Life Coming at Me Fast: Poka-dot Express

For those who are interested in updates in blogs, here is this one....

1. I think I have a "boyfriend", his name is Tim - we went to a Dodger game as one of our first dates.
The picture here is the last time I saw those pair of glasses...I have been blind for 3 weeks now until I get my new pairs with new prescriptions. Two so in case I lose one I have another. It's hell to get old!



While at the game I thought I take a shot of a boy who decided on the best looking headgear.




Since I am a prisoner of the friendly skys, I ended up talking to a family traveling to CA for the first time on vacation. I was their 'tour guide' telling them what cool places to check out; free or not. I had to take another shot of the boy's headgear for travel








2. Went to watch a Kung Fu fighting tournament last weekend to watch Tim's son Josh compete. ("Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, it was just as fast as lightening") All I saw was a bunch of people dressed in pads and a samauri outfit hitting each other with rattan sticks. Afterwards, the grand master of Josh's school guided us to Chinatown in L.A. - best Chinese food! He told us about his Kung Fu fighting school, the business and the people drama; just like a soap opera. After hearing about their people drama, I called it "All My Sticks".












3. I finally finished the backside of my poka-dot sweater that April and I started. I am losing track on the time of how long it's taking; this is a huge chore. Since I am an inname to Detroit suburbia, this is my daily task while I emotionally melt with the project (an activity that supports the income of my consumerism e.g. cashmere) that is supposed to convert in 6 weeks. Ode to the therapy of knitting; without it I would definately loose it.





4. Today (July 28, 2007) I watched my cousin's daughter Alexa Scimeca competed in a figure skating competition here in Detroit suburbia. She looked beautiful on the ice. This wasn't her best day and she seems to have a reputation everywhere even on the net. Kinda cool to have a famous relative! Just like any athlete, she has to skate every day with thousands of dollars invested in her training and competition mode. I hope she does well in regionals; it's one more step toward the Olympics. At least I won't have a problem knowing how to spell her last name.

iPhone Frenzy - is it for You?

Apple came out with the newest techy gadget June 29 iPhone which costs >$600+. I used to love new gadgets that would come out in the technology world since that is my industry of work. However my priorities from lessons learned (and practicality) have taken me away from such a "gotta have it" paradigm. Here is My Top 10 List of not getting iPhone:

10. Heard the funtionality is not all there as designed
9. Another opporutity for foreign language speaking people to call me thinking that I am there relative with that phone number
8. Another opportunity for organizations to call me thinking I am the person that had the number previously
7. My eyesight is already out the window; have to keep my glasses on to read the screen and make sure I am touching the right iconic windows
6. Hanydman bill of service vs. iPhone billing for continued service; choose the latter since the results last longer
5. One more valuable piece of hardware to loose in my cave-live purse to search for
4. Cashmere yarn lasts longer than this product; and it doesn't require upgrade or replacement for better quality or "newer features"
3. Another medium of opportunity for hackers to steal my identity
2. Even though the craze is to get the newest technology available in the market and be part of that history, I never was one to follow a "trend"
1. Very limited people that want to talk to me on the regular phone now / I can access the net when I am working anytime (when I find the time)

In terms of our capital world, "What's in your wallet?"

Caught in a Photo Gallery Tease

One of the photographers grabbed me to take a photo for Detriout Tigers Photo Gallery as I was walking into Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play.
I got off of work since I am here in MotorCity this weekend, went straight to the hotel, changed and drove to the park in time to see the Minnesota Twins warm-up time. The photographer had a more attractive photo of me with a close up of my face with the scoreboard in the background. As you can see, I think they are saving it - those bastards! I guess it was because I asked the guy to take a photo of me in the same pose with my camera. Good service is hard to come by these days!

Oops, I did it again!

BB Knits

Last weekend I had another scooping visit that has definately put me on a strict budget. I have my supportive friends who were my accomplices so I enjoyed the group euphoria! We had to bring out our stash on my front lawn to literally roll into our merchandise.


Celebrating with Nancie, Lisa and Terry post mortum purchasing.


Nancie salivating over her stash...



Going for a taste test with Lisa's.



Terry enjoying the wine and fibers.




Pur cashmere and mohair blends - just like looking at precious jewelry!

Hostage Experience in Motorcity

My client has expressed that things have slowed down for not being here for 3 weeks in a row, so I will call this my "hostage project" from now on. Love how they bitch about it but they can't seem to give me specifics on why they think this project is behind because I have vacations like other people.

This past weekend in hostage quarters, I did manage to visit a pottery and glass craft fair. Boothes and boothes of crafty glass and pottery creations. It all started looking the same; unfortunately I am sure a non-knitter would be feeling the same for shopping in a yarn store. The highlight at the fair was a twisty ice cream cone in the midst of the hot summer day and the live band playing 70's dance and booggie music. I didn't manage to get the name of the band but they were a great copy band that played disco, Michael Jackson, EW&F, Gloria Gaynor, etc. Check out the pics - I hung out with them for the rest of my stay at this fair.


Polyester outfits with large printed shirts and afro wigs!


....with platform shoes....


He appeared when "Super Freak" started...he was dancing and twisting his limbs around with anyone else who was dancing. The audience ended up laughing and staring...brought me back home again :)





Can't forget my progress and commitment to poka dots!

International Knit in Public can be "Dangerous"

I truly enjoyed today with Lisa, Nancie, Terry and Stepanie in SB for the Int'l Knit in Public day. We met some of the SB knitters that also meet on Thursday evenings together. After working on only two rows of my poka-dot sweater, I became chilled while sitting there; perhaps due to the anticipation of going to B.B.'s Knits for the going out of business sale - everything 50% off!

Well, off we go at 3 PM for the hunt. Between the five of us, we spent $2943.41 exactly from our multiple purchases. Some of use bought all in one visit to the register; others took multiple visits to the register. I was the winner for spending $1128.31. Pictures tell the story.


Here I am overseeing the two large shopping bags of inventory to purchase.


Here is a box of "gems" to the tune of $300 - 100% cashmere! ChaChing goes the register.


B.B. asks me if I really wanted to purchase the box of cashmere...I didn't think twice - Nancie didn't think I was going to do it; Terry knew I was commited!


Me hunter and gatherer; all in a good day's euphoria. This is a moment where I am very happy to not have to answer to a spouse on what I spend my money on. What will I make with all of this? Only time will tell ;) Thank you ladies for a wonderful day!

Now for my Next Magic Trick...

Here is my next challenge of life - my first button-down summer sweater with the fairisle (intarsia really) technique. April and I have bought the same book, same yarn and same pattern; hers being different colors. I have adjusted the size to work with different yarn than the pattern calls for and away I go. I have a short torso therefore shortened the bottom ribbing. It took me a bit of time to remember how to change off the colors but I finally have the rhythm!



Yeah - I look like her, right!




So pumping along while staying in Pismo Beach. All of a sudden I realized that I didn't look at the whole pattern for the correct inches for my wide body. Guess what? Had a ripping event; here is how far I got before I realized I had to start all over again.