I was not the first person to jump on the HIMYM bandwagon. Based on the title, I didn't see how a long or successful series could be made. After all, how long could it take to tell a story about meeting someone? Obviously I had not yet met the long winded Ted Mosby.

So I started watching the series around Season 3. I loved the characters and how they dealt with issues that I had encountered. I really enjoyed a show that spoke directly to people in their 20s, 30s, and early adult lives. I tried to see myself in one of the characters, and though I do not fit any character exactly, I still related to all of them (Once I met the mother, Tracy, she and I did seem to be similar, and my boyfriend is closest to Ted, which is odd). I am sure that many of the other fans thought Robin was perfect for Ted, like I did, and really wanted the relationship to work out, though we knew it couldn't be possible.

For me the series started to decline in Season 8. I was anxious to meet the mother, and it shouldn't take two seasons for two people to get married. How long did that weekend last? While there was some funny backstory and interesting obstacles, Barney and Robin should have been married at the end of Season 8. Since I marathon watch my television, the energy really seemed to lag towards the end.

I greatly looked forward to the season finale, and I had many fixed feelings at the end, as did many other fans. I watched it live because I knew my Facebook feed would be littered with spoilers (yes, I realize the irony of this post). Here are my critiques:

1. Lily and Marshall: they're ending is predictable, yet happy. Their argument over careers was confusing, since they made it clear that Italy was not an option, but Marshall still decided against becoming a judge, though he should have still taken that opportunity. They never clarified that, probably to give Marshall some humorous lines about dealing with a difficult boss. Yes, everyone will empathize with Marshall's situation--unless you are very lucky--but that plot should have been cleared up. Lily seems to corroborate Jane Austen's stance, made clear in Emma, that women cannot be friends once they are married. Robin makes a good point that the gang must fragment, one of the reasons being that Lily and Marshall have kids and are busy and have different priorities and responsibilities. This argument makes sense, except that Lily and Marshall had been making an effort to be part of the gang with their first child. Although spending time with a family may not be ideal for the single career woman, they are her surrogate family, so I don't buy Robin's argument for distancing herself. Lily, very attached to Robin, would not let her go so easily either.

2. Robin and Barney: Although I was skeptical about their relationship initially, they did seem to work well together and shared many personality traits. I may have had them divorce, but I definitely saw them reuniting in the future, perhaps adopting a child as well. Yes, I imagine it is difficult to have a spouse who travels frequently for work, but the end result does not have to be a divorce. I must say that I respect Barney's honesty with Robin, though I expected him to make more of an effort to keep his marriage together. Same goes for Robin. She could have been successful and request to travel less.

3. Barney: After breaking up with Robin, I did not see him acting like his pre-Robin, player self. I suppose he might have done so for a period of time, but not indefinitely, at least, not until he first laid eyes on his daughter. I know the writers were trying to make a point that becoming a parent can change people for the best, but it is too idealistic to say that the change is instantaneous. Of course, I am not a parent, so perhaps this quick personality change is frequent.

4. Ted and the mother: As I previously mentioned, I couldn't envision a better match for Ted other than Robin, that is, until I started seeing glimpses of the mother. Tracy so perfectly compliments Ted. I appreciated the flash-forwards, but I would have liked their relationship to develop more through Season 9. I see the necessity of ending the series the moment Ted meets her, but there could have been a many more scenes of their lives together. After waiting SO long to meet her, it seems unfortunate that they waited so long to get married and that she died so young. Ted could still outlive her, but maybe when he was even older.

5. Children: According to another article, People, the children's responses were filmed nine years ago and that the series was always headed in the direction of Ted's and Robin's eventual union. It makes sense that so much time was dedicated to their romance, but still upsetting that the fans had so little time with the mother, who was an even more perfect fit with Ted. Their reaction bothered me and many other fans. I understand their conclusion that Ted is asking their permission to date "Aunt Robin," but if that was the whole premise of the show, then it should have been "How I Fell in Love," or "How I Learned that You Can Have More Than One Great Love," or "How to Tell Your Children You Love Someone Other Than Their Mother," or "The Incestuous Nature of Friendships." However the series was not called any of my titles, so the conclusion should end in marital bliss for Ted and the Mother, however realistic or unrealistic that may be (after reading a lot of literature, you change your mind about marriage...many times).

Yet all of my critiques may be for nothing: like a book, HIMYM is just a TV show with characters made to emulate people. Therefore perhaps we should not complain about the series finale as if we were speaking about real people. The series showed us vignettes from the lives of twenty-somethings and displayed the nuances of friendship. That should be enough, right?

In no particular order...

1. A damp towel when you've just showered
2. Damp clothes out of the dryer
3. Knitting patterns in booklets that are unavailable 
4. Plane tickets that are ridiculously over-priced
5. Drivers in the fast lane that go below the speeding limit
6. When the internet loads slowly--and I remember the dial up days!
7. People who lack the ability to follow directions
8. burning your tongue on food or drink
9. Knitting with a cut on your finger
10. The dry part of lotion.

I have a few guilty pleasures, and one of them is watching The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. This last season with Juan Pablo inspired the following drinking game.

Drink if you hear the following phrases or statements:

• "It is what it is."
• "At the end of the day..."
• "It's okay." (Now that Juan Pablo is no longer the bachelor, I don't know how often I'll hear this phrase, but we'll see.)
• "I'm here for love." (mostly for The Bachelor shows)
• "dream"
• "I'm just being honest."
• "mature" and variations
• disrespect and variations
• grown-ass woman/man (for VH1 shows)

Friday, 3/7: buy chocolate wine for my friend
Saturday, 3/8: email a friend studying abroad
Sunday, 3/9: respond to student emails sent late for Monday's class
Monday, 3/10: walk to meet my friends rather than drive

Yeah, I know: my "good" deeds are rather lame at this point. I need to spend more time focussing on the good that I can actually do on a daily basis. There are also many good deeds that I do regularly, but should those "count" for Lent?

I will try to do good deeds that I normally don't, but if it is a busy day for me, I may need to fall back to a "common" good deed. However the whole point is to inspire people to do good and love God, so I think I will be okay either way.

It is Lent once again! I feel that I have not posted much since last year's Lent. I have been knitting, but not enough due to graduate school. I hope to include some pictures of my two projects, although one is very boring, during this season.

I used to hate Ash Wednesday services because they were so serious and some appeared hypocritical. The last two years have been a pleasant improvement. Last night the priest reminded us that Lent should not have us wonder what we should give up. Rather we should ask ourselves how we can better bring Christ's message of love into the world. Yes, we should try to avoid our bad habits, but if we place too much pressure on ourselves, we may be doing the opposite and begrudge Christ this season. Therefore, once again, I will try to do one good deed each day, not repeating any, during this Lenten season. I will also attempt to give up one bad habit, which, of course, I will not be posting online because everyone is perfect in their online personas.

March 5: Give money to St. Vincent De Paul
March 6: Take my dog on a long walk during my only break today.

What are you doing for Lent?

As always, Happy Knitting!

Winterhaven is the place to go in Tucson in December. One may think that Tucson is the worst place to celebrate Christmas, but, if you celebrate a religious Christmas, Jesus probably experienced similar weather and environmental conditions. Although snow romanticizes the holiday, we have a pretty sweet set up in the Ol' West.

Winterhaven is a great neighborhood where every house sets up lights and decorations. It does get chilly at night--believe it or not--and people set kettle corn and hot cocoa in the middle of the neighborhood.

My mom's and my tradition is to go to Pastiche. They stay open late, are nearby, but not too close to Winterhaven. They have a great coffee keoke, along with desserts. Check it out if you get a chance!

It has been a while since my last post because I have been really busy! I decided that I wanted to go back to school for a PhD in English Literature. I have been experiencing a lot of change: moving to a one-bedroom apartment, ending my career as a middle school teacher, and starting a graduate program. Unfortunately, due to all of those changes, I have not had very much time to knit. Hopefully I will be able to make time for it soon. Getting back to graduate school...

I have been in orientation the last few days and I have learned a lot about myself and my new colleagues. The first few days I was timid and did not want to participate in discussions or talk much to people; I was reserved. I was nervous for a few reasons. I haven't been in school for three years. As such, I'm worried that I'm rusty on my essay writing and critical thinking. I'm worried that I won't have enough time to read (at least two books a week!). I'm worried that I'll be the worst PhD candidate in my program when I'm used to being at the top of my class. All summer I have been forgetting the silliest words! What if that were to happen while I was teaching? Or what if my vocabulary left me during a class discussion and I couldn't communicate as eloquently as the others? My list of fears goes on and on.

Now that I've met my colleagues and chatted with them for a few days, I learned that I'm not the only one who feels this way. Many of my colleagues are starting again after a few years of being away from academia. We are all concerned about the work load. We all have been rejected from multiple graduate programs. None of us know the exact trick to getting into graduate school, though all of us have. This makes me more comfortable. It's not that misery loves company, but I am reassured that I am not the only one with doubts. I feel less like the black sheep.

When I was an undergrad, I idolized the graduate students. They were so professional and so intelligent! I had them on a pedestal. Now I'm one of those students. Perhaps I know more than I give myself credit for.

After a few days of being with my colleagues, I am feeling much more confident. We are all starting with worries and doubts, but we are learning together and helping each other. My critical thinking skills are working faster and faster. I am pleased to say that my vocabulary is quickly coming back. Everyday I am becoming more confident, though being accepted into a program should have given me that from the beginning.

Now my knitting has met steep competition: graduate school. Hopefully I will be able to make time for my favorite hobby, especially since reading and writing--my other loves--have become my job!

Happy knitting, reading, and writing!

Last weekend, I visited my family in San Diego. Living in Arizona, I don't get to see my family much. Although it was a whirlwind trip, it was wonderful to catch up with them...and surprising. I was with my first cousin once removed and my second cousins...I think I got that right. At any rate, for not seeing each other often and having grown up in very different environments, we are very similar. We all have a goofy sense of humor and like to laugh. We analyze everything, but in a fun way. We have similar interests, such as watching "Downton Abbey" (but who doesn't like that show?). And we are always busy. I thought that I was bad going to and from places daily, collapsing on my bed at night, but it appears that my family is that way too. Could it be because we're all from California? Who knows. Getting together with them reminded me how important family is and that I really need to work on staying in touch with people. It looks like I have a new mid-year resolution: keep in touch with people.

Yesterday I picked up a lace shawl that I had started last summer...and it is much more emotional to knit it now than it was then.

To back up, I am one of those people who associates places--and apparently things--with memories. So I can be in a city, see a monument or restaurant, and remember who I was with, how I was feeling, and what was going on in my life at that time. Most of the time, it is wonderful. I do not have the best memory. That award would go to my mom, who could tell you what she ate for breakfast 30 years ago. However, my memory is more like a thumb drive, except that I have many thumb drives that I've dropped all over the world and in different objects and smells. If you asked me about a memory right here and now, I may not be able to recall it. If you take me to a place or give me an object, everything comes back. Perhaps that is why I have trouble throwing stuff away. Anyhow...

Back to the knitting. Normally I knit a project straight through without stopping. This year I got backed up on projects and had to put the lace shawl down. It has been about six months or more since I have knit it.

The last time I remember knitting it was in June and July of 2012. I was starting a trip to Spain and lace shawls are perfect because they keep you busy for a long time, but don't weigh much or take up much space. I remember knitting it on the plane, both ways. I remember knitting it on the couch watching Canal de Cocina at 11pm or later. I remember working on it while lunch was being made: I can smell the Spanish-food goodness, the olive oil, fish, and cheese.

It is so odd to look at that blue shawl and see so much of Spain in it, even though the yarn is from who-knows-where, and the pattern is American and found on craftsy.com. So much has happened to me since that shawl was started. Still, I look at it and it remains the same, though a few rows longer. I wonder how I will feel about it when it is finally done.

So this shawl-to-be has been in Spain, Sicily, Tucson, and it is my project-of-choice for my road trip to San Diego this weekend. Perhaps it will be my memory of this year. It could be the name of a book: The Blue Shawl: a Year in the life of L--.

Happy Knitting!

As a middle school teacher, I use many teaching strategies. I know that there are many different types of learners and that doing something with newly attained knowledge is the best way to retain it and fully understand it. That being said, I love direct instruction. I realize that I learn best from direct instruction, but I think that more people can learn from direct instruction than they think.

At the Tucson Festival of Books, the main way to transmit information is via direct instruction. People watch music, performances, lectures. Some booths do have activities for people to do, especially Science City. However, the majority of presentations are hour-long lectures given to groups of 30-600 people. If direct instruction is so terrible, why keep using it? I do realize that adults have longer attention spans, but I know that adults learn with as varied strategies as children.

I noticed that the lectures of direct instruction were very well received. Not only did groups of 500+ listen on the edge of their seats for an hour, but they took notes and waited for up to an hour in advance. People enjoyed the presentations, behaved perfectly, and retained information. Now, did I retain as much knowledge simply listening without taking notes? No, probably not. However, I did retain the theme of the lecture, as well as the messages that most resonated with me; the messages that I needed to hear and use at this point in my life.

Another aspect of direct instruction working in this scenario is interest. Anyone can sits through hours of TV or movies, provided that they are interested. I think that is extremely important. At the Tucson Festival of Books, everyone was interested in what they were doing. If I were to change how education works, I would try to revamp the curriculum so it is interest-based.

This is the 5th year that Tucson has had the Tucson Festival of Books. While it is a festival dedicated to books, there are many things for non-readers to do. People should not be deterred if they do not like to read. This year, attendance was predicted at 100,000 people. That may have been difficult to believe on Saturday, due to the rain, but it was difficult to walk along the mall because of the abundance of people.

I was lucky enough to volunteer to be an author escort. I really enjoy that job because I can sit in on presentations that I normally would not attend, and I meet many cool authors. This year, on Saturday, I escorted Naomi Benaron, Heidi Durrow, and Bill Carter. I had seen Bill Carter speak about his documentary in 2006 and loved it. He wrote a new book about copper in Arizona. At first I thought it would be boring to read, but it is fascinating. The other authors were also interesting to hear about, having very different experiences and being very strong women.

I also escorted Nevada Barr, JA Jance, and Margaret Coel. Now, I don't read mystery. If I had, I probably would have asked these authors for their autographs. All have written many books and have had amazing lives. Nevada Barr is a hilarious rebel who does her own thing. She is entertaining and the comic relief. JA Jance is more serious, but told many moving stories about her life and how it intertwines with her work sometimes. Coel didn't speak as much, but she was interesting to hear as well.

I also heard Bruce Coville, Jennifer A. Nielsen, and CJ Hill. I read Coville throughout fifth grade and I absolutely loved his books. It was so exciting to see him in person and to hear him speak. He has a great sense of humor and taught us as well. We laughed when he told a story of him teasing the "suck up" in his class. While he was going for the laugh, he pointed out that making fun of overachievers is not good for a culture. We want the "suck up" to be our dentist, doctor, who builds our bridges. We want the people who are the best to help us when we need help. If we spend time making fun of them, they may stop putting forth the effort.

Lastly, I heard Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana speak. That was incredible. I loved hearing them talk about Hollywood and the challenges involved. They write daily, they work without the certainty of getting paid. Ossana also talked about how it can be more difficult to make it in Hollywood as a woman.

One thing that stood out to me was that the women who did become successful encountered many difficult situations in their lives. They had to be persistant and relentless. That was the second message to me this weekend. On my way to my personal success, I will encounter adversity and very difficult situations. I need to not take things personally and to focus on my work. Success is not easy: one must work hard at it. For me, it was a message to keep going. Even if there are 77 rejections, as some authors have found, persevere and things will work out.    

I know that this is technically a knitting blog, but I couldn't resist writing about this after all of the hype. The week leading up to the Superbowl, talk about the commercials was all over the news. Apparently it is better to tell a story and barely state the product being sold. Some commercials did tell a story yesterday, others were funny or gross. These commercials were also ridiculously expensive. Some data does state that it pays off to buy commercial time during the Superbowl, but I'm not sure. Personally, as much as I hate them, I think online advertising is more effective these days.

My friends are the kind that chat during the football game, but all must be silent during the commercials. So I suppose advertising companies are correct in believing that, of all the times they could buy to advertise, this is the time when people will not be fast-forwarding the commercials. I did end up watching the commercials, but I had originally planned to be knitting. I needed to knit because the 49ers were stressing me out (I needed to knit afterwards to keep the tears away as well). On a side note, don't start knitting your first pair of socks during a Superbowl party. It's very difficult to focus. I will be blogging about them later.

Commercials! In no particular order:

-pistachios: I knew that the "Gangnam Style" song would make an appearance. Is it over done? Possibly, but it is entertaining.
-Big Bang Theory: I'm a sucker for this show. I thought it was cool that they dressed up in football uniforms.
-Doritos: Both the goat and the men playing dress up. Ridiculous, but funny.
-Dodge Ram: I did not like this commercial. Are farmers important? Yes, but so are teachers (Yes, I am biased on this one). The gross exaggeration was unnecessary.
-VW Get Happy: The Jamaican accent was a stereotype, but it was funny. I think the world would also be better if there were at least one happy person in each workplace.
-Coke: The race in the desert was entertaining and stereotypical, but my students remembered it.
-Oreo: The whisper fight. I didn't like that they destroyed a library, especially since many kids dream of doing that.
-Taco Bell: The "We Are Young" song in Spanish with the older people playing pranks. I loved it and I am totally going to do that when I'm in my 80s.
-Godaddy.com: Normally make-out scenes don't bother me, but the sounds in this one were disgusting. No thank you!

And that's all folks!

Before I set goals for 2013, let's see how well I did for 2012:

1. Lose 10 pounds by May. That should be doable. 
   --Not doable. Oh well. I switched gyms, have lost a bit of weight, but I have lost inches. I'm still working on this one.
2. Learn to knit lace. I already know how, but I want to get better and to do more than a rectangle. Craftsy.com is helping me accomplish this goal.
  --Accomplished. I knit one lace shawl and have a second one on the needles.
3. Learn to knit socks. Craftsy.com is again going to help me learn this.
   --Still not done. I have a few more must-knits before I get to this, but I will this January!
4. Organize my place 5-10 minutes a day. It's a habit I need to hone...I'm good at cleaning and chores, just not putting my stuff away!
   --Done! thanks to google calendar, but whatever works, right?
5. Start designing hats. 
    --Done! Nothing exciting yet, but I can knit a hat without a pattern.
6. Blog more.
   --Maybe? I have good and bad weeks.

2013 goals!

1. Keep getting results from the gym. Rather than lose weight, I'd like a lower BMI number.
2. Be able to do 5 pull ups.
3. Stretch out my hamstrings.
4. Learn to knit socks.
5. Learn to knit Entrelac.
6. Finish the Masters Level 1 Program.
7. Do and finish the Masters Level 2 Program.
8. Save more money.

8 goals. I think I can do it :) Now to post more pictures of my completed sweater and accomplish more goals!

Happy New Year!

After going to Santiago de Compostela last year, I have been thinking about doing a pilgrimage sometime in the future. As of 2011, Alcalá de Henares is now an official starting spot for the walk. I probably won't start here because it's 628km to Compostela, which is a bit far. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun finding the shells. There are 9 shells total, I thought I took pictures of all of them, but I may be mistaken...

I started knitting when I was a child because I knew my grandmother did it and I thought it was cool. When I started knitting again, it was because my roommate and I could knit together and chat. I stuck with it, but she didn't. Now I know so many more reasons to knit: it takes away stress, it's good for the health of your brain, and it gives me something to do with my hands, rather than pick at my cuticles, etc. Most importantly, I feel productive when I knit.

It wasn't until this passed December that I started knitting for myself. After seven years of knitting continuously, I had only knit myself one hat. Now I have also made myself a gray winter shawl and a red lace shawl. I have worn each one once in public and that leads me to my newest reason for why I love to knit: I feel like a princess when I wear what I have made, and a sense of pride. Since I am a teacher, you can imagine my income level. Being able to wear ornate shawls that are worth hundreds of dollars, allows me to dress up a basic outfit. They are useful and decorative. Most importantly, I am a happier person while I am wearing what I made.

Needless to say, this realization has only made me want to knit more and to knit faster.

Happy knitting!

Nine months ago I decided that I was ready to get my first dog as an independent adult. Perhaps "decided" isn't the best term. All of a sudden, I couldn't stop thinking about dogs. They were on my mind constantly and I knew I couldn't rest until I got my own. After searching online for about two weeks, I went to a Petsmart just to see the dogs. I wasn't sure that I would actually get one that day. I went with my boyfriend and he was the first one to spot Darcy, whose name used to be Carter. Darcy was adorable. He was the only dog who didn't bark and he was subtle about wanting attention: he just had his small paws on the gate and looked at us with these big, brown eyes. We took him for a walk around the store and about 30 minutes later, he was mine.

Having Darcy as my dog has changed my life. He has made it so much better. Thanks to Darcy, I now talk to my neighbors because he likes to greet them. We meet people at Petsmart and we go to parks, something I hadn't done in a long time. Just looking at him brings me happiness. I'm sure all dog owners say this, but he is the best and sweetest dog in the universe.

This morning Darcy had another adventure. We were going out for a walk when he spotted another dog. He wagged his tail and stood on his hind legs. The dog, another rescue named Nogi, lives down the street. Thanks to this meeting, I now know that there's an informal dog get-together at a nearby park. I think I'll try to wake up early enough to take Darcy tomorrow. Then he got a dog biscuit from Nogi's owner. He pranced all the way home with it, very proud. Below is a picture right before he ate it. It's just another reminder of how blessed I am to have such a wonderful dog!

My entire life, I have always wanted to be a professor of literature. One snag in my plan was the Great Recession, which hit fall 2007, and I graduated six months later. Rather than begin my journey to a PhD, I got a Masters in Education and have been teaching ever since. Yet the little voice in my head telling me to research and analyze is getting much more assertive lately. Therefore, I will be applying for graduate school for Fall 2013.

Obviously I'm hoping to be accepted somewhere. I'm contacting my old professors, who I hope have not forgotten about me, and I'm hoping to contact and meet professors from other universities who would be interested in working with me. I'm terrified about not being remembered by my professors and of not finding a program with mentors who are interested in working with me. But what can I do? I have to put my best foot forward and pray that I will be accepted somewhere.

Step one: email old professors and meet with them.
Step two: research professors at other universities.
Step three: take the GRE again, after studying.

Let's see how this goes!

Easter was last weekend and Lent is officially over. I succeeded in doing at least one good deed a day. Doing good deeds daily did help me to focus on bringing good into the world. However, like everything, too much of a good thing can be bad. Sometimes I was really stressed or busy and thinking of doing something good added stress instead of taking away stress. Nonetheless, I did at least one good deed a day and I hope to continue to do so throughout the year. Will I do so every single day? Who knows, but it  is something to aim for.

Here is the recap:

2/22 Ash Wednesday: Give mom lotion
2/23: Bring muffins to Dad's work; buy boyfriend a video game.
2/24: buy boyfriend present; make cookies for friends
2/25: give Dad lotion; write letter of recommendation
2/26: call grandma; listen to a friend; invite a friend to dinner
2/27: write letter of rec; run errands for boyfriend
2/28: help a student with knitting; pick up boyfriend
2/29: help students with knitting; give knitting student yarn and needles
3/1: help out a sick coworker; get another coworker coffee
3/2: smile; cover another teacher's class
3/3: volunteer for Tucson Festival of books; give friend 3 baby hats and a baby sweater that I knit
3/4: give fruit to Children’s Choir; make cookies and give to neighbors
3/5: organize coworker's classroom;
3/6: help student with knitting; bring neighbors cookies
3/7: call brother
3/8: print plans for coworker; cover another teacher's class
3/9: remind others to be kind; smile more
3/10: get gelato for family and help pay for dinner
3/11: volunteer at Tucson Festival of Books
3/12: help student with knitting
3/13: invite a friend to breakfast
3/14: call parents
3/15: treat mom to dinner
3/16: buy coworker a book with gift card
3/17: invite friend for dinner
3/18: call and email grandparents
3/19: help student knit
3/20: knit kippahs for student; email friends
3/21: mail a friend's hat and scarf package; see family members
3/22: buy Eegee’s for boyfriend, call brother
3/23: watch a movie of boyfriend's choice
3/24: email cousin; treat friend to drinks; give Dad tea
3/25: make 2 tortilla españolas for 1st and 2nd period
3/26: make tortilla española for 7th period
3/27: buy boyfriend expensive technology
3/28: give coworker birthday present and cake; go to Communal Mass
3/29: make boyfriend dinner
3/30: ask someone how they were and mean it
3/31: buy friend lingerie for bridal shower; drive friends to casino
4/1: treat parents to dinner
4/2: make phone calls for boyfriend
4/3: give former coworkers tortilla española
4/4: open door for older woman
4/5: make boyfriend chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner
4/6: sing Good Friday; help Dad with car
4/7: (Holy Saturday); sing at Annointing of the Sick Mass; buy bread for Easter
4/8: bring present to parents


Some of it is repetitive, but at least it was something! I will continue the updates at various times throughout the year.


I hope you take some time to bring good into the world as well!

Well, I can't keep my resolutions without periodic check ups. Let's see what my goals were 3 months ago:


1. Lose 10 pounds by May. That should be doable.
I've lost 4 pounds, but still have a way to go. I stupidly have been eating lots of pizza, Mexican food, etc., which doesn't help. I'm cracking down on myself again, wanting to exercise more, etc. I'm doing zumba tomorrow and spring break is next week, so I'll try to exercise 5 times at least. There's also walking my dog...

2. Learn to knit lace. I already know how, but I want to get better and to do more than a rectangle. Craftsy.com is helping me accomplish this goal.

I started the lace shawl, which was going well, but then I took a break to finish other projects. Stupid me didn't say where I stopped. While I could have studied my knitting, I had so little done that I just unraveled it and will start again tonight. No stopping this time!

3. Learn to knit socks. Craftsy.com is again going to help me learn this.
Will start after the lace shawls...

4. Organize my place 5-10 minutes a day. It's a habit I need to hone...I'm good at cleaning and chores, just not putting my stuff away!

Google calendar has saved me here. I do clean daily now, but the reminder via email saves me daily as well. Things are much cleaner now and I'm less stressed because of it! Can I still improve on overall organization? Yes, but that's a summer thing.

5. Start designing hats.

I designed a baby hat. Now I need to start designing more things. TKGA Masters Level 1 will have me write out a full pattern. I'm excited for it!

6. Blog more.

I think I've improved, but I'd like to post more pictures and post 1-2 times per week. So it's still a work in progress.

I'm glad to see that I'm continuing in my resolution efforts! Of course, I have added more goals this year:
1a. Write an article comparing two 19th-century authors.
2a. Work through my yarn stash.
3a. Make a CD
4a. Learn to knit brioche.
5a. Learn to knit entrelac.

And that's all folks!