Had a weird weird dream this morning. I was on some kind of Bachelor-esque TV show but it was also sort of like being at Blue Lake. There are at least a hundred men and an equal number of women. My sister was there, too, and she kept reminding me that I wasn't playing by the rules (ie not mooning over the one guy everyone was interested in, acting like a doormat, etc.). In another part of the dream I was sleeping in my room and woke up to the sound of my neighbor using a megaphone to shout at a burglar of some kind while shooting at him. The gunshots were so real-sounding in the dream, it made me wonder if someone's car was backfiring or something. At one point on the Surreality Dating Show we were on a steamboat, but it kept having problems - major parts of the boat were completely submerged and it was reminiscent of that submarine ride at DisneyLand (which I barely remember), except everyone who'd been submerged was on deck and, as the vessel came back up they'd all let out their breath, which they'd been holding. All while wearing formal dresses. At some point we docked and a boy I grew up in the neighborhood with was a professional photographer and started taking photos of everyone. A hearty chuckle was had by all when we noticed that I was wearing a skirt in every single photo of me (seemed like an unrealistic portrayal).

At work today we had belated bday treats for me, fruit and pound cake (or something?), very nice. It was the first day of Julie's not being there, and I miss her already. It's going to be very very difficult to find someone with as much passion and skill as she had. We're accepting apps until next Monday, so hopefully we'll get at least a handful of qualified candidates to interview. Bleh! I worked a twelve-hour day today, which is just about unheard of for me. I was getting details together for the MLA Fall Conference this week. I'm responsible for a bunch of programs which should all turn out well *knock on wood*. I'm staying at a nice hotel for the conference all week which should be nice. Hopefully I'll have a visitor there to make the most of it at least once. Then I'll have the Grifter Halloween show Friday night so I can really relax after what will no doubt be a busy week. Speaking of which, Som'Bitch (new Grifter album) is Kick Ass. It captures the energy of their live shows better than any of the previous recordings (though they were all very good). I can't stop playing it in the car now. It's gonna be so damn sad to not have them playing anymore.

Took a weird nap tonight and woke up at midnight (the new 11pm). Was feeling idle and did this quiz deal my Friendster Matt had:

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME:
1. Commitment
2. Loud house-settling noises in the night
3. multi-legged creepy crawlies
THREE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME LAUGH:
1. Michael
2. Dan
3. Bill
THREE THINGS I LOVE:
1. Answering reference questions
2. My dogs
3. The sex
THREE THINGS I DISLIKE:
1. Lima beans
2. Driving when it's icy (and getting hit head-on by a semi)
3. Dog farts
THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
1. The way some people work (mentally)
2. How to do complicated mathematical equations
3. How to get excited about mowing the lawn
THREE THINGS ON MY BEDROOM TABLE:
1. Mints
2. Lip gloss
3. Alarm clocks
THREE THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW:
1. Bitching about the music on TV commercials with a good friend
2. Listening to one of my dogs snore
3. Thinking about sex
THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
1. Be financially secure and debt-free
2. Record at least one more Skatey-Eight album
3. (deleted by the Anne's Privacy Police)
THREE THINGS I CAN DO:
1. Seduce you by singing
2. Knit the best scarves
3. Use big vocabulary words
THREE WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY PERSONALITY:
1. Charming
2. Assertive
3. Irresistable
THREE WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY LOOKS:
1. Much younger than my actual age
2. Enticing
3. Petite (or short)
THREE THINGS I CAN'T DO:
1. Snap my fingers
2. Forget when my trust has been betrayed
3. Not pay attention to hotness
THREE THINGS I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO:
1. Eight Ball Grifter
2. Skatey-Eight
3. The voices in your head
THREE THINGS I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO EVER:
1. Hate
2. Corporate record stores advertising
3. Music made for the money not the fun/love
THREE THINGS I SAY THE MOST:
1. Indeed
2. And how
3. Hee
THREE OF YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Salad with all the fixins
2. The White Cheddar Ale Soup at MountainTown Station
3. Chi-Chi's ultra-addicting hot salsa
THREE THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN:
1. French again and better this time
2. How to do car repair
3. Teleportation
THREE BEVERAGES YOU DRINK REGULARLY:
1. Killians
2. Hot cocoa
3. Fruity mixes/punches
THREE SHOWS YOU WATCHED AS A KID
1. The Muppet Show
2. Mash
3. The Lawrence Welk Show
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE WORDS--EVER!!!
1. Indeed
2. Ri-goddam-diculous
3. Christ-ola
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS
1. Microserfs by Douglas Coupland
2. Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
3. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard

Finished up the oatmeal/blue teensy chenille scarf.







This evening I started working on another hat - this time with just one color, and I'm trying it with Lion Brand Chenille Thick'n'Quick in Chocolate Brown. I love the way this yarn looks when it's finished, but I dislike how un-elastic it is while working with it. I think I'll probably use all that I have up and not buy more.

Went to see the Grifter's second-to-last show last night, it was their final show at Mac's. It was a kungfu good time. I am going to miss their shows so much. The bar was packed but in the good filled-with-friends way and there were lots of cool and genuinely kickass people there - also some very cute fellas with whom I flirted as much as possible. The results were satisfactory indeed. Can't wait for next Friday's Halloween show at Club X-Cel and then for my Halloween party on Saturday. Hopefully a bunch of the gang'll stay over Saturday night. I so love getting to see various folks from the Grifter gang - people I'd like to hang out with every damn day if I didn't live an hour away.

Decided since tonight's my only weeknight home with nothing particular taking up my time, that I'd drink some wine and watch the Bachelor while knitting. Now The Bachelor is done and I Love the 80s part 2 is on. My thoughts on the Bachelor tonight: it's more than ever the Bob-Bob-Bob and More Bob show. All the women seem completely focused on his well-being and happiness. Even LeeAnn, who was by far the most self-confident and self-interested, was totally "tonight I will figure out if I am the right girl for Bob," rather than if Bob is the right guy for her. Kelly Jo is trying way too hard. I think she's got the Michigan connection working for her, but I don't think Bob is going to choose someone with whom he has to compete for the limelight. Though she was more reserved this time around. He definitely wasn't Ever going to choose the virgin (Brooke?). At least a couple of the women have to be lying when they claim not to have ever had a one-night stand. Riiighhht. I have to admit I was surprised that LeeAnn got not-chosen, but I'm annoyed that Meredith got chosen. She's been so anti-LeeAnn, and that's so cliche, and her anti-LeeAnn rants really brought out the unattractiveness in her personality. Mary seems just plain old (trying too hard with the theme park date) and Estella's stupidity give-away is the way she pronounces the letter S. So far I'm voting for Kelly Jo, even though I don't like her that much.

Are these latest HP ads weirding anyone else out? Every time I hear "Pictures of You" by The Cure on TV, it throws me completely off.

Woo! My birthday kicked ass. The rents got me a spanking new computer (major shock), which I'm typing this on right now. It's absolutely smoking, and can hardly even be compared to my old one. They also got me the sweet bag I asked for, and a wrist wallet. Sister and Bro-in-Law got me a bunch of yarn I asked for, which I am so antsy to start knitting.



It's two skeins each of Bernat Boa Yarn in Raven Black, Bernat Boa Yarn in Ostrich Black and Silver Mix, Lion Brand Fun Fur in Black, and Lion Brand Fun Fur in Red.

At the Knitters Guild meeting on Thursday night, we started working on Three-color Helix Hats. The pattern is from INKnitters magazine Spring 2003. I think we're going to donate them to a charitable organization.

I did mine in black, cherry red, and light grey - I had some el cheapo Red Heart Super Saver in three colors and I wanted to use some not-great yarn in case I messed up a bunch. I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out. There are some slight ridges where the yarn changes take place, and the top is pulled maybe a little too tight (looks fine on, but when it's sitting on its own, it's a tad star-shaped on top). I did the top differently than the pattern suggested, because I don't care for having a pom-pom or other embellishment at the top of the hat. I'm not a big fan of how busy it is, but using three such contrasting colors made it easier to figger out the details of how the pattern works.





I think that this hat is designed to fit snugly on a person whose head is not as small around as mine is. I do like the way it fits me, though - loose enough to not mess up the hair.

I'd like to try doing another one with three shades of the same color. I think perhaps I'll try one with some chenille yarn. I'd also like to change the pattern to have several rows of same-color at the bottom, so that when the bottom rolls up you can't see any stripes of the wrong-side pattern.

Today was busy-hectic, but not as busy-hectic as this weekend will be. Meetings galore, the Michigan Story Festival which I'm on the planning committee for, and my birthday! Saturday will be Birthday Shenanigans with Friends, and Sunday (actual bday) will be Family Bday Celebration Day. Yay! I'm all excited about it. I wish the MSF wasn't this weekend, but at least then it will be over with. It's been a crazy planning process. Anyone who wants to send me birthday presents is encouraged to do so! Hee.

Started out my reference shift today with a nice surprise - a cute patron with several good questions! Well, really the questions were the norm, but he was asking about really good books: The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell and one of Al Franken's books. So clearly, he was not only cute, but had good taste. Too bad my professional ethics bar me from asking people out as part of the reference interview.

Friendster Fella sent me a very nice email today - super sexy. He's well on his way to dirty-talking, which is sweet music to my ears.

The Business Expo was tonight, and I was on the later shift/clean-up team. It went well and we gave away a billion lanyards. Hopefully made some good impressions on the people we spoke to. I have to admit I don't mind schmoozing with people in a situation like that. Bummer that it was a cash bar and that my professional ethics barred me from drinking while on the job (Damn these ethics! That's twice in one day!). The best part, though, is that I'm entered to win a really nice DVD player, a set of beer glasses, and a big ol' Budweiser mirror. Hee. Mostly I'd like the beer glasses, even though I always drink from the bottle at home. The mirror would go straight to eBay, n'est-ce pas.

Finally feeling better! Finally have some photos of the last two scarves I finished.

The first is an extra-long waffle seed stitch in Red Heart Plush Navy. It's doubled over in the photo, it's actually about 74" long.





The next one's Red Heart Plush Navy and French Blue rice stitch. This is another one that you could wear rolled or not rolled.









Now I've started on one using some of the teensy chenille yarn I bought on eBay. It's regular old stockinette and it's wide stripes alternating oatmeal and a dusty blue. I'm knitting it a lot tighter than the previous teensy chenille one I did in aubergine.

Went to the doctor today and found out I have pharyngitis, otherwise known as Very Bad Sore Throat Plus Some Other Various Symptoms. I most definitely caught it from work and I'm supposed to take a few days to not infect anyone else while I recuperate. Almost surely it's a virus, but the doctor said if I'm still this bad in a few days to fill a prescription for antibiotics just in case. I've been drinking boatloads of tea with honey. I was actually thankful for Boy this weekend, just because he left such a lot of tea and honey in the house.

Big thank yous go to Satan for helping me with some of the technical issues of this site that weren't working properly. He is (to steal a phrase from him) kung-fu cool and kung-fu skilled.

I made teensy progress on the waffle stitch scarf, but I've been too achy and bleh to really do much work on it.

I am siiiiiick. Bleh.

Today was the longest day in a long time and I still didn't succeed in sitting at my desk for more then ten minutes at a go. This long working weekend had better provide me some uninterrupted time. Watched Cruel Intentions for the umpteenth time tonight. It's such a sexy piece of eye candy, I can't resist it. I need to rewatch Dangerous Liaisons again soon. Finished reading Diary by Palahniuk night before last and it was up to his usual standard. Last night I started rereading his Survivor - I hardly remembered how good it was. I must not have absorbed it well the first time, I wonder if I was reading it on a plane or something. I made a bunch of progress tonight on the scarf I'm working on now. It's a waffle stitch I found somewhere online (can't find the site now, n'est-ce pas):

multiple of 3 + 1
1. P1; K2 P1 repeat
2. K1; P2 K1 repeat
3. same as 1
4. knit

Attended a workshop in Midland today on Professional Communication Skills for Women. It was semi-interesting. Most of the content was pretty obvious. The "trainer" had the most irritating manner of speaking: before the final word(s) of each sentence, she would pause dramatically, waiting for us all to say the final word(s) with her. "We all know that dealing with difficult people is .... difficult. Being a happy cheery perky person like me is easy, it's a self-fulfilling ... prophecy. All the things I say are ... predictable, because everything I say is a ... cliche." Ugh. Worst of all were the periodic sales pitches, shilling 7 Habits and the like at a giant mark-up. Also, it hailed today and then was sunny.