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i flew home to texas on april 10th to greet my brand new nephew, nicholas edward, who was born april 8th at 12:47am weighing in at 7lbs, 15 oz.

he’s amazing!  i miss him already…(sorry, no pics with daddy this time)

whilst in austin, i was able to visit with my good friends and their children and also friends i hadn’t seen since college who’ve made austin home again.  of course, i had my fill of bbq, tex-mex, sonic, and chick-fil-a but there was still so much more to enjoy.  i plan to be back mid-june, but who knows what the future holds.  i’ve offiicially stopped trying to forecast my life.

oh, and no knitting right now.  the yarn is packed in boxes unknown when they’ll see the light of day again.  it’s just too hot.

weekend in boston

the last time i was in boston, i was a bratty teenager being forced to go on a tour of new england with my family.  boston was the last stop for us.  out of tireless frustration, my parents ended up kicking us out of the van in front of my cousin’s apartment.  the only thing i remember was shopping in urban outfitters for the very first time and getting into jillian’s with my sister’s college i.d.  this time around, my friend invited me up to show me what i should’ve rememebered before.  i made a short list of buildings i’d wanted to see and to my surprise, we were able to see most of them.  i didn’t know boston was such a small, pedestrian-friendly city.  weather was fair…only needed my wool coat.

frank gehry’s stata center at MIT.  I used the restroom in this funhouse.  Toilets were normal – guess there’s not much else anyone can do there.

here’s the only le corbusier building built in the u.s. – carpenter center for the visual arts at harvard:

i definitely feel like i got a good taste of what boston has to offer.  it was great to see what i’d missed out on before.  my only wish is that i’d gone a little later when the trees were filled with leaves and everything was in full bloom.  must be beautiful!

here’s one of the only pics i got of jess’ visit – us on the brooklyn bridge:

gosh i’m short!

friends and f.o.’s

one of my oldest friends is here for a long weekend and i’m so excited!  she’s sleeping right now after an early flight, a heavy late lunch and lots of girl talk.  tomorrow we’ll probably walk the brooklyn bridge, eat at grimaldi’s, take in some great views of the city and hopefully catch a show!  i made this sweater for her daughter and now that she’s received it, i can post a photo.  finished object #1:

this is my 2nd sweater to date and i’m starting to feel more comfortable with all the seaming, picking up stitches, etc.  i’m currently working on a sweaterdress for myself now but i was getting pretty anxious to get another project done so i started and finished this last night – finished object #2:

super easy and so fast holding 2 yarns together.  i don’t care if it looks like a pumpkin.  it’s finished and that’s all i wanted.

just in time

i was afraid that i wouldn’t get these done before winter’s end, but i finished them today and my only wish is that i’d finished them sooner:

1×1 rib all the way up with just a hole for the thumbs…BORING!  but i like the slouchy look of them.  i also made them long over the fingers for that extra-long-sleeve look.

i’m headed to jersey this weekend to visit my cousins and their baby so i made this with some leftover yarn:

they look really long and awkward, and i’m not so sure that they’ll work.  it was my first try with booties.  must say, my confidence is DROPS patterns is starting to drop itself.  they’re not written clearly and the photos that are available are weak.  then again, they’re all free so i guess i shouldn’t complain.

in other news, i applied for JET  (the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program) back in nov. when i was let go from my job and i was granted an interview this past week.  i’d read dreadful things about the interview and how it was designed to show how you’d react to awkward and uncomfortable situations.  luckily, i wasn’t thrown any curve balls and i left feeling pretty confident that i hadn’t completely blown it (i’m not THAT confident).  i’ll hear in april whether or not i head out to japan for a year to teach english.  it would be completely unexpected since i’d just applied on a whim as a backup/option if i couldn’t find a job here.  so far, the job market for architects here sucks beyond belief.  the only response i’ve gotten after sending my resume out almost everyday is one email containing craigslist spam.  if only i could knit fast enough to support myself…sigh.

quick knit

just finished a hat i’ve been dying to make!

we had a day of 60 degree weather, but we’re back into the 40’s with lows in the 20’s…still time to wear my FO’s.

(ja)KNIT

a couple months ago, i taught my roommate how to knit.  she picked it up very quickly and now she’s just as obsessed as i am, searching through ravelry for free patterns during work hours, sneaking copies from the company printer.  she’s a lot more shy about all the knit accessories she’s made but i make sure to point out “she made that!” when she receives compliments on all her goods.  a few friends here in brooklyn expressed interest in learning so they could sport their own creations so we started what we call the BROOKLYNITE KNITTING SWEATSHOP.  so far, it’s 4 of us that get together once a week (we rotate apartments) for dinner, knitting lessons, and a lot of girl talk.  i started thinking, why not do this for a little extra cash?  i posted an ad on craigslist to teach basic knitting and started another blog to serve as a “portfolio” of my finished knit objects.  here it is:

http://jaknit.wordpress.com

so far, i have one new interested party!  first lesson is tomorrow.  i have the syllabus, lesson plan, required text, supplemental readings, pop quiz, and scantrons all ready to go!  woo hoo!

post imac surgery

one morning, i woke up to find that my computer wasn’t working properly.  i tried not to panic as i searched for the user’s manual while the little file folder icon kept blinking in my face.  after trying all the suggested start-up combinations (press and hold this key and that key with your toes backwards and upside down) i finally made an appointment at the genius bar in the apple store.  of course, with the warranty still valid there was no fear of any huge charges to my credit card (thank goodness because my financial situation can’t handle it).  now how do i get this monster computer from brooklyn to the apple store in soho?  on wheels – but not the ones you find on a yellow cab.  i need to save my pennies these days.  i used a dolly and carted the thing all the way to the subway and through about 7 blocks.  it was not fun.  i made it to the genius bar with a puddle of sweat flowing across my upper lip.

how did i get it home today?  i hailed a cab.  man, sometimes i really miss my car.

catching up on knitting progress, here’s what i made most recently:

hot pink leg warmers just for fun.  what else was i supposed to do with hot pink yarn ?  i used a free sock pattern i found on ravelry called komet but knit with 4 balls of aran weight yarn on size 6 needles instead of what was recommended.  i’ve worn them out twice already but mostly prance around the house alone in them while dancing to 80’s music.

a baby sweater that’s on it’s way to the recipient now.  i have no idea if it’ll fit her next year.  if not, i’ll just have to make a teddy bear or doll to wear the sweater.  hope she likes it!

here are some old things i’ve made, but i finally took photos of them:

my drop stitch shawl that i use a lot as a scarf

a crochet scarf made of kinda not so soft wool yarn.  i rarely use it, but i like the bubbly pattern.

next on the needles is a sweater for cameron which should be ready for when her mama comes here to visit me!  i’m excited about her arrival and our girl’s weekend out.  i also have a couple sweater dresses i’d like to get started on for myself.  hopefully i will have progress shots up soon now that i have ms. imac back.  which reminds me, i should name it.  right now her voice is set to ‘victoria’ but i think i’ll call her ’synergy’ – a jem and the holograms reference…duh.

resolution

the yarn connection in manhattan is closing its doors at the end of this month.  my roommate found out about their clearance sale a couple weeks ago so she and i made a special trip to see what they had left.  i was looking for specifically lace-weight yarn to make lace shawls for my mom and aunt.  this is what i found:

mind you, i still haven’t touched a single strand of yarn from my trip to reinbeck, but i vow not to buy another hank, skein, cone, or ball of yarn until i’ve used up everything in my stash.  this is my new year’s resolution. i will make everything that i have in my queue in ravelry from leg warmers to sweater dresses.  i will not spend money on restaurants or bars until this is done.  i will be productive everyday!  (it’ll be interesting to look back on this post in jan 2010)…

happy new year everyone!  hope 2009 brings us everything we wish for…

winter wonderland

This was the view of the backyard (we have no access to) from our kitchen window several weeks ago.  i love it when it snows!  but then a few hours later, it’s mucky slush and ice.  NOT fun.  we’re going to have another deep freeze coming our way.

perfect time for knitting!  i made a hat for my cousin’s son, noah as a christening gift:

made a pair of men’s fingerless gloves:

and i’m working on some sweaters that i’d rather not show until they’re sent to the recipient.

in other news, my cousin and his wife welcomed baby sofia to the world on december 1, 2008!  she’s the first child for my cousin, and the first girl in her generation on my mom’s side.

here’s some pics from christmas with my mom’s side of the family in new jersey starting with the first generation (aunts and uncles):

and i failed to mention before that i got back from a cruise with my parents, sisters, and brother in-law earlier this month.  it was a complete feeding frenzy 24/7!  i’ve never been on a true vacation like this where you’re truly carefree for an entire week and the only thing you have to worry about is making sure to be back on the boat before it sails off to the next destination.  i highly recommend it.  we took the carnival splendor to puerto rico, dominican republic, st. thomas, and bahamas.  snorkeling in the bahamas was our all-time favorite excursion. it’s almost overwhelming how many fish you see swimming right beside you.  here’s some highlights:

if you didn’t notice, my older sister is pregnant!  she’s due in mid-april and i already have my plane ticket to be home for a little over a week to see them.  she’s having a boy!  kinda nervous about that.  we’re a family of girls with no exposure to video games and other gadgets that appeal to boys, so i’m not really sure what will entertain him.  i am going to start on some knit baby goods for him though, which is perfect timing with all the practice i’m getting on my cousin’s kids.  it’s been a busy couple of months!

the craziest night of my life

i have to blog about this night before all the details escape me…

my roommie and i had plans to meet up with friends who were visiting from tx so we decided on verlaine in the lower east side.  we were enjoying our conversation and our lychee martinis when the guy next to me at another table decided it would be funny to take my martini, grab the napkin underneath, and slam the glass back down on the table causing the drink to spill on my (handknit) hat and on my lap.  his friends urged him to apologize to me but he blatantly refused and started getting angry.  with his attitude, i knew it was useless to reason with him and his friends were incapable of  controlling him so i got up and found a staff member to have him removed from the establishment.  he didn’t go quietly and his friends were very embarrassed.  they apologized to me over and over and i was fine by then.  i just wanted to get back to having fun with our friends which is exactly how we spent the rest of our time at the bar.  it was fun to see the texans who i saw last at my farewell party in austin.

it was around 1:30/2:00am by the time we got off the train and started walking the 4 blocks home.  a group of 6-8 high schoolers were walking towards us and we moved over to share the sidewalk.  all of a sudden, a girl yelled ‘BOOM’ and her fist met my mouth.  in my 30 year existence, i’ve never been deliberately struck in the face so i was in complete shock.  i stood there dumbfounded and erline asked what happened.  i told her, ‘that girl just punched me in the face.’  i had one hand on my lower lip and the other at my jaw beneath my ear.  erline wanted to go attack them and one of the kids slowed down and turned around and i yelled, ‘why the fuck did she hit me?’  with her most ghetto ny accent she retorted, ‘because she felt like it.’  i really had no reaction.  i didn’t know if i should laugh or cry, but i just stood there watching them walk away.

we got back to our apartment and thought it would be a good idea to pour ourselves a nice stiff drink and roll a couple cigarettes that my cousin left at my apartment.  we smoked outside our building and reflected on the evening’s events.  our upstairs neighbors showed up and chit-chatted with us for a bit before inviting us up to their apartment.  they offered us an herbal remedy for the end of the night and our conversation commenced.  we talked about our downstairs neighbors and learned that they are friendly, nice, and neighborly to the guys upstairs…not us.  there’s only 3 units in the building and everyone’s been invited to their parties and their fabulous backyard  (which we can only enjoy from our kitchen windows) except for us.  the only thing mentioned was that our a/c window unit drips above their patio door where one of the tenants likes to smoke.  i’m not going to make any extra effort to be hospitable to the downstairs folks.  they look boring anyway.  we also found out that the guys upstairs are both around 24 years old and work for liquor companies which means they’re overstocked.  one works from home and when i mentioned that i ‘work’ from home now, he offered to treat me to lunch since he’s allowed to expense lunch everyday.  the conversation started getting stranger and stranger and erline and i just kept looking at each other like, ‘what the hell are they talking about?’  finally, erline found an out for us and we were able to escape the neverending weirdness.  we got back down to our place and for a couple minutes tried to unlock and door that was already unlocked.  we were giggling on our living room floor for a good 15 minutes and decided it was a good idea to drunk dial a friend who would appreciate this crazy story.  he actually did pick up the phone and was kind enough to listen to my long crazy story.  we went to bed and i woke up this afternoon with a sore jaw and luckily no battle scars on my mouth.

i can’t wait for 2008 to end.  i’m claiming next year.  2009 IS MINE!