More Objets Réalisés

Ok so here are a couple of items that I managed to finish over the last few weeks. I am so slow with taking pictures and posting stuff here, I know.

First off, is a funky winter hat for Todd, if he'll wear it, that is. This yarn---Oh. My. Dog. Ok. While in Vermont on vacation this year, (Which, again, I realize I have not posted about. I suck at life.) Marsha did some research and found a couple of locations to get some local yarn. One "place" was the home and workshop of Joanne Littler, called the Pine Ledge Fiber Studio. Joanne spins some truly beautiful and unique yarns there, as well as weaves some of the most incredible fabric textiles I've ever seen. Marsha, Katie, Beth, and I all piled into her home workshop and immediately began panting at the sight of the yarn. Gorgeous, to be sure, but also with price-tags well out of our range.

However, Joanne was offering some off-cuts of yarn and remainders of such for fair prices. And she even gave us a further discount if we bought out a particular yarn's last quantities. Aside from being a true artisan, Joanne is a really, really lovely person. So we picked through the remnants and each ended up with some little treasures. I got the orange-ish yarn, seen in the hat below, which is a merino/tencel blend. And some 100% merino yarn in a rose/mauve marled color to make a hat for me. This super-bulky yarn is just superb. great to work with and, of course, knits up super-quick. I can't say enough about it.

So anyway, I started knitting the hat and realized that I was going to run out of yarn. Marsha had some slate blue colored wool yarn leftover from a hat she made for her husband. It just so happens that the blue yarn had flecks of gray and this coppery-orange color in it! So Marsha let me use it to make a wide stripe in the middle. I think it looks great! Todd looks really good in orange, even if he doesn't think so. Joanne gave us the pattern for the hat below, too.




Next is a hat I made for Wesley, my sister-in-law. We don't have the opportunity to see Wesley very often because she lives in Urbana, Illinois. So we're limited to holidays, at best. We were fortunate enough to get together with her (and the rest of Todd's family) in New York this Christmas past. She knows I'm a knitter---in fact, I knit her a scarf a few years ago. So she said, "You know what I want? Can you make me just a plain knitted hat, but with cat ears on it?" And I said, "Sure, I think I can!"

Well about 9 months later, I actually got around to trying to knit something for her. Every pattern I looked for seems way more complicated than a simple hat with ears needs to be, in my opinion. So I made up my own, which I will post here, eventually.

It's basically just worsted-weight yarn on size 7 needles. I made a 1 inch or so band of ribbing, then just stockinette all the rest of the way up. Decreased until I had a few stitches left and drew them together. Then I picked up and knit in the 2 spots where the ears are. I think it came out pretty well. And I really think that she is going to like it...that is when I get my lazy ass over to the post office to send it to her....

This was using 1 skein of Elann's Highland Wool. Great economical yarn.

Topic Of The Week #3

TOPIC OF THE WEEK

Autumn has now officially begun here in the States!! What is your favorite thing about Autumn/Fall? Why?

Well, I've always liked autumn. It's my favorite time of year, I think. There are many reasons why. For one thing, I like sweaters. But not coats. If I could live out the remainder of my days in 55-degree weather, wearing a sweater, I'd die happy. Coats are way too bulky and I overheat in them. Also, I like to be able to enjoy the air that I breathe outside. Summer air is suffocating. Winter air rips the skin off your face. And Spring air... is a mattress....LOL, joke. Spring air is too moist. I find that I get a lot of respiratory infections in the Spring because of all that moist air. And who wants that?

Aside from Halloween, of which I have never really been fond, I actually like the month of October best of all the autumn months. I grew up in the city of Philadelphia, so we didn't have that many trees around. But I do have fond memories of rides in the car, windows down, looking at all the trees along I-95 or the Schuylkill (I-76) and their amazing colors. I also love me a good apple. And October seems to be the month of awesome apples! Seriously! J'ever eat a McIntosh apple in, say, June? Meh. Eat one in October and WOW! What a difference. And I was once a huge baseball fan (Atlanta Braves), and you know how important October is to baseball....

Also, I find autumn to be a time of renewal for me. I mentioned this on my questionnaire, too. It is probably closely linked to the fact that the start of the academic year is in the fall. And I seem to have spent most of my life as a student or working in academia. Kinda odd, when you think about it.... But as a kid, I loved the start of the school year! I was the kid that was drooling up the stationery aisle at the K-Mart. Yeah. When we finally got a Staples in Philadelphia, I was about 12. You'd think that it was Disney World, the way I reacted. And I am still a sucker for a great pen! But anyway, lots of fond memories of autumn make it my favorite time of year.

Day One: The Insanity Begins

Today marks the first day of classes at the university where I work.

Sigh.

Is it me, or does everyone go rat-shit insane just in time for the first day of classes? You'd think it was a full moon or a lunar eclipse or something.








Consider the following, please:


Exhibit A: Commute to work
Todd and I arose bright and early---well, maybe just early---today in order to get out and on the road early enough so that I would actually be on-time for once. Technically, my work day starts at 8:00am. I know, that SUCKETH. But I don't usually wander in until 8:30ish. Since I am salaried, not hourly, this isn't really a huge deal. But because today is the first day of classes, I really wanted to get here on time. I almost never take a real lunch hour anyway. Rather, I sit at my desk and cram pretzels down my throat while students wander about. To continue, we left the house at 7:27 am. It takes about 30 minutes to get from our driveway to my drop-off point at work. I was most pleased...for about 10 minutes. I'm not sure what happened, but suddenly we were stuck in the middle of I-95, barely moving. No exit in sight to take an alternate route. We turn on the radio and learn that there had just been a "multi-car accident" up ahead. Seven miles ahead. Yeah. So much for getting in on-time. I actually didn't end up walking in the door until 8:50 am. Swell.


Exhibit B: Student Iman Idiot
9:14 am
RING...RING
Me: This is Gina Waters
Iman Idiot: Um, hello? HELLO?
Me: Hello, this is Gina Waters
Iman Idiot: Oh, uh, yes, this is Iman Idiot. I met with you a few weeks ago and you helped me arrange my schedule of classes for the term?
Me: Yes?
Iman Idiot: OK, well, I don't have computer access and I can't get my schedule. I know I have 2 classes today, but I don't know where they are located.
Me: Ok, which classes are they?
Iman Idiot: I don't know. Can you look up my schedule for me? I know they are both in your department.
Me: Sure, what's your ID number?
Iman Idiot: I don't know.
Me: ...How about your social-security number?
Iman Idiot: Oh, ok it's XXXXXXXXX. My last name is I.D.I.O.T.
Me: Got it. Ok. You are scheduled for Yadda-Yadda at 10:00 in BLDG Q, Room 202. And at 12:00 you have Badda-Bing in Crap-ass Hall, 343.
Iman Idiot: ...Ok so, 202 in where?
Me: BLDG Q. And at 12:00 you are in Crap-ass 343.
Iman Idiot: I'm writing this down, BLDG Q, Room 202. And Crap-ass---what was it?
Me: 343.
Iman Idiot: Crap-ass 314.
Me: No. Crap-ass 343. Three. Four. Three.
Iman Idiot: Ok. 343. Thanks. So it's BLDG Q, Room 202 at 10 and Crap-ass 343 at 12?
Me: Yes, that's right.

And then my brain exploded.


Exhibit C: Department Head(case)
9:55 am
DH: Do you know the location for a CRSE 685? Whatshername from the Provost's Office just called me and said there are students wandering all over the place, in and out of their offices looking for the class.
Me: We offer no such class. We are offering a section of CRSE 285, meeting at 10:00---I assume this is the course they mean--- in the same building as the Provost's Office, MAIN 328B. It's the Honors section. [I snort under my breath]
DH: Oh? The Honors section? Distressing. Well can you call the Provost's Office and tell them that it's in MAIN 328B?
Me: ...Uh...I...
DH: I'll call.
Me: Why did they even call over here? We don't assign rooms for courses. And the office that does IS AROUND THE HALLWAY FROM THEM.
DH: I don't know. But they did, so we should tell them.
Me: And how many students were there "wandering" all over the place? The class only has 13 enrolled.
DH: [shrugs].

Now I have a migraine. I know exactly what happened. ONE dumb-ass student walked into their office looking for the room and they got their panties all twisted over it. GOD FORBID the Provost's Office has to, you know, HELP A STUDENT. JEEZ.


Exhibit D: Professor Mustbee A. Douchebag
10:16 am
Prof. Douchebag: Hey, did I get a package on Friday?
Me: No, I don't think so. Did you check your mailbox?
Prof. Douchebag: [Ignoring my question] Is there any way that you can call someone to see if it's on campus somewhere?
Me: ...Er...is it a big package? Like would it be coming through central receiving?
Prof. Douchebag: No. Well, I don't know. It's software for my computer, it should be about this big [gestures].
Me: Hmmm...well I doubt it's coming from central receiving. I can try to call someone in the mail room to see if it's there, but it's harder for them to keep track of small packages.
Prof. Douchebag: The place I ordered it from said they shipped it out on Thursday.
Me: ...Thursday? The Thursday that just passed? Well, this is only Monday, so...let's give it another day and if it doesn't show up, I'll see if I can track it down.
Prof. Douchebag: Oh...ok. [Not happy]

Professor leaves my office and goes to the receptionist, who hands over a package and says, "This just came for you." Professor yells out at me from the reception desk, "Oh never mind, here it is!"

Ok. First of all? Since you ordered software for it, I am assuming you know that there is a magical, wondrous device called a "computer." And since this package you ordered was shipped to you via UPS, it has something called a tracking number on it. This number allows you to use said computer to connect to the Internet and check the progress of your package from the shipper to you. No, seriously! It's AMAZING! AND---here's the really good part---you don't even have to know what that tracking number is! You just log into your fucking e-mail and click on the link in the software company's e-mail to you. You remember? The one in which they TOLD YOU that they shipped you the package? Yeah, that one. And it will take you right to that glorious tracking information page on the Internet. See? Isn't technology grand?

Second of all: Dude. Thursday? It's Monday at 10:00. COME ON. We're closed on the weekend and UPS doesn't even deliver on weekends.


Exhibit E: Student Dummerthana Bag O'Hammers
11:57am
This is an actual email from a student who is attempting to double major in one of our departmental majors AND Education. EDUCATION. To wit:

Gina,
I have spoken to Youhoo in ed. and to Soandso in the student service office and have
also got the signeture from the finiancal aid office, but when I went
to the billing office to get thier signeture and have the paperwork
filed the woman there told me that she could not sign it because she
did not understand how my course of study was being worked out. What
she wants is for you, Youhoo and Soandso in the student service office to send her
a course of study for me. I am sorry for any inconvience this causes
and thank you so much for all your help.

Sincerely,
Dummerthana Bag O'Hammers

I don't even know where to begin. First, I guess I should pick up the remaining pieces of my brain off the floor and try to shove them back into my ears. There, that's a little better.

Since when does the BURSAR'S OFFICE determine if a student will meet all their coursework on time for two majors? Since when do they CARE? They collect money. PERIOD. That I and the education advisor have to submit course plans-of-study to the Bursar's Office is INSANE.

And...this student...sigh...do I even need to write it?



Exhibit F: The Revenge of Iman Idiot
12:04 pm
RING...RING
Me: This is Gina Waters.
Iman Idiot: Hi, this is Iman Idiot again. Remember me?
Me: Yes.
Iman Idiot: Well, I'm over in Crap-ass 243 and there's no class here. In fact, 243 is an office and they don't know where I am supposed to go.
Me: It's Crap-ass 343. THREE. FOUR. THREE.
Iman Idiot: Oh. You said THREE 43?
Me: Yeah. Third floor, 343.
Iman Idiot: Ok, thanks.

3...2...1...KABOOM! Brain gone entirely.

Yeah, welcome to DAY ONE, ladies an gentlemen. Can you imagine what awaits me the REST of this week? For my life, still ahead, pity me.

Mr. Chesterfield

This is Mr. Chesterfield:





















Mr. Chesterfield is a sweet, dignified gentleman and he happens to be the latest addition to the Waters' family of cats.

I know.

I KNOW!

Don't hit!

See, Mr. Chesterfield has a unique story. He is really unlike any other cat we've adopted. No, really!

Last Friday, we happened to be in PetSmart buying supplies for our gaggle of felines who seem to eat us out of house and home. And, as usual, that local PetSmart was sponsoring a major adoption event on the weekend for "Forgotten Cats," a cat rescue organization here in Delaware. Well there were about 50 cats and kittens there---all beautiful animals. We walked by the cages, as we always do, and there was Mr. Chesterfield, standing there in his cubby hole, looking very sophisticated and content. I loved his face the moment I saw him.

When I noticed that his name was Mr. Chesterfield, I about died in a fire. It suits him so well. Todd read his little card and learned that Mr. C (as we now sometimes call him) is, in fact, nearly completely blind. Nobody knew if he was born blind (which I doubt) or how or when he lost his sight. His story was this: he was a family cat whose family decided they didn't want him any more (probably after he went blind, the bastiges), so they dumped him off in a feral colony of cats in a rural part of the state further south. Well, as you can imagine, those feral cats wanted nothing to do with this outsider, a feeling exacerbated by the fact that he was blind. So they kind of beat-up on him and prevented him from getting food, water, etc. Very sad. Someone who looked in on the colony from time-to-time discovered Mr. C there, and notified Forgotten Cats, who came and took him into foster care.




Well, we were immediately enamored with Mr. Chesterfield. Partly because he was calm and quiet, partly because he was blind and had such a sad life, partly because his name was R0XX0R, and partly because for Christ's sake, he's not a TABBY, we began seriously talking about taking him into our home. To make a long story short (too late, I know), we filled out the paperwork, it was accepted, and we picked him up Saturday afternoon.

Yes, he's a Bobtail, too!













We thought that maybe we had made a terrible mistake within the first 24 hours of having him at home. I mean, what were we DOING? A blind cat? Among FIVE other sighted---and mostly evil---cats? We kept him sequestered in my knitting room at night and let him roam around with supervision during the day. Understandably, whenever Mr. Chesterfield sensed one of our cats near him, he would hiss and growl. Who can blame him? This cat is at a serious disadvantage not being able to read the other cats' body language. Moreover, his recent experiences with a family of cats was not good.

I must say that I am absolutely proud of how well my cats have behaved around Mr. Chesterfield. Absolutely exemplary behavior. The only one I am concerned about is Ophelia. She is terrified of Mr. C. Whenever he gets within 4 feet of her, she just starts crying and runs away. Hercules, Luna, and Titus are incredibly curious about him, but not all up in his jimmy-jawn. Sophie, upon discovering that her insane parents had brought another cat into her house, just looked at Mr. Chesterfield, then at us with disdain, then she went, "Hrumph," and walked upstairs, like, "Oh, WHAT-EVER." Hercules wants to play with him, so he's been the cat to make the most attempts to get close to Mr. C. Every day, Mr. C gets a little more familiar with Herc and everyone else (except Fi-Fi). It really is getting better every day.

I think we may even be at the point we we don't have to keep him sequestered from the others when we are not around. My bunch have made no attempts to hurt him or take his food, water, or use his litter box. So, Mr. Chesterfield is slowly realizing that he is safe and that there is no threat. He is very sweet, loves to be petted, and actually sleeps in his own little pet bed! He is so smart! Whenever he goes into a room that is unfamiliar, he walks in a 3-foot circle to orient himself. The other cats are mesmerized by this. So much so that they will literally sit and watch him for 30 minutes at a time.



The information given to us by the folks at Forgotten Cats states that he is about 5-6 years old. I have a feeling that he is a bit older than that. Maybe about 10. I have no problem with his age. We are taking him to our vet next Thursday, just to make sure that he is healthy otherwise. Although I do know that he doesn't have Feline HIV or Leukemia. And I would like to get our vet's analysis of his blindness. I wonder if there is hope for him to get some measure of his sight back?

Anyway, he really is a lovely cat, with a charming personality. He totally won both Todd's and my hearts. Not hard to understand why. Sigh. Six cats. The asylum awaits me, I know.

My New Policy For The Rest Of My Career In Academia

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