Back to School

Spring break! The usual happened.

1) Mom fed me too much
2) I got nothing done
3) I didn't find a spring break buddy

Oh well!

I did do one useful thing. I unraveled seven project last Friday. I went through my progress bucket and frogged everything I was never going to touch again. That included nearly everything except two scarves and a pair of socks. One of the scarves were saved only because I put too many beads on it. You're safe for now, scarf!

I want to tear apart all the stuff I haven't finished and start all over again! Some projects stayed in the bucket for so long that I completely forgot about them, and when I saw them again, all I could think of was.. "damn!"

That said, I had a great bundle of fun unraveling, especially now that I have a ball winder.

I did finish some stuff! I went through a doily phase a month ago and made four miniature doilies. They're so cute. Joey's reaction upon seeing them was: "they're multiplying!" I believe I'm sucking the masculinity out of the apartment, but he does have the garage for all his tools. I think his tool stash is starting to catch up to my yarn stash. Just how many drills does a guy need?!

I need at least two, because then I can have a set of single-pointed needles.

Here's the stuff I finished! Warning, there's lots of pictures. Here they are, never in any particular order:









The two doilies with the teacups actually brings me to another issue. That table looks like crap. Joey and I bought it for ten dollars at the Goodwill. It's painted in two colors. The top of the table is what I assume the natural wood color, and the legs are a hideous pastel yellow. It's a bit ... meh, but I still love the table. It's the most sturdy thing ever, I suspect there's lead in it, but I could be wrong. I bought a lot of stuff at Home Depot the other day to redo the table. I bought a sander, varnish thinner, and new taints! I hope it all goes well. It'll be my post Scarf Exchange project.

I want to finish all my obligatory projects so I can start stuff for myself again! I just wound up some silvery yarn in order to make this! I'm so excited. I think I can finish it just in time for the New Year's party!

~~~

As far as schooling goes, I'll say.. meh!

~~~

Crossfit Richardson is starting something fun on April 1st. We're doing a Fifty Day Challenge to get ready for the summer. There's not much detail yet, but one of the things we will do to accumulate twenty five miles of running during the whole thing. This is definitely relevant to my interests because I've been having zombie nightmares lately again. I can't run very fast, but if I can outlast the slow ones, or at least run faster than the slowest survivor, I think I'll be OK.

Ah! It's good to have goals!

~~~

And finally! I loved my wedding cake so much that I want to put it up again! For some reason, it's been jumping out at me for the past couple days when I'm on my Facebook account. I must be going through another pink phase.



And and and! Lauren and Brad are getting married... yea!
And and and... we're going to Austin in a couple weeks!
And and and! Mel's going to Louisiana in the summer! Yea for excuses to go to LA! Let's eat at least 10 pounds of crawfish!

(Still) Suspended from Ravelry

When I discovered that Ravelry suspended my account on Saturday, I was pretty confused! I don't remember doing anything against the Term of Use. I investigated the best I could with only Google at my disposal. All that is mentioned were from people who were directly involved in the banning. Apparently the interaction between a group and the rest of Ravelry got out of hand and resulted in their accounts being banned. I'll refrain from commenting on that since I don't really know all the details from those events. I take my Internet facts with a grain of salt!

However, if that were the reason why so many people were banned, then why was I, Mel, and our friends banned also? I've never heard of the said group until yesterday. None of us are involved with any political groups on Ravelry nor do we post that much. Sooo... it has to be some kind of IP ban. But then I wonder, how did I get swept up? It must have been when I logged in from UTD, and someone associated with that group logged in at UTD? And that's where it started? I have no idea!

Oh well, no biggie I guess. I won't make a judgment until I get an official response from the team at Ravelry.


~~~ (Line breaks! Mel always has such ingenious ways to separate sections)

Crossfit was fun today! It was another Crossfit total day.

Back Squat: 155
Shoulder Press: 85
Deadlift: 155

28 more pounds and I can deadlift Joey! Ah goals, everyone should have at least one.

~~~

I started the Saoirse shawl with Linares yarn, the peach-apricot color. It's so fun to knit with even though it kind of splits a lot. Also when I get around to the last fifty yards or so, the little ball goes completely crazy and I end up with a big knot. Thankfully the ladies at Woolie Ewe helped me with that problem. I can't wait until I finish it! It's going to look great!

~~~

Yea for spring break!

November

Outline for this entry:

Introduction
I. School
- evidence
- evidence
- evidence
II. Knitting
- pictures
- evidence
III. CrossFit
- evidence
- Mel
Conclusion

It's that time of the semester again! It's the time when I regret goofing around all semester long, and now everything is going to snowball until the end of December. At the end of December I will breath a sigh of relief at finishing my papers, and when January comes around, I still won't learn my lesson.

I have a pretty good idea of my papers for my classes now.

For Thought in Early China:

I will investigate the portrayal of the sage-kings in both informal and philosophical writings in early China. The sources I will be using are the Legend of the Warring States and the writings from Mengzi, Mozi, and Hanfeizi. The paper will be divided into two parts where the first will examine the role of the sage-kings in folklore and flood myths. The second part will investigate the purpose of the sage-kings in early Chinese philosophy, especially in context with funeral rituals, filial piety, and governing.

For Nuclear Age: (I will still have to talk to Dr. Channell for a bit)

I hope to examine family structure and values during the Cold War era. Family dynamics often change in times of crises. I will investigate both the prescriptive form of the family dynamics through propaganda circulating during the time; for example, TV shows, magazines, and newspapers.

~~~

I have also been looking into PHD possibilities. For a long time I thought for sure I was going to do something with modern Chinese history, but could never focus it on something. The lack of knowledge was hindering me more than I thought. But with the classes I took, I managed to narrow down the scope. I really hope to do something with Chinese historiography. I am interested in history, but I love the study of the process more. As one of my classmates said, "there's only so much you can do with pure history." It's just a series of events after all. So it's my duty to connect it in a meaningful way without sounding like an encyclopedia.

I found some articles while researching about historiography during the Communist regime. It looks very promising! Once I turn in my papers, I'll have to investigate.

~~~

Now onto fun stuff! Despite being really busy, I still can't give up my knitting.




The top one I finished yesterday, and the bottom one is just an updated picture of an older doily. The top one did not turn out the exact way I wanted it to, so I may reblock it this week.

I am in crazy-doily making mode, especially the knitting kind. The site Yarn Over is my new best friend. I'm going to do every pattern on it!

~~~

Mel! I want to ask you...

Is there any way for me to go to one CrossFit session with you in Seattle? Please let me know if it can be worked out with your gym somehow.

John from CrossFit Richardson and I have been talking about this. I'm there to represent our humble little division, and I have to kick some kind of ass.

In conclusion, even though I'm terribly busy, I still like to play. Yea! A+!