Benefits of Being Bored

It's crazy! My search may almost be over. I stress the word almost as nothing has happened yet. Let me back up. The scene is me, at work, bored. It's really hard to keep going on stuff you're not interested in and are no longer really responsible for. I've begun to disengage a bit, to move on. Understandable. To deal with this, I work for a little and then reward myself with a break. But I was running out of ideas for my breaks. Until I remembered I hadn't done a search lately on ravelry (awesome place) and low and behold, someone updated their stash and their was the yarn I needed. Di.ve Cotone Egitto, colorway 815! Two balls.

Wait, I skipped some parts. Let me back up. The scene is me, matching some yarn in the stash to a new pattern. I begin to knit, one my few cotton sweaters. And I'm loving it. The yarn is the perfect weight for the cables. And the color is wonderful. It's grey, but yes, it's wonderful. It has a nice sheen to it and with the cables, it just plays with the light. As you can see, I'm falling in love with the pairing. And, as with all great love stories, there is the obstacle to overcome, to test the love and dedication. The yarn in the stash was bought at one of my very first forrays to Webs in Northampton. I bought a bag of 10 balls probably about 5 years ago. They were on sale, and I knew I'd find some pattern eventually. Of course, the yarn was on sale because it was discontinued.

Fastforward to this year. I've now learned that, yes, quite often, I can knit a sweater for myself using 10 balls of yarn, sometimes even less. However, this is not always the case as certain parameters need to be taken into account. Is it thick yarn or thin yarn? It makes a difference. Is the sweater pattern long and bulky or a turtle neck? And I'm starting to think color might even play a role.

So about half way through, not even, I realized, doing the math on this cardigan, that at the rate I was using up the balls, I just might not make it. Of course this made me knit really fast at times and at other times just completely abandon the project (if you don't finish it, you don't have to face reality). Some of my friends have named it the "doomed" sweater. And yet I keep knitting. The back is done, one front side panel is done. Even both the sleeves are done (and no, I will not make this a 3/4 sleeve sweater - it needs to be extra long sleeves, that's just the way it goes). But still, I have the other front side panel and the collar. I keep wavering on whether I'll make it or not. I think I only really need one ball, but then again, I'm really bad at estimating. I hope it's not something ridiculous like 4 balls.

Now comes the tricky part. I've scoured the internet for one ball of the same yarn. And nothing. I thought I found one stash at the very beginning of the search on ravelry but it disappeared before I could make note of it (which makes me question my sanity - did it even exist or was I making it up?). I've checked all the stores, even the ones that specialize in discontinued yarn. I've carried the yarn label with me in my wallet for 9 months now. I even brought it with me on my trip to europe - just in case. I've given the label to friends in case they come across a potential match. And nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I feel like I've been searching for an elusive, rare, endangered animal. And now, in my stroll in the forest of ravelry, I've caught a glimpse of it. It's there, just yards away, almost within my reach. And yet completely out of reach. How do I proceed? How do I make contact but not scare away this rare beast that I need to exist. (Yes I'm determined I need this sweater now and my life won't be complete without it. Below is a picture of it, although it's supposed to have a zipper.)

I figured if I thought about it too long, I'd make a horrible mess of it all - the ask. So I just went for it and below is the message I sent. Fingers crossed.

Hello stranger,
I just found that you have in your stash two glorious balls of Di.ve Cotone Egitto colorway 815. I have been looking for this colorway for some time and was wondering if it's part of your permanent stash or something you'd be interested in swapping/selling? My sad sorry, of my own doing of course, is that I have been working on a wonderful sweater that just won't make it on the amount of balls I have. My friends have named it the "doomed" sweater, and are in awe of my stubborness to not adjust it to 3/4 sleeves or use the yarn for something else. But the yarn and the pattern were made for each other and I know it'll be my favorite sweater once done. It's just a matter of finding the additional balls needed. I can ramble on, but rest assurred I've started seeing someone about my reoccuring problem of not buying enough yarn for projects, especially for discontinued yarn. And this is my problem, not yours, so no worries if you weren't planning on parting with the yarn. I'm convinced there are several extra balls out there somewhere for me. We'll be united eventually. Thanks for your time!
Sukeyknits

Moving on!

It's official. I just got done giving my notice at work, although I realize as I write this I still need to put it in writing for them to make it official and everything.



That last sentence was written 4 hours ago. Crazy how busy things can get. I had the normal friday lunch at work. Even smaller then normal as everyone is in and out this week with things. Last summer I started friday salads at work mainly as I was getting way too much lettuce from my food share. It's a great way to bring folks together - everyone just brings a minor something and in the end you have a rich and bountiful lunch. The other thing I'm a big advocate of is the wonderful game of Pounce. So this afternoon I took a bit longer lunch and taught some new interns lunch while playing with some veterns. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that I won 5 of the 6 games. I had to loose one, you know :) So nice and warm fuzzies which is why I think I'm not super excited about the new job.



It's a great opportunity and I'm pretty much at my last straw here. The compensation is in a whole other league (yay), the technical work is more challenging and cutting edge, and the scope of the projects I'll be working on a much larger scale (bigger environmental impact) and international. I get to do as much or little travel as I want. There's a bunch of projects over in the middle east as that area is booming like nothing else. Apparently the new place did/does work on the new Doha airport - visiting opportunities maybe! I can even live oversees for a period of time if I want to (several weeks to years). Not sure that I do, but nice to have the opportunity.



I got to meet some of the staff for the new job last night for drinks and I was disappointed. I think it's unfair as most of my good friends in Boston are through work. Work is like a second family which is very rare, so hard for a new firm to compete. To put a spin on it, I've been trying to be good at seperating work and social life, and this will allow it to be easier.



So I'm happy. The change will be really good and reinvigorate me. I don't really look forward to going into work much anymore which means it's time for a change. I'm just a little apprehensive but I think that's due to all the other things that's been going on around me. It seems like the proverbal rug has been pulled out quite a bit lately. Which just means some good times are around the corner. I'll miss the old place but look forward to all the wonderful opportunities of the new place. And as a reminder, I was a little apprehensive when starting here, so it's normal.

I've got news - for tomorrow

I'm trying to be good and do things in the right order, but am itching to tell people. If you know what I'm talking about then the news for tomorrow won't be that big.

(Crazy) Autumn Rush

I'm not referencing the movie - just the craziness of being back. I have to say that the trip to Madrid was amazing, but it's wonderful to come back and enjoy the warmth and comfort of friends and family (family only via phone at this point). I've been fairly busy - work of course, but more importantly on the social front. The week back I ended up getting drinks several nights to catch up with friends. I realized, since I was enjoying the customs of Spain/Portugal, that I ended up drinking for two weeks straight. Crazy considering I don't drink that much. However, it's the good drink - with friends and over good food and in moderation. I'm officially 5 days dry now. The day after I got back, I took off work since I didn't get in until close to midnight, but still managed my way into the city to have some drinks with some close girlfriends. It was great to catch up and share all the wonderful crazy times of the trip while still fresh.

So last week was a bit hazy, stradling the two worlds and juggling many changes. Saturday, I had plans to visit a friend/coworker who lives in NH. I tried to sleep in as much as I could. I had been planning on chilling the whole weekend to recover from the trip but had forgotten about the plans. I was glad to have them as this is the time to enjoy the outdoors. Which I discovered while trapped on I-93 heading north that everyone else thought the same. The traffic was so bad, worse then normal rush hour during the week. But the trees were so vibrant. I haven't seen this bright in years, which I hope is a good sign.

I met Dawn and we went to a highschool football game, well part of one. The main attraction was to see her little sister perform at half time in the band. She's one of the drummers on the left. I was impressed as they were a lot more choregraphed than what I remember my highschool band being. They played several pieces and had all these neat configurations. I don't know how you do it: Be able to play, then carry the instrument at the same time (I was a piano gal) and on top of all that remember all the choreographed steps.

After the performance we headed over to Robert Frost's farm. They had a festival going as the beautiful old tree, that one of his poems is written about, had finally fallen in a storm. They had live music and we got a tour from a guide who really loved her job. Her favorite phrase was, "Oh, and one more thing". She was just so happy to share the stories. I view Robert in a completely different light now. That and I feel closer as I sat in the one seat they can guarantee he sat in - the good old crapper (I kept my jeans on). I was getting a little hungry so got the most wonderful skewer. It was fresh scallops wrapped in bacon, grilled with real maple syrup poured over it. It was so marvelous - everything so fresh and good. I still have fond memories of that food. Well, then we headed off to a local orchid with a beautiful view. It was a day that makes you appreciate being in New England. Having lived in a few places in our fine country, I have to say New England rules - nothing compares. Kids giggling on hayrides and the smell of fresh apple cider while devouring hot out of the oil donuts that melt in your mouth. Glorious!

That evening I enjoyed more band performances. Over 20 schools performed on the football field and it was quite impressive. Some were small and good. Some were small and needed more practice. Some were big and good. And one was gigantic. Most schools had probably around 80 kids except for Londenery, they have some requirement and had 350 kids. They filled the whole football field. I guess the joke is that half the kids don't actually play the instruments but fake it, and yet you can't tell. I think the secret is in the size, after a certain size, it's harder to suck. I didn't quite make it through all of it as I was really getting tired and still had to drive home. Speaking of which, on my way home, I'm in the far left lane, when I realize there's an ambulance two vehicles back, so I switch lanes and keep an eye on things. It's strange because there's this SUV in front of the ambulance who isn't moving over, and then suddenly does and nearly clips me. I think she was honestly an inch away from hitting me. She must have suddenly realized and just instictively swerved not realizing I was in the way. Needless to say, I was more then wide awake the rest of hte way home.

Sunday I had the benefit of being able to hang out with some close friends while they went through a horrible medical tragedy. I was really happy I could be there for them and do something. These things are always so horrible and you hate it when it happens to such good people. It's of course made me reevaluate the crazy little stuff I focus on instead of hte big important stuff. It was a long day, and I couldn't work on my knitting project as it was a gift for their baby due in Friday - still trying to keep it a surprise. Luckily though I had a tangled ball of yarn that she had given me. I had started detangling the ball before my trip but this one is a doozy. Finger weight, cream and super tangled. On the ride home I had to rush, but I got it done, at least one thing accomplished that day.

Wonderful weekend, but not much catch up on sleep, chores, unpacking, etc. And then Monday. I had put in place a practical joke before I left for vacation. I hand selected about a third of the staff and sent them "the memo". You know how sometimes you and someone show up in similar outfits and someone else says they didn't get the memo about the new dress code or whatever. Well, since we have staff meeting Monday mornings, I thought it'd be a hoot if a bunch of us showed up in similar outfits. We finally agreed on a red top/black bottom combo. I was giddy with excitement. And, long story short, it completely bombed - noone noticed. The following is an excerpt of the email I sent staff afterwards:

I would just like to thank all those who participated in the practical joke today – both the ones who got it and the ones who didn’t and the ones who accidently participated. For those of you who are still unclear on the joke, here it is. Today at the staff meeting, if you looked around at your fellow colleagues you would have noticed that every third person was wearing something similar – red top/black pants. And yet, other than those actually in on the joke, I don’t think anyone noticed. Which leads us to a larger question at hand:

1. Is 10 am in the morning still a little too early and was not enough coffee ingested yet?

2. Are we made up of a group that are so focused on brilliant things like the big picture, we miss the little details?

3. Is Monday just not a day for practical jokes? Would people have noticed sooner on, say a Friday?

4. Is it possible that the there is a large population of color blind people in the environmental sector?

5. Why is it people will notice two people with similar outfits, but not 5 people? Is there some inverse relationship going on?



All good questions that I would like you to ponder as I hatch my next brilliant practical joke. Attached is a picture of those involved, plus Aaron who accidently wore red (and can I point out there was a high percentage of black pants today). Thanks to everyone again for being good sports.

And finally, since I have one more picture, I'll make this post really long. I've been enjoying lunch in the park a bunch since I've been back. Perfect weather for it - crisp fall with the sound of rustling leaves, clear skies, bright colors and eveyone out and about. Yesterday, three of us escaped work and made it to the beautiful Boston Gardens (just west of hte Common). And today, Noah (old coworker) and I hung out and I debriefed him on what to see in Madrid when he visits next month. I tried so hard to find a hiding place for a little gift I had for him, but you try finding a place in public to hide something that will survive the elements, maitenance staff and the general public. I failed. I feel bad. But it was a good idea.

Madrid pics

Just seeing how to fix the errors I made earlier, more to come.

We flew back into Madrid Tuesday and we met up with Encar on her lunch break (around 2 pm - crazy spanish schedule) who showed us our new digs.

Arturo's brother Enrique was very generous and gave us his bedroom, opting to sleep in the living room. Which is crazy considering we were there for 6 nights. Wicked generous. It was a great location and the apartment was composed of four 20 somethinger bachelors. Check out the animal print, guitar and bike wheels. The view out the room into the back was really neat - seeing all the life that is hidden away in the city blocks. We were only the third floor, but I think that's really the fourth floor and the floors are really tall, so we had some nice views. That afternoon we wandered around some, and made our way to some modern sculpture tucked away under a highway over pass. On our way there, I snagged this sweet picture.

This isn't my favorite sculpture from the park but it's my favorite picture. I was taking some pictures of myself and this guy (you know with the outstreched arm) and one fellow who was hurrying pass on his way home asked if I wanted a photo. I was a little embarrased and said no, no worries, but he insisted, so here's me and my new buddy.While I'm thinking of it, the weather was absolutely amazing the entire time - no rain or overcast days at all, which I was worried about. I'm glad I pulled my rain jacket and umbrella out at the end. You couldn't ask for nicer weather - not too hot and it cooled down nicely in the evening.

I'm Back!! Porto Pics

I still feel like I'm in limbo - between two worlds. Traveling always does that to me, where I get fully emersed and my normal life seems like a book I read or a movie I saw. But then I return to it and it seems strangely familiar yet still foreign. When we were stuck in Atlanta for a layover it was really strange interacting with people as they all spoke American, although it was still somewhat difficult to understand them sometimes with the accent.

I don't know where to begin. The trip was amazing and I had a wonderful time, which sounds so boring which the trip was anything but. It was a roller coaster of craziness so I will just post some pictures for now. Unfortunately I don't have them all yet as we ended up taking turns having dead cameras so still need to swap digital photos. And of course, it turns out I have a prediliction to take blurry photos, even with point and shoot cameras. But here is a little taste from my collection:

We missed our flight to Porto so stayed the first night in Madrid and our hotel was located near Don Quixote's statue which welcomed us to the country - quitessential Spain.

We met up with Arturo and Encar - the couple who were getting married the following weekend. We went to this really hip restaurant in the gay neighborhood of Madrid. The decor was very modern (as evidence by the birches)
Afterwards they gave us a tour of the city in their convertible - it was crazy cool. This is the place that they had their reception - very very fancy and hard to get into - private gentleman's club. And I realize we never made it out onto the balcony which would have been nice.
We finally made it to Porto the next day and so began my self-taking photo shoots which drove Dave a little crazy. This was us on the subway on our way into the city of Porto. I think it was then that it finally sunk in that I was abroad. Up until then it was just crazy travel, rushing around trying to get places and see people.

We wandered around the city - quite lovely and very european. We took it easy at first, chilling at cafes and enjoying the food and drinks.

We found one place where it wasn't touristy even though it was on the strip and we could watch the traffic go by. It was the "man" place - all these rough older local men hanging out. This was the only place where we had a darker beer which was quite good. And the wonderful cured ham sandwhiches - my favorite. In the end, even though I don't drink, I had a drink every day of the trip - they drink lite beer like water.

The next day we made our way outside of the old town center and got to see Rem Koolhaas's Music Hall in the outskirts of town and the contemporary art museum. I'm not a huge Rem fan but this was quite impressive. Very angular.

And inside, there were all these interesting, unique rooms. By this point, like all travel, we were a bit on the rocks and trying to figure out how to coexist together. Needless to say the whole relationship idea died before it even began. In the end it all worked out, but this definately added some craziness to the trip.

The next day we rented some scooters. I had never driven anything like this before so it took me a little while to get the hang of having the gas and brake in the handles. In the end, Dave taught me how to use the brake and gas together to accelerate smoothly which made a world of difference. I was still sore the next day though.

With the scooter's we were able to make it out to the coast and spend the day at the beach chilling. It was a little cold and windy and I got a bit of sun. Since I've gotten back everyone has been telling me how tan I look - something I never hear.Near by was an old fort that we could only walk around. I knocked, but noone answered.Out behind the fort were tons of rocks to climb around until you realized this was the local pee hole. THere were probably a handful of guys taking a leak. Really funny, but not somewhere you want to climb around anymore.By the end of hte day we made it up to the top of the town and had some wonderful views at sunset. It was a really beautiful city, and not too overrun by tourists (although alot of the tourists seemed german).

We had a wonderful meal up at one of the Port cellars, a great way to cap our trip in Portugal before we headed back to Madrid the next day.

Later, Madrid where it gets even more crazy, but less pictures.