Monday, July 31, 2006
MenKnit.net. Nice! Their tone is a little strident - and they definitely have some issues with Debbie Stoller - but I can't fault what they're trying to do. Whenever I get some guy scoffing as his girlfriend buys wool, I always bust out the "knitting used to be a manly art" history. (Mental note: Link to this in the next TC newsletter.)
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I Made This
I was at last able to pick up the Snook's super-secret birthday surprise tonight - two beer mugs that I made him in my Ceramics class! (He didn't mind that they were late; I couldn't get them out of the kiln any sooner.) I had a lot of help from my tutor Peter. They have extruded handles and I finished them with a hand-painted pewter glaze. They turned out pretty much exactly as I'd hoped. They're pleasantly heavy without being too chunky; they're slightly wonky and obviously handmade; they look rather medieval and masculine. The photo makes the one on the left look chipped, but that's actually water from where I'd just rinsed them out. Snookums only had them out of the wrapper for about two seconds before he'd filled the big one with beer!
And yes, that is a football-sized ball of Silk Garden. I pulled my cardigan apart. It's a long story.
  
That last picture is my dinner creation for tonight - Chicken Pot Pie. Yes, I decorated it with a bird made from puff pastry. It was delicious! Read on for the recipe. [more...]
The Knit and Quit juggernaut continues... I just did an interview for ABC Radio. She's supposed to let me know before it goes to air.
The way to a man's heart is through his stomach... so starve your mate!
Hooray! John Howard's going to run for Prime Minister again! And here I was worried I wouldn't get a chance to help vote the bastard out...
Sunday, July 30, 2006
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Folklore of Australia. There's some really weird stuff in there...
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 The Sunday Sun-Herald is out and here I am in my second newspaper appearance of the week. This one is much better. The picture's nice (though I admit it was a totally fake laugh moment) and the article is actually informative and accurate. I think we may actually get some more sign-ups out of this!
Later: Holy crap! I just checked the e-mail and there are, like, ten people wanting to sign up!
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Happy 30th birthday to my best friend...
Friday night was the first part of the celebration, with friends gathering at Una's for copious amounts of beer and deep-fried camembert. After spending most of Saturday in recovery mode, we went out last night for the dignified portion of the festivities with dinner at Oscillate Wildly. I'd been eager to get a table there ever since Augustus Gloop's favorable review, so I made the booking nearly a month in advance. (It was one of the last available though, so call early if you plan to go!) We were not disappointed. Snookums started with the "charcuterie" (cold cut platter) with chorizo, prosciutto, duck paté, and duck terrine. I had the "boudin blanc," which was a skinless "sausage" made from minced prawn and snapper mousse, served with white bean cassoulet. Both entrees were excellent in completely different ways; the boudin blanc was soft, mild, and subtle, but I nevertheless kept stealing bites of the terrine with its hint of fennel and pepper. We'd brought red wine so we went with red meat for the mains: fillet of beef for Rodd, and a "chartreuse" of lamb for me. The beef was a great piece of meat cooked perfectly, and my lamb (cooked for eight hours, shredded, and packed into a terrine lined with eggplant) was moist and savoury. For dessert, Snookums had the cheese board while I couldn't resist the chocolate creme brulee with salty caramel popcorn. Overall I'd say Oscillate Wildly definitely lives up to the hype. Nothing was too inventive or "cheffy"; this was simply good food cooked well for shockingly little money (only $50/head for three courses). It's probably the best feed we've ever had in Newtown.
 Knit-In 2006 Pictures
Here's a tip: When you're requesting a photo opportunity with a busy celebrity you've never met before, it's probably best not to address them by the nickname you use for them in your head. Nevertheless, I spotted the shaved head coming our way and blurted out, "Hey, Spence! D'ya mind taking a picture with the ladies of the Inner City branch of the New South Wales Knitting Guild?" Thankfully, he was happy to oblige. So here's Fiona, Adam, Christiane, and me (along with some non-members we were sitting with). Adam is holding my knitting, and as you can see below my casein needles kinda weirded him out. Then there's a picture of Christiane giving a knitting lesson to Tony Eastley, respected journalist and heartthrob. Many an older lady at the Knit-In was green-eyed with jealousy at Christiane's position. Lastly is a group photo of the Guild girls, including Vicki (and her friend whose name I can't remember). Special thanks to Amy for taking these awesome shots, along with many more...
  
Babies are great marketing. Now I just need to get one for my sister's sprog that says "Read my Aunty's blog."
Saturday, July 29, 2006
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Cool! My Dad and his cool Harley motorcycle were featured in the local paper. It's been a banner media week for the Howards!
Man, sometimes I really miss living in London. :)
Friday, July 28, 2006
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As Snookums put it: "Ack. I'm confused. Are Microsoft evil or not? I can't decide!!!"
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An Australian MeFite asks: Is recycled water really fit for human consumption?
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Moblog:
 ABC Knit-In 2006
Here's me and Amy kickin' it at this year's ABC Knit-In. There were hundreds of people there knitting squares and sewing together blankets for Wraps With Love. Several members of the Knitters' Guild Inner City group turned up, and we even got our picture taken with Adam Spencer! I'll post more pictures as soon as Amy gets home and e-mails them to me...
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Thursday, July 27, 2006
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Oh good grief. My little blurb in the Fashion Police section in the SMH is up, and I sound like a lunatic:Forget acupuncture, hypnotism and patches - they're so five minutes ago when it comes to quitting smoking therapies. Craft enthusiast Kris Howard is calling all smokers to enrol in her very worthy Knit and Quit classes. An AA-style support group, it enables smokers to learn a new skill while sharing their trials of giving up nicotine. "Once you get into a rhythm your brain zones out and focuses on the here and now," says Howard, who asks only that participants, just like the lightbulb, want to change. Classes are free with materials supplied by Patons so there's no excuse. From August 9 for four consecutive weeks. 6pm-7.30pm, Tapestry Craft, 50 York Street, city, 92998588, www.tapestrycraft.com.au. Okay, first off, I told her that it was definitely NOT an "AA-style" support group. We're not gonna make anybody stand up and identify as a smoker, and there are no steps or reliance on Jesus or anything. It's just a knitting group. And secondly, this makes it sound like the whole thing was my idea. Lady, a MARKETER came up with this. I'm just teaching the class. And lastly, out of everything I said to her, that's the bit she chose to quote? I sound like a stoner.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
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Guess what just came in at the shop today? By popular demand, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran! Looks like I may have to make a pair of these suckers after all.
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Books I've Finished Recently:
- March by Geraldine Brooks. This one came highly recommended - both by Mary-Helen and the folks at Kinokuniya - but I have to say I'm a little conflicted about it. On one hand I think it's a great story, well-told and engaging, and the author's conceit of filling in the missing "grown-up" parts of Little Women is cleverly executed. (Almost too cleverly; I found myself ticking off each expected plot point as it occurred: the parents' courtship, the Marches' lost fortune, Marmee's temper, Aunt March's feud, etc.) Brooks is unflinching in her portrayal of the Civil War and the moral conflicts faced by those abolitionists who took up arms. Yeah, I wept when I read the message on the silk scarf, and I was surprised at how the happy ending of LW was changed into something completely different here. But for all its good points... it's fan fiction. Really good fanfic, but fanfic nonetheless. I kept thinking back to the horrible The Wind Done Gone and the salacious Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife (especially with all the unexpected sex). *shudder* Are they really giving out Pulitzer Prizes for exceptional achievements in fan fiction now? Because the Harry Potter slashfic geeks will be ALL OVER THIS.
- Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson. Yeah, Snookums has already read this one to me as a bedtime story, but I fall asleep and I miss parts. It was nice to go back and fill in the gaps. Man, I just can't get enough of Sniff! He's definitely my favorite character (followed closely by the Hemulen). "Five horrible experiences. It's beginning to be monotonous!" I like how Sniff is always screaming and running after shiny things.
- Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb. I absolutely love the look of this book. This is what comic books should look like. That said, the story was a bit hard for me to get my head around. I can tell from the way it's structured that many of the cameos, in-jokes, and references were gifts for the hardcore fans (who no doubt loved them), but with my limited knowledge of Batman canon most of them went right over my head. (For example, I'd never heard of Clayface before so his appearance was really confusing for a while.) But man, the look of it! Great hulking heroes and ass-kicking voluptuous babes... It was worth it just for the visuals. (And for Supes getting his butt kicked. That's always a bonus.)
- Ultimate Spider-Man (Volume 1) by Brian Michael Bendis. Meh. I didn't love this one so much. The vivid cartoony style just doesn't appeal to me a lot. Is this the way Spidey has always looked? So gangly and Disneyfied? I know it's just the origin story, but right now it reads like Spider-Man meets Saved by the Bell. Maybe I just prefer darker stories...
- Y: The Last Man (Volume 1) by Brian K. Vaughan. Like this one! A mystery plague wipes out every male on the planet except for one guy and his pet monkey. And oh yeah, his Mom's a Congresswoman and this girlfriend's somewhere in Australia. The artwork is okay - not visually arresting like Hush, but not too distracting to the narrative like Ultimate Spider-Man. (It took me a little while to work out that 355 is actually female.) The writing is awesome, really well done. (I like it when comic book characters swear.) I was wary that the concept would get boring and cheesy, but I got sucked into the story really quickly. And the violence! Those crazy Amazons, cuttin' their own boobs off. I can't wait to see where they go with this...
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
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I need a cigarette (smoker).
Any unembarrassed Sydney smokers willing to do a little media whoring for me? Stupid publicist wants to run a piece in the SMH about this "Knit & Quit" class we're running, and they want to have a picture of the class... before it actually runs. So we need a smoker willing to fake wanting to learn to knit for a photo shoot. (I told her I knew plenty of knitters willing to lie in print, but she shot that down.) I honestly don't know any smokers anymore; they've all moved to London. (Seriously.) It would likely involve coming down to the shop in the next day or two for a picture, and possibly giving a quote with your name. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
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Another Click Survey, this time more abstract. I like seeing the surprising patterns of where people clicked.
Edited: I had the URL wrong!
Monday, July 24, 2006
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Another interesting one from AskMetaFilter: What would women wear if men didn't exist? I disagree with the commenter who was insulted at the assumption that all women dress for men. I think it's quite obvious that we do. Even if you honestly, truly don't care what the world thinks of you, every bit of clothing you own is part of a fashion culture designed by (mostly) men for hundreds of years. Just try to find a pair of women's jeans that don't emphasize your bum or your hips, I dare you! So yeah, if all the men disappeared tomorrow I'd live in my sweatpants and T-shirts... but if they never existed in the first place? Who knows what we'd be running around in. (Sports bras. Definitely sports bras.)
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Natalie friggin' Portman as Anne Boleyn? I hope they at least give her six fingers.
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Huh. What the hell does the "LCM" in Kellogg's LCMs stand for?
Sunday, July 23, 2006
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 Melbourne Recap
Everyone told me that Melbourne was just going to be a Shopping Mecca, and they were so right. I mean, just look at Snookums there! He looks like he stepped right off the catwalk in Milan. (Damn, I do like to put that boy in funny hats.) If you want to skip all the text below and go straight to the pictures, they're here.
Seriously though, I liked Melbourne a lot more than I expected to. People kept talking it up, telling me that it has so much more ART and CULTCHA than Sydney that I was fully prepared to retch from the pretentiousness of it all. But it wasn't bad, really. It was just different. I liked the wide, straight streets; I liked how easy it was to find your way around; I loved the trams. We had glorious weather, mostly sunny and not too cold. Our hotel (the Vibe Savoy) was lovely and super conveniently-located. (And as mentioned before, they were great about moving us when the heating in our original room failed. While I may have exaggerated a bit about the new room, it was on the top floor and had a king-sized bed. So that was nice.)
We mostly played the weekend by ear. We got in early Friday morning and dropped our bags at the hotel for a wander. We tramped all over the place! We must've seen the whole CBD (and a bit beyond). Lunch was burgers and beer in Fitzroy. After checking in and having a bit of a nap, we headed out to the 'burbs to meet Crumpet and Mr. Crumpet (and a couple of their friends). We had a yummo curry with chocolate pudding and ice cream for dessert. (This was not a Fat Fighting weekend.) We had a lot of fun playing with their dogs and swapping Retail Tales of Horror.
Saturday we got up early to hit the zoo. We like zoos. Melbourne is definitely one of the best I've been to. The signage could use a bit of work, but the landscaping and the design were great. Then it was back to the city for our lunch at Flower Drum. But first, we stopped in at the Queen Victoria Markets, which is where Snookums honestly debated buying this hat. (He didn't.) I got some shoes though. And then it was over to the restaurant, hidden in an alley in Chinatown. Oh my goodness... I can only thank Michael for recommending it. We told our waiter that we'd been told to just ignore the menu and go with whatever he thought was best, which seemed to be a common request. We started with three seafood dim sum each: crab, scallop, and prawn. I had been a little apprehensive - still with the seafood phobia here - but I needn't have worried. They were fantastic. The next course was an even bigger challenge: crispy fried whitebait on a bed of fried enoki mushrooms. Five years ago, that dish would have been my KRYPTONITE. But you know what? I loved it. (Mushrooms and fish? Somewhere my Mom is falling out of her chair.) The fish was all about texture: the crispy salty exterior giving way to delicate flesh that melted in the mouth. I devoured it. And the mushrooms? If the waiter hadn't told me what they were, I'd have thought they were deep-fried noodles. Next was the Peking Duck served pancake-style. I've had this before at crap London restaurants, and this was a whole 'nother universe. The duck wasn't shredded; it was a whole slab of succulent breast meat with the usual plum sauce and green onion. But get this - there was also a bit of melon in there! I can still taste it. Lastly was a grilled fillet of beef on Asian greens with special fried rice. The beef had been seared black on the outside but was so soft and rare on the inside... Heaven. Despite the fact that we were pretty full, we let ourselves get talked into dessert. I had the deep-fried ice cream; the Snook went with almond jelly and fruit. What with all this food (and the approximately 17 pots of tea we drank), we positively waddled out of the restaurant...
What was I talking about? I think I went into a little food-memory coma there. Anyway, as you might expect, everything after Flower Drum was a little bit of a letdown. We went back to Fitzroy for some alterna-shopping on Brunswick Street (didn't get anything), then went back to the hotel to get dressed up for dinner. We'd been told to check out the martinis at the Gin Palace, but I found the place a little too self-consciously hip for me. It was like being in Swingers, hanging out in an underground bar with no sign filled with people trying to seem important. The G&T wasn't bad though. Then we decided to kick it old school and head out to Crown Casino with the rest of the plebs. Seriously, half of Melbourne was there. I didn't see a single casino in Vegas that was so packed with punters. We checked out the restaurants but we were a bit fooded out, so we settled for the food court. I have to recommend the big flame-spurty show along the riverside; it seems to go off every hour. Four or five big iron towers shoot massive fireballs into the sky in sequence. It all went downhill from there though. On our way back to the hotel we found ourselves in a crowd of drunken AFL yobbos on their way home from the match... and I suddenly remembered that "cool" "hip" Melbourne is also the home of Kath & Kim and Neighbours. It's a baffling dichotomy.
Sunday we headed out to see the water at last. We caught the tram to St. Kilda and spent some time exploring the Artists' Market along the Esplanade. (I had this song in my head ALL WEEKEND.) Snookums bought a cutting board and I got a fierce wrist cuff from Cybertart (as seen currently on DeskCam). I wanted to ride the roller coaster at Luna Park but it was closed for some reason. We walked on the Pier and said goodbye to the city. Then it was back to the airport and home to a waiting Puss-Puss. She didn't miss us. (But thanks to Amy and Rob for checking on the ungrateful wretch anyway.) [more...]
Saturday, July 22, 2006
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Moblog:
 King-sized Relaxation
Melbourne has been great so far! We just had dinner at Crumpet's. The best part is that the heat in our hotel room was broken, so they just upgraded us to the Rain Man suite! SCORE. Snookums is pumped.
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Thursday, July 20, 2006
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How much water do you waste? The Snook and I use about 85 litres each per day, which is much less than the national average in Britain. Of course, it helps that we're slackers and we avoid doing laundry, washing the dishes, and watering the garden wherever possible.
This morning the Snook and I headed over to Accoutrement for a cooking class with Armando Percuoco, Sydney's top Italian chef. It turned out to be more of a demonstration than a hands-on thing, but we had a great time nevertheless. Armando is a charmer! Very funny and entertaining. He made us three courses: mussels gratin (with breadcrumbs, parsley, and garlic on top), gnocchi sorrentina, and a baked apple dessert. We got a small portion of each to taste along with a couple glasses of wine. The mussels were amazing. (And you know what that means coming from me, a former ostraconophobe.) Tender and delicious and very moreish. We were surprised at Armando's gnocchi technique - he prefers a very rustic look - but they were so light and tasty. I especially liked the provolone cheese he used (wonderfully smoky). The dessert was a slight let-down for me, simply because I prefer my baked apples with a little more flavour (like cinnamon). But overall we really enjoyed ourselves. Armando was entertaining, the food and wine were lovely, and we even learned a few things. Highly recommended!
Check out this discusson of recipes so bad they're good. (We could make these for our next Knitter's Guild meeting, girls!)
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It's not every day you get into work to find a phone message from the Fashion Police. Seriously. I just gave a phone interview to the Sydney Morning Herald's Fashion Police editor regarding the "Knit and Quit" classes we're running in the shop in August. The blurb's due out in the paper next Thursday...
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
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I feel like a rock star.
We're calling it "Neopolitan 2.0".
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Moblog:
 More Inappropriateness...
This is an actual product that I just noticed sitting on the counter upstairs. We've got boobs in the window, and Stiffy for sale. I'm giggling like a third-grader over here. |
Just bookmarking this article about a European videogame addiction clinic in case, you know, this World of Warcraft thing gets out of hand...
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The word from my doctor is in: I do have an infection! Even though the initial test he did in the office was negative, my results from the lab came back positive. So that's what caused the gastritis in the first place. He's put me on some antibiotics and I have to continue with the super antacids. Now all I need is a T-shirt like Eileen's...
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
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RunningBlog:
Ooh, it looks like the Nike+iPod kit will work with any old shoe! Now I just need a Nano.
Update: I just rang Apple Australia. According to a nice guy named David in Sales, the kit will be available here in August. I've got a few weeks yet to sell my old iPod and get a Nano! (Anybody interested in a pretty much brand new non-colour, non-video iPod? I received it as a replacement for my old one in January, and I've barely used it since I got a Shuffle. I'll make you a deal...)
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This is so freakin' cool. Human Space Invaders. (Here's YouTube if that doesn't work for you.) According to the translated French text, it involved: 1 theatre, 67 extras, 4 hours of shooting, and 390 images.
Monday, July 17, 2006
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Moblog:
 I'd just like to state that I had nothing - NOTHING! - to do with the nipples blatantly visible in the new Tapestry Craft window display. Thank you.
Updated: I took a picture. See? Nips. Psychedelic pink nips. |
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This is neat. Click Survey. It's a painting and you're supposed to click on it wherever you like. Then it shows you where everybody else clicked. Go do it before you see where I clicked... [more...]
Helpful link: Japanese Knitting Basics. Very useful for translating Asian yarn labels and needle sizes.
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Can you guess who was more industrious this weekend, me or the cat?
 
That was my first attempt at making pumpkin bread (in the bread machine, of course). It's nice! We were out of ground cumin so I put in some of Herbie's Mexican Chili Powder, which works well. It's a very pretty and healthy-looking loaf of bread. And then there's the cat, snoozing on her favourite chair under the dining room table. Little slacker. Of course, neither of us came close to the slacking levels of the Snook, who discovered World of Warcraft. Pray for me.
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CityScape Coat Hangers. Okay, I can tell that that one is London, this one is Paris and Tokyo, and the bottom-right one on this one is New York. But what's that fifth one?
Sunday, July 16, 2006
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Easily mispronounced domain names. Heh. (Link courtesy of Daring Fireball.)
Friday, July 14, 2006
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I walked in the door after work tonight and literally gasped in horror. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the crime scene. Why yes, that is $17/ball Noro Silk Garden dragged all over the floor. And of course, the requisite shot of the criminal. She's not sorry. Not one bit.
RunningBlog:
Whoa. I really, really want the Nike + iPod Sport Kit. Of course, that would necessitate buying a new iPod... and new shoes... and the kit... and, you know, starting to run again. *sigh*
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How to be an Eccentric. I really like the idea of training yourself not to say "um" and "uh", and being Super Polite Girl is probably a worthwhile aspiration. Which reminds me, I'm going to get my hair done tonight, so I have to decide whether to keep being Pink Hair Girl.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
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On the mend.
Stomach problems suck. Seriously. Yesterday was my worst day yet; I stayed home and basically spent the whole day on the couch in agony. I couldn't even sleep from the pain. (Didn't Kurt Cobain suffer from chronic stomach problems?) I went to bed expecting to feel the same today... but instead I woke up rested and nearly pain-free. I think my purple pills have finally started to kick in! I feel like I'm operating at about 90% (instead of the 50% I've been at for the past month). It makes such a difference.
Later: Okay, I've faded a bit. Maybe at 80% now. I'm really, really craving a Diet Coke but I know it'll make it worse. (I've been on the wagon for 72 hours.)
We found a flier in our mailbox the other day from a person looking for a car space, and since we A) have a car space and B) don't need it, we called him up. Turns out it's one of our neighbours and he popped round with his partner last night to pay a deposit. And guess what? It's the piano man! We've been enjoying the sounds of jazz piano every weekend for nearly three years now, and I've always wanted to meet the musician responsible. Maybe he'll let me phone in requests...
Scientists are learning more about how Charlotte's children flew away. That's neat.
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Pop Quiz: Which American state, according to the Department of Homeland Security, has the most potential terrorist targets? [more...]
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
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The Snook likes to do crossword puzzles, and he's long held the opinion that Sudoku is an inferior form of entertainment. Crosswords rely on knowledge and lateral thinking; Sudoku seems to just rely on logic and brute force. In fact, he's long suspected that there's a mechanical method or algorithm to solving Sudoku that doesn't use any brain power at all. Turns out he was right!
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Because there was some confusion at work today, let me clear this up: I do not have gastroenteritis. I (probably) have gastritis, which is something different. Gastro is a stomach flu that lasts a few days. Gastritis can be chronic and may or may not have an ulcer involved. And now you know.
Beer Bottle Bricks. Huh. These would have solved a lot of the Snook's homebrew storage problems!
Monday, July 10, 2006
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Happy birthday to my little sister, who is celebrating her 27th birthday today. It's also the last birthday she'll ever have without also being a Mom. (That is so weird.) I've arranged a little surprise for her...
Later: Success! Three half-gallons of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream were just delivered to her office... courtesy of a completely random person on the Internet. It all started last week when I decided that my sister needed something sweet for her birthday. Being thwarted in my attempts to order online, I turned to AskMetaFilter. Amongst the suggestions of (expensive) ice cream delivery companies, a lovely person called FuzzyVerde volunteered to do the delivery herself. She even got a festive cooler with ice in case Amy didn't have freezer space at work. My sister loved it. Is this a heartwarming story or what? Thanks, FuzzyVerde!
Even later: Now I've got all MetaFilter talking about random acts of kindness...
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Differential diagnosis... I have a suspected case of gastritis. I've got a prescription for super antacid and a proscription from spicy foods, ibuprofen, and alcohol. But on the upside - I'm definitely not pregnant!
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Sydney by Night. Whoa. (Link courtesy of the Snook, who adds: "Zoom in all the way and you can even see people eating in Aria.")
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We are officially booked in for lunch at Melbourne's Flower Drum on the 22nd, and I am getting excited. (Thanks to Michael for the suggestion!)
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage Will Ruin Society. My favorite is #5: "Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed."
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Last week was my last pottery class, so I got to bring home most of my pots. (There are still a few big bowls left to be glazed.) Here they are:
  
  
Sunday, July 9, 2006
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Beyond "D'oh!": Simpsons Quotes for Everyday Use.
Because I was talking about it at the Guild meeting yesterday, here's a worthwhile blog post about the turkey slap debacle. I keep returning to the author's description of being humiliated in school, and her spot-on analysis of the aggressors' defense (that what they did wasn't sexual, because they weren't interested in her sexually). She's right; these guys are dirtbags, and the culture that encourages and tolerates such behavior is disgusting.
Saturday, July 8, 2006
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Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Suck! (Here Be Spoilers.)
We joined Amy and Rob tonight for a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean 2. It was... eh... okay. I was entertained. There were some good fights and some exciting action sequences. The digital effects were amazing. (I love the sound the Kracken's tentacles make.) Davy Jones and Bootstrap Bill were also excellently realized. Tom Hollander makes for a suitably hatable villain. (He'll always be Bosie to me.) But still... eh. I still don't like Keira Knightley, and the sight of her macking on Sparrow made me rally behind poor Will (who is way too good for her and, by the way, pretty damn hot). Also hot is Jack Davenport, back as a wonderfully scruffy (and morally ambiguous) Norrington. I couldn't give a crap about anybody else in the movie. Jack Sparrow indirectly caused the death of, like, hundreds of people (his own crew, the ones that picked up Will, the French guys who got his hat), and we're supposed to care whether everybody risks their own lives to save him? Yeah, yeah, Johnny Depp, Keith Richards, swanning about, blah blah blah fishcakes. I'm so over it. As I've said before, two (and a half) hours watching Johnny Depp are never wasted, but the character is really starting to wear a little thin. I don't care whether they rescue him or not. All I could think was that poor Will should cut his losses and get the hell away from The Curse of the Duckfaced Anorexic. In summation, and as I said as the credits rolled: "Okay, so that was a total Empire Strikes Back ending, except in this version, PRINCESS LEIA'S A WHORE."
The Snook's review: "The baddies were the same as in the first movie; they used the same thing-rolling-down-a-hill gag twice in this movie; and there weren't enough boobies. I liked Davy Jones."
Addendum: It seems I am not alone in my opinion.
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 Friends don't let friends knit with Feathers
I made Miss Fee a T-shirt for her birthday. :)
Friday, July 7, 2006
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Do you know the Moomins? Last year the Snook introduced me to this utterly charming series of children's books from Finnish author Tove Jansson. I had never heard of them in the US before, and I've never come across anyone outside of his family that have heard of them here in Australia. (I am sure Jussi will chime in with a comment about their popularity in Finland.) I can't get enough of these stories. He reads them to me at bedtime, and we're nearly at the end of Comet in Moominland. They're some of the funniest children's books I've ever come across, and in a just world Moomintroll, the Snook Maiden, Sniff, and Snufkin would be as popular as Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. And check it out: there's an actual Moominland! We're so going to Finland. If you like children's books - and we're talking Dahl, Milne, Lewis territory here - I highly recommend you pick one up.
Thursday, July 6, 2006
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Breaking News: The Snook and I are heading to Melbourne next weekend! His company are sending us for a couple days as a reward. I've never been to Melbourne before. What's on the Must See list? (I'm definitely riding a tram.) Any good yarn shops? Paging crumpet...
Update: Looks like we're being pushed back a week til the 21st. Keep the suggestions coming!
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Ooh, there's a new Knitty! How did I miss this? Patterns I like: Toe-up socks (with a non-short-row heel? I must make!), Similar but lacy toe-up socks, Japanese flip-flop socks, Fairisle leg warmers, and - DEAR GOD, THE BRILLIANCE IS KILLING ME - a Sock Monkey Hat. (Next year's Oscar Contest winner may be gettin' one of those, I tells ya.) And hey, there I am in the Editor's Note!
A computer accessory for the Snook...
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
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Attention Sydney Knitters! The long-dead Manly Stitch and Bitch has been revived by the lovely Yasinta. It's starting up on July 11 with the goal of having it every second Tuesday. The group is planning to meet in the Lounge Bar area of the Manly Wharf Hotel, East Esplanade, Manly Wharf from 7:15pm. See the Yahoo group to contact Yasinta for more information.
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I just wrote out a long SMS to send to Major requesting his help in planning a surprise birthday party for the Snook later this month... which I promptly then sent to the Snook. ARRRGGGGGHHHH. He's still amenable to the idea though, so I guess it'll be a non-surprise party.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Works in Progress
Okay, as you can see I'm about halfway up the body of the Debbie Bliss Knot and Cable Jacket. (I still haven't found a good way to photograph cables, so that's why the picture is so dark.) I've modified the pattern to knit it in the round, and I added five stitches to the front to form a steek where I'm going to cut the sucker open eventually. Now I'm just in the monotonous bit going up to the armholes. Next is a baby blanket for my sister's forthcoming sprog. (Yes, it's a Mitred Square Blanket courtesy of Mason Dixon.) I know the stocking stitch is curling in on the sides right now, but I assure you those squares are actually squares. Don't the colours look nice together? You can see my paper plan there, which clearly shows that despite the pink bits, the overall effect will still definitely be "boy." I'm planning to back it with some flannel to hide the reverse.
 
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Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex. An analysis of the physiological difficulties in bearing Superman's child.
Best. Headline. Ever.
Oh man, what I wouldn't give to be sweating in the sunshine with millions of Chicagoans at Grant Park today, eating cheesecake on a stick and waiting for the fireworks to begin! Happy 4th of July, everybody!
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Spotlight sucks. I'm so going to bring that up the next time some bogan asks why our prices are so high.
Monday, July 3, 2006
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TV Show Preview
Well, that was lame. Leanne, Bec, and I were all excited to see some glurge-filled new "chick show" and instead we got the dreaded Current Affairs program. (There was an audible groan when the guy announced it.) It was called "This Week Last Year" and it was about - you guessed it - news stories from this week last year. It was dreadful and I told them as much on my little questionnaire. The fun bit was when we got to watch two commercials and then write down our thoughts. I don't know about you, but I've been wanting to have a go at the Brand Power chick for YEARS. "I find Brand Power ads really insulting, because they assume that I'm an idiot who can't tell the difference between an impartial recommendation and a COMMERCIAL." "The production values are seriously 80's." "Why the graphic of the Metamucil pushing the poo through the digestive system? Gross and unnecessary." It was great. I only wish they'd have let me take in a laptop; my criticism was limited by my slow handwriting speed. I did have a slightly embarrassing moment when filling out the demographic information. They asked you to circle all the hours that your TV was on yesterday. *gulp* I was circling, circling, circling... And as the Snook pointed out, I'm totally going to throw off their reporting because they're going to assume I was watching live TV during that time, which - hello? Live Australian TV on Sunday? Is all auto racing. I don't think so. Oh well, at least I got two movie tickets and a cookie out of it!
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Ebert in serious condition after emergency surgery. Oh, man. I really, really hope he gets better. I wish there was something I could do. Would it be really lame to knit a scarf for your favorite movie critic? I've read so much of his writing over the years; I feel like I know the guy.
I have no desire to go see The Devil Wears Prada, but I was amused to read Ebert's review wherein he claims that Australia is "the Midwest of the southern hemisphere." Heh. Maybe that's why I feel at home here!
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Confession: I spent my lunch break surfing MySpace for people from my high school. I KNOW! And I always swore I would never go there. Who knew there were so many gays at Lakeland High? Well, statistically I suppose it's obvious in hindsight, but it's still a surprise to see classmates who claimed to crush on boys back then self-identify as lesbians today (even if they did play softball). But good on 'em!
Later: Hey! That's my sister! And her husband! (Hydrates. HA!)
I can almost smell the test tube meat. Bring it on, I say! I love a steak, but there's no reason for hamburgers to be made of actual animals, is there? I'm all about the meat sheets.
Latchhook rugs featuring vintage Disneyland scenes. Sweet!
I totally forgot that the TV show preview thingy is tonight. So this is a reminder for Bex and Leanne!
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Monday Movie Roundup
Yesterday was like a festival: the Festival of Sitting on my Butt and Knitting and Watching Movies. I decided to ignore Ebert's warning and check out Superman Returns for myself, so the Snook and I headed over there early in the morning. I found it surprisingly entertaining. I absolutely LOVED the opening credits: the soaring John Williams score, the so-retro-it-hurt vector graphics for the text, the crazy whooshing planets. I was bouncing in my seat like a two-year-old throughout the whole shuttle adventure, which is pretty much the highest "rock 'em, sock 'em" compliment I can pay to an action sequence. Then suddenly during the middle third, when Superman was flying Lois over the city, I suddenly went, "I'm bored." I just found the whole love sequence really slow and turgid and boring. I perked up a big during the big finale though. Overall I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10. In terms of the casting, I thought Brandon Routh did a great job with a really thankless task. Superman's supposed to be wooden; he's an alien! I didn't mind him at all. I really disliked Kate Bosworth though. I just didn't warm up to her Lois at all, and I didn't buy her as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist either. (Actually, both she and Supes just looked too young altogether.) We had a lot of fun poking each other whenever there were recognizable Sydney landmarks: the fountain in Martin Place (where Parker Posey's runaway car eventually stops), the street in front of the Menzies Hotel at Wynyard (where I photographed the filming, and where the crowd stood in front of the Metropolis Hospital at the end). Sadly, my friend Raelee's part was edited down to a blink-and-you-miss it shot in the hospital melee, but if you see the person in scrubs with curly red hair, that's her! She's in the credits too. Miss Fee, on the other hand, despite doing an excellent job in helping with the design of Perry White's office, did not make it into the credits. But we cheered them both nonetheless. (I have some possibly spoilerish questions about where the plot from this film falls in the "canon," so more on those after the jump.)
In the afternoon, I decided to clear some space on the TiFaux and ended up watching Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. I enjoyed it a LOT more than I thought I would. The portrayal of life at sea was fascinating, and the battle action was fairly straightforward and easy to understand. I also really enjoyed the scenes at the Galapagos. While I correctly anticipated nearly every plot "surprise," I still found it engaging. Definitely recommended, especially if you're the type (like me) who wouldn't normally go in for a sea adventure.
And lastly... my guilty pleasure of the week: High School Musical. What can I say? I'm a sucker for big group dance numbers that take place in a cafeteria. [more...]
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I used to be a fan of Big Brother, but I haven't watched any of this year's series beyond the premiere... which I only watched to reassure myself that the new crop of housemates were the most tacky, superficial, sociopathic fame whores yet. Looks like it was a good decision. That? Is ridiculous. Pull that crap off the air. It's a train wreck. Big Brother has become a mirror showing only the worst of society.
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Happy Birthday, Mom! I hope it was a nice one for you.
Thanks to Donna, Sharon, Carole, Ashling, and Mel for being such great students today. I taught my second-ever Colour Knitting Class and it was my best teaching experience yet. I think the big difference was that my students all had the prerequisites down; I could just say "cast on twenty stitches" and not have to worry about some beginner who couldn't tell her knit from her purl. I think the pacing was good and everybody felt like they learned a new skill. I've got one more class coming up this semester - Socks on Two Circulars - which I'm really looking forward to. (Incidentally, spots are still available if you're interested!)
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Test Results:
POSITIVE - My application for citizenship has been formally approved! Now I just have to wait until they schedule me for a ceremony. Keep your calendars free for the big "Kris Becomes A Right Aussie Sheila" Party!
NEGATIVE - I am not, repeat, not pregnant. Officially. I've had an upset stomach for the past month and my insane preggers sister managed to plant a seed of paranoia in my brain, such that I actually broke down and took the test just to reassure myself. Hooray! I just have an ulcer. Bring on the beer and wine.
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archives
You can search through the archives by post keyword using the form on the left, or you can browse by month using the links at the bottom.
"Moblog" refers to posts and images posted directly from my mobile phone.
"PW Blog" refers to posts recovered from my very first weblog, which dealt with news related to my college dorm.
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The Sunday Sun-Herald is out and here I am in my second newspaper appearance of the week. This one is much better. The picture's nice (though I admit it was a totally fake laugh moment) and the article is actually informative and accurate. I think we may actually get some more sign-ups out of this!
Knit-In 2006 Pictures
Friends don't let friends knit with Feathers
