The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation

I am so feeling this today. This whole deal where I'm considered part time but I'm really working full time (without the benefits of being full time) really sucks. This is a stoopid life. Driving a car (that is slowly killing the earth and all of us in it) for a half an hour with other people trying to get somewhere they don't want to be, then sitting in a cubicle for the better part of the day, droning on and on, making a lot more money for someone else, hearing someone yell at you for a mistake that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, then getting back in the car and driving for an hour this time, as everyone has spent the better part of the day in quiet desperation and is now trying to get home but when we do are confronted with demanding children who don't do their chores or homework but want us to drive them to the mall and all you want is to lie down and rest but there are dishes to do and bills to pay and more and more and more demands on your time and by the time you do get to lay your head on the pillow you pass out not getting to appreciate the lovely sunshine or the cool breeze and before you know it 40 years has passed you by and you don't where they went and you fear the next 40 will swallow you whole.

Brendan

Brendan is my longest and dearest friend. I met him when he was in high school and I had just graduated. I hadn't seen him in about 15 years when he met me at the airport Tuesday night. I didn't even recognize him. He still has that boyish face but something about him looks different. more tired I suppose but then again so do I. But he said I looked exactly the same. Brendan and I have always been on a similar wavelength in temperament and taste in music (he plays guitar, bass, piano. I can play piano and flute) and films and books, we're both tall (he's about 6ft3 I'm 6ft1) I've got 2 years on him but we're both products of the Massachusetts public school system (he is originally from Wisconsin, came to MASS when he was 11 or 12) and we just really get along well. He is a wonderful kisser, has a great sense of humor and funny little giggle. He wears high top sneakers that have "The Who" on them. When he was a teenager he loved the Who and got me to love them too. I thought his shoes were hysterically funny. He has many troubles these days and didn't laugh as much as he used to. I am holding him in my thoughts now so that he may get through this troubled times as whole as possible.

Day 2

The yarn fumes are getting to me. So much yarn, so...little money. At the market place there was plenty of free demonstrations and free yarn handed out. Thanks again to the fabulous twins of mamaLlama who showed us continental for throwers and vice versa. And giving me extra yarn samples!!!! yeah for samples. I got some from other booths as well.
I must have entered every contest there but never heard my name called, oh well. I had fun anyway breaking the world record for knitters!!! THen I got some great un-dyed yarn at a great price from yarnworkshop.com, some panda toes yarn from Crazy Monkey creations and some Brown sheep Wildfoote sock yarn from...from...oh crap where did I get that? I'll have to root around in my bag for a receipt. Anyway, here's the photos. Check out Cat Bhordi knitting on straights (!) as we break the world record for simultaneous knitting.

Sock Summit

Walked into the marketplace and the first thing I saw was the yarn harlot on her walkie talkie trying to figure out some kind of snafu. I soooooo wanted to go up to her and ask for her autograph and hug her and say how wonderful she is but she was all busy and I didn't want to bother her and how dorky would that be anyway? But I didn't have time to think about it cuz right next to her was Jess and Casey from Ravelry. And right behind them was the booth for Blue moon with this looooong ass line of people waiting to buy armloads of yarn. I was star struck and yarn struck all at the same time. I was on overload people.

I made a little wee sock and safety pinned it to my Ravelry bag. I thought I was so cool....till I noticed practically everyone did that too. Oh well great knitters think alike. Got some free samples and and some free chocolate, met some cool people and saw some people I already know. Saw lots of yarn. And it's only Thursday. We have 3 more days of this!!!!!

Yarn Tasting

Art Fibers yarn store, based in California, had a yarn tasting event at Overlook Park today. Natalie organized the event (and did a very good job I might add) mostly through word of mouth and folks on Ravelry. I saw some knitters from Monday night knitting at Overlook House and some folks from the Portland Knitting Guild. It was a little chilly at first. All the yarn was under the shelter and the wind whipped right through. But as we sat in the sun knitting it heated up quickly. We all kept going back for more, "Did I already try this one?" I kept hearing. Most people kept reaching for the same thing. We all had our favorite. Mine was Kyoto. Some folks even brought snacks. The people who had the space for rent after us came early so we had to leave :( but otherwise it was really fun. I made a quilt square out of my Kyoto samples. I love this stuff.

A Concise History Of Black-White Relations In The U.S.A.

A Concise History Of Black-White Relations In The U.S.A.

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And now in biking news...

I've been biking to school every day for a few weeks now.(I even biked through my period. now *that's* the shit) I still can't get up the hill on Main street after I cross the Hawthorne Bridge. Gotta walk it. But I ride everything else. Which is pretty good I guess.

Well today I rode to school and it was cloudy but by the time I came back out it was pouring. I had a feeling so I brought a little plastic bad to cover my seat. But I didn't bring any kind of rain gear. So I got soaked. But....it was OK. With the exception of my hands which froze ice cold solid, I made it in one piece and did not melt.

Thanks for encouraging me Ben. You are my hero.