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Thursday, November 30, 2006
I'm utterly fascinated by the Alexander Litvinenko murder. This former Russian spy was murdered with polonium-210, which is apparently highly radioactive and really hard to come by. On his death bed, Litvinenko blamed Russian President Putin for the poison. Now they're discovering that the poor guy left traces of radioactivity all over London before he died, and they've now detected it on a couple airplanes as well. Does this read like a John Le Carre novel or what?
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Geek Socks, including Super Breakout and Apple intarsia patterns. Nice.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
I was just reading Kevin Smith's Celebrity Playlist and I got to his paragraph about James's "Laid", and HEY! He got married in the Little White Wedding Chapel too! All the cool kids get hitched there.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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The Snook and I are already planning our celebration for Repeal Day. Only one week to go!
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 My love for ugly shoes knows no bounds. Thanks to a tip from Lissa at work, I discovered that Rebel Sport in the Mid City Centre carries the new Crocs Mary Janes. They even have a few more colours than the official website lists, including moss green and candy pink. I actually wanted the black, but they didn't have my size. So red it is!
What music videos "rip off" famous movies? I am embarrassed to admit that I, too, immediately thought of Paula Abdul's "Rush, Rush."
Monday, November 27, 2006
Fascinating. I just found an analysis of the Japanese "Mac vs. PC" ads and it turns out that they're actually really different from the "Western" version. The discussion of the body language and different cultural norms is really interesting. The Mac guy is cool because he's reserved and he doesn't acknowledge how dorky the PC guy is, even when PC guy oversteps his personal boundaries. Oh, and the Mac guy is hot.
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crumpet has finally added her awesome Alice prints to her Etsy shop. Now I'm just trying to choose which one I like the best. (Unless one of you wants to pony up $800 for the whole set for me...)
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Moblog:
 Me and Bill!
We're at the launch of Bill Granger's new cookbook. He's so nice, and the food is wonderful! More when we get home...
Later: What a lovely evening! We were at the Hickson Road Bistro at the Sydney Theatre for this gleebooks event. Bill gave a great talk about his non-standard culinary career, and we enjoyed three courses from the cookbook. The highlight for me was the entree: a pea, mint, and feta salad. Divine! He also had a question-and-answer session, and most of the (old) people were asking boring things about the slow food movement and why we should all buy organic, blah blah blah. I turned to the Snook: "I'm about to embarrass you." I put my hand up. "This is a bit frivolous, but it's a hypothetical we like to discuss at nice restaurants. If SBS ever wanted to do an Australian version of Iron Chef, would you be on it and who would you want to face?" HE LOVED MY QUESTION. Apparently he's a big fan of the show, and he started talking about how the most recent episode was on "whale tongue." He said he'd probably be too intimidated to go on, because he doesn't see himself as being as "cheffy" as some of the other professionals. He'd want to go up against "someone he could beat." Later he came around to autograph our cookbook and have a chat. The Snook asked him about the "artisanal beer movement" while I requested this photo. I think it's about time for our long-awaited pilgrimage to bills in Surry Hills...
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Sunday, November 26, 2006
Speaking of Irish victories... we lost today. Yeah, pretty much everybody saw that coming. (I still found Ron's map a little depressing though.) Eh, I'm just glad I didn't bother trekking to North Sydney to watch it live.
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Well, Australian Idol is over for another year. Congratulations to Damien! The overly long show was mostly a snoozer for me, but I perked up during the red carpet segment. Did everybody else see Bob and JILLIAN there together? Does this mean that she's back for the next Aussie series of The Biggest Loser? Because that would rock. I miss Jillian.
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More baby stuff!
I just can't stop. First are a bunch of accessories to go with the argyle vest: a hat, booties, and stripey socks. The hat and socks are both out of Debbie Bliss's Baby Cashmerino 2, while the booties are from Patons's Quick & Easy Baby Knits. (Note: I still have to thread ribbon through the eyelets on the booties. I just didn't have any handy.) The other thing is a fancy washcloth, knitted solely because I still had a bunch of cotton left over from the tart hat. The stitch pattern is a garter stitch basket weave with a moss stitch border. I think it's finally time to send all this stuff off while Penn can still wear it!
 
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Just checking in so I don't miss a day of NaBloPoMo... I'm at Major and Steph's housewarming party. The Snook and I made a DIVINE carrot cake, and we're celebrating a new (for me) personal best 5K time. Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Friday, November 24, 2006
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RunningBlog: Well, I did it! I officially ran a marathon... in two weeks. Since I got my Nike + iPod kit two weeks ago, I've logged 42.74km (that's 26.55 miles) over eight runs, with a total elapsed time of 4'54:33. That's not bad! Now all I have to do is do it all in one go. (HA.)
Hooray! It looks like Amazing Race - All Stars is definitely happening, and my favorite team will be coming back. (Sorry, Robert.) Oh man, please let them come to Sydney! I'm on alert.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
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 The Carbo Family
Here he is! Newborn babies are so weird looking, aren't they? Like tiny old people. (Don't tell my sister, but I kinda think Penn looks like Voldemort.) But it's nice to see that Amy pulled through okay, though she does look tired. (I don't blame her.) And how great is Dan's grin? That is one proud Papa.
I guess it's not hard to think of things to be thankful for today after all.
Uni Watch - a website devoted to the obsessive study of sports uniforms. Surprisingly, I found this fascinating! I'll have to go back and read more through the archives. The author's also posted some great pictures of Notre Dame's green jerseys from last week.
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Happy Thanksgiving! Did you know that turkeys can reproduce asexually? That utterly and completely blows my mind.
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Baby Update: I left you on a cliffhanger, didn't I? Well, my poor sister has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the past 48 hours. They doped her up with pitocin to induce labor but nothing was happening. Then her blood pressure started climbing and the baby's heart started racing, so they took her off. The doctor checked her out though and gave them the okay to put her back on. I'm getting updates every few hours from Mom. The latest word is "She's doing good. In active labor now. Lots of pain. Waiting on Dr. Don't think it will be long!" Man, having a baby is hard.
Three hours later: They're wheeling her in for a C-section. Positive thoughts would be appreciated!
Six hours later: He's out! The little sucker is finally officially out of the womb. Penn Joseph Carbo weighed 9lbs 10oz and is 21 1/4" long. He's apparently covered in black hair and looks just like my sister did when she was a baby. (I always thought she looked like a monkey, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until they send me a photo.)
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
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How English Are You? Well, we left London five years ago today and I'm proud to announce that I still scored 73%! Of course, I only learned the correct answer to the jam and cream question this past weekend. Thanks, Snookums. (Link courtesy of the thoroughly upper-crust kirsty.)
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Drumroll please...
You all remember how Ma and Pa Snook brought us a pile of crafty stuff from his Grandma's house, right? Well, I've kept you all in suspense for long enough. It's time to unveil the masterpiece. I call this composition: "Nudie Tapestry and My Cat's Ass." [more...]
I'm having a hard time finding anybody to "challenge" on the Nike+ website. I've put my name down for a few of them on the forums, but so far I haven't gotten any invitations. Do any of you guys want to go running (virtually) with me? On a related note, I logged my longest training run yet tonight: 6.65 kilometers. Woohoo!
Cricket Player Masks. Okay, those are really freaky. Especially the Warne. *shudder* What a great way to frighten children...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
How to Make Felt From Cat Hair. I find this curiously compelling.
I'm sooooo nervous. My sister should have officially checked into the hospital by now to be induced. I haven't heard anything on the phone from my Mom yet. Come on, little Penn!
Seventeen Hours Later: Still no baby.
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Movie Trivia
Last night the Snook and I joined Amy and Rob in Paddington for The Ultimate Film Trivia Night. Unbeknownst to us, practically all of the other 250 people there were from the local film and television industry. We didn't stand a chance. Our table did manage to tie for second in a couple of rounds, but we were never seriously in the running. (The team that did win? Was led by this guy.) I did get a genuine smile and eye contact from David Stratton though, so as far as I'm concerned I'M A WINNER. Here are a few of the stumpers we had:- Name the eight actors who starred in The Big Chill.
- Name the seven movies that Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson have been in together.
- On what exact date did the events in Picnic at Hanging Rock happen?
- Who narrated the film Mean Streets?
- What was Dorothy's last name in The Wizard of Oz?
- Which four Alfred Hitchcock movies starred Jimmy Stewart?
- Which Shakespearean play was the film Ran based on?
- Name the three films Michael Moore made prior to Bowling for Columbine.
No cheating! I'll give you the answers in a bit.
Snookums just pointed me to Life in Chippendale. Looks like I have a blogging neighbour! And I already learned something new from his site: Deborah Mailman lives in Chippo too.
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"If WisheRs Were Horses... The site dedicated to Human-Equine Transformation." Some days I'm just amazed at the stuff you come across on the Internet. I can't quite figure that one out. Is it a joke? Does it have something to do with furries? How did they make that cool-yet-creepy animation of the chick turning into a horse?
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 Time flies...
Two years ago today - give or take the time difference - a boy from New South Wales and a girl from Indiana got hitched in Las Vegas with all of their family and friends watching on the Internet. Now they're a little bit older and fitter, but thankfully they're just as silly as ever.
Happy anniversary, Snookums. Thanks for being my best friend.
Note: I used this tutorial to make the pop art Snookums.
Monday, November 20, 2006
If any of y'all in Sydney are interested in going to a hula loop class (yes, you read that correctly) with me tomorrow night, let me know. It's at Camperdown Park at 6:00 and the hoops are provided! Cost is $15.
Ohio State lineman Kirk Barton just made a whole bunch of Irish enemies. What a dick. He probably couldn't get in.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
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And just a quick note about tonight's final Australian Idol performances... Damien's got this one in the bag. Jessica was good, but his songs were just better. He even made the crappy manufactured single into something I would actually buy. (Note to Holden: Put that Ben Harper song as the B-side and I'll pre-order. Seriously.) My only complaint - and I fear this will be unpopular - was the falsetto. I know it's his thing, but the fact that he puts it in EVERY song means that part of my enjoyment is marred by waiting for the falsetto shoe to drop. His voice is so great without it that I don't need to be reminded of the falsie during every single number. LOSE IT, DAMO! Other than that, the only surprise of the night was confirmation that Andrew G is, in fact, doing Movember. (And is rocking the Spurlock, I might add.) I totally called that.
RunningBlog: Since I got the Nike + iPod kit last Saturday, I have officially logged 25.97km over five runs. Folks, that's more than sixteen miles. I am in utter awe right now. My speed's not great but that's some serious distance for me. It's amazing (and sad) how much more motivation I have now that someone is "keeping score." Today was a rather short run with the Snook over through Sydney Uni. We ran down to the #2 Oval (ie the cricket pitch) and ran two laps inside the fence. On our second lap, I happened to look down and see a flash of orange. "HEY, IT'S TWENTY BUCKS!" I got way excited. That was my most rewarding run ever.
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 What do baby pirates wear? Arrrrrgyle!
This was a very crafty weekend. I just can't stop knitting baby clothes! They're like knitting crack. As soon as you finish one, you're on to the next. My sister made an offhand comment in an e-mail recently about dressing her kid (who is now two weeks overdue) in an argyle sweater, and I immediately thought of this design. It's Debbie Bliss's Argyll Slip Over from Baby Cashmerino 2. I casted this sucker on Thursday night and I finished it up this morning. Isn't it cute? It's got two buttons at the back of the neck too so it'll fit over the bub's noggin. And while some might laugh at the idea of knitting a sweater vest for a newborn, I say with a name like "Penn" we might as well get the kid started now! (I've also got enough left over to make some matching socks, I think.)
You'd think that'd be enough craftiness for one weekend, right? WELL, YOU'RE WRONG. On to the baked goods! The Snook made the sort that you can actually eat... while I made the sort that a baby can wear. Miss Fee came over for a visit today, and the Snook stunned us both with this tea of homemade scones with whipped cream and jam. They were delicious. (For those wondering, a scone is not real far off from an American-style biscuit. Maybe just a little sweeter.) And then, the most frivolous baby knit of all time - the Baby Tart Hat. I couldn't resist. Of course, I now also have arthritis. I knit that sucker TODAY, folks! The "crust" is Lana Gatto Jaipur while the "filling" is Debbie Bliss Cathay. So it's basically all cotton, and the majority of it is purling bobbles. I'M SERIOUS; MY HANDS HURT. I think it's worth it though. We've blown up a balloon to the appropriate baby head size and the dampened hat is now blocking. (Sis, I don't care if you think this is the stupidest thing ever. I just want one picture of a chubby-cheeked baby wearing this thing.)
 
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Holy crap! I was skeptical about this T-shirt folding method that Amy linked to, but it looks AWESOME. I can't wait to try it out. They look so professional!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
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Moblog:
 Beer, bowls, and buddies
Hank and Megan are heading overseas, so we're wishing them Bon Voyage at the Petersham Bowling Club. DJ's spinning tunes and we're chillin'...
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Heh. Go look up your name on Babynamer and click the "drawbacks" link (if you get one). Mine are pretty funny. For the record, I've never gotten "Kiss-stine," "Kris-stink," or "Kristeeny the Meany." I have been known to bristle at "Krissy" though. And there was that kid in the second grade who made me cry in gym class when he kept calling me "Krispy Wheats 'n' Raisins." Go to hell, Donny Miller! (Link courtesy of PCJM.)
Updated to say: Allow me to introduce my husband, "Hot Rod". HA!
Friday, November 17, 2006
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I know I spend way too much time on AskMeFi, but this is such an interesting debate: "If I say to you, "The 5 o'clock meeting has been pushed forward 1 hour," what do you understand the new meeting time to be?" [more...]
Thursday, November 16, 2006
AskMeFi gems I'm bookmarking for future reference: "Which comic books do geeky chicks like?" and "So what's the deal with Britney Spears's breasts?"
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Yet Another Thing You Don't Hear in Indiana...
Me: Man, it's freezing out! Where the heck did this cold weather come from?
Snook: Antarctica.
Me: Oh.
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We're officially halfway through NaBloPoMo, and I've just been cruisin'. Hell, half the time I have to refrain from posting more each day. I've been surprised at how many people seem to find it difficult though. I've been following Rashenbo's reviews and it seems like fully a third of the participants are out of the running. And Fussy linked to this complaint by someone who claims they nearly had a NERVOUS BREAKDOWN from blogging. Really? Am I doin' this wrong or somethin'? Let's just take a deep breath, folks. You don't have to approach every post like you're going for the Pulitzer. It's okay to be silly and fun sometimes. (She says in justification for her verbal - and typographic - diarrhea...)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
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Blog-birthday boy Kevin pointed me to this trailer for the upcoming Charlotte's Web movie, and while I can see his point about the Hollywood voices being distracting, I still predict I'm going to love it. I also predict I'm going to cry a lot. I can remember the exact day I read the ending of that book, sobbing at the babysitter's before school. Even Dakota Fanning can't ruin that.
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You know how you can try really hard at something for a long time and be sorta okay at it, but then you introduce someone else to it and they're a friggin' natural, and then you're torn between being happy for them and being frustrated that it's so hard for you? Yeah, well that was this morning ALL OVER. The Snook went out this morning for a run with the Nike kit while I did my workout DVD. I sorta knew he was faster than me, but since we almost always run together I never knew just how much faster. Folks, he finished his 5K in, like, 27 minutes AND posted an eight-minute mile! I HAVEN'T RUN AN EIGHT-MINUTE MILE SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. So on one hand, yay, go Snookums, you speedy Gonzales, you! On the other hand, I'm starting to feel less like a training partner and more like an ANCHOR. (No, I didn't upload his run; if I did I'd never hit another Personal Best!)
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Thanks, Paula!
I went out for my third(!) run tonight with the Nike + iPod kit. I ran all the way down Harris Street through Pyrmont, then around under the ANZAC Bridge by the Sydney Fish Markets, and back up Wattle Street to home. It's almost exactly 5K, which worked out pretty nicely. I'm still trying to build my fitness level up again so I wasn't pushing too hard. I've set myself a goal of running twelve times in four weeks, so I'm going for frequency more than anything. Anyway, as I got back to the house tonight I hit the button to end the workout, and I was surprised to hear a strange British woman's voice announce: "Hi, this is Paula Radcliffe. Congratulations on your new Personal Best time for the mile!" Sweeeeet. Granted, eleven minutes is pretty darn pokey by most of y'all's standards, but it's within sight of my ten minute goal!
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Kel has discovered myspace. Hey, that's one more friend for me! (I log in to the site about once a month. I'm pathetic.)
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How to Piss Me Off
Me: So I was talking to this guy at knitting the other day--
Jerk: Was he gay?
Me: Excuse me?
Jerk: Was the guy gay?
Me: Why in the world is that relevant to the story?
Jerk: I'm just curious!
Me: Well, how in the world would I know if he's gay?
Jerk: Come on.
Me: As I don't plan on having sex with him anytime soon, I consider it to be NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
What is it with people? Am I the only one that thinks this question is one of the rudest things to ask somebody? (Unless you're trying to pick them up, that is.) I wouldn't ask a new acquaintance how much money they make or how much they weigh. Why is it socially acceptable to ask who they sleep with? GAHHHHHHH. (Not to mention the implication that all men who knit are homosexual. DOUBLE GAAHHHHHHH.)
Monday, November 13, 2006
 Another Baby Surprise
My sister is, like, officially a week overdue now, and I'm getting nervous. I haven't had any word from the family this weekend so presumably we're all just playing the waiting game. (UNLESS SHE'S HAD IT AND THEY'VE ALL FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME. Sometimes I get expat-paranoia.) Anyway, I used my day off today to put the finishing touches on the baby outfit I made her (buttons on the jacket and elastic in the pants) and to finish off another of the Baby Surprise Jackets. This one's in Zara, which is an 8ply and therefore makes the whole thing a little bigger. Hopefully my little nephew will be able to wear this one through the winter! I also changed the button band to be moss stitch instead of garter stitch, mostly just because I was bored. (Pattern note: I just managed to squeeze this out of two balls of the Zara.)
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 Movember Update
It's officially ON, folks! Unbeknownst to me, the Snook decided today was the day to finally do some manscaping. I had the day off so I sleepily kissed him goodbye this morning without even noticing. He was home a good fifteen minutes tonight before I did a massive double-take. Yes, he decided to go with the Lemmy. We're both in agreement that it would look better with a mullet though...
Sunday, November 12, 2006
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Idol Blather: And then there were three. I was recording the show as usual but decided to switch over and watch it live (since the Snook was cooking and I had the remote). I clicked over just in time to see Holden on his feet, Marcia actually crying, and the whole audience having a Damien-gasm. "WHAT THE HELL?" So we went back to the TiFaux to watch the recorded version. Huh. Opera. I give him full props for the Italian, but weren't some parts of it in English? The whole thing was just so reminiscent of Callea doing "The Prayer" that I found it hard not to feel manipulated. You can't argue with a hat-trick of touchdowns though, I guess. As for Jess, I know a lot of people are OVER the whole Mariah/Whitney thing, but as a person who - CONFESSION! - actually owns the Prince of Egypt soundtrack, I thought she rocked that song. Here's the problem: She's just too good. She makes it all seem easy, so it doesn't look like she's trying as hard as the people straining for the big notes. Dean: Eh. He's pretty but I'm really over him. That first song? Was ridiculous. (Me: "Is he actually scatting? This is the first South African EVER TO SCAT.") [more...]
David Reidy is "an Australian bloke who knits" and he's recently launched a new knitting podcast. Mary-Helen's a fan but I haven't had a chance to give it a listen yet. To be honest, I was put off a little bit upon meeting him at SSK yesterday when he made a snarky joke about how expensive my shop is. I wasn't sure how to take it. He's apparently doing a bit of a local industry media blitz though, and Chrystalla reported that he just turned up to drop off a business card. She also said that he's a weekend regular and has done several of our classes before... so maybe I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Later: Well, now I feel a bit silly. I just had a great e-mail from David where he apologised and explained everything. I'm sorry to have put him on the defensive. As I said in my reply, it sometimes gets awkward and difficult for me at knitting events to separate myself from my position as "Tapestry Craft representative." I mean, I was going to SSK for a full year before I started working in the shop. I don't think we're perfect and I don't want people to think they can't bitch about it in front of me. It's just really hard for me not to take complaints personally. But I'm happy to admit I completely misunderstood David's intent, and I apologise completely for calling him out. And besides, it turns out he's a regular... and the customer is always right!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
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 My Nike + iPod Hack
I went over to Newtown today to meet Lara and pick up my new Apple gear. (Lara works at Total Recall in North Sydney, and I am officially giving them a plug.) I got a beautiful pink 4GB iPod nano (I have named her "Kylie") and the Nike + iPod kit. As soon as I got home, I started charging her up in preparation for our first run. The big problem, of course, is that I don't have the special Nike shoes with the hole for the sensor. My original plan was to use this popular hack, but within seconds I discovered that my stash of velcro is the sew-on variety (i.e. not sticky). Shoot. But hey, I've got a sewing machine gathering dust in the closet, right? So I decided to roll my own. It worked out pretty well! (More photos and instructions after the jump.) With that sorted, it was time to try the sucker out. The Snook and I headed over to Victoria Park to do our usual 5K route. (We used Google Pedometer a while back to determine that four laps is just about 5K.) We started the workout and we were off! Halfway around, I hit the center button to trigger the verbal feedback. My song faded while a pleasant female voice announced our current distance, time, and pace. Sweet! (To my surprise, the pace calculation doesn't simply divide your distance by the time; it actually calculates your pace at any given second. That's nice.) I was hurting during the third lap so it was time for my Power Song: Eminem's "Lose Yourself." (Boring and obvious, I know. I need suggestions!) It gave me a really nice lift, and afterwards it switches right back into the song you were listening to previously. As far as accuracy, this thing was pretty much spot-on straight out of the box. I didn't bother to do the calibration and our 5K distance was accurate to within about 20 feet. That's good enough for me! As soon as we got home, I plugged Kylie back in so I could upload my run data to the Nike website. To my surprise, I have the eighth fastest 5K time for Australian females in my age group this week! (Proof.) Of course, my time was SLOW AS so I'm sure I'll drop once the pool of runners gets a bit larger. Anyway, you want to see the details of my shoe hack, right? [more...]
Damn! I just discovered that Jenny Kee - Australian fashion icon, John Lennon's "first Asian conquest", and designer of some of the most iconic Aussie knitwear ever - is going to be speaking at the Newtown Festival tomorrow at 1:00. And I agreed to work at the shop. Double damn. I could've gotten my book signed!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Robots think we taste like bacon. I would've guessed that. I'm nummy like bacon. (Link courtesy of John.)
"REM vs U2: Who was the best rock band of the 80's?" Ahhh, the eternal debate. Put me down with Kevin firmly on the REM side. U2 have written some catchy, rousing tunes I'll grant you... but there's not a lot of subtlety there, is there?
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The Arts Schedule for the 2007 Royal Easter Show is now up so you can start planning your entries! Tapestry Craft is sponsoring some major prizes for the best articles in Knitting, Embroidery, and Crochet.
Thursday, November 9, 2006
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I'M IN UR HOUSE IMPEACHIN' UR DOODZ. That is too funny. (Although the parrot may be funnier.) I just had a sudden realization: Not only is Nancy now the first woman Speaker of the House; she's also third in line to the Presidency. Have we ever gotten that close before?
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I hit the motherlode.
We had a visit from Ma and Pa Snook today, who are in town for the GreenX gardening expo. They also had some presents for us. Since Rodd's grandma recently went to live in a nursing home, she was giving away a lot of her old craft stuff. I scored dozens of knitting needles along with a sweet denim needle roll, a stack of old craft magazines and pattern books, and a very large, very heavy framed needlepoint tapestry of a naked woman reclining on a rug with a whippet. I am not kidding. (We're hoping to hang it on the wall facing CouchCam.) But anyway, I started flipping through the magazines... and my jaw just kept dropping. For a connoisseur of tacky knitting like myself, this is a friggin' treasure trove. I could just post one a day for the rest of the month and be done with NaBloPoMo. But for now, I've picked the very best one to start with. It's from the November 1, 1972 issue of the Australia Women's Weekly, and it's entitled "How to make DOLLS and Dolls' Gear". You aren't going to be believe this. [more...]
Woohoo! Lara just e-mailed to let me know that the Nike + iPod kits are FINALLY here in Australia! She's got one (plus a shiny new pink Nano) waiting for me. Let the half-marathon training begin!
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WHAT A WAY TO WAKE UP! I knew that the Dems had the House locked up and were close on the Senate before I went to bed last night... but to get up this morning and discover that Rumsfeld quit? It's like Christmas! This nearly makes up for that horrible morning two years ago. Well, not quite. But it's good.
Edited to add: And how did I forget about Indiana? We picked up THREE Democratic seats and now have more Democrat representatives that Republicans. That is UNHEARD OF. Not to mention that my own District 2 managed to get rid of Count Chocula! (Rodd e-mailed me yesterday saying: "Looks like Grandma Veva's campaigning paid off!" My Grandma is an old-school labor union Democrat who wants me to move back so we can help Hilary with her campaign in 2008.)
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
 Movember Update
The Snook is now over a week into his Movember effort and I think we've officially entered "scruffy lookin' nerfherder" territory. He's waiting for a bit more coverage before he shapes it though. My own November challenge - NaBloPoMo - is going well and I haven't missed a day yet!
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Guess the Logo. I didn't do too badly, actually! The only ones that really screwed me up were Netflix (because hello? Not in Australia!) and eBay. My final time was 4:06:10.
FANTASTIC. Kevin just alerted me to the fact that Sam Elliott (aka my favorite cowboy and the man with the best 'tache ever) will be playing Lee Scoresby in the upcoming His Dark Materials movies. That is so, so perfect. (I was also interested to read the bit about Iorek Byrnison being completely CGI. I figured they'd use computers for a lot of it, but I'm surprised they didn't go puppet or anything for the close shots.)
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Andrew G has posted a wonderful rant about some of the racist crap people have been spouting to him about this year's Final 3 Idol contenders. (Namely, that they're not "Australian" because Dean is originally from South Africa, Damien is from Ireland, and Jess is part Indonesian.) There's also a pretty amusing picture of James Mathison getting down on the dance floor.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
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Moblog:
 New friends
Me and my new mate Brian at the Melbourne Cup party...
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My co-worker Devvy pointed me to Crochet Me today. It's sorta like the crochet equivalent of Knitty. Rock on, hookers!
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Idol Roundup: I have to say, the thrill of the show has really gone for me now that Bobby is out. There's just very little chance of being surprised anymore. The Final Four show was a classic example of this. Jess trilled like Mariah and made it look easy; Chris rocked out and had a good time; Dean warbled some "alternative" tween songs; and Damien falsettoed his way through a ballad. I'm really not fussed about any of them. I agree that the contest is Damien's to lose at this point, but does anybody think he'd become a superstar? (Other than TallulahBelle, that is, who could clearly push his first album to #1 all on her own.) I'm still rooting for Jess, just because I identify most with her. But really, I'm not bothered much anymore...
Monday, November 6, 2006
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Advertiser on phone: So would it be okay to drop by the shop and give you some of this material?
Me: Sure, I'm here Monday to Friday.
Him: How about Tuesday afternoon?
Me: No way! Dude, it's Melbourne Cup Day!
And with that, I think my Australian transformation is complete. I went from mockery and scorn to actively rescheduling meetings around a HORSE RACE. *sigh* Good grief. Not to mention the fact that I just spent two hours baking peanut butter cookies to give to the printers next door in compensation for all their beer I plan drinking tomorrow...
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You'd think if you were Utah's Public Enemy Number One you'd try to, you know, make yourself a little less conspicuous or something...
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Happy birthday to my brother Anthony, who turns 24 today. (And guess what, RT? He's single again!)
Sunday, November 5, 2006
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 Finished Object: Baby Outfit
You know, I'd worry more about posting this and ruining the surprise for my sister if I didn't already know that she hates surprises. (We're talking about a girl who always wanted to open her Christmas presents the night before.) So she can see it now and then have the fun of opening it when it gets to her in a few weeks! The whole outfit is knitted out of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, which is just really lovely to knit with. The jacket is Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket (the same one I knit for Rohan a few weeks back), with tri-colour Fibonacci stripes. The pants are from Patons' Quick and Easy Baby Knits. (I used the 4ply pattern but went up to the 3-month size since my tension is always tight.) The hat is the "Umbilical Cord Hat" from Stitch and Bitch. Now I just need to put buttons on the jacket and run some elastic through the waist of the pants. I'd debated on doing booties as well (and even did a trial run of the "sandals" from the Baby Cashmerino book), but I'm almost out of wool. And if this kid takes after my sister at all, he's gonna be barefoot until he goes to school anyway. :)
Saturday, November 4, 2006
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Moblog:
 Spice I Am
I've been wanting to visit Spice I Am ever since Grab Your Fork gave it such a glowing review. It's supposed to be one of the best Thai places in all of Sydney (which is saying something). The Snook and I headed over there after work last night and found a crowd of people waiting for seats in the very bustling (and tiny!) restaurant. We put our names down and then retired up the street to the Macquarie Hotel for a pre-dinner beer. Half an hour later we were back at Spice I Am waiting for our table to be cleared. We saw several other tables with an amazing looking fish dish, and I decided that I was definitely up for some seafood. Once we got inside, I told the waiter that it was our first visit and we were happy for him to make a recommendation. We ended up ordering a starter of pork satay and the ubiquitous fish dish, which was the special of the day: a whole fried snapper with a green mango salad. The satay arrived within minutes and was hot and succulent. The peanut sauce definitely had a little more fire than I'm used to. (I have to complain though: why provide five skewers? That doesn't divide well for any groups.) Then suddenly the fish arrived, and it was magnificent. It had been wok-fried and there were deep slashes in the side to allow the heat and sauce to penetrate. Our waiter had thoughtfully put most of the chili in a shot glass on the side so we weren't overwhelmed. The salad piled on top was a glorious mix of shredded green mango, onion, coriander, lemongrass, chili, peanuts, and probably a dozen other things I couldn't identify. The flavour was like an explosion in your mouth: yes, spicy, but also sour and zingy and fresh and balanced. The fish was perfectly cooked with crunchy skin and delicate flesh that fell away from the bones. I think I can honestly say this was the best fish I've ever eaten (not that I've eaten much). We had some rice to sop up the sauce and washed it all down with a bottle of Verdelho. We didn't get a lot of chance to linger and I'm not even sure if there was a dessert menu; as soon as we were finished our plates were whisked away and the bill was presented. Not that I can blame them; there were still people waiting to get seated. Total cost for the two of us: $40. That's nuts. We're so going back.
The rest of the night was markedly less sophisticated, as we stopped in for a "nightcap" at the KB Hotel. The next few hours are a bit of a blur, to be honest. They were playing great music, and everybody in the bar was singing along. (They were even passing a microphone around.) I made bathroom friends with this chick studying musical theater. The Snook and I had a brilliant idea for our Halloween costumes next year (and I think I may have sent some drunken SMSes to Amy about it). We stumbled home and proceeded to rock out to They Might Be Giants and Paul Kelly, and I found an unopened bottle of Bailey's in the cupboard. Lord, what a night. I haven't had that much fun in years. It was like being in college again.
Unfortunately, I no longer have a college student's ability to rally. I am hungover as a dog. Man, how can something that makes you feel so good at night leave you feeling sick as a dog the next day? Blecccccchhhhh. |
Friday, November 3, 2006
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Movember continues. The Snook has started considering his options. I'm still a fan of the "Wild West," though I think "Handlebar" could also be fun...
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I'm asking MetaFilter about spotting crappily-made clothing before buying it. I bought a great pink top at Cotton On two weeks ago and the darn thing's twisting on me. That was a waste of $15.
Updated to add: It's not the one I'm wearing in the picture with Clover before. That one's from Target, and it's held up fine. See, that's the whole problem! How do I tell the quality cheap shirts from the dodgy ones? Or is clothing craftsmanship simply a matter of "you get what you pay for"?
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Evil Dead: The Musical has just opened in New York, and it's actually getting some decent reviews! I'm loving the idea of the "splatter zone."
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Hmmm, maybe I ought to give World of Warcraft another go after all...
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NaBloPoMo has officially started so you can look forward to an entire month of new posts from yours truly. Not that I have much a problem with the whole "posting frequency" thing, but it's always good to have a goal.
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 Me and Clover
I finally received my commemorative photograph from my citizenship ceremony of me with Clover Moore, Sydney's Lord Mayor. She's a tiny person! And yes, she was wearing her signature choker.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Elephants are smart. That's neat! I've heard the Snook refer to that mirror test before (mostly about how our cat would never pass it).
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Flash animation. Happy Movember!
As you can see from the little animation I made, the Snook has recently gone from this to this (and probably lost about a pound in the process). He'll be growing out his mo' all month and I figured I might as well document it. I know they're rather stark photos, but still... Doesn't he look about ten years younger in the clean-shaven one? (Personally, I prefer him with a bit of scruff.)
Later: Crap. I just discovered it doesn't work in Safari. Will fix today.
Much later: It does work! I just had a bad version cached.
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Lyra and Mrs. Coulter. Sweet! I can't wait to see Nicole Kidman give a generation of kids nightmares. Now I can't wait to see the monkey... (Link courtesy of Kevin.)
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