On this New Year’s Eve, I just made one more knitting resolution:

Go on a combined yarn/book diet for (gulp!) SIX MONTHS.

As possibly IMpossible as that sounds, there is a strategy behind it. With the help of my second income from the library, I will be able to pay off my Citi credit card in six months–if I adhere to a pretty strict budget (I’m talking grocery shopping rather than eating out every day, seriously cutting back on impulse buying, etc.), a budget that doesn’t allow wiggle room for random, impulse, “oh it’s so pretty” yarn purchases and “I’ll read this eventually” book buying. Since coming off the previous yarn diet (which lasted three months), I’ve acquired plenty of stash to last me through the six-month fast upon which I’m preparing to embark. Do I think I can do it? Heck yeah! I lasted three months, why not do it again, x2? It’s totally doable…and the thought of paying off that credit card and only having ONE credit card left is sooooo tempting. I’m gonna do it! Wish me luck pleeeeease!

As far as the book buying goes, I’ve done really badly in recent months. I know that I don’t have the time to read all these books, but I’m a collector and I just keep buying more, with the intent of reading them “eventually” and “someday.” My book stash is pretty close to rivaling my yarn stash, actually. So, the thought of abstaining from yarn AND book buying for six months isn’t insane. It’s actually a smart idea. And through all this budget madness, I’ll still have the chance to put a *little* (and I mean a little) into savings every month. Still, it’s something.

So, as I hop back on the yarn sobriety wagon, it’s time to knit from my stash again…and honestly, I have some Dream in Color Smooshy already in the mail to me because I ordered it Sunday night and received the shipping confirmation this morning. So I’m glad that purchase happened before I restart the yarn diet! But other than that, and the stash I’ve recently acquired from my LYSes, it’s no more buying until…er…July. Realistically, there’s no way I can knit through all my stash in six months. My stash isn’t as huge as it used to be but it’s the time factor that will make it last–I simply won’t have enough time to knit through it all. So I’ll have plenty to last me through the buying drought. July, by the way, is my birthday month, and I can celebrate with yarn when the Citi card is paid off. phew. Again, please wish me luck!

oh, and happy new year again, and here’s to the long road toward being debt-free!

Posted: December 31st, 2007 under Bookworm, Knitting, My So-Called Life.
Comments: 5

So, I realize now that I kind of suck at making keeping New Year’s Resolutions. With 2008 much too swiftly approaching (gulp!), I’m going to make some Knitting Resolutions for 2008 instead. I figure those are much more light-hearted and I won’t want to fling myself over a cliff if they don’t work out. I mean, all the heavy life stuff–”find one job that pays enough so I don’t need two,” “get my own apartment,” etc., are just brain-boggling and I can’t think of all that at the moment. My life has become focused mainly on one day at a time…thank the stars if I can get through each week, let alone the next year…life is hectic enough without having the stress of self-made promises to slave over!

8 Knitting Resolutions for 2008!

1. Either knit up all the yarn I brought with me from New Mexico, or sell/give it away before year’s end. There’s no reason why my stash should marinate for that long!
2. Finish the following hibernating projects. Anything else that’s hibernating and not at least 50% complete must be frogged, and the yarn reclaimed and/or destashed! Viva la yarny revolucion! (Links lead to Ravelry and of course this list is alphabetized because since starting work at the library, I alphabetize everything!)
   3×1 Arm Socks
   Cabled Gauntlets
   Cashmere Arm Cosies
   Charlotte’s Web Shawl
   Dublin Bay Socks
   Karaoke Cable Scarf
   Mona Socks
   Peaks & Valleys Socks
3. Finally work up the courage/patience to knit the Rogue sweater.
4. Finally work up the insanity/willingness to endure intense eye strain due to cross-eye-inducing chart reading and knit the Twisted Flower socks.
5. Read Harry Potter, at least the first book, because I promised kc a long time ago I would and still haven’t. (And I just realized that Harry Potter is not, in fact, knitting related, but kc knits, therefore this one stays on the list, haha.)
6. Try Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn, because everyone raves about it.
7. Save up enough money to join BMFA’s Rockin’ Sock Club, 2009! Because one year is about how long it will take for me to save up that much money! lol
8. Knit one other sweater, in addition to Rogue.

I think this is a pretty realistic list–not too ambitious (except maybe the saving money part).

Happy New Year, by the way!

Posted: December 28th, 2007 under Knitting.
Comments: 7

Strangely, I am in a good mood! This is rare! Enjoy it while it lasts…

From 1 - 4 PM this afternoon, I had my office all to myself. Normally I share the space with 4 other chicks, so it was nice and quiet and I got sooooo much work done. le sigh of contentment.

And as a follow-up to my previous post about eBay…Mac OS X Leopard is on its way to me, despite the eBayer who attempted to snipe me in the last 10 *seconds* of the auction. Snipers ain’t got nothin on me.

And! Just Thursday and Friday and then the work week is over. haha! Why can’t every work week be three days long?

Posted: December 26th, 2007 under My So-Called Life.
Comments: 1

Tomorrow I have to go back to work and I’m not looking forward to it. At least it’s only a three-day work week, right?

Posted: December 25th, 2007 under My So-Called Life.
Comments: none

If you have no life like me, Christmas day is a good time to stalk things you really want on eBay. Just saying.

Posted: December 25th, 2007 under Randomness.
Comments: none

ok, I promised a Flickr/Ravelry update, so here’s the first part. Some of this is stash I acquired recently through Ravelry swaps, and the rest has been living in my stash since my New Mexico days. Oogle and enjoy. My projects page still needs updating, as I have a few projects on the needles that I haven’t photographed, but you know how that goes…!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this weekend and the time off from work. On Friday at my day job, we had a “food day” where everyone in the company brought a dish…what a feast! Then they let us go home a little early, which was nice.

I took advantage of my year-end bonus and Christmas gift from my boss (at the day job) and went shopping, pretty much guilt free. I bought a couple new outfits, which weren’t too expensive because I shop at places like TJ Maxx and Steve & Barry’s, so I had a lot left over. I also bought some yarn and books, of course. I switched (which turned out to be a needed downgrade, actually, and I’m content) to a black iPod Nano and gifted my 5G video model to M, basically for Christmas. I gave my nephews their Christmas gifts (a dinosaur toy for the 3-yr-old and a book set for the 5-yr-old) and that was pretty much it in the gift department.

I did have to work yesterday morning at the library, but only my usual four-hour shift, so that wasn’t too bad. I also got to work alongside my partner, who I hadn’t seen since she first trained me in November! Can you believe I’ve been at the library almost two months? I really enjoy my job there. I’m hoping that I can eventually become a full-time employee…keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway, my co-worker and I swapped small gifts, which was nice. She gave me some chocolates, which are always good.

Yesterday M and I watched The Golden Compass. Originally I wanted to wait till I finished the book, but with my crazy schedule and perpetual tiredness, who knows when that will be! So we went to see it and both enjoyed it. To be honest, I became aware of and interested in the book and movie because of all the controversy surrounding both. I thought the film was entertaining but not enough to make such a fuss about. Just my opinion!

That’s pretty much all I’ve been up to lately…work and more work, with occasional time for knitting, reading, and attempting to stay sane. The dogs are still doing well, and I’ll be giving them their Christmas bones tomorrow!

I’m still pretty Grinch-y about Christmas, though not nearly as jaded as I was last year. I think–and hope–that my future will take a turn for the better in 2008. I haven’t made a list of resolutions, but I might need to review last year’s before I make another! Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful, restful, peaceful holiday, whether you are of the Christmas-y persuasion or not.

Posted: December 24th, 2007 under Knitting, My So-Called Life, Working Girl.
Comments: none

Yikes, I haven’t posted here in…er…a while!

I’ve been working a bunch–this past weekend I actually had to take work home for the first time. I volunteered since it was for a presentation that was due today, so my boss was appreciative…he even gave me a Christmas card today with a nice money gift! Sweet!

I have so many new WIPs and new stash but don’t have the time to post about them or update Ravelry, boo! In fact, I haven’t checked the Ravelry forums in at least a week, even the groups I run! (But I am subscribed to the RSS feeds, so I know when there are new posts anyway.) Seriously, both jobs are keeping me super busy–so much that I hardly have free time, and when I do have some time I’m either knitting or sleeping, lol. Hopefully things will kind of calm down soon.

Lastly, I’m just looking forward to the weekend…I can’t believe Christmas is almost here. Who moved 2007? eek!

I am going to force myself this weekend to post some photos. My poor Flickr and Ravelry are sorely neglected. So if I don’t update, come over here and nudge me, ok?

P.S. I almost forgot! Remember I was supposed to go back to the doctor and get my cholesterol rechecked? Well I went back on the 14th and my cholesterol actually went DOWN! I’m gonna live!

Posted: December 18th, 2007 under Knitting, My So-Called Life, Working Girl.
Comments: 3