Read Harder Challenge Update

I keep writing about the knitting but not about the reading goal ...  so here's an update:

Dystopian novel:  The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
I do like Atwood.  This one is described as "wickedly funny" which I do not agree with.  I did find the Elvises funny though.  If that intrigues you then you should read it.  Either way I recommend it.  And for the record, Boy-child's girlfriend gifted me the book for Christmas.  Way to score points!

Transgender: A Queer and Pleasant Danger by Kate Borenstein
Fascinating all around.  This could also qualify as the book about religion as there is a very interesting section on Scientology. I see too that there's a movie so it could qualify for that.  I first heard of the author from Boy-child - he was obsessed with her book, Hello Cruel World when he was having his adolescent melt-down.  I recommend this one for anyone who is interested in the trans-gender experience.

Set in the Middle East:  Habibi by Craig Thompson
I don't have the words to describe this book.  Read it.  I plan to read it again.  It is intriguing and exotic and disturbing and full of hope.  This could also qualify for the book over 500 pages.   It is simply stunning.

Middle grade novel:  Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
I started with a different middle-grade novel but was bored to tears.  I finished Eleanor and Park in a flash.   This is a beautifully constructed story of first love.  Need I say more?

That's what I've finished so far.  I will not talk about the ones I'm in the middle of right now;  I will refrain until I have finished.

New Year's Knitting

Here's the first of my 12 from Stash in 2013- a hat for Boy.  I had an extra hank of black washable worsted for just this thing (Boy does not get anything made with fancy yarn any more).

This will be done soon...it's a fishnet pattern in a very colorful yarn.  The idea was to have something that would go with everything.  I'm very interested to see how it blocks out.  (Hopefully it will be blocking on Boy's bed next weekend after he returns to Chicago Tuesday).

This is a stealth project - to be done for someone who stalks the blog and belongs to Ravelry, so no details.  The yarn was purchased at Borealis before it closed.  It has to be done by the end of April.  I find that I have so little knitting time these days, I'm not going to take any chances, which is why I'm allowing myself nearly four months for a project that is not really that big of a deal.

I also have a pair of socks OTN (no surprise), so that gives me four of the twelve to be done from existing stash/WIPs.  Doable?  I hope so.

For Yarnover I signed up for the dinner the night before and "Knitting Happily Ever After - Ergonomics for Knitters" with Carson Demers.  

I'm all for Happily Ever After!

2013 Goals

I had a lot of big goals last year, and I accomplished them.  This year has a much more modest list.

*Take a trip that is not child- or work-related

*Join the YWCA across the street (not in January)

*Start riding a bike places (when the weather is better - I'm not interested in winter biking)

*Knit twelve things from stash yarn.  This was inspired by Chelsea

*Take three more classes at the Apple store

*Go through at least one box of my mother's stuff each month

*Wag more, bark less

I did manage to finish my Sketchbook recently - the front and back covers posted here.  I'm thinking of going to New York to visit the Brooklyn Art Library, among other places.

Bucket List

I've modified a bucket list that I received from a friend today (no, I didn't see the movie. I don't like feel-good movies).

**************************************************************************
Copy and paste - place an X by all the things you've done and remove the Xs from the ones you have not, and send it to your friends.


Gone on a blind date -X
Skipped school - X
Walked out of a job -
Been to Canada - X
Been to Mexico - X
Been on a plane - X
Been on an ocean-going ship - X
Been lost - X
Been to a country where you can't read the street signs - X
Gone to Washington , DC - X
Swam in the ocean - X
Played cops and robbers for real - X
Read a classic novel that you missed in high school/college - X
Sang Karaoke -
Paid for a meal with coins only - X
Crossed over party lines when voting - X
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't - X
Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose -
Caught a snowflake on your tongue - X
Danced in the rain - X
Written a letter to Santa Claus - X
Watched the sunrise with someone you care about - X
Blown bubbles in the last ten years - X
Gone ice-skating in the last ten years -
Been skinny dipping outdoors -X
Seen more than one movie on a single ticket at a mutiplex -


Now answer these questions...

1. Any nickname? lots
2. Birthplace? Minnesota
3. Favorite drink? coffee and beer (depends on the time of day)
4. Body Piercings? ears
5. Do you like your job? yes
6. Favorite number? 9
7. Favorite vacation spot? Spain
8. Ever been to Africa? yes
9. Ever eaten (just) cookies for dinner? no, but just popcorn yes
10. Ever been on TV? yes
11. Stolen a traffic sign? no
12. Driven over 100 mph? yes
13. Drive tractor? no
14. Favorite pie? strawberry rhubarb
15. How do you relax? watch a movie, read a book or knit
16. Favorite movie? I have many - most recent that I liked: Wall-E
17. Favorite holiday? Christmas
18. Favorite dessert? all of them
19. Favorite food? most recent favorite consumed: shrimp scampi
20. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
21. Favorite brand of body wash? anything almond or vanilla
22. Favorite toothpaste? don't care
23. Favorite smell? ocean
24. Favorite sound? laughter
25. How do you relax? watch a movie, read a book or knit
26. How do you see yourself in 10 years? traveling more
27. What do you hope to have done in those years? been to Tanzania

Goals

My goal for the blog is to post at least once a week – maybe Saturday mornings, since I usually have Saturday mornings to myself.

My career goal is to have a professional job by the end of 2008. A more modest career goal is to finish the 23 Things on a Stick by April 16.

My extended family goal is to have my mother’s affairs streamlined so that I don’t have to do much more than pay her bills once a month and visit her once a week. She has just gone into assisted living and I have a lot to figure out.

My immediate family goal is to have my daughter in college in the fall without having to mortgage my house or my (modest) 401K.