Fidgety Knitting

Hey Lookie There!

So this was a morning of revelations... the first being that hey not only do I love this cabled baby turquoise (can't think of better color description) turtleneck I have; but even better when I haven't pulled it all the way down it looks really cute as a turtleneck shrug. Especially when matched with that light blue top, for the two toned adorable look.

Now I could be on crack, it wouldn't be any thing new... but then I thought to myself, hey self... you could totally get yourself that cool Scarf Style book and MAKE that. You wanted to make it with the Cork yarn that Divine Emma sent you... That leads to another delusional thought, cause after finding out that your bank charges a 2.5% commission for purchases outside the EU (in addition to the 8€ per month just to have a Carte Bleu) as transactional banking fees that are charged for currency conversion (anyone else calling that BULLSHIT... yeah I AM!)- you hallucinate that you should go look at yarns in the States.

So where did I go? I headed over to Knitpicks. I am thinking I need CHEAP ass projects, and I want to check out their yarn anyways. I had hoped to get an idea in a box Momma Mao had sent. However (and this is NOT said with ingratitude, just irritation), my mother the lug she is sends me an unannounced "early birthday present" (note one chosen without my input or consultation... I am too old for that shit!).

And what do you think she sends? Yarn- Negative ghostrider; she sends $200 "orthepedic" shoes. To me who does NOT have foot problems, unlike my mother.

And oh yeah that is what we wear here in Paris. Like I don't feel freakish enough for not having a pair of stilletto boots as it is... But even worse these are hideous looking things that give me vision changing joint pains (and then she pouts when I say I am returning them to her, though I don't ask her for anything else!) and a HUGE stock pile of Peeps, but not the conditioner I NEED nor the yarn from Knitpicks when she has their retail store 20 minutes from her... GAH!

Wait. Where was I before that no-warning rant... oh yeah I went to Knitpicks site, and you know what... they have their summer line of yarns up. That includes cotton options for the cotton knitters. I don't think that includes me too much but it is nice to look! And they also have other colors up in other yarns (hmmm someone see me searching for turquoise blue- the new green Chez Tink)

Oh and as a random update I have almost finished the second India sock. It is almost at the start of the starburst toe shaping. Which means done easily by the end of the week. And in my fidgety weekend of trying to relax (well that was until we realized that when we shook our derrière to some good music it continued shaking well past when my hips stopped. Oh lordy! We (my ass and me) freaked out; that, THAT is NOT acceptable. And then this morning on the way into work registered our ass (which is seemingly expanding at the same rate as the US national debt) for a gym with most of this months yarn allowance ("stash knitting" commences) I started two other sets of needles. Jittery means something here Chez Tink.

One is another sock, in the yarn I got from Germany when I bought my favorite sock knitting needles (only in the "wrong" size- see more reinforcement that contrary to what my boss thinks - Smart, it does NOT reside here!) on really tiny needles (size US 0/2mm). Which made me think that tie front top I would love to make, I want to be done with fine gauge yarn for that professional kind of look. Yeah I am on crack over here.

The other was getting back to work on Martha. I got fed up with her sleeves so I switched out the needles and started the back and have about 5 inches (starting the increases) done on the back. I have a feeling finishing this is going to be a pain, and really I dont finish things so I am in deep shizer.

Oh yeah and I got an email directly from Kim Hargreaves! I asked if patterns would ever be available seperate from the yarn kits... Seems not, so if anyone wants to go in and split out yarn and pattern I am up for it :)

Big Pimpin Style

In case you did not know... I am ALL about the Bling-Bling. I like to say I am not a big bad capitalist and all that but if you offer me things, while I know that they do not make my happiness, I will sure as hell still take em! Especially when they come for free!

I was reading about this new search engine offer over at Mac's. Basically it is another beta deal, like Gmail only for a search engine. I signed up through her invitation and am currently trying the search engine out. I have to say that it seems nice and has a decent interface, which is a bit more stylish than plain Google. I have dug in and for all I can tell it is legit, and if it is not the worst that could happen is Spam. And since I already know how to deal with that... I figure this is WELL worth a chance!

Basically the way it works is instead of using Google for your internet searches, you use Blingo. And to soothe your searching soul, Blingo applies the Google search engine for your search. Which begs the question of why use them? For the Bling Bling baby! The spin is that they choose random times and random people making searches at that time to give Amazon gift certificates, Ipods, DVRs and other goodies.

Hopefully some time this month they will get the toolbar installation up and running, making it that much easier to use and maybe win. And then you search, seach and search to your little hearts content. Then just for searching, you could win something! That simple.

I found my link and signed up through Mac. Mac found it from Kymberlie (the goddess of winning free things from the looks of it), who has already won a movie ticket.

So here is the link to sign up and then go search your little hearts off. And please use the link, because the best bit of Blingo is that if you sign up through me and then win something, I win too! Blingo it is the new way to search :)

FUGGER

Ok. So I have gotten fed up with Blogger. I am going to move over to an independant deal. I will say more about this later but right now I must rage against the machine.

I went and I bought my domain today. I typed in www.fidgetyknitting.com cause that is what I wanted. I am fidgetyknitting non? I verified it, I know you need to check those things and I DID. And then I get my email that www.fidgettyknitting.com has been registered. So I email with in 5 minutes of the purchase, saying HEY I typed in something else. I checked it, I'd like to have the right domain. They say essentially fuck off. You can buy another domain if you want but we won't fix that one that you typed in right and got all screwy afterwards.

So besides bitching and being crabby as all fuck about this (and my seriously shitty work day today) what to do?? So chime in please.

Do I:
a. give up the ghost and dump the whole deal;
b. change the spelling of the blog name and live with it; or
c. pay up and get the right domain name instead of using that money to buy yarn or liquor, pay off third world debt (or grad school debt which I should pay attention to too!) or go to Cabo.

FUCK I HATE THIS SHIT!

And So Shall It Be Noted. And So Shall My Ass Expand

For all who care to pay attention feel free to take notice that I am in serious need of forking out the dosh and joining the fitness club out here by work. I so wanted to save for an Ipod… you know so I could grove and move at the same time. But I need my smokin ass to fit in the pants and skirts I got too. What is a girl to do?

It turns out as a form of thanks (one in which I am hesitant to discourage) my coworkers whose travel I arrange and approve on occasion are taken to bringing me gifts. At first I just thought it was importation on request- you going to the UK?? BRING ME CRANBERRY JUICE.

But in reality it is a form of bribes. For when, you know they come at the last second and say hey I have this publication I need you to work on for me and I have to have it through the publication system by close of business; Today. Only it is a 300MB document (which is HUGE hell it is bigger than my ass and that is an accomplishment). Yes, Coworker brought to us by the letter P: I-love-you. You are so lucky that you are 1. cute and 2. smart (or drunk, not quite sure) enough to buy me liquor when we go out. The rules of the game are simple- bribe me and then we talk. This is the corruption of an international organization. They may no longer take care of their own (don’t ask it involves the nasty word Visa) but they do respond to bribes.

Unfortunately for my Ass many of our short distance travel trips take place in either Brussels or Switzerland. So this morning I woke up dragged said Ass to the office, only to be surprised by two ever so lovely gifts from the two colleagues I recently sent to Geneva. One got me a cow bell- Mooooooooooooooooooooooo. No I am not joking, nor am I eating grass today. Though thinking of that maybe I should look into eating green things... then again who wants their ass to resemble a cow's... yeah, fuck that idea. The other got me Lindt chocolates (thankfully not a box of their amarettini pralines; Dear Dog are those divine!). And since I send people that way on average once every week, my ass is going to expand EXPONENTIALLY in the foreseeable future. I share the inferior candy and ring the bell for all to graze but quality chocolate?? That is all mine bitch! Think I could convince them to come back with yarn? That would take some pressure off my ass I guess.

Just Thinking...

I know that there is a long running series in my life of NO TINK ONLY YOU stories... I have resigned myself to that fate and hope that it entertains others. I mean do I need to ask if anyone else at 8 am on the way to pick up their packages at La Poste have a man, wearing a full face covering plastic Three Little Pigs mask, come up and try to start a discussion with them? No, I didn't think so... but really is it just me, or is it WRONG- make that 16 different kinds of WRONG, to charge more than 50% (59% to be exact) of the purchase value in shipping charges when it is only going from Germany to France and weighs less than a kilo?? Crack Cocaine ships for cheaper my friends (do not ask how I know this, infer it yourself- it is your creative adventure and challenge for the day).

I know, I know, I shouldn't be bitching... I did the invincible and found my yarn where it was not to be found before. Plus it is (in equivalent values; yes people I work with Economists... get ready for the lingo/jargon) at least 33% less than the prices in the states with shipping charges included. And it is well noted that having lived in Euroland for the last year and a half while being funded on dollars has given me a VERY intimate relationship and acquaintance with the barrel and all postionings around it possible. So theoretically this should not bother or surprise me...

But SHIT! All I can say is: Where is the lube... and that post better be here POSTE FUCKING HASTE you hear!

Oh yeah and while I am at the whole memo writing deal lets adress the following:

When I say ENGLISH SPEAKER ONLY, that really means I haven't a fucking clue how to read in German and am tired of seeing my coworkers face when I have to ask him to come and translate for the loony pink yarn buying freak (though he makes no second glances when people drink tequila and talk to the worm).

Further to the memo- I debunk the "all Germans speak perfect English" myth... not these ones. I am getting head aches from trying to understand your "English."

And our last point related to my temperment- I already have crochety people at another international organisation trying to treat me like I am a dumb blonde and will do their work for them because I am a dumb blonde that wouldn't know that you are trying to go around my bosses comments to you or that whole push off manoeuvre...

I have four words on my policy for that "friend" ZERO TOLERLANCE FOR ASSHATS.

First Comes Famine

And then comes the out of control feasting!!! HOLY SHIT, No one warned me about how FUCKING EXPENSIVE it was to be an adult again! Thankfully since I have a tiny belly (the family joke is that size of my bladder was inversed with the size of my stomach and that there are dromedary genetics imbedded in me) there has been no out of control eating. Really I am not into this whole cyclical thing anyways. I love the rollercoaster on the way up but I have to say that in growing up life has taught me to be a bit wary of the way down. And this adult business thing is telling me that I need to learn how to manage my time a bit better and more evenly.

But having a job, a kick ass team and manager, a paycheck and feeling all quasi secure has lead to an all out explosion over here with my pocketbook going to shattered bits. I go out for dinner and/or drinks at least once a week. The past two Saturdays I have gone clothes shopping (nothing major but SOMETHING and all for work). And of important interest to this blog, I have gone yarn shopping. Hell I have even knitted recently- shock of all shocks.

Yes my friends I am on the quest to create me a mini stash! And support the whole German economy while doing it! I had three objectives and one was met today. I have searched, I have been warned off, but I have conquered! I am Spanish after all. This country is mine, now where do I plant my flag to make it mine? (Special prize if you get that joke/quote!) After 101 emails and a long period where I was completely lost in translation- I think I have gotten me a SHIT LOAD of sock yarn. Objective One Obliterated! Now on to the Pretty Wrappy Top yarn and Rebecca books for me!

But for our current adventure the hunt started when I decided to treat myself to some of that Regia Jubilee India. I wanted Paris and Provence too but India was the goal! Dreams of being on the beaches in Goa flittered through my mind. I went around and ALL the places that I knew used to have it had dried up. In some cranky and spotty English I learned that the India Jubilee was not a normal line of yarn. And that it might be the D word! DISCONTINUED. no No NO!!! that is not acceptable says I who wants to spend money that I shouldn't/don't REALLY have! and if you dont think it is either you can email them to say so too! Demand creates supply people- its a circle :) And if you stay quiet there are consequences! So email away saying you want the Jubilee to stay: Gertraud.Sabatowski@coats.com or marion.ringwald@coats.com.

So after some more hunting and forcing a co-worker to come into the office to help me buy some pink sock yarn (really the odd looks I get, for the innocent shit when they don't blink at me doing the scary shit...) That is right I found it and I am going broke, cause I bought STOCK in it. One of the balls has my name on them, and another has Leya's. And if I really love it might go back and get more.

Even better I have not only SEX content (that is Stash Enhancing Xpedition for my favorite fellow gutter waders) I have knitting content. Cause guess what I did. Well first last thursday I finished my lacy, on the fly, I made it up and I LOVE it sock.

Well minus that kitchener part... But tradgedy of all tragedy's I forgot the second one I had started at work on Friday. So what is a girl to do? Well she is to pick up that turquoise blue 4ply Cotton and start knitting. And what do all good knitters start with. A swatch... or in my case a sleeve that they call a swatch. I was a bit concerned on size and gauge but I am just going to go with it. I will figure out as I go and that which doesn't kill me, will not have cost me a fortune and will give me things to wear. I am currently attempting to gauge where to start the shaping so that the sleeve hit petite me in the right spot. Let's hope there is not a lot of re-knitting involved in this experiment.

And that folks is all for this edition of random run by knitting hit. Tag you are it, I am off to knit a sock and sleeve :)