Okay, so I have a tentative project in mind. Christmas is coming, and as every knitter (and non-knitter) knows, Christmas is Crunch Time, and almost everyone gets caught unaware ( to that one person who got all of their shopping done in August? Yes, YOU. I hate you). For one who aims to gift knit items, it's even worse because of the time involved in making all these things. All you have to do to get a good idea of this is read the Yarn Harlot's annual Christmas panic blogs, complete with her very own Schedule-Nazi to get it all done. Unfortunately, I do not have a Schedule-Nazi, I have only myself, and myself absolutely sucks at deadlines and that thing called 'discipline'. I'm also terrible at knitting speedily in a crunch. In light of that, my tentative plan is this: between now and Christmas (allowing for a few slip-ups, and life getting in the way). Knit 1 object - glove, hat, scarf, sock etc (extra time allotted for larger items) per week. Fingerless gloves and hats count as half an object (or basic gloves) given the speed and simplicity involved.
If I stick to this, that means I have 14 weeks, (Or 7 pairs of socks) to get everything done. This means if i play my card right i could actually gift everyone in my immediate family (Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother 1, Brother 1's girlfriend, Brother 2, Brother 2's girlfriend and my Grandmother) ((okay that's 8)). If I'm super efficient about this, I could possibly muster up a couple of extra items for some friends (who happen to read this blog from time to time).
I only plan on making 1 pair of socks out of all this, since my mother specifically requested a pair. Additionally, I found a project i'd completely forgotten about, complete with a 3/4 knit sock, in a color i know she would like....some may call it cheating, I just call it recycling.
So, here we go - I'm setting the deadline for each project to be Sunday night, with a new project started on Monday Morning. I will use up as much of my stash yarn as possible and must always check The Stash Monster to see if I have something I can use *before* I look into buying new yarn for it.
Today I declare to be Knitting Boot Camp: Week 1, Day 3 (Monday being Day 1).
Here we go.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Careers Advice: I advise you get a career....
So yesterday I had an appointment with the LSE Career Service, it was supposed to be on Monday but due to a mix-up, and a crappy internet based 'hit refresh constantly' type allocation system, I wound up booking an appointment that I didn't get when I actually showed up for it, and went home rather weepy. I came back yesterday, and did manage to get my appointment spot(perhaps due to the weeping stint the day before), to talk to the nice lady, in hopes that she would solve my problems.
Obviously she didn't, as a 15 minute appointment is not going to solve the question of 'What do you want to do with your life', but i was at least hoping for a 'what the hell am i doing with my life right now'. Instead it went something like this...
Me: So i'm hoping to find an internship or volunteer opportunity, something to get work experience in, while i figure out what i'm doing
Her: So what is it that you are interested in?
Me: Women's reproductive health and rights, access to care etc in developing countries. Things along those lines.
Her: But why would you be interested in that??
And this is basically how 80% of our time was spent, her demanding an exact explanation as to why i am interested in health and development...because it's such a 'small, niche area'. Seriously?? I've never thought of women's health as a 'niche' nor esoteric. You'd think I had asked her for help finding a career option that involved braiding purple llama's hair whilst singing electronica to them (accapella style) in the northeast sector of a very small town in Iceland, and ONLY that. Cripes...
Suffice to say, it didn't really help much, but I did pillage the hell out of the career services library and managed to get several websites to follow up with. Here's hoping they turn out to be a better use of my time.
Obviously she didn't, as a 15 minute appointment is not going to solve the question of 'What do you want to do with your life', but i was at least hoping for a 'what the hell am i doing with my life right now'. Instead it went something like this...
Me: So i'm hoping to find an internship or volunteer opportunity, something to get work experience in, while i figure out what i'm doing
Her: So what is it that you are interested in?
Me: Women's reproductive health and rights, access to care etc in developing countries. Things along those lines.
Her: But why would you be interested in that??
And this is basically how 80% of our time was spent, her demanding an exact explanation as to why i am interested in health and development...because it's such a 'small, niche area'. Seriously?? I've never thought of women's health as a 'niche' nor esoteric. You'd think I had asked her for help finding a career option that involved braiding purple llama's hair whilst singing electronica to them (accapella style) in the northeast sector of a very small town in Iceland, and ONLY that. Cripes...
Suffice to say, it didn't really help much, but I did pillage the hell out of the career services library and managed to get several websites to follow up with. Here's hoping they turn out to be a better use of my time.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Dancing With The Stars: Men's Premiere
My initial thoughts on Dancing With The Stars, semi-'live' blogging, we're a week or so behind in getting new episodes in London, ;p so bear with me.....
Aaron Carter (Cha Cha Cha)- DIRTY DIRTY BOY! Dude, you need to at least make it through the first week before you try and get it in her pants. I'm sure he'll go far, but he came off as so skeezy that i dont think i'll be rooting for him. He also has dance experience already through performing, so I think that's kind of cheating
Chuck Liddel (Foxtrot) (aka UFC guy) - Okay, he's a little scary, but he's trying, and he really did try and smile...even if he did look a bit like a happy homicidal maniac. I don't think he'll last long, but he gets major points for even getting up there and dancing. Very stiff and clunky, not quite with it, but adorable in that terrifying kind of way. He also did pretty well in the Salsa Relay, and showed signs of loosening up. (Obviously no competition for Donny, but
Mark Dacascos (Cha Cha Cha) - Again, kind of cheating with the martial arts skills, although i think it will lend itself more towards the acrobatic parts and overall fitness than actual footwork skills, ....and okay, they got the Kung Fu thing out of the way, so there is hope. I agree with Len Goodman - Kung Fu does not belong in the Waltz! Here's hoping Lacy doesn't beat the thing dead.
Ashley Hamilton (Foxtrot) - Okay...he's George Hamilton's Kid, and paired with Edyta the naked....I don't even know who this guy is! Also...what the hell kind of song did they chose? Again, stiff and sort of uncoordinated, but he's also just...not interesting to watch, and has little to no following, I don't think he'll last. (looks like the Judges agree with me, technically correct, but no showmanship, he does get points for coming to this after having spent a year in a wheel chair due to various accidents though)
Donny Osmond (Foxtrot) – Sibling Rivalry…awesome, and he’s adorable when he turns pink over the “intimate holds”. He’s definitely got the showmanship, and actually looks like he’s actually enjoying this (and isn’t just counting the steps!), which helps to overshadow his technical errors. Good potential.
Louie Vito (Fox Trot) – Alright, I’ll admit I was on the phone for this one so I didn’t get as good a look, but decent footwork, great smile.
Michael Irvin (Fox Trot) - For me, a lot of time the attitude and the body language can compensate for poor technical quality and given the skill of other competitors so far, unless he improves dramatically I don’t think he’ll beet Jerry!.
Tom Delay ( Cha Cha Cha) – I don’t think I will ever recover from seeing him shake his bottom in rehearsal. Ever… BUT, you gotta give him credit, for a supposedly stodgy republican, he is certainly willing to take the mickey out of himself.
Salsa Relay - Ashley, Chuck, Donny and Louie – Really, with Louie and Donny in there the other two didn’t stand a chance. But Ashely was even worse than he was in the original. On the other hand, I think Chuck really improved from his earlier dance
Viennese Waltz Relay - Aaron, Mark, Tom and Michael - Aaron is looking slightly less polished on this one, a few more stumbles, Mark has definitely got the ‘mrow sexy’ part down, Tom Delay was adorable, very gentlemanly….Cheryl is thankfully not trying to make him look ridiculous and having him act like a younger man. He also gets the award for best sportsmanship I think. Michael moved much more gracefully in this, and is more graceful over all, rather than just exuberant but messy.I like his approach though “I’m just here, that’s enough”.
Aaron Carter (Cha Cha Cha)- DIRTY DIRTY BOY! Dude, you need to at least make it through the first week before you try and get it in her pants. I'm sure he'll go far, but he came off as so skeezy that i dont think i'll be rooting for him. He also has dance experience already through performing, so I think that's kind of cheating
Chuck Liddel (Foxtrot) (aka UFC guy) - Okay, he's a little scary, but he's trying, and he really did try and smile...even if he did look a bit like a happy homicidal maniac. I don't think he'll last long, but he gets major points for even getting up there and dancing. Very stiff and clunky, not quite with it, but adorable in that terrifying kind of way. He also did pretty well in the Salsa Relay, and showed signs of loosening up. (Obviously no competition for Donny, but
Mark Dacascos (Cha Cha Cha) - Again, kind of cheating with the martial arts skills, although i think it will lend itself more towards the acrobatic parts and overall fitness than actual footwork skills, ....and okay, they got the Kung Fu thing out of the way, so there is hope. I agree with Len Goodman - Kung Fu does not belong in the Waltz! Here's hoping Lacy doesn't beat the thing dead.
Ashley Hamilton (Foxtrot) - Okay...he's George Hamilton's Kid, and paired with Edyta the naked....I don't even know who this guy is! Also...what the hell kind of song did they chose? Again, stiff and sort of uncoordinated, but he's also just...not interesting to watch, and has little to no following, I don't think he'll last. (looks like the Judges agree with me, technically correct, but no showmanship, he does get points for coming to this after having spent a year in a wheel chair due to various accidents though)
Donny Osmond (Foxtrot) – Sibling Rivalry…awesome, and he’s adorable when he turns pink over the “intimate holds”. He’s definitely got the showmanship, and actually looks like he’s actually enjoying this (and isn’t just counting the steps!), which helps to overshadow his technical errors. Good potential.
Louie Vito (Fox Trot) – Alright, I’ll admit I was on the phone for this one so I didn’t get as good a look, but decent footwork, great smile.
Michael Irvin (Fox Trot) - For me, a lot of time the attitude and the body language can compensate for poor technical quality and given the skill of other competitors so far, unless he improves dramatically I don’t think he’ll beet Jerry!.
Tom Delay ( Cha Cha Cha) – I don’t think I will ever recover from seeing him shake his bottom in rehearsal. Ever… BUT, you gotta give him credit, for a supposedly stodgy republican, he is certainly willing to take the mickey out of himself.
Salsa Relay - Ashley, Chuck, Donny and Louie – Really, with Louie and Donny in there the other two didn’t stand a chance. But Ashely was even worse than he was in the original. On the other hand, I think Chuck really improved from his earlier dance
Viennese Waltz Relay - Aaron, Mark, Tom and Michael - Aaron is looking slightly less polished on this one, a few more stumbles, Mark has definitely got the ‘mrow sexy’ part down, Tom Delay was adorable, very gentlemanly….Cheryl is thankfully not trying to make him look ridiculous and having him act like a younger man. He also gets the award for best sportsmanship I think. Michael moved much more gracefully in this, and is more graceful over all, rather than just exuberant but messy.I like his approach though “I’m just here, that’s enough”.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Starting Over, or something like it
So after finishing my finals, turning in my Master's thesis, and taking a 2 1/2 week vacation I am now back in London. So far, all i've done is ascertain that my TV does in fact work, an that my internet doesn't. Oh, that and start picking up after coming home to find my kitchen trashed. Overall, i'm feeling rather stationary and a bit depressed. I have no idea what i'm doing with my life right now, so i might as well write about it!
On the list:
1. Student Detectives
2. Clean flat and unpack/finish moving in
3. Get internet working (Maybe that should be number 1)
4. Careers service - get an internship/job
5. PhD Applications.
It's a start. In the meantime i will take today to clean, sleep and possibly get the internet working so i can start uploading pictures from my various trips. I dont think it will be a terribly productive one....hey, i might even shower and change into clean PJs ;) .
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