Anxiety

Have you ever had the feeling that SOMETHING is going to happen but you have no idea what? You just feel like you're waiting and waiting.... Well, that's what I'm feeling tonight. I'm sure you don't care.
Might you like to know that I sent the application out? Would you like to read some of what FDU is getting? Here you go, I hope you like it and I hope FDU likes it even more! Let me know what you think!



The heat climbs the subway stairs and meets her near the top. She pushes her coarse blond hair off her face, revealing smudged eyeliner and red eyes. She can’t believe she had stayed there; it is even harder to believe that her conscience woke her up before dawn and got her out of his apartment before he woke.
She curses the unreliable 6 train; reaches into her purse for her Ipod. At least she will have good music. She chooses the playlist he made for her two years ago; the only one that was never off of her Ipod. She remembers feeling nostalgic the night before. The chords that felt so fulfilling and uplifting last night as she made this journey in reverse seem dissonant and dark this morning, she can hardly believe it was the same music.
Two songs later, a train finally arrives. The song is upbeat, but hardly uplifting. She sits in the empty car, closes her eyes and loses herself in the whirling guitar as the singer’s voice bounces between her ears.
She forgets where she is coming from, where she is going, and most importantly, what this song felt like 2 years ago. The song is new again; the words are familiar, but have new meaning. Her mind runs with the melody of the song and she doesn’t notice when a group of boys get on at the next stop until they nearly fall in her lap walking across to the other end of the subway car. High school boys breaking rules, she thinks; they speak loud and drunkenly. She turns the volume up and sinks further down into the hard, plastic orange seat, wrapping her scarf tighter around her neck.
She hears yelling, and, not caring, she decides to turn the volume dial all the way up. She doesn’t hear the gun fire. She feels it, though. She feels the sliver of metal enter her chest. She feels the heartless, gloating grin of the boy who shot her. She sees the twinkle in his eye; it reeks of relief. He was looking for someone to shoot, he felt a need to do this tonight. She smiles back, she knows she won’t see the next stop on the train, closes her eyes as the song ends and melts into the next.

Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap Topic of the Week

Browse around some of the other blogs of participants, and find one person who enjoys a similar roast coffee to you - share something interesting about them that you find on THEIR blog, and tell us what you've been working on knitting or crochet-wise this week!

Finally! I found someone who enjoys non-leaded (I think I read that correctly)...
Jan B. enjoys a decaf with lots of body AND she likes to try new things (as do I). Something interesting about Jan B is that she seems to really enjoy her swaps - swap on, Jan! (Ok that was really lame, sorry...)

I have been working on a nice and easy scarf made with ribbon (for spring time) and I'm starting another toy, but I have to find the right pattern first!

Updates

the co-written fairy tale has been, as the knitting world would put it, frogged. My co-author was very excited about the project and it took a different turn than expected, so he is now working independently. I wish him the best and am very glad he has discovered the great joy in writing because the story demands to be written and not for other people. Check out his blog here

As for myself, I will be working on my application to the MFA creative writing program due 4/1

Look for more pages of my own fairy tale after that and of course my knitting will be posted here as soon as I start working on a new project!

Coffee and Yarn Swap Questionaire

Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
I don't really have a preference!

2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
Lately I've had to go unleaded, but I do like the occasional leaded. I really like a robust coffee, my favorite is Kona coffee!

3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
Probably Dunkin Decaf (Costco has large bags of it)

4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
Both! Caffeine before noon, pleasure after.

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
I do like flavored coffees, but not Irish Cream flavored or nutty.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
LARGE mug!!!

7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!
It's a warm day, but not too hot - maybe 70 degrees... sunny but with some big white fluffy clouds... I'm sitting with some friends and we're just talking, Lily is sleeping and/or silently playing with a toy, I have nice, cold, ice vanilla or caramel latte (big one WITH whipped cream), am having a big chewy chocolate chip cookie and just relaxing. Pretty simple, really!

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company?
I would pick a chewy, moist cookie or a rich, dark brownie. Occasionally, I'm in the mood for coffee cake or shortbread to dunk.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?
Knit

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
I love baby alpaca and really any nice, soft yarn. I don't like anything with funky textures.

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
Right now, I'm making a bunny for my neice from the Middle Sized Monster pattern (was supposed to be a monster for my nephew, but apparently he's too old for stuffed animals - how sad!)

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
I love all colors! I have a lot of blue right now; I wouldn't mind having some nice, rich jewel tones in reds or greens or purples. You will not find yellow, unless someone wants something yellow and I've decided to knit it for them.

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
I love my lantern moons! I also just got a pair of knitpicks DPNs and they're lovely. I'm not big on circular needles, but I like metal and wood needles for different projects.

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan?
I haven't been swapping long and I haven't been knitting long, so I don't really have a lot of notions; having said that, I really don't need anything, but I do love fun stuff...

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with?
Bamboo blend!

Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?
It's getting there! My tulips are coming up and the daffodils have buds!!!

2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?
I love all spring flowers! Tulips are probably my faves (pink)

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
I look forward to things blooming and fresh food; nice weather - I love 65 degrees, it's perfect for me!

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?
I take my daughter and puppy on a walk, and maybe go to the Iris garden in Montclair.

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up?
I would spend the day hanging out with Lily, in PJs. A nice hot drink and a yummy sweet treat would cheer me up!

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
No, I'm really not a collector. I like pens.

2. Are you allergic to anything?
Yes, cats and other small animals. Shellfish, too, but I don't think that's a concern.

3. Do you have pets?
Yes, a Yorkie/Westie mix, Stella!

4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
I've only been in 2 swaps before - SP11 and the Hot Cocoa Swap

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
Mr. Modes Wild Ride - It's my friend's blog and we're co-writing a story.
I really am new to the blog world and sort of randomly surf and read blogs of people I know.
Oh! I read Lime and Violet, now that last swap pal introduced me to it.

New Swap! New FO!

I can't WAIT for signups for the Spring Fling Coffee and Yarn Swap!!!
It sounds like lots of fun and who doesn't LOVE coffee!!

I've finished Lily's bunny, just in time for Easter! I'm now working on a monster for my nephew (for Easter) and I think I'll do another bunny for my niece! I've got until Sunday, but I have a light week so I think I can get it done!
Here's the bunny:


As far as the story goes, you can find Chapters 2 and 4 at Nick's blog (link in a post below) but I'll have the rest of Chapter 1 this week!

Oh and HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY! Kiss someone Irish for me ;)

Please take this survey!

Creativity works in mysterious ways

So, I have been a bit stuck on the story. Creativity works in odd ways, though, so I think I'm going to hold off on Chapter 1, and move ahead to Chapter 3. Look out for that in the next few days! You can read ahead to Chapter 2 HERE and get caught up as I write Chapter 3.

While the story has been brewing in my mind, I've been knitting. The latest project is a bunny for Lily for easter. Here's a photo of the body:




I have knitted the ears and one arm and hope to finish the limbs tonight and have an FO tomorrow!

In other news, my husband, baby and I are going on a little trip down memory lane tomorrow, which I'm very excited about. We're going first to Stork's bakery in Whitestone, NY. Stork's is a bakery my parents used to go to when we lived in Flushing, NY. One of my strongest memories of Springtime was getting easter cookies from this bakery! I can't wait to share the memories with my niece and nephew (I think my daughter is a little too young yet!) as well as with you all! I'll be uploading photos of the goodies ASAP!
After that, we're going to The Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell, NJ, the site of one of our first dates as well as absolutely DELICIOUS hamburgers - can't wait!

sometimes