ARDIRI

Comcastic defined: Craptastic

Proposed:  The word "comcastic" should become an adjective for a crappily-working item.  Eg.: "My bike is shifting comcastically.  It definitely needs a new derailleur."

I am so utterly frustrated with Comcast's broadband internet service.  It frequently shuts off even when are usage level is low, i.e. plain-old surfing the internet such as browsing Ravelry.  I am seriously scratching a hole in my head as I wonder why we fork over $60 a month just to have our service interrupted every 30 minutes or so (and sometimes more)!  I shall now be actively searching for a new high-speed provider.  Any suggestions?

We're sick!

We (as in my laptop and I) are sick! 

De-love-ly!  Just de-light-ful! 

Laptop is seriously screwed up right now (for the first time in Y_E_A_R_S!) and I've got some virus, bug, or other illness.  I am just calling it "the flu" for now and desperately hoping it isn't. 

See you all on the other side.

Tech Reviews: The Good & The Ugly

First off, THE GOOD:

Jott is an easy-to-use, fun way of sending text messages to anyone with a cell phone.  It translates your speaking voice into text and then sends it as a text mail to whomever you choose--even yourself!  You can set up reminders for yourself; send messages to friends, families, and coworkers; listen to the news, or add to your to-do-list.  Splendid!

Now, THE UGLY:

Bad, bad, bad...Amazon did a bad, bad thing!

In concept form, Amazon Unbox Video Downloads is a wonderful thing: you want to watch a movie, you don't want to go to the video store (or what you want at the video store is completely rented out), you don't want to be a pirate, so you turn to Amazon Unbox to download the latest movie releases!  Awesome, right?  Wrong!  In reality, Amazon Unbox is so filled with bugs and glitches that it'll lock up your computer each time you try to watch that one episode of Showtime's Weeds you paid 1.99 for--not good at all!
Complete disappointment.

Hopefully, Netflix will amp up its "Watch Instantly" selection to include more new releases--even if it means you have to pay per movie--as its instant videos function works wonderfully (although you have to use the Windows Explorer rather than Firefox during movie playing--ugh, I am so not a fan of Explorer!).

Saturday Slrog Roundup: April 27-May 3

• April 27, Sunday--3 miles running.   

I SO NEED NEW SHOES; mine are totally flat and I can feel it especially in my left arch and my knees.  So it's either to Fleet Feet or Zappos that I'll be heading (I'd rather support Fleet Feet for running shoes, but it really may come down to a time factor--that is, actually getting on the bus and going to get the shoes vs. ordering them online with free, 2-day shipping).

• April 28, Monday--1.5 miles running; 10 rounds of running the Strybing steps (double steps--i.e. skipping steps). 

All "sponsored" by the good ol' man in black, Johnny Cash--especially "Folsom Prison Blues" and the uber-cheezy "One Piece at a  Time".  Definitely a complete change from my usual MP3 soundtrack of melancholic Radiohead albums! 

N.B. A good place to hear music for free via your computer is Deezer.com.  There you can listen, listen, and listen again to my favorite Blonde Redhead album Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons  (<--honestly, click there to the left to hear the ablum!!  Pandora.com is also a good place to discover new music based on their "music genome" theory.)

• April 30, Wednesday--3 miles running.

My obliques are completely, almost-irrationally sore from doing the Strybing skipping steps on Monday.

• May 1, Thursday--3.66 miles running; 10 rounds of running the Strybing steps (double steps).

Listening to: Vampire Weekend/Vampire Weekend (& especially loving the songs "Oxford Comma," "Bryn," and "Campus") and Mika/Life in Cartoon Motion.

I bought Vampire Weekend's album essentially based on a newspaper review and am happy to say that I am quite pleased with it!  It has a sorta old Police-esque reggae sound to it, with some gorgeous lyrics thrown in.   I seriously need some good running music and am a bit lost in the Electronica section as it's been so long since I've been caught up in that scene.  I finally made my way--made my "pilgrimage"--to the Amoeba store down the street (i.e. Haight Street) and to be perfectly honest, I felt like a bumbling nerd in the music store with a bunch of cool, in-the-know sorts of hipsters scanning the CDs.  Wow, I definitely felt like the dork at the high school dance!  Then when I left and reclaimed my backpack, the cute clerk asked me if I becoming back to watch The Breeders play.  I was too embarrassed to admit a lack of knowledge (as to who they are!) and just said I had had too long of a day of work and was headed home.  Ugh, I am so uncool!!!

• May 2, Friday--no running; very, very angry knees! 

Off to Fleet Feet for shoes.  I love Fleet Feet!!  I was in no shape to run for them (so they could see my particular needs, form, feet issues, etc.) and so they simply looked up the last pair of shoes I had bought (Nike Air Skylon) and brought them out in the right size, suggested a few alternatives just in case I wanted a little more cushioning and a longer-lasting pair of shoes, didn't try to upsell me on a more expensive pair, and were just darn friendly and helpful!  Bonus--you can run in your shoes for a month and if they don't work, they'll take them back no questions, no problems!  *Smooch*--love the Fleet Feet company!

• May 3, Saturday--3.66 miles running.

Awesome run in the sense that I felt strong the whole way and not like some bumbling, shuffling, two-left feet fool.  If this keeps up--and I don't catch every germ/bug/virus that my students carry with them to school--I shall have to decide to do the first half of the RunSFM Marathon in August!  And then...Perhaps? Maybe?  A full, real deal marathon?!  (If so, it'll likely be the California International Marathon.)

New shoes=happy, happy feet!  Happier knees,too; nevertheless still icing and doing the ibuprofen routine. 

Please tell me they're kidding!

I have a blog for the meetup book club I run and this is what I literally get when I sign in:

Sorry for the inconvenience, we are performing some unexpected maintenance. Your dashboard is going to be unavailable for 730 days.

Yep!  You read that right--my dashboard where I go to make posts will be unavailable for 730 days--basically 2 YEARS!

I really, really hope they are kidding! 

Now Go and Vote for Sarah's Animation!

Click here to vote for Sarah's animation!

Watch an animation by my knitting friend, Sarah!

Who says knitting isn't sexy?

Posted on the "Missed Connections" section of Chicago's Craigslist:

"I got on the A train to Brooklyn at west 14th. You were knitting and had on one of the greatest hats ever. You were really sexy.  I don't know if you saw me, I was by the doors the whole ride, in a suit (just got off work). I wanted to talk to you, but couldn't get over to you. I would love to hear from you."

Too cute!
(Found via Subway Knitter)

P.S.  I have actually seen the Craig of Craigslist at one of my local coffee shops that I frequent pretty regularly (and it appears that he does too as John has also seen him there).  I've seen a web-star!

Conflicted

I need to share the conflicted feelings and a few questions that are swirling in my mind at the moment.  Please bear with me (and please share your opinion).

• Dogged brought up the issue of using other people's pictures (without permission) in blog posts, stating that she does not use other people's pictures in her posts as her blog is a log of her crafts and not one of other people's crafting (not her exact words).

• I've actually used one of Dogged's pictures, but emailed her for permission* (and received permission)  to use it on my blog.  I asked Dogged if I could use her picture as I felt that it really showed off the pattern in a better fashion than those pictured on the pattern author's site.  (The fact that she has a statement on her site that warns others not to use her stuff without her permission was the impetus for me to not post her picture until--and unless--I had her express approval to do so.)

• Generally, this is the case when I use other people's photographs (and try to remember to give them clear credit for their work and photography) on my blog.  ("This is the case"--referring to the fact that I use other peep's pics because they are an exceptional example of a pattern knitted or sewn up, not in reference to emailing a person to ask for their permission to use their pic.)

• I also use other people's photographs as a way of remembering visually and easily pieces that I wish to knit in the future.  Of course, Ravelry will perhaps eventually negate this sort of compiling of ideas on my blog.  But I don't yet have my Ravelry invite, nor do approximately 14,000 other individuals wishing to get on board as the site is still Beta.

• And, yes, I do use del.icio.us to keep track of the things I'd like to make.  Additionally, though, I do like to share the things I'd like to make (via posts to my blog) with the handful of readers who frequent my blog.

• Finally, I have to admit that, on the few occasions when I have seen my work (via my photographs) on other's blogs, I have been thrilled to be featured on their blog.  Naturally, this thrilled-ness may result mainly from my being an almost-novice in the bloglandia of knitting, but it also truly reflects my joy that others appreciate my work and want to share it with their readers.

• So, I'm conflicted.  I understand what Dogged is saying, but I also know what I feel.

• What about you?  What do you feel, think, believe, and understand?  Please share with me!!!

***Nota Bene:  This is in no way a snarky attack on Dogged, just an honest reflection on the ideas she has shared in her blog post here.   Truth be told, her site is one of my favorite reads!  Furthermore, I've sent her a trackback so that she may be made aware of what I've written here.***

Gorgeous Knits & Computer Strike

At this moment, I am using my mom's laptop as my laptop has gone on strike and is currently awaiting a look-see from my stepfather.  Agh!  I hate computer problems!

Anyhoo, I am currently in love with this sweater, Rusted Root, as is seen here in the Zephyr Style's photograph for the pattern (photo credit):

Too Cute!!!

For a gorgeous example of the Rusted Root, head over to the blog KatyaFlutes.

As for WIP's:

• I had to rip back my second Sockapalooza sock and restart it again.
• Last night, I scissored-up a cotton t-shirt-like bedsheet into one inch strips to make a Mason Dixon Absorba Bath mat rag-rug style.  Currently at about 8"x14" dimensions.  Whoah--talk about wrestling yarn! 
• My Textured Tunic is currently taking a break on the back burner while I decided what the hell I want to do--either completely start over with a smaller size or do decreases in the bust area.
• More single sockitis in the form of a single panel lace pattern of my own devising in Trekking XLL in an indigo-ish colorway.