1. I've started and finished three hats while I've been home. Have managed to finish 0 of 2 blankets I started working on before Christmas, meant for Christmas gifts. Oh well. I just hope I can get cracking and finish them before I go back to DC, because I don't want to have to bring them back with me. They take up a lot of space, you know.
2. Amazon always does $5 MP3 albums every month, changing them from month to month. They put out January's early, I guess, and I was looking through them tonight just for kicks. One that I found made me particularly excited, as I've been wanting to buy it for over a year now: the soundtrack to the Ken Burns National Parks documentary. Oh. Yes. You'd better believe I bought that sucker. I also very much want to buy the new True Grit soundtrack. It had lovely music.
3. Speaking of, I've seen two movies in the theater since I've been home - True Grit and The King's Speech. Both were highly excellent. (And the King's Speech also had a great soundtrack too.) I also watched the 2008 BBC version of Sense and Sensibility, which I highly enjoyed. Liked that one's Edward Ferrars better than the 90s movie version, in which Hugh Grant played Edward Ferrars. Am now slowly making my way through the new BBC version of Emma. So far, pretty good. Quite different from the Gwyneth Paltrow version, which I love.
4. We got a delightful snowstorm today. Well, driving home at the worst of it this afternoon wasn't so delightful. The problem was that it had been warmer earlier today, and the first signs of snow just melted on the roads, and it got really cold so that turned to ice and then the rest of the snow fell on top of ice. And it all happened relatively quickly, and everyone saw it was getting bad so decided to leave work or wherever they were early, and thus when the snow was the worst it seemed like there was a greater volume of cars. Anyway. I had been at the mall with my sister, and it's pretty much uphill the whole way home from the mall (with some flat parts), but I saw so many cars that had spun out and couldn't get going, or were stuck against curbs, and then on Constitution, which is all hill, there was a lot of that and people who were going downhill (I was going uphill) were not having a good time of it. I saw at least one car who lost control going downhill and ended up facing the wrong direction. Not good. I made it ok because I was in a Jeep, and they're awesome. Thankfully the times I was stopped because of other cars having issues ahead of me, I was able to start up again with little to no trouble. It all worked out ok, but it was interesting! And now it's lovely and snowy and cold and I love it. The only Colorado snow I'll see until next winter. At least it's a pretty good one (thanks God!). Even if it is supposed to go back into the 30s and 40s and then 50s by next week. Oh well.
5. I got a new camera for Christmas, which is awesome. I'm still trying to figure out the different settings (there are more/better ones than my old camera), but it's been fun. I love taking pictures! I know it's ridiculous, and most of them are soooo boring, but I love it. They're fun to go through again once in awhile, too, especially the pretty Colorado ones when I'm far away and longing to see some blue blue sky. :-)
6. I went for a hike yesterday with my friend Cathy. We did the Crags, which I did this past summer with Mom (and the summer before with some other friends). I really like that hike. It's not really too strenuous, aside from a little at the beginning and towards the top, but the view is so worth it. Last night when I was going to sleep, I kept having these images of the beautiful mountain ranges pop into my head, pictures I've been privileged to see in person on my various hikes (Pancake Rocks, Pikes Peak) and sightseeings (any time I've gone up to Rocky Mountain NP). I don't think I'll ever get sick of seeing those lovely snow-capped mountaintops as far as the eye can see. It really is magnificent. It just makes my heart sing. I feel like Maria von Trapp at the beginning of the Sound of Music when I'm up there with those mountains. Except slightly less emotive, as outward emotion is not my strong suit... Seriously, though, I can't get enough of it. I'm sure it wouldn't be at all nice as I picture, but oh, how I yearn to go live in one of those tiny mountain towns, surrounded by towering vistas. I know exactly what one of the two worst drawbacks would be: the Catholic factor. I don't imagine most of those mountain towns have much in the way of catering to various leanings of Catholicism, which usually means it would lean more toward the liberal side of things. Just a guess, though. (The other drawback would be a lack of easy of accessibility to my family. Duh.)
Oh yeah, and after falling asleep with visions of mountaintops dancing through my head, I literally had a dream about Pikes Peak. Don't remember much of the specifics, but we (I and whoever else it was in my dream) were quite close to it. And then maybe sort of on it, I'm not sure. (And at one point someone fell off, and everyone thought he was probably dead, but then he wasn't somehow.) Anyway. I want to live in a mountain chalet. The end.
7. Speaking of, I would like to tell something to the world at large: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH MY DEGREE. So stop asking. I know, it's just curiosity, and it's the normal thing to ask. I just have no idea. God doesn't really tend to tell me much, especially in advance. I'm sure he's got something cooking out there for me, but I don't know what it is, what it looks like, or if I'll like it. Just because I will (God willing) have a master's degree in theology does not mean I'm going to be a counselor. Really, it doesn't mean much, actually. Oh man. I just wrote a really longish post about this whole thing. Didn't post it yet, though...not sure if I will, since it's pointless. We'll see.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Procrastiposting
I have one more final in my next-to-last round of graduate school finals. Tomorrow afternoon. And darned if I can't get myself to be motivated to study. I don't even know how I've made it this far in higher education; sometimes I feel like such a fraud to be here.
But, here I be, and hopefully it's somehow shaping me into a better person. (If nothing else, I'm sure that living with my roommate can't help but make me slightly better since she's bound to rub off on me. Especially considering the ridiculous number of hours we see each other every day, what with the working and schooling and living together. And she, my friends, is good people. Much better than I.)
My thoughts are so disjointed right now. Not entirely sure why; I think part of the reason, dumb as this sounds, is because I just checked the weather forecast for Colorado Springs, and it's supposed to snow tomorrow, but then the temps go up again and it's supposed to be 50s all next week. Which, as we all know, is terrible weather to begin with (I hate in-between more than either extreme), and especially so for Christmas. Which should be at least cold, if not snowy. I need a white Christmas this year. At the VERY least, I would like to be able to see snow while I'm home, before Christmas. I'll be lucky if tomorrow's snow, however much it is, isn't all gone by the time I get there Friday night. I can't quite put my finger on why, but this likelihood that I won't be seeing snow for at least the first week I'm home (and, let's face it, the rest of the time, too) makes me sad. C'est la vie, though. Nothing I can do about it. I'd love it if God gave me a white Christmas for once, but if he doesn't, I suppose he's got his reasons. I'm trying not to think too much about this or other things that are nibbling at my recent inner calm and joy right now; I already had enough of a finals' week freak-out on Monday night. Don't need another one.
On the bright side, my office had our Christmas party today, and it was lots of fun. We had a special Mass this morning, just our office, in the chapel, and then a little later headed out to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the American Art Museum, followed by a delicious lunch. Good times were had by all. I wore my red bell earrings, a red bell necklace I just bought because what goes better with red bell earrings than a matching necklace?, and my new highly winter-impractical but super-cute Christmas heels (with bells on them, of course). I couldn't sneak up on anyone today, but it's fun to be Christmasy.
Gonna go try to clear my head a bit with an episode of 30 Rock, and then try to get myself studied up for tomorrow's final.
But, here I be, and hopefully it's somehow shaping me into a better person. (If nothing else, I'm sure that living with my roommate can't help but make me slightly better since she's bound to rub off on me. Especially considering the ridiculous number of hours we see each other every day, what with the working and schooling and living together. And she, my friends, is good people. Much better than I.)
My thoughts are so disjointed right now. Not entirely sure why; I think part of the reason, dumb as this sounds, is because I just checked the weather forecast for Colorado Springs, and it's supposed to snow tomorrow, but then the temps go up again and it's supposed to be 50s all next week. Which, as we all know, is terrible weather to begin with (I hate in-between more than either extreme), and especially so for Christmas. Which should be at least cold, if not snowy. I need a white Christmas this year. At the VERY least, I would like to be able to see snow while I'm home, before Christmas. I'll be lucky if tomorrow's snow, however much it is, isn't all gone by the time I get there Friday night. I can't quite put my finger on why, but this likelihood that I won't be seeing snow for at least the first week I'm home (and, let's face it, the rest of the time, too) makes me sad. C'est la vie, though. Nothing I can do about it. I'd love it if God gave me a white Christmas for once, but if he doesn't, I suppose he's got his reasons. I'm trying not to think too much about this or other things that are nibbling at my recent inner calm and joy right now; I already had enough of a finals' week freak-out on Monday night. Don't need another one.
On the bright side, my office had our Christmas party today, and it was lots of fun. We had a special Mass this morning, just our office, in the chapel, and then a little later headed out to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the American Art Museum, followed by a delicious lunch. Good times were had by all. I wore my red bell earrings, a red bell necklace I just bought because what goes better with red bell earrings than a matching necklace?, and my new highly winter-impractical but super-cute Christmas heels (with bells on them, of course). I couldn't sneak up on anyone today, but it's fun to be Christmasy.
Gonna go try to clear my head a bit with an episode of 30 Rock, and then try to get myself studied up for tomorrow's final.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A bit of randomicity for your Tuesday.
I had a mild-to-medium freak-out last night. I got home (from class and 4 hours of work), had an email prompting me to get two questions for Thursday’s final review sheet done, since some of us are studying together-ish, so I felt like I needed to do that ASAP despite the pressure mounting on me to study for the two finals I had today. And then suddenly it was 9pm. Woo. In the middle of that, though, I was also worrying about being gone for three weeks, and our apartment being empty for part of that time while we’re all three gone, and my car sitting in the parking lot the whole time, and not having renters insurance and not having time to do anything about it this week and WHY DID I WAIT UNTIL THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO THINK ABOUT THIS, and what I have to pack, and on and on and on. Commence breakdown.
One or two tears were shed. But then I was done. Calmed myself down. Went on with the studying. And now I’m better again. I feel like I should keep worrying about the apartment and car, but today I can’t bring myself to do it. Yes, I should have insurance, but I don’t, and that’s just the way it is. I’ll just have to pray that nothing happens. I don’t feel like I need to worry, other than that I can worry about it, kind of, if that makes sense (which I know it doesn’t). It’s borrowing trouble that I don’t need in my life right now. Sure, something could happen. Something could always happen. Nothing I can do about it. It’d be ridiculously inconvenient beyond words if, say, the apartment burned down while we were all gone, but...I don’t know how to finish that sentence. Anyway. Whatever. Finals. I need to focus on that.
Also, I’m happy it’s cold. I recently bought a pair of sweater tights for the first time, and they’re delightful, let me tell you. It’s freezing out today (wind chills in the teens, I think), but with the tights, my almost knee-high boots, and a knee-length jean skirt, it’s not too bad. I love them. I hope I get to wear them when I’m home (hint HINT Colorado weather, which appears to be 50s and sunny for the time being...but it’ll snow on Christmas, I know it will).
And I just took one final, so that’s off my shoulders.
And lastly (well, probably not lastly), I just checked, and a box of knitting stuff I ordered this weekend (shush, I know what you’re thinking) should get to my house - in Colorado - on Friday! So it’ll be there waiting for me when I walk in the door. It along with Nutmeg. Glorious.
Also, it’ll be nice to be home for Three! Whole! Weeks! for the first time in a long time. To be able to have conversations with my parents about things. I miss talking to them about world/state/religion issues. They’re good people. And three weeks is a good time to be able to do things I want to do without feeling so rushed about it. So that’s good. Also: knitting. My goodness people. The knitting. I love it. With my heart, soul, and fingers. Oh my gosh. Last night I knit something like three rows of the afghan I’m working on (one while I was waiting for my dinner to heat up, and two while taking a brief study break), and even just those three rows made my heart feel so much better. I know it’s weird. Even I think it’s weird. But it’s totally real, the positive effect it has on me. Glorious. That is all.
Oh, and good news, I’m playing for the championship in my family’s fantasy football league. :-) Haha. I’ve played the last three or four seasons, and the first year I made it to playoffs (had been close to #1 the whole season) and lost in the first round. I did really well this year, and have won the first two rounds of playoffs, and this coming weekend is the last round. Woo! I’m a little bit more excited about that than I probably should be...Take what you can get, right my friends?
Seriously. So excited to go home. And knit! And watch movies. And, man, hopefully, get some start on comps studying. (Bleh.) We all know that there’s nothing more fun than studying for comps right after you finish studying for finals! And over Christmas break! Woo hoo!
But ooooh! ND vs Miami on New Year’s Eve! Sun Bowl! yay.
I need to buy a cheap pair of gloves and start putting them on with moisturizer at night. Especially when I’m home. Seriously, my hands do not like the winter, and I’m not very kind to them. (I really need to make myself a pair of gloves, since I seem to have misplaced mine somewhere, I think.)
One or two tears were shed. But then I was done. Calmed myself down. Went on with the studying. And now I’m better again. I feel like I should keep worrying about the apartment and car, but today I can’t bring myself to do it. Yes, I should have insurance, but I don’t, and that’s just the way it is. I’ll just have to pray that nothing happens. I don’t feel like I need to worry, other than that I can worry about it, kind of, if that makes sense (which I know it doesn’t). It’s borrowing trouble that I don’t need in my life right now. Sure, something could happen. Something could always happen. Nothing I can do about it. It’d be ridiculously inconvenient beyond words if, say, the apartment burned down while we were all gone, but...I don’t know how to finish that sentence. Anyway. Whatever. Finals. I need to focus on that.
Also, I’m happy it’s cold. I recently bought a pair of sweater tights for the first time, and they’re delightful, let me tell you. It’s freezing out today (wind chills in the teens, I think), but with the tights, my almost knee-high boots, and a knee-length jean skirt, it’s not too bad. I love them. I hope I get to wear them when I’m home (hint HINT Colorado weather, which appears to be 50s and sunny for the time being...but it’ll snow on Christmas, I know it will).
And I just took one final, so that’s off my shoulders.
And lastly (well, probably not lastly), I just checked, and a box of knitting stuff I ordered this weekend (shush, I know what you’re thinking) should get to my house - in Colorado - on Friday! So it’ll be there waiting for me when I walk in the door. It along with Nutmeg. Glorious.
Also, it’ll be nice to be home for Three! Whole! Weeks! for the first time in a long time. To be able to have conversations with my parents about things. I miss talking to them about world/state/religion issues. They’re good people. And three weeks is a good time to be able to do things I want to do without feeling so rushed about it. So that’s good. Also: knitting. My goodness people. The knitting. I love it. With my heart, soul, and fingers. Oh my gosh. Last night I knit something like three rows of the afghan I’m working on (one while I was waiting for my dinner to heat up, and two while taking a brief study break), and even just those three rows made my heart feel so much better. I know it’s weird. Even I think it’s weird. But it’s totally real, the positive effect it has on me. Glorious. That is all.
Oh, and good news, I’m playing for the championship in my family’s fantasy football league. :-) Haha. I’ve played the last three or four seasons, and the first year I made it to playoffs (had been close to #1 the whole season) and lost in the first round. I did really well this year, and have won the first two rounds of playoffs, and this coming weekend is the last round. Woo! I’m a little bit more excited about that than I probably should be...Take what you can get, right my friends?
Seriously. So excited to go home. And knit! And watch movies. And, man, hopefully, get some start on comps studying. (Bleh.) We all know that there’s nothing more fun than studying for comps right after you finish studying for finals! And over Christmas break! Woo hoo!
But ooooh! ND vs Miami on New Year’s Eve! Sun Bowl! yay.
I need to buy a cheap pair of gloves and start putting them on with moisturizer at night. Especially when I’m home. Seriously, my hands do not like the winter, and I’m not very kind to them. (I really need to make myself a pair of gloves, since I seem to have misplaced mine somewhere, I think.)
All righty. That's enough of this. Another final still to go tonight...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
I'm good at ignoring the bad when I want to
I'm feeling oddly positive about life right now.
Clearly it's only because I'll be home in less than a week (wooooo!), and it's Christmastime, and all that. I'm ignoring the fact that I have to take three finals beforehand, and worry about packing, and whatever else is involved in going/being home.
And then there's the fact that I have to start seriously thinking about studying for comps. More than thinking about it. Doing it. Bleh.
And also, jobs. I have to do that. Have to.
But whatever. I went to Mount Vernon today, and it was awesome. I walked around Old Town tonight, and it's pretty and Christmasly-decorated. And I love history. And that part about being on the East Coast and getting to do things like going to Williamsburg, and seeing the monuments and museums here, and all that is great. Maybe over Spring Break or something I can go up to Gettysburg. And Monticello. And I still have to go into the Capitol building. (Stupid Capitol and their stupid no-knitting-needles policy. Dumb.)
But seriously. Historical sites make me SO. HAPPY. I didn't get to take any pictures inside the actual house today (a lot of the stuff is original, I guess, which is super cool - it's always kind of disappointing when you get in there and they're like "Yeah, this stuff is all replicas." Or sometimes it's original to the time, but not necessarily the actual stuff that was there, which I guess is better but still. They had a lot of actual original pieces, which was cool. And we got to go up to the third floor, which apparently they only open six weeks of the year, and I love that because I've always loved the upper floors of old houses like that (the less-desirable places, usually, or servant's quarters, or whatever. I'm a sucker for attics and rooms with sloping ceilings). And I stood right outside the room where Washington died. I saw the actual bed he died in. Crazy! (I totally geeked out this past summer when we went to Williamsburg and one of the houses that Jefferson and Washington visited sometimes still had the original railing on the staircase, and I got to touch the same staircase that they touched! I love feeling a real connection to history like that.) Man. Just so cool.
Also, I've been spending too much money on knitting. But I love love love it. So much. Man. Those new needles I got? I'm seriously in love, if I haven't mentioned it before. I want to get that whole set so badly. They are just fantastic. I don't know where I'd be without my knitting. Ah. Lovely. Also, I've decided that, although they take longer to finish and thus aren't as instant-gratificationy, blankets are pretty much some of my favorite things to knit. And they're so useful! Haha. Looooovely.
Ok. Well. Maybe I should go study now. I have two finals on Tuesday, which means I'm a little bit screwed, but oh well. Hopefully my teachers will be merciful!
Clearly it's only because I'll be home in less than a week (wooooo!), and it's Christmastime, and all that. I'm ignoring the fact that I have to take three finals beforehand, and worry about packing, and whatever else is involved in going/being home.
And then there's the fact that I have to start seriously thinking about studying for comps. More than thinking about it. Doing it. Bleh.
And also, jobs. I have to do that. Have to.
But whatever. I went to Mount Vernon today, and it was awesome. I walked around Old Town tonight, and it's pretty and Christmasly-decorated. And I love history. And that part about being on the East Coast and getting to do things like going to Williamsburg, and seeing the monuments and museums here, and all that is great. Maybe over Spring Break or something I can go up to Gettysburg. And Monticello. And I still have to go into the Capitol building. (Stupid Capitol and their stupid no-knitting-needles policy. Dumb.)
But seriously. Historical sites make me SO. HAPPY. I didn't get to take any pictures inside the actual house today (a lot of the stuff is original, I guess, which is super cool - it's always kind of disappointing when you get in there and they're like "Yeah, this stuff is all replicas." Or sometimes it's original to the time, but not necessarily the actual stuff that was there, which I guess is better but still. They had a lot of actual original pieces, which was cool. And we got to go up to the third floor, which apparently they only open six weeks of the year, and I love that because I've always loved the upper floors of old houses like that (the less-desirable places, usually, or servant's quarters, or whatever. I'm a sucker for attics and rooms with sloping ceilings). And I stood right outside the room where Washington died. I saw the actual bed he died in. Crazy! (I totally geeked out this past summer when we went to Williamsburg and one of the houses that Jefferson and Washington visited sometimes still had the original railing on the staircase, and I got to touch the same staircase that they touched! I love feeling a real connection to history like that.) Man. Just so cool.
Also, I've been spending too much money on knitting. But I love love love it. So much. Man. Those new needles I got? I'm seriously in love, if I haven't mentioned it before. I want to get that whole set so badly. They are just fantastic. I don't know where I'd be without my knitting. Ah. Lovely. Also, I've decided that, although they take longer to finish and thus aren't as instant-gratificationy, blankets are pretty much some of my favorite things to knit. And they're so useful! Haha. Looooovely.
Ok. Well. Maybe I should go study now. I have two finals on Tuesday, which means I'm a little bit screwed, but oh well. Hopefully my teachers will be merciful!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Seven Quick Takes Volume XX
Seven Things I'm Doing in the Next Seven Days:
1. Saturday: Mount Vernon. (Hopefully.)
2. Sunday: Study. Study. STUDY.
3. Monday: Go to Mass said by Archbishop Dolan. Maybe meet him! (somewhat more unlikely, though.)
4. Tuesday: Take two finals (and try not to go crazy).
5. Wednesday: Office Christmas party! (Now with Norman Rockwell!)
6. Thursday: Take last final of the semester.
7. Friday: Cuddle with my favorite spice.
I wish I were done now. But at least there's plenty to keep me busy in the next seven days!
1. Saturday: Mount Vernon. (Hopefully.)
2. Sunday: Study. Study. STUDY.
3. Monday: Go to Mass said by Archbishop Dolan. Maybe meet him! (somewhat more unlikely, though.)
4. Tuesday: Take two finals (and try not to go crazy).
5. Wednesday: Office Christmas party! (Now with Norman Rockwell!)
6. Thursday: Take last final of the semester.
7. Friday: Cuddle with my favorite spice.
I wish I were done now. But at least there's plenty to keep me busy in the next seven days!
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Listacular
Some things about me right now:
- I currently have 12 tabs open in my Firefox window. Six of those are knitting-related. Two are espn-related. And one is Netflix.
- My obsession with nutmeg (the spice, not my dog) is reaching epic proportions. I put it on everything. First it started with the coffee. Then I tried it on some cookie dough ice cream. (Um, spectacular, by the way.) Yesterday, I put some in vanilla yogurt. And then later, in some hot chocolate. I. Love. Nutmeg. (And apparently it's a new way to get high, or something, which makes me not so happy. People are spoiling the good name of nutmeg!)
- My flannel sheets just make me so, so happy.
- Knitting feel so good. Except when I've been knitting for awhile at once, and it's a rather large blanket, and my left hand starts to get sore holding up the project. I wonder if I hold it oddly. Either way, though, the way the yarn feels slipping over my right hand finger totally makes up for it. Love love love.
- The first round of fantasy football playoffs in our league is this week. I finished #2 in "regular season" (I was 10-2, and #1 was also 10-2 but my second loss was to him, so in a tiebreaker he goes ahead of me), and I'm playing my brother this week. Haha. It's fun. Silly, but fun. Last time I was in the playoffs was like three years ago or something, when I did pretty well all season and then lost my first game in the playoffs. I'm hoping to do better this year.
- Two weeks left of school for the semester. My Monday morning class is canceled tomorrow, which means I can go to our office staff meeting that we have every week but which I've missed most of this semester, since they're during my class. Even better, it's one of the staff's birthdays (well, it was on Saturday, so we're celebrating tomorrow), so that's always fun, and the building is doing the lighting of the Christmas tree tomorrow morning before our meeting, and that'll be fun too. I really have a great gig there. (Last week, there was a ceremony to honor long-serving staff members, and one of ours was included - he's been there 30 years! - so that was fun. PLUS, they had a ton of good food. Like, really food. Chicken taquito things, chicken wings, some sort of crab puff type deal, turkey sliders, beef sliders (basically little hamburgers). Delicious. Plus cake and stuff. I got a good free dinner that day. :-) Oh, and next Monday, last I heard Archbishop Dolan is saying Mass at our regular noon Mass, so that's super exciting. And then our office Christmas party is next Wednesday, which I'm really looking forward to because last year I didn't get to go since it was during a time I had a final. But I have nothing on Wednesday, so it works out excellently. :-)
- I have fewer than two weeks before home for three. So. Excited. And my oh my I can't wait to watch Lord of the Rings. I do it every Christmas, which is kind of weird, but I love it.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Seven Quick Takes Volume XVIV
I'm a little late. Oh well.
1. A few weeks back, I was at Target (for the first time in awhile - thankfully for my bank account, Target down here is farther from my apartment than it was from my house last year, so when I need to go shopping, I'm more likely to go to the Giant that's closer), and they had sheet sets on sale. Cute ones. Christmasy ones. (Well, as Christmasy as snowmen and trees on a blue-and-snowflake background are.) Flannel ones. I bought them. Which was, incidentally, the first time I've bought sheets since I got the sheets I needed for college. Which is what I've been using ever since. I'm pretty confident that this was a good buy to break me out of that. Because, oh my gosh, I'm in love with flannel sheets. I don't know if I've ever used them before; maybe I had some once as a kid, or something, but I don't specifically remember. All I know is...they're fabulous. Like sleeping on a dream. Wait...Anyway, they're nice. And here's the best part: in early November, or maybe late October, I had put my under-the-sheets electric bedwarmer on my mattress, since I was starting to be cold at night. Especially when I would first get into bed. So unpleasant. So I did that, and lots of nights would turn on the bed warmer at least a few minutes before I got into bed so I didn't have to feel those cold sheets as much. Worked out ok enough, especially with the sweatshirt blanket, two knitted blankets, and my comforter doubled-up all on top of my sheets. I wasn't usually too cold at night. Sometimes in the mornings, though, since I don't run the electric warmer while I sleep.
Anyway. Since putting the flannel sheets on my bed a couple weeks ago, I haven't even had to think about turning on the electric warmer. I crawl into bed, and it's like crawling into a hug. Again, not really. But it feels wonderful. And flannel is just so not cold like regular sheets are. It's amazing. Why have I not known about this sooner? Sheets. I mean, sheesh. Haha. Seriously though. Magical.
2. I participated in Cyber Monday this week. At first I was just going to look at this knitting store from which I've been wanting to try out some yarn for awhile, as well as their needles (they have these interchangeable sets which I hear very good things about, and as I'm sick of having to go buy a new length of needle for every other project, I think it'd be a good investment. My first bunch of needles, aside from the two straights that I got in my "Teach Yourself to Knit" packet when I was first learning, was an interchangeable set. I still have it, and use it occasionally, but while it was good for me for awhile, and definitely when I was first learning, I'm a little bit...over it. Plus, it's all aluminum needles, and I much prefer bamboo now.
All that to say, I bought some stuff on sale at this knitting store's cyber monday sale. A few skeins of yarn, and tow of the needles to try out. I'm excited to get that package. I also bought a peacoat, which I'm super excited about. I checked JCPenney's Monday sales on a whim, while I was waiting for the other one to start, and realized I should look at their coats. I've been really wanting a peacoat for a long time - especially since it seems like every girl in America has a peacoat, or something similar, and I have an old, worn-out, too-big leather jacket. Good enough for several years, but...eh. So I checked. And lo and behold, while I struck out with the first one I looked at (didn't have it in my size/the color I wanted), there was another one in the "related" section that was quite similar but had a hood. And they did have it in my size! And in black! And the best part is, they don't just have regular misses, they have talls too! So it's (I'm assuming) a little longer than a regular coat would be, which makes me even happier. It was on sale for $60, down from regularly $225. So, um, yeah. Awesome. It came yesterday, and I wore it today, and it's delightful, and so warm. I'm so excited about it.
3. My knitting is getting nigh on ridiculous. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about myself, or happy I have something like this. Mostly I'm happy, although I have all these things I want to knit for Christmas and Christmas is three weeks away and two of those weeks I'm here at school, and I have finals to study for. So...yeah. Oh well. I have two bigger projects I need to work on first (one's about half-done, the other I finally have all the supplies I need so I started working on it tonight). I doubt they'll both be finished in time to send for Christmas, but that's ok. No one's going to reject a late Christmas gift, right? :-) Seriously though, I have a lot of yarn. It's kind of crazy. But also beautiful. I just had one tub of it when I came out here last August. Now it'd probably take three (maaaaybe two) to fit it all. I bought these pretty cubby-crate things back in August in order to store it better, since it was getting frustrating having it all mixed up together in the plastic tub. Now it's semi-color-coordinated, but easier to navigate. Good stuff. And I've only bought yarn there a few times, but I will say this: one place I'll really miss when I leave the DC area is the local knitting store down in Old Town. It's fantastic. Maybe I just like it because I've been there a lot, but I like it. I went to a knitting store in the Springs last weekend, and I had been in there once before (when I really didn't know what I was doing, yarn-wise), but even still, I just...I don't know. I don't like the feel of it as much as I like the Old Town place. Maybe that's a good thing, though, because maybe I'll be less prone to go there, assuming I move back there. (I hear Denver has several great stores, though... :-) ) Well. Yay knitting, is all I have to say.
4. Also, I love 30 Rock. Not sure if I've mentioned that before. 30 Rock and Monk are two shows that bring me no end of happiness. They're both so fantastic. Oh man. So wonderful. It'd be nice to get Monk on DVD (although, I don't know), but the seasons are kind of expensive. The first three seasons of 30 Rock were on sale at Target on Monday, for pretty cheap, so I may or may not have bought them.
5. I love Google Docs. I just want to throw that out there. It's so convenient, most of the time. Sure, it's a little annoying that the default is Ariel size 11, neither of which are the standard accepted formats, and I also dislike that it doesn't separate pages so you just keep writing and writing and writing, and to find out how many pages you have you have to go to "print preview" (unless there's some feature I don't know about that lets you view as you would a normal document. Entirely possible, since I haven't really poked around much). But in general, it's so nice. I can start something on my laptop, and finish it anywhere else there's a computer with internet. Quite lovely.
6. Hey, I went home last weekend. Which was Thanksgiving. And it was wonderful. I got to see friends, my family, lots of Nutmeg time (oh my GOSH I love that dog soooo so much. She cuddled with me big time the first night I was home, and it was so wonderful. I could feel the endorphins that only dogs release in me. Haha. I miss those endorphins here). Palmer Park, a few trips around the neighborhood park. SNOW on Sunday night, which was fabulous. Just a little bit, but enough for my DC-weary soul. (I won't be sad if I don't see snow here until I come back, though. Given last year's Snowpocalypse #1 trauma, I'd rather not repeat that again. It's fun to be snowed in, but it has to be the right circumstances for it to be really fun, in my opinion.) And now I'm here again, and will be going back home two weeks from today, which is great. I'm excited because last year (thanks in part to Snowpocalypse), I didn't get in until Monday afternoon, and Christmas was on Friday. This year, I get in on Friday night, and Christmas is the next Saturday. Which means a full week of pre-Christmas at home, which is great. I want to go window shopping in Old Colorado City. I don't know why, it just feels like a Christmas thing to do. Also, hiking. But not necessarily before Christmas.
7. I decided that, if possible, I think it would be really great to work for the Life Network in the Springs. Or specifically, the pregnancy center they run. I don't know if that'll be possible, but I'm definitely going to look into it. Of course, part of me thinks that, much as it'd be nice, and easier, to stay in the Springs, Denver might have better opportunities. Specifically in the church arena. I know one other thing about this area that I'll really miss, that I won't have in the Springs, is a plethora of vibrant, traditional churches. Or even a single one. I really love St. Rita. I'm more likely to find that type of church in Denver than the Springs (since I don't even know once place where I'd find that in the Springs). So. I'm definitely not going to limit myself to the Springs. There are lots of reasons it'd be preferable, but maybe Denver would be better for me. (Maybe somewhere else entirely would, too, but as I have no idea where that'd be, for now I'll be limiting myself to those two, thank you very much.)
Also, bonus: yesterday after work, and school, and work, I came home and at about 5:15, laid down for a nap. 4.5 hours later, I woke up, more than a little confused as to the day and what the heck I was doing. And then I realized I slept through 30 Rock, which made me sad. But it was a nice nap. Man, I'm not as young as I once was - those late night paper nights just don't work for me anymore. Makes for a good story, though.
1. A few weeks back, I was at Target (for the first time in awhile - thankfully for my bank account, Target down here is farther from my apartment than it was from my house last year, so when I need to go shopping, I'm more likely to go to the Giant that's closer), and they had sheet sets on sale. Cute ones. Christmasy ones. (Well, as Christmasy as snowmen and trees on a blue-and-snowflake background are.) Flannel ones. I bought them. Which was, incidentally, the first time I've bought sheets since I got the sheets I needed for college. Which is what I've been using ever since. I'm pretty confident that this was a good buy to break me out of that. Because, oh my gosh, I'm in love with flannel sheets. I don't know if I've ever used them before; maybe I had some once as a kid, or something, but I don't specifically remember. All I know is...they're fabulous. Like sleeping on a dream. Wait...Anyway, they're nice. And here's the best part: in early November, or maybe late October, I had put my under-the-sheets electric bedwarmer on my mattress, since I was starting to be cold at night. Especially when I would first get into bed. So unpleasant. So I did that, and lots of nights would turn on the bed warmer at least a few minutes before I got into bed so I didn't have to feel those cold sheets as much. Worked out ok enough, especially with the sweatshirt blanket, two knitted blankets, and my comforter doubled-up all on top of my sheets. I wasn't usually too cold at night. Sometimes in the mornings, though, since I don't run the electric warmer while I sleep.
Anyway. Since putting the flannel sheets on my bed a couple weeks ago, I haven't even had to think about turning on the electric warmer. I crawl into bed, and it's like crawling into a hug. Again, not really. But it feels wonderful. And flannel is just so not cold like regular sheets are. It's amazing. Why have I not known about this sooner? Sheets. I mean, sheesh. Haha. Seriously though. Magical.
2. I participated in Cyber Monday this week. At first I was just going to look at this knitting store from which I've been wanting to try out some yarn for awhile, as well as their needles (they have these interchangeable sets which I hear very good things about, and as I'm sick of having to go buy a new length of needle for every other project, I think it'd be a good investment. My first bunch of needles, aside from the two straights that I got in my "Teach Yourself to Knit" packet when I was first learning, was an interchangeable set. I still have it, and use it occasionally, but while it was good for me for awhile, and definitely when I was first learning, I'm a little bit...over it. Plus, it's all aluminum needles, and I much prefer bamboo now.
All that to say, I bought some stuff on sale at this knitting store's cyber monday sale. A few skeins of yarn, and tow of the needles to try out. I'm excited to get that package. I also bought a peacoat, which I'm super excited about. I checked JCPenney's Monday sales on a whim, while I was waiting for the other one to start, and realized I should look at their coats. I've been really wanting a peacoat for a long time - especially since it seems like every girl in America has a peacoat, or something similar, and I have an old, worn-out, too-big leather jacket. Good enough for several years, but...eh. So I checked. And lo and behold, while I struck out with the first one I looked at (didn't have it in my size/the color I wanted), there was another one in the "related" section that was quite similar but had a hood. And they did have it in my size! And in black! And the best part is, they don't just have regular misses, they have talls too! So it's (I'm assuming) a little longer than a regular coat would be, which makes me even happier. It was on sale for $60, down from regularly $225. So, um, yeah. Awesome. It came yesterday, and I wore it today, and it's delightful, and so warm. I'm so excited about it.
3. My knitting is getting nigh on ridiculous. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about myself, or happy I have something like this. Mostly I'm happy, although I have all these things I want to knit for Christmas and Christmas is three weeks away and two of those weeks I'm here at school, and I have finals to study for. So...yeah. Oh well. I have two bigger projects I need to work on first (one's about half-done, the other I finally have all the supplies I need so I started working on it tonight). I doubt they'll both be finished in time to send for Christmas, but that's ok. No one's going to reject a late Christmas gift, right? :-) Seriously though, I have a lot of yarn. It's kind of crazy. But also beautiful. I just had one tub of it when I came out here last August. Now it'd probably take three (maaaaybe two) to fit it all. I bought these pretty cubby-crate things back in August in order to store it better, since it was getting frustrating having it all mixed up together in the plastic tub. Now it's semi-color-coordinated, but easier to navigate. Good stuff. And I've only bought yarn there a few times, but I will say this: one place I'll really miss when I leave the DC area is the local knitting store down in Old Town. It's fantastic. Maybe I just like it because I've been there a lot, but I like it. I went to a knitting store in the Springs last weekend, and I had been in there once before (when I really didn't know what I was doing, yarn-wise), but even still, I just...I don't know. I don't like the feel of it as much as I like the Old Town place. Maybe that's a good thing, though, because maybe I'll be less prone to go there, assuming I move back there. (I hear Denver has several great stores, though... :-) ) Well. Yay knitting, is all I have to say.
4. Also, I love 30 Rock. Not sure if I've mentioned that before. 30 Rock and Monk are two shows that bring me no end of happiness. They're both so fantastic. Oh man. So wonderful. It'd be nice to get Monk on DVD (although, I don't know), but the seasons are kind of expensive. The first three seasons of 30 Rock were on sale at Target on Monday, for pretty cheap, so I may or may not have bought them.
5. I love Google Docs. I just want to throw that out there. It's so convenient, most of the time. Sure, it's a little annoying that the default is Ariel size 11, neither of which are the standard accepted formats, and I also dislike that it doesn't separate pages so you just keep writing and writing and writing, and to find out how many pages you have you have to go to "print preview" (unless there's some feature I don't know about that lets you view as you would a normal document. Entirely possible, since I haven't really poked around much). But in general, it's so nice. I can start something on my laptop, and finish it anywhere else there's a computer with internet. Quite lovely.
6. Hey, I went home last weekend. Which was Thanksgiving. And it was wonderful. I got to see friends, my family, lots of Nutmeg time (oh my GOSH I love that dog soooo so much. She cuddled with me big time the first night I was home, and it was so wonderful. I could feel the endorphins that only dogs release in me. Haha. I miss those endorphins here). Palmer Park, a few trips around the neighborhood park. SNOW on Sunday night, which was fabulous. Just a little bit, but enough for my DC-weary soul. (I won't be sad if I don't see snow here until I come back, though. Given last year's Snowpocalypse #1 trauma, I'd rather not repeat that again. It's fun to be snowed in, but it has to be the right circumstances for it to be really fun, in my opinion.) And now I'm here again, and will be going back home two weeks from today, which is great. I'm excited because last year (thanks in part to Snowpocalypse), I didn't get in until Monday afternoon, and Christmas was on Friday. This year, I get in on Friday night, and Christmas is the next Saturday. Which means a full week of pre-Christmas at home, which is great. I want to go window shopping in Old Colorado City. I don't know why, it just feels like a Christmas thing to do. Also, hiking. But not necessarily before Christmas.
7. I decided that, if possible, I think it would be really great to work for the Life Network in the Springs. Or specifically, the pregnancy center they run. I don't know if that'll be possible, but I'm definitely going to look into it. Of course, part of me thinks that, much as it'd be nice, and easier, to stay in the Springs, Denver might have better opportunities. Specifically in the church arena. I know one other thing about this area that I'll really miss, that I won't have in the Springs, is a plethora of vibrant, traditional churches. Or even a single one. I really love St. Rita. I'm more likely to find that type of church in Denver than the Springs (since I don't even know once place where I'd find that in the Springs). So. I'm definitely not going to limit myself to the Springs. There are lots of reasons it'd be preferable, but maybe Denver would be better for me. (Maybe somewhere else entirely would, too, but as I have no idea where that'd be, for now I'll be limiting myself to those two, thank you very much.)
Also, bonus: yesterday after work, and school, and work, I came home and at about 5:15, laid down for a nap. 4.5 hours later, I woke up, more than a little confused as to the day and what the heck I was doing. And then I realized I slept through 30 Rock, which made me sad. But it was a nice nap. Man, I'm not as young as I once was - those late night paper nights just don't work for me anymore. Makes for a good story, though.
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