Back from NY and posting from my brand new laptop! My shiny new toy comes coutesy of my research grant, which exprired in March. Apparently I had a bunch of money that needed to be spent... they didn't need to tell me twice!
I came home on Wednesday to find, nestled in the midst of an inbox full of student questions and pleas for attention, an email asking me to teach a course here at UW next year! So far, it's only one course (Physiological psychology), next Winter. That means I need to find something else to teach in the fall, then hopefully spring, but it's a start! A job offer I hadn't even applied for! I am so thrilled about this!
I haven't talked to my advisor about this, but apparently she recommended me for it. Knowing that makes it easier to think about the discussion I need to have with her, about my future plans.
A year ago, I was in what I would best describe as a state of grief. I was looking at a fairly miserable run in grad school - having produced, at best mediocre, but in reality pretty weak research. The thought of a career TRYING to continue in this vein was utterly depressing. It was what I had planned to do all along, but I was beginning to come to terms with the fact that I am not great at research, and thus not happy doing it. Who is really happy doing anything they're not good at?? Anyway... things seem pretty bleak when you're faced with the fact that your plans are just not going to pan out. So, in an effort to find something I could at least do to make some money, I took a class on teaching. Not how to teach, but the ins and outs of teaching at the college level. A lot of it was focused on why people might choose to teach (rather than the typical being forced to teach in order to climb the academic ladder). The class was great, and opened my eyes to a lot of the things I value about academics. That lead to me requesting a teaching assistantship in the fall, when I was lucky enough to be assigned to TA for a fabulous teacher who really fostered my interest and teaching skills. That, in turn, lead to me requesting another TAship, which resulted in instructing a lab on my own, which I've done for two quarters now, and will do again over the summer. It's so fantastic... I just love teaching. I get so much out of it, and truly love pouring myself into it. I love my students - every quarter I develop such a deep affection for each one of them. It's strange - I have the usual mix of over-achievers, slackers and average students, but I've been able to get to know all of them, and find something great about each one. That sounds so sappy and disingenuous, I know. But it's really true. I have found what I really want to do.
Ideally, I'll wind up with a full time job at a small liberal arts college. That would be awesome. But for now, I've gotten myself a lectureship, and it's somewhere to start. In the midst of this totally crappy month, where I've just been too tired to contemplate my next move, this happy development has sprouted.
I feel like I'm being given my start on a future that I'm really looking forward to.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Goodbye Aunt Eleanor
Some people have $700 a week habits. Shopping compulsions, fine dining, blow...
Me, I fly to upstate New York every week to attend funerals.
Aunt Eleanor passed away yesterday. I thought I wasn't ready for it. I didn't want her to go. She wanted to live to see 100, and she was so close. I wanted to see her reach 100. But now that she's passed, it's a relief. It's good to know that she's no longer in pain.
I hate to think of the suffering she endured. Instead, I'll focus on the happier times. Here she is last summer, enjoying some cake.
She was the dearest lady, and I will miss her. Be at peace Aunt Eleanor.
Me, I fly to upstate New York every week to attend funerals.
Aunt Eleanor passed away yesterday. I thought I wasn't ready for it. I didn't want her to go. She wanted to live to see 100, and she was so close. I wanted to see her reach 100. But now that she's passed, it's a relief. It's good to know that she's no longer in pain.
I hate to think of the suffering she endured. Instead, I'll focus on the happier times. Here she is last summer, enjoying some cake.
She was the dearest lady, and I will miss her. Be at peace Aunt Eleanor.
Friday, April 21, 2006
A post from the calm
Death has crept into my dreams this week. The normally sweet respite of sleep has turned on me, and my dreams are filled with sadness and suffering. It's been an emotional week, to say the least.
A week ago right now, we were on a flight to NY for H's grandpa's funeral. Lyle passed away last Wednesday, after a long collection of illnesses.
We returned Sunday night and awoke Monday to the news that my mom's kindergarten classroom had been destroyed in an arson fire overnight. -Story and pictures here.- (Coincedentally, this occurred on the 10 year anniversary of my grandma's passing.) As of now, my mom is doing much better, though she was in quite a state of shock and grief earlier in the week. The woman is amazingly resilient... by Tuesday she was back at school, sorting through the few remaining papers, and preparing for the return of students next Monday, following spring break. She's even finding blessings in this... the records that she dearly loved but didn't know what to do with when she retires in June all melted - problem solved. She was hoping for a color printer for her class, and now she can get one. No one was hurt. Many silver linings. I'm just glad she's doing ok.
Next in the inbox on Monday was news that my dear aunt Eleanor is suffering greatly with intractable jaw cancer. As she is 94, there is not much that the doctors can do for her, and she is in awful pain. Her condition is bringing so much sadness to the family - a family who is unaccustomed to expressing sadness. It's a difficult time, and hard to know what to hope for.
All of this has made me restless this week, and it's been hard to concentrate on much. I've been able to sit and spin for a while to calm my nerves and zone out.
Here are some recent results:
This is 2-ply yarn, made from the merino top I dyed a few weeks ago.
A week ago right now, we were on a flight to NY for H's grandpa's funeral. Lyle passed away last Wednesday, after a long collection of illnesses.
We returned Sunday night and awoke Monday to the news that my mom's kindergarten classroom had been destroyed in an arson fire overnight. -Story and pictures here.- (Coincedentally, this occurred on the 10 year anniversary of my grandma's passing.) As of now, my mom is doing much better, though she was in quite a state of shock and grief earlier in the week. The woman is amazingly resilient... by Tuesday she was back at school, sorting through the few remaining papers, and preparing for the return of students next Monday, following spring break. She's even finding blessings in this... the records that she dearly loved but didn't know what to do with when she retires in June all melted - problem solved. She was hoping for a color printer for her class, and now she can get one. No one was hurt. Many silver linings. I'm just glad she's doing ok.
Next in the inbox on Monday was news that my dear aunt Eleanor is suffering greatly with intractable jaw cancer. As she is 94, there is not much that the doctors can do for her, and she is in awful pain. Her condition is bringing so much sadness to the family - a family who is unaccustomed to expressing sadness. It's a difficult time, and hard to know what to hope for.
All of this has made me restless this week, and it's been hard to concentrate on much. I've been able to sit and spin for a while to calm my nerves and zone out.
Here are some recent results:
This is 2-ply yarn, made from the merino top I dyed a few weeks ago.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Happiness is yarn
Here is some of the roving that I dyed on Saturday.
And here it is on the bobbin. I'm so happy with it - the fiber is spinning up nicely, and the colors are coming out great. I can't believe I'm actually happy with my first attempt at dyeing my own yarn. It really is awesome!
The problem with this, however, is that I'm constantly thinking about colorways that I want to dye, and yarn I want to spin and projects I'd like to make. I'm not thinking about the dissertation I should be working on, or the resumes I should be sending out. I just want to make yarn! Is this the beginning of something great, or the first moments of my descent into madness?
P.S. I forgot to say... After washing out the second batch of dyed fiber the other day, I tried the Twisted Sisters tip about drying the wool in the washer on the spin cycle (with the water shut off). It works fabulously! The wool was almost entirely dry after a spin in the machine. Woot!
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Comings and goings
We travelled to Gearhart, on the Oregon shore, last weekend to visit Sarah and Blake and their pups, Maisy and Rufus.
We had a fantastic time - it was very low key and relaxing, with plenty of good pup-lovin' and playtime, excellent cheese, viewing adventures, yarn-spinning and superb conversation. Thank you Sarah and Blake!
I've been keeping myself occupied with some yarn and fiber dyeing. I dyed some sock yarn with kool-aid over the past few weeks.
And here is some of the fiber I just dyed. This was my first attempt at acid dyeing. It turned out much better than I'd dared to hope. Now I can't wait to spin it, ply it, and make some socks!
I've been stymied in my attempts to be as crafty as I'd like lately by the whole school thing. (Still!) The writing, she progresses. *sigh* And I'm now 2 weeks into the spring quarter with a new crop of studentlies. They're a good group - so far they've been pretty tame and quiet. Not much new to report, on the whole of things.
H's grandpa has not been doing well. He's had an assortment of health troubles that have kept him in the hospital for the better part of a month now. It's very hard on the family, and we're sort of at a loss as to what to do. It does look like there will be a quick trip to NY in the near future. *sigh*
We had a fantastic time - it was very low key and relaxing, with plenty of good pup-lovin' and playtime, excellent cheese, viewing adventures, yarn-spinning and superb conversation. Thank you Sarah and Blake!I've been keeping myself occupied with some yarn and fiber dyeing. I dyed some sock yarn with kool-aid over the past few weeks.
And here is some of the fiber I just dyed. This was my first attempt at acid dyeing. It turned out much better than I'd dared to hope. Now I can't wait to spin it, ply it, and make some socks! I've been stymied in my attempts to be as crafty as I'd like lately by the whole school thing. (Still!) The writing, she progresses. *sigh* And I'm now 2 weeks into the spring quarter with a new crop of studentlies. They're a good group - so far they've been pretty tame and quiet. Not much new to report, on the whole of things.
H's grandpa has not been doing well. He's had an assortment of health troubles that have kept him in the hospital for the better part of a month now. It's very hard on the family, and we're sort of at a loss as to what to do. It does look like there will be a quick trip to NY in the near future. *sigh*
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Fiber Frenzy!
Since I'm posting from work, I don't have pictures with me to post, so I'll do that later. However, I have to record my excitement RIGHT. NOW. I've been spinning a lot lately. Something to do with spring break, a few hours of free time each day, I don't know. Anyhow, I'm all hot about making yarn, but have also been increasingly frustrated with my inability to combine predyed fibers into the creations in my mind. So yesterday, I finally caved and ordered myself a Lanaset dye starter kit and 2lbs of merino top. I will be dyeing within a week!! I can't wait to start painting my own yarn. I have SO. MANY. ideas! I can't wait to make them.
Also, I have to give a huge gold star to The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Although socks are the final product of the book, the whole book is just the best resource, both for practical tips as well as inspiration and the courage to dive into real fiber arts. Although I bought the book back in January, I'd only flipped through it. Oh, how I wish I'd sat and read it right then. I'm now actually reading it, and it is just invaluable. I'm starting to "get" so much about spinning that I just hadn't figured out on my own by just diving in. Sure, practice makes perfect. But practice without some instruction, at least for me, leads to a mess at best, and disaster at worst.
The only bad part about all the reading and inspiration? Waiting for delivery of my fiber and dyes!
*Update*
Here are a bunch of yarns I've spun up recently...
"Amethyst" merino/silk blend. I spun this one much too tightly, and am now having to untwist it as I knit it. Mmmrrfff.
"Gimme candy" merino/tencel blend. I love this fiber! I got it from a vendor at the flock & fiber festival last fall.
"Autumn trails" merino. I'm not wild about this yarn. It's a bit too thick, and the colors don't thrill me.
"Nightshade" merino.
"Pink Sparkles" mystery fiber. Spun in singles (left) and plied (right). I like the singles, but I think the colors are a bit murky when plied. Live and learn, right?
Here's a shawl I'm working on from this pattern. I'm using my Nightshade and Amethyst and MaisyDay's Dainty Bess. (Recognize it? It was the feather & fan scarf, which I frogged since it wasn't long enough.) I will probably throw some of the pink sparkles into the shawl as well.
Also, I have to give a huge gold star to The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Although socks are the final product of the book, the whole book is just the best resource, both for practical tips as well as inspiration and the courage to dive into real fiber arts. Although I bought the book back in January, I'd only flipped through it. Oh, how I wish I'd sat and read it right then. I'm now actually reading it, and it is just invaluable. I'm starting to "get" so much about spinning that I just hadn't figured out on my own by just diving in. Sure, practice makes perfect. But practice without some instruction, at least for me, leads to a mess at best, and disaster at worst.
The only bad part about all the reading and inspiration? Waiting for delivery of my fiber and dyes!
*Update*
Here are a bunch of yarns I've spun up recently...
"Amethyst" merino/silk blend. I spun this one much too tightly, and am now having to untwist it as I knit it. Mmmrrfff.
"Gimme candy" merino/tencel blend. I love this fiber! I got it from a vendor at the flock & fiber festival last fall.
"Autumn trails" merino. I'm not wild about this yarn. It's a bit too thick, and the colors don't thrill me.
"Nightshade" merino.
"Pink Sparkles" mystery fiber. Spun in singles (left) and plied (right). I like the singles, but I think the colors are a bit murky when plied. Live and learn, right?
Here's a shawl I'm working on from this pattern. I'm using my Nightshade and Amethyst and MaisyDay's Dainty Bess. (Recognize it? It was the feather & fan scarf, which I frogged since it wasn't long enough.) I will probably throw some of the pink sparkles into the shawl as well.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Look!
Remember how I went to Kansas last October to knit? Well, Naughty Needles is almost here! I'm so excited for Nikol - I'm sure it'll be a hit! Plus, how cool is it that models *I* knitted are going to be in a book? So cool!
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Turns out, Austin IS awesome
It's been one helluva busy week, recovering/catching up from last weekend's trip to Austin for H's sister's wedding. But what a weekend it was!
First off, the wedding was wonderful. Everything went off without a hitch, everyone behaved nicely (for the most part), and most of all - M and P were radiantly happy. See?
H and I had a fine time misbehaving during the rehearsal at the incredibly Catholic church. This may have been what prompted the priest to give a very stern warning that no one would be allowed in to the ceremony if they were drunk. Mind you, we were not drunk, just disorderly. (H was making the baby Jesus cry.) And the priest was just so uptight - it didn't help matters. Anyway, we did make it through the rehearsal, and then on to a celebratory barbecue with lots of friends and family.
This is H and his sis, M - the lovely bride.
This is me with my FiL. He looks cute, I look like I need to visit the gym.
The day of the wedding found me frantically knitting to finish the gifty I was making for M for the honeymoon. I'll have to get a picture from M, as I forgot to take one in the frantic rush.
Anyway, 45 minutes before we had to be at the church, I hopped into the shower and somehow came out looking like this. I guess I cleaned up ok. That, by the way, is the famous dress that H found for me. He done good - I do love it.
And then we were on to the church. The wedding was lovely. It was simple and heartfelt and absolutely full of love. I sobbed (happy tears!) when Dad walked M down the aisle.
It was right about here that the huge tears started rolling down my face. M looked so lovely, P was just beaming at her, and the whole church was filled with an incredible amount of love from the masses of people that were there. That sounds a bit hokey, but it was truly one of the most amazing things about the weekend. M & P both have these itty bitty out-of-town families, but they have an incredibly rich family of friends in Austin and elsewhere. It was amazing to be around this group of people and see what a wonderful life M has cultivated for herself. I'm getting a little choked up just thinking about it now.
Lest it sound like one big mushy love-fest, I should hasten to add that we went out with M&P and their friends for a bit of Mardi Gras on 6th Street after the wedding - what a blast! Not only are all of these folks sweet and kind, they're also a riot to hang out with. So much fun was had!
In non-wedding events, H and I had a lovely time in Austin. On Friday, before the rehearsal, I had an appointment to get my nails done, which gave us the opportunity to wander through downtown on our way. We ate breakfast at Las Manitas and I got the migas fix I was after. It was so good, we broke our travel-rule of not visiting the same place twice in one trip and went back on Sunday! Further on down the road, we discovered the joy that is a Texas liquor store. It gave me great joy to find that you can buy everything from liquor to mixers to glasses all in one stop, here in this great city. (After many stops in other cities, it's nice to see someone making life easy on the traveling lushes of the world!)
By far, the non-wedding highlight of the day was at Bella where I got my nails done. While waiting for my manicure, I had the distinct pleasure of being visited by a small pooch named Didi, who sat on my lap and gave me wee sweet doggie kisses! Puppy lovin' and a fantastic manicure to boot - I'm ready to take up residence in Austin!
On Sunday we had a bit of time to wander before heading out, so we crossed the water (lake? river?) and headed south to S. Congress street, which may be my new mecca. There I found my new favoritest store in the world, Parts & Labour. A collective of local artists, this shop sells the raddest stuff I've ever seen collected in one place. I went into shopping frenzy, and grabbed up a necklace, little pocket wallet, Craft Mafia t-shirt, and a monster glass for H. It's a small miracle I made it out of there without maxing out my card (though all of the arts and crafts are incredibly reasonably priced). I'm eager to shop there again!
Our last meal in Austin was at Guero's Tacos. And a fine meal it was. After stuffing ourselves with tacoey goodness, H and I were barely able to roll ourselves to the airport for our flight home. (A flight of which we shall not speak.) Between the eating and the shopping, not to mention our adorable and expanding family in the region, I have to give Austin two thumbs up. I do believe we'll be visiting M & P quite a bit!
First off, the wedding was wonderful. Everything went off without a hitch, everyone behaved nicely (for the most part), and most of all - M and P were radiantly happy. See?
H and I had a fine time misbehaving during the rehearsal at the incredibly Catholic church. This may have been what prompted the priest to give a very stern warning that no one would be allowed in to the ceremony if they were drunk. Mind you, we were not drunk, just disorderly. (H was making the baby Jesus cry.) And the priest was just so uptight - it didn't help matters. Anyway, we did make it through the rehearsal, and then on to a celebratory barbecue with lots of friends and family.
This is H and his sis, M - the lovely bride.
This is me with my FiL. He looks cute, I look like I need to visit the gym.
The day of the wedding found me frantically knitting to finish the gifty I was making for M for the honeymoon. I'll have to get a picture from M, as I forgot to take one in the frantic rush.
Anyway, 45 minutes before we had to be at the church, I hopped into the shower and somehow came out looking like this. I guess I cleaned up ok. That, by the way, is the famous dress that H found for me. He done good - I do love it.And then we were on to the church. The wedding was lovely. It was simple and heartfelt and absolutely full of love. I sobbed (happy tears!) when Dad walked M down the aisle.
It was right about here that the huge tears started rolling down my face. M looked so lovely, P was just beaming at her, and the whole church was filled with an incredible amount of love from the masses of people that were there. That sounds a bit hokey, but it was truly one of the most amazing things about the weekend. M & P both have these itty bitty out-of-town families, but they have an incredibly rich family of friends in Austin and elsewhere. It was amazing to be around this group of people and see what a wonderful life M has cultivated for herself. I'm getting a little choked up just thinking about it now. Lest it sound like one big mushy love-fest, I should hasten to add that we went out with M&P and their friends for a bit of Mardi Gras on 6th Street after the wedding - what a blast! Not only are all of these folks sweet and kind, they're also a riot to hang out with. So much fun was had!
In non-wedding events, H and I had a lovely time in Austin. On Friday, before the rehearsal, I had an appointment to get my nails done, which gave us the opportunity to wander through downtown on our way. We ate breakfast at Las Manitas and I got the migas fix I was after. It was so good, we broke our travel-rule of not visiting the same place twice in one trip and went back on Sunday! Further on down the road, we discovered the joy that is a Texas liquor store. It gave me great joy to find that you can buy everything from liquor to mixers to glasses all in one stop, here in this great city. (After many stops in other cities, it's nice to see someone making life easy on the traveling lushes of the world!)
By far, the non-wedding highlight of the day was at Bella where I got my nails done. While waiting for my manicure, I had the distinct pleasure of being visited by a small pooch named Didi, who sat on my lap and gave me wee sweet doggie kisses! Puppy lovin' and a fantastic manicure to boot - I'm ready to take up residence in Austin!
On Sunday we had a bit of time to wander before heading out, so we crossed the water (lake? river?) and headed south to S. Congress street, which may be my new mecca. There I found my new favoritest store in the world, Parts & Labour. A collective of local artists, this shop sells the raddest stuff I've ever seen collected in one place. I went into shopping frenzy, and grabbed up a necklace, little pocket wallet, Craft Mafia t-shirt, and a monster glass for H. It's a small miracle I made it out of there without maxing out my card (though all of the arts and crafts are incredibly reasonably priced). I'm eager to shop there again!
Our last meal in Austin was at Guero's Tacos. And a fine meal it was. After stuffing ourselves with tacoey goodness, H and I were barely able to roll ourselves to the airport for our flight home. (A flight of which we shall not speak.) Between the eating and the shopping, not to mention our adorable and expanding family in the region, I have to give Austin two thumbs up. I do believe we'll be visiting M & P quite a bit!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Sunday Boringville Times
It's been a while, I guess I ought to update.
I've been writing a lot, just not here. Trying to finish revisions on a manuscript and get that out the door, trying to polish up the intro for my dissertation, and trying to teach young minds how to do this writing thing.
The last has turned out to be an unqualified disaster. My teaching skills need some work.
The other two - well, they're just coming along at a snail's pace. But they're coming, so that's something. All of this is taking place in the midst of, and fitted around, a final experiment of broad scope. It's a time-suck if I've ever known one.
H and I are off to Austin on Thursday for his sister's wedding. Although preparations for the trip, as well as the thought of leaving in the middle of so much work are truly stressing me out, I am looking forward to getting out of town for a moment or two, and seeing what I hear is a great city. I'll have to post pictures of the fabulous dress I found to wear to the wedding... it's awesome, if I may say so.
I've been fretting a lot lately over the future outlook. It seems I may have this degree in the foreseeable future... I just don't know what I'll be doing with it. Should I give up the life we really like here in Seattle to pursue a teaching job wherever I can find one? Or do I settle for a less than stellar position somewhere around here where we can continue to live in this place we love? It seems like an easy choice, but it's really not. I really don't want to leave, but I could always go - become a great teacher, then come back when something opens up out here. Or I could stay here, get started, and hope like crazy that I'll be able to move up, should an openning become available. Mmrrrfff. It makes me muzzy and blue to think about.
I really do like teaching, and see it as a realistic career option. On the other hand, I'd also like to fling myself away from academia to pursue something *anything* else. I'd love to make yarn, or run a wee yarn shop or book store. I would love to be able to do something creative for a living... but fear that I would grow to hate it, which makes me too sad to contemplate; and that realistically, I'd never be able to succeed financially. *sigh* I've put off being a grown up for so long now... I just don't know what to do with myself.
I haven't had much of a chance to play with yarn lately. I haven't spun any in over a week, and my few minutes of knitting time here and there are being spent trying to finish up a little gifty for my about-to-be-wed SIL. Hope she likes it! As soon as that's done, I'll be back to working on my cabled vest. I lurve the Knitpicks Baby Alpaca yarn I'm using for it - soooo soft! I can't wait to get back to it.
Other than that, not much has been going on lately. Just a ton of work, and too little play time.
I've been writing a lot, just not here. Trying to finish revisions on a manuscript and get that out the door, trying to polish up the intro for my dissertation, and trying to teach young minds how to do this writing thing.
The last has turned out to be an unqualified disaster. My teaching skills need some work.
The other two - well, they're just coming along at a snail's pace. But they're coming, so that's something. All of this is taking place in the midst of, and fitted around, a final experiment of broad scope. It's a time-suck if I've ever known one.
H and I are off to Austin on Thursday for his sister's wedding. Although preparations for the trip, as well as the thought of leaving in the middle of so much work are truly stressing me out, I am looking forward to getting out of town for a moment or two, and seeing what I hear is a great city. I'll have to post pictures of the fabulous dress I found to wear to the wedding... it's awesome, if I may say so.
I've been fretting a lot lately over the future outlook. It seems I may have this degree in the foreseeable future... I just don't know what I'll be doing with it. Should I give up the life we really like here in Seattle to pursue a teaching job wherever I can find one? Or do I settle for a less than stellar position somewhere around here where we can continue to live in this place we love? It seems like an easy choice, but it's really not. I really don't want to leave, but I could always go - become a great teacher, then come back when something opens up out here. Or I could stay here, get started, and hope like crazy that I'll be able to move up, should an openning become available. Mmrrrfff. It makes me muzzy and blue to think about.
I really do like teaching, and see it as a realistic career option. On the other hand, I'd also like to fling myself away from academia to pursue something *anything* else. I'd love to make yarn, or run a wee yarn shop or book store. I would love to be able to do something creative for a living... but fear that I would grow to hate it, which makes me too sad to contemplate; and that realistically, I'd never be able to succeed financially. *sigh* I've put off being a grown up for so long now... I just don't know what to do with myself.
I haven't had much of a chance to play with yarn lately. I haven't spun any in over a week, and my few minutes of knitting time here and there are being spent trying to finish up a little gifty for my about-to-be-wed SIL. Hope she likes it! As soon as that's done, I'll be back to working on my cabled vest. I lurve the Knitpicks Baby Alpaca yarn I'm using for it - soooo soft! I can't wait to get back to it.
Other than that, not much has been going on lately. Just a ton of work, and too little play time.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Who'll stop the rain?
I really should post more often.
It's been a blah week. We've just been slogging along in the record-breaking Seattle rain, drinking our coffee and dreaming of high-carb snacks and napping. This has not made for the most productive week.
This quarter's class is going really well. The students have taken to their projects with a lot of enthusiasm, and my life as a TA is going swell.
In theory, I'm working on the dissertation. I should be spending more time arranging the intro, but haven't been terribly enthusiastic about it. I'm convincing myself that being pokey is ok, since I'm also doing an experiment currently. The pokiness will not be tolerated (by me) for long, as getting this bitch done and wrapped up is my ticket out of here. And as the news crawl in my head constantly reminds me, being done = getting a job = buying a house = getting a dog. And we all know that that's what I'm about, right?
Tonight is to be date night, although I have to admit that I'm looking forward to sleeping even more. It's such a sad state of affairs around here - it's not as if I'm sleep-deprived... the weather has just leeched the will to function right out of me. I am, however, looking forward to getting in some spinning and sewing this weekend. Watch for a pictorial update soon!
It's been a blah week. We've just been slogging along in the record-breaking Seattle rain, drinking our coffee and dreaming of high-carb snacks and napping. This has not made for the most productive week.
This quarter's class is going really well. The students have taken to their projects with a lot of enthusiasm, and my life as a TA is going swell.
In theory, I'm working on the dissertation. I should be spending more time arranging the intro, but haven't been terribly enthusiastic about it. I'm convincing myself that being pokey is ok, since I'm also doing an experiment currently. The pokiness will not be tolerated (by me) for long, as getting this bitch done and wrapped up is my ticket out of here. And as the news crawl in my head constantly reminds me, being done = getting a job = buying a house = getting a dog. And we all know that that's what I'm about, right?
Tonight is to be date night, although I have to admit that I'm looking forward to sleeping even more. It's such a sad state of affairs around here - it's not as if I'm sleep-deprived... the weather has just leeched the will to function right out of me. I am, however, looking forward to getting in some spinning and sewing this weekend. Watch for a pictorial update soon!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year
We had a very nice Christmas with my mom and brother visiting. Lots of presents and way too much food. Hopefully everyone had a nice time. I did, but am now tired and feeling hermitty.
NYE was spent with good friends at a party, followed by ringing in 2006 with my sister and her beau. It was a fun, low-key evening... just my speed these days.
I've been busily spinning yarn on my new wheel, and working on a few other projects as well.
Here are the first three skeins of yarn I've made on my wheel. The red is merino, the greenish one is a tencel/merino blend and the pinkish is mystery fiber that came in a jumble bag. It turned out much prettier than the bag of fiber suggested it would.
This is a scarf I'm working on for my indomitable Aunt Eleanor. I'm using this pattern from Adrian, and mohair yarn made by Sarah. Hopefully it will resemble Adrian's a bit more once it's blocked.
I also sanded and finished the niddynoddy H gave me for Christmas. I'm rather happy with the results.
In a fit of craft frenzy this weekend, I also made bath salts for a few friends, and got the supplies to make a motherlode of lavender sachets for my yarn stash. I've not dug out the sewing machine just yet though.
School starts again on Tuesday. Although I'm looking forward to teaching again (and my own class this time!), I'm so not ready for this break to be over. I need another week to get back into the swing of things before I'm faced with students. Just a few more days to sleep in, please?!
I've only got one resolution for 2006: I'm going to write my dissertation and finish this degree before the year is over. Oh yes, I will.
Here's to a great new year!
NYE was spent with good friends at a party, followed by ringing in 2006 with my sister and her beau. It was a fun, low-key evening... just my speed these days.
I've been busily spinning yarn on my new wheel, and working on a few other projects as well.
Here are the first three skeins of yarn I've made on my wheel. The red is merino, the greenish one is a tencel/merino blend and the pinkish is mystery fiber that came in a jumble bag. It turned out much prettier than the bag of fiber suggested it would.
This is a scarf I'm working on for my indomitable Aunt Eleanor. I'm using this pattern from Adrian, and mohair yarn made by Sarah. Hopefully it will resemble Adrian's a bit more once it's blocked.
I also sanded and finished the niddynoddy H gave me for Christmas. I'm rather happy with the results. In a fit of craft frenzy this weekend, I also made bath salts for a few friends, and got the supplies to make a motherlode of lavender sachets for my yarn stash. I've not dug out the sewing machine just yet though.
School starts again on Tuesday. Although I'm looking forward to teaching again (and my own class this time!), I'm so not ready for this break to be over. I need another week to get back into the swing of things before I'm faced with students. Just a few more days to sleep in, please?!
I've only got one resolution for 2006: I'm going to write my dissertation and finish this degree before the year is over. Oh yes, I will.
Here's to a great new year!
Friday, December 23, 2005
There is a Santa Claus!
I got my Christmas present from H last night. He wins! He totally surprised me with a spinning wheel. It's so lovely, and I'm so excited! I can't wait to start spinning. Unfortunately, this means I may never finish that pesky dissertation. I was dreaming of a wheel, but didn't logically expect it. I was planning to wait until we have a house. But H decided that the "someday" for owning a wheel should come sooner, so he did all the research, even contacted darling Sarah for advice, and got me an Ashford Kiwi wheel.
I am such a lucky and happy girl!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Fresh Ink
I took the plunge on Saturday. This is my first tattoo. I had been waiting for the right idea to come to me, and it finally did - inspired by my weekend knitting with the awesome broads in Kansas. Thanks ladies! Not only is it about knitting, it is to remind me of the inspiration to live a full and meaningful life - to pursue dreams and not settle for a boring life. Just getting this was taking a risk for me... and I'm so happy I did.
1/7/06
Here is an updated picture, all healed up! Isn't she pretty?
I should mention that this was done by Darcy Nutt at Slave to the Needle in Seattle.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Non-update
Seeing as it's been over a month since my last post, I suppose I should update things before they close my account!
The big news around here is that my sweet and wonderful sister recently got engaged to her sweet and wonderful boyfriend! I'm super happy for them both, and couldn't imagine a better guy for a BIL. I'd say welcome to the family, Erik, but you've been a part of it for a long time now. So, welcome to being legally bound to the insanity.
Life has been boringly busy with school and work. I've been wrapped up with the near-constant grading of papers and tests for the class I'm teaching. And on top of that, I've also been working on a manuscript. Although it presents it's own pile of headaches, this is a much-needed step in my quest to get out of grad school. Sadly, getting the greenlight on manuscript only came from my advisor's wrath with another scientist, rather than complete faith in my work, but at this point I'll take any chance I can get.
Last night we celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister, soon-to-be BIL and his parents. There was a massive spread, with way too much good food. I believe I may have actually injured myself by eating too much. I am now officially ready for the holidays.
Craft-wise, I've been working on a baby gift for the imminent arrival of a friend's little one, as well as a scarf made from yarn from the ladies at the Kansas knit-a-thon. The scarf is coming out poorly. It was so nicely conceived in my head, and yet now looks like a fiasco. Oh well. I will wear it and love it because of where the yarn came from. Also, the baby gift is coming out gigantic - and will probably fit the kid when he/she is 5. Oh well - I guess there's no rush to get it in the mail.
So that's all the news that's fit to print around here. Hopefully something post-worthy will come up soon.
The big news around here is that my sweet and wonderful sister recently got engaged to her sweet and wonderful boyfriend! I'm super happy for them both, and couldn't imagine a better guy for a BIL. I'd say welcome to the family, Erik, but you've been a part of it for a long time now. So, welcome to being legally bound to the insanity.
Life has been boringly busy with school and work. I've been wrapped up with the near-constant grading of papers and tests for the class I'm teaching. And on top of that, I've also been working on a manuscript. Although it presents it's own pile of headaches, this is a much-needed step in my quest to get out of grad school. Sadly, getting the greenlight on manuscript only came from my advisor's wrath with another scientist, rather than complete faith in my work, but at this point I'll take any chance I can get.
Last night we celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister, soon-to-be BIL and his parents. There was a massive spread, with way too much good food. I believe I may have actually injured myself by eating too much. I am now officially ready for the holidays.
Craft-wise, I've been working on a baby gift for the imminent arrival of a friend's little one, as well as a scarf made from yarn from the ladies at the Kansas knit-a-thon. The scarf is coming out poorly. It was so nicely conceived in my head, and yet now looks like a fiasco. Oh well. I will wear it and love it because of where the yarn came from. Also, the baby gift is coming out gigantic - and will probably fit the kid when he/she is 5. Oh well - I guess there's no rush to get it in the mail.
So that's all the news that's fit to print around here. Hopefully something post-worthy will come up soon.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
The other shoe drops
Well, that didn't take long. Did I forget to knock on wood when I was going on about how I love my students?
*sigh*
Yesterday I caught one of them red-handed, cheating on a paper. An entirely cribbed (verbatim!) paper was turned in for credit. At first I felt foolish, like I had been taken. But over a manhattan or two, I did realized that I was not duped. I caught the fraud and was not the fool here. However, I do resent being played for a fool. And by a very ingratiating student, too.
Rrrrrgh.
Although it is a heartbreaker to realize first hand that this stuff does happen, and that trying to be a great teacher won't always prevent this nonsense, I can't say that I'm any less enthusiastic about my position. The same day, another student told me I am "the bestest" for a silly little favor I did. Not that I really am the bestest, but that at least one student appreciates a kind gesture makes up for the bullshit that scamming assholes will pull.
There will always be both types of students. And as long as that is the case, I'll still love what I do.
*sigh*
Yesterday I caught one of them red-handed, cheating on a paper. An entirely cribbed (verbatim!) paper was turned in for credit. At first I felt foolish, like I had been taken. But over a manhattan or two, I did realized that I was not duped. I caught the fraud and was not the fool here. However, I do resent being played for a fool. And by a very ingratiating student, too.
Rrrrrgh.
Although it is a heartbreaker to realize first hand that this stuff does happen, and that trying to be a great teacher won't always prevent this nonsense, I can't say that I'm any less enthusiastic about my position. The same day, another student told me I am "the bestest" for a silly little favor I did. Not that I really am the bestest, but that at least one student appreciates a kind gesture makes up for the bullshit that scamming assholes will pull.
There will always be both types of students. And as long as that is the case, I'll still love what I do.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Those who can't?
Today was my long teaching day. Lecture (the prof, not me) in the a.m., then 2 hours of discussion sections (mine) in the p.m. Long because there is lots of other business to attend to before, in between and after all of this. Anyway, having spent the day with students, I was given my weekly reminder of just how much I love teaching. I really really do. Maybe it's genetic - my mom's a damn fine teacher. Maybe it's just right. And I love that I love it.
I'm in my seventh (yeah, I said it, seventh) year of graduate school. I've been doing research for that long. And you know what? I'm really not very good at it. Actually, I'm a technical whiz in the lab. I'm really good at all the things a trained monkey could do with practice. But the ideas? The big picture thinking? Yeah, it turns out I pretty much suck at that stuff. The stuff that scientific careers are made of. I say all of this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, because I'm finally really ok with it. But it is true, alas.
The good thing, and point of all of this, is that eventually I will have a Ph.D. And what can one do with a Ph.D. when one is cognisant of the fact that they make a crappy scientist? One can teach! I took this TA position with the hopes of honing my teaching skills, bulking up the ol' C.V. and testing the waters as far as this teaching business goes. And I must say... it's going well. I love meeting with my students. I love hearing their ideas and seeing them discuss and learn from each other. I love getting to know them and being there to answer their questions. I really dig what I do.
It's really cool. After last weekend, I've been so energetic about doing the stuff I love. And loving the stuff I do. So I'm really thrilled with how much I dig this teaching gig. How rad!
If I had started this blog a few years back, one may have been able to chart my progression from diligently spinning my wheels to deep depression with the full realization of my mediocrity to the present. I've gotta say... all that other stuff was pretty crappy. And not that it can't or won't change, but I'm so happy with where I am right now. It gives me hope for the future. That I'll be happy with my career, and will make a difference and mean something to someone.
How awesome.
I'm in my seventh (yeah, I said it, seventh) year of graduate school. I've been doing research for that long. And you know what? I'm really not very good at it. Actually, I'm a technical whiz in the lab. I'm really good at all the things a trained monkey could do with practice. But the ideas? The big picture thinking? Yeah, it turns out I pretty much suck at that stuff. The stuff that scientific careers are made of. I say all of this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, because I'm finally really ok with it. But it is true, alas.
The good thing, and point of all of this, is that eventually I will have a Ph.D. And what can one do with a Ph.D. when one is cognisant of the fact that they make a crappy scientist? One can teach! I took this TA position with the hopes of honing my teaching skills, bulking up the ol' C.V. and testing the waters as far as this teaching business goes. And I must say... it's going well. I love meeting with my students. I love hearing their ideas and seeing them discuss and learn from each other. I love getting to know them and being there to answer their questions. I really dig what I do.
It's really cool. After last weekend, I've been so energetic about doing the stuff I love. And loving the stuff I do. So I'm really thrilled with how much I dig this teaching gig. How rad!
If I had started this blog a few years back, one may have been able to chart my progression from diligently spinning my wheels to deep depression with the full realization of my mediocrity to the present. I've gotta say... all that other stuff was pretty crappy. And not that it can't or won't change, but I'm so happy with where I am right now. It gives me hope for the future. That I'll be happy with my career, and will make a difference and mean something to someone.
How awesome.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Best. Weekend. Ever.
I'll begin an update on this weekend's trip to Kansas, though it may take several edits to complete...
As the title says - it really was the best weekend ever! I met up with Marissa and Sarah at the Kansas City airport. We then set out in our posh Cadillac for Harveyville, home of Nikol and her magical schools. After a few mishaps that I maintain were "short cuts," we found the schools and got the grand tour.
The schools are absolutely fantastic. Built in 1955, they have all the great architectural designs of the era. I'll get some pictures up at some point. There are lots of lovely wood built-in cabinets, one of which houses Nikol's mammoth yarn stash. There are tons of other fun details too, and we had fun exploring the nooks and crannies of the buildings.
Everyone else arrived as we were looking over Nikol's project designs. Everyone else included Jenn, Carolyn, Adrian, Amber, Rebecca, KellySue and Jen, who brought Brian to play with Ron, Nikol's man. I was meeting Adrian, Amber, Marissa, Rebecca, KellySue and Jen for the first time, and seeing Sarah, Carolyn, Jenn and Nikol again. It was an amazing group of fabulous women... I really can't imagine a more fun group to spend the weekend with.
When everyone had arrived, we ended up on the front porch for drinks and chatting, which brought the opportunity to meet the locals. At the risk of sounding terribly derrogatory, the locals in Harveyville, KS, are an exact charicature of what you would expect of rural yokels. Oh my. We were first schooled in the absolute dearth of entertainment for rural youth. Having discovered the presence of a large gathering of people (mainly female people!) - a carload of teenagers proceeded to drive up and down the road in front of the school no less than a dozen times. Lest we not notice their presence, they were thoughtful enough to alert us, using duck calls. Perhaps this is a local custom in Kansas. Perhaps teenagers are idiots everywhere. The hooligans were treated to Ron's high-powered spotlight, which, it seems, is not a teenager-deterrent. It did, however, work to draw more local youth, who arrived in a pickup truck. Yes, cars are indeed a rarity there. The two guys, one in a Bud Light shirt, and the other in a shirt that simply said "Rodeo" (and I suspect this did not refer to the Copeland symphony) got out and postured up the sidewalk toward us. Upon reaching the stoop, they stood there for a seemingly long time, with their arms crossed, looking for all the world like bouncers at a roadhouse. Finally, one drawled "Y'all live here?" To which Ron replied, without missing a beat, "Yeah, but I'm only married to these three." Ron is my hero.
Apparently a gathering of people signifies an invitation to the public in Harveyville. The two visitors soon summoned more of their ilk, which drove us inside. We retired to the gym with our projects, where we talked and laughed and knitted until way into the early hours.
Saturday brought more knitting, along with an abundance of excellent eating, drinking, giggling and fun. It also saw us embark on a mission to Topeka, for booze and tortillas. Marissa and I accompanied Amber, who braved the roadkill-riddled roads to get us to our appointed task. Topeka is an unfortunate place to have to go, and we were glad to get back to the happy coccoon of the school. Nikol made the endeavor well worth it however, with the astoundingly yummy enchiladas she whipped up on our return. More eating, laughing and drinking ensued.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the silent star of the weekend, Nikol's ancient pup Herman. Miss Herman was the most lovely hostess, seeing to it that we always knew where the food was, helping to untangle yarn, and generally providing love to all. She also does the cutest doggie trick ever - the stealth dog french. When you least expect it, she'll slip you the tongue. I suspect this is born of interest in whatever you may have just eaten, rather than a desire to be intimate. Although I would not tolerate such tongue-related behavior from most, Herman was such a lovely charmer that it was entirely adorable.
The weekend continued in this sublime vein until we all departed on Monday. The conversation, food and general atmosphere was never short of sublime. My recap here certainly does not do justice to the fantastic time I had. It was just so good to meet and spend time with all of the lovely ladies who were in attendance, as well as the two fine gentlemen. I had wonderful conversations and full-on hysterics with everyone. It was wonderful to get to know most of the ladies, and to spend time with those I already knew. Again, I can't imagine a lovelier group of people to spend the weekend with.
Since returning, I've been floating along in a state of bliss rather unatural for me. I was so inspired by everyone. It was such an experience to be around people who are really living life, doing things outside of the mundane existence. While I suppose anything would become mundane if repeated enough, I found inspiration in being around people who are open to the fun and magic that life has to offer. And every person there was an example of this. From Nikol and Ron who ventured out of the ordinary and bought schools in Kansas to turn into an artist retreat, to everyone else, who were all willing to jump in the car or on a plane to be a part of this weekend - every single person was a reminder that there is lots of stuff to do in life, and the regretable thing would be to miss it.
So thank you Nikol, for having us and for being such a lovely hostess and for making me a fat and happy piglet, and thank you to Sarah, Jenn, KellySue, Carolyn, Amber, Jen, Rebecca, Adrian and Marissa, for being such wonderful companions. It was the best.
As the title says - it really was the best weekend ever! I met up with Marissa and Sarah at the Kansas City airport. We then set out in our posh Cadillac for Harveyville, home of Nikol and her magical schools. After a few mishaps that I maintain were "short cuts," we found the schools and got the grand tour.
The schools are absolutely fantastic. Built in 1955, they have all the great architectural designs of the era. I'll get some pictures up at some point. There are lots of lovely wood built-in cabinets, one of which houses Nikol's mammoth yarn stash. There are tons of other fun details too, and we had fun exploring the nooks and crannies of the buildings.
Everyone else arrived as we were looking over Nikol's project designs. Everyone else included Jenn, Carolyn, Adrian, Amber, Rebecca, KellySue and Jen, who brought Brian to play with Ron, Nikol's man. I was meeting Adrian, Amber, Marissa, Rebecca, KellySue and Jen for the first time, and seeing Sarah, Carolyn, Jenn and Nikol again. It was an amazing group of fabulous women... I really can't imagine a more fun group to spend the weekend with.
When everyone had arrived, we ended up on the front porch for drinks and chatting, which brought the opportunity to meet the locals. At the risk of sounding terribly derrogatory, the locals in Harveyville, KS, are an exact charicature of what you would expect of rural yokels. Oh my. We were first schooled in the absolute dearth of entertainment for rural youth. Having discovered the presence of a large gathering of people (mainly female people!) - a carload of teenagers proceeded to drive up and down the road in front of the school no less than a dozen times. Lest we not notice their presence, they were thoughtful enough to alert us, using duck calls. Perhaps this is a local custom in Kansas. Perhaps teenagers are idiots everywhere. The hooligans were treated to Ron's high-powered spotlight, which, it seems, is not a teenager-deterrent. It did, however, work to draw more local youth, who arrived in a pickup truck. Yes, cars are indeed a rarity there. The two guys, one in a Bud Light shirt, and the other in a shirt that simply said "Rodeo" (and I suspect this did not refer to the Copeland symphony) got out and postured up the sidewalk toward us. Upon reaching the stoop, they stood there for a seemingly long time, with their arms crossed, looking for all the world like bouncers at a roadhouse. Finally, one drawled "Y'all live here?" To which Ron replied, without missing a beat, "Yeah, but I'm only married to these three." Ron is my hero.
Apparently a gathering of people signifies an invitation to the public in Harveyville. The two visitors soon summoned more of their ilk, which drove us inside. We retired to the gym with our projects, where we talked and laughed and knitted until way into the early hours.
Saturday brought more knitting, along with an abundance of excellent eating, drinking, giggling and fun. It also saw us embark on a mission to Topeka, for booze and tortillas. Marissa and I accompanied Amber, who braved the roadkill-riddled roads to get us to our appointed task. Topeka is an unfortunate place to have to go, and we were glad to get back to the happy coccoon of the school. Nikol made the endeavor well worth it however, with the astoundingly yummy enchiladas she whipped up on our return. More eating, laughing and drinking ensued.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the silent star of the weekend, Nikol's ancient pup Herman. Miss Herman was the most lovely hostess, seeing to it that we always knew where the food was, helping to untangle yarn, and generally providing love to all. She also does the cutest doggie trick ever - the stealth dog french. When you least expect it, she'll slip you the tongue. I suspect this is born of interest in whatever you may have just eaten, rather than a desire to be intimate. Although I would not tolerate such tongue-related behavior from most, Herman was such a lovely charmer that it was entirely adorable.
The weekend continued in this sublime vein until we all departed on Monday. The conversation, food and general atmosphere was never short of sublime. My recap here certainly does not do justice to the fantastic time I had. It was just so good to meet and spend time with all of the lovely ladies who were in attendance, as well as the two fine gentlemen. I had wonderful conversations and full-on hysterics with everyone. It was wonderful to get to know most of the ladies, and to spend time with those I already knew. Again, I can't imagine a lovelier group of people to spend the weekend with.
Since returning, I've been floating along in a state of bliss rather unatural for me. I was so inspired by everyone. It was such an experience to be around people who are really living life, doing things outside of the mundane existence. While I suppose anything would become mundane if repeated enough, I found inspiration in being around people who are open to the fun and magic that life has to offer. And every person there was an example of this. From Nikol and Ron who ventured out of the ordinary and bought schools in Kansas to turn into an artist retreat, to everyone else, who were all willing to jump in the car or on a plane to be a part of this weekend - every single person was a reminder that there is lots of stuff to do in life, and the regretable thing would be to miss it.
So thank you Nikol, for having us and for being such a lovely hostess and for making me a fat and happy piglet, and thank you to Sarah, Jenn, KellySue, Carolyn, Amber, Jen, Rebecca, Adrian and Marissa, for being such wonderful companions. It was the best.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
In other news
Not much has happened in the past week worth updating. I finished one sock, but haven't had much time for any other craftiness. I've been really busy keeping up with my teaching assistant position. It's going really well, and I adore my classes. The students are really great for the most part, and even the so-far unspectacular ones are way better than most. So, although it's time consuming in the biggest way, it's going really well. Yea!
H starts his new job tomorrow - another yea! He had this past week off and made much of his time. But now it is time to rejoin the working world (lest I really start pushing the housework thing!). Not only will this job free him of the EVIL that was his former supervisor, he is also now free of having to be at work at 7am. He has to be there at 9am! After 5 years of rising at 5:45am, I am giddy with this development! I can only think that this is a harbinger of very good things at the new job.
The other biggest thing in my life right now is my upcoming trip to Kansas! Although this may not be something that most would get their panties in a twist about, I am over the moon! A friend has written a knitting patterns book, and a bunch of us are converging upon her converted school-home for a weekend of testing knitting patterns and general girly fun. It should be the best time... I absolutely can't wait!
H starts his new job tomorrow - another yea! He had this past week off and made much of his time. But now it is time to rejoin the working world (lest I really start pushing the housework thing!). Not only will this job free him of the EVIL that was his former supervisor, he is also now free of having to be at work at 7am. He has to be there at 9am! After 5 years of rising at 5:45am, I am giddy with this development! I can only think that this is a harbinger of very good things at the new job.
The other biggest thing in my life right now is my upcoming trip to Kansas! Although this may not be something that most would get their panties in a twist about, I am over the moon! A friend has written a knitting patterns book, and a bunch of us are converging upon her converted school-home for a weekend of testing knitting patterns and general girly fun. It should be the best time... I absolutely can't wait!
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Stash from the Fest
It's now been a week since I went to the Flock and Fiber fest in Oregon, and I have finally taken pictures of the treasures procured there.
This is a "mystery batt" of various fibers. It has very soft shading to it, and will be nice to mix in with other fiber, or make some very humble yarn with.
This is sheep wool, dyed a lovely red with steaks of greens and blues. I'm envisioning mittens, perhaps.
These two lovelies are merino/tencel blends. I couldn't resist the colors, and they feel wonderful.
This is some natural yak's wool. It is so much softer than you can imagine. I thought yak would be coarse, but it's very fluffy and soft. I only got a little bit to play with - I should have bought more!
And this is a cotton/hemp blend. I was interested in spinning some plant fibers, so I got just a wee bit to try out.
Though it doesn't look like much, this will keep me plenty busy! And though I certainly didn't NEED it, I came across some unbelievably soft baby camel fiber at Weaving Works today and just couldn't resist that either. So I got some to toss into the mix. Stay tuned for LOTS of forthcoming yarn!
In related news, I finished spinning the fiber that Sarah dyed and gave me. It came out so much nicer than my green crap. What a difference the original fiber makes! I will take pictures of that once I have washed it and made it all nice and bouncy.
This is a "mystery batt" of various fibers. It has very soft shading to it, and will be nice to mix in with other fiber, or make some very humble yarn with.
This is sheep wool, dyed a lovely red with steaks of greens and blues. I'm envisioning mittens, perhaps. 
These two lovelies are merino/tencel blends. I couldn't resist the colors, and they feel wonderful.
This is some natural yak's wool. It is so much softer than you can imagine. I thought yak would be coarse, but it's very fluffy and soft. I only got a little bit to play with - I should have bought more!
And this is a cotton/hemp blend. I was interested in spinning some plant fibers, so I got just a wee bit to try out.Though it doesn't look like much, this will keep me plenty busy! And though I certainly didn't NEED it, I came across some unbelievably soft baby camel fiber at Weaving Works today and just couldn't resist that either. So I got some to toss into the mix. Stay tuned for LOTS of forthcoming yarn!
In related news, I finished spinning the fiber that Sarah dyed and gave me. It came out so much nicer than my green crap. What a difference the original fiber makes! I will take pictures of that once I have washed it and made it all nice and bouncy.
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