shock

I was going to tell you all about spending the day in the Graduate Lounge and what we did in class today. After all, it is not everyday that I turn a sock heel.



but, I just got off the phone with KMB who had the best piece of gossip and I'm still not quite over it. There are many details but the sum of it is: a chit neither of us cared very much for finally got caught up on the bad karma coming her way. Or as the Germans say, I am enjoying Schadenfreude.

enjoy your evening. I am.

better understanding

of the courses I'm taking this Fall. Each of the following points has its own class.

1. What is information?
2. Where does it go?
3. How can I get it?

oh yea, this is going to be fun. The entire faulty here works really hard to make sure each class, no matter the prof, gets the same information. Pretty smart, actually.

my work study at the Med Library will be tons of fun, once I know what I'm actually doing. 1st day today and there is alot to learn. Who gets what and what to charge them. How the databases and computer programs work. Where to park. I feel like the world's biggest scatter brain. Luckily, I'm not the only one in the office with this problem. It will make sense...someday.

meanwhile, I passed both my TB tests. This is good to know, for a moment there I was so worried...not.

tons of homework, another day of learning tomorrow, and several people I need to email. However, I have been up since 4 this morning (no clue why, I just was wide awake). I'll deal with the world in the morning. Better take a sleeping pill before bed, just in case my brain wants to pull that trick again.

still here

...just feeling really low today. As in, wanting to scream at Puppy over nothing. Everything seems to be wrong even when it's not. Caffeine migraine. Want to cry. Yeah, that low.

Thursday's class was cool. Friday went well, all set to start the work study tomorrow.

lots of stuff OTN. No pictures, haven't felt like it. Hope to feel better in the morning. Think I'll go shower so I can watch movies and knit.

bus 'n knits

I rode the bus today for the first time that was not for a school trip. What can I say, public transport just hasn't been a realistic mode of transport up until now. Not sure how everything works. But, I do have a semester-long pass. It stands to reason, then, that eventually I will figure it out.

in other news, I found a Josh Groban video on YouTube. Yes, he has quite a few on there; however, this one differs from the ones on my iShuffle in that I do not have it yet. This is just one of those songs that even without knowing the words or seeing a video, you just know what the singer is saying/feeling/all that other stuff. I may have told you this before, but StepSister no. 2 does not understand how I (or anyone for that matter) can like a song in a different language. But there are times when understanding the lyrics is simply not needed.

in any case, here are some knitting pictures:

to make-up

...for yesterday's long, rambling post here are some photos of Puppy, a flower, and my visible stash (the rest of which is saving itself for Flash Your Stash Day).

yea!

I survived orientation without being bored to tears. Eye-rolling was involved many, many times. But no tears.

my new Master's Program (School of Information Sciences) has its own orientation for incoming students that is mandatory attendance despite campus or distance education status. We were shown where to get our passwords changed, how to work BlackBoard, and what services are at our disposal. Most of it I had already figured out, either through a previous class (BlackBoard) or just surfing the website (password change and Inter-Library Loan).

today was much better than yesterday, except when it came to lunch. Two panels were presenting, one of our peers and the other librarians in a certain field. The latter was a lot of information to digest all at once. I now know for certain that Public Library and School Library are not for me (yeah and standing ovation to those in these areas). I liked what the Archive Librarian talked about, it would be very cool to be a part of that. And while the Special Librarian was focused in an area that does not thrill me, I like the general concept of it. Looks like I might be blending the two. My work study in a Medical Library will help me make that choice.

I am currently sewing the sleeves of a pullover (pictures of the FO tomorrow when it is done). I also threw a scarf OTN for orientation, no use messing up a WIP just because I had to listen. My Profs now know me by my knitting and all are cool with me knitting in their classes. Good, I might not have to use the letter my Shrink wrote up.

also happening this past week: I bought a bus pass that is good for a semester and have started reading my text books already. Thus far, it is way better than the previous prep I've put into my classes. Backing up for a moment, all the buses are back to normal schedule starting Monday. After I make a few calls that morning, I plan on riding the buses around town to see exactly where they take me. (Hoping against everything that one will take me to Yarn Haven.)

speaking of LYSes (you should have seen this coming). I have now been to all the major ones in the area. IMO (and high standers) they are as followed.

Loopville: amazing yarn (Shetland anyone?) but not a strong Sit 'n Knit following due to its location (surrounded by restaurants and limited parking). They have toys to occupy small children and husbands while one shops. And apparently their new location is larger with elbow room to spare.

The Knitting Nest: hard to find, but really cool atmosphere. New yarn coming in (they recently moved and wanted to be settled in before new shipments came. Lots of "exotic" fibers, even a wool/yak blend 50/50. Also, they have a balcony you can knit on with a non-city view.

The Yarn Haven: again, I love the atmosphere. They have sofas and chairs in front of a huge TV, all on a rug, giving it a living room feeling. Interestingly, they sort their fiber by weight and have a large 25% off bin that could get me in trouble fast.

except for Loopville, I do not recall seeing any Rowan fiber (and even that was scarce). Seems like Cascade and Plymouth are their staples. What a strange place I have come upon.

I bought books today. Grand total: less than $300. I was excited since this is a Science program and science books are usually $100-150 by the time one adds the workbook. The girl at the cashier's desk thought I was being sarcastic. Obviously, she's an undergraduate whose books are usually $200 total.

deadlines

and they all start Wednesday.

in no particular order: send StepSister1 birthday gift, finish pullover, write postcards, fill out paperwork so I can work, orientation (for my program), buy bus pass, get books.

it may not look like much, but in my head it is. I'm excited about the Student Work, it will be lots of fun. And orientation will be nice, if only to see who else is in the program. The biggest worry I have is the pullover. I'm on sleeve two, but I was hoping to be done long before now. Wanna see a picture?



I did a quick bind-off to free up the needles. Obviously, I have to go back and do it properly.

also on my camera was one last picture of Cable, whom I hear is adjusting well. She is doing a wonderful job monitoring and managing the family's lives. Good, someone has to keep everyone else on task. Puppy has her hands full with me.

bad moment in life

so there I was unpacking the yarn and organizing it by fiber, when I realized I needed to check out one of my yarns on Ravelry. I knew it had a greater purpose, that I had seen it knitted up and fell instantly in love, but looking at it in the skein was doing nothing for me. When my homepage came up, I saw the news that Russia and Georgia were fighting.

I just went cold. Not for a single moment did I think the press was talking about the North American state of Georgia (which could have happened). Instead I remembered my elementary geography, and how I would check to see if the maps showed the U.S.S.R. or Russia and the smaller Slavic countries, East/West Germany, and the Czech Republic. I was always interested in how the maps changed and what that change meant. Stars, I played U.N. with my non-Barbie dolls. So, I nearly had a panic attack when the news sunk in and I realized the larger implications of these actions.

needless to say, I turned off my computer and got out of the apartment (my shrink would be happy). I ended up at a LYS (the peanut gallery may now roll its eyes) and bought some necessities (tape measure and needles). Puppy must have been worried, because she jumped around and did her happy dance when I walked back into the apartment. We went for a long walk.

Puppy really helps me feel better. I am so glad she is here, even if she gave up a nice backyard, grandparents, sisters, cats, and chasing squirrels. I think she is happy here too.

finally

I have a new timezone that has upset my internal clock.

everything is almost unpacked. Unpacking would go alot quicker if I could ever stop reading books I've rediscovered.

Puppy is very happy, in fact, she is wearing me out on our walks.

my internet is working (let's not get into that story).

I have a student job at the Reference Desk at the Med Library, or will after all the paperwork is done.

driving around this new town only gets me lost, upset, and on the verge of cussing. So today I am buying a bus pass. Both a Kroger and yarn shop are on the route and seriously, what else do I need?

that's been my life in the fast lane. Hopefully I can find my camera soon and take pictures of knitting, Puppy, and whatever else inspires me.