Your Novelist, Jessica

At the end of January, I decided that I would finish my novel by the end of February. As the days passed by and I never touched it, I began to think it was never going to happen.

But it did. It did happen.

This morning at around 10 of the clock I finished my novel!!!! I'm so excited!!!! I feel very accomplished, even though there is still so much left to do. I'm sure it needs intense editing and possibly some rewriting. I don't care! It's at least a finished work. Editing is just dessert.

Yay for me!

In knitting news, I've cast on yet another project. So, right now I'm up to three sweaters on the needles. This new one, however, is for my mom.



It's the Fly Away Cardigan (#23) from the Winter 2007/08 Knit Simple Magazine. It is slow going because the body is knit all in one piece and you start out with 218 stitches around the waist to slowly decrease as you move up. I have a feeling this is a project that I will eventually pick up the pace on as the rows get shorter and shorter. My goal is to get it done before I visit St. Louis at the end of March. I probably won't, but that's my goal.

I'm using acrylic yarn, which I'm not too happy about, but it was cheap and my mom will love anything I make for her.

How I Feel

A little overwhelmed, which makes me feel like I'm just being silly... :(

The tea is great Rooibos Ayurveda from a really cool shop in Chicago. The three projects (shown) are Max's scarf, Swallowtail, and a newly cast-on Urchin. There is spinning in the background and two of my writing notebooks scattered in the middle. This is how my life feels lately...like I'm looking at everything in the form of a picture and thinking, "ok...so what now?"

Obligatory Post part III

So, here I am again, posting once more without much of an idea as to what I am going to say. I have not been knitting much. I just haven't felt like it. I have been lurking in forums, thinking about crafting, practicing down dogs, and writing as much as my stubborn mind will let me. I feel good about the fact that I'm writing more lately, but I think there should be room for writing and knitting. I have been feeling the urge to knit more and more in the past few days, but I haven't acted on it and I think it is because I always end up in a great deal of pain afterwards. I am not very diligent about sitting up straight as I knit which is a recipe for disaster!

Anyone have any neck pain/posture tips/exercises? I've been doing what I can in terms of exercise, but any advice would really be helpful. :)

I have done a little bit of spinning, but not in the past week or so. I've started spinning up a nice turquoisey blue merino and tencel blend. Right now, as a singles, i think it is at laceweight...which is sort of a bummer because I wanted to ply it INTO a laceweight. I may or may not decide to use it as a singles (I'm afraid of it biasing and I tend to prefer stockinette lace over garter lace, which would help balance out the slanting effect of the singles).



It's really soft and silky. Yay!

I made asparagus and shallots to go with some lentil shmush for dinner tonight:



The lentils don't look appetizing, but really they were delish!

Another note: I am feeling a little less cranky, but I'm not completely over it yet. I've been trying to focus on good things and slowing down.

Obligatory Post part II

I'm definitely sick of a lot of things, the most irritating of which is stupid people masquerading as smart ones. I get tired of people who think they have the answers, but really haven't a clue. It's obvious to me...and to countless others, I'm sure...but not to them. I try so hard not to let it get to me, but I'm human. I see so many contradictions in the belief systems of some people. I believe people are good at heart and capable of wonderful things. I really do. It is just painful to me when I see how muddled some peoples' minds have become. It angers me...infuriates, consumes.

I am aware that I must first create peace in myself. If I face what I have dubbed stupidity in others with anger and frustration...as though it were a threat...then I will continue to suffer and so will those I care about.

As I say so often in this blog. "I'm working on it." :)

Obligatory Post

I'm not in a good mood, but I haven't updated in a while. So, I'll keep this simple.

I started this with my handspun:


It's a scarf for Max.

I made this notebook for myself:


I've started writing a story in it. :)

I made this notebook for Max:


He loves it.

Some finished handspun:


Cormo, soft, nice, happy.

I think that's it. Good times.