Month: October 2013

  • Shared today on Facebook

    Fun at the salon. “Screw subtlety. I like looking like a superhero.”


  • Shared today on Twitter

    @insertjokehere Picturing an “Office Space” scenario where you beat it in a field with a baseball bat.


    Whoa. Finally received something ordered on August 25 from Victoria. Two months for @auspost to deliver! No indication why the delay!


    It was the goddamn cupcake toppers, btw. @aunty_toots @ClareLouise1308 @SallyPompom @drwitty_knitter @merrinmez


    @ClareLouise1308 @aunty_toots @SallyPompom @drwitty_knitter @merrinmez Yup. So now at least the Exec can have the extras! (And candy too.)


    Just completed a 4.21 km bike – Ride home. Hm. I thought going over the Bridge would be faster! http://t.co/HjPb55KAjl #RunKeeper


    @drwitty_knitter Oh sorry! I thought you had heard. First batch never arrived; had to order a 2nd. Inexplicable.


    @auspost Pris tried to find it for me a couple weeks ago. Sent normal post, so no conf # to look up sadly. I’m recipient.


    @merrinmez @aunty_toots @ClareLouise1308 @SallyPompom @drwitty_knitter FAQs say 3 months… so probably not til AGM.


  • GOOOOLDEN GRAHAMS.

    Randomly, Serious Eats has a series of recipes today that all involve breakfast cereal. I was amused by the Cheerios Coated Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Coated Apple Stuffed French Toast, but it was the Spiced Pumpkin and Golden Grahams Cereal Trifle that had me drooling. WHY didn’t I bring back a box from the US?! *kicking myself*

  • Shared today on Twitter

    @randomknits What did you do? Did you disparage pumpkin pie?


    @Nat_Sutton I hauled those ten pounds of Halloween candy all the way back for America to motivate my team, dammit! 😛


    @drkknits I hope you have some Maggie Beer bubbly and chocolate waiting at home! GOOD JOB.


    One week back and I think the post-vacation serenity has finally worn off.


    I got the go-ahead from my new physio to ride my bike, so I’m gearing up for my first cycle commute to @Mi9 today!


    @drkknits Well, I don’t think calling her a “ho” is going to get you very far. 😛


    Just posted a 4.11 km bike with @RunKeeper. Check it out! http://t.co/eJufPM6u43 #RunKeeper


  • Shared today on Twitter

    The crazy cat lady is moving out! Hooray! I declare victory against Evil White Cat.


    @imdominating See, I haven’t been following NFL, but it totally perplexes me that the whole state cheers for someone who plays elsewhere?


    Ladies and gentlemen, @the_snook sent me the funniest pet Halloween costume EVER. I present to you: Wrecking Pug. http://t.co/QNg5oxwcov


    @drkknits Good luck!!!


  • The Story of Knitting Guild Camp

    I figured it was time to end the steady drip-drip of Instagram photos and actually write some WORDS in the BLOG like I used to do way back when. So as you’ve probably gathered, something pretty special took place last month. It was the biennial Camp for the Knitters Guild of NSW, and as the Camp Convenor for the past two years, it nearly killed me. But it was also awesome.

    First I have to give some thanks to a few people. I put my hand up for the role in October 2011 on the proviso that I could have a committee to help me. The two people who put their hands up and kindly volunteered to let me bully them for the next 20 months were Clare Hacker and Helen Giesaitis, and I couldn’t have done it without them! Thank you both so much.

    Me, Clare, and Helen

    The other folks who really went above and beyond were the Executive Committee: Merrin (first as President and then Treasurer), Sally (first as Treasurer and then President), Mary-Helen, Kate, and Ailsa. I don’t think the rest of the Guild appreciates how much work they do! There are a lot of other people to thank – the amazing teachers, the staff at The Tops, Donna and Zena for pouring champagne Friday night, Pru for arranging for GoGet to comp us a PeopleMover, everyone who gave someone a lift or tidied up the dining room or helped someone out – THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

    Camp was held at Stanwell Tops Conference Centre, about an hour south of Sydney. While most people drove themselves, we still had over 20 people arriving on the train who needed to be ferried 8km from the station. Thanks to some lovely volunteers and the handy PeopleMover donated by GoGet, we got them all in two trips!

    GoGet Van

    President Sally gave a lovely kickoff speech Friday night (including a welcome to country).

    President Sally

    Then it was time for Helen’s brainchild: the Techniques Turntable! Similar to speed dating, knitters were able to visit seven different tables each of which had a handout and a teacher showing a specific technique. Here are Lara and Kate showing off Continental Knitting to a crowd!

    President Sally

    Camp continued Saturday with some great workshops, including this one on double knitting taught by Lynn.

    Double Knitting class

    Of course, there will always be one naughty student Instagramming rather than knitting…

    Naughty Kylie

    We had a separate building for social knitting and retail therapy, with four retailers on the Saturday and three on the Sunday. Here’s Judith from the Wollombi Wool Store, where I slipped and fell on some Rowan myself…

    Retailers

    Unfortunately for me, I noticed a sore throat the minute I arrived at Camp. I think I’d been running on stress and adrenaline for the last few weeks, and as soon as I started to relax my immune system just collapsed. Here I am hiding for a brief rest on Saturday.

    Resting

    The weather was gorgeous. Some spinners actually set up outside!

    Spinning al fresco

    Did I mention the wandering masseuse? I got all the credit for this idea, but truth be told it had been suggested at several previous Camps. I ended up booking Ellen through Seated Massage, and I can’t recommend them or her highly enough. She roamed throughout the day giving discreet neck and shoulder massages to weary knitters. Highlight of my Saturday, let me tell you.

    Massage

    More people went outside to catch the setting sun. It was perfect weather, just cool enough to still wear our handknits.

    Outdoors

    We concluded Saturday night with an amazing Camp-wide Show & Tell. Each person went up to show off an item that was special to them and tell the story behind it. And check out that Twitter wall in the background! (This was a high-tech Camp.)

    Show & Tell

    Yeah. I wasn’t doing well at this point.

    Sick

    More retail therapy on the Sunday with the girls from The House of Wool

    House of Wool

    And here’s Renae from SuzyHausfrau, giving an excellent talk on turning your knitting into a business. Our other non-traditional workshop offering was Photographing Your Knitting, taught by a professional photographer.

    SuzyHausfrau

    And then it was a blur of final speeches and teary hugs and packing up and cleaning up and suddenly it was all over. And I was only joking a little bit when I collapsed there at the end.

    Collapse

    I ended up on antibiotics for two weeks, and I was basically a zombie all through preparations for our trip overseas a week later. But it was all worth it. Camp is done! And it went well! And somebody else has volunteered to do the next one! Really, couldn’t be better. 🙂

  • Shared today on Twitter

    @imdominating I sense a sexy, chaotic force in the universe.


    I’ve been essentially lying prone all day like a slug. I guess I needed that.


    @imdominating Recently saw Anonymous described as T-Rex at end of JP. Definitely not heroic, and you sure as hell wouldn’t want it to look..


    @imdominating ..directly at you, but you still cheer when it eats the damn velociraptors. 🙂


    @randomknits Wow! Looking fantastic.


    RT @pourmecoffee: Biological law: Mammals take 21 seconds to pee http://t.co/xZrjGqKuFb If you see someone taking more or less, say somethi…


    RT @tyleroakley: EVERY YEAR THEY DO THIS TO ME. RIGHT IN THE HEART. http://t.co/NLQuPIrO8z


  • Shared today on Twitter

    Very busy today! Now have to pack lots of beef on bicycle… (@ Meat Emporium) http://t.co/G8BvsHHVNF


    @nolim1t Bleurgh. What about those who earn more than their husbands? 🙂


    White cat has returned. This is now officially a War.


  • Shared today on Twitter

    @Whitepages_au Will do. Thank you.


    @amygdala Thanks for the info. Have passed along to my colleague @insertjokehere and rest of team!


    RT @supercres: Ask MeFi: “I’ve been dating a guy for 7mo, and I’m 99% sure he doesn’t have any teeth.” http://t.co/Na8XQavXZr // SO WEIRD.


    @supercres Overthinking a plate of beans… which are soft so you don’t need any teeth. 🙂


    Spotted the white cat that’s been crapping in our garden and stressing out Petey. Hello, garden hose. #lessontaught


    @drkknits I like the GoGet Yarises!


  • Shared today on Twitter

    @imdominating Yes. That was the biggest disappointment for me, that Randall Flagg wasn’t sexier.


    @imdominating At first I couldn’t remember what you’re talking about. And then I remembered that cheesy anthem scene. #haroldempathy


    @imdominating COUNTRY DON’T MEAN STUPID.


    @imdominating Dumb, rather. Obviously I need to have my own re-watch soon.


    @drkknits Scrunchies are the worst. I often resort to the destructive rubber band, to be honest.


    @drkknits At least it was a feet photo I’ve already seen.


    Seattle+The Washington Bus+Jeanne+Alissa = wedding proposal http://t.co/Xzf1ZzYHXe // TEARS. SO GREAT. #hormonal #jetlagged #cutelesbians


    Snook informed me recently I was wearing bobby pins “backwards.” Reddit told him crinkly side should be INWARDS. I disagree. Your thoughts?


    @drkknits @randomknits I have been doing research (i.e. google). I fear we may be wrong. I am doing an experiment today.


    @RoseRed_Shoes @drkknits @randomknits I am as flabbergasted as you are. However, just remembered I have one with sparkly bits on flat side.


    Oh, nice. Once again Sensis and @Whitepages_au have decide our whole block lives at our address. Getting parcels and flowers for neighbours.


    Does anybody know of any Android development user groups in Sydney? Does Google actively foster the community here? cc @nolim1t


    @amygdala Hello! I see you’re listed as organiser for GDG Sydney. Some of my devs are interested. Is it officially Google-supported?


    @nolim1t That’s a good start, thanks. I met one of organisers – @amygdala – at Google Women in IT event recently.


    @drkknits Well, except I’ve never really liked them or thought they worked well. So I’m kinda worried it’s because I’ve been Doing It Wrong!