Friday, September 21, 2007

Read Between the Lines

The Merry Karma stopped in the Walmart this evening to pick up some muslin fabric. While in the checkout line, she spied a sign that said something like: We card everyone who looks under 40 and is purchasing alcohol.

The Merry Karma was not amused. Ask her if she has ever been carded at the Walmart.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Sunday at the Movies

I've had a week from Hades. I think we had at least 5 new consults everyday this week, not to mention the new ones my doc saw over the weekend prior. I hate Mondays after he's been on for the weekend, because I am already behind before I get there. Anyway, things settled down by Friday, and I was able to enjoy my weekend a bit. It didn't look as if it was going to be a good start to the Birthday Season, but luckily, all is well.

I have been wanting to see this movie called Once for some time now. I was able to see it this week. (So, I didn't see it on a Sunday, but I'm gonna talk about it anyway.) It's about this Irish lad who is an aspiring singer-songwriter. He meets a Czech girl, who just happens to be a piano player and a bit of an aspiring songwriter herself. They team up and make some music together. Apparently, the cast is made up entirely of musicians. It was cute, cute, cute. I really enjoyed it.

Another cute flick I saw this week was Death at a Funeral. A group of friends and family gather for a funeral, when mayhem ensues. There were parts that were laugh-out-loud funny. I really liked it.

Broken English with Parker Posey, Drea de Matteo and Gena Rowlands star in this film about a thirtysomething single woman who's been unlucky in love. Nora Wilder (Posey) is frustrated that all her friends seem to be happily coupled, and the fish in the sea aren't very promising. She meets this hunky French guy who does his best to help her remedy her situation. Zoe Cassavetes (Gena Rowland's daughter) directed this cute little film. It had enough quirk to keep me happy.

I might be able to watch Flags of Our Fathers tonight. I've had it from Blockbuster Online for a little over a week and haven't been able to watch it yet. Slowly, but surely, I am whittling down the Blockbuster Que...but Hollywood keeps cranking them out; so, I will never run out.

Monday, September 10, 2007

You're Only As Old As You Feel

Check out this little internet calculator that determines what your "real age" is and how long you are supposed to live.

According to Poodwaddle, my real age is 18 and I am going to live to be 105. The funny thing is that most days, I feel about 17 or 18. Thankfully, I've learned a few things along the way, but I have never gotten it through my head that I am a grown woman now. Not that I run around acting as if I am 17 or 18 (or at least I hope I don't), but I really cannot wrap my head around the number that is my chronological age.

Enjoy.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Sundries on Sunday, or "I Am a Girl of One Hundred Lists..."

I think that Go Gos song was written just for me, because I have always been a slave to the lists. I've been known to make lists of lists. I'm having trouble putting together a post today; so, I will list my thoughts.

1. How 'bout them Ags?!? We listened to the Aggie game on the radio yesterday as we drove to the Ranger's game. The Ags ended up winning a squeaker against Fresno State, in three overtimes, that they should have "won decisively." Well, that's what "they" said, whoever "they" are. The score was 47-45. Whoop!

2. The Rangers also won last night. The game was good.
We took The Kid, his friend and two of the grandkids. After the game, the Rangers treated the crowd to a spectacular fireworks show. It was fun to watch the grandkids - they were so excited.

3.
When I was in school, I did not like Sunday nights. It seemed so lonely and sad that school was starting the next day. It almost felt like a death, as in "the week is over." Sunday never seemed to last long enough, and frequently, Sunday nights were spent in a private hell, trying to catch up and completing a weekend's worth of work.

Since I've had a family, Sunday nights can be hectic and busy with chores and getting ready for the coming week, but they seem more of a beginning. I never feel that melancholy anymore, and frankly, I don't miss it. I am always thankful for those positive paradigm shifts.

4. My current projects:


I had this fabric in the stash, and figured it would work for carseat blankies. There's another baby shower later this month, this time for a little girl.









The fabric matches this yarn, also from the stash, closely enough. I have started a pair of booties. I haven't decided on the hat design yet, but I saw the pattern for these booties mentioned on another blog. The pattern can be found here at Saartje Knits.








Here are the socks. They don't look all that different than the last picture, but I am working on the heel flaps.








And now, the Merry Karma will go enjoy the rest of her Sunday. She wishes that you enjoys yours too.

Merry Karma out.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Pass the JuJu Bees

After a brief hiatus due to a vacation and getting home and trying to get back into a routine, (blah, blah, blah) I'm back into watching movies. I am a big renter, because it seems to fit into my schedule better, but about this time of the year, the good movies start coming out. You know...the ones that have a serious chance of being nominated for an Oscar.

For the last several years, I've tried to see the movies that have been nominated for the top five awards - or, at least the awards that are important to me: Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress. I love to watch the Oscars, and if I've seen these movies at the very least, the show is more meaningful to me.

I really liked when the awards were at the end of March, and not the end of February, because I had plenty of time to see all the films that I wanted to see.

I have wanted to throw a big Oscar party for my friends for forever, but since the husb is not a big movie watcher, it has never happened. I think it would be fun to dress up (another black mark in the husb's eyes), have a red carpet coming up the front walk for everyone to make a grand entrance, serve cocktails and munchies, and then sit around and watch the show. The Angelika Theaters throw Oscar watching parties; so, I might make it to one of those someday soon.

A.n.y.w.a.y...

I went to see Stardust the other day. This fanciful little film is really good. So, it's a bit of a fantasy, but the acting is very good, and I found it highly entertaining. Claire Daines plays a fallen star who is being pursued by a young man (Charlie Cox) to give to his true love (Sienna Miller), by a Prince (Mark Strong) and his brothers to get back a family heirloom and by a witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) who wants to cut out her heart and attain eternal youth and beauty. Add Robert DeNiro and Rupert Everett, and you've got yourself two hours of good time. I don't know if there will be any Oscar nominations forthcoming, but I liked it very much.

I watched Disturbia on DVD recently.
Shia LaBeouf plays a high school senior who is stuck at home on house arrest. Since there's not much else to do, he watches the neighborhood and learns the patterns of behavior of the people who live nearby. He notices some really suspicious behavior and the fun begins. It's a real thriller. I can safely say that this movie is not Oscar-worthy, but I liked it.

So, in the interest of tackling the endless list of movies on my Blockbuster queue, I think I'll go watch a DVD.

Merry Karma out.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Happy Labor Day!

Why is it that Americans spend Labor Day not working? I guess "To Celebrate the Social and Economic Achievements of American Workers Day" would be too long to use in everyday language.

"So, Mike, what are your plans for To Celebrate the Social and Economic Achievements of American Workers Day? Me? My family and I are going to my in-laws' house for a cookout and pool party."

Yep...that must be it.

So, I am not working - well....I am not going to the hospital today to see patients. Instead, am picking up the house, doing laundry and, if I'm lucky, I will do a little knitting. (OK - maybe not that much of a misnomer.)

Speaking of knitting, I've been doing some, but not on any of the projects that I showed last time. First of all, I mailed off a wedding gift last week. Unfortunately, I wrapped it up and sealed the package before I remembered to take a picture.

Here's a picture of a similar afghan:



This one was made from Amore yarn and it was donated to the yarn guild at my church. (Thanks again, ML.) It was made for a local charity.







The wedding afghan was made using Lion Brand Wool Ease in reddish and brown tones. The pattern used was Mason Dixon Knitting's Moderne Log Cabin. (Luckily, the yarn was from my stash.)

Four of my PA school classmates are expecting babies this fall, and the first of the showers was Saturday. This mother-to-be is expecting twin boys. In keeping with my "Look in the Stash First" policy, I found some suitable yarn. It is leftover from another baby gift project from about 17 years ago - I kid you not. That particular bundle of joy is now a freshman at Texas A&M. (Whoop!)


I made the red and blue hats on the upper right for the twins. The yarn is Berella Sportspun.










I used my basic hat recipe for a baby hat:
Cast on 72 stitches in the round. Knit for 2 1/2 inches. Do a little design (or not). Keep knitting until the hat measures 5 1/2 inches from the CO edge. Do what I call a 6-spoke decrease every other round. Draw up remaining stitches. Weave in the ends...and vee-oh-lah! A hat!


I made two carseat blankies by backing this cute cotton print with flannel.











Sorry for the blurry picture, but I had to take it with my cellphone. The digital camera was in the husby's car, at work, with him.

I'd better get back to my chores; so, I will have a better chance of doing a little knitting. I really want to go see a movie, but that one might be a stretch.

So - Happy
To Celebrate the Social and Economic Achievements of American Workers Day to you. Hope you have a good one!

Merry Karma out.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

And I'm not talking about Christmas.

I'm talking about back to school!!! You could hear the collective sigh of relief from all the mothers in the area on Tuesday. Actually, while I like the structure to our lives that the school year provides, that structure gets to be stifling after a while.

I like back to school because it heralds the fall season. Fall is my favorite time of the year. The temperatures get cooler - although, around here, it's usually in late fall. I celebrate my birthday, anniversary and birth of my child. I love Halloween. I also love Thanksgiving. Fall is the prelude to the Christmas season - another favorite of mine. See, I cannot say anything negative about fall.

I also like that back to school shopping phenomenon. I love shopping for school supplies and for clothes - even if it's not for me. Luckily, I've had someone to take BTS shopping for the last many years, but I can see those days coming to an end.

New school supplies are my favorite! The smell of crayons, the way they look in the box - standing up straight, side-by-side, with those pointy heads - it makes me giddy! Unfortunately, crayons were not on Kenny's supply list yet again, this year. All I was able to buy for him were some pens, paper, map pencils and a couple of folders. I did manage to score legal pads and gel pens for myself. Squeee!

Last weekend, Kenny and I decided it was time to get a couple of things. He hasn't outgrown things so much, as he's worn some things to threads. I figured we'd run down to the mall and see what Dillard's and Macy's had to offer. I figured wrong, apparently. Kenny lead me to Hot Topics, Pac Sun and Hollister's. He found a few things and we were good to go. We still have to find some new tennies, but here's the sum total of the BTS shopping:


Some stylish tee shirts.













Three new shorts. We see one we like, we buy one in every color.









Ya know, I am a big proponent of wearing uniforms to school. It really cuts out a lot of the dress code issues that take up a lot of the teaching time. Anyway, Kenny went to private school from K through 4th grade. He wore a uniform. It was great. The choices were navy or khaki pants - long pants when cool and shorts when it was warm. For the top, he chose from navy, white, navy/white striped, or light blue cotton chambray - and the sleeve length depended on the temperature. Simple.

He started going to public school in 5th grade, and he was happy to leave the uniform wearing behind. He told me he preferred wearing whatever he wanted to school. In 6th grade, the principal tried to pass a uniform dress code for the school. There were many students bussed into the school from some disadvantaged areas of the city, and she wanted to even the playing field a little. The idea was voted down by my "well-educated" neighbors, who probably need a little education in sensitivity. Plus, my argument was that the teachers needed to use their time to teach, not reprimanding dress code violations. Still, the proposal was voted down, and Kenny was thrilled!

So, fast forward to today... I don't know about you, but the outfits that Kenny picked out sort of remind me of a uniform.