Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Obsession

So I said in my last post that I need to start branching out and exploring more with my knitting.  Lately, I've been in the mood for knitting either a shawl or a scarf of some sort.  I've spent the last couple of days alternately scouring the web for the right pattern and obsessively crocheting afghan squares . . . plase don't ask me where the crocheting kick came from, I found a few of these squares while cleaning my room, and I've barely been able to stop.  That's them right there... chilling with my laptop...

But I digress, I've been scouring the internet for the perfect pattern, I've tried a few patterns with several different skeins of yarn, but nothing has been right.  I sat there staring at the computer screen, watching rows upon rows of patterns coming up and I decided that, well, the only way to get exactly what I want is to design it myself.  Bring in example A:

This is the beginning of my first try hanging out with Eragon here.  It probably won't last much longer.  I think I need to change my approach . . . I've decided that I want something somewhere between a shawl and a scarf--a sharf, if you will--something that's long and relatively narrow, but that has more substance than a scarf.  Something that I can pin with a shawl pin off wear like a scarf.  Or both.  I feel like I'm on my way to that ideal.  I think I need an overall pattern on it, though--either lacy or cable-y.  I'm not sure which.  We'll se how it goes.

You know, having this much free time is very conducive to creativity.  Even though I still haven't accomplished a whole lot, I've accomplished more now than I have over the course of last semester.  Maybe it has something to do with the lack of sketchbook assignments hanging over my head.  I don't know.  It just might . . .

Turning Point

I must say that today has been a very productive day.  I made and wrote cards, made brownies, went to two parties, and gained some very useful insight all in one day.  Thanks to a little support session for one of my high school friends who's having a rough time (we love you SW!!!), I realized a few things about what I want in a career, as well.  I think I have two things that I ultimately want to do in life: 1. teach, and 2. have an etsy shop.  To be honest, I'm not really sure what I want to sell on etsy, all I know is that I want to sell something.  I think it's the idea of blending fine arts and knitting that intrigues me.  Heck, I'll even throw English into the mix.  There are so many amazing artisans on etsy, from Baa Hurrah's amazing polka-dot knitting needles to knitting patterns and jewlery, and a whole bunch of stuff that I haven't even thought to look into yet.  It's all so awesome that I can't resist.  Even though I subconsciously try to talk myself out of it, I think I ultimately want to sell things that I make, whether full-time or not. 

I've also decided that I need to branch out in my knitting.  I need to move on from scarves and hats.  I mean, I'm not going to go to the other extreme and start knitting completely obnoxious articles of clothing--uterus hats, as another friend kindly suggested.  But, I feel like I've stuck to the safe path for too long.  I mean what can a few little knitting mistakes do to me?  Other than being strangled by a big, fibery mass that decided to revolt, knitting pretty much can't hurt me.  Or I could be stabbed by my own knitting needles, but that's a whole other story that we won't go into right now.  What're a few dropped stitches and a couple hundred rows worth of frogged* knitting?  I hear that you learn more from your mistakes than your successes. 

I think I've come to this relization at a good time.  I'm at the end of my second day of Christmas break, and I have almost a month ahead of me.  However, philosophical thinking must cease for the night.  I'm too sleepy to continue.  Stay out of trouble, folks, and have a good night.

*frog- (verb) to tear out multiple rows of knitting by removing the needles and pulling past the problem area in a piece of knitting

Life in General . . .

1. is unexpected, random, unplanned.  I try to live day-to-day because every day brings its own challenges I need to handle.  Every day has its ups and downs, from an inside joke brought up at breakfast to a bad test grade in the afternoon.  The future will take care of itself until I get there.
2. is crazy, frustrating, confusing.  People give mixed messages about what they're feeling.  I'm never really sure where I stand with certain people.  I think we're on good terms, and then something happens and they seem mad.  In a single day, one must make many decisions from what to eat for breakfast to what kind of studying should be done.  Even though I try not to worry too much about the future, I still worry about career options, classes I need to take next semseter, the money I need to pay for said classes.
3. is a whole lot more pleasant when you have your knitting.  I haven't had much time to knit lately, or blog, or write, or anything other than homework, really . . . I'm looking forward to having time to pursue my hobbies over the Christmas break.
4. is much better with good friends.  I don't know where I'd be without my friends.  We've had some rough days this semester, but we always pull through in one way or another.  They get me through the stressful times and know how to get a smile on my face when I feel like I want to cry.
5. can be lived long and happily without psycho professors.  I think everyone I know has had one in one class or another.  All they do is make life more difficult in the long run.  But hey, passing their class means that you can get through anything, right?
6. could use more socks without holes in them.  No, seriously.  For the last month, I can't seem to put on a pair of socks without a toe poking out or my heel, or feeling the floor through the bottom . . . The world is a much better place when your socks are whole and hole-less.
7. is very fun during Christmas-time, in spite of finals.  The cheerful music, the festive atmosphere at the mall, the bright decorations.  I couldn't imagine a world without Christmas, even in it's sickeningly-commercialized state.  But I love making/getting presents for my friends.  I like making people happy. 
8. is good.  I've survived my finals with one left to go.  The semester's officially over tomorrow, for me anyway.  I successfully made it through my first semester of college, I've made awesome friends, and I've discovered that I can (for the most part) make it on my own.

Christmas Knitting

So Thanksgiving is almost upon us; I go home for Thanksgiving break tomorrow after my last class.  The air is still surprisingly warm for the middle-end of November.  Christmas songs are already playing on the radio.  And, today, I came to a sudden realization--Christmas is only four weeks away.  Four weeks full of final exams and portfolio critiques and sketchbook checks.  I need to get started on Christmas projects.  Since I'm probably going to make most of my Christmas presents--due to a lack of income--I need to get working.  I've started some fuzzy things for my sisters today.  I got a present for my mom at the mall yesterday.  From there, I have no idea what to do.  We'll have to see how it goes.

Random Lord of the Rings Quote of the Day

"But no living man am I!  You look upon a woman.  Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter.  You stand between my lord and kin.  Begone if you be not deathless!  For living or dark undead, I will smite you if touch him."

You go, Eowyn.  I love the scene in the book so much better than the movie version.  They tweaked the line a little bit and I don't think it has the same power as it does in the book.  I think it really shows how courageous Eowyn really is.  She's kind of in the background for a lot of the last two books, but she really shows what she's made of in this scene.  I mean, think about it--her uncle is dying behind her and she's facing this evil power that every other human being in the area fled from--and she faced it without flinching. 

Anyway, nothing truly exciting has really been going on around here, just the usual stuff--eat, sleep, homework . . . I am participtating in National Novel Writing Month, though.  You can find more information about it at http://www.nanowrimo.org/.  Basically, the goal is to write a 50,000-word novel in one month--from November 1st at midnight until midnight of November 30.  As a result, I've pretty much signed my death wish.  One half of my says that I should really take it easy, I'm already drowning in homework as it is.  How can I possibly take on another massive project?  But the other half of me thinks that it's a good thing to do, good practice, good to get some writing done for the first time in a while, etc. etc.  The second half won.  Talk about being suicidal.  I'm a day behind, and I've barely gotten any writing done today.  Let's just see if I have any sanity left by the time this month is over.

Happy writing!

Things I Learned from 2D Design:

1. If something's "phallic" and/or "penetrating," it's probably neither of the two
2. If it's "masculine," it's definitely perfume
3. We may be college students, but it doesn't mean we act like it
4. Everything can be described by the terms "magical" and "nostaligic"
5. The 2D Design classroom definitely has the worst chairs in the building--you either fall off or they sink down a foot when you sit down
6. You definitely can--and will--leave the only supply you need for the project you'll be working on for two and a half hours in your room.  And you'll spend those two and a half hours doing absolutely nothing.
7. Smelling Sharpe's for an extended period of time is BAD
8. Bringing your knitting to class is a good idea--it's still creative and it's fun

I sat down with the intention of trying to sum up what it's truly like to be in my 2D Design class right now.  I've probably missed a lot (it's not my fault I have a bad memory . . .) but this is pretty much what's been happening in that class lately.  Umm . . . hiking is fun . . . I went on an impromptu hiking trip on Sunday and it was amazing.  Seeing the guys in the car in front of us was funny and seeing a six foot, seven inch guy squeezing into the back seat of a Toyota Corolla--priceless.  The place where we went hiking was beautiful.  It was a little muddy, but not as bad as I thought it would be considering it rained all of Saturday.  Watching Lion King 1 and 2 all afternoon on Saturday was pretty fun, too.  Now on to the dreariness of a wellness paper.  Adios, all.