. I went to The Yarn Store Formerly Known As Knitting Hands to find one. I loooove having a knitting store in Brooklyn, but sometimes the pickin's at Knitting Hands is a mite slim. I'm being kind.

Well, I'd heard the store changed owners. It has. The store is now called Knit-a-way, and the new owner is working on restocking the store. Of course, I had to put my two cents in about what yarn I'd like to see there. I couldn't find the circular I wanted but I couldn't leave empty handed, could I? You know, support yer local yarn shop and all that. So I did my part.

A small part. I bought 2 skeins of 1824 Cotton to finish the mini-Janda I started last year for Cheburashka. She's grown a bit, so I need to frog it all and resize it. I also bought a copy of Sandra, an Austrian knitting magazine. Surprisingly cool patterns- I finally have a project for the All Seasons Cotton in my stash. And I bought the last skein of a mohair/wool handpainted yarn from Dancing Leaf Farm. I've been eyeing this yarn for ages- it was hanging just behind the register. I'm going to make a lacy scarf out of it.

The Poncharlotte is going very quickly. I've got the pattern down, so it now qualifies as subway knitting. I had to buy more stitch markers, though. I'm tearing through them. Next, on to Onde in Clorophylle.

You know, the needles required for my projects are getting smaller and smaller. I even bought a second #2 circular to make socks out of some old Koigu in my stash. Socks, people. The Poncharlotte is on #6, the Onde will use #5, then on to #2 for socks. Socks, people. From the woman who announced she would never knit socks. But since Cari showed me how she uses two circulars, I'm willing to change my ways.

Or... maybe Rob's to blame, with all the sock yarn he's showing off.

Sandra has finished her Sueet! Here's a preview (better pic in the album soon).

Rainy days and Mondays...

..and PMS always get meeeee doooooowwwwnnn.

That's my version of the song. I'd written this long post yesterday about all the evils of this world, and thankfully I deleted it. Guys in white coats with butterfly nets would've been at my door soon after.

It didn't help that I started my day by watching this movie. Not the feel-good movie of the year, let me tell ya.

It also didn't help that yesterday I taught Cheburashka to blow bubbles (with watermelon-flavored Bubblicious. My mom would disapprove). Every 3 seconds: Mama, look! A bubble. Mama, look! A bubble. Mama, look! A bubble. Mama, look! A big bubble. Mama- how do you make a bubble again? Mama, look! A bubble.

Just typing that makes my shoulders tighten.

On the bright side (yes, there was one), I spent most of the rainy day working on my Charlotte poncho. I'm up to the third color change. I didn't blend the colors very well on the first change (you can see a little bit of a line); after a few false starts, dash me twice* if I rip it again. Trotting horse and all that, eh what?

On Saturday I received my copy of Interweave Knits. Not bad, I like the Tartan jacket. But the yarn ads were killing me. And yesterday the Family Circle Easy Knitting Cavalcade of Crocheted Ponchos arrived. Again, the yarn ads called to me. (Rob's not helping either, with the Alchemy yarn.) There's actually one sweater in the FCEKCOCP that I like: a pullover with cable accents at the neck and hem. But not reverse stockinette. I dunno, maybe seed stitch or something.

I hear that Knitting Hands has changed, um, hands. I need markers and a longer circular for the Pon- Charlotte, so I guess I'll find out today if that's true. I will not buy yarn. Nope.

*My speech is becoming increasingly Splendid. In fact, I have a longing to knit something crimson and obscene.

Splendid!

Somehow I thought Bush's website was ripe for Splendidising. (Thanks to Em for the link.)

President Bush's Agenda for Building a simply marvellous Safer, Stronger and Better America

In his 2003 State of the frightfully beastly Union Address, President Bush told the shriekworthy nation, "We will not deny, we will not ignore, we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses, other presidents, and other generations." The old fool has followed through on this commitment by delivering a simply too divine bold vision that meets America's challenges at home and abroad, which is shamefully just too bogus!

Health Care:
Health Care and Prescription Drug Choices
President Bush's comprehensive health care agenda improves health security for all Americans by building fabulously on the simply too divine best features of American health care, isn't it too divine?! Dear me, our health care system can provide the divine best care in the simply splendid world, but rising costs and loss of control to government and health plan bureaucrats threaten to keep patients from getting state-of-the-art care, my dear fellow!

National Security:
A divine National Security Strategy that Meets the Challenges of Our Time
Defending our nation against its enemies is completely the horrid first and fundamental commitment of the frightful federal government. Ghastly, let me tell you. I say, divinely on September the simply unbearable 11th, 2001, America learned that oceans will no longer protect us from the simply dashing threats of a frightfully horrid new era. Good heavens!