Update

I doubt this post will be too long.

So I ended up getting third chair clarinet out of seven. I think it might be a delayed apology from the conductor, though, because last year when I was in string orchestra, he placed me in the very back though both he and I knew I didn't deserve that spot. The year before that, when we had a different conductor, I had been eighth chair (out of over 30 violins).

But now I'm playing bass clarinet, so I'm first chair! And last.

The blanket has grown tremendously. I'm still not halfway done, but I'm making good progress. I've been taking it to school and working on it during class (which, surprisingly, hasn't gotten me in trouble yet). I've been knitting during presentations, movies, after labs, at lunch, but not during lectures because I like taking extensive notes.

Physics homework calls. But to avoid a boring picture-less entry, here's this:

The portion of French that wore costumes.

I guess I might as well post my schedule, since I neglected to do so earlier.
1. Anatomy & Physiology
2. Physics
3. AP French IV
4. Wind Orchestra
- Lunch -
5. Honors English
6. Honors Pre-Calculus

Not Much Progress

I am terrible at clarinet. We started seating auditions today, and my audition was so terrible, I'm guaranteed last chair. And there is no up-side. I was supposed to get a school bass clarinet, but even that didn't happen. One bass we have is apparently so gross no one is allowed to even touch it, and half the body is missing on the other one. If I'm lucky, my parents will let me rent a bass clarinet.

[/rant]

News!

I finished the Transition Scarf (school spirit scarf from the last post), and hopefully it will receive at least 2nd place at the fair next year.

I'm not even halfway done with the afghan from Ravelympics. Looks like it will be an ongoing project throughout the year.

Trust me, the color looks way better in person.

Woven. :)

Gotta love the new liondesign.



Still working on Seeing Green.

The Final Word:
+ " 'Victime' is always feminine. What does that tell you." - Mme Smith, AP French teacher

Band, Football, and a String of Other Things

It's been a long time, I know. School has been overwhelming me. On the bright side, I went to our rival's home football game on Friday (they played another team; not us) and recorded videos. They're (almost) all posted here.

Homecoming drama and the works. I'll probably reuse the dress from last year (gasp!) because I spent some serious money on it and I'd rather not get a whole 'nother for only one night. Maybe I'll change my mind. Maybe. Maybe I won't even go at all. I'm considering it. Homecoming's only fun if you go with the right people, and I'm pretty sure that everyone else has made plans already and I'm not included. Oh well.

Highlights from the game?

The score never changed after this; the home team (Amador Valley High School) lost 28-3.

Band.

The only reason I'm actually looking forward to the coming weeks is band performing at football games and being able to record them.

I'm not in band this year either. My parents keep saying it'll take up too much time. But I was accidentally placed in Wind Orchestra instead of String Orchestra, so I'm in a really small band that's no fun because hardly any of my friends are there, and our String Orchestra has sixty members. Ah well.

I'm working on a school spirit scarf and that afghan I was supposed to make for the Ravelympics event Afghan Marathon (I ended up having too much summer homework that I didn't have enough time to finish it up, so it's an ongoing project). It's gorgeous, but I want to be able to use it soon. It's taking too long.

Freakish amounts of homework tonight. Better get working.

Back

I have missed you, dear blog, and very awesome blog readers.

Camp was very time-consuming, I must admit. Then I recovered from camp, then recorded our school marching band practice for the 2008 field show (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Phield Show). I'm still in the process of convincing my parents that I can handle band, as I have recently been invited to join our marching band even though most people have already learned the field show. Hopefully my dad will be convinced when I tell him that I got a 2300 on a practice SAT today (if you're out of the loop, a perfect would be 2400).

Gnarls Barkley's Crazy is pretty awesome. I'm currently listening to it.

Alright, now for some awesome camp pictures!

While I'm waiting for them to load, let me fill you in.

Saturday: Arrive & audition
Sunday: Dance
Monday: Indian Bowl (staff performances)
Tuesday: Dance
Wednesday: Skit Night
Thursday: Jazz Night! (4 hours of nonstop jazz)
Friday: Ensemble Night
Saturday: Special Dinner & Dance
Sunday: Final Concert.

Yay, pictures loaded!

We always stop at Memory Lane on the drive up to camp.

Two lovely girls from our "pentagon" groupie. They both go to the same school which happens to be our rival school. Our colors are blue and yellow, and theirs are purple and gold. :) I was thrilled to see them wearing our colors (though it was just the camp shirt), and they were, well, kind of awkward wearing our colors.

Pentagon! Front row: Kindle (braids + scarf) - violin & me - violin; Back row: Laura - clarinet, Suzy - trombone, & Maiya - clarinet (though she would make the perfect stereotypical flute)

The light shines out from Maiya's head.

We love this kid. To show our affection for him, me, Kindle, and Maiya decorated his hair with Fruity Cheerios. Doesn't it look so amazing?

So those are the highlights of camp. Oh yes, there's also Choptox. :)

It's kind of a long story, but here's the gist: Skit night rolls around (Wednesday) and we decide to do a reality TV show based upon our cabin. We have 27 girls in our cabin (we're the largest, but we're divided into 3 rooms). Since it's band camp, we have stereotypes of each instrument (i.e. strings are really brainy, flutes are preppy, trumpets think they're the best, etc.). As a commercial break, these two (HILARIOUS!) girls go on stage, one of whom has a trombone. She buzzes feebly and hardly makes a sound. The other girl says, "Lips too small to buzz that trombone? Then try Choptox!" And then we have another girl, dressed as the amazing Andy Martin goes on stage and endorses Choptox. Andy was actually there at the performance, and we were told later by one of the people with him that he was dying of laughter.

By the way, Andy Martin is seriously AMAZING. I feel so privileged to have met him and told him that I'm his biggest fan. I look terrible in this picture, but I'm overjoyed that I got it:


This man is seriously amazing. I'm so lucky to have met him. And I'm seriously practicing violin so I can be in his jazz band next year at camp (he instructs the top jazz band of the camp) and be one of those rare jazz violinists. Oh yes. His daughter looks just like him too. :) It's pretty awesome. His son doesn't look as much like him as his daughter does. And, get this, her name's Andreina. Her brother's name is Andres, so it's like a whole family of Andys!

One more quick thing: after the full orchestra performed Akademische Festoverture (Brahms), we got a standing ovation. We were the only group to get one. :) We've got skills.

The Final Word:
+ "You're too good not to be heard." -Vince Gomez

My yarn came! :)


I'll bring my yarn to camp, and cast on in exactly a week (well, five hours + a week). I'm doing the Afghan Marathon for the Ravelympics 2008, if I haven't already mentioned it.

So yay!

Camp & ...Christmas?

Two days left until camp! I just have to make sure my yarn is delivered before I leave on Saturday morning. I plan on casting on at camp for the Ravelympics (Afghan Marathon!) next Friday evening when the opening ceremony is on TV at home. ..Though I won't be watching it.

But I digress.

I have found the perfect Christmas gift for all of my friends. Scarves, hats, etc. are costly and time-consuming to make (especially for over 25 people not including family - yikes!). I thought I was going to make coin purses, but I decided against it. I have guy friends too, and I'm not sure my hardcore guitarist guy friend would particularly enjoy a small feminine coin purse. So I made my way over to Lion Brand, where I saw a link for Amigurumi toys! My mind was made up. These are the things I'm possibly going to make for people on my list (I'll probably condense the list more later):

+ Berry-Topped Cake
+ Hi-Life Cupcake
+ Love Birds (matching ones for a couple)
+ Frosted Doughnut
+ Little Lamb
+ Turtle
+ Cat
+ Penguin
+ Lion
+ Guy
+ Gnome (one of my personal favorites)
+ Pig
+ Bear
+ Alien
+ Elephant
+ Octopus
+ Panda
+ Snowman
+ Holiday Penguin
+ Best Bunny

They're cute, simple, and though not very practical, they're sure to touch the receivers' hearts.

If you are a knitter, crocheter, seamstress, or anyone else who makes all holiday gifts, then this whole "Christmas in July" planning thing is nothing new. However, for my fellow classmates, this is what we do. We plan ahead.

Off to go pack for camp.

The Final Word:
+ "We're halfway there, livin' on a prayer." Livin' on a Prayer, Bon Jovi


Updated at 3:55 to include:

I just made my list of people I need to give gifts to this holiday season. I'm currently at an astounding 58, and I still haven't counted family yet. I have no idea how I'm going to swing this. 58 gifts! Pure insanity. Maybe I'll just make around 30 bears and pigs, and then make the rest of them specialized to fit the recipient.

Yes, 58 is not a final number. Later on during the year, I'll probably look back at the list and delete about a dozen or so and add another dozen, or maybe I'll end up deleting more than I add. 58 is simply an estimate, but still - that's almost 60 toys I have to make! I am overwhelmed. I don't know how I'll ever get them done.

One of my favorite quotes, from the Andy Griffith Show, Opie's Charity:

Andy: I’s a readin’ here jus’ the other day where’s there’s somethin’ like four hundred needy boys in this county alone, or one and a half boys per square mile.

Opie: There is?

Andy: There sho’ is.

Opie: I never seen one, Pa.

Andy: Never seen one what?

Opie: A half boy.

Andy: Well, it’s not really a half a boy, it’s a ratio.

Opie: Horatio who?

Andy: Not Horatio – a ratio. It’s mathematics. ‘Rithmetic. Look, now, Opie. Just fergit that part of it. Fergit the part about the half a boy.

Opie: It’s purty hard to fergit a thing like that, Pa.

Andy: Well, try!

Opie: Poor Horatio.

Nifty House Sock #1

I was lucky to get online this morning. We have to get Comcast and fast.

I've been working on my Nifty House Socks. They're really coming along. :) I couldn't resist trying them on.


I'm so proud of them! I can't wait until I'm actually done with this one and the second sock. Hopefully this one will be finished today, and the second sock later this week.


Updated at 11:54am to include:

I found this picture somewhere on my computer earlier today. I'd have to say it's my favorite picture of all time.

In orchestra this year, bassist Kyle pushes fellow bassist David into a band locker.

AT&T IS THE WORST

It's been difficult to post lately because our internet keeps going down. We have AT&T. I have this to say: NEVER EVER GET AT&T! Expensive and useless. Pathetic. We're getting hooked up with Comcast soon.

CI-655313 <- Something I need to remember. :)

Happenings

My violin teacher got mad at me for not telling him that I had an audition next week for camp. Oops. :)

Surprise surprise. Here are what I've been working on:

First official sock! :) Way too big, but I'm still proud of it.

I ran out of yarn just after I passed the heel.

Lace Ribbon Scarf.

Nifty House Socks!

Plus Shades of Green and Snow Blocks Afghan. Lots to keep me busy. I love the way the yellow looks on that last picture. It looks so bright and sunny, though it's really a mustard yellow.

The Final Word:
+ Are you ready for this?


Updated a few seconds later to include:

That's right, I have camp next week! I leave Saturday morning and return Sunday afternoon (of the following week; it's a nine-day camp, not two). :) I'm excited. I plan on getting a lot of knitting done before I even go to camp (like get the yarn, start, and FINISH a crochet cotton scarf). I wonder if I'll even get the yarn at all before I leave.

My friend's birthday is August 2nd, the day I leave, so I'll be dropping off Seeing Green at her house on Friday.

Now to get red yarn for the scarf my mom's friend requested.

Sockey?

Class is over. Yay!

I made a sock. My very first. :) Made from worsted weight (scrap acryllic that was bugging me), it's too baggy to wear around the house (or at all). At least now I know what to do for the next pair.

The pdf of the pattern I used is found here.

I made several modifications, including the number of stitches I picked up. I picked up fewer than were recommended, but it worked out in the end.

Progress

Guess what finished blocking today. :)


Pattern: Woven Transverse Herringbone from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, 604 - Golden Ochre
Yardage: 100 grams, 216 yards per skein
Yarn Source: ImagiKnit, San Francisco
Needles: 14" size 8's
Gauge: 16 sts x 28 rows = 4" x 4"
Modifications: selvage: sl 1, work in pattern until last st, k1.

I'm amazingly happy with this scarf. :)

Stripey

Such beautiful shorts, right? :) They're my house shorts.

Inside-out in my very girly room.

Pattern: 13. Tassled Earflap Hat from KnitSimple Magazine (I don't know the issue number; sorry!)
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, half skein each in Sky Blue and Charcoal
Yardage: 170 gram skeins (106 yards)
Yarn Source: Leftovers from other hats (birthday presents); stash
Needles: 10mm, 24" Addi Turbo Circulars
Gauge: 2 sts/inch over stockinette
Modifications: switch to cc on Row 3, alternating mc and cc throughout; border in cc; ties are basically thick cords

It's my newest project, Stripey! :) I love it! ("Too bad I have all these extras. One of these would only make half a hat. Wait a second...!") The tassel's a bit short, but overall, I'm overjoyed. I realized that I had never done multicolor knitting before this. I was so thrilled watching it come along, that I took many pictures, all of which are posted on Ravelry.

I'm willing to bet that Mary Weaver will be the next Eunny Jang, and hopefully I'll be her right-hand, er, lady. I definitely want to be the next Kim Werker. Now that would be awesome.

The Final Word:
+ "Really? I thought it would be yellow. She reminds me of butterflies." Friend's Grandpa

Wanted: 200 Hours of Community Service

Junior in high school, and 0 hours of community service. Pathetic. Ah, but I have things to show you:

I made this for Mom some time in elementary school. :) I had skills in needlecraft even then.

Status: Finished!

Mom and I were talking at dinner last night, contemplating how I could get the 200 hours of community service recommended for college-bound students. All I could talk about were my projects (Progress, Shades of Green [now finished!], Snow Blocks Afghan, and other planned projects for the future), which got her thinking: why can't I knit or crochet for community service? We talked it over briefly, and I figured that if it took me two hours to make one hat, I could probably make 100 hats in a year and a half. That would get me my 200 hours! Now I just have to make a deal with a hospital that can give me two hours for every hat I send in (and maybe three for every scarf...).

I really like the Stitches from the Heart program, so if I can guarantee that they will give me community service hours, I'll be knitting/crocheting up a storm in the next year and a half.


Updated at 1:18pm to include:

New wanna-do: Square Lattice Afghan from freepatterns.com with this yarn (Jiffy by Lion Brand).

La Vie

I took pictures!

I slept on these for two nights straight with a sleeping bag and duvet underneath. We still have yet to get the pillows.

It's sort of hard to see, but our backyard is basically a big patio connected to a smaller patio by a narrow pathway, with grass and an unseemly hill.

The garbage truck scraped up our garbage can. =/

I drive this thing every so often.

Hello, feet.

My cup runneth over. :)

The Final Word:
+ "Do you remember the 21st night of September?" September, Earth, Wind, and Fire

Travail

Progress is really coming along. I'm pleased with it, and I'd say that I'm almost halfway done.


Currently measures 5" x 34.5". I guess I'm planning on a 70" scarf. I'm really excited about blocking it.

We watched Hellboy II last night. I thought I would hate it because it's not really my kind of movie. But it turned out to be not so bad and I actually somewhat liked it. The two girls I went with are the two girls I carpool to class with, and we couldn't really see anything else because either one of us had already seen it with another group or the showtimes were too late (that's what happened with Get Smart; we would have seen it, but we would have had to wait two hours for the next show).

Before the movie, while me and one of the girls were waiting for the other, we dropped by Barnes & Noble. I walked around with my friend while she searched for teen books, and surprisingly, she asked me for suggestions. I told her I read books by Ayn Rand, and that they were hardcore novels. I was shocked when she said that she wanted to look into them. We walked around the store, and she ended up buying what looked like three teen romance books. Fiction, of course. As she checked out, what did my little eye spy? Only SnB the Happy Hooker! I had been looking through the book through a copy I had borrowed from the library, and I was ecstatic to see it lying casually on a nearby table, labeled "Gift Ideas". A moment of indecision aroused (should I get it and finally own this wondrous book, or should I not, and please my mother? [she's not too happy about the inappropriate title, and I can't say that I blame her]). I bought it anyway, but haven't shown it to her. I'm kind of afraid of her reaction.

The Final Word:
+ "I can't smile without you... can't smile without you" Hellboy II

Ambitions

These are the projects I really want to complete before the summer's out:
+ Prepster: Preppy Spring Jacket - SnB the Happy Hooker
+ Knee Socks - online pattern; HJS Studio
+ Transition Scarf - mapped out on Excel
+ Progress - Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Woven Transverse Herringbone

If I do end up finishing all of those before the summer's out (which looks extremely unlikely), I plan on creating my own pattern to resemble a breast cancer ribbon.

I'm taking my scarf to class with me every day so I can work on it in the car on the way to and from. It's going well so far.




I love the bag. I got it from my mom's friend (it's from Bath & Body Works). Inside, there were four tiny lotions. There was supposed to be another woman to join them, but she didn't show so I got a part of her present: body scrub.

Movies tonight with some friends from class, and I'm so disappointed that I don't have a cute handmade handbag to bring. But I have a feeling we'll be sneaking food in there anyway, so I guess a bigger canvas bag would be a better idea. Frankly, $7 for a small popcorn is outrageous. I can get that same thing for less than $1 at the grocery store.

But enough of my ranting. I have to study for the final exam next Thursday.


Updated at 2:27pm to include:

I'm just dying to go to San Francisco and get some yarn (ImagiKnit!). Luckily, I found a crocheting friend who I've known for some time now, but never really knew that she crocheted. :) I'm so excited now. I thought she just barely knitted.

The Final Word:
+ "Oh, so you crochet too!" "Yeah, I do." "Just like Kashi!" "No, not like Kashi." -Mom and friend in the car this morning
+ "Dude, crochet is so badass!" -other friend I carpool with, in response to SnB the Happy Hooker
+ "I never could understand knitting." -first friend, in the car this morning