I knit all weekend, and I am very excited about what I am putting in today’s mail:

Handspun handknits for mom and baby. Real pictures once the package makes its way west.

Also, this guy says hi. Hope your week is off to a good start!

I’m sorry about the silly title of today’s post, but with this photo, can you blame me? (Also, I haven’t poured my coffee yet.)

188 yards of 2-ply, dk to light worsted, from 1.5 oz of superfine merino and 1.5 oz. of merino/silk in A King’s Ransom from AVFKW. This is going to become a Lacy Baktus, but I am not allowed to cast on until I finish writing and grading. (I am not allowed to cast on until I finish writing and grading. I am not allowed…)

Also, I snapped more photos of Boh being adorable yesterday. I can’t tell if he is curling up in more photo-worthy poses this week, or if I just notice it more because I am just a few days from being done with the semester and it feels like he is rubbing it in.

A few more days and I’ll be able to do this too!

That’s the sweetness. Here’s the plying:

I’m going to wind this off onto my niddy noddy and get it into a warm bath — and then, back to work.

Nell’accingermi a lasciare per un po’ le umidicce rive del canale della Giudecca e questa città che oggi è particolarmente belloccia, sotto il sole e il cielo azzurro e spazzata da un vento gelido di bora, constato che un souvenir deve essere cascato in testa anche ai responsabili del centro maree, perchè per la seconda volta in poche settimane abbiamo avuto acqua alta senza che nessuno si premurasse di mettere in moto le nuove inquietanti sirene, nè di inviare gli sms di allerta.
Mi trasferisco per qualche giorno oltreconfine, nella patria del mio ben più glorioso omonimo. Cercherò di resistere al bombardamento di informazioni false e tendenziose cui sarò certamente sottoposto da parte della stampa straniera, faziosa e comunista. Ho già incaricato persone di fiducia di conservarmi “Il Giornale” e di registrarmi tutti i tg di Emilio Fede, così al mio ritorno potrò prender contezza della verità sulla spirale di odio e violenza che ha messo e sempre più metterà in pericolo la vita di colui che lotta solo per il nostro bene.
Per finire, ho ricevuto la busta paga di dicembre e constato che rispetto all’anno scorso lo stipendio è calato di 150 euro. E l’anno scorso, nota bene, ero anche in una categoria più bassa. Con animo grato rivolgo un commosso pensiero a chi è stato artefice di questo miracolo e mi dico che sono felice di contribuire anch’io con questa misera somma al bene del paese e di coloro che, poveretti, non possono certo rinunciare alle Maldive per buttare i soldi in tasse. Loro lavorano, cazzo, mica sono dipendenti pubblici.

So now they are almost all on the table.

When I hear myself saying things like “Boh, no licking library books!” I realize that this dog and I really are kindred spirits. I spent a semester or two cataloguing acquisitions in my college library’s dungeon-like basement, and I think the experience solidified my love of the library smell: you know, that musty, secret, layered, hidden whiff of something you just have to learn more about that hits you as you walk through the stacks. Boh clearly likes the smell of old books, too. Which is a good thing, because we’re surrounded by them.

My mom’s Multnomah shawl has entered blob stage, and I think the SWTC bamboo is knitting up beautifully. I’m a few rows from beginning the feather and fan lace, according to the pattern, but I think I might just keep increasing until it feels substantial enough — maybe until I get to the second ball of yarn.

Back to the kitchen table, once I make room for my laptop.

I have no words to describe how much I love this skein of yarn. I mean, I may have pulled back the covers on my bed in order to properly photograph it against a suitable backdrop. (Okay, and I cuddled with it a little. Don’t tell anyone.)

This is 160 yards of squishable 2-ply in what looks to be a worsted to heavy worsted range, from 4 oz. of FLUFF sw merino in Beach Day. This was my first FLUFF spin. Halfway through the second bobbin, I may have emailed to get on their fiber club waiting list…

And then I spun some more. See, I accidentally happened upon a Baktus-Along thread in the Snobby Spinners group. I wasn’t planning to find something else to spin for, but a headache that would just not go away changed my plans last night at the very last minute. (Do you ever have headaches that you think are just related to food/hydration that then refuse to go away after you feed them dinner and lots of water? That was me last night, and I would’ve just dealt with it if the plan hadn’t been to go hear some live music. Headache + loud = unhappy rooster. So I pouted a bit, and then sat down at my wheel.)

Right, Lacy Baktus. I dug through the handspun pile, and didn’t find anything that begged to become this pattern, so I overturned a bucket of fiber and fished out A King’s Ransom from the AVFKW Woolly Wonders Fiber Club: 1.5 oz of superfine merino and 1.5 oz of 80/20 merino/silk. Meanwhile, Boh did this:

This is the superfine merino, which is full of subtle color changes.  I wrestled with this fiber a lot in sections, and I wonder if I should’ve tried to open it up a bit before spinning.

This is the merino/silk blend, and it spun like a dream. So fast, so smooth. Part of the way through my first cup of coffee this morning, I sat down to start plying:

Despite what it looks like (you know, that I spent the WHOLE day spinning), I actually wrote a few more pages yesterday, and did some good thinking about my project whilst spinning. I did not, however, begin tackling the pile of grading. (Yesterday, my headache was the excuse.) Today, I need to get on that.

What’s the matter, big dog?

If you’re worried about the fact that I spent my first hour today doing this:

Don’t be. I’m not going to ply it with the first bobbin until I make sufficient progress on that other stuff. Really.

And don’t worry, we’re still going to take a nice W-A-L-K today.

Happy Friday, folks!

I’m delighted the Government formally acknowledged in Budget 2010 the link between high excise duty and cigarette smuggling. It’s about time there was recognition that the more you tax cigarettes the more you encourage smuggling.

The facts are frightening: One in every four cigarettes smoked in Ireland is not bought in an Irish shop, is not subject to excise duty, is not subject to our health regulations and most are smuggled.

No wonder Ireland has become a smugglers’ paradise. There are cottage industries in China and the Far East making counterfeit cigarettes specifically for the Irish market because Irish cigarette prices are the highest in the EU.

Smuggled cigarettes cost the Exchequer a fortune. The loss is calculated at €526 million this year and it’s anticipated to rise to €616 million next year. When you look at the ‘slash and burn Budget,’ Minister Lenihan doing nothing about smuggling is simply not acceptable. And, to be fair, the Minister recognises this so for the first time since 2004 he’s not increased excise duty on cigarettes. Good for him and good for him too that he’s reduced excise on drink because one in every three drinks is smuggled into the Republic or at least duty is not paid here.

But let me enter this caveat- its one thing to hold excise duty at current levels but Customs and Excise operations must be strengthened and more scanners put in place to increase further the level of seizures against smugglers in the coming year. That’s a priority and so too the penalty for smuggling cigarettes.

The Minister has indicated that he will look at imposing much stiffer penalties on cigarette smugglers. About time too. The current situation is laughable where smuggling earns no more than a slap on the wrist in terms of fines and, because of this, crime gangs have moved from pushing drugs to cigarette smuggling because the penalties are small and profits are huge.

So good on you, Minister Lenihan. Let’s hope for a huge new campaign against smuggling in the coming year. That will go someway in helping to balance your books!

That’s all for now folks,

Bill

Let me explain: I did spend a few hours on my writing yesterday, but in a “pretend productive” kind of way — you know, the kind of productive where you don’t actually increase the word count. Now, I would argue that one of the challenges in grad school — and really, academia more broadly — involves coming to terms with what it means to be productive. Sometimes, even when I don’t write anything down, I do some really important thinking that makes it possible for me to write something  substantial when I return to the project. That’s not what I mean by “pretend productive.”

“Pretend productive” is when you read comments you’ve received on drafts, track down citations, request books that you know you should look at from the library, rearrange the piles or files you’re working from…and then (and this is key) derive a false sense of accomplishment from these tasks — and stop working.

I was “pretend productive” yesterday. I don’t really have pictures of what that looks like, but I think you get the idea. I do have pictures of fibery productivity, though.

First, my friend H (you may remember her as the recipient of the purple ishbel/springtime bandit brokeknits mash-up wedding shawl) came over to make applesauce and do some knitting. Boh assumed his supervisory role, and did a very good job of keeping our feet warm.

As you can see, this hat is way too big for me — which is a good thing! It should be perfect for my dad. (Apologies for the blurry photos.)

This is the largest size of the seaman’s cap, knitted even longer than the pattern called for, and made out of my handspun — Southern Cross Fibres polwarth, spun as a worsted weight 3-ply. (I still have about 80 yards left, so I may try to incorporate stripes into mittens or a manly cowl or something. We’ll see.)

H. asked me to show her how my wheel works, and because I had emptied all of my bobbins, we had to decide what I would spin next. I decided on the second 4 oz. of Crown Mountain Farms Superwash Merino in Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, spun as a fatter 2-ply. I started it to show H., and found it so captivating that late last night, I made myself a cup of hot cocoa and kept going.

I am in love with this, and all I want to do right now is spin the second bobbin. Alas, today I MUST be “real” productive. I received some great advice last night about how to get work done when there is really fun knitting in the house: lock it in the car. I may have to banish the second bobbin’s worth of fiber to the backseat today…

Stay tuned for pictures of the buttons that perfectly answered yesterday’s personal ad, as well as (I hope) a triumphant report about my productivity…

Tonight was the much anticipated Famous Stars & Straps/Snoop Dogg event at Club Vanguard in Hollywood. The event was crazy! Thanks to Victor from the ID Agency for the All Access pass and for getting us in quick! Here are a few photos for now. I will put up a full post later today.

Boh really likes handspun. How about a few more?

You’re looking at what happens when a certain rooster decides to clear off ALL of her bobbins: lots of navajo ply practice wth leftovers of fibers past, and a squishy, 350 yard skein of mostly fingering weight 2-ply from some absolutely stunning Hello Yarn finn in the winter storage colorway.

This was my first adventure with the fast flyer for my Lendrum — first of many, I should say.

And this — this is how I can tell that he really is my dog. He just wants to sniff, paw at, and, let’s face it, roll in all of my yarn.

Happy Monday, folks!

(In place of Yoshimi and the pink robots, of course.)

Boh faces his opponent.

(This is a new development. Boh used to hide in his box whenever I would get out the vacuum cleaner. Now, he plays his own version of chicken with the machine: he runs towards it or waits for it to approach him, and then squeezes by it at the last possible moment.)

Boh dashing past the vacuum cleaner.

This is absolutely hilarious, and I wish I’d gotten better photos of the whole sequence. It is rather difficult to operate a vacuum cleaner with one hand and snap photos with the other.

Now, would you like to see some spinning?

Yesterday’s time out made it possible for me to sit down at the wheel and finish the second bobbin of this gorgeous Hello Yarn finn in the winter storage colorway.

This morning, I started plying the two bobbins together, and snapped a few photos part of the way through. This looks to me like it is going to be fingering weight rather than laceweight yarn when it is all plyed and soaked, and I’m thinking it might make a lovely shawl. (That will not be for me to decide, however, as this skein is intended as a gift for a knitter!)

It seems my time out has stretched well into Sunday. That’s the trouble with taking breaks: it is so hard to end the time out and jump back into the fray. Maybe after my afternoon yoga class…

Sleeve one is complete, and I’m really happy with the bracelet/longish three quarter length.

I’m also thrilled with the decision to go down a needle size for the sleeves. I’m realizing that I need to start thinking about buttons! Maybe once I finish the paper I’m writing (due this week).

Also:

Boh says hi. Time to pour the coffee and get back to work.

I turned off the alarm last night so that Boh and I could sleep in — both a reward for some good progress on a paper I’m working on, and preparation for more writing today. (I tend to wake up with the sun whether I want to or not, but today I managed to sleep until 8. Victory.)

This dog did not want to get out of bed.

I managed a few more inches on my third handspun seaman’s cap. This one is made from Southern Cross Fibres polwarth 2-ply in the Boogie Wonderland colorway, and I just love how it is knitting up.

I am feeling way behind on life: thank you notes, holiday gifts, letter-writing, even cooking through my farm share (my winter share starts Wednesday!) — but at this very moment, I’m actually in an okay place with my academic work, and if I can just maintain that, I will be very happy. (Which means I need to get started on today’s writing goal — another 5 pages?)

la vita è tutt’un’insidia…

Abbiamo superato le 1000 visite. Pago da bere, ci vediamo fra mezzora da Bepi il Fritolin per lo spritz.

Thanx you Mary for the video.

During the last week we had to use arduino do gice a new life to an old product. The brief was to re-use an object found in the garbage and use it in a unexpected way, adding a bit of surrealism.
We (Jesper, me and Li) to transform a television in a fireplace.
Since put a real fire inside of a plastic (and not tempered glass) television could be dangerous, we decided to simulate it with fabric and led. The propose wasn’t to make a likely fire, but make it nice (and why not…kitsch).
People can interact with the television in different ways: if the fire is dying, people can grab the antenna and try to fix it, or if they have cold hands, they can put them close to the back of the television to get some warm air.

Jesper at work

Hairdryer and light sensor

brain

All of us want Ireland to make it to the World Cup Finals in South Africa but I am beginning to wonder if we’re living in a fool’s paradise in connection with the 2nd leg of the playoff against France in Paris.

Ireland did very well with a policy of containment in the first half but as RTE Panellist Graham Souness said to me in studio “It’s impossible to maintain this for 90 minutes”. He was absolutely right and once France turned up the pressure Ireland weren’t at the races in the second half.

Okay, France got a deflected goal and if we had any luck we should have equalised. But we must surely recognise that we conceded too much space, gave away the ball too often and, if we are realistic and not looking through a haze of green, we could see that France were coasting for most of the second half.

I suppose a one goal deficit isn’t insurmountable – in theory anyway. But can our midfield give the service to Doyle and Keane that is likely to produce scores. Furthermore, if we play a more adventurous attacking game with the players that Trappattoni favours we’re likely to be taken apart. With a few exceptions we can’t match the talent of the French side and effort and commitment gets you only so far. So set pieces are our big hope. We have a decent away record in the World Cup qualifiers but France are the best side we’ve met in this campaign and I doubt they’ll bottle it in Paris.

France want to go to South Africa, FIFA want them to go to South Africa and the weight of history is against us. Ireland have not won in Paris since 1937 and no European team that has lost the first home leg of a playoff has made it through to the World Cup finals. Sadly, I don’t think we’ll make it this time but I very much hope I am wrong.

Enjoy the game,
Bill

Adactylidyum, genere di acaro che colpisce i tripidi (insetti parassiti delle piante, per esempio i fichi): dopo aver succhiato il contenuto di un uovo di tripide, ottiene sufficienti nutrienti per i propri piccoli. Fra di essi il primo è un maschio, gli altri femmine. Il maschio si schiude all’interno dell’utero e insemina le sorelle, poi muore prima di nascere. Le femmine in seguito non si schiuderanno come larve, ma già sviluppate divoreranno il ventre della madre, per poi andarsene per i fatti loro. Quest’incesto non è geneticamente svantaggioso perché il corredo genetico è privo di geni recessivi.

Perché ho fatto un post su di questo? Sinceramente non lo so, forse perché fondamentalmente non avevo un cazzo da fare e ho pensato di far sprecare 5 minuti della propria vita ai visitatori di questo blog con qualche spigolatura raccapricciante.

I gave bracken a nice soak and then tried to get a bit more length out of it as it lay drying on these awesome blocking squares. (These are from Knitpicks, and seriously, they cut drying time in half.)

Blocking = magic. Everything relaxed and totally evened out, and I think the length is absolutely perfect. I think Boh agreed, because he kept trying to get in the picture.

Now I just need to sew on the buttons! (Well, first I need to find some appropriate thread.)

I was looking through my button jars for a set of dark brown buttons, but the ones I have are a bit shiny, so I think I’m going to go with the grey matte buttons on the left.

If only I could make such satisfying progress on my writing projects…

Oggi proprio non saprei cosa scrivere.

Sapete, stamattina mi ha chiamato mia madre, svegliandomi, accidenti! E ora non riesco a riaddormentarmi. Anzi, indovinate cosa faccio ora? Aspetto che esca il caffè, me lo bevo, lo faccio entrare in circolo e vedo se il cervello mi comincia a girare per scrivere qualcosa. Mi piace troppo sorseggiare una tazzina di caffè, la mattina, mentre guardo il giornale online.

Di sicuro vorrei evitarvi oggi un post serioso-palloso sulle mie disgrazie, vorrei scrivere qualcosa di leggiadro e farfalloso. Faccio una tragedia di qualunque elemento nuovo o ostacolo che entra nella mia vita. Comunque non vi preoccupate carissimi, è proprio vero che chi si lamenta è quello che sta meglio!

(10 minuti dopo…)

Nulla, l’unica cosa che ho in testa è che devo assolutamente comprare un bel paio di cuffie potenti per creare un muro di suono contro la coinquilina logorroica: parla anche mentre dorme, vi rendete conto?!??

Buona domenica

Grida Scatta forte la tua rabbia ed è cieca lei non lo sa Lei non sa quanto sei forte Ma tu batti spesso il passo per l’afa che tirerà E se c’è tu non vai oltre Ma ripetiti ogni giorno: “faccio tutto quel che posso sono un vero osso duro asso grosso”. Ti senti meglio adesso? Mettiti in forze e guarda su E dacci dentro tu di più Parte la tua gara più ardita La partita va giocata Con fatica infinita Fatti forza è la vita sai che ti sfida Ti invita a duellare con lei Forse vinci e mollerai Magari invece riderai E sbagli e affoghi ma poi riuscirai In questa grande olimpiade Di me, di te, dell’anima! Salta La distanza che separa i tuoi sogni dalla realtà Bruciala, sfreccia e va..sgomma!! Passa a destra, occhio in curva si rischia, questo si sa Molto facile il testa coda Ma tu spingi l’acceleratore Tutto fino in fondo Tu sei un vero Osso duro Asso grosso Gas a più non Posso presto E parti in quarta adesso Fatti forza è la vita sai che ti sfida Ti invita a duellare con lei Forse vinci e mollerai Magari invece riderai E sbagli e affoghi ma poi riuscirai In questa grande olimpiade Di me, di te, dell’anima! … Muoio ma non perdo! Lo stai promettendo! Batti il pugno sopra il petto Giura urlando! Casco e non mi arrendo Riderai vincendo E saprai che ciò che hai lo devi a te!

Sinceramente io non capisco.. Che senso aveva quel messaggio?! Io sto troppo bene adesso

Sto meglio di prima.. Eri come l’ oro ora sei come loro.

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Non so perchè.. ho questa vena malinconica praticamente inutile dato che io oggi sono TOTALMENTE APATICA.. bah però questa canzone è davvero bella e la ritengo quasi più commovente dell’ originale dei Pooh.. Ai posteri l’ ardua sentenza..

DAMMI SOLO UN MINUTO UN SOFFIO DI FIATO UN ATTIMO ANCORA.

Fa male dirselo ora che venti avversi soffiano sulla nostra fiaccola si spengono sogni in un cassetto di un castello per noi diventato bettola come una favola non si modifica versa l’ultima lacrima prima che il vento porti via con sé l’ultima briciola del nostro amore dove non c’è più sole e l’aria è gelida resta solo alla mia tavola pensandoti sento già i brividi adesso abbracciami basta nascondersi dietro parole a volte inutili si è spento il fuoco che scaldava i nostri cuori e credici ho il tuo profumo sulla mia pelle non vedo più nel cielo le due stelle che brillavano non vedo più i tuoi occhi che risplendono quando con i miei s’incrociano segnan l’epilogo, ricordi che dentro le tue lacrime nascondono l’ultimo fremito.

DAMMI SOLO UN MINUTO UN SOFFIO DI FIATO UN ATTIMO ANCORA, STARE INSIEME E’ FINITO ABBIAMO CAPITO MA DIRSELO E’ DURA.

Voglio spiegarmi adesso dammi solo un minuto per levarmi questo sapore amaro dal palato sapore di passato di un amore sciupato di qualche cosa di perfetto che poi è cambiato. Non so di chi dei due possa esser la colpa non m’importa adesso ascolta ciò che conta è non bagnare con le lacrime una fiamma morta che si è gia spenta potremo piangere domani senza che l’altro ci senta e attenta questo non vuol dire che sia solo tu a soffrire ma penso che star male adesso non possa servire per poterci riunire non è che voglia fuggire ma preferisco non mentire è tardi per capire perché ad un tratto è arrivato il maledetto freddo che col suo ghiaccio ha coperto ciò che abbiamo fatto e detto e nel suo viaggio si è portato il nostro caldo con te vivevo un sogno ma ora sono sveglio.

COME MAI I TUOI OCCHI ORA STANNO PIANGENDO.

Versa l’ultima lacrima prima che il vento porti via con sé l’ultima briciola.

DIMMI CHE ERA UN SOGNO E CI STIAMO SVEGLIANDO.
Con te vivevo un sogno ma ora sono sveglio.

DAMMI SOLO UN MINUTO UN SOFFIO DI FIATO UN ATTIMO ANCORA STARE INSIEME E’ FINITO ABBIAMO CAPITO MA DIRSELO E’ DURA DAMMI SOLO UN MINUTO UN SOFFIO DI FIATO UN ATTIMO ANCORA STARE INSIEME E’ FINITO ABBIAMO CAPITO MA DIRSELO E’ DURA DAMMI SOLO UN MINUTO UN SOFFIO DI FIATO UN ATTIMO ANCORA.

I’m holding on your rope Got me ten feet off the ground And I’m hearing what you say But I just can’t make a sound You tell me that you need me Then you go and cut me down But wait… You tell me that you’re sorry Didn’t think I’d turn around and say.. That it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late I’d take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you And I need you like a heart needs a beat (But that’s nothing new) Yeah yeah I loved you with a fire red, now it’s turning blue And you say Sorry like an angel, heaven’s not the thing for you, But I’m afraid It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late I said it’s too late to apologizes, it’s too late Woahooo woah It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late I said it’s too late to apologize, yeah yeah I said it’s too late to apologize, a yeah I’m holding your rope Got me ten feet off the ground…

Non so il perchè della scelta di proprio questa canzone.. Come se io dovessi chiedere scusa a qualcuno.. O se ci fosse qualcuno che debba chiedere scusa a me.. Non credo ci sia qualcuno che mi deve delle scuse e nemmeno che io le debba a qualcun altro.. A volte l’ inconscio Stupisce |:

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