Tuesday Morning Rambly Bits

[gnomi]

-- Today is my 6th anniversary at my company. In that time, I've had one boss and one job title. I have also had four corporate names, one shared office and three different cubes, and two phone numbers.

-- On Sunday, mabfan and I attended the wedding of a first cousin once removed on his side. It was much fun. And we had a couple of small-world moments, which was really neat. And I got a random story idea, too, so that was cool.

-- I'm knitting many, many ducky sets. I know I've knit the same pattern many, many times when I don't even have to check the pattern to figure out how many stitches to do on the first row of the heel turning. At this point, I've now done this set *counts on fingers* 5 times (including 2 hats for one set, one in each of 2 sizes) and have 3 more sets to do. Good thing I like this pattern. :-)

-- To that end, I've ordered a gross of sew-on googly eyes in each of two sizes. I also accidentally bought a gross each of 2 sets of non-sew-on googly eyes in each of 2 sizes (the eyes are really, really inexpensive but are non-returnable). If anyone out there needs glue-on googly eyes in either 12 mm or 15 mm, let me know.

-- I think the two categories of posts on which I get the most comments are the Random Language Polls and the Erev Shabbat Jewish Blogging. If people have suggestions for topics for future editions of either of these, I'd love to hear them.

-- My parents have been in Israel since the beginning of February. On this trip, unlike previous trips, my father has his laptop with him. The result of this has been e-mail from my mother (!) and from my father because where they're currently staying has free wireless in the lobby. They come back at the beginning of March, by which time I anticipate that my father will have completely filled his laptop with images off both his and my mother's digital cameras. My parents have gone high-tech; meanwhile I'm still doing research on digital cameras.

-- Not that I'm complaining, but this is, so far, the mildest winter here in the Boston area that I can remember in a very long time. Because I am a native New Englander, I see this as being lulled into a false sense of security. I half expect temperatures in the negatives Farenheit and 6 feet of snow. Not all at the same time, either. But I'll enjoy this mild winter for as long as we have it.

Comments

[gem225.livejournal.com]

Maybe if I watch you knitting more ducky sets, I'll get the courage up to try at least the hat myself, and even if not, it's fun to watch you knit.

If no one else wants the glue-on goggly eyes, I'll buy them off you and give them to my nieces. I'm sure that they'd love them.

I hope that your parents have a wonderful time in Israel and a safe trip back.

It's strange to have such a mild winter. I find myself expecting a snow dump, looking out the window, surprised that it's not there, but I'll enjoy the mildness while it's here.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I'll be working on yet another ducky tomorrow, so we can sit and knit and I can show you technique-y stuff.

And I'll keep you in mind for the eyes!

My parents are, apparently, having a blast.

and I forgot to say...

[gem225.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your sixth anniversary and on the story idea!

Re: and I forgot to say...

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And thank you!

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Today would have been my 6th year at Del Rey if I hadn't been let go.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

2000 was a very big hiring year, I think, in many different industries.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

meanwhile I'm still doing research on digital cameras.

my vote: go with a Canon! they're not the cheapest but you're getting the most/best for your money.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

One of the ones I'm strongly considering is a Canon. At least one of my parents' cameras is a Canon, I think. They both may be, actually.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

my parents and i (shopping seperately, six months and half a continent apart) each came to choose the Canon PowerShot A80 for ourselves. that was almost two years ago, and we are both/each still pleased with it. :)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

The one I've been looking at closely is the Canon Powershot A410 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AYGDWU/qid=1135566798/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4094897-8110400?n=507846&s=electronics&v=glance), as it was highly recommended by eal.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

nice! less bells and whistles than mine, but then hella less expensive to match. ;) i daresay you can't really go wrong with getting a Canon, whichever one you choose.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

It's actually significantly below the budget I have to play with (I'm spending my parents' money, since the camera is being given to me for numerous gifts for which I never figured out what I wanted). But I'm pondering peripherals to go with it, which is why I was figuring a lower-end camera and then a bunch of add-ons.

[arib.livejournal.com]

Last year's winter? Not so mild.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Nor the one before that (when it was colder here in January in Boston than the rovers were reporting as temperatures on Mars).

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

Because I am a native New Englander, I see this as being lulled into a false sense of security.

Oh yes, we will pay come March.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I'm still waiting for the real snow/real cold.

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

I'm knitting many, many ducky sets.

SO cute!!!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I love the pattern. It's cute, and relatively quick to knit up, and they don't use lots of yarn. So I can make bunches of them on one skein of white and one skein of yellow.

[estherchaya.livejournal.com]

I wish you were going to be in Maine for Chol Hamoed Pesach. Then I would beg you to teach me to make ducky sets! (I'm theoretically capable of knitting; I'm just not very good at it anymore)

I keep thinking I might call your mom, but then I keep forgetting to look up the time difference. I miss them, and I can't wait to see them at Purim!
She left me the very bestest birthday message on my voicemail.

Re: Googly eyes... if you can't find any takers, try a preschool. I know that Julian's preschool often uses googly eyes for projects. So you could try donating them to a preschool or elementary school class.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

We'll be in Maine through Sunday some time, so I can always show you on Motza"sh. I don't travel without knitting these days.

I heard from Abba about 20 minutes after I posted this. They're doing fine. Ima was off (with her friend Harriet, who is traveling with them) getting a massage. Abba was in the lobby of the guest house they're staying in, using the free wireless access. Israel is Zulu +2 (thus, +7 from Eastern), so they call me here in the office instead of waking me by calling me at home (or having to call in the middle of the night their time).

And the preschool's a great idea for the googly eyes. Thanks!

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I've been torn between enjoying the fact that I haven't had to shovel much, and panicking that global warming has taken hold and the polar ice caps are going to melt...

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I'm honestly less worried about the polar icecaps and more worried about unshoveled sidewalks in front of people's houses (those, I must say, I'm thrilled have melted).

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Admittedly that is a more immediate concern.

[fizzixrat.livejournal.com]

Here in Minnesnowta, we had the warmest January since 1846 last month, and it was unusual compared to the other similarly warm Januarys in 1846 and 1944 in that we didn't have any individual days with record highs - we just had above-average warmth all month. Our weather was very typical of March. We had no below-zero days, when we usually have several in January (not to mention subzero wind chill all month), and went through more than a dozen thaw-freeze cycles (when we usually stay below freezing all month).

In the past week, we have reverted to something closer to normal February weather, which in comparison to the January we just had, feels bloody frigid!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

My friend beths_stanley lives in MN, too, and she was telling me that I was having cold/snowy weather last year and the year before. That kind of thing frightens me.

We had a mixed January, with some frigid days and some in the 60s. It being in the 60s in mid-January is just wrong.

Just a couple of days ago was the anniversary of the Blizzard of '78. I'm pleased not to be having that much snow, I must say.

[lisafeld.livejournal.com]

Wow, quite an anniversary! I know how much crap you've gone through in that job; kudos for surviving it all!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

This job (the job itself) has been quite wonderful, actually. The stress came from the multiple rounds of layoffs we had with the past 2 corporate parents, as well as the multiple sales of the company and not knowing what our future would be.

[lisafeld.livejournal.com]

Yes, I remember you stressing about that at several points, and about having the jobs of people who had been laid off heaped on your plate. But glad that aside from that, the job has been good for you.

[half-double.livejournal.com]

Wow...2 gross of googly eyes. My envy knows no bounds.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I could send you some, if you wanted. Just tell me what size, and how many.

Heck, I've sent you jingle bells. Eyes, at least, won't confuse the postal worker. :-)