Over Easter weekend Scientist and I made the short trip up to New York to see the city. I have been to a fair number of places, but somehow New York had been one of the places in the US I'd failed to see.
So, despite the face that we had just made a very expensive purchase, which we've had very little time to enjoy due both this trip and the work, we saddled up and headed out.
We saw pretty much everything we could have hoped to see in 3 days: the Brooklyn Bridge (on an extremely windy day no less), Wall Street, Soho (including PURL, where I bought some great yarn for my first sweater), Times Square, improv at The Upright Citizens Brigade and Central Park. I was really impressed at a) how clean the city was compared to other larger cities I've been to and b) how incredibly nice everyone was to us.
One of the highlights of our trip was our fabulous and elegant dinner at Gramercy Tavern. In addition to the great atmosphere and food (I had foie gras for the first time ever), the people watching was top notch. In fact, I heard the couple next to us get into a fight, which ended in the woman making a dramatic exit to the bathroom as her cheese course arrived. I felt bad for eavesdropping, but the temptation was just too great for me NOT to listen.
NYC was awesome--better than I expected, actually--and exhausting. I realize we didn't even come close to seeing all the things I wanted to see, so hopefully we'll be able to fit in another couple trips before we leave Morgantown.
In other travel related news, Scientist and I bought tickets this week to go see my dad in China next September. He'll be getting married, and while there won't be a formal ceremony, we decided this is a good time to go see him and meet his new wife. I'm excited, although the prospect of a non-stop 14 hour flight fills me with dread. Nevertheless, this will be an epic trip (we'll be gone 16 days) and I'm excited about seeing a country and experiencing a culture far removed from any of the other places/cultures I've ever seen.
Showing posts with label Knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knitting. Show all posts
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Keen on Yarn
As any and all of you who are friends with me on Facebook know, in the last several months I've become obsessed with knitting. Maybe "obsessed" is strong word; let's say I've become keen on on it.
I don't know what it is about knitting I love so much. Maybe it's the idea that I've finally found something I can do that doesn't fill me with a sense of inadequacy like writing does (although nothing is more fulfilling than a good writing day), or studying Russian. Or perhaps it's ying/yang nature of knitting: one needs to be both methodical (pay attention to patterns, plan for how much yarn you need, etc) and creative at the same time (there are endless number of wacky things you can find patterns for on the internet). I suspect that what I love most about knitting is the yarn, though.
This is actually my second shot at knitting. I first attempted it when we moved here; I had no friends, we lived in a kinda shitty apartment, and I felt like I was watching way too much TV. That attempt was short lived--I lost interest and gave it up after a few weeks.
This time though, I think I'm going to stick with it. I started out making a blanket for Sophie, and then moved on to bookmarks (I sent my first one to my dad in China). Now, I'm making washcloths for my mother's new house and a friend's birthday, as well as a gorgeous checkerboard pattern type scarf for Scientist. People LOVE knitted gifts, and non-knitters and wanna be knitters seem to be uber appreciative of the time and effort it takes to make them a knitted gift.
When we head to New York at the end of the week I'm going to make my biggest purchase yet at Purl, a knitter's mecca located in Soho. I'm thinking it's time to make myself something, and that something will most likely be hoodie in the loveliest, richest shade of expensive purple yarn I can find.
I don't know what it is about knitting I love so much. Maybe it's the idea that I've finally found something I can do that doesn't fill me with a sense of inadequacy like writing does (although nothing is more fulfilling than a good writing day), or studying Russian. Or perhaps it's ying/yang nature of knitting: one needs to be both methodical (pay attention to patterns, plan for how much yarn you need, etc) and creative at the same time (there are endless number of wacky things you can find patterns for on the internet). I suspect that what I love most about knitting is the yarn, though.
This is actually my second shot at knitting. I first attempted it when we moved here; I had no friends, we lived in a kinda shitty apartment, and I felt like I was watching way too much TV. That attempt was short lived--I lost interest and gave it up after a few weeks.
This time though, I think I'm going to stick with it. I started out making a blanket for Sophie, and then moved on to bookmarks (I sent my first one to my dad in China). Now, I'm making washcloths for my mother's new house and a friend's birthday, as well as a gorgeous checkerboard pattern type scarf for Scientist. People LOVE knitted gifts, and non-knitters and wanna be knitters seem to be uber appreciative of the time and effort it takes to make them a knitted gift.
When we head to New York at the end of the week I'm going to make my biggest purchase yet at Purl, a knitter's mecca located in Soho. I'm thinking it's time to make myself something, and that something will most likely be hoodie in the loveliest, richest shade of expensive purple yarn I can find.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Good things
Good news! I got a call for a second interview on Friday for the position I interviewed for a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I have to wait a week; my interview isn't until a week from Tuesday, but I'm feeling good about this. I'm trying not to get too excited, I mean, there is a possibility that I won't get this position. I still want to apply for another position that actually pays more, has more responsibility and will be a better "resume builder", but given the state of the economy and the fact I live in an area that is not so flush with great jobs I may just end up taking what I can get, you know? I hate settling, but I may have to do that and keep my eyes open. If I can get this position and get some experience with grant writing I will be in very good shape for the next place we move.
I really need to find a job--I'm starting to run out of things to do. I hate saying that because inevitably someone always says [insert stupid voice here], "I wish I was unemployed....I'd love to just lay around and stuff..." The problem is, rarely does unemployment accompany a windfall of money and/or the promise of a job (and therefore more money)in the immediate future. Don't get me wrong: Scientist has a good job and we're not hurting, but I hate feeling like I'm not contributing something financially. Plus, I'm bored. How much can one knit, read, cook, watch bad TV and play with one's cat?
I really need to find a job--I'm starting to run out of things to do. I hate saying that because inevitably someone always says [insert stupid voice here], "I wish I was unemployed....I'd love to just lay around and stuff..." The problem is, rarely does unemployment accompany a windfall of money and/or the promise of a job (and therefore more money)in the immediate future. Don't get me wrong: Scientist has a good job and we're not hurting, but I hate feeling like I'm not contributing something financially. Plus, I'm bored. How much can one knit, read, cook, watch bad TV and play with one's cat?
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Changes
I know in the past, oh, year and a half or so I've been really bad about posting updates on this blog. And, I know that I always seem to offer up some lame excuse about why I haven't been posting, but this time, I have a really good reason for not updating this blog for four months....For real.
I graduated last month with my Master's degree in Public Health. The last half of the semester was very trying to say the least; I was having problems with my program that I won't get into here, plus I was writing my 60 page thesis type paper thingy.
Right now I'm looking for a job. Needless to say, with the economy the way it is I'm pretty sure it's going to be awhile until I actually find something in my field that doesn't pay a few dollars a week. In the mean time, I'm going to try to entertain myself with various projects: painting all three of our bathrooms, going to a local Russian conversation circle, reading, and knitting (my newest love). And updating this blog--I'm going to make this a priority (I love writing and I have friends all over the country so why not make this a regular way of keeping in contact with people?). I'm even thinking of making some major changes. I need to mull this all over first, however.
I graduated last month with my Master's degree in Public Health. The last half of the semester was very trying to say the least; I was having problems with my program that I won't get into here, plus I was writing my 60 page thesis type paper thingy.
Right now I'm looking for a job. Needless to say, with the economy the way it is I'm pretty sure it's going to be awhile until I actually find something in my field that doesn't pay a few dollars a week. In the mean time, I'm going to try to entertain myself with various projects: painting all three of our bathrooms, going to a local Russian conversation circle, reading, and knitting (my newest love). And updating this blog--I'm going to make this a priority (I love writing and I have friends all over the country so why not make this a regular way of keeping in contact with people?). I'm even thinking of making some major changes. I need to mull this all over first, however.
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