So far during the month of October…

Cocoa likes to hide in Chris’s closet where she can just “blend in”.

On related note, I’ve learned that it possible to lose a cat within one bedroom apartment.

And we went and saw Bad Religion – for their thirtieth anniversary tour. It was only appropriate that it was their 30 year anniversary, and we went to see them to celebrate Chris’s 30th birthday.

I can’t believe how old we’re getting. Kinda scary how the time flies by.

And I’ve been playing Fable 2 on xbox. I find it pretty funny how fast I was able to “beat” the game, despite the fact that I have hardest time with the controllers (you should see me trying to access netflix with the xbox controller… really).

And I’ve been knitting off and on. More off than on. Something something.

Oh and last but not the least – now it’s official!! Ariel is developing a sock book with Cooperative Press! And they need your help!

Please participate this survey for sock/feet sizing and measurement (also, hidden in the survey is a mini contest, please read the survey for details!). You don’t necessarily have to be a sock knitter (or a knitter for that matter) to participate in the survey. I thank you in advance for your participation! And I’m sure Shannon and Ariel would also appreciate your effort as well!

So, well… once upon a time. No, “earlier toay” I was going downstairs to take a bag of trash out, and figured, oh I might as well check the mail.

Ok, actually, let’s start with a background story. So, I have this crazy friend named Ariel. Some of you may know her as the “sock princess”, some of you may not. So, anyway, few nights ago, after hours of skyping, we decided to swap out some yarn – I was going to send her SWTC Phoenix (which mean for a Coachella), and she was going to send me her Debbie Bliss Cathay (enough for a Picovoli). And even though I (not knowing where exactly the post office is around here) haven’t sent the yarn out to her, she promptly sent me hers – and I received it on Monday.

Fast forward another day or two, we have been working on organizing her yarn. And as we were doing it, she said she was going to destash some yarn to me, as well as some paperback book. So I said, sure.

And today, I got more yarn from her. Insano!

This is all the stuff sent me within like a week period:

Yes, she’s crazy.

You know, the original plan for today was to post some socks in progress (it’s crazy – I’ve been having multiple WIP’s at once!) and some other stuff I’ve finished recently, but you know what, that will be for another day.

And now I get to read Harry Potter (the first book), thanks to Ariel. Now, where’s my big pointy hat and magic wands? (… though funny thing is, Chris has already read every single one in the series just this past summer.. and I was pretty set on not reading them. But apparently, Ariel is a lot more persuasive.)

Oh and.. hey, look! Something chocolatey!

Anyway, now I’m running into a problem where…. I have a very desperate need for more (sock sized) needles. Now I really start to miss the idea of living right by a yarn store where I can just walk over there whenever I need to – I guess I kinda took that for granted. Poo.

Ok, time for me to go wake my child.. er, boyfriend up from his wee nappy nap so we can go grocery shopping.

The end.

Ok, so this apartment is way too bright. Sun in my eyes…. seriously I have a blind spot now. So I’m taking a wee break from knitting and hey, what do you know, I’m blogging.

… let see, what have I done in past month, in the very short month of February.

My friend Ranaee was here. We went and did some tourist things. Went to a zoo, and to Milwaukee Public Museum. We tried to go for tour & fish fry at Lakefront Brewery and that totally backfired – by the time we got there, tour tickets were completely sold out, so we had to settle for just fish fry (which is another crappy story – they were extremely busy and the table pager they gave us was dead so we had to wait forever plus one). Oh and I got carded at a mall, because they thought I looked “underaged”. Seriously? Not even 18?

And I spent, or rather “wasted”, a whole week playing a game. Oh yes world – MJ has crossed the line to the dark side. MJ has played a RPG game (…. help me). I seriously spent a week, night and day, playing Fable: TLC, like, sleep deprived all night and day. And we all know that MJ doesn’t really play any games. I can barely play Mario Bros. But well, what can I say, it was stupid but it was kinda interesting. At the end, I felt like the game should have lasted longer. And at the end, as you accumulate all the points and buy all these powers & magic and such, it just got too easy. So.. yeah, the game was fun… until the end when it kinda became disappointment. As much of a waste of time it has been, one accomplishment (or lack there of) is that this was the first time I played a game and finished. So, there.

Oh and I finished a pair of socks: twin sock with Ariel, of course.

First time using STR lightweight – the color was like “well, that’s nice” – after all, color preferences are subjective thing. But my goodness, the yarn base itself is fabulous, I can see what the fuss is all about.

Right now, I’m working on couple of pairs of socks. Yes world, MJ has joined the multiple WIP club :P

  

On the left is Twisted Flower (Cookie A), and on the right is Embossed Leaves socks. TF is another twin sock with Ariel, and as for EL, this is the first pair I’m actually making for myself (but 3rd time making it altogether). Of course, EL is done in my butchered way – b/c as pretty as it appears to be, I don’t really like that garter detail on heel flap on the original pattern, and also the toe shaping.

Oh and last night, I invaded a local knitting group. That was totally awesome. Everyone was really nice. I’m tracking them all down one by one on Ravelry and adding them as friend. There is a ravelry group so I probably could just mass add them all, but right now I’m on a mission :P I figure, that way, I can remember who they are, by trying to guess by looking at their profiles/pictures/projects. Anyway…

On a random note, I’m drinking (or sipping through a straw) Strawberry Banana Juicy Juice. A bit juvenile? YES. But is it awesome? Double Yes!

… banana flavored juice is a bit weird though. You know, because banana isn’t exactly the juciest fruit. But then again, this is probably mostly apple juice anyway, with “hint of banana”.

… and I want to go to Stitch & Pitch in July, at Miller Park.

… and it was a bit awkward (actually not “awkward” but rather “pricey” would work) to order hard liquor from a pub in Milwaukee (hello.. it’s the world of Miller & PBR). Maybe it’s time for me to move onto beer.

And that concludes my babbling about nothing.

I still can’t believe it! Ariel was here!

She made a pit stop at Champaign in the midst of her cross-country move, from Boston to Seattle. She arrived here late afternoon yesterday and left way too soon, in early afternoon.

It’s just so surreal to actually meet her for the first time. I mean, it didn’t feel strange at all – but then again, we’ve known each other for quite a while now :) And along with Ariel, I also got to meet her lovely mom and her two darling kitties, Pan and Java.

Last night, we took a little walk to downtown Champaign, and had some fabulous Thai food, while Chris was kittysitting the cats (though I think it was more like the cats were babysitting him). Then followed by wee bit of playing Rockband and (embrace yourself…) posting on Plurk, while sitting next to each other! How dorky are we?!

And today, we went for a little walk to main quad on campus, got some coffee, then a light lunch, before they had to leave.

But.. not before some mandatory pictures. But of course!

Here is a picture of us, and our twin socks. I know, we look pretty silly (at least I know I do).

And here’s Pan. I made many attempts but this is the only one where he’s actually looking at the camera and is not blurry. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a picture of Java :(

It’s so sad that she only stayed for one night, but I’m surely glad that she stopped by!

But I’m pretty sure this will not be the only time, just the first time I get to spend fabulous time with her. I just now have to make a plan to go visit her in Seattle once she all settles in, and hopefully soon :)

I haven’t been knitting, or doing much for oh almost a month and counting by now. But I thought I’d drop by and say few things.

First of all, I’m super excited about my dear friend Ariel‘s sock designs. There are two designs of hers featured on How to Knit in the Woods, the new book by Shannon Okey. In fact, one of the pairs that I was test knitting for Ariel ended up being photographed in the book as well. How exciting!

   Now, if I can only find the book. I haven’t been able to find them locally, maybe I need to get it ordered online.

Next in agenda – I’ve been watching awful a lot of The Office lately (yes, the NBC version with Steve Carell). While visiting her in DC, Chris’s sister sort of got me started watching them, and now I can’t stop.

Let see, what else…. OH, the next project I’m *thinking* about doing is maybe Sahara. And maybe using Cotton Silk Aran from the most fabulous Jen. I think I may have just enough to make one in short sleeve. Unfortunately the yarn is discontinued so either I have to make it work or not. But I think I should have enough to get by.

So far by my to-knit list for this upcoming Christmas: Lucy in the Sky cardigan for Lauren, Slipped Hours pullover (Ravelry Link) for Cyndi. I have no idea what else quite yet.

Time for bed now.