How to drive someone crazy from 1100 miles away

27 October 2007

On hold.

The trouble with going on a vacation when you work in my restaurant is that firstly, I have to get all my shifts covered by my teammates (incurring favors owed), then I have to work as much as possible after I get back to make up for all the time I took off and money I spent, plus pay back the favors done for me. All this must be done without going into overtime, so there will be much clocking out early before doing my nightly sidework. So, my work schedule is going to be crazed for the next few weeks. I hope this doesn't trigger any one's abandonment issues; I may be gone a while.



BTW, what's nightly sidework, you ask? Well, someone has to clean up the mess after you eat, and it's usually your server. We do this for what amounts to half the minimum wage an hour, because if we don't have a table to wait on, we aren't earning any money. And if you sit there for two hours after you have paid your bill and chat with your pals, you are literally taking away my ability to earn money. It's not that I don't want you to have a good time,it's actually in my best interest that I show you a good time and I am happy to do this, it's that I am at work and I need to be working to make any money. Servers aren't servers for their health; it's a legitimate profession in which I earn my rent and food and yarn money. So, please, people, recognize that the person who brings you your lunch and dinner is a person with feelings and financial needs and respect the profession. I don't come to your job and waste your time (time really is money in this industry) and I am always happy to see you at my job, provided we conduct ourselves with a sense of mutual respect.



Can anyone tell I've had a rotten night at the table waiting?



Gotta go catch up on some knitting while I have a free minute. There was a nice haul from Rhinebeck which has totally destroyed any efforts I made to bust down the stash, and I need to make about three full sized sweaters, two hats, possibly some kind of hand warming device, and a sweater vest for my charming nephew, Emerson.

BTW, does anyone remember where I can donate yarn? I posted about it once, but I can't find the post.

22 October 2007

How did this happen?

I swear to you, I went to Rhinebeck. I swear it on my stash. And somehow, I find I did not take even one single picture. The irony of this is that Swan and I set up a photo scavenger hunt for ourselves and completely disregarded the game once we were there. Seriously. What happened? I'll tell you, it was the wool fumes.

The scavenger hunt was like so: I came up with a list of 25 things to photograph for the blogs we both maintain. We were not to tell our menfolk about it, since we were sort of plotting against them to get them to do things they wouldn't necessarily normally do. It was a secret between us, and such fun to plan. The list:

1. Either of the gents trying out a drop spindle, weaving loom, wheel, or other fiber art application not knitting. Poking himself on a drum carder counts.
2. Emerson in a basket of yarn.
3. The hottest guy in a flannel.
4. The line at the Fold.
5. At least two people we met last year (celebrities count, even Kinneared celebrities).
6. All the packages we procure lying in a giant pile.
7. Two or more men knitting together.
8. Three hand knit shawls being worn together.
9. All three of our men smiling at once.
10. Either significant other kissing a fiber bearing animal (she or I in a sweater does not count, nor does Em).
11. Any reference to knitted graffiti.
12. Me in hats (because I look so good in hats).
13. Her whole family, Yoshi and I together, and the five of us. Yep, that's a three-parter.
14. Adults baby talking to bunnies.
15. Her son in his hand knits. Hopefully a multiple-parter, as well.
16. Both men looking completely fed up at the same time. Actually, anyone's nervous breakdown will do, I think. This will probably happen when it's time to find the car.
17. Alpaca tongue.
18. Those deep-fried artichoke things from last year.
19. Dog yarn.
20. Anyone eating lamb or mutton with a live lamb or sheep in the shot.
21. Weirdest hand knitted item worn by a human (funny hats are not acceptable, but fanny packs will do).
22. She and I looking swell. I have no pictures of just us together looking really swell. Or knitting together.
23. Someone doing something to an animal that looks perverse.
24. Woodchucks. Psyche!
25. Either one of showing restraint. This one's a challenge.

Seriously, doesn't it sound fun? How did we totally disregard it? Some of the things are references to last year's trip, so if you don't get the funny, it's because you are not me or her, not because of anything you are lacking personally.

I brought Yoshi with me, and he did his best to be a good sport. Mostly, he was smart enough to carry a paperback in his pocket and to let me walk away from him without any guilty feelings. I don't expect him to get excited about this sort of thing, but he was nicely supportive and I hope he enjoyed what he could.

Swan also did something that disturbed me a little. She went onto Bloglines and showed me who subscribes to my blog. I was convinced it was just her, but apparently there are FIVE PEOPLE out there who are notified by email whenever I post, two of whom prefer to remain private. I had no idea my fan club totalled out at more than one, but I guess someone out there likes me enough to want that sort of thing. This only bothers me because I am really quite well-adjusted to being the anti-social and mostly-avoided one. So, yeah... You people are weird. I'm really an acquired taste and can be rather nasty. But hey, more power and all that, and give us a shout out in the comments (stop leaving Dee all alone in there). Hey, get really crazy and mess with my head by commenting anonymously. It's fun.

19 October 2007

overexcited

IntwentyminutesIamleavingthehousetogetonaplanetogoseeSwanandgotoRhinebeck. IhavehadahalfpotofcoffeetomyselfandIamnotdonedrinkingityet; Iamalittleoverexcitedtosaytheleast.

And breathe.

15 October 2007

So, that happened...

Had a birthday on the twelfth. Whoopee!

I am now 31. Oh, joy. It seems a bit insignificant. Thirty seemed like kind of a big deal, but also a bit too rounded. It was somehow weird to tell someone "I'm thirty". They'd be all no way and I'd be all yes way and it seemed almost surreal. Kind of like underage kids who don't think to tell someone they are a slightly more obscure age than 21. Now, I am slightly more obscure. Squee!

I ran out of yarn for Yoshi's sweater, and man alive, am I pissed. I had bought extra to begin with, and it looks like if I had followed the pattern properly, I'd need at least two more skeins. However,since I converted into the round (no yarn needed for seaming) and was going to try contrasting colored cuffs and neckline, I conserved in many places. And still, I need two more freaking skeins. Oh, well. At least Lamb's Pride is relatively cheap. Just have to worry about the dye lot. I only need to finish about a third of the second sleeve's intarsia, and then do about eight inches on each sleeve. In my next life, I will be in love with a much smaller man, I demand it. Giant feet, over six feet of height, big round heads and barrel chests are not attributes a knitter should look for in a man. Nor men who are naturally warm all the time, but that is not really Yoshi, so I don't care.

Rhinebeck in less than a week!

06 October 2007

Now this is freakin' CUTE!

No, this is not the super secret project, but it's pretty cute anyhow.



Yup. That's a baby sweater. Why, yes, that is a skull and crossbones on the baby sweater, thanks for noticing! Oh, the buttons? Here's a close-up:


Okay, it's a blurry close-up, but still... a close-up. Not long ago, Yoshi sort of volunteered me to make a gift for a friend of his at work, who is expecting his first son. Knowing Yoshi, if he likes someone enough to offer baby gifts (I know, baby plus gift plus Yoshi in the same sentence, i never thought I'd see that, either), they are probably pretty punk rock and very cool people (please realize that the term "punk rock" is one of the highest compliments I can give). Kid is due on Halloween, so really, he needs a skull and crossbones sweater to welcome him to the world, and remind everyone who sees him that he is a butt-kicking punk rock baby. I think Sid and Nancy would've been proud.

In other knitting, I have picked up Yoshi's gigantic sweater again in hopes of having time to finish it before we go to Rhinebeck. After two days, I am halfway down the first sleeve and feel pretty confident. He will be warm, dammit. I insist. Of course, the crazy thing weighs about ten or fifteen pounds, so he will probably lose some weight wearing it, but at least he'll be warm. Really, really warm.

05 October 2007

Aaaargh! Secrets!

I knitted the cutest thing I ever knit ever the other day. No, you can't see it. It's a secret. Why is it a secret? That's a secret, too. But I had to tell someone that it's the absolute cutest thing ever, and that I am frustrated that I can't blog it or show it or take pictures of it or any such thing. It's a secret. I can only give it to its intended recipient and keep quiet until the reason it is a secret reaches critical mass (quite possibly next year, ack!). Then, it's pictures all around. Aaaaaarrghhhh! I can hardly stands it!

Oh, baby, is Rhinebeck 2008 ever booked. I bought the plane tickets on Tuesday. This year, Yoshi is going with me to meet up with CygKnit (who is actually supposed to be my co-blogger, but you can't really tell...) and her whole family, so we can spend two days in the wilds of upstate New York looking at yarn. She is bringing her new son and husband, so it's a big gangling trip of craziness. For one, Yoshi is not really particularly interested in yarn or fiber in any real way. He knows that yarn keeps me happy and fiber keeps him regular and has no desire to know more. I am going to try to get him to use a drop spindle, among other things. For another, I don't think the five month old infant is much of a knitter or spinner yet. Also, Yoshi does not own a jacket and refuses to get one. I see him shiver in the fifty degree Florida winters in a damn t-shirt every year, and it pains me, but he rejects all attempts to warm him outright. I don't think he knows what he's in for. However, I am really looking forward to telling people I am from Florida and that I flew up for Rhinebeck. Along with the weird "There are knitters in Florida?" look, I also got a look that said "I respect your deep commitment to fiber arts." Which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't get a lot of props in my day-to-day life for being a committed knitter. I am also looking forward to seeing the way bunnies inspire every single person who approaches them into baby talk. Last year, this was the rule without exception. It was hilarious. And at 11:30 on Sunday morning, there is something called a Leaping Lama contest. What the hell is that?