That penguin

was SCARY

The Weather

It is positively FOUL outside. I am so fucking sick of winter and, especially, February. This February has got to be the worst February I can ever remember. It is blowing and snowing, but it's this icy hard kind of snow that pelts the windows like tiny little hail stones. It fucking sucks. You can't be out driving in this shit.

I was tempted to take the train to visit a friend to do some crocheting, but that went out the window as well, because I would have had to drive to and back from the train station, y'know?

Before all this shit hit, I managed to run some errands. Returned movies at Blockbuster (should have picked up new ones!), bought six month unlimited package of yoga (!! yeah !!), visited the grandma and then went to the grocery store.

The visit with my grandma wasn't too bad, but it was also short (I kept it that way). Small doses, very small doses. My dad hired this Polish lady, Theresa, to live at the house and be a caregiver for grandma. She seems nice. She doesn't speak very much English, and my Polish is limited to a few incidental phrases I picked up while around my best friend, Tania's, family. I should try to pick up some more. It's got to be lonely for this woman, taking care of someone in a family that doesn't know any Polish! She is trying to learn English, as well. Of course, my grandma is talking in normal voice about how "She's Polish! She doesn't understand any thing you say." I wanted to cringe.

And I wanted to say, "maybe she can tell you're a damn moron!" Egad.

I'm going back to trying to futz my way through this knitting. I picked up a big fluffy type of yarn that's easy to work with; I figured it would be good to learn knitting on. Also got a shorter pair of needles.

I finished, at last, ONE panel of the "pineapple" afghan I'm doing. It's five pineapples long in one panel x three panels. Of course, this means jack-all to most of you, but hey, there it is.

It's a good night to stay in, with yarn, soup, wine (wine, glorious wine - I toast you) , a blanket over my lap, and warm furry kitties nearby.

Knitting

Ok, I am all thumbs at knitting. Knitting is a
goddamned bitch. I can get the initial stitches on for
the first row OK, and I get how to transfer them
between needles to create additional rows...

I am JUST SO SLOW. And klutzy. I don't have good
coordination holding both, moving the blank needle AND
moving the yarn around all at the same time.

GOD, crochet is so much easier. Fucking hell.

If I have to go through anymore orientation or training within the next three months at work, I will choke a bitch. At least the group I was with was amusing. At some point, we were talking about clinical trials with humans and how much volunteers are paid. This one (foreign) woman had mentioned a really low figure which others didn't believe. She said "Oh, well I had paid $200 [I think for Northwestern University students] for sperm..."

I was kind of looking at the table during this conversation, but at that point, clearly without thinking, I snorted and blurted out:

"Usually, they're doing that for free!"

Just after it finished coming out of my mouth, I had an OH SHIT DID I JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD AT WORK in front of COMPLETE STRANGERS? moment. And then the room just busted up laughing.That woman in particular, and a guy across the table from me were both "GOOD one!"

Our trainer was a little more shocked and she was like "OOOOKay, I just lost control of the class. Let's bring it back, people!"

I swear to God, I was having to try not to laugh hysterically for the next ten minutes.

Also

• bought knitting needs (C, at some point, I will have to tell you the many things I would like to do!)
  
• am fucking exhausted
• shout out to all you Lent observing people: every time I happily eat of flesh today and every Friday until E-Day, I will think of you. thanks for "more beef for me!" (and wine and chocolate and swearing and everything else - except for sex which I am obviously not getting anyway - that you all give up)
  
• am wondering if I should put off any potential short holiday break until May when it's my birthday. i know it's going to depress me this year and I might be better off getting away from it all at that time
  

Feed Me Yarn

http://www.yarnmarket.com/

 

If anyone feels like giving me gifts for no reason, a nice gift certificate for YARN, GLORIOUS YARN, would not be unappreciated.

 

Buddha stared at me the whole time I was winding a ball of yarn last night. I kept staring back at him, because I thought he was going to try and pounce on it.

weather

Break out the shorts - it's going to be 49 degrees next saturday they say! wooooo!

Seriously, i am so sick of winter. I am DOOOOONE with it. Another month and hopefully it'll be more humane out.

Grey's

I'm so sorry, but Meredith is being a goddamned wimp!
SUCK IT UP. BOO FRIGGIN HOO!

Marie Antoinette

My god, this film is just visually gorgeous. I
wouldn't want to think about how long it took to get
all the hair and makeup done, though.

LOVE IT.

And holy crap, Kirsten Dunst is just drop-dead
gorgeous. She looks absolutely stunning all done up in
the period costume.

Anna Nicole Smith Dead

This qualifies as breaking news in our society?

No joy

My orange and blue heart is broken.

 

I saw the cover to the Sun-Times today and just about wept. It was the saddest picture ever of Urlacher walking off the field with his head down.

 

Goddamn fucking....he whose name shall not be mentioned!

Bears

OMG. I am going to fucking give myself a heart attack
over this game.

I have a paper yet to write about Jane Austen's Pride
& Prejudice. I can wax eloquent on this novel, no
problem; I just have the attention span of a gnat
right now before the game.

I went to yoga this morning at 7:45 and it was a
disaster because I was just not mentally there.

Super Bowl

Man, I don't know how much longer I can take of this
"pre-game" crap. I'm practically screaming at tv and
print coverage.

I just want the hype to end and the game to be played.
I want the Bears to win.

I want Rex Grossman to have the game of his life so
the critics will finally shut the hell up. Yes, I've
ragged on Rex, but damn, give the boy some credit - he
IS in the Super Bowl. He's certainly no worse than how
Brett Favre started out and look how everyone reveres
him now?!

Urlacher - crush Manning! CRUSH CRUSH CRUSH KILL KILL
KILL. Oh, and please rip off the finger that hurts him
on his wittle throwing hand.

Hester, return some punts for TDs, baby.

I would say much more about other players, but I'm
getting antsy.

GO BEARS!

- Bear down, Chicago Bears! Make every play clear the way to victory!
- Bear down, Chicago Bears! Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!
- We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T formation.
- Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown
- You're the pride and joy of Illinois. Chicago Bears, bear down!

Dr YANG!

I love Dr. Yang.
(raises hand) "I can swim three lengths of my parents'
pool without taking a breath!"

Meredith's mom is a fucking goon. Seriously. She annoys the shit out of me. AND WTF?! Addison is fucking McManWhore again? That's PATHETIC.

And Yang is fucking awesome again.

And, unsurprisingly, Meredith's mom is back to cuckoo Alzheimer version. That was the dumbest episode plot line ever.