The 'Shmen are Coming!

For the last week, I have been composing the perfect "Top Ten Stupid Things Asked By Freshman" post for your enjoyment and my santity. Seriously, I've gotten everything from "I thought the government would just give me money, I didn't realize there was an application process involved" to "Can I bring my dog to the dorms with me? The policy says pets in glass tanks are OK, so he can sleep in one if he needs to". Mind you I work in Outreach. PRE-Admission Outreach. This means I am not versed in the logistics of the policy of dogs sleeping in fishtanks and the like.

Having worked on this campus for last 4 years, I am usually able to direct the student with a serious mental lapse customer to the right office, but when this happens 30-50 times a day, it starts to get the best of you. So my list. It was going to be a good one.

However, I just got back from walking around campus on this, the day before classes start for our 148th year (bet you didn't know San Jose State is the oldest public school in CA, eh?), and once again I learned an invaluable lesson working here. I passed a number of groups of 'shmen (that's short for Freshman) around campus on my lunch hour; huddled around the campus kiosks trying to locate the building that Psych 001 is located in, unpacking boxes from the back of their parent's minivan in front of the dorms (no dogs), eagerly wandering the bookstore looking their first SJSU letter-sweatshirt.

Maybe my first-day-of-college experience had gotten so far behind me that I was becoming the very campus employee I used to despise in my undergrad days. Seeing all this seriously brought the biggest smile to my face as I imagined all the things these kids young adults were going through. I mean this is college! The first day of the rest of their lives! Even Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac once walked this campus as first-time students!!


So I am changing my tune. It made me remember why I have one of the best jobs in the world. How cool is it that I have the ability to bring someone to our University and in some way, have influenced all that excitiment in their faces? Very cool.

If any of you out there have kids that are just starting out in college this year, I wish you the best of luck on the next 6 4 years. I'm off to answer more phone calls...

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PS - Why didn't someone tell me that Rowan Calmer is like, THE best yarn in the world? Seriously. I LOOOOVE it. Damn you $10 a ball...

Just Knitting... and the cat... and wine... and cooking...

This was originally a knitting blog, but I see that my posts seem to be wandering further and further and further from this intent. But that's ok with me, because this little corner of cyberspace has given me something that the entire drawer full of dusty old journals from my youth can't - an actual visual snapshot of my life that can forever be accessed and appriciated. Of course, I have not reached that point where I feel comfortable divulging my secret fears and desires for all the world to read, but this could be a good thing, since I am a person who usually keeps a lot inside and this is teaching me it's ok to put it all out there.

Ok, so that was my Wednesday meditation. But guess what! I do have knitting stuff!
Don't Look Now But...

Are you sick of seeing OSW's on the Internet yet? Well this is mine, in Cascade 220, with longer sleeves than called for, and a very confused look on my face. And that's Bonny Doon Syrah. MMmmmmm.... Syrah.....

OSW #2, the forgotten wedding shrug, survived a beating from a 6 month old kitten named Billy and is now hanging out in the knitting bag, awaiting the day I will be motivated to finish her. When that will happen is questionable, seeing that the wedding has PASSED. Ces't La Vie! For #3, I am working on a way to add some spice by applying a different stitch-pattern to the entire thing. We shall see.

Lacy, Pretty Things

Next up, is my progress on the Lacy Kerchief from Interweave Knits. This is Cotton-Ease and size 7 circs... and I LOVE this scarf. Every single teeny-tiny mistake I have made I have fixed - which is unheard of in Delia-Knitting. I'm like a proud mamma with this thing - I look at it and say wow - I did that? My first venture into real lace, the provisional cast on (I can kinda crochet!) and following an eight-row repeat. Yes, I am very, very proud.

Christmas in July August

As I cleaned out my office at work a few weeks ago (You KNOW I was stressed when I was CLEANING my office), I found a gift certificate for the Knitting Garden. You know what that means, right?

Obviously, this is all not from the Knitting Garden, but what it did was INSPIRE me to stash-enhance. Yes-sir. My enabler, if you will. I really has been a long time since I bought stuff on a whim, so I felt absoulutely no guilt. Score!

• 3 Balls Calmer, for Lelah (FINALLY!)
  
• 5 Balls Cotton-Ease (from Ebay) for Garet's X-Mas gift and other random things
  
• The awesome pattern for Sunburst Sling Bags (Elann). FINALLY I can use that recycled silk I bought like 16 months ago! Family and friends, behold your Christmas Gifts!

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College-Recruiter world kicks into full gear again in a few weeks - which means it is time for the return of the knitting-college-representative on the fair circut. Everyone else chating it up and perfecting their tables while I sit with my feet propped up on a stack of viewbooks with the needles flying. They are just jealous, I know it.

Ciao!

PS - It's been forever since Viva got some love so here she is, treating me like her bitch.

Batter Up

It's Monday, I am finally looking at my blog, and it's time to pass on interviews to a couple fellow knitters out there.

First up, for Anita at knits, purls, and curls:
1) What is your favorite firework and why?
2) If someone gave you $250 to spend at a local yarn store, what would you buy?
3) Who is your favorite male country artist?
4) Name 3 unique talents that you have.
5) Shag, Marry, Push of a Cliff, the Prime-Time TV Version: Matt LeBlanc, Eric McCormack, Ray Romano

Next, for Michelle... I don't know what your blog is so I can't personalize your questions! Comment me your link and you are due-up for an interview tomorrow!

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Work is killer today and I am still recovering from my friend's wedding. I have lots of fun stuff to talk about like how awesome my that pink lacy scarf is coming out and my yarn-diet-busting enhancements, but Wine and Needles is a photo-heavy blog and no photos=no verbatum. Maybe next time. Until then: