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The only bright side of being unemployed is the fact that I have a lot of time. Yes, I do job search. I job search every weekday morning, and sometimes I actually find something that I would be qualified to do that isn’t at McDonald’s. In even rarer cases, I actually get an interview. But usually, I get an e-mail saying that whoever was hiring has decided to choose someone more qualified.
I read. I workout. I write. I knit. I do a bunch of stuff. However, I feel that I am missing a lot out of my life. Namely, the fact that if I can’t move out of my mom’s house sooner, the longer I will feel that I am not, in fact, an adult – among other things.
But enough of that! The point of this post is not to wallow. It is to celebrate a bit of my work. While this is not everything I have done since graduation, these projects are perhaps my favorite work so far.
First up: Polly Jean Socks knitted with Knit Picks Palette (in Mulberry) gifted from my friend Krista.
Second: Jaywalker Socks knitted with Knit Picks Felici (in Abracadabra). I used opposite ends of the skeins so they are quite funky. I love them and can’t wait until it cools down enough so I can wear socks again. Because let’s face it. It’s summer. You don’t want to wear socks – but you sure as heck can knit them without sweating!
Third: A mohawk hat, taken from the pattern for Punk’s Not Dead from Pretty in Punk. I basically got the book just for this pattern. I also made one for my mom because we want to wear them to next year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Hers is solid, while mine is striped. It makes me feel awesome.
Four: My first embroidery project! The quote, “Sriracha is the Worcestershire Sauce of Thailand” is from My Drunk Kitchen – Episode 7, Tacos. I love watching this show. If you don’t watch it already, you totally should. Hannah Hart is so adorable. I introduced my boyfriend to the show as well, and he likes it. He also likes sriracha sauce, which I never tasted before I met him, so I decided to do an embroidery in tribute to this affinity for the angry rooster sauce. I think it will look great one day hanging in his (*cough* our) kitchen. I gave it to him for his birthday, and he really got a kick out of it.
Now I’m going to clean the house, because I really should do that. I’m going to have company over this weekend.
I know. It’s been a while, again.
My stay in Kentucky went without any big event. The boys started school. I left. I came back to P-town. And things have been more or less the same. My friends started a new semester. My boyfriend started his job. I stay at home, bored out of my skull most days, trying to find employment. I knit. I knit a lot. I have determined that since I graduated, I have finished knitting three blankets for charity, finished Mom’s Christmas gift for this year, two pairs of socks, two regular hats, two stuffed elephants for two baby boys, and two mohawk hats. I’m currently working on my brothers’ Christmas presents, since I couldn’t work on it while I was visiting them. Besides knitting, I have tried to continue sewing a dress I started two Thanksgivings ago, and am determined to finish it before this Thanksgiving. Does anyone know how to install an invisible zipper? I sure don’t. My mom’s no help, either. I’d consult my aunt Jo for help, but she’s 1) in Cincinnati and 2) busy as can be with her work and her beautiful Stella. I always say that I’m going to give up any attempts at sewing once I finally finish a project, but I always seem to completely ignore that vow. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I have also completed my first embroidery project (it’s on my 101 Goals list, which has been rather inactive – shame on me!). It was a spur of the moment sort of thing that I just picked up the materials (though Mom had a hoop and materials) and checked out a book from the library. I designed it myself and -poof- within a few days, I was done. I’d say it is more simple compared to some of the beautiful embroidery I see online, but I’m still proud of it. It’s on red fabric and stitched in white. The image is of the rooster on the Sriracha bottle (spicy angry rooster sauce), and below it, I stitched a quote from an episode of My Drunk Kitchen: “Sriracha is the Worcestershire sauce of Thailand.” I made it with Alex in mind. Why? Because he likes Sriracha, he likes My Drunk Kitchen, and eventually, he’s going to have an apartment of his own and I think it would be a unique and appropriate piece to hang in the kitchen.
Speaking of Alex, my dear sweet boyfriend had his birthday last week. I gave him the Sriracha embroidery, some bags of his favorite candy (Sour Patch Kids and Pretzel M&Ms), and a Streetlight Manifesto CD. I also joined him, his parents, and his grandparents for a celebration. We went to Pizzeria Uno and stuffed ourselves.
Besides crafting, I cook dinner every night. Recently, since Borders is going out of business, Mom picked up two vegetarian cookbooks. I think it’s really exciting, and we’re now on our second week of vegetarian dinners. I’m going to try my month of vegetarianism (another thing on my goal list) now, I’d say, though it will be difficult depending on who I happen to eat with. For example, if I go visit Alex, I don’t want to snub the dinner if it includes meat, because that would be inconvenient. Also, I’ve been reading, though not in the past few days. I’m going to remedy that. If you want to check out my book list, I have it on Listography. There’s still plenty more books on my bookshelves that I haven’t tackled yet, and it could possibly be another year before I finish them all! I hope not, though…
Nothing much else is going on, I’d say. I don’t watch a lot of movies, but some days, I feel like a bump on a log. And then, for the past two weekends, Alex and I have gone up to Muncie for shenanigans. I love being able to see my friends and hang out with them. It makes me miss school – or at least being just a stone’s throw away from everyone. I also miss biking and walking everywhere. That’s why, after I finish writing this, I have decided that I’m going to bike to the library. Okay, maybe lunch first. Either way, I’m still going to bike to the library today and enjoy the beautiful weather outside. Thankfully, it isn’t too hot.
I will post again soon. I’ve decided that it is going to be a very picture-heavy post, since I want to share my crafty ventures. I am quite proud of them.
Until then…
The rest of my short trip to Lexington was great. It was a struggle for me to leave.
Thursday, Alex, David, and I jumped on the trampoline and played outside, and then I got the guts to drive around Lexington, so we went to the park. We had a snack, then flew kites. I made them play on the playground and get some energy out, though David argued with me the entire time, since he’s not the “imagining” type like Alex is – who I had to brush woodchips off and wash dirt off of before he got back in my car.
On Friday, we made Cookies and Cream Bars. Alex and David never get into the kitchen, can you believe that? David wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and I made him do it himself while I supervised. He’s eleven. He should be able to manage that by now…
The three of us went to the children’s museum, and it was a lot of fun. It’s small, and it’s not like, say, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, but it was still entertaining and the boys enjoyed it.
Not much else went on with my trip – just a lot of relaxation and spending time with my family.
I also finished knitting my giant squid, Squidot. He’s definitely an attention getter.
I drove back on Sunday and stopped by Alex’s house for dinner. It was nice to see him, and it broke up my trip a little bit. Then I came home for a day.
I went back up to Muncie because I had an interview on that Tuesday, then another the next day. It looks like I have a job, though I don’t know when it will be starting, since I have to wait for the company to get all its new hires in at once. I just have to hang out and work on getting things in order at home until then.
Mom’s had me running errands, I stuffed and mailed all of my graduation invitations, I had doctor and dentist appointments, and I’ve seen Alex a few times, too. Mom likes having me home because I also cook for her. Funny story about that.
Friday, April 15th, I made salmon with a couscous dish on the side. It was tasty, and impressive, considering it was the first time I have cooked salmon. I can’t be certain as to whether it was my first time eating it or not. We tried to go to bed early, since we had to be up at 5:00 to go to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. However, I couldn’t sleep. I was worried about my future, about my life, and then… I started coughing. I couldn’t breathe easily, I was itchy, and I felt a slight puffiness in my face. Mom had to make a 1:00 a.m. Benedryl run. All ended up well in the end, but apparently, I might be allergic to salmon, but I don’t care. I think I’m just going to make sure I have Benedryl in my purse wherever I go, because I’m getting sick and tired of surprise allergy attacks.
Even though we only had about four hours of sleep, Mom and I went to the Race for the Cure. I had never done it before, but I think that 1) it is an important cause and 2) I needed the exercise. It was bitter cold and rainy the whole day, but it was still fun. Seeing the survivors in their parade was inspiring, and the walk was fun. We went with Peggy and Mike, and I met Peggy’s daughter and son (though he wasn’t at the walk). It was nice – again, despite the cold – and I think I’m going to participate in it next year, too.
Also, there were Ghostbusters doing the walk. I forgot to mention that. That was cool. I’ll get a picture up when I can of that.
After the walk, we went out for lunch. Mom and I made it back home by 3:00. I was in bed again by 3:30, and slept for a while.
Nothing big happened last week, and then I went up to Muncie last weekend to enjoy the company of others. It was a good weekend. I watched Tideland with Sarah, did some knitting, watched Tron: Legacy with Alex, played some Telephone Pictionary, and went bowling for Tanner’s birthday.
This week, I’m working on cleaning my room and preparing it for the return of my stuff from the apartment. I’ll be living there during finals week on practically nothing, but I wanted to spend time with people before graduation.
Perhaps the most exciting bit of news is that I graduate in 10 days!
I’ve dyed my hair pink, red, and purple before, but they’ve all been done at home by my mom or by friends. Today, however I got professional highlights for the first time. It was a solution to hiding some of my rogue gray hairs (yes, I’m twenty-one with gray hair) without dyeing my hair completely, and I think it’s all right. It should look nice for the professional family photos we’re getting done next weekend for my grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary.
It’s a terrible picture. The highlights actually look quite good. Let’s just say that my hair is chocolate and my highlights are caramel. I’ve essentially got Twix Bar Hair. Therefore, I’m delicious.
In other news, I finally finished that damn sleeve. I don’t like DROPS design. I had to rip it out twice before I got the hang of it. Now to cast on for a second sleeve and watch more Mad Men…
And it’s hot. Ridiculously hot. I wish this apartment had air conditioner sometimes. This is one of those times.
Crazy week. Jess had her friend Robbie visiting us twice this week. That’s actually how I didn’t finish Twin Peaks until Tuesday, but that’s okay.
I’ve been working out more with Sarah. We did it on Tuesday, Wednesday (sort of), Thursday, and Friday. When I got off the stair step/elliptical machine yesterday, it was slowing down, but one of the pedals hit me in the ankle hard. The spot of contact immediately turned purple. It lessened, but the pain has become worse. I have a cut where the pedal hit me, and then that whole section of my ankle is swollen. I think there’s even a part of it that’s blue. It’s nasty, and hard to walk with. It’s hard to bike with, too. I had to cancel working out today because all I can do is hobble.
When I talked to Alex tonight, when we were saying goodbye, he said, “Try not to hurt yourself anymore!” and we laughed. I am such a klutz. Last summer, it was a broken toe. This summer, my hurt ankle. What next?
I’ve been getting into Mad Men recently. I finished the first season in about two days, I’d say, and I watched a few episodes of the second season tonight. I love it – the complex characters, the authenticity, the clothing, everything. It’s so beautiful, despite my wanting to strangle the male characters whenever they say or do something sexist. That was the time, though.
Work has been going well. We’re moving everything right now because new carpeting is going to be put down soon, so it’s somewhat chaotic, but it hasn’t been too bad. I actually had to work today, which was weird. I haven’t worked a Saturday shift in two, almost three weeks. It was quiet. My apartment’s quiet too, since Jess is gone for the weekend. It’s not bad, only a little lonely. I get paranoid in when there’s no one else around.
Since I had to work, Alex didn’t come up. That’s okay, though, since he’s been up here the past two weekends and I’ve loved having him every minute of it. Plus, if he was here I wouldn’t be able to focus on my big paper that’s due in two weeks. I did a twenty-source annotated bibliography today. It took me four hours after work and lunch. My eyeballs wanted to fall out at the end, and I’m pretty sure my computer died for a moment because the screen went black, but it’s done save for some minor editing! Woo!
As for books, I finished Stranger in a Strange Land (eh) and now I’m reading Watership Down (like it). I should be finished with that in a few days, and most of the books on my reading list are checked out currently, so I’m trying to find a few new suggestions.
I’m getting much accomplished knitting-wise, too. I did a hat to match my mittens and scarf. It took me only a few hours, and it looks great. I have a good portion of my sweater done, too. I hope it turns out all right, since the pattern is rather difficult to follow.
I’m watching Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me right now. I got it through Interlibrary Loan. I was super excited for it, but it’s just bizarre. I think it goes well with the book – The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer – but if you’re going off just the series, it’s still confusing. I think David Lynch just wanted the excuse to show nudity, have cursing, and Sheryl Lee screaming a lot. I’m sure the guys downstairs (if they’re there) are just loving the random bloodcurdling screams coming from up here. Anyway, this is probably the last time I watch this movie… rather disappointing for such a good series.
Great weekend! Lots of fun!
Alex came up and we went to Noodles and Company for dinner, then went over to Silvertree to visit Sarah, Nick, Thom, and Krista. Nick dyed Krista’s hair, and Alex and I went to Dairy Queen for ice cream after much deliberation. We all ended up watching Ponyo. I thought it was pretty cute, but it wasn’t as good as Howl’s Moving Castle or Spirited Away.
Jennifer came up on Saturday, and Alex made us lunch. It was very sweet of him. Then he watched the England-U.S. World Cup match while I interviewed Jennifer for my senior English project. I would say it was very successful.
We were bored, and we had some time to kill before going over to Silvertree, so Alex let me practice driving. Jennifer tagged along in the backseat. We went to Best Buy because I’m still trying to get rid of my gift card from Christmas. Maybe I should stop asking for them, since it seems like they never have quite what I’m looking for…
Anyway, we went over and realized that it would be better to make pizza over there than in my tiny, cramped apartment, so we went back to my apartment to pick up the dough I made from scratch (yay!) and all the toppings, and Jennifer picked up her car, and Matt joined us.
Pizza was a success! Everyone really liked the crust, and I will definitely remember that recipe for future reference. It was simple, too.
Jennifer went home, and then we played Shadow Hunters, Matt’s new board game. It was fun. Then we just sat around talking and having Sarah read the worst fan fiction ever (“My Immortal”) and laughing about it.
Alex and I woke up this morning, had lunch, and went driving. I did really well, and now all I have to do is figure out between my schedule and the DMV’s schedule when would be the best time to take my driver’s test. I’m aiming to get my license before I leave Muncie for the summer. I know I can.
I shared some banana-chocolate bread with Alex, and then it was time for him to go. I am sad, but I know even if I have to wait two weeks to see him again, it will be okay. I just wish I didn’t have my group meeting tonight. We’re meeting at 8:00, so I will have to miss the third season premiere of True Blood. I am upset about that, but this is the last week of my class and I can’t afford to be absent from this meeting, no matter how much I want to.
Now, I’ve got pictures, as promised. That’s all the rest of this entry is, so sorry for the picture-heaviness. I love showing-and-telling!
I made this dress from a sheet, a t-shirt, and a man’s tie. The tie part was a little weird and janky-looking, but I love the swishy skirt part! I wasn’t originally going to make it a halter, either, but it works for just a simple summer dress.
These are pieces of jewelry I made recently. They were inspired by the book Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close, where the main character makes Morse code jewelry for his mother. So yes, these are messages interpreted from Morse code, and I like how they are not only unique and secret, but beautiful, too.
Finally, here is the Companion Cube! Alex loved it, and he was so happy to get it. It came as sort of a surprise, since he knew I was working on it, but he didn’t know I had finished it two weeks ago right after his last visit. ❤
Work, work, work.
Class, class, class. (But it ends next week!)
Read, read, read.
Knit, knit, knit.
Yeah, that pretty much sums up my life right now. I’m not interesting. I guess that’s why I haven’t posted much. Well, that, and I just have some other things on my agenda, among other things.
This weekend, I watched Whip It and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Whip It rekindled my desire to become a roller derby girl, but I loved Priscilla so much, I watched it again before I returned it.
Sunday I was just hanging out, watching Mission Hill and knitting, when the power went out. Jess was at work, so I was alone. The power came back on, but then it started pouring outside. Then – sirens. Tornado sirens. I have never been alone during a tornado warning, so I was like, “Shit!” The experience brought back my childhood phobia of tornadoes, which my brother David has apparently inherited.
I ran downstairs and around the apartment building to go to the basement. This guy looked out his door at me like I was crazy. I was the only one in the shelter of the (rather creepy) basement, and the people above me were watching television. I could hear it. The sirens stopped shortly, so it wasn’t too bad. No harm done. I laughed about it later.
Anyway, I’ve been writing again, or trying to. Todd (it sounds so weird to call a professor by his first name) pointed me in the direction of 750 Words, where the goal is to write 750 words, or three pages, a day. So far, I’m on a seven-day streak! I really like it, and it actually isn’t that hard, when you think about it.
I hope to finish my stupid dress tonight so I can wear it this weekend. Will post pictures. I also want to show off the Companion Cube, which I get to give to Alex this weekend. We haven’t seen each other in about two weeks. I’m so excited! He’s going to love it.
Not much else going on. I baked banana-chocolate bread last night. Delicious. Been working on my second sock, and watching Twin Peaks. Oh my god, I love it. I watched four episodes yesterday. Agent Cooper is one of the nuttiest characters I’ve ever seen, and I adore him. I have to be at work in ten minutes and I really just want to watch more Twin Peaks…sigh.
I’ve been swamped again, but I’m optimistic. This is the last week of classes, and then next week is finals. I’ll be moving out on Friday, and then I’ll have about a week at home. Yes!
Anyway, just a few things.
My EDPSY paper turned out well. I got it to about nine and a half pages, surprisingly. I just hope my professor thinks it’s good.
Been knitting the Companion Cube. I fixed it, and it’s starting to look good. It is time-consuming, though, and makes my hands hurt.
I received my student teaching assignment for next spring – Yes! As long as nothing messes it up, it’ll be perfect. It was my first choice, and I won’t have to worry about subleasing.
This past weekend, I didn’t have to work. We went out for Tanner’s birthday on Friday, but things didn’t go so well. Alex, Scott, and I ended up at the Fickle Peach, and it’s quite a nice place.
On Saturday, Alex and I went down to the Artist Within. Alex and I painted piggy banks. We’ll get them back this upcoming Saturday, and we’re both excited to see how they turned out. Later, we watched The Men Who Stare at Goats and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. They were both good, funny movies, but I loved The Fantastic Mr. Fox. It was so cute, and I loved the animation style. It was a lot like the rest of Wes Anderson’s films, but I think it would have been good even without his name attached to it.
I’ve been driving a little bit, but not much lately. I can’t wait to get that license, though.
Anyway, that’s all the exciting and lovely things for now. I’m working on one last English paper and a unit plan for Friday, a portfolio assignment for Tuesday, and a young adult literature project for Wednesday. It sucks, and I can’t wait for it to be over!
After my night class on Wednesday, Boyfriend took me to the store. I got a jar of Nutella, and was very, very happy.
Thursday, I got a surprise visit from my friend Kile. Kile is in the Air Force and recently spent some time overseas. I went to high school with him, and the last time I saw him was at his wedding last May. He was back in town, and so he came up, and it was cool. We went to the Heorot with Leigh and Nick, and I bought Kile a belated birthday drink.
Yesterday I finished my red shawl in-between classes. It has now become my hipster scarf. Love it!
Also, yesterday, I was in a mediocre mood after my last class. Boyfriend and I went to go look at toys and cats, and then had frozen custard. Then, I came back to my room and tried to write my EDPSY paper. I passed out after about a page.
I worked this morning. Didn’t do much, but I am now up to two pages on my stupid paper, and I wish it would go away. In fact, I’d like it if all my papers went away for the time being, but no such luck.
My friends Chris and Rachel, with their little daughter Emma, are visiting in Muncie for the day. I didn’t get to see much of them, but I met up with them after my work and hung out with them while eating lunch. I haven’t seen them for about a year, too; since they’re a couple hours away. Emma’s getting so big, too! So exciting! I love seeing people I haven’t seen in a while.
Now I need to finish cleaning my room so I can go see my boy and visit with more people…
I don’t know why I feel the way I do right now. Wait. That’s a lie. I know why I feel the way I do, I just don’t know how I feel about what I feel, and I don’t want to feel the way I feel anymore.
Got that?
Yeah, let me explain. I’m in a foul mood. Not angry, but rather depressed. For three years, I’ve taken teaching and English courses, and I have always expected to be an English teacher. But after three years, I don’t want to be a teacher. After a mishap in one of my English-teaching crossover classes this week, I called my mom, bawling and saying I didn’t want to do education. I love English, I love it to death. I just know that having a bachelor’s degree in English will probably lead to an early death – one that’s caused by living in cardboard boxes and scrounging for food money on the cold streets.
I know it shouldn’t matter. They always say you should do what you want to do, but then they say that the only way to be happy is to have a steady income. I want to have a way where I can have both.
I don’t know what I’m good at, I don’t know what I want to do. Some days, I just want to lay down and die. Today is one of those days. I work tomorrow. I have a paper to write over William S. Burroughs this weekend, a book to read (if it ever shows up), stupid test questions to revise that I know will never be good enough, a multigenre paper that isn’t good enough, and write a scene that I hope will be good enough. Well, I don’t want to do any of it.
I am so depressed, I don’t think I’ve shaved my legs in a week. And that’s really gross. I need to change that tomorrow.
There are plenty of other things I want to do. I finally started on my mittens last night. They’re the “Bella” mittens, but I vehemently hate Twilight. Though I think when they’re done, they’ll be beautiful and match my newest scarf perfectly. I’d really rather knit. I’m afraid I might have to give Alex my knitting bag for the night so I’ll do some work.
I’m sad that the Olympics are almost over. I love curling. I want to learn how to curl, and then become a professional curler.
I want to read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, because even though it is for my young adult literature class, I still love that all the books in there are books I want to read, not books I just have to read for class. I love all the feminist theories that could go with that book, and it’s weird, too, because I see a lot of myself in Frankie.
Most of all, I just want to do what I want and be happy. I swear, not all of my life is a bore and a shame. There is a lot of good in it, I’m just going through a sucky time. On a happy note, I can’t wait to do all the other things I have planned for this weekend. Alex and I are celebrating our anniversary and doing some fun things, since I’m not sick like I was last weekend and we can. I’m also completely stoked for Spring Break – I just have to survive a week. A group of us are going to South Carolina, and I definitely need some relax time away from the great frigid state of Indiana.
This Must Be the Place. 