Red Yarn Strikes Again

Remember this? Or this?
I've written about this red yarn before... it's been a lot of different things, and none have made me happy. Today it took on another identity:

It's not a super picture of it because I had to catch David and make him take it right before he fell asleep for a nap. I'm so proud of myself because a-I started this hat last night and finished it today and b-I actually used a pattern from one of the magazines I recently bought. So now I think I deserve another one!
The hat is from KnitSimple magazine, it's not perfect, but it's mine and I'm happy with it.

Knit 1, Putt 2. Or: Putt, Putt, Pout.

David thought it would be "fun" to go golfing together. As if that doesn't sound bad enough, he entered us in a tournament. Um, sure, I went to golf lessons before and I was the best in the class. Well, maybe I wasn't the best in the class, but I was the teacher's favorite... that could've been because I was the best, or it could have been because I knitted him a golf club cover. With a pom pom on top! I guess I don't have pictures on this computer, so you'll just have to take my word for it that it is absolutely FABULOUS! Anyway, I am better with pointy metal sticks than I am with big long ones. So a golf tournament did not have me very excited.
I hate the feeling of people behind me waiting for me to hit the ball into that dumb little cup. I really hate not being good at something, and having witnesses there to see it too. I can't stand the pressure, and then that just makes it worse. Same thing happens to me in bowling, that's why it is possible (and dare I say, probable) for me to bowl anywhere between a 22 and a 35. Sure, I had a few decent hits, but I have no muscle memory and can't replicate the good that I did. That's why my first hole I was excited to get it in with only 4 or 5 hits (on a par 3) and the second hole took me 7. I stopped counting on the third hole after 7 and ended up kicking my ball into the hole. I didn't touch a club for the rest of the evening after that. I just carried my dumb little glowing ball (it was an unlit night tournament and I have to admit the glowstick stuff did look a little bit cool...but not enough to make me uncrabby) for the next 4 holes. Almost every one of my first graders can tell you that 3 holes plus 4 holes does not equal 9 holes. That's because it equals 7 holes. By the time we reached the seventh hole (which was actually the first hole of the course, but we were assigned to start at the 3rd) I found a bench that was fairly well lit by the clubhouse lights and pulled out my knitting project. I let my team handle the last 2 themselves.
I know what you're thinking, "that's not being a good sport!" But if you had been there, against your will, doing something you're not good at, in the freezing (okay maybe 70 degrees, but it was dark and there were heavy winds...that calls for a parka or at least a cardigan!) cold, with David (who is not as enjoyable when he's golfing as he is during other normal interaction), his little buddy, the buddy's 18 year old girlfriend (who decided to take part in the costume contest portion of the evening as a scantily clad Alice in Wonderland), and her mother (who was making weird comments about the daughter's boyfriend's butt), AND missing Survivor, you'd have been a poor sport too.

Good news...Bad news

The good news is, I'm finally updating my blog.
The bad news is, I really don't have anything to talk about.

Good news: we decided to buy a massage chair!
Bad news: the only one they had at the furniture store was broken.

Good news: there's only 1611 people in front of me in the Ravelry line!
Bad news: the line hasn't moved an "inch" since Friday at 7:42 p.m.

Good news: I finished a knitting project (well, half a knitting project)
Bad news: I got new, better-for-this-project yarn and had to start over.
Good news: I'm almost halfway finished with the project again!

Good news: My new cleaning/internet time management project is still in place and is somewhat effective.
Bad news: I still possess an inherent ability to make messes faster than I can clean them, sometimes without even being conscious of the fact that I'm making one.

Good news: I timed my every-other-monthly empty light turn-on perfectly... it came on while David was driving my car yesterday!
Bad news: He didn't take the bait and now I'll have to pump gas myself.

Good news: There's Christmas presents for me, in this house, and I know exactly where they are!
Bad news: They're in a closet that seemed to be where the cockroaches would go hiding in last spring and I'm too scared to open it.

Okay...that's all for now. (Bad news: I need to leave for work. Double-bad news: It's MONDAY!)

2 birds...1 stone

I have 2 problems. Well, I'm sure I have more than 2 problems, but I have 2 problems that I am willing to admit and willing to work on.
My first problem is that I do not like to clean. I know that most people do not particularly like to clean, but they do it anyway. I do not like to clean, and I guess my life philosophy has been "if you don't like it, don't do it". And you know what? Being a messy person doesn't even bother me. I don't mind turning around and looking at the tower of scrapbook supplies built on my scrap table. In fact, I kind of enjoy the challenge of trying to remove the item I want to use from the bottom third of the pile. (Remember, I am not much of a risk taker...so this kind of risk is perfect for me; I get my little "rush" and if I fail, the stuff falls on the floor, oh well!) It doesn't bother me too much to go through the pile of clothes on and in front of my dresser and smell something so I can decide if it was supposed to go in the laundry basket or in the closet.
But then there's David. I am Oscar to his Felix...only we are not quite as hilarious. And I think I'm a little bit prettier than Walter Matthau. So, even though I am content with my "problem" it presents a problem.

My other problem... (and if you're reading this blog, this may very well be your problem too!) is that I spend way too much time on the internet. But I recognize that, and I think that's the first step in dealing with the problem. There's just so much interesting stuff to look at! There's my e-mail (okay, not usually so interesting), ScrapVillage, knitting patterns, recipes, crossword puzzles, news articles, song lyrics, funny youtube videos, etc. And, once I get in Ravelry...oh boy. That will be a real time-sucker.

So, how do I propose to minimize these problems? I thought of this idea, and for 2 days, it has worked. In the afternoon when I come home from school, I must do one chore...fold laundry, put away laundry, file papers, clean off the living room tables, vacuum, put away dishes, etc. BEFORE I can allow myself to go on the internet. If I just left it at that, it would improve one of my problems. I'd be doing a chore every day! But no... I want to spend less time on the internet as well... so when I am on the computer after doing my chore, I'm only allowed to visit...hold onto your socks... ONE website! Then, if I want to go to another one, I have to go do another chore. So far, I've washed dishes, folded laundry, put away laundry, put away dishes, hung up a pile of clothes that was in front of my closet (and clothes that had fallen off their hangers into the closet), cleaned off the living room tables, cleaned off the living room chairs and couch (I told you I'm messy!) So, I'm doing more chores, so I can spend time on the computer, but I also reach a point where the lack of desire to clean something overcomes the desire to surf the 'net.
But don't worry...I've decided that my new lifestyle doesn't apply on weekends. Or mornings. Or holidays.