Jasmin 2009

I am a goal-oriented person. When I decide to do something, I throw myself into it. In that respect, Jasmin 2008 has been a rousing success.

Here is the list of what I had hoped to accomplish this year:

-Go to yoga more frequently. It’s good for the body and good for the soul. (SUCCESS!)

-Take a pilates class at work. Those giant balls look like fun. (I didn't do this, but this was more about sweating in front of co-workers.)

-Take a knife techniques class. (Still looking for one.)

-Learn four new, high-end recipes every month: one soup, one main course, one dessert, and another of my choosing. (Ok. This may have been a lofty ambition, but I certainly did cook more, and they were new recipes.)

-Learn to use the two knitting machines I have. (SUCCESS!)

-Teach each dog at least one new trick. (SUCCESS!)

I think the biggest part of Jasmin 2008 that isn't listed is the shift in consumer habits that I aspired for. Jasmin 2008, coupled with the Social Pressure Experiment, has resulted in more conscientious shopping, and less "incidental" stash- for both me and Tika.

[Aside: Tika, Andrew and I went to the sale at Bobbin's Nest yesterday, and where Jasmin pre-2008 would have wiped out her stock, today's Jasmin, bought three STUNNING skeins of Handmaiden Mini Maiden (in the same color, one project), and one skein of HazelKnits sock yarn to test drive.]

In any case, Tika wanted to know what Jasmin 2009 was going to be. I thought about it, and while Andrew had joked about "experimentation" being the theme for 2009 MONTHS ago, I decided that it would be a great idea. Jasmin 2009 is about experimenting, trying new things, and living (responsibly) in the Now.

[Aside: I don't think Andrew was applying it to experimental knitting. Oh well.]

Jasmin 2009 does not fear failure. Jasmin 2009 will experiment with cheerful abandon, and while this type of experimentation occaisionally ends in failure, great success comes from trying, and deciding that ripping out unsuccessful knitting will not annoy me is a good trait to develop.

Jasmin 2009 is going to - wait for it - revisit sewing. Jasmin 2009 is going to take a more "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" approach to everything. Look out world.

In case you're curious, Jasmin 2010? She's all about completion.

Dear Colleen

Dear Colleen;

We wanted to thank you very much for inviting us to Christmas at your house. Even though you made us wipe our paws when we came in from the yard, it was very nice of you to have the special, delicious treats for us. Our mom NEVER gives us dog treats like that!

It was totally worth taking a bath and getting our butts shaved first.

Love,

Niki and Elphie

Foiled by my own hubris (or is that ooobreee?)

After announcing to Andrew that I absolutely, positively, WOULD NOT be sick during my time off work this year (because it's a miserable waste of paid vacation time), you guessed it. Hubris punched me in the face, metaphorically speaking.

I got sick. So, Monday, when I felt it the worst, I stayed in bed (or on the couch, in my case, because I can't sleep in bed when I'm sick). I drank fluids, I took cold meds, I slept like an Olympic champion. (The implication there is that if sleeping were an Olympic event, I would place gold.)

Tuesday, I felt MUCH better. I got up, had some breakfast, got dressed, picked up Andrew from his errand, and we stopped TWO places before I announced that I was tired, and would need a nap. (I know, when one is kicking a nasty virus in the ass, it is important to nap when you feel the need.) I also coughed up something EPIC while I was driving, to Andrew's great disgust.

[This is where I point out the necessity of the "in sickness and in health" bit of the wedding vows. Apparently, we needed a "you are disgusting" clause. Because, while I laughed uproariously over how gross it was, Andrew was literally almost sick to his stomach. Phlegm is not for the weak of stomach. I may have made jokes to that end effect. My bad.]

According to Andrew, I was out for two hours, sleeping through a couple of phone calls. This includes a call from Patient Zero, who concluded that I must have gotten it from her on Friday, along with some wicked awesome Christmas cheer. S'ok. What's a transmissible virus between friends, anyway?

I finally got Episode 32 live, after having it sit on the computer for two days, which made me feel good. Not physically, since I've been coughing so much it feels like my ribs have run a marathon. (To my knowledge, they have not, but if they have, I hope it was for a good cause.)

What have I learned from all this? I love 70's music. We've been watching Swingtown on the Roku box, and the soundtrack is AWESOME. I'm seeing a new CD in my future.

Tika has also beaten me (pre-flu-ey thing) into committing to a Jasmin 2009 theme. I'll be blogging about that soon.

For now, it's back to the couch with a cup of tea and contemplating my own bad taste in television.

Getting a grip

Sorry for the relative radio silence. I started a project (for the podcast), that was an EPIC endeavor, not realizing that it was going to be so incredibly epic. Yesterday afternoon, I decided that stressing myself out was neither conducive to creativity, nor good for Jasmin's Christmas Spirit(tm).

I conferred with my co-host/mother, and she agreed that the Awesome Christmas Special would be better for next year, giving me a full year to do it the way I want to. EPIC. This year's special will be fun, just different. This is me getting a grip on reality.

I am looking forward to writing more, actually taking pictures of my projects, and doing a bit of knitting and spinning while I'm home.

Doing some good, company style.

This year, our Christmas gift from work is $50 to our favorite charity. I'm torn between Doctors Without Borders and amFAR.

Since Stephanie has done SO MUCH for DWB, as have many of our podcast listeners, I'm leaning a bit towards amFAR. But, like I said, I'm torn.





Could you lend a girl a hand? I'd like to donate on 1/5/09. Help me choose!

I'm IT!

I was tagged by Nathalie, and, lacking any real content (because I am SWAMPED with getting ready to take time off of work).

What I’m supposed to do is find the 4th picture folder on my computer. I’m to put the 4th picture from that folder on my blog and tell 4 facts about it.

Fact 1: This is Mt Rushmore on July 3rd, 2004.
Fact 2: It started raining shortly after we took this picture, and didn't stop until July 5th, 2004.
Fact 3: Showing up early to Mt Rushmore means avoiding the crowds.
Fact 4: I told Andrew that day that I thought I would look positively fetching memorialized in stone. (Notice that there's space for me to GW's left.)

I'm tagging Chloe, Lisa, Kathy and the Undyed Vampire.

Weather-appropriate tasks

Chores that are fun to do after it rains:

-Pulling weeds

Chores that are NOT fun to do after it rains:

-Scooping dog poop

This has been a Public Service Announcement from your friend and blogger, Captain Obvious.

Don't worry

For those of you who were worried, I still have a job.

Thanks for your good thoughts.

I am not smart enough

Things I am not smart enough to do before I have had my coffee:

1- Find my french press, despite that it is always in the drying rack.
2- Recognize my disassembled french press.
3- Reassemble the french press, without tears. ("Why can't I do this?!")

Getting into the holiday spirit

Last night was opening night for the production of "The Nutcracker" that my Exceptionally Talented Niece performed in. Get ready for a shocker.

I had never seen The Nutcracker before. That's not to say I've never attended the ballet before, just not The Nutcracker. Andrew totally tripped out over this fact. So, we bought our tickets, joined his family for the pre-show dinner, and went to the Center for Performing Arts.

I was a little surprised to see so many small children. And unattended teenagers, who, OMIGOD-are-like-a-little-over-texting. (That would be a direct quote.) I had my knitting (I worked on my Maude vest), so I knew all would be fine. Certainly, teenagers are old enough to know how to behave at the ballet.

The curtain goes up. The overture is ending. They are still talking. I turned around.

"The curtain is open. That means it is time to shut up," I explain, and turn back around. (Not before I see SHOCKED expressions of fear from both of them.)

Silence for the rest of the first act. (They disappeared at the second act, which means, either they were bothering some other innocent patrons of the arts, or they sat in the lobby and did their talking, which is my sincere hope.)

The ballet was fine, but the best part? The little kids. Dressed as sheep. Wiggling their adorable little sheepy butts. The cuteness nearly killed me. I even made that "Ooooh!" sigh (complete with the hand over the heart) that women ALWAYS seem to be making at cute things.

It's almost enough to convince me to have children, only to dress them up as little sheep. (Quick, someone call CPS preemptively.) I could dress the dogs up like sheep, but I think Niki would look like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

My niece was incredible. It was so great to see her dance, and I'll tell you, seeing a graceful fifteen-year-old is probably the eigth wonder of the world. (I still walk into doorways and trip over my own feet.)

Also? I can knit stripes in the dark. Boo-yah!

A conversation from the couch

Me: Who's that guy with the iconic family pictures? Ansel Adams?
Andrew: I don't know.
Me: [Look it up online.] No. Totally wrong.
Andrew: Jackson Pollock?
Me: No. He's the guy who has the paintings that look like vomit. [Huff] Jackson Pollock.
Me: [Continue to search, and think about TV dialog.] NORMAN ROCKWELL!
Andrew: Yeah, that's him.

Knitting up a tsunami

The last couple of weeks have been consumed with an epic amount of knitting. While I was at the Firefly/Serenity con, I worked the "Pride" sweater to 12 rows short of the armholes. (By the way, I'm working it in the round, because I'm smart like that.) i also knit half a sock out of the "Sarah" colored yarn.

I came home, finished my "The Sea" socks, finished a pair of Andrew's socks (from the Black Sock project), and cast on some new stuff. A pair of Mesmer socks, a pair of hot pink socks in Yucatan's Orchid (in hot pink), a Santa Fe wrap, and a Maude vest.

In fact, I've been so busy with my knitting, that I haven't had a chance to - you guessed it - take pictures of it.