tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256467612024-03-07T20:45:30.265-06:00fecknom knits(and thinks and writes and designs things and buys yarn)fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.comBlogger229125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-17931562660309676752014-01-09T23:26:00.001-06:002014-01-09T23:39:58.201-06:00Small Accomplishments Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One Thursday morning several months ago, a coworker of mine announced that she had finally gotten around to getting a library card. Everybody was excited for her (because books!), but we kind of all agreed that it wasn't something to be <i>too </i>proud of. So, we introduced the idea of Small Accomplishments Day.</div>
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Small Accomplishments Day has become a tradition in our break room. It's celebrated every Thursday, which is perfect, because Thursday is the time of the week when we're over the hump, but far enough from the weekend that an extra nudge of encouragement still really helps. It's the day we congratulate ourselves for doing the little things we did, or the big things that we really should have been doing for a while now but finally just this week got around to doing, or the things that aren't super impressive but we've decided to take pride in anyway. For me it's usually some bit of housework I've been neglecting. The last week of December it was sweeping the floors. Hopefully next week I'll have a good laundry report.</div>
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Really, it's the absolute perfect weekly observance for anyone who's trying to get their shit together.</div>
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Today, though, I'm really excited to say that I have blocked two things this week. I posted photos of my Triinu Scarf on Tuesday, and today, I got to give this large and squooshy thing to its recipient. </div>
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Several weeks ago, another of my coworkers (whose library card status is unknown to me), had a vague idea for a big, squishy, white cowl. (I'm usually pretty selfish about my knitting, but she's a recent transplant to Chicago and is still getting used to winter as a thing that involves snow. I get a little worried about the Californians.) This morning, admittedly a unfortunately-timed few days behind the Polar Vortex, I presented to her Mad Squish.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aA1AFjZZbmek7nAmO8muU_gO-0R62gzUMpAt0mHNp6dkgdZ2Jv1VLEIIMa8rDk3COZOxk4C07FnGDA-Gs4Tl2QajcP89SVN3iEbyate-_c_8ESpfg8FdD9zzTxgM7a_U3TrW/s1600/FO-madinfinity2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aA1AFjZZbmek7nAmO8muU_gO-0R62gzUMpAt0mHNp6dkgdZ2Jv1VLEIIMa8rDk3COZOxk4C07FnGDA-Gs4Tl2QajcP89SVN3iEbyate-_c_8ESpfg8FdD9zzTxgM7a_U3TrW/s1600/FO-madinfinity2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern (coming soon): Mad Squish, by fecknom.<br />
Yarn: 1 skein Cascade Ecological Wool (100% wool;<br />
478 yd/437 m per 250 g) - color 8010.<br />
Needle size: US 13</td></tr>
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It feels so nice to have executed something so well. (I cast on one for myself tonight.) It's wonderfully squishy and holds it's shape impressively. I know the actual knitting is only a small part of the design process, but hey, I have to leave something for future Thursdays, right?</div>
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-41390347334025244722014-01-07T18:55:00.000-06:002014-01-07T18:56:06.416-06:00Momentum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm very optimistic about beginnings, and this new year is a perfect example. There's a tiny voice that wants to fight back with cynicism, but I'm working to keep the happiness and momentum strong. We're only a week in, and already I've been able to tie up (or weave in) some loose ends and make a good dent in what needs to happen. (Thanks, dangerously cold temperatures that shut down the city!)</div>
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However, I want to do this progress thing right, and so I'm going to let my chickens hatch before they're counted. Instead of what I'm working on, here's what's finished!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLhuyze6U__Hko4Yse5oHJvAV8A-a_G3l9wX2kdxyRHWfpSw2yPwQPIFAtyIGziPACw0PCzQbBclunb0IuPJbWy12uUw0LZv44PetiyGSLywlEHE0yB2nBePFR3CFENDMWKHE/s1600/FO-commute19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLhuyze6U__Hko4Yse5oHJvAV8A-a_G3l9wX2kdxyRHWfpSw2yPwQPIFAtyIGziPACw0PCzQbBclunb0IuPJbWy12uUw0LZv44PetiyGSLywlEHE0yB2nBePFR3CFENDMWKHE/s1600/FO-commute19.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commute Socks 3!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFsKp7t2JolM2q4ZHyLNspYsNkJv9Lld_2MhwKtyyOzX_PwewCwqV6xPjPH6XS6MRYHFZD0yTil1tYqhOugsRQjjtxaldyLb27NBbOmGvi0k2tuoVgxhgscB1T5zq7-Rc7gr5/s1600/FO-commute7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFsKp7t2JolM2q4ZHyLNspYsNkJv9Lld_2MhwKtyyOzX_PwewCwqV6xPjPH6XS6MRYHFZD0yTil1tYqhOugsRQjjtxaldyLb27NBbOmGvi0k2tuoVgxhgscB1T5zq7-Rc7gr5/s1600/FO-commute7.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Campfire Socks, by Jacquelynn Vance-Kuss.<br />
Yarn: 2 skeins Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards (75% wool, 25% nylon;<br />
166 yd/152 m per 50 g) in Fern Rose Jacquard.</td></tr>
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Campfire Socks is one of my favorite sock patterns, but I heavily modify it each time - I always cast on more stitches, and this time I added a German heel according to Nancy Bush's instructions from <i>Knitting Vintage Socks</i>. The toes have added character because I didn't look at the yardage on the label until I found myself at a downtown bus stop holding a toe-less sock and the teeniest ball of yarn. (Toes are knit in leftover Regia Kaffe Fassett Design Line from my last sock project.) The next socks I knit with Kroy will <i>definitely</i> be toe-up.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfMK0dKNp0X-md3pODYLJVErZ0zu-FwVEkLfZ9KR1eUVVvjb7v7TdE4JXiWfvHwfQxDl-vdl35lnTMBgHTRe5i40Ux53EWEOls0rF6Hd4TEF-BakWLuJQSk5ORjA2Vt30Xyq3/s1600/FO-triinu12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfMK0dKNp0X-md3pODYLJVErZ0zu-FwVEkLfZ9KR1eUVVvjb7v7TdE4JXiWfvHwfQxDl-vdl35lnTMBgHTRe5i40Ux53EWEOls0rF6Hd4TEF-BakWLuJQSk5ORjA2Vt30Xyq3/s1600/FO-triinu12.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triinu</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgS4bvmAYrZCJDWbDSd2HusczbtCnB5NWVCJRlk1TN7CpF4ouvA0p33JGlvT7kJYCQlRTkeFzq5MSyS7Xy18Q4LZ_CiTPaGSu8nu0miCYTOA3Qtq6UV2h4ewxBoUjh1zyyRrQ/s1600/FO-triinu19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgS4bvmAYrZCJDWbDSd2HusczbtCnB5NWVCJRlk1TN7CpF4ouvA0p33JGlvT7kJYCQlRTkeFzq5MSyS7Xy18Q4LZ_CiTPaGSu8nu0miCYTOA3Qtq6UV2h4ewxBoUjh1zyyRrQ/s1600/FO-triinu19.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Triinu Scarf, by Nancy Bush.<br />
Yarn: 2 skeins Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud (100% alpaca;<br />
440 yd/402 m per 50g) in Peppermint.</td></tr>
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I knit added one repeat widthwise and knit until I ran out of yarn, so it's huge. Toto, I've a feeling we're not in scarf territory anymore.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThI-MuyORZb4Gir9M1S0HYYjE8hQODVtgTCzvoSI6CraKVzB5L55tBJYGnHCyXSldq0bBHw4e4p7Qsl1NcaQPoduxTcj5XQUxbZoQzwu2SiWVL9BpIoZrSH9oSRUpNVKi07Rv/s1600/FO-multnomah1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThI-MuyORZb4Gir9M1S0HYYjE8hQODVtgTCzvoSI6CraKVzB5L55tBJYGnHCyXSldq0bBHw4e4p7Qsl1NcaQPoduxTcj5XQUxbZoQzwu2SiWVL9BpIoZrSH9oSRUpNVKi07Rv/s1600/FO-multnomah1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multnomah</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sCjNeVEYWYuepSVr-qgr1J6fD3qoRGGC-4MKNb3M36ZxmOu96dO-_SjnehGi0zzHWc9O7sPl60Hc0TqYnJNc4AmSeCezU1FP38Q2tEP36CooA2slFXJOiwwB27bS9ZJrKBfP/s1600/FO-multnomah7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sCjNeVEYWYuepSVr-qgr1J6fD3qoRGGC-4MKNb3M36ZxmOu96dO-_SjnehGi0zzHWc9O7sPl60Hc0TqYnJNc4AmSeCezU1FP38Q2tEP36CooA2slFXJOiwwB27bS9ZJrKBfP/s1600/FO-multnomah7.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Multnomah, by Kate Ray.<br />
Yarn: 1 skein The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! (70% wool, 20% cashmere,<br />
10% nylon; 412 yd/377 m per 125 g) in Painted Damsel.</td></tr>
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I knit this during the fall, and it is perhaps the squishiest yarn I've ever worked with, and also happens to be in the best colors known to humankind.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioINTgI3Y80v2XN0SXF6pZcMq09z_4VEXggo81EyoBy-_4SSVilsyQiwmI6ASFqXt65MiEV1lOZGOOKysh4gzQPTTcjSVnugRWJ3NkC_KRbbxGk9_z7aePRmGxVrQzrkVKvNlF/s1600/lehe35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioINTgI3Y80v2XN0SXF6pZcMq09z_4VEXggo81EyoBy-_4SSVilsyQiwmI6ASFqXt65MiEV1lOZGOOKysh4gzQPTTcjSVnugRWJ3NkC_KRbbxGk9_z7aePRmGxVrQzrkVKvNlF/s1600/lehe35.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Gray Squish</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpZeW-hRR6QZ8R7gndJ9ECRhltbGg3UPsoHoFfopdFF_ENzjBQRzwZQtPQ0VMY7WC4-jVHzGBcomQcObhyphenhyphen5MPod0Qz7oBZ4zqJLxPJcPR9P3hRYvk10tfcoZoG4HD8S2GBclG/s1600/lehe12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpZeW-hRR6QZ8R7gndJ9ECRhltbGg3UPsoHoFfopdFF_ENzjBQRzwZQtPQ0VMY7WC4-jVHzGBcomQcObhyphenhyphen5MPod0Qz7oBZ4zqJLxPJcPR9P3hRYvk10tfcoZoG4HD8S2GBclG/s1600/lehe12.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaobFHPdew4qzEgeDMoVJyCD5wthEa2Ac49h9gFwf-lbrkmCVz4Mon2P2n9wM63yAgJsoW8I3X9EhG_cmCUabgcsMhbygLOj0pyzqCwe3tBjITKKC5P5t8LrN-JYbsdXCzMlR/s1600/lehe14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaobFHPdew4qzEgeDMoVJyCD5wthEa2Ac49h9gFwf-lbrkmCVz4Mon2P2n9wM63yAgJsoW8I3X9EhG_cmCUabgcsMhbygLOj0pyzqCwe3tBjITKKC5P5t8LrN-JYbsdXCzMlR/s1600/lehe14.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Lehe Square Shawl, by Nancy Bush.<br />
Yarn: 5.5 skeins Cestari Traditional Wool 2 Ply (100% wool;<br />
170 yd/155 m per 100 g) in Natural Medium Gray.</td></tr>
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I knit this a few years ago. It's one of my favorite projects, and has been getting much love as a lap blanket in recent months. It was even displayed in a little community art show in Minnesota, but for some reason, the only ends that got woven before today were at the cast-on and bind-off edges. This thing is finally, officially, completely finished!</div>
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It feels wonderful to have so many things finished, and the blocking/end-weaving/pattern-writing momentum I've got going hopefully means more exciting FOs are on their way.</div>
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I'm feeling calm and truly relaxed for the first time in about a month. (December was nuts, and I'm kind of surprised any knitting at all happened.) Today is day one of three days off in a row (!) and I'm thinking about the days and year to come.<br />
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I'm also feeling inspired by my buddy <a href="http://knitsomniac.com/2014/01/01/crafty-resolutions/?fb_action_ids=10152027696615857&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B1401913653389317%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22news.publishes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%22pub-standard%22%5D">Erica's blog</a>, and so here are my plans and hopes for knitting in the coming year:<br />
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1. Continue coldsheeping (not buying yarn). Exceptions are totally fine, but I'm gonna aim for keeping them within reason. I don't need a repeat of last April, or June, or August.<br />
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2. Finish every knitting project that is in progress as of January 1, 2014.<br />
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3. Finish every design project that is in progress as of January 1, 2014.<br />
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4. Knit at least one Niebling project.<br />
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5. Photograph projects in progress and when completed as timely as possible.<br />
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6. Block, finish and photograph all unfinished shawls.<br />
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7. Continue expanding sock drawer. Always keep socks in progress: pair them with patterns and queue them up for the needles.<br />
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8. Keep at least one project in a mindless state. Preferably mindless and portable.<br />
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9. (embarrassing, but I deserve the shame) - Wash handknit socks in a timely manner.<br />
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Wild and crazy 10: Be able to fit all yarn into their seven designated tubs?<br />
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I'll be kicking off this year of hopefully-more-responsible knitting by blocking my newly-finished <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/fecknom/triinu-scarf">Triinu Scarf</a> (from Knitted Lace of Estonia, by Nancy Bush). I'm hoping to keep the momentum up and spend the first several weeks of this year plowing through my pile of unblocked shawls. If there's one thing this dry winter weather is good for, it's fast blocking.<br />
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What do you hope your knitting life looks like in 2014?</div>
fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-25998785035030463032013-12-15T20:50:00.004-06:002013-12-16T00:06:01.896-06:00Commute Socks of Temporary Disappointment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What happens when I have three six-day work weeks in a row? I find myself scrambling for more brainless commute knitting and ignore everything else. Alas, brainless projects sometimes still need planning.<br />
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1. Finish knitting cowl for co-worker at a knitting party. Cast on for Commute Socks 3. Needles: US size 2, 60 sts. (Yarn: Online Supersocke 100 Comedy Color, in color no. 1282.)</div>
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2. Realize 30 minutes into 1.5-hours-each-way commute that resulting fabric isn't tight enough for hard-wearing socks. </div>
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3. Decide that socks that wear well over time is not hard to achieve with this yarn, so knitting them at a loose gauge would just be silly.</div>
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4. Ponder how personal gauge has changed over time and how the brainlessness of vanilla socks are now up in the air.</div>
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5. Decide to frog sock and restart at home on US 1 needles. Put sock away.</div>
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6. Look around train helplessly, not knowing how to occupy self on rest of commute, dreading the trip home. Play sudoku on phone in defeat.</div>
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7. Tell co-workers at work about knitting problems, and receive awkward nods in response. Remain uncertain if sock problem has been explained adequately.</div>
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8. Sit next to fellow knitter/co-worker-from-another-department/acquaintance on bus. Talk about knitting. Explain sock problem to someone who understands!</div>
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9. On train, ponder working on sock for comfort, despite frogging plans.</div>
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10. Take out sock; continue knitting.</div>
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11. Say goodbye to fellow knitter. </div>
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12. Have stunning realization that cuffs can be obnoxiously long and loose without compromising integrity of sock.</div>
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13. At home, finish purple stripe of cuff.</div>
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14. Switch to smaller needles and increase to 76 sts.</div>
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15. Knit away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWUY2US4E67VSLW66mAW-BXNPuQmIIbkSdxSzsuRtMeCOPE2uj1Rk6Pu60Ny7ss1OmEy4_Hozqnq6gqzF7wLO3K1Uc9IlHkDNDLysI_PeLo9hjhpKwYLuxtp1uJQwXP_N12Ok/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWUY2US4E67VSLW66mAW-BXNPuQmIIbkSdxSzsuRtMeCOPE2uj1Rk6Pu60Ny7ss1OmEy4_Hozqnq6gqzF7wLO3K1Uc9IlHkDNDLysI_PeLo9hjhpKwYLuxtp1uJQwXP_N12Ok/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-33890060897099436692013-12-10T23:09:00.002-06:002013-12-10T23:14:48.894-06:00Mad Infinity: At Least the Mistake Stitch Rib is Error-Free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Life has been obnoxiously busy recently, but I keep making tiny bits of progress in balancing household chores with my knitting life. I let myself relax for most of the evening, and I've really been enjoying cranking out a cowl design that's a commission from a coworker.</div>
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It's a sideways-knit cowl with reversible cables and lots of texture, worked in <a href="http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-eco.asp">Cascade Ecological Wool</a> held double. It's super squishy, and I'm so pumped to get this off the needles, because I've heard people (or at least Gigi of the <a href="http://www.knitmoregirlspodcast.com/">Knitmore Girls</a>) talk about how much this yarn fluffs up. My coworker is going to be so happy to have this, and I'm going to be so happy to make myself one out of my <a href="http://knitbot.com/rocky-coast-cardigan/">Rocky Coast</a> leftovers.</div>
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However: As I said, life has been obnoxiously busy recently. So of course, what with my brain having been in high gear for a while now, now it's time to end an evening of productive knitting by dropping a cable back seven inches to fix a silly mistake.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LtkBu6qCv8sVOJ1kyBrK0ScQ6EqFlkEUzEYkCMRrV1zkdehfYOBe8EnfpshFblbLgtlnXtGXU4KVTpNUv9dS0j5z3BXcNdELhTHjHJWnob41GnVT4mmjZSRKCZyIOCAWWB15/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LtkBu6qCv8sVOJ1kyBrK0ScQ6EqFlkEUzEYkCMRrV1zkdehfYOBe8EnfpshFblbLgtlnXtGXU4KVTpNUv9dS0j5z3BXcNdELhTHjHJWnob41GnVT4mmjZSRKCZyIOCAWWB15/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IT MOCKS MY SUCCESS.</td></tr>
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I'm usually confident about dropping a section down several inches, but I'm a little less sure this time. </div>
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Points of consideration:</div>
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1. This cable is along the edge, and I'm a little less sure about what goes on mechanically at the edge of my knitting. This process of dropping down and laddering back up is harder, but... </div>
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2. I will learn something if I do it.</div>
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3. The mistake is small: the yarn is wrapped weirdly around a correctly-crossed cable. Non-dropping fixes include: duplicate-stitch over the mistake (if I was that kind of person) and snipping the yarn and darning to prevent a hole from forming.</div>
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4. Will fixing this take longer than frogging and re-knitting? (Probably not, but you never know.)</div>
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The answer is obvious, thanks to my perfectionist tendencies. I can't duplicate stitch (because the mistake would still be there, hiding), and I don't want to darn it (weaving in more ends? NOPE/I'm already worried about having enough yardage). </div>
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So, for the rest of the night, I'll be fixing my cable the hard way and dreaming of a January where my brain is well-rested and restricts its mistakes to fiber-free realms.</div>
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-60377154115062998592013-11-29T15:05:00.002-06:002013-11-29T15:11:08.612-06:00In which I talk about refocusing, and show three projects in varying states of completion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It comes in fits and starts. I find myself bursting with ideas and beginnings and yarns and excitement, and somehow life cools me down, and four weeks later, I find myself looking about disappointedly, hardly having finished anything, still a little bit excited, but stagnant.<br />
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I need to give myself a break. I'm not going to instantly become someone who updates a blog on a regular basis. I'm not going to suddenly be completing patterns every month. My brain just doesn't respond to time constraints the way it did when I was still in school. Post every Friday? I'll find a reason not to. Get all the old patterns updated by the end of November? I'll find something more compelling to work on. It's good and grounding to live in the moment, right?</div>
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So, how can I make my working style work to my advantage?</div>
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I single out things I want to work on, things I want to change. I need to be focusing on the work and the process more than the deadlines, because, to be honest, I'm going to ignore the deadlines anyway. Less 'spend x amount of time on x task per week' and more 'how much time can you spend doing x task this week'?</div>
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I'm also trying to change the way I exist online. The passive-ness and endlessness of Facebook is getting to me. Blogging might be a resource in this change, or I might find myself using Twitter or Instagram more. Or just getting super into Ravelry!</div>
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So bear with me, because I'm still figuring this all out. What I can say for sure is that I have many exciting new patterns (as well as the less-interesting-but-seemingly-necessary-more-professional-republishing-of-old-patterns) and excitement and ideas to share. </div>
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When, I don't know, but I'll share them as they come along.<br />
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On a more physical and less ponderous note, here are three interesting things: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_B0dS2yUAeFYKTBHhobQTFlLPsohq9EY6KBM5vW96Sd7fIyaqhsp8JNBPPzEXFOLbe5O_mVbF3U0uGTBbUSqAI4T3O2y9eaGAdNmRUnPs2Be6thHEsaaDBWS9LxKw0O5rS4x/s1600/whimshawl4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_B0dS2yUAeFYKTBHhobQTFlLPsohq9EY6KBM5vW96Sd7fIyaqhsp8JNBPPzEXFOLbe5O_mVbF3U0uGTBbUSqAI4T3O2y9eaGAdNmRUnPs2Be6thHEsaaDBWS9LxKw0O5rS4x/s320/whimshawl4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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(1) A finished shawl design! Due to the timing of the year, I'll probably focus more on getting wintery things out soon and this will likely be put off until spring begins its approach.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSsmRieSTnSwhj-HyBBZwwlP68sfWVVn4mEdjliH3fR3tDmIsgcpgJGTr2iJPzzMIjBu2pXgweDnjRggvT2fBY3NGCJgaZ-ME-gvuubV1hRaS6zXWs-3LwBZyQh3veugYKbzY/s1600/impulseswatch3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSsmRieSTnSwhj-HyBBZwwlP68sfWVVn4mEdjliH3fR3tDmIsgcpgJGTr2iJPzzMIjBu2pXgweDnjRggvT2fBY3NGCJgaZ-ME-gvuubV1hRaS6zXWs-3LwBZyQh3veugYKbzY/s320/impulseswatch3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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(2) An in-progress mitt design! This is the swatch. The first one has been made. Pattern and mate forthcoming.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-7-H2aUfBB1JWxxx2eU5bm5BNCdB-V-u0MfFBRq50d-LF7X3L4p6FUBrIyyP7yQd0VdNpUB_JmzO10DM4qeejEn_lu3Xqvd3AKZoq5Qk0SI79EgXfN2NP91aFsZRSPsG6VD1/s1600/CommuteSocksOne21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-7-H2aUfBB1JWxxx2eU5bm5BNCdB-V-u0MfFBRq50d-LF7X3L4p6FUBrIyyP7yQd0VdNpUB_JmzO10DM4qeejEn_lu3Xqvd3AKZoq5Qk0SI79EgXfN2NP91aFsZRSPsG6VD1/s320/CommuteSocksOne21.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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(3) The first specimen in my new method of knitting organization. Commute socks! Always ready to be knit, not too complicated, and requiring minimal elbow movement to pacify my CTA neighbors.<br />
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-78463928651792200502013-10-13T21:17:00.003-05:002013-10-13T21:17:50.999-05:00FO Friday: The Sunday 'Things my Couch is Eating' Edition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It took stepping back to take before photos of my living room (for general housekeeping encouragement) to realize how much my knitting sprawls all over the place. It appears to be growing appendages.</div>
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I knit and mostly camp out in the corner of my couch. The cushions along the back of the couch are separate, and when correctly positioned, provide a ridiculously convenient little shelf. When jostled out of position, things fall behind the cushions. Currently, the couch is holding two t-shirts, a sweater, a sweatshirt, two shawls, a monster, a project bag, and a hat. This is after I removed the plaid shirt I'm now wearing, the lap blanket covering my legs, a ball of yarn and a stitch dictionary.</div>
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There's even more needles, books, yarn and stitch markers on the coffee table, in baskets and bins on the floor, and sprawled across my makeshift desk under the window. (And there's the boxes of yarn in front of the TV, but let's ignore those for a bit longer, shall we?)</div>
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Amoeba and I are a few days away from starting our second year in this apartment, and I remember so well what life was like a year ago. I was proud of myself for being so (relatively) on top of packing and unpacking, and there was a point last fall when our place was oh-so-charming and tidy. I'd like to get back there, and I'm really trying. </div>
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This means that amid all of my knitting and design efforts, I'm also taking time to work on housekeeping and organization. It's getting in the way of the finishing projects, which is part of why there's been no progress on my UFO pile.</div>
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I did, however, finish my Westknits Mystery Knit-a-long Shawl, and it has received many complements, from knitters and elsefolk alike.</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JNhiLcmwkxLWhH5U204iouL4BQToM5p_jE8aeSrEPAPuWIOFHig-tzMF73mRnYJ9ELxDch3OhKHeVFYAAB1uoXij-vODKDK6Zp3tSZRVTPnczfnp96dip4jX0Vytgjf8cekg/s1600/colorcraving8.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp4gIvRJUSuwY_Fa8vV3tu3uwjQPkAl3Aj65KUPHFIAa9mdbPZ73XO2bkS2Oxec1LMnmp8qPLL0vLteaBgM4OX8CQq0e7XIUb1BLQN244blHzw3W_Vg0qH1gLRkHuB-X5hKd7/s1600/colorcraving15.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dyt2HQ5T98dAzeErMWMZ4Qxb1u6dB8q6FH-wpUH6n6tC6rGz_Bf099huP8NYiFv5Dx31rGV9fINWivvRZTFVzoH1fSsWRatkLNKp3NWZO7jJtyvA8fwOyhJ4S7E2vf-l7ggW/s1600/colorcraving25.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8WRa_1aCqHvuEQjY3TC_FEt5CVAo5Bg4BST8mhkXU4UsvQgGiFoUCoHrbY_Ovzp7L-MEyJv4p8kXgDH3D3CaPqpBnp8jWbZxWAbHOhk1P9h_64OwbIVIn1sbL9D0bkUDl9nb/s1600/colorcravingselfie9.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiiYKxK4_A1SyFageWKiYjHpCoTT9dHnItSYiUbHtPexkaz1Hl7MTIKczbvrR9dxEAvh3kVMKA8pXSD8PwDhD8BzbwRAMhcqMY9GRvuq8kxdAxTbc-H-gYQ9HUuoNfPiVzhAf/s1600/colorcravingselfie23.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Color Craving, by Stephen West<br />Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in<br />Hoppy Blonde (gold), Arroyo (brown)<br />and Woodland (green)</td></tr>
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It's my first finished object with my souvenir yarn from Seattle. (These particular skeins came from <a href="http://www.fibergallery.com/">the Fiber Gallery</a>, which was an amaaazing place.) It feels good to have finished something, and I look forward to more productivity, housework- and knitting-wise, soon!</div>
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-13090768330256089702013-10-01T18:08:00.002-05:002013-10-01T18:13:56.214-05:00Weekend Highlights: Duluth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Despite a bit of a hectic past week, I've managed a bit of progress on my UFO pile - one languishing FO bound off and finished, and a handful of ends woven in on other projects. However, those projects are not the ones I really want to talk about. Instead, I give you the ones that joined Amoeba and I on our weekend trip to Duluth.</div>
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First, Duluth and us in it. As much as I love Chicago, I have such a fondness for certain parts of Minnesota - it is an amazing place, particularly because a few hours' drive brings you here:</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRQo036A_mW9TuvIs6dtqU6LIgsex6XCpdLYvpqPUihYbUgjTdWbf2zi1zTmmB_fHYE-7oWmOHOzwwDbTuSbC2i8DTPeeGbgl2Tr_xiLFgK6x7FK7WrPIy2lqb9-aEDG5VUu8/s1600/duluth8.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILbUE3GiAMH2APXNVBhF_efE0NPBIgbcx0tmxaE5mL558OHSZZ339Lr-207QLZ91plaimLsL-DNXgUf2IKmDBuG0JX76UbX3_FzTE-Zhr6B6uNG1tvQu6ysASKa9Bk4Dw1l_1/s1600/duluthus1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHXuUSyMomUie77tU8YjB1Qgkrzam6_WU2CTBfxHZxbVT7TVrKldei8HcZgb2Qi6ZbDbcaSQ-DtVbD3zCai4ZMPo2hYrv60PET_7iQ0unvLWddSEXOk5ZgquHsIZseqxflhB-/s1600/liftbridge9.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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It's worth noting that there were many, many photographs taken near the lift bridge, but I spared you the pipes and lichens. If pipes and lichens (but mostly pipes) are things that you are interested in seeing, let me know, but I'm assuming I'm fairly alone in this fascination. But bridges! I'll always show you the bridges.</div>
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On to the knitting:</div>
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As soon as we got into town we plunked ourselves down in a Caribou Coffee so Amoeba could finish their sweater. (Coffee was an important step, too, but the Caribou stop was really all about the sweater.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6eZMtec_yvAZFb82x69lI7ycRCxnkvcomthqwDo61oKldjJtnlamrR9O3t1JfA-qWwkg9oS1F8PkwkCc_iCHdrbUr98wbweLIWkYC9yLiqUbPsvKEvLlvFr7VAb062tFqijw/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beagle-3">Beagle</a>, by Nora Gaughan; Yarn: Berroco Vintage in the color Chana Dal.</td></tr>
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Post-coffee, we wandered out to do a little photo shoot for Amoeba's sweater and my newest completed design, which is currently-but-maybe-not-foreverly named Dovetail. Here's more of Beagle, and a glimpse of the behemoth that is Dovetail:</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYRfOnLpnIepPQdi6WhAq0jzD_i2Ux8MkoEmmFjcMM9lNSthv03CircsuoKhnowiXxCkVUgIq_u4Ab3ELCllz4Jz5aINCBfbiwoeIVzvkexDKe1GgvOIcVrc4wQez-ICJAAZB/s1600/beagle6.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pattern: Dovetail, by fecknom (unreleased); Yarn: Berroco Vintage.</td></tr>
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I'm on a mission to post more frequently, both to hold myself accountable to taming that obnoxious UFO pile, and to generally flail about projects, new designs, and yarn. I hope you'll read along.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437437945845480798noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-65428196556705231612013-09-19T18:17:00.001-05:002013-09-19T18:23:06.359-05:00Defining 'Finished'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="p1">Due to reasons that are what they are, there is so much yarn in my life right now and it is absolutely amazing. I'm trying really hard to not be overwhelmed and I think it's working! I've been bursting at the seams with ideas and I can't knit fast enough. People keep observing that I'm such a fast knitter, and <i>it is not fast enough. Must. Knit. </i><b><i>Faster. </i></b></div><div class="p1"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<div class="p2">There's simply too much excitement that's been going on in my brain that I'm going to have to break it down into smaller posts. Today, I going to talk about what might be my most obnoxious habit: not finishing projects and pretending I did.<br />
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</span></div><a href="http://blog.indieknits.com/">Cory Ellen</a> has brought to my attention <a href="http://blog.indieknits.com/2013/09/coming-clean.html">this radical idea</a> that WIPs aren't really finished until they're, you know, actually finished. As a result of my process-knitter tendencies, my love of lace and my masculine-leaning sense of style (if I can go so far as to say I have a sense of style)... I don't block my shawls or weave in the ends.<br />
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<div class="p1">Pictured are 13 lace shawls/scarves, 3 non-lace shawls/scarves and 2 hats. All of these projects need ends woven in, and most need blocking. A couple have been blocked already, and a couple more may have been blocked, but I honestly can't remember, and if they were, they could use another round.</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">I'm not even including the pair of socks whose ends have felted into the sock at the toes and dangle hopelessly at the cuff. </div><div class="p2"><br />
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<div class="p1">This pile is a good starting point. I've set a goal to finish one per week and should have one knocked out by tomorrow!</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">(note: I apologize for the photo placement making this post less legible. I've been fighting with Blogger about this for over an hour and am considering cutting ties. Suggestions or advice on working with photos in Blogger or on abandoning their platform altogether?)</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437437945845480798noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-34675792267714603762012-08-15T00:18:00.000-05:002012-08-15T00:18:13.486-05:00Transitions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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August is a month of transition for me. (I was going to append ‘this year’ to that sentence, but realized that this has been true for every August for the last seven years). Amoeba and I are both searching for jobs and preparing to move to Chicago. Everything is hanging in the air, and the preparations move slowly, and at some point, they’ll kick into high gear. We don’t have a set move date (or an apartment); we don’t know when that time will come.</div>
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Everything is transitioning. I’m cleaning out the contents of my childhood bedroom. I’m analyzing the gender(s) of my wardrobe. The books I’m reading are from the selected unpacked few. The knitting projects are small and fleeting, so they don’t become too distracting. I’ve been knitting washcloths. I’ve been enjoying knitting washcloths.</div>
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I was going to spend August knitting on fairly minor projects, getting small things finished so that I could start a couple of sweaters and large shawls this fall. Of course, when Amoeba and I went camping near Duluth a couple of weeks ago, and I found these lovely colours, and started another Daybreak.</div>
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I knit Daybreak a while back, and have never been completely happy with the tension along the edge with the color changes. It won't lay flat, and it's the sort of bunching that blocking won't fix. This time, I threw in some extra yarn overs (and dropped them) to loosen things up, but it turns out that the tension problem is actually happening every time I change colors; my fix isn’t helping. So as of tonight, we’re back to yarn.</div>
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I’m still madly into this color combination and have full confidence that it will turn into something impressive. However, I’ve come to an alarming conclusion: There is probably a time for washcloths. That time is probably now.</div>
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fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-51618114323149935132012-02-25T22:42:00.007-06:002012-02-26T00:02:12.495-06:00Finish and Begin<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; ">January and February have been quite cold, which for me has meant a lot of staying inside, burrowing in blankets, and sometimes, knitting. (When your head is the only body part warm enough to be outside the blankets, it's hard to knit, hence knitting being only a sometimes activity.)</span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCFfJtHZrTMGSlm7SEvqUVj8Wan3jUadxpmdSeBdKkkksXj4CwZCtlpu30NkKpPqb26TZeLcfJ3T5S5GyBZpoGd2qBZ7q2Ez-f34DBEpD0YJKK5-E9ZoDHbYNMZ70Qf3kL6k1/s400/winterwindow3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713318215422265346" /></span><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCFfJtHZrTMGSlm7SEvqUVj8Wan3jUadxpmdSeBdKkkksXj4CwZCtlpu30NkKpPqb26TZeLcfJ3T5S5GyBZpoGd2qBZ7q2Ez-f34DBEpD0YJKK5-E9ZoDHbYNMZ70Qf3kL6k1/s1600/winterwindow3.JPG"><span>This is what it looks like outside.</span></a></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">Last weekend, I finally got around to weaving in the ends on several projects that had been waiting for this process for months. I always manage to convince myself that I hate the tediousness of finishing. Projects pile up for months, and I try to tackle them in one big heap. A few projects in, I find myself kind of enjoying the process. I swear to myself that I'll remember this the next time I bind off something new, but I know I'll forget, and we'll do this whole dance all over again sometime in August.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">So I'm just going to show you the pictures, and let's not talk about how I had worn four of these items outside of the house with loose ends blowing in the wind, okay?</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">First, we have the cowl/hat/mitten set that I knit for myself so I could have warm things to subject to smoky bars. I used Kamteks Argentinian Wool for the set, I think three skeins of the grey and one of the red.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMcHxcNIjHS4plU4qJI0mKNhmmQScSJaDDebPjpkqwvKeD9N4Hn6uHrbBDO78cWIif-f2sX9gtXQRf94b3iJxH26eCiJA_KKs0Q0hZ4GoWGYc3rPhSqdHLk5U9EjcORB0hZxl/s1600/moscowridge1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMcHxcNIjHS4plU4qJI0mKNhmmQScSJaDDebPjpkqwvKeD9N4Hn6uHrbBDO78cWIif-f2sX9gtXQRf94b3iJxH26eCiJA_KKs0Q0hZ4GoWGYc3rPhSqdHLk5U9EjcORB0hZxl/s400/moscowridge1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713318205372084722" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u><br /></u></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXZ4hT_feQCKEnueiqmOacJ-PogMrdJPgVyXPNzy3hcYU0eXbRE8k6V8-hFEYv0xsIAcOZ9DKAthYJMZME1SlITZEouV_AHSrvx_f4QvTaeUpvdrW-LPiNlWdeYmJ3cnRjVvx/s1600/moscowridge7.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXZ4hT_feQCKEnueiqmOacJ-PogMrdJPgVyXPNzy3hcYU0eXbRE8k6V8-hFEYv0xsIAcOZ9DKAthYJMZME1SlITZEouV_AHSrvx_f4QvTaeUpvdrW-LPiNlWdeYmJ3cnRjVvx/s400/moscowridge7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317913135835154" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/purl-ridge-scarf">Purl Ridge Scarf</a>, by Stephen West</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV9MEHJ3Mrxhb4WC_qYZQP2MaTMxG9QXKhkjT3QS0stDogSmIq2EsRPijmWEE9suTJtGJYZzPht1gK87F1QSqtU0omt3Xzn3-FerOzLYIdA5DFuk0c-v57oPgDytRDeek3y1w/s1600/botanic5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV9MEHJ3Mrxhb4WC_qYZQP2MaTMxG9QXKhkjT3QS0stDogSmIq2EsRPijmWEE9suTJtGJYZzPht1gK87F1QSqtU0omt3Xzn3-FerOzLYIdA5DFuk0c-v57oPgDytRDeek3y1w/s400/botanic5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317905671538434" /></a><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/botanic-hat">Botanic Hat</a>, by Stephen West</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUOAwjdp4n498ZwgWS8ktiGmz-CEIGtohbCqElaPUPucqDiVM6uFUqA5RErPVx3NVclTLlkhVuSDLhwNVPJRGZ1zdYjyHzY0IDXZV9MM6FQaZkGqX44asCJKDoo2Mp9RTByvr/s1600/rgmittens4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUOAwjdp4n498ZwgWS8ktiGmz-CEIGtohbCqElaPUPucqDiVM6uFUqA5RErPVx3NVclTLlkhVuSDLhwNVPJRGZ1zdYjyHzY0IDXZV9MM6FQaZkGqX44asCJKDoo2Mp9RTByvr/s400/rgmittens4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317902763882882" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/red-and-black-celtic-gloves">Red and Black Celtic Gloves</a>, by Tuulia Salmela</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">Next up, three shawls which were finished in April, July, and November, respectively.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsctE6-In_-67E3AeAUEn6OLDE3QHpnsc4LAqAFRx5JvCpm3NmNTx_tpj7xvwel_0HYzjKFUWvGkTIIlDs0ZhnZQaXIjJBwrdKXXHxfEeeFkzDL6-EZGnKyaaVHqtPTdp2xZqi/s1600/lilacleaf1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsctE6-In_-67E3AeAUEn6OLDE3QHpnsc4LAqAFRx5JvCpm3NmNTx_tpj7xvwel_0HYzjKFUWvGkTIIlDs0ZhnZQaXIjJBwrdKXXHxfEeeFkzDL6-EZGnKyaaVHqtPTdp2xZqi/s400/lilacleaf1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317887828674818" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75E7tECW3Uew_O8adtrbdOm_-ziOyl5cmzl4e0_PbpIBjVxYgjcAqGTosLtrS4P_WErdeZZan2cvm2MfjR8CuHbQFTuSAKPwruW-0M5by6ClMJx5zIAU_IsTZ9v3m9t9z2O9b/s1600/lilacleaf8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75E7tECW3Uew_O8adtrbdOm_-ziOyl5cmzl4e0_PbpIBjVxYgjcAqGTosLtrS4P_WErdeZZan2cvm2MfjR8CuHbQFTuSAKPwruW-0M5by6ClMJx5zIAU_IsTZ9v3m9t9z2O9b/s400/lilacleaf8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317879668057922" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lilac-leaf-shawl">Lilac Leaf Scarf</a>, by Nancy Bush (from Knitted Lace of Estonia)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span>in Zitron Filigran</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf33kbzYy56qAY2wwnJadWntL_3IbTlegVpobAfvYBH2JPQa_AiDgRvgLoK9SfybEThtMCcMPZ9WVA3m99gj51faxgyU94wgI4qJBHZIdBbvsdp2QDyWf6fmtp7RiaFSZTAFpN/s1600/orenburg1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf33kbzYy56qAY2wwnJadWntL_3IbTlegVpobAfvYBH2JPQa_AiDgRvgLoK9SfybEThtMCcMPZ9WVA3m99gj51faxgyU94wgI4qJBHZIdBbvsdp2QDyWf6fmtp7RiaFSZTAFpN/s400/orenburg1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317467004728690" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YCZ8c7Od05f9tr3FI_iWX0JUvz-oTVhq7wi0Z0GwcAS0XKSBa7Z6poBxuXsw_KzwVHYQop0kl8BEn_MEvnCMgtU0EZq__ij5KL1qsjLpaxF0baICiAQJx3By4pWYiDtjZ3U8/s1600/orenburg4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YCZ8c7Od05f9tr3FI_iWX0JUvz-oTVhq7wi0Z0GwcAS0XKSBa7Z6poBxuXsw_KzwVHYQop0kl8BEn_MEvnCMgtU0EZq__ij5KL1qsjLpaxF0baICiAQJx3By4pWYiDtjZ3U8/s400/orenburg4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317459825427330" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDo9xG7pQVEIQv1TULOrM6xIAVy4VxcE4_bPbnLZYS5i9obS7mgD1kdNHgBYy4J7Dd7TicOkGewO5tMvBtCfwJKz1c1BkQNyC3JN1IxYlFTiak0yEyWRnll3RUs5bOZf5ljTZ/s1600/orenburg8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDo9xG7pQVEIQv1TULOrM6xIAVy4VxcE4_bPbnLZYS5i9obS7mgD1kdNHgBYy4J7Dd7TicOkGewO5tMvBtCfwJKz1c1BkQNyC3JN1IxYlFTiak0yEyWRnll3RUs5bOZf5ljTZ/s400/orenburg8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317456510712642" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diamond-triangular-shawl">Diamond Triangular Shawl</a>, by Galina Khmeleva</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span>in Misti Alpaca Lace Solids</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOnX0Lq4CAHd0QrjRemOm2oks7j8XGDg_yfQV7xvGwCgRcn9kUVQjAMRPOTRQZW6uRS1EiGcBGWlXxK2QiuN8vEDp1KLfNzzNzOt9gJZiJr7DED7H6mgBMDtsdwuSHk6pn2AO/s1600/wsolstice6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOnX0Lq4CAHd0QrjRemOm2oks7j8XGDg_yfQV7xvGwCgRcn9kUVQjAMRPOTRQZW6uRS1EiGcBGWlXxK2QiuN8vEDp1KLfNzzNzOt9gJZiJr7DED7H6mgBMDtsdwuSHk6pn2AO/s400/wsolstice6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317440996580706" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vernal-equinox-shawl-surprise">Vernal Equinox Shawl</a>, by Lankakomero</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span>in Moscow Yarn Company Искра (Iskra)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">Last, we have a set of mitts that I designed, using the general idea of Stephen West's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/clockwork">Clockwork</a> (and later realized, is quite similar to his Botanic Hat above). </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhA5tj0O0gCBSsebVC7rrCMvLVatOl7s2gRShc0Vt-nMXPmhepivxDQhdaVHpB0ge9lJtaUlTIvxxeQFNOBoD8_SeGXLHvCyACbLkOwtR2CszACOzky_JHgIdqBlwIze4_Uhf/s1600/offtheclock34.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhA5tj0O0gCBSsebVC7rrCMvLVatOl7s2gRShc0Vt-nMXPmhepivxDQhdaVHpB0ge9lJtaUlTIvxxeQFNOBoD8_SeGXLHvCyACbLkOwtR2CszACOzky_JHgIdqBlwIze4_Uhf/s400/offtheclock34.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713317436591901458" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span>Off the Clock Mitts, by fecknom</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span>in Troitsk Yarn Люкс (Deluxe)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">This weekend, I've managed to finish the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/firmaments-lace-shawl">Firmaments Lace Shawl</a> by Bonnie Sennott, which is purple and needs blocking before it will look impressive enough to be properly photographed. The only other project still on my needles is a lace scarf (from the beloved Knitted Lace of Estonia) that was put on hold after I somehow didn't knit the to-be-attached edging the same width as the scarf. A few West Wing episodes should take care of that, and I'm hoping to kick off the week with something new, which will be very exciting.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; ">After much consideration, I've decided that the alpaca sweater will be no more. I've been wanting to knit this for three years now, and for me, there is so much emotion and value wrapped up in that yarn. The hopes for the end result were incredibly high, and there is no way that a sweater made out of 100% alpaca will be flattering enough and wearable enough to satisfy those expectations. In the end, I realized that it's much more important for that yarn to become something I can be proud of, than for it to become a <i>sweater</i> I'm proud of. (Furthermore, my colorwork skills still aren't quite where they need to be for a sweater.)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">So this week I'll be frogging what's been knit so far, and casting on for Stephen West's<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chadwick">Chadwick</a>. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girasole">Girasole</a> (by Jared Flood) will follow.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; ">Even more importantly than the end result, the yarn has been slowly turning into emotional baggage. I have trundled along with this yarn in tow from Ohio to Minnesota to Chicago to Minnesota to Russia, and I can't bear to leave Russia with this still in the same, unknit, unsuccessful form it was in when it arrived. Progress must be made, and it's finally happening.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><br /></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-77830582425260754232011-12-31T17:14:00.004-06:002011-12-31T17:45:13.485-06:00С новым годом!I welcomed the New Year in what might be an untraditional way (mostly alone, albeit communicating with people far away), but I made sure to do it in the company of strangers.<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsILTictHAZemllRQU06rZfdqEphpVrJ3hq3nq453oKCl-HcUW2UqYm83sMi5rzeDrsHH_nswHvoR9mHOhtQt9yAHBZXSpvbm3lisyB-ByVSdrodvZkJhNvi9Iu0eUGdz-jeQa/s1600/snovimgodom10.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsILTictHAZemllRQU06rZfdqEphpVrJ3hq3nq453oKCl-HcUW2UqYm83sMi5rzeDrsHH_nswHvoR9mHOhtQt9yAHBZXSpvbm3lisyB-ByVSdrodvZkJhNvi9Iu0eUGdz-jeQa/s400/snovimgodom10.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692436295600964290" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBo1q9EC6RhpWwU2dnNC85hHYBLWjv3ePC2zfkF1byVG0Pfw1fZcoOoZxixGZDEfmY_5Kgc7AbdtNPKZmFiajMcBSW-TCGM6LveUdVd8HqHgsFKQYHWubu4uKGIy2Dkrj736g0/s1600/snovimgodom18.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBo1q9EC6RhpWwU2dnNC85hHYBLWjv3ePC2zfkF1byVG0Pfw1fZcoOoZxixGZDEfmY_5Kgc7AbdtNPKZmFiajMcBSW-TCGM6LveUdVd8HqHgsFKQYHWubu4uKGIy2Dkrj736g0/s400/snovimgodom18.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692436307459864354" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJwYvLeIXZBPQ89f3nd1HPm7bPIPhzYiylIBCaA9rW6zt6PmL_6aAx7SQa-kbeos8TgErQOuguchqIyRMYsNJEoo_tg9yAaJyhEZWwo28Z1w2Ilg_Nf2lLeytJ4ql85J-8ng9/s1600/snovimgodom31.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJwYvLeIXZBPQ89f3nd1HPm7bPIPhzYiylIBCaA9rW6zt6PmL_6aAx7SQa-kbeos8TgErQOuguchqIyRMYsNJEoo_tg9yAaJyhEZWwo28Z1w2Ilg_Nf2lLeytJ4ql85J-8ng9/s400/snovimgodom31.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692437619958646626" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoquNVntzrpk9m5mFd7bzfRRuyfSLTo0UJJBhXwOPEipm4h2RHjf62jiwp7Xd-dVOeNJSolR1eX8uiBNgl0DCartCdggf2VPTj8ZTkxbYk2SyEwhFUcO-r8KgQTQQIS8hyyp61/s1600/snovimgodom30.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoquNVntzrpk9m5mFd7bzfRRuyfSLTo0UJJBhXwOPEipm4h2RHjf62jiwp7Xd-dVOeNJSolR1eX8uiBNgl0DCartCdggf2VPTj8ZTkxbYk2SyEwhFUcO-r8KgQTQQIS8hyyp61/s400/snovimgodom30.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692436327241773490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlgO304IgjFwQdPtVM6P1D4tVRBo_fBI9oscoTFSafF66RaUdILq_0mUdGRlb-dhxVPl2el4MIXPWc3WcRIVHI3P_d1F3nQkyiKnMI8Bdaeb1CHUYn4ZtY2Zugopxbv385OVQ/s1600/snovimgodom24.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlgO304IgjFwQdPtVM6P1D4tVRBo_fBI9oscoTFSafF66RaUdILq_0mUdGRlb-dhxVPl2el4MIXPWc3WcRIVHI3P_d1F3nQkyiKnMI8Bdaeb1CHUYn4ZtY2Zugopxbv385OVQ/s400/snovimgodom24.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692436324545739858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN_687i5QMPZz_0QIdWvoPio9RvjW2RZ66M3vRcH16u7c7iCcSzqtWgjtnFGIAyRyLcHLuA_UYW7J-CsggvAPXKlWHFeVfDZuOmZbIobGByXwpFXpGX6tDB9yn9-bWinMNlaQ/s1600/snovimgodom35.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRN_687i5QMPZz_0QIdWvoPio9RvjW2RZ66M3vRcH16u7c7iCcSzqtWgjtnFGIAyRyLcHLuA_UYW7J-CsggvAPXKlWHFeVfDZuOmZbIobGByXwpFXpGX6tDB9yn9-bWinMNlaQ/s400/snovimgodom35.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692437624435171634" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iiyiWPznUNTGURxClKITTtWTzxV6-x25zsfcQx7N0oTesBw12Wqi2avqtgXOUlcFM7He3hTZgbsomNvclRd0W7qyN94mkNEQfcfPQrS3CzKeBxiFhn_SrtlwHe0mjRn9cKI1/s1600/snovimgodom9.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iiyiWPznUNTGURxClKITTtWTzxV6-x25zsfcQx7N0oTesBw12Wqi2avqtgXOUlcFM7He3hTZgbsomNvclRd0W7qyN94mkNEQfcfPQrS3CzKeBxiFhn_SrtlwHe0mjRn9cKI1/s400/snovimgodom9.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692436300444800386" /></a>In addition to witnessing the buildup of the countdown, cheers, well wishes, and dancing (to ABBA, of course), I have also been settling in with this project. I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out, even if I had envisioned being farther into it by the beginning of 2012.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhvItO4Hkf3Mh1Go0tjfFwh_ZFiXP6N76WACcZMP9SUThy3KfnT0c-WWE-lsZ7lw2FcX3XcWZd3tQ16P6SysznH09F468otLRKq_2FrTST1git1AH8_q5SsbfziZR2KfnbrEb/s1600/ezassy17.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhvItO4Hkf3Mh1Go0tjfFwh_ZFiXP6N76WACcZMP9SUThy3KfnT0c-WWE-lsZ7lw2FcX3XcWZd3tQ16P6SysznH09F468otLRKq_2FrTST1git1AH8_q5SsbfziZR2KfnbrEb/s400/ezassy17.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692437636037113250" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ECtO2k-pdHUDYE9rG49WC1Lp_PJbZ_jNHOWgknmnn0-kW4SgQ1kK27m0Q9ECmTze94APuY_HyxkEs0DEzwZgL1pgZNPZFAZtN_0UvYSeUQ0ONMx3Uls_m2xlZ8R35ZeWY90R/s1600/ezassy12.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ECtO2k-pdHUDYE9rG49WC1Lp_PJbZ_jNHOWgknmnn0-kW4SgQ1kK27m0Q9ECmTze94APuY_HyxkEs0DEzwZgL1pgZNPZFAZtN_0UvYSeUQ0ONMx3Uls_m2xlZ8R35ZeWY90R/s400/ezassy12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692437643462146338" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">С новым годом, друзья!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year, dear friends! </div><div style="text-align: center;"> You have meant so much to me this year, and I look forward to spending 2012 with you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-63150340568712837852011-12-31T07:47:00.004-06:002011-12-31T07:51:01.553-06:00Break in a Five Item List: So now it's Day 8...So, around Day 5, I got sick. There's been a lot of:<div><br /></div><div>1. Sleep until heart's content.</div><div>2. Drink (tea/orange juice/Coke).</div><div>3. Watch Merlin.</div><div>4. Don't knit.</div><div>5. Spend too much time on the internet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Haven't done a lot of reading.</div><div>Haven't done a lot of shopping.</div><div>Haven't done a lot of knitting, frankly.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I did make a zine.</div><div>I did buy a new shirt, vest and tie for tonight.</div><div>And I have made some preparations for a 12-hour songwriting marathon tomorrow.</div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-36364809640746221392011-12-27T13:46:00.004-06:002011-12-31T07:47:25.840-06:00Break in a Five-Item List - Days 3 and 4Monday, 26 December:<div><br /></div><div>1. Missed out on a drag show. Fortunately, I got to say hi to all the friends who were on the correct continent and could be there.</div><div>2. Knit, and was pleased.</div><div>3. Watched <i>Make the Yuletide Gay</i> (and knit). Pretty cute. Even the Minnesota/Wisconsin accents.</div><div>4. Skype date!</div><div>5. Walked through a windy night to collect B's apartment key and say goodbye/serve as moral support about calling the taxi company. (B: notice that none of those words we looked up helped. You would have been fine without unearthing the dictionary. Confidence!)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Tuesday, 27 December:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Knit. (Pretty sure this will be on almost every day)</div><div>2. Naps!</div><div>3. Visited the bank, about half an hour too late to do everything I needed, but it did allow me to buy groceries.</div><div>4. Between the bank and groceries, I sat around and was mopey for a while.</div><div>5. Came home, cooked myself a dinner of pasta with ground turkey and broccoli, and started watching Merlin.</div><div><br /></div><div>We can blame all future interest in Merlin on <a href="http://gleekwithasplashofsondheim.tumblr.com/">the fearsome bowler</a>.</div><div><br /></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-78736384912306850602011-12-25T15:18:00.008-06:002011-12-25T16:02:39.290-06:00Break in a Five-Item List - Days 1 and 2<div>For the last few years, I've tried to make a habit of posting five-item lists each day during the month of January. Since I seem to usually lose steam during week three, and I just started a two-week break from work, I figured I'd start the tradition a little early, and use it to add a little structure to my giant window of unscheduled time. </div><div><br /></div><div>This weekend has been my first Christmas away from home, and so a new experience. However, because it isn't Christmas in Russia until 7 January, it doesn't feel very much like Christmas. I know it is on a conscious level, but I don't feel it very strongly here.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Christmas Eve, I:</div><div>1. Discovered the excitement that is Virtual Choir 3.0. Downloaded and began learning a voice part.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Acquired yarn and needles for a hat I promised to a co-worker.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9igbuGAouHgExOhh9jzABAaFoZhUDe_RrcwbT0eBmJR6GJEUqaAj7cXFJtwEyroS8jSFqWGGpScbI28XlCnnvYhcYZTf6j9I9TwhPPBAT6c502dQY3hulJdHlOpVtAtZAeLJ/s1600/vfog6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9igbuGAouHgExOhh9jzABAaFoZhUDe_RrcwbT0eBmJR6GJEUqaAj7cXFJtwEyroS8jSFqWGGpScbI28XlCnnvYhcYZTf6j9I9TwhPPBAT6c502dQY3hulJdHlOpVtAtZAeLJ/s400/vfog6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690181111187145218" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u>It was super foggy in Vgrad.</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div>3. Ate a pizza from the street stand that I've been intending to patronize for months now.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfhw0j0jDK5wceWgxaeeLPfWzJOsfm51CoCsyHMIpMNCNWP18A0Q-lzn9_Be2_AeWaFT_rhgVBCKMbX4qVhVGOdDq_DYR45PII6TwR18j28Qi7kSIGak2TnGy0IuA1KqzVNlh/s1600/parktree4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfhw0j0jDK5wceWgxaeeLPfWzJOsfm51CoCsyHMIpMNCNWP18A0Q-lzn9_Be2_AeWaFT_rhgVBCKMbX4qVhVGOdDq_DYR45PII6TwR18j28Qi7kSIGak2TnGy0IuA1KqzVNlh/s400/parktree4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690181101710080706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfhw0j0jDK5wceWgxaeeLPfWzJOsfm51CoCsyHMIpMNCNWP18A0Q-lzn9_Be2_AeWaFT_rhgVBCKMbX4qVhVGOdDq_DYR45PII6TwR18j28Qi7kSIGak2TnGy0IuA1KqzVNlh/s1600/parktree4.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfhw0j0jDK5wceWgxaeeLPfWzJOsfm51CoCsyHMIpMNCNWP18A0Q-lzn9_Be2_AeWaFT_rhgVBCKMbX4qVhVGOdDq_DYR45PII6TwR18j28Qi7kSIGak2TnGy0IuA1KqzVNlh/s1600/parktree4.JPG"><span>(Taken while waiting for the pizza.)</span></a></span></div><div><br /></div>4. Left my cocktail selection up to the bartender, which resulted in three very different, interesting, and sugary drinks.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Knit and watched <i>Love, Actually</i>, intermittently chatting with Amoeba.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Christmas, I:</div><div>1. Woke up and was promptly invited to a puppet show, which was fantastic.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeFILohs9YRtNUwVTMRTqk7qxn4mZ9NXk5-epZgEZpKZy4z86lugHRtDIrDTacxJBJFbOXMf2WEnDsH2Dvm8nNftPZ8XwujItbSK1js0_uVmWJTe4V1_Iudzt5Um9x5GJ0zg-/s1600/kukolteatr5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeFILohs9YRtNUwVTMRTqk7qxn4mZ9NXk5-epZgEZpKZy4z86lugHRtDIrDTacxJBJFbOXMf2WEnDsH2Dvm8nNftPZ8XwujItbSK1js0_uVmWJTe4V1_Iudzt5Um9x5GJ0zg-/s400/kukolteatr5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690181079071872402" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxSrXct7NB5xLB-sJEl6Nj3-L2ye1BCi4VHBJMJr8CCSZPSmdaeA_gEsm2uWolQtcibKjjQKrs8XiZ3vrO7eUNZiitqAU7RYX1wtxD3RN7zvuFFXsjT8_SI8r0mctSOpkVl62/s1600/kukolteatr2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxSrXct7NB5xLB-sJEl6Nj3-L2ye1BCi4VHBJMJr8CCSZPSmdaeA_gEsm2uWolQtcibKjjQKrs8XiZ3vrO7eUNZiitqAU7RYX1wtxD3RN7zvuFFXsjT8_SI8r0mctSOpkVl62/s400/kukolteatr2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690181072336334514" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u>(L to R: M, Дед Мороз, fecknom, Снегурочка, and B)</u></span></div><div><br /></div>2. Finished my co-worker's hat.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5feAVOxZ5bWqq0a6-DNAkIyXm357vdZ-UoPw8OK1zCb0Ybgm1EwgJDoFwcIpjvd2zSlCBg9C1Ry-7fgek2jsuUX_soEOVjLK5AyXgCGgKYVLku1VmyjruT9AUhrFFhuedLEzW/s1600/mhat1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5feAVOxZ5bWqq0a6-DNAkIyXm357vdZ-UoPw8OK1zCb0Ybgm1EwgJDoFwcIpjvd2zSlCBg9C1Ry-7fgek2jsuUX_soEOVjLK5AyXgCGgKYVLku1VmyjruT9AUhrFFhuedLEzW/s400/mhat1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690181066587356562" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><u>(<a href="http://westknits.com/index.php/pattern/hats/windschief/">Windscheif</a>, by Stephen West)</u></span></div><br />3. Bought a grey and purple striped sweater. Thin, but very warm.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Ate dinner at the local German restaurant, and engaged in an obnoxious and tiring discussion of women's rights, privilege, victim-blaming, racism, and general giving-a-shit-about-the-world. (This was probably the part of the day that made miss folks from home the most.)</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Talked to my family, and was thankful: I have no idea how people lived abroad or navigated long-distance relationships pre-Skype.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm settling in for another night of movies and knitting. The difference with tonight is that instead of knitting a simple hat, I'll be getting into the meat of this colorwork sweater that I've been planning for so long. It's going to be intense, but a friend reminded me (via <a href="http://butchnorfemme.tumblr.com/post/14749192902">blog</a>) of a quote that suits this project well:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Just don't worry; worry ruins your knitting."</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Zimmerman</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpa-O6Z9YbX-t2HuZbp7MasqiRrxIhxiLiqaCx6CeUkMw4o8kiIiCEYHkzy300gg-SXP4aJb5w_mfUzjAf5bfYHIKR2Hnz3vnuxo8HlVErbMD015svAiNO3tlZMG81U2EHZ5K/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-26+at+12.56.49+AM.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpa-O6Z9YbX-t2HuZbp7MasqiRrxIhxiLiqaCx6CeUkMw4o8kiIiCEYHkzy300gg-SXP4aJb5w_mfUzjAf5bfYHIKR2Hnz3vnuxo8HlVErbMD015svAiNO3tlZMG81U2EHZ5K/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-26+at+12.56.49+AM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690188501210575842" /></a>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-6389721580321559182011-12-03T05:03:00.003-06:002011-12-03T05:10:29.756-06:00In other news...<div>...I am thankful for some wonderful people!</div><div><br /></div><div>We have learned this week that large envelopes move through the Russian postal system FAR quicker than packages. According to the package experiences of others, when my friend put a generous assortment of zines in the mail in early November, I expected to see them in early January, at the earliest.</div><div><br /></div><div>Boy, was I surprised this week.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB0JXyTmFFh9kLhyVcHLyWqvVB1lms6Iig-oAhLleLQ259W4-g6Ivwnhgz6iUHmm-mfc95QIoOeRkIgN5fCRe5ueevcOgO9zSpRSrbbhVvZx_ax-mXMMdtzn6656sMSEw7QMS/s1600/zines8.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzB0JXyTmFFh9kLhyVcHLyWqvVB1lms6Iig-oAhLleLQ259W4-g6Ivwnhgz6iUHmm-mfc95QIoOeRkIgN5fCRe5ueevcOgO9zSpRSrbbhVvZx_ax-mXMMdtzn6656sMSEw7QMS/s400/zines8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681856371525912722" /></a>Zines! Thank you, L!<div><br /></div><div>Aside from the sweater and zine highlights, it's been a rough week here. It's been a busy and stressful one at work, and I've been thinking a lot about a couple of friends/families that are dealing with some tough stuff right now. I'm oscillating between keeping my thoughts with those folks, and thinking about being far away from my family as the holiday season starts. To top it off, Friday night decided to make itself into an aggravated little monster.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm incredibly lucky, though, and I try really hard to not lose sight of that. I've been blessed to catch up with a few friends this past week. I'm also talking to this human whenever I get the chance, and those conversations, in all their 6000-mile width, make everything so much easier.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Jx7fzvcf9W_apMdIBTriQ1wvW9ROui723fG6EWWZFeUktatkODprK0jGxKa7rakrKTRTSyS2cZ7tZINkMoDrzg3vamo3kFBcAjMYbjiuPhoJMx7x0ug9s6rMnfdcyHZ0y7Fo/s1600/alyx1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Jx7fzvcf9W_apMdIBTriQ1wvW9ROui723fG6EWWZFeUktatkODprK0jGxKa7rakrKTRTSyS2cZ7tZINkMoDrzg3vamo3kFBcAjMYbjiuPhoJMx7x0ug9s6rMnfdcyHZ0y7Fo/s400/alyx1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681856366779140082" /></a><br /></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-7957879114056672872011-12-02T18:04:00.004-06:002011-12-03T05:02:46.955-06:00A Rare Enthusiasm Has Struck<div>I'm wide awake, and my mind is completely occupied with being a verbose and angry queer, but really, there is this sweater, and I've been meaning to tell you about it all week, and since I'm up and typing, I figure I might as well bang this post out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, there isn't a sweater, so much as there is some <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/fecknom/stash/superfine-prime-alpaca-yarn-3-ply-2">yarn</a> and an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seamless-yoke-sweater">idea</a>.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5-1RrSx-RKzKjxRyg7-r9kX2C5qGPouy5Y3I86xk1PScomEowaJhAynFTavsRvFzkiuMYyAOdN-lHgfQUAYR-rBs1v7DF9dHEXylpEyo5arZ9JoIM4XV6uBLL7F_kBuzLCk-/s1600/ezyarn21.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5-1RrSx-RKzKjxRyg7-r9kX2C5qGPouy5Y3I86xk1PScomEowaJhAynFTavsRvFzkiuMYyAOdN-lHgfQUAYR-rBs1v7DF9dHEXylpEyo5arZ9JoIM4XV6uBLL7F_kBuzLCk-/s400/ezyarn21.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687377499563538" /></a><div>And it isn't so much an idea, as much as it's a well-formulated plan that's been kicked about in my brain for, oh, two and half years now. The difference this time is, I'm actually excited about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all starts with this completely other knitting project. I finished a lace shawl a few weeks ago (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vernal-equinox-shawl-surprise">Vernal Equinox</a> in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/moscow-yarn-company-iskra-">Iskra</a>). I needed a new project that wasn't the socks I'm inexplicably avoiding, and the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/fecknom/red-and-black-celtic-gloves">mittens</a> I made only kept me occupied for a week. I organized my stash, pored over the lace patterns I currently have access to, and settled on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/firmaments-lace-shawl">Firmaments Lace Shawl </a>in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/moscow-yarn-company-lidya-wool-">Lidiya</a>. It was a little fiddly at the beginning (as it seems most circular shawls are), but since it starting filling out the center of the needle, it's been lovely.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiNjh6WTBIVCDodZ1UlpKNtjjUi8HaQvNoTNdX1a4kgVCZC_viXAo-nEsgRdk7-sYUVJZKi-iKpATjWeAV0SYUCUFeBQKWfL1D9iKFDkSbxJkzEOBm8ngj3yUtMCZ7o30iVXN/s1600/firmlace12.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiNjh6WTBIVCDodZ1UlpKNtjjUi8HaQvNoTNdX1a4kgVCZC_viXAo-nEsgRdk7-sYUVJZKi-iKpATjWeAV0SYUCUFeBQKWfL1D9iKFDkSbxJkzEOBm8ngj3yUtMCZ7o30iVXN/s400/firmlace12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687881462352738" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIg_diwURJGRlyLL3lnh5CEsPd1hi8NugKzvgztOBaW851nDxnQGeP04bkhg4S9nLqjqxllKmmwVNnO__6SQYgoKBu0CjxnoKxiuZp_d_00eu84BW6p2rHqODW1b6WveDvQxBh/s1600/firmlace24.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIg_diwURJGRlyLL3lnh5CEsPd1hi8NugKzvgztOBaW851nDxnQGeP04bkhg4S9nLqjqxllKmmwVNnO__6SQYgoKBu0CjxnoKxiuZp_d_00eu84BW6p2rHqODW1b6WveDvQxBh/s400/firmlace24.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687864224428354" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1P1MdMbaDKrLo8YDdPYhH4NC6OHS8z9olFjofHKP3WVMypJSzejZlnWOpJbseVMVMJXknLu_BiWbzX3y82u9oVD1pBBzgX3oulE4H0c9Q4fHuCpY7PVo4DEk_IWF7wBFlsl0/s1600/firmlace19.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1P1MdMbaDKrLo8YDdPYhH4NC6OHS8z9olFjofHKP3WVMypJSzejZlnWOpJbseVMVMJXknLu_BiWbzX3y82u9oVD1pBBzgX3oulE4H0c9Q4fHuCpY7PVo4DEk_IWF7wBFlsl0/s400/firmlace19.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687859166283410" /></a> <p class="p1">The needles are my new favorites: my Addi Lace needles, size 4. I love, love, love my Addi Turbos, but the plastic cable in the lace ones means I don't have to worry about accidentally kinking the cable, like I do with the metal ones.</p><p class="p1">Of course, almost immediately after casting-on, I began thinking about this sweater.</p><p class="p1">Three years ago, during my last year at Oberlin, I bought this yarn. I had used another colorway to make my dad a scarf for Christmas, and had been drooling over the rest of the skeins since. When I graduated, my knitting circle companions presented me with a gift certificate to Smith's, Oberlin's yarn shop (and the site of our knitting circle). I took home the green and dark brown, made a swatch, having planned a simple colorwork pattern to be knit up on 5s and 6s. When I got home to Minnesota, I bought a couple of other colors (the tan and orange) to supplement my yardage.</p> <p class="p1">The plan was to knit an Elizabeth Zimmerman seamless yoke sweater. I swatched and started knitting.</p> <p class="p1">Thankfully, reason stepped in (or rather, tried on the first few inches of the body), and pointed out that this yarn was 100% alpaca, and that alpaca tends to lose it's shape easily (and also that ribbing was a terrible idea and that I had cast on too many stitches). I decided 5s and 6s weren't going to cut it. I agonized for a long time. I had had, in the past, clothing turn out to be far less satisfying than I expected, and this project had some pretty high expectations. Over time, I became afraid that this yarn was doomed to be a disappointment. I set the yarn aside, and it sat for at least a year and a half.</p> <p class="p1">So when I was struck with this sudden optimistic enthusiasm to pick this project back up, I knew I needed to jump on it. The only problem: I had decided, for shape-holding purposes, to knit the project with more colorwork and on a smaller needle. I knew I couldn't take the needle size down too far, but I had settled on 3.5mm circulars.</p> <p class="p1">Which is a US 4. Precisely the needles I had just used to cast on a 1700-yard shawl.</p> <p class="p1">Clearly, as most knitters know, the answer was to buy a new needle. I went to the local yarn shop by work, and inquired about the Addis they had in stock. Sadly, they were low, but they told me they expecting a shipment soon. I came back the afternoon of the shipment (last Thursday), but was disappointed. At the weekend, I found another shop that carried some cheap circular needles, which will suffice. I brought them home, and knit (and blocked!) myself a swatch.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJVQpQIj3QoKdQed9hyuf6JKlBxHWftNvtCYBFiNhl8A8ZeFrN9w2Wo5sl2PIQTqlba-BVwR7nqk-p-yO-nAQX4MsqB8eprHYZyhcRuM3f87CSbB6AShe9IlE_HQ4Q1lqrDJW/s1600/ezswatch12.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJVQpQIj3QoKdQed9hyuf6JKlBxHWftNvtCYBFiNhl8A8ZeFrN9w2Wo5sl2PIQTqlba-BVwR7nqk-p-yO-nAQX4MsqB8eprHYZyhcRuM3f87CSbB6AShe9IlE_HQ4Q1lqrDJW/s400/ezswatch12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687361877695186" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt6jrEaPJc5EOvpASjh9R7-mgka74AwUCe5NwWVI2K7xH9eURIYE8LkbSKHgQajv1mk8TPHZMO_yt4gwfZIMQ6J7VURwcNScSpb4BuLbNm_FnBkzs4n6WmRNAMc5Bw60m65Jm/s1600/ezswatch13.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt6jrEaPJc5EOvpASjh9R7-mgka74AwUCe5NwWVI2K7xH9eURIYE8LkbSKHgQajv1mk8TPHZMO_yt4gwfZIMQ6J7VURwcNScSpb4BuLbNm_FnBkzs4n6WmRNAMc5Bw60m65Jm/s400/ezswatch13.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687358772155794" /></a></div><div> <p class="p1">I'm still waffling a little on the size, since I'm aware that the parts with colorwork will have little give, and the parts without will have a lot, which means I haven't cast on yet. I've mostly been doing a lot of math and calculations and rewording the pattern.</p></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqVepyneigjlAhEyVutCLGm-OH_0njzbLi8uoA_jfcPBAqJh_FGYi03goSW9vEFlU6rFyA8nSbv1CV8uW_TslBNEIFu_d7VHYuYQRBj0m-5pweg_JKm3g0oDwmiDrZMHhI0mA/s1600/eznotes2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqVepyneigjlAhEyVutCLGm-OH_0njzbLi8uoA_jfcPBAqJh_FGYi03goSW9vEFlU6rFyA8nSbv1CV8uW_TslBNEIFu_d7VHYuYQRBj0m-5pweg_JKm3g0oDwmiDrZMHhI0mA/s400/eznotes2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681687341893667490" /></a> <p class="p1">I'm inverting EZ's technique for this one. Since the smaller needle size and increased colorwork has me worried about running out of yarn, it seems the logical answer is to start at the neck, instead of at the hems, and we'll see how long the arms get in the end, and how much detail we can insert on the body.</p> <p class="p1">The plans as they look now: Here are the several-month-old Excel colorwork sketches. It's not exactly what I'll knit, since I haven't checked their compatibility with various stitch counts, but it probably won't be too far off from this:</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79N0kQeC1UblY9g7CHi6fQdpVhjjXKCEOnjQjY573u1c8D9c22Lr1jnr8RISQZVVP1pFaXlwL_x9IrNWhlKPVm8hWS75sR1rlwSO5a1UHDDr9Udc5U71VHcDuZ95e-msdkC08/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-03+at+3.11.32+AM.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 224px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79N0kQeC1UblY9g7CHi6fQdpVhjjXKCEOnjQjY573u1c8D9c22Lr1jnr8RISQZVVP1pFaXlwL_x9IrNWhlKPVm8hWS75sR1rlwSO5a1UHDDr9Udc5U71VHcDuZ95e-msdkC08/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-03+at+3.11.32+AM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681689184237701346" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-VCtMdSahssa9BwNQNCbASQOxPeiHu_vexe5BmSa07BKCO0KDpYhNz56rzPnG-wgcUb-kWv0zxMLca-c0JzyAlnRP86wSyTUMMXXoGXtVL1HnaaRhJ-EcMakwSTdKQzZffkn/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-03+at+3.12.05+AM.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 223px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-VCtMdSahssa9BwNQNCbASQOxPeiHu_vexe5BmSa07BKCO0KDpYhNz56rzPnG-wgcUb-kWv0zxMLca-c0JzyAlnRP86wSyTUMMXXoGXtVL1HnaaRhJ-EcMakwSTdKQzZffkn/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-03+at+3.12.05+AM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681689181758794098" /></a> <p class="p1">PS. These are definitely adapted from an Alice Starmore pattern book.</p></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-48563045553303503202011-11-04T19:30:00.008-05:002011-11-04T20:09:38.889-05:00October in Volgograd<div style="text-align: center;">I've been in Volgograd for a couple of months, now. I guess I should show you around. </div><div style="text-align: center;">My building.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeGXZhdJmz5KNtaaIBXBEjzl2wDzsyZyGlM69jzdJwWfBbmQlrngMNYIB-F934U6Dkzgv8tqWmOGyYLh6gSEZ0VJpSIwvjkCBFkbgK45vZjFTI7TZKVwwNU36KGwnDLUIyLuy/s1600/home2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeGXZhdJmz5KNtaaIBXBEjzl2wDzsyZyGlM69jzdJwWfBbmQlrngMNYIB-F934U6Dkzgv8tqWmOGyYLh6gSEZ0VJpSIwvjkCBFkbgK45vZjFTI7TZKVwwNU36KGwnDLUIyLuy/s400/home2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671305891792272114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Local tunnel. Стоматология = dentist.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCn6f6GHLMVBWeGtTO5PtYSqOneMkhaJmCJhqBGtB4XNRgi9OGrjxY-u9P8jY8Dm3L_J4He2PNN2DEk8KHEx7j29U2bwQ2C7mchl5N46_UY60tfA-c02mJ1aZCSUYg4A1zJzm1/s1600/tunnel5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCn6f6GHLMVBWeGtTO5PtYSqOneMkhaJmCJhqBGtB4XNRgi9OGrjxY-u9P8jY8Dm3L_J4He2PNN2DEk8KHEx7j29U2bwQ2C7mchl5N46_UY60tfA-c02mJ1aZCSUYg4A1zJzm1/s400/tunnel5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671305878537052690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Local graffiti.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPgXGxzPnZo5pgG4tjhHXfIBaJcWcJT8iupNmF7huVOz-oVTWPte_uIoOy2zFhbFEtJr2abn0oUOf8_0uyVsLTFIApZwwfOro-KFFtT-TzqPbVCESWYaOJnXDjIswbakN8uZI/s1600/home4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPgXGxzPnZo5pgG4tjhHXfIBaJcWcJT8iupNmF7huVOz-oVTWPte_uIoOy2zFhbFEtJr2abn0oUOf8_0uyVsLTFIApZwwfOro-KFFtT-TzqPbVCESWYaOJnXDjIswbakN8uZI/s400/home4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671305869311574370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Local corner.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qs4Mqkkj4WjmPNNt0un3YllsUIYW7kMQvaOBbQ0fb89Jriy48Q5jXeD6FWiNlIpFtyAxH5jyL5BMYELPXoMP3fnKMC1rcc9eAMEUrYAdIA1i3q9n56qA9h4eBvS8BKJQLVNz/s1600/home8.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qs4Mqkkj4WjmPNNt0un3YllsUIYW7kMQvaOBbQ0fb89Jriy48Q5jXeD6FWiNlIpFtyAxH5jyL5BMYELPXoMP3fnKMC1rcc9eAMEUrYAdIA1i3q9n56qA9h4eBvS8BKJQLVNz/s400/home8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671305863110001090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Local ferris wheel (blurry, at night).</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQggWqt41oMrrHOZPt1tfbAPAyYV5C4A5gu3d_2I-mQ4Ry0lK7TCjedW9PRsW_bQCan2KJlV5a8P0RHRZcH8s8liSi-g5SbXgG_1ILD0jDt3WKpMuOetsv1mRkdjTEDJEcFuda/s1600/vferris3.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQggWqt41oMrrHOZPt1tfbAPAyYV5C4A5gu3d_2I-mQ4Ry0lK7TCjedW9PRsW_bQCan2KJlV5a8P0RHRZcH8s8liSi-g5SbXgG_1ILD0jDt3WKpMuOetsv1mRkdjTEDJEcFuda/s400/vferris3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671304261197601842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is Sasha, and my wool blanket. These two major things make my apartment feel like a home.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqIafizeB7yQZa_uXd2Eno8Ru2xjgBU-NEs4ZZW71kPhIHIDQB8UG0czhVL2snN6upFU22KkzCUTBdhFyW0arLE0uFe-pwE0dkOCoPgIpvB42mh2eb8gh3izyKqNxqyIQMHgb/s1600/sasha1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqIafizeB7yQZa_uXd2Eno8Ru2xjgBU-NEs4ZZW71kPhIHIDQB8UG0czhVL2snN6upFU22KkzCUTBdhFyW0arLE0uFe-pwE0dkOCoPgIpvB42mh2eb8gh3izyKqNxqyIQMHgb/s400/sasha1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671304256774532690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Local monument.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hfB4DfRbA3tSKphkhI8m2G6_xonePi81BQmcveqMmoEloB9foDotQlSSORUARW9THv0MG3bD_LH7mHrX7nDD_MTffic7hM6UTJjVwuVmMQ6V6fnddbHU_X9q-kranviXja7b/s1600/vmonument5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hfB4DfRbA3tSKphkhI8m2G6_xonePi81BQmcveqMmoEloB9foDotQlSSORUARW9THv0MG3bD_LH7mHrX7nDD_MTffic7hM6UTJjVwuVmMQ6V6fnddbHU_X9q-kranviXja7b/s400/vmonument5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671304235764939842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The tramvai.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKS0GoNFgBKeDpT8O4qnRwb-sI6sEWNf0aVieZens20vC_upFFBoWGd-CiAJIbRkmW5MQxY0n69h4FseHDD4qyT6fjHy0sa6RocEnXxjLCbTAZTSB-hjXogQM8LOOTvAdUNTU/s1600/tramvai1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKS0GoNFgBKeDpT8O4qnRwb-sI6sEWNf0aVieZens20vC_upFFBoWGd-CiAJIbRkmW5MQxY0n69h4FseHDD4qyT6fjHy0sa6RocEnXxjLCbTAZTSB-hjXogQM8LOOTvAdUNTU/s400/tramvai1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671304230209557970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The wall inside Читай-Город. (Read City, a bookstore's whose name is a play on the Russian version of the name 'Chinatown'.)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rR5znYVi4mxts6ZUioKEidvaOLs5rbEbfrOYjP0YsJx3ufYNRaDhmDQ-55SbycET-fPRyzQxlBJT_w9i9ObSBbaYNq-VrpmbFSEptGqWPRmQYEgqJOV-8d3szwrQ_c1iinLy/s1600/chitaigorod1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rR5znYVi4mxts6ZUioKEidvaOLs5rbEbfrOYjP0YsJx3ufYNRaDhmDQ-55SbycET-fPRyzQxlBJT_w9i9ObSBbaYNq-VrpmbFSEptGqWPRmQYEgqJOV-8d3szwrQ_c1iinLy/s400/chitaigorod1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671304222297753250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Possibly the most fascinating part of my neighborhood. This is in a park behind my apartment, and it appears to be an empty fountain. What or who used to be honored on the platform in the center, I have no idea. I wish I knew.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ia1hobvufG9pQqpakVTmKYyq28C4ICIGSPMYhTyC9pNGInB-sn2lKV7rkLWfM-cIMQhwyM499BWo0uH8sYkSN1A0Vd2fN1hhEiCcCQu0mdloshr1gwtxCPsJfBvsUL_w2_mQ/s1600/fountain2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ia1hobvufG9pQqpakVTmKYyq28C4ICIGSPMYhTyC9pNGInB-sn2lKV7rkLWfM-cIMQhwyM499BWo0uH8sYkSN1A0Vd2fN1hhEiCcCQu0mdloshr1gwtxCPsJfBvsUL_w2_mQ/s400/fountain2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671303636636357394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Here, we have the neighborhood in October.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqjRFj_uSw5xAytemQdCkagGfjSJWoM4K7Wt8G2gUVyeNdQp430a1z7HVBQyNOx8jcSgufREbl4cm1b930YO3-NjihnjW5STbA2VH7uscd5B93XkBpIGJG_GfI2bfRtklMiGm/s1600/october4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqjRFj_uSw5xAytemQdCkagGfjSJWoM4K7Wt8G2gUVyeNdQp430a1z7HVBQyNOx8jcSgufREbl4cm1b930YO3-NjihnjW5STbA2VH7uscd5B93XkBpIGJG_GfI2bfRtklMiGm/s400/october4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671303619123265666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-YfJmHdr94Lvo49DDelLUqeK0KgW6e70O3BjkH-fN19ds4MhA0oblX3yY6yllVRrAm1L19Oxs56LsDitMrS-zHoPNCCFdRbK7DD6AIjMjMDQvAwN1eciEL6RfOaV6XmgqV0d/s1600/october6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-YfJmHdr94Lvo49DDelLUqeK0KgW6e70O3BjkH-fN19ds4MhA0oblX3yY6yllVRrAm1L19Oxs56LsDitMrS-zHoPNCCFdRbK7DD6AIjMjMDQvAwN1eciEL6RfOaV6XmgqV0d/s400/october6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671303605136359234" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kPXk7ORmm26c0uT5ikBXV2F2HmrADsmP7FCvklFvXTPk4EMk_wg6u-0Wo4h5UaVUwkA0I5lD6x6Eoee81eiH79i7tbJWe_mGv55xgML3_tsnSoCRtn6GpOobndVKtahUkrPI/s1600/october20.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kPXk7ORmm26c0uT5ikBXV2F2HmrADsmP7FCvklFvXTPk4EMk_wg6u-0Wo4h5UaVUwkA0I5lD6x6Eoee81eiH79i7tbJWe_mGv55xgML3_tsnSoCRtn6GpOobndVKtahUkrPI/s400/october20.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671303593214530530" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjcNjaCYuU2A00xhZNp5NEeNTRw-Za-lnV7C8Lc6XjCWkZdHBLswGdzPxrgCEJLSgbP6F63SZeZhKi6djaJzjWZL5BSINV8kWG9XpO_avyLxEHcckcEDvHiI50SHRQJh4Jjpl/s1600/october21.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjcNjaCYuU2A00xhZNp5NEeNTRw-Za-lnV7C8Lc6XjCWkZdHBLswGdzPxrgCEJLSgbP6F63SZeZhKi6djaJzjWZL5BSINV8kWG9XpO_avyLxEHcckcEDvHiI50SHRQJh4Jjpl/s400/october21.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671303582305545042" /></a><br />And of course, the knitting: the lace I've been working on either hasn't been photographed, or has been a source of frustration. So here are the Riverbed Socks that I am designing. I'm not sure there will be a concrete pattern in the end, but I am pleased that I found a stitch pattern that works well with the variegation of this yarn.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvI23NypegYhS32AabfFS8sXt9jlxBJ3CKFRX8bc7n_garVVOvbbgpB-CW2t-56yYX4SeZcArwi8UmWK21tlJn9nkDfyWO6aQpXKJFI1kJrUfB-GpWr6GAGeC45FjRml8lQsM/s1600/riverbed1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvI23NypegYhS32AabfFS8sXt9jlxBJ3CKFRX8bc7n_garVVOvbbgpB-CW2t-56yYX4SeZcArwi8UmWK21tlJn9nkDfyWO6aQpXKJFI1kJrUfB-GpWr6GAGeC45FjRml8lQsM/s400/riverbed1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671305903886040450" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dFKdNWvXRhmZjBI7AsDlU5v750inzAjaSd05H6U9A6KZW6dgo1M9wY-iXeoxwFOtIuAU0_H7s_rJtx821eKRhswlUZar3-q0hHbsGzrn_rfzvX4HFfgt3TGkyYzsx1wMb4zB/s1600/riverbed4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dFKdNWvXRhmZjBI7AsDlU5v750inzAjaSd05H6U9A6KZW6dgo1M9wY-iXeoxwFOtIuAU0_H7s_rJtx821eKRhswlUZar3-q0hHbsGzrn_rfzvX4HFfgt3TGkyYzsx1wMb4zB/s400/riverbed4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671306460336027858" /></a>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-34948358523740079932011-10-16T06:29:00.004-05:002011-10-16T06:36:10.627-05:00Nestling In<p class="p1">I've been finding it hard to work up the energy to leave the house on the weekends. I operate too much inside my head and I'm conscious of the fact that this could be considered a symptom of culture shock. However, I think I'm going to cling to the idea that I like being holed up in my residence, inside my little den of creativity.</p><p class="p1">Yes, I should be outside. I should be appropriately dressing for the weather to go watch a Rotor football match. I should be walking around my neighborhood. I should be shopping for tennis shoes. I should be grocery shopping and planning meals for the week. Hell, it's my favorite month. I should be outside pittering around like the amateur photographer I fancy myself to be.</p> <p class="p1">The alternative is that I could stay here, and knit my shawl, and watch the X Files. I could read, or listen to books and music. I could learn to play new songs. I could not interact with anyone until I presumably chat with my love on Skype later.</p> <p class="p1">From the outside, it probably does look like culture shock. But: I did this in Minnesota. I did this during every school break at Oberlin. Why shouldn't I do it here?</p> <p class="p1">I think today, for a change, I'm settle on the medium of going for a walk with my camera, and settling down with my shawl at a cafe. Warm and relaxed, but at least out of the house.</p>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-55807029436561994272011-08-27T20:35:00.005-05:002011-08-27T21:12:59.448-05:00Gender, Moscow, Coffee, Language<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div>Exciting things happen when Ethan wanders about Moscow!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Friday night, after teaching, several of us hung around the kiosk outside Language Link's building, drinking beers and deciding what to do. Brandon was really excited about this hookah bar he'd been to when he studied in Moscow, and wanted to go again. Belly dancers come out and perform every half hour, and the hookah is good (and well priced, and it lasts). We had meant to visit this place a couple of weekends ago, but didn't reach the metro in time. We decided to give it another go.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Turns out they have gender-neutral restrooms there. The waitstaff directed me to the туалет, where I only found one door. On the other side, there were two sinks, and two more floor-to-doorframe doors, which were individual stalls. The second time I used it (we stayed there for a while), I walked in and got behind another guy in line. When two women came in, he let them go in front of him in line. (He did not extend this offer to me.) </div><div>
<br /></div><div>It was odd, and interesting and fun. There have been few moments in this country where I've interacted with people in a way that can give me a bearing on how they interpret my gender. So when the moments come, they're still fascinating.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>It's actually not the first time I've seen gender-neutral restrooms. Last weekend, several of us went to a bar/club called Augie (I think?), where the dance floor occasionally turned into a mosh pit. Their restroom was basically the same construction, with the sinks along a small corridor.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Today brought even more fun!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I had met up with some other interns for dinner (we found a sixties-themed American-style restaurant, which surprisingly had normal-tasting ketchup). We were walking toward the metro when Ilya decided to give in to the temptations of Starbucks (which is hella expensive here), so our group went inside. I was feeling dehydrated, and settled on buying a tiny bottle of apple juice, so I waited behind Ilya in line.</div><div>
<br />When we got to the front of the queue, Ilya ordered his drink, and they wanted to write his name on the cup, so they asked what his name was. His name is Russian, but he's used to people in the US and other places not recognizing the name, so he often uses one of his middle names instead. He then remembered that it's Russia and they get 'Ilya' as a name, and had a short conversation with the woman at the till about where he was from and what he's doing in Russia.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So then, when I got to the till, she asked me about myself, too. The first question, of course, was 'What is your name?'</div><div>
<br /></div><div>'Bethany,' I answered, not really thinking much.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>'Patrick?' she asked, which is apparently what she heard over the din of the shop. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>'Yes,' I said.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Since this was all happening in Russian, I then proceeded to switch all of the past tense verbs I used to masculine endings. It was not as hard as I'd expected. It was quite easy, in fact.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Russian is a much more gendered language than English. In the past tense, you conjugate verbs as either masculine, neuter, feminine, or plural, and many words that describe a person's position (student, teacher, waiter, etc.) are also gendered. I'd given thought to trying to practice using masculine endings, but was worried that it would lead to awkward situations. There's a bunch of things that I know how to say well enough that I can say them without thinking too much, which I say to give myself time to think about how to phrase more challenging things. I was worried that if I started using masculine pronouns and endings sometimes, that I'd start inadvertently saying them when I was with someone who perceives me as female. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Apparently, I'm much more conscious about using gendered language (even in Russian) than I thought.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Anyway, those have been some of the happiest moments of my weekend thus far. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I might find another yarn store tomorrow, which is a whole different sort of happiness.</div></span></span>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-11540265216118179972011-08-14T13:51:00.013-05:002011-08-15T13:35:42.903-05:00Week OneWeek one of the four-week training is complete, and I kind of feel like I'm in college again. I hope that feeling goes away soon. I liked college, but it's hard to feel like I'm at my job when I'm in classes (as a student) all day. Real teaching (teaching actual live students!) starts up this week, which I imagine will significantly change the tone of the program.<div>
<br /></div><div>These weekends in Moscow, it's becoming clear, will be mash-ups of sleeping, gallivanting about with new friends, and staying home and surfing the internet like the hardcore introvert the I am.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>First, a few introductory photos of the room in Svetlana's apartment in which I am staying, and the view from outside the window.</div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXq5x4HkPE8Mw88v5g3KMNHsjD7fc7854Na0pXmeOdQgzMZG5SCbRTHQ_HQRfv-anDuxH45eSJ0o61EBxp1U-EMS6EwSJMSdqQ9bWpox6k-J8Km15R3cH-q4azRSFKYjXzNsx0/s1600/aptroom5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXq5x4HkPE8Mw88v5g3KMNHsjD7fc7854Na0pXmeOdQgzMZG5SCbRTHQ_HQRfv-anDuxH45eSJ0o61EBxp1U-EMS6EwSJMSdqQ9bWpox6k-J8Km15R3cH-q4azRSFKYjXzNsx0/s400/aptroom5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640789352681616082" /></a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EYJqQ44libwgxSzib7UswlEssuMCjCKK0REhgQH1OQEQQ79Zrovhrc9XG8WrsgaPPZs_CnUujdRRgZYg9ujn74YbPTivLlWpVCabnrePu6wwayVbg-EcoiNcVZkhY1mjZ58m/s1600/aptview7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EYJqQ44libwgxSzib7UswlEssuMCjCKK0REhgQH1OQEQQ79Zrovhrc9XG8WrsgaPPZs_CnUujdRRgZYg9ujn74YbPTivLlWpVCabnrePu6wwayVbg-EcoiNcVZkhY1mjZ58m/s400/aptview7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640791315901266146" /></a>
<br /></div><div>Also, the inside of Новослободская (Novoslobodskaya), the metro station by the Language Link Central School. If you stand around this station for more than about five minutes, you'll see a tour group pass through.</div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWaiG2-HQBYQBj7d9WoC8SsrYGHmlT3q0FCVl740U0egYV57_SbSIAa5C7C92Vzta9MZA0-kP4k3VoSghtZBrWlM2kZQ8kuGwD856vnCJpmwlYpwftldHKtjDKzQgGo9gdWue/s1600/novoslobodskaya2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWaiG2-HQBYQBj7d9WoC8SsrYGHmlT3q0FCVl740U0egYV57_SbSIAa5C7C92Vzta9MZA0-kP4k3VoSghtZBrWlM2kZQ8kuGwD856vnCJpmwlYpwftldHKtjDKzQgGo9gdWue/s400/novoslobodskaya2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640789356568802930" /></a>
<br />
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfn2BecRIDdPTb2ZfYcztuBm1PXBZx_n2clzqrso6gHY3q4yFvPBI-g3Y_H6BGDkJ7PZiq1lHcTRpV-427ocCYa8wfzORABhi_VfZSHAgX6mEKfH1XEqZfCkvmRf3pK6YvJ3w/s1600/novoslobodskaya1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfn2BecRIDdPTb2ZfYcztuBm1PXBZx_n2clzqrso6gHY3q4yFvPBI-g3Y_H6BGDkJ7PZiq1lHcTRpV-427ocCYa8wfzORABhi_VfZSHAgX6mEKfH1XEqZfCkvmRf3pK6YvJ3w/s400/novoslobodskaya1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640789359275620594" /></a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Saturday, I met up with some friends at ВДНХ (Vdnkh, the metro station with no vowels), to visit the nearby park, Всеросийский Выставочный Центр (ВВЦ) (the All-Russian Exhibition Centre). It's full of buildings and statues, more than trees and such, but it's still an enjoyable park. </div><div>
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD5lgz3xfY7JbM_hblbswmC9n1hUeYb3jzCpmxgjH-0NrkgHXPIuZh20-35ol258K-leR_fpA_o8S-h-DMv8OwvTwA9eT8ABDvHVQqeTPQVJd0awcz0p-ZBnOjOgtqPCiQIzI/s1600/vdnkh4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD5lgz3xfY7JbM_hblbswmC9n1hUeYb3jzCpmxgjH-0NrkgHXPIuZh20-35ol258K-leR_fpA_o8S-h-DMv8OwvTwA9eT8ABDvHVQqeTPQVJd0awcz0p-ZBnOjOgtqPCiQIzI/s400/vdnkh4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640794838197780066" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwjMcD0zrjfFJyyNstlCM1O7xzwUAdet_hSvrkXtg5eogPtivgMj6vKK5RQd6OZ2L9QbP32OBnr08qb_i7iwPFnRkjdREUpQJMLxViTbK5HZVMAkp0tkVvBsFFYeIodERoswH/s1600/vdnkh6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwjMcD0zrjfFJyyNstlCM1O7xzwUAdet_hSvrkXtg5eogPtivgMj6vKK5RQd6OZ2L9QbP32OBnr08qb_i7iwPFnRkjdREUpQJMLxViTbK5HZVMAkp0tkVvBsFFYeIodERoswH/s400/vdnkh6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640794840481626002" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19K3r4ygV8Q20jkY_rUVSC5ufHWaI9jnLDJkOGWZmsVqrRTqOyhfltTKR-u0u1sRUM_FoHfa1-bHrLQE3XFhSbui-XU1a8mQhGbrnARp6-z9mgLM8FcIzwwB00jYFtw4uGLOU/s400/vdnkh7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640794845605859954" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19K3r4ygV8Q20jkY_rUVSC5ufHWaI9jnLDJkOGWZmsVqrRTqOyhfltTKR-u0u1sRUM_FoHfa1-bHrLQE3XFhSbui-XU1a8mQhGbrnARp6-z9mgLM8FcIzwwB00jYFtw4uGLOU/s1600/vdnkh7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19K3r4ygV8Q20jkY_rUVSC5ufHWaI9jnLDJkOGWZmsVqrRTqOyhfltTKR-u0u1sRUM_FoHfa1-bHrLQE3XFhSbui-XU1a8mQhGbrnARp6-z9mgLM8FcIzwwB00jYFtw4uGLOU/s1600/vdnkh7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">This is the large building near the entrance, in front of which Lenin stands.</span></a></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">
<br /></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikp3OKj-SjMuXAxPogI6vUlIpvevAOo1_9yWG6SUKvB1NU41egSy0m5EgiYbyQF-YW9JL8eQcV2al1B3EdpZnh3HjHjjn9gyqJAWY9pbsjRZTK-lUTKk7VjmWj_IsebU_xPLmR/s1600/vdnkh12.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikp3OKj-SjMuXAxPogI6vUlIpvevAOo1_9yWG6SUKvB1NU41egSy0m5EgiYbyQF-YW9JL8eQcV2al1B3EdpZnh3HjHjjn9gyqJAWY9pbsjRZTK-lUTKk7VjmWj_IsebU_xPLmR/s400/vdnkh12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640794851249836146" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAaDjJtyFLC-BW_Yzq9kaBgdrAtw70gJjfSNZItcHxttGGx-YRCIyfPlrxoRtcxyaMvm2fg945QF0kJHxr8moi4fEZpwLtwrs2z-xybOmbQlYXqfDSELJdlTymjB8Te8hC8mY/s1600/vdnkh13.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAaDjJtyFLC-BW_Yzq9kaBgdrAtw70gJjfSNZItcHxttGGx-YRCIyfPlrxoRtcxyaMvm2fg945QF0kJHxr8moi4fEZpwLtwrs2z-xybOmbQlYXqfDSELJdlTymjB8Te8hC8mY/s400/vdnkh13.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640794847884911106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAaDjJtyFLC-BW_Yzq9kaBgdrAtw70gJjfSNZItcHxttGGx-YRCIyfPlrxoRtcxyaMvm2fg945QF0kJHxr8moi4fEZpwLtwrs2z-xybOmbQlYXqfDSELJdlTymjB8Te8hC8mY/s1600/vdnkh13.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAaDjJtyFLC-BW_Yzq9kaBgdrAtw70gJjfSNZItcHxttGGx-YRCIyfPlrxoRtcxyaMvm2fg945QF0kJHxr8moi4fEZpwLtwrs2z-xybOmbQlYXqfDSELJdlTymjB8Te8hC8mY/s1600/vdnkh13.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">I'm not sure what this building is, but I had to take a picture of the rainbow. </span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAaDjJtyFLC-BW_Yzq9kaBgdrAtw70gJjfSNZItcHxttGGx-YRCIyfPlrxoRtcxyaMvm2fg945QF0kJHxr8moi4fEZpwLtwrs2z-xybOmbQlYXqfDSELJdlTymjB8Te8hC8mY/s1600/vdnkh13.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">"Welcome to the pavilion"!</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBKfHDM7teeC9D838WplEgmW0jRmmTD94t1lnK4KM_dPNYLhkM_V6nAgRmCTUcFM805o1_XQl3YFrhM-0609ntRfqAfVuUdk42VFB0OQ6trJoY0CLqFtrCHetjMLtqHVyXeUI/s400/vdnkh15.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640795444340034018" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBKfHDM7teeC9D838WplEgmW0jRmmTD94t1lnK4KM_dPNYLhkM_V6nAgRmCTUcFM805o1_XQl3YFrhM-0609ntRfqAfVuUdk42VFB0OQ6trJoY0CLqFtrCHetjMLtqHVyXeUI/s1600/vdnkh15.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Many republics have their own buildings. This is Ukraine's.</span></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73YxmZ8DOWBpQRGKCTu2xl1Lpy6K6BwbHugzaYTLfUunKUn82RwNMRzqThtDLORxG0FR4IKR0VYS0j-FJ1JKjE7M6WeDwSunWVEB9ksx5BI-dHnEU5tCM2KakbX1YfSssdtpL/s400/vdnkh16.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640795452264715330" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73YxmZ8DOWBpQRGKCTu2xl1Lpy6K6BwbHugzaYTLfUunKUn82RwNMRzqThtDLORxG0FR4IKR0VYS0j-FJ1JKjE7M6WeDwSunWVEB9ksx5BI-dHnEU5tCM2KakbX1YfSssdtpL/s1600/vdnkh16.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">The Belarus building, I believe.</span></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiE0hhyphenhyphenLmls8oePUJaT9qDufLpB0yicUFi04VzQeSeM52Wx5rjgLl5_5L5w_DsQwuuYVggdv9up0BJMwXBtXSLKCktRJ1AXARli0qUIwQcwxJ2EYwCWtbduy8fbFOFlLCFGc-/s1600/vdnkh18.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiE0hhyphenhyphenLmls8oePUJaT9qDufLpB0yicUFi04VzQeSeM52Wx5rjgLl5_5L5w_DsQwuuYVggdv9up0BJMwXBtXSLKCktRJ1AXARli0qUIwQcwxJ2EYwCWtbduy8fbFOFlLCFGc-/s400/vdnkh18.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640795453911289506" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div><div>For a park that puts Soviet culture on display (and is guarded by a giant statue of Lenin), it's become quite accustomed to capitalism. There are kiosks selling kvas and beer and hot dogs, and tables full of souvenirs. You can tool around on a rented bike, or take small children to many attractions that remind me of the state fair.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>They also have a ferris wheel!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vGA2wu5Qs7psXMT8cgdO9V_qZORn1ylEQ3fC1HPt2W6kRqOLEhWYhJ8MqQ3uT_P3sXTPst6McMIbwGrr7DEWzSjvxHUSMwdUuo4y4MEo8l7FhKPANBXm0J7a8b2BNxd1vvfl/s1600/ferriswheel1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vGA2wu5Qs7psXMT8cgdO9V_qZORn1ylEQ3fC1HPt2W6kRqOLEhWYhJ8MqQ3uT_P3sXTPst6McMIbwGrr7DEWzSjvxHUSMwdUuo4y4MEo8l7FhKPANBXm0J7a8b2BNxd1vvfl/s400/ferriswheel1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796222699456786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPRbHbWYILbPKw__ULiJbwr23sE2gZEYc4SrlV1gtzpUJ-j_HBEflB20Ri66w4njG2U47aydTBA2tJuz_uYhm5q_za9AOAFqTv92yY-s93rvxcl-adryF8e9xSwBdJqIwzhsi/s1600/ferriswheel4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPRbHbWYILbPKw__ULiJbwr23sE2gZEYc4SrlV1gtzpUJ-j_HBEflB20Ri66w4njG2U47aydTBA2tJuz_uYhm5q_za9AOAFqTv92yY-s93rvxcl-adryF8e9xSwBdJqIwzhsi/s400/ferriswheel4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796228659793778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4y5UsoQwr0xP6_EeXDFsnY33H9BrMi8A13elxYpUr4V80_NmPhaD3eMucivfgoarpxFf3gR_8Ce4Iae1nt9R1SOqSlI-y0EZvqwHO_AESwiQj6K9ftnvAF6HDlkrNGtsBxHrj/s1600/ferriswheel12.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4y5UsoQwr0xP6_EeXDFsnY33H9BrMi8A13elxYpUr4V80_NmPhaD3eMucivfgoarpxFf3gR_8Ce4Iae1nt9R1SOqSlI-y0EZvqwHO_AESwiQj6K9ftnvAF6HDlkrNGtsBxHrj/s400/ferriswheel12.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796233359655154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AoqcUKHC_K0YM37ThCuG_51W9kbe-Ud8520fxmY_zGYd7KvrqXWsOt2LmLNxCDvqU1JJyWC2K47Y-XUfhw7KCWqRWjtja_us1Aqz0NaVWFMHsgZIWlZSCSThqGbnXWgdCDbP/s1600/ferriswheel15.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AoqcUKHC_K0YM37ThCuG_51W9kbe-Ud8520fxmY_zGYd7KvrqXWsOt2LmLNxCDvqU1JJyWC2K47Y-XUfhw7KCWqRWjtja_us1Aqz0NaVWFMHsgZIWlZSCSThqGbnXWgdCDbP/s400/ferriswheel15.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796262753841378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div>
<br /></div><div>Before leaving ВДНХ, we walked a bit to go see a large statue that wasn't inside the park. It's quite enormous, and quite well-known. Called 'Worker and Kolkhoz Woman', it was made for the 1937 World's Fair in Paris, and later moved to Moscow. </div><div>
<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkbmvEGzdtGh4qxzWjO-Q2K7JHKfRkiyU2BwAFPSRQvmOWMMHDUvR3pQO6jJzqLKlXJGpTvSeHpE0JXSYAR2ZYgGOHKR9l5X4uECYJPbVbesM-eSWP91Gkn4LMBGp-k4hK_9g/s1600/vdnkh21.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkbmvEGzdtGh4qxzWjO-Q2K7JHKfRkiyU2BwAFPSRQvmOWMMHDUvR3pQO6jJzqLKlXJGpTvSeHpE0JXSYAR2ZYgGOHKR9l5X4uECYJPbVbesM-eSWP91Gkn4LMBGp-k4hK_9g/s400/vdnkh21.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640795459936068034" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I don't know one goes about moving a beast like this.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div><div>I tried to be cool and take a not-too-Myspacey photo of myself in front of it. I ended up with a great shot of Ilya as an omnipotent deity, too.</div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEy8WTfEK9kCtt7OwNYYCBLHSkNdDw1KCSj-LBAs9oR52q_1rxc65NnvuVfXhUkybI6mGVX8SLFn3yrp8B3AwEx8-KMSvTjQmXCv1m-m_9pDx2vq7wfxNugguqZJfmuiZWO6X/s1600/vdnkh24.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEy8WTfEK9kCtt7OwNYYCBLHSkNdDw1KCSj-LBAs9oR52q_1rxc65NnvuVfXhUkybI6mGVX8SLFn3yrp8B3AwEx8-KMSvTjQmXCv1m-m_9pDx2vq7wfxNugguqZJfmuiZWO6X/s400/vdnkh24.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640795464026792210" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkC3DUXJEzhTQbCMy3kUKAP6Lai9mTmN7vEoG-TbF-5LirEMP_CQhoLUmXoyPPno0TwM45eGIuhQs2ZJ4cHYaw4KjZSktbYRK_31XPdW_rvHtICbK4RrlZRMS8wWx4LbZaxRa/s1600/vdnkh26.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkC3DUXJEzhTQbCMy3kUKAP6Lai9mTmN7vEoG-TbF-5LirEMP_CQhoLUmXoyPPno0TwM45eGIuhQs2ZJ4cHYaw4KjZSktbYRK_31XPdW_rvHtICbK4RrlZRMS8wWx4LbZaxRa/s400/vdnkh26.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796223660311666" /></a>
<br /></div><div>Then we met up with a few more friends to find a Georgian restaurant. I have no photographic evidence of the delicious khinkali that we ate (if you don't believe me, it's okay, I'm open to eating them again). But these photos are from the little park near the metro. The curly-haired man in the green cape with his hand in his vest is Pushkin.</div><div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXZWUqwAiEdViiMsoXgmc7SGzFIHzIqPmW-iXTq4SOckhc4s22DknURSsF6EDQw0vlslMFyHvgpTq0JHL5f3yv2TYEDScEi1AtoU2wXf2S91mgV3LiRsswM7ALvFUDeRBoaPj/s1600/pushkin1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXZWUqwAiEdViiMsoXgmc7SGzFIHzIqPmW-iXTq4SOckhc4s22DknURSsF6EDQw0vlslMFyHvgpTq0JHL5f3yv2TYEDScEi1AtoU2wXf2S91mgV3LiRsswM7ALvFUDeRBoaPj/s400/pushkin1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796536436280738" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>
<br /></u></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_J1Sl5_hjdX8tQ3jBoWC2IQAFmNE7OSWJO4VuX9zrXTJ1VVgUq015l2OpgmR4gHC7_MrcuwpN110d3CgVEuQzoJdT1Fpvls7HDRsByexjWpOnPL7bBn8nxKF7c1hV_f8Rlkk/s1600/pushkinfountain4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_J1Sl5_hjdX8tQ3jBoWC2IQAFmNE7OSWJO4VuX9zrXTJ1VVgUq015l2OpgmR4gHC7_MrcuwpN110d3CgVEuQzoJdT1Fpvls7HDRsByexjWpOnPL7bBn8nxKF7c1hV_f8Rlkk/s400/pushkinfountain4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640796540010022018" /></a></div></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-72701800716911885722011-08-07T13:42:00.008-05:002011-08-07T15:39:10.107-05:00Moscow: Initial ExplorationDorogie druzya! <div><br /></div><div>I've settled in and quit my bitching. I like Moscow well enough, now. Oddly enough, it's easier to enjoy being in a place when you have money, a phone, groceries, and know how to get back to your apartment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday included much merriment. I went shopping with Annie, the other intern living in this apartment, and we went to a mall near Kurskaya station. It was my first trip to Rive Gauche! A French name, but only six letters long when transliterated into Russian. As someone who has a hard time taking the pronunciation of French seriously, I think this is hilarious.</div><div><br /></div><div>Рив Гош is a cosmetics chain that carries many European and American brands. I picked up a few things (shampoo, soap, etc.), rather than shiny makeup, but I still got the fabulous bag. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB7Q4WQK-p94VWSHspassHhgTXWxE8Drj6uMqKsyaR_0IkWa5aYugvvQ8zQbj7zQxtAdz8FIEP39QuCXKUyaGijvGre8GwrQhMzq2yEGQSB-GtgVCAE8TcBrVrhofzXcHKwoM/s1600/rivgoshpaket.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB7Q4WQK-p94VWSHspassHhgTXWxE8Drj6uMqKsyaR_0IkWa5aYugvvQ8zQbj7zQxtAdz8FIEP39QuCXKUyaGijvGre8GwrQhMzq2yEGQSB-GtgVCAE8TcBrVrhofzXcHKwoM/s400/rivgoshpaket.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638213830585031106" /></a><br /></div><div>Young Russian women carry these bags around frequently, using them as tote bags long after bringing home their purchase. (Russian men also will carry them sometimes, as a mark of having a girlfriend.)</div><div><br /></div><div>After hanging around the mall, I met up with most of the other interns in Вокзал (Vokzal, 'train station'), a cafeteria/bar not far from the Language Link's central school. I met many people that I'd seen poking around the Facebook group, had some quality beer, and decent food.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today was even more exciting. A couple of friends were heading to Izmailovskii Rinok, this big outdoor market that we tried (and failed) to find on Friday. However, instead of heading straight to the market with them, I decided to make another stop along the way...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6QbLMGANjV6k5YukpGQTBxBbdOH_nanaq76TZYenA6s5l6P3D6lihFHvax1azp18koAFVnMhj-SxrZEnnXfPx_M6227Xn4QhYS79x-KdodxmK97abbcKRbfy4wyDwSqsR8qM/s1600/msfabrikasigns7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6QbLMGANjV6k5YukpGQTBxBbdOH_nanaq76TZYenA6s5l6P3D6lihFHvax1azp18koAFVnMhj-SxrZEnnXfPx_M6227Xn4QhYS79x-KdodxmK97abbcKRbfy4wyDwSqsR8qM/s400/msfabrikasigns7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638210496113528418" /></a></div><div>...at Московская Шерстопрядильная Фабрика. The Moscow Wool-Spinning Factory.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBFAWfZ0sencQhDzlCZzJcJOi-oe2q8rsMCeG9Yrjgf5xLr2gcGNmoLjpWijMGIvcXBnW8kwXfXzenuOr18VivHp3w_3gT2S8ePbIGgOaMBbb-Cl-fmS0X5KCNaYJQTCNVi3z/s1600/msfabrikasigns1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBFAWfZ0sencQhDzlCZzJcJOi-oe2q8rsMCeG9Yrjgf5xLr2gcGNmoLjpWijMGIvcXBnW8kwXfXzenuOr18VivHp3w_3gT2S8ePbIGgOaMBbb-Cl-fmS0X5KCNaYJQTCNVi3z/s400/msfabrikasigns1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638210490003866034" /></a></div><div>Russia is an interesting place to buy yarn, in my experience. Thankfully, this store has everything available to be browsed and held and squished. (I didn't think to watch if Russian women squish and fondle skeins the way the yarn lovers I know do. They probably don't.) Some stores I've been to have everything behind a counter. One positive benefit is that yarn seems to be a lot less expensive here. The Russian market hasn't been saturated with indie spinners and dyers, so I only found things made by large companies, but it's quite cheap. There's a lot of acrylic going on, which I'm sure helps keep costs down, but I was able to find things without acrylic for reasonable prices, too.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScQ7aj8FjZrqUuDHTFz1TjJfXr87FcfkeICI_BrNvQfETC9rrP5lh_Nxj2_M5dTd6zmW0DVnfGSOCReK8oex0dRbZhnQLGLNJ4jZuX8gdKHtPAaO-uof53QEY6xvW6YvwKuyx/s1600/msfabrikashop1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScQ7aj8FjZrqUuDHTFz1TjJfXr87FcfkeICI_BrNvQfETC9rrP5lh_Nxj2_M5dTd6zmW0DVnfGSOCReK8oex0dRbZhnQLGLNJ4jZuX8gdKHtPAaO-uof53QEY6xvW6YvwKuyx/s400/msfabrikashop1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638210481276673634" /></a></div><div>So, the phrase рукоделия, or handwork, is how most yarn stores seem to be described. This means that embroidery usually has a section, as well, which you can see along the back wall of this picture:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXgwaJIHlb_SCd0oQBPCiiHmkL-w-kas9XGWXZBbMjK6vHEfhKetJUQ2YWqUs4GCBP4XEtLdd065Rys2yyGa1KXxNtqrUvIfTuLep4NpqExvTFXiKMnIRcIfS6HIuB4_Z7RnH/s1600/msfabrikashop2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXgwaJIHlb_SCd0oQBPCiiHmkL-w-kas9XGWXZBbMjK6vHEfhKetJUQ2YWqUs4GCBP4XEtLdd065Rys2yyGa1KXxNtqrUvIfTuLep4NpqExvTFXiKMnIRcIfS6HIuB4_Z7RnH/s400/msfabrikashop2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638210486429227122" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't find any books or magazines I really liked. I'm still not sure about the fashion in Russian pattern magazines. Also, the verb for knitting (вязать/связать), which is related to the word 'to connect', refers to both knitting and crochet. The two crafts are specified either with the appended phrase 'на спизах' (on needles) or 'крючком' (with a hook). So many magazines and books contain patterns for both crafts, which makes them less tempting to purchase. </div><div><br /></div><div>HOWEVER: I did see a woman with this in her cart, and talked to her about it. </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0ttOp8e7LTUJkUEsk4x0POguW8Ac0QRTSEDnaEiJbIrNla3f7_zUjkVGhuCBF-i8rRmpruT0JavW5nGRkRErwVWU6Q5MLhOKh3rUDs-K5HHDa6spO0Z2mX-Nq8lCmgVhwFFY/s400/1049208.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638213837697032674" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0ttOp8e7LTUJkUEsk4x0POguW8Ac0QRTSEDnaEiJbIrNla3f7_zUjkVGhuCBF-i8rRmpruT0JavW5nGRkRErwVWU6Q5MLhOKh3rUDs-K5HHDa6spO0Z2mX-Nq8lCmgVhwFFY/s1600/1049208.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}">I couldn't find any other copies.</a></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I told her it was my favorite book, and didn't really understand much of her response, but we did have a moment where we bonded over how hard it is to pick out yarn when there are so many good choices.</div><div><br /></div><div>I came away with 10 skeins.</div><div><br /></div><div>First, a fine laceweight in teal and purple.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIb7XjdDbxkuwa93Lw3og9BZKAp0uxJLiH53y0Oz5cQ_RikVc0VEgba08IcZW6wLGgs-52nEVjwklRqKRngVy1cqSoGK5PDCJSjlwh0KjlQyHnPHjApqM6r84jSWh4MHphmb_/s400/lidiya6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638206245393400178" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIb7XjdDbxkuwa93Lw3og9BZKAp0uxJLiH53y0Oz5cQ_RikVc0VEgba08IcZW6wLGgs-52nEVjwklRqKRngVy1cqSoGK5PDCJSjlwh0KjlQyHnPHjApqM6r84jSWh4MHphmb_/s1600/lidiya6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIb7XjdDbxkuwa93Lw3og9BZKAp0uxJLiH53y0Oz5cQ_RikVc0VEgba08IcZW6wLGgs-52nEVjwklRqKRngVy1cqSoGK5PDCJSjlwh0KjlQyHnPHjApqM6r84jSWh4MHphmb_/s1600/lidiya6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Лидия (Lidiya - 100% wool/1613m/100g)</span></a></div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Next, Australian wool, possibly for another Daybreak shawl, in navy and olive.</div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7IfgFxnz2CdN2T2zms4bd-mR6ngfLs2ae29a7WpQ6iFVSaJ2-h0xPYkiQtzNInWXLFclZDe3H0ZblwQqBUd7GwPSM2IrsHateij9j6IPjVFCzsJEConOkgPrDkAOaEs6sQ5a/s400/avtraliiskiimerinos1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638206236250433826" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7IfgFxnz2CdN2T2zms4bd-mR6ngfLs2ae29a7WpQ6iFVSaJ2-h0xPYkiQtzNInWXLFclZDe3H0ZblwQqBUd7GwPSM2IrsHateij9j6IPjVFCzsJEConOkgPrDkAOaEs6sQ5a/s1600/avtraliiskiimerinos1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7IfgFxnz2CdN2T2zms4bd-mR6ngfLs2ae29a7WpQ6iFVSaJ2-h0xPYkiQtzNInWXLFclZDe3H0ZblwQqBUd7GwPSM2IrsHateij9j6IPjVFCzsJEConOkgPrDkAOaEs6sQ5a/s1600/avtraliiskiimerinos1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Австралиский меринос (Australian Merino - 100% wool/400m/100g)</span></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>I was looking for sock yarn, but didn't find much. (Sadly, I realized that my favorite pair of socks is wearing through in the heel, and the yarn to beef them back up is in Minnesota. So I feel like I need to make some new socks.) I did find this, though heavily variegated, will probably work out fine. </div><div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifcxW8hI4NJQI2WDogSnyEbeF6S0THHhPudBTgnxogLxoUs5vDDEig4Ub40kpMxr-jAqR0Kb4Q1F7XJ3VcQq8Y9AStCkaTrQ7bHoz9gDqVB7CF5tpKCR1U1W3mUinsjbH2OBf/s400/lidiyakvatro1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638206251285441106" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifcxW8hI4NJQI2WDogSnyEbeF6S0THHhPudBTgnxogLxoUs5vDDEig4Ub40kpMxr-jAqR0Kb4Q1F7XJ3VcQq8Y9AStCkaTrQ7bHoz9gDqVB7CF5tpKCR1U1W3mUinsjbH2OBf/s1600/lidiyakvatro1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifcxW8hI4NJQI2WDogSnyEbeF6S0THHhPudBTgnxogLxoUs5vDDEig4Ub40kpMxr-jAqR0Kb4Q1F7XJ3VcQq8Y9AStCkaTrQ7bHoz9gDqVB7CF5tpKCR1U1W3mUinsjbH2OBf/s1600/lidiyakvatro1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Лидия Кватро (Lidiya Kvatro - 50% wool, 50% acrylic/400m/100g).</span></a></div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I found many colors of a nice fingering weight made by Troitsk Yarn, a Russian brand that I'd bought some mohair from when I was in St. Petersburg. I immediately picked up some orange and teal the first time I saw it, and ended up coming back for a bright blue and light gray that will look lovely together.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOng1YtH1WLDLu1R-eherMCcCuLUwqqBEbbANfdMeaCn-Oi905O9BeaKtJ1bs1aERzxbRbCCYUo7nR_IYNyh0TA8CGH5cPttc7E8y5TfG2FX96BwpQi_qoXdAkbN5VkwiE-rrL/s400/lyuks4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638206254841020434" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOng1YtH1WLDLu1R-eherMCcCuLUwqqBEbbANfdMeaCn-Oi905O9BeaKtJ1bs1aERzxbRbCCYUo7nR_IYNyh0TA8CGH5cPttc7E8y5TfG2FX96BwpQi_qoXdAkbN5VkwiE-rrL/s1600/lyuks4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOng1YtH1WLDLu1R-eherMCcCuLUwqqBEbbANfdMeaCn-Oi905O9BeaKtJ1bs1aERzxbRbCCYUo7nR_IYNyh0TA8CGH5cPttc7E8y5TfG2FX96BwpQi_qoXdAkbN5VkwiE-rrL/s1600/lyuks4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Люкс (Lyuks - 100% merino wool/200m/50g)</span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOng1YtH1WLDLu1R-eherMCcCuLUwqqBEbbANfdMeaCn-Oi905O9BeaKtJ1bs1aERzxbRbCCYUo7nR_IYNyh0TA8CGH5cPttc7E8y5TfG2FX96BwpQi_qoXdAkbN5VkwiE-rrL/s1600/lyuks4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">I see colorwork in my future. </span></a></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Finally, while wandering near the back of the store where they have cones upon cones of lovely soft colors (they're wholesalers, too), I saw this little gem. Perhaps a little obnoxious, a little more glitzy than I usually pick up, but I think it will make a glamorous little shawl for the coming winter.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVHdEebzMFbJTEFSiKjr4SszQlkvJG1xGIz1YTrxbEgJ6mhwou3Jnfr4V4Bv3NlWtTIOMkIayCgUX4qAsaUSdnLCIAFTgl4dDnG72p_8OcuCi6E2j3krMxq1wKYDkTuObfs0H/s400/iskra1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638206240686712642" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVHdEebzMFbJTEFSiKjr4SszQlkvJG1xGIz1YTrxbEgJ6mhwou3Jnfr4V4Bv3NlWtTIOMkIayCgUX4qAsaUSdnLCIAFTgl4dDnG72p_8OcuCi6E2j3krMxq1wKYDkTuObfs0H/s1600/iskra1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVHdEebzMFbJTEFSiKjr4SszQlkvJG1xGIz1YTrxbEgJ6mhwou3Jnfr4V4Bv3NlWtTIOMkIayCgUX4qAsaUSdnLCIAFTgl4dDnG72p_8OcuCi6E2j3krMxq1wKYDkTuObfs0H/s1600/iskra1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span">Искра (Iskra - 40% wool, 40% acrylic, 20% metallic thread/1316m/100g)</span></a></div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The laceweight, sock yarn, and sparkly yarn are all Семёновская Пряжа (Semyonovskaya Yarn), made by the factory connected to the shop.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, the total came to less than $40, which seems at least half of what I'd expect to pay in the U.S. for similar products. So, I decided I had the extra five rubles (about 18 cents) to buy their fancy plastic bag, to carry everything home in.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jAsIS7GCz6n_VRjGiO4hieSR_t4WeHqTPqQ-HFRjpeYLQn0-xrNb201xjkVIbHa2GAEXDdd-bHPgXSxnjwFNkQpcRfOODEBilN3A340csqK5lUzqSHWgU3mmx-MySGGhBs2v/s1600/msfabrikapaket1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jAsIS7GCz6n_VRjGiO4hieSR_t4WeHqTPqQ-HFRjpeYLQn0-xrNb201xjkVIbHa2GAEXDdd-bHPgXSxnjwFNkQpcRfOODEBilN3A340csqK5lUzqSHWgU3mmx-MySGGhBs2v/s400/msfabrikapaket1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638210475546825138" /></a><br /></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-28410208349859371162011-08-05T09:33:00.012-05:002011-08-05T10:57:42.795-05:00Честно, я не знаю...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote></blockquote>The Russian bathroom attendant saw my confusion. Oh, if she only knew.<div><br />Choosing 'the right' single-gender restroom is hard for me. However, this time, I knew what bathroom I was looking for.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>"Женский?!" she asks, slightly incredulously, convinced I should be looking instead for the мужский туалет.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Да." I respond, still unsure of myself. </div><div><br /></div><div>Truthfully, it could have been construed as an honest conversation about my gender. In a sense, I suppose it really was.</div><div><br /></div><div>In another sense, I had forgotten that Russian bathrooms have attendants, and thus might have hours posted. Because sometimes they also cost money to use, and all of the hours that mark time are fairly close to reasonable туалет prices. I was actually looking for the women's room, it just took me a minute to interpret the sign. I thought they might be standing there to collect money. Turns out it was free.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDv5Y-1oSWnZlP109b31Pbc62b2zXwiOM9M3le_ovzSb5ZO483Tp7Oc_NYdjNalIgEr3J_IYTbTQlwkE_IFZCYmHpZuHgIr3tF0vrUJjTVqfDKMbsYysy6cLY5tMcPNKohZuC/s400/Screen+shot+2011-08-05+at+7.06.05+PM.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 122px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637388559104344818" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-35561090151234701992011-08-04T09:10:00.002-05:002011-08-04T09:24:45.354-05:00What day is it?It's been a day and a half since I left Minnesota, but it just feels like a really long day.<div><br /></div><div>Flight number one: MSP (MN) to JFK (NY): uneventful.</div><div><br /></div><div>Flight number two: JFK to SVO (Moscow): eventful. </div><div><ul><li>Taxied around for at least an hour before takeoff; I'm not sure why.</li><li>Consistent and mysterious stomach pain. I thought I was intensely hungry for a long time, but they eventually brought us food, and that didn't help. Tried several methods of distracting myself; none of them worked well.</li><li>Had hopes for a few hours of snoozes; nodded off for about 15 minutes.</li></ul><div>I also realized on flight number two that Whitney Houston's <i>Greatest Hits</i>, which I bought whatever night that was before I left (which oddly seems like ages ago, but the departure from Minneapolis seems like a matter of mere hours) contains only a remix of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". That sort of remix that is different enough that you have to have the original version, too. Needless to say, that's been remedied in the last few minutes.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>It didn't hit me that I was really leaving Minnesota (and Amoeba and family and friends)(and Amoeba) until yesterday or today. I've still barely begun to process the fact that I'm actually in Moscow right now, and that the airport didn't just spill out into some part of Minneapolis that I'm unfamiliar with.</div><div><br /></div><div>Basically, I need to figure out how to make myself a safe space to be who I am in this room that I'm living in (which is the living room of my хозайка's apartment). I'm not sure how I'm going to do that yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think I'm going to start by dancing around to Whitney Houston, though.</div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646761.post-29335478320726593512011-08-02T22:40:00.003-05:002011-08-02T22:49:30.654-05:00Compose. (28-7-2011)To. <div>Pat Kensington (my apparently evangelical co-worker) @ rosevilleschools dot edu</div><div><br /></div><div>Subject.</div><div>Your Gift.</div><div><br /></div><div>Body.</div><div>Pat:</div><div><br /></div><div>You have injured me with your assumptions and angered me with the 'gift' that you handed me this afternoon.</div><div><br /></div><div>You do not know me. You do not know that I grew up as a pastor's kid. That I believe in a God that is open and accepting, and am part of a church that thinks that you can believe something else entirely, and that's okay. You do not know how strongly I have considered attending seminary. You do not know how angered I am by a Christian church that contributes so blindly to so much injustice in this world, and seeks to change the behavior of the radical few that are trying to shake the faith up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Instead of knowing me, you chose to make patronizing assumptions. When I first met you, you seemed to treat me with respect, but I now see that your demeanor toward me is a mockery of kindness. You do not see the good in me; you only see the parts of me you think are disgusting. The parts you think are wrong and morally corrupt. The parts that you, book in hand, can fix.</div><div><br /></div><div>You think I need saving, and you told me so this afternoon when you handed me the Holman Christian Standard edition of the New Testament.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your gesture is not only insulting; it violates the concept of appropriate workplace behavior.</div><div><br /></div><div>In your endeavor to create a workplace that is more in line with your comfort zone and personal preferences, you create a workplace that has no space for me. I will not read your blue book. I will not change to fit your standards. I will not back down in the face of your bigotry.</div><div><br /></div><div>You have injured me, and you have made me stronger.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your behavior has been reported to my supervisor. Take your evangelism elsewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sincerely, </div><div>Me</div>fecknomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08419083682809210553noreply@blogger.com5