iamsarah

Meme. iPod shuffling!

Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 12:48 a.m.

Yvette Tagged me!

1) Turn on your MP3 player. (2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode. (3) Write down the first 15 songs that come up--song title and artist--NO editing/cheating, please. (4) Choose some people to be tagged. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about your musical tastes, or at least a random sampling thereof.

1. Which Side Are You On? - The Dropkick Murphys

2.The Dundee Cat - Shanneyganock

3. The Imploding Voice - The Smashing Pumpkins

4. Harm of Will - Bjork

5. Space Oddity - David Bowie

6. Say it Ain't So - Weezer

7. The Workers Sing a Song of Mass Production - Matthew Good Band

8. This is the Best Day Ever - My Chemical Romance

9. California Sun - Rancid

10. Appels + Oranges - The Smashing Pumpkins

11. Clumsy - Our Lady Peace

12. Shame and Scandal (in the family) - Unknown Artist

13. Imagine - John Lennon

14. My Hotel Year - The Ataris

15. The Torch - The Dropkick Murphys

I am surprised that in 15 songs, no Wizard Rock came up, especially considering the huge amount I have!

anyways, I'm not tagging anyone, but if you read this, consider yourself tagged!

Happy Friday!

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Canada Day Spinning

Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 12:10 a.m.

Today was Canada Day. Really, to be honest, it just means a day off. I'm not very patriotic, I don't like fireworks, or crowds, and in fact just wish all the people would get out of my neighbourhood.

However, I do appreciate a chance to sleep in! Also, I got in a few great hours of spinning!

This is a roving braid from Dyed in the Wool Handmade. I seriously love spinning up her stuff - it's so easy to spin, it's like butter!

I split the braid in half, and spun half onto each bobbin. When I was finished (after Zoolander, half of Battlestar Galactica: Razor, and one episode of Blackpool) the singles looked like they came from two different braids:

I plied them together, and this is what I got:

150-ish yards of worsted-ish weight yarn. It's pretty!

I've decided to do the Tour de Fleece again this year, and my challenge is just to spin a little every day, as thin as I can. I'm aiming for a nice sock yarn.. we'll see.

Tomorrow I have off as well, and I'm so thrilled about it. Another day to sleep in!!!!!

Also, I need new books to read. The library isn't bringing in my holds fast enough. That, or new fanfiction. Most of mine is (sadly) stuck on my Mac. : (

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Niagara Falls!

Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 10:59 p.m.

Today mom and I went to the Falls. Since I'm "working" at the ROM, I get in free at lots of Ontario attractions, through the reciprocal program.

First, we went to the Skylon Tower.

It wasn't very busy, which was nice, though it was raining.

We also saw a lame-ass "4-D" movie, which was lame, and we were glad it was free.

Then, we went on the Whirlpool Aero car.

It was also really cool. We went over the whirlpool, and apparently crossed the Canadian-US border 4 times in the process.

Then, we attempted to go to the butterfly conservatory, but they told us that we could only use the pass Monday to Friday. So we walked around the botanical gardens. It was fun, but since it had stopped raining, I wished I had a better camera.

All in all, really fun day.

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RIP

Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 7:51 p.m.

My laptop died.

I tried to start it up on Wednesday night and nothing. Well, something, a little light, which I suspected was worse then nothing. (This was what happened last time my laptop died.)

So, off to the Apple Store genius bar on Thursday after work where the very nice guy confirmed that yes, it's the logic board. The fucking logic board, that costs a thousand dollars to replace.

i. am. so. screwed.

So, I walked out of the Apple store, barely keeping it together. My laptop is very very important to me. As a student/photographer/internet addict/ravelry addict/designer/technophile I use it all the time. And now I can't. I'm broke, I'm working at an unpaying job the majority of the time, and I can't afford a new laptop (or the part, but let's face it, a new one is a better deal) until September when my student loan money comes through.

So anyways, Cheryl and I walk to Pickle Barrel, where she treated me to dinner, in a quiet booth, where I started crying. The waiter came and took our order, pretending he didn't notice I was just crying, and then later, i realized that we were eating at almost the same time that news broke that Michael Jackson died. The waiter probably thought I was just a REALLY big Michael Jackson fan; crying over dinner at the news!

So yeah. No computer till Sept. It's going to be an even longer summer now!

I'm currently on Dave's, but he's very possessive of it, and I can't use it for long. Cheryl is going to lend me her 8 year old G4, but i don't know how well it'll work. We'll see.

boo. I suck.

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365, books, and such.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 10:53 p.m.

Not much going on here. I'm feeling sick, and should really go to the doc tomorrow, but I feel guilty calling in sick to my UNPAID job. WTF?

In other news, I've started Project 365 - in which I take a self portrait every day for a year. I'm on day 6. We'll see how this goes, but I think it would be cool, especially when I'm all the way in Rochester and everyone I love is here in TO.

Check out my 365 pics on my Flickr page - you can just click through from any photo.

Today I finished the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. it was a good book. I was smiling on the streetcar on my way home tonight reading the ending. This seems to be a theme with me: making an ass out of myself on public transit whilst reading.

Anyways, I do recommend it. it's a great book that really gives a sense of the time (post WWII, UK)

Also, please don't ask me about my knitting. it's not coming along so well. I realize I have deadlines, and I need to get going on them!

Going to bed now. I'm feeling poopy, and tired. I'll see how I feel in the morning, maybe i'll go to the doctor after all.

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Hey Look! I lost five pounds!!

Friday, June 19, 2009 at 9:56 p.m.

....of hair!

From this yesterday:

To This today!

It was a long process! First we had cut them short, since I wanted a short cut anyways. then we had to soak 'em, then I sat there, knit and watched movies (Mulan, 10 Things I hate About You) while cheryl yanked on my hair for three hours. She put deep conditioner in each one as she got to it, and then eventually I had hair again!

this is the halfway point.

It feels so weird. but I am very excited to wear hats again!!! I haven't had regular hair since i've been a "real" knitter!

Off to Ravelry now to look at hats to knit! I've got some sportweight bamboo, and I think a slouchy hat is in order!

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sneak peak...

at 12:44 a.m.

OMG.

more tomorrow!

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we're so cool it hurts.

Monday, June 15, 2009 at 11:02 p.m.

Cheryl and I are nerdy. This is not surprising to anyone who has known us for any length of time. Especially if you know both of us, and have witnessed the way that we speak to each other. It's half normal talk, and half references and inside jokes so obscure no one but us can understand it. (for example, I am sure that the image of a pizza slice does not send you into uncontrollable giggles when thought of alongside the new Star Trek movie.)

We have had some new highs of nerdiness however, and the other day we decided to pose with a few of them. This is Cheryl and I attempting to act badass.

Note the cliched graffiti background, and the way Cheryl's intimidating nature is brought out by her Starfleet insignia.

Same goes for me, except with a much more awkward pose. There is a reason I'm a photographer, I'm hella-awkward in front of the camera. For this reason i'm thinking of starting a 365. But I'm most definitely scary and intimidating as a member of the Colonial fleet.

Not much else is new. I finished re-housing all the photographs at the ROM:

and am now scanning glass slides.

I'm working on the neverending black raglan birthday sweater of doom for my father.

I just finished reading Deathly Hallows (sob)

and I am about to start reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society on the recommendation of several people.

Also, Dave has been working at Nestle, and I swear, if he brings home any more chocolate bars I'm going to kill him.

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One year.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 10:28 p.m.

One year ago today, our beautiful, amazing kitties, River and Gabby started living with us.

River and Gabby are sisters, who have had a number of close shaves in their lives that they are blissfully unaware of.

They were found, abandoned at two weeks old, too young to really remember I'm guessing. The woman who found them brought them in, took them to the vet, and took care of them for eight months. They were spayed, had all their shots, and as far as I know were taken good care of.

Then, their owners decided to get rid of them. They placed an ad on Craigslist, which admittedly, let them bypass the shelter, but since they were given away for free, they could have ended up with anyone. (crazy medical testing, for instance) I happened to be trolling Craigslist obsessively at the time, looking for some kitties to take home. Their old owners cited allergies as the reason for getting rid of them. I believed them, because they seemed like nice people. We took them home, changed their names (really? Molson? Phoebe? who names a cat after a corporation?) and in less then a week they were completely comfortable with us. I later checked the Facebook page of one of the people who had given them to us (I was looking for photos of them as kittens) and it turns out that the day after they adopted out the kitties, they got a puppy. Looks like they weren't allergic after all, they just wanted to "upgrade"

I named River (after River Tam from Firefly) and Dave named Gabby (after some character from Xena?) and then they chose their favourites themselves. River is Daves kitty, for sure. She climbs all over him, meows at him in the morning, and wraps her paws around his leg when he's standing up. She hardly ever comes near me. Gabby on the other hand, follows me around the house. When I get home, if I don't sit down and pet her for at least five minutes, she gets upset. She waits until I'm awake in the morning, and climbs up onto my chest, purring.

They were really lucky. They have passed through unfortunate circumstances without really noticing. We will never abandon them. They are our kitties, and we love them to little tiny pieces.

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No Pressure

Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 12:33 a.m.

I have just realized that both my Dad's and my cousin's birthdays are a month away, and I've got to do projects for both of them. (shit)

My Dad is turning fifty, and I'm making him a sweater. I really need to get my ass in gear for that one.

Grace (my cousin) is turning two, and so the sweater for her (FBS) will be much quicker in comparison. Also, more portable. That will be my new streetcar project.

In other news.... um. ROM is fine. I finished the Time Travelers wife. It's very good. Go read it. Just don't read the end on the streetcar like I did. Or, if you do, bring kleenex. Am now re-reading half-blood prince because I'm too poor to buy a new book, and too lazy to get one from the library. Oops.

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more handspun!

Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 10:58 p.m.

This yarn was spun up using two FA Merino Sliver roving braids - one yellow, and one green. I spun each up and then plied them together. I like the look, but am not crazy about the colour.

I am finding more time to spin now that school is over, yay!

In other news, I finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It started out pretty slow, and then the middle was pretty good, then it ended equally slow. In some parts, they didn't think of ways to make it interesting, and just copied the original dialog, adding in mentions of zombies every once and awhile. A good read though, especially if you're a fan of the original, and have a sense of humour.

I am now reading The Time Travelers Wife, as recommended by my sister. It's good so far. I need more book recommendation though, people! otherwise, I fall into the reading fan-fiction trap, as it's too easy.

Tomorrow is my last day off until, possibly, August. I am going to the Photographica Fair!

I plan to buy many, many old photographs, and hopefully a new flash.

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Quickie

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 11:22 p.m.

I was going to take a photo of my recent spinning, but I turned on my camera, and realized the battery was dead, and I am tired, and don't want to bother dealing with it, so spinning photos later - maybe tomorrow!

Today was day two at the ROM. I am enjoying myself. The work i'm doing is really interesting, as is the collection I'm working on, and the people are very nice. Yesterday i was inventorying the collection and it's current housing, and noting what could be improved in terms of housing it better for long term preservation. I'm waiting to hear back from the conservationist about some of the housing used - to see if it's archival, and then I will re-house what needs to be.

Today I begun scanning the collection. I did about 1/3 of it. After it's scanned, it will be able to be searched more successfully. I'm going to number each print and it's location so that they can be tracked, and if someone is doing research, it can be found easier.

This may sound boring to some of you, but this is what I go to school for. To me it's really fascinating, and it's great to be putting what I learned to practice, and also it's fun!

However, the getting up at 7 am thing is hell. Also the going to bed at midnight thing is equally annoying. How do people get things done on these hours? You know, personal things: knitting, writing, spinning? it's annoying.

Oh, and also, after this weekend, I will be working SEVEN days a week, either at the Sheep or the ROM. No more free time for me. ever. I'm already dreading it. It's tough, but when you work an unpaid internship four days a week, you gotta pay the rent somehow.

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a FO and thoughts

Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 10:05 p.m.

Hey look! another Tomten jacket!

This one took forever to knit, for a variety of reasons:

-I only knit it at work (it's a store sample)

-I knit it during the end of term hell

-it's plain garter stitch. easy but boring!

But, it's finished now, and it looks beautiful. it's so soft too, which surprises me, as I'm not usually a fan of cotton.

Yarn: Estelle Cloud Cotton 5 balls (three MC, one of each of the others)

I spun this yarn up ages ago, but never blogged it. it's a light worsted, and it's been so long, I forget how many yards. There's lots though. It's Dyed in the Wool Handmade roving, which I bought back in September and spun up. It needs to be something. I'm thinking maybe mitered handwarmers, or part of a scarf.

Next up: I'm thinking of jumping on the Whisper Cardigan bandwagon. Because I don't quite have enough mindless projects on the go, right? This is the yarn I have in my stash that would work:

I think it might be too variegated. Thoughts?

I can't really justify shelling out any money for another ball for it (say, of the Tanis laceweight we just got in at the Sheep!) because I'm painfully broke this summer due to working for free, and paying tuition, and all the money I have left has to go to things like rent, and food. So, if this yarn won't work for it, I'll just have to do it another time!

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Last week of freedom : (

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at 4:31 p.m.

I start my internship on Monday at the Royal Ontario Museum - in the Chinese culture section. I will be working with 19th century Chinese photographs for June - scanning, and re-housing them, then in July I will be working with a collection of Indian photographs - cataloging and researching the photographers. I am looking forward to it, but it does mean that my staying up all night, knitting and watching Battlestar Galactica, and sleeping all day will have to come to an end.
I'm only six episodes away from the end of BSG anyways!

Gabby, the classiest kitty around, is having a rough month. First, she cut up her toenail, and it was bleeding, and raw, and I had to wash it out with salt water every night. Then, lately, she's been losing her winter coat, i guess, and that combined with her eating fleece whenever I turn my back on here whilst spinning means that she's been coughing up hairballs all over the house, most notably, on the loveseat. grr.

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Long weekend

at 12:29 a.m.

Every weekend lately has been a long weekend for me! No school, my internship hasn't started yet, and only working at the Sheep 2 or three days a week means I've got a lotta free time on my hands!

What have I been doing? That's a good question actually, as I don't have much to show for it!

On the knitting front, I'm working on a fair-isle sweater that is not photo-worthy, as I'm only working on the body, and 250+ stitches of stockinette in the round isn't that interesting to knit or photograph.

I'm also working on an Ishbel, in Koigu, and am afraid that i'm going to run out of yarn. And... the infamous Dr. Who scarf is about 7+ feet long... getting there!

I have been sleeping in - one of my favourite things to do ever, which I never get enough time to do. I could seriously sleep all day and be perfectly happy!

I've finished reading three of the vampire books that True Blood is based off of, and while they don't suck entirely, they are pretty trashy reading. Tonight, i am starting to read this:

I will let you know how it is!

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Meme. iPod shuffling!

Canada Day Spinning

Niagara Falls!

RIP

365, books, and such.

Hey Look! I lost five pounds!!

sneak peak...

we're so cool it hurts.

One year.

No Pressure

more handspun!

Quickie

a FO and thoughts

Last week of freedom : (

Long weekend

Tweets!

Tweets!

ravelry!

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