A Good Yarn

Socks and Movies

2009-03-29T13:14:00.002-05:00

Two of my favorite things!

I started the 2nd quarter STR Ravelry group KAL a little early:

I couldn't capture the beauty of this yarn - it's much more muted changes and is absolutely gorgeous. I think it's my favorite STR colorway. The pattern is the Shur'tagal pattern.

I'm almost done with my Elsabeth Lavold sweater, too. I think I'll probably have a post about that next time. Here are a few more movies I've seen:

This is a Swedish film about a family at the beginning of the 20th century. The narrator is the oldest daughter, and she's primarily telling the story of her mother, Maria. Maria is married to an alcoholic and they have a large family. Maria won a camera and at a point of financial crisis, she tries to sell it to a professional photographer, but he convinces her to "keep it for him" and she falls in love with making photographs. It also seems like she's fallen in love with the photographer, too, but the story is really about Maria and how she finds meaning in her life, not some Hollywood love story. It's probably not a surprise that a film about photography would be gorgeous. The film really feels authentic - you can just imagine that this is a story that's been passed on down through the family. I wouldn't say it's anything groundbreaking, but it's really an interesting story, told well.

This is another interesting story, told well. The director was once the travelling manager for The Amazing Kreskin and this film is based on his experiences at that time. John Malkovich plays the Great Buck Howard, a mentalist best known for his numerous appearances on the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was the host. Colin Hanks plays the part of the travelling manager, a law school drop out who isn't quite sure what to do with his life, much to the disappointment of his father, played by Colin's real-life father, Tom Hanks. The film feels very authentic and I'm sure a lot of the events are based on real events. Malkovich gives a fantastic performance as a past his prime entertainer, who alternates between charming and self-absorbed. There are other great small parts such as Steve Zahn and Debra Monk as Ohio siblings who host Howard during his performances in their town. Colin Hanks is sweet and sympathetic, but doesn't have the same magnetism as his dad. If you like magic and old Hollywood stories, you'll enjoy this film. If you see this in the theater, make sure you get there on time, because the opening credits are really unique and worth seeing.

Finally, this is a Belgian film that was an award winner at Cannes this year. It's about a 41 year old woman who is separated from her husband, while he explores his feelings for a 24 year old student (he's an art teacher). She's convinced he'll be coming back, so she's just marking time until she can get the life she used to know back. She has two children - a 17 year old daughter and a younger son, about 12 or so. One day she backs up in the grocery store parking lot and collides with a semi-truck. The truck driver is a 29 year old guy who blames her for not looking before backing up and she blames him for having such a big truck in a grocery store parking lot. They argue loudly and with sharp words, but something clicks. Eventually they start to date and the woman begins to wonder whether she really does want to return to her old life. The truck driver is not necessary Prince Charming either, as we begin to suspect when the police arrive at the accident scene and the police officers know him by name. I really enjoyed the film. The acting is so well done. The lead actress just blooms from a depressed, lonely woman at the beginning to a fully alive woman at the end. The oldest daughter, who behaves exactly the way the smart, funny teenage girls you know behave, is a great character. I would definitely recommend this film.

More Movies

2009-03-22T13:35:00.003-05:00

I finished up the Harry Potter/Hedwig socks for my nephew, Michael, but I didn't have time to take a photo of the second one. But you know what, it looks pretty much like the first one. I didn't do anything to try to make them match exactly, but they're pretty close to the same. I guess if I had wound off a few yards, I would have been able to match them up, but I am never that concerned about having them be the same. I didn't take a picture because I wanted to get them to Michael when I saw him on St. Patrick's Day, while there's still a need for wool socks. Spring is definitely moving into the Twin Cities.

I am also making progress on my Borghild sweater. I've finished the first sleeve:

and I'm almost ready to start the decreases on the second sleeve. This is a very long project for me. As usual, by the time I get it finished, it'll be too warm to wear. I seem to do that every winter/spring.

And, trying to catch up on my movie reviews, again, I watched three more nominees before the Academy Award ceremony:

I liked this one, but as you saw earlier, it didn't make my Top Ten. As you probably know, Mickey Rourke stars as a past-his-prime professional wrestler. He was gigantic in the 80s, but that was 20 years ago and now he's getting old and his best days are behind him. It's a pretty searing performance by Rourke, and just like Robert Downey Jr. brought so much of himself to his role in Iron Man, I think Rourke's own history makes this a role of a lifetime for him. The regret, loneliness and longing on Rourke's face is quite real, I'm sure. I think the reason the movie didn't totally resonate with me is that I'd already heard so much about it and seen clips before I saw it. There's a very emotional scene where Rourke's character has a conversation with his daughter, who he's estranged from after pretty much abandoning her in childhood to pursue his own dreams. I'd seen the climax of that scene in clips dozens of times before I actually saw the movie, so I think it lost some of its power for me. It's coming out on DVD in a few weeks and I'd definitely add it to your list.

Although I thought Mickey Rourke's performance was fantastic, I did think the Academy got it right in giving the Best Actor Oscar to Sean Penn. He plays the first openly gay man elected to a major office in the U.S. The movie starts at Harvey Milk's 40th birthday, when he realizes he really hasn't done much with his life, so he moves to San Francisco and starts living out of the closet, in the Castro. He organizes the neighborhood and runs for a position on the Board of Supervisors a couple of times and eventually, after he starts running on a campaign of hope, he wins. I don't think it's spoiling anything since it's fairly well known, but he's eventually killed, along with the mayor, by another member of the Board of Supervisors. Although it's a tragic story, you really get a sense of what a difference Harvey Milk made in his short time on earth and you feel energized and hopeful. The whole cast does a great job, including James Franco, James Brolin (who is fast becoming one of my favorite actors), and Emile Hirsch. This one is already out of DVD, so if you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it.

Continuing the theme of great acting, it's no breaking news to say that Meryl Streep is amazing. She completely inhabits the role of a tough nun in 1964. She's suspicious of the new priest, played by the always fantastic Philip Seymour Hoffman. Is he just progressive and a new kind of priest, or has he done something completely inappropriate with the one black child attending the church's school? Caught between them is a young nun played by Amy Adams. The acting was really great, including a small part of the black student's mother, played by Viola Davis. The cinematography and writing is really well done, but it's a bit cold and I didn't think it reached a level of greatness, but it really is worth seeing.

New Stash and Movies

2009-03-15T17:45:00.004-05:00

My best friend Bill and his wife recently had a baby, so I've been doing a little more baby knitting. The big project I'm working on for baby Sam is the Festive Fish blanket:

As you can see, I'm not even close to done. I didn't even start until after he was born, because he came a lot quicker than I thought he would - even though I knew the due date. Sometimes I'm just in denial about how much I can get done in any given amount of time. I'm using the Knitpicks Shine worsted and absolutely love the yarn and the colors I chose.

I also had a special request for some hats for the little guy (although we're suddenly having spring, so maybe he won't be needing them much longer!). I already had a couple of hats knit up, but I made one more especially for him:

I used the Jailbird hat pattern from MinnowKnits, Too just so I didn't have to do any math and used some of my leftover yarn from the mitred square blanket.

In other knitting news, I have some new additions to my stash. Kerry was nice enough to be my personal shopper at the Madrona Fiber Arts Festival again. Even though I don't need any more yarn, I felt a little bit ok with this because I actually have knit up all but one skein of the yarn she bought for me last year (yay for me!). Once again I mostly concentrated on the Blue Moon booth. I got some fantastic colors of Socks that Rock:

From left to right, that's Spawn of Braun, Never on Sunday, Jubilation, and Alley-oop.

Absolutely in love with them all. I'll be casting on the Jubilation soon, though, because I'm joining the latest KAL on the STR group on Ravelry.

I also got a skein of Luscious Single Silk in Spinel:

And because I fell in love with a skein Kerry brought back last year, I had her get me a skein of Cashmere laceweight from Just Our Yarn:

Catching up on a few more movies I saw this winter:

I was really surprised by how much I liked this movie. I'm not a huge Ron Howard fan (a lot of times I find his movies just too sentimental, too clean and pretty). I was just fascinated with this one though. As I'm sure you know, it's about David Frost's famous interviews with Richard Nixon, after Nixon left office. Both Frank Langella and Michael Sheen give amazing performances. You just are pulling for both of them. I mean it, it makes Nixon sympathetic. I'd really recommend this one, especially for people like me who love politics.

I AM, on the other hand, a huge Clint Eastwood fan. I have loved pretty much every movie he's directed, some more than others, of course. I wouldn't put this one at the top of my list, but I did really like it. Clint plays an old guy (shocking!) living in Detroit, the last white guy living in a neighborhood now populated primarily by Hmong immigrants. He's old and set in his ways and still remembering his service in Korea, so not so keen to be living among Asians. Because he's so angry and removed, he's pretty much estranged from his children and grandchildren. But somehow he ends up getting involved in the life of his teenage Hmong neighbor. I don't want to give away the plot, but it's a really good story and the ending was totally unexpected. I recently saw Changeling on DVD and can't believe he directed both of these movies this year. He clearly has more energy than most men half his age.

I saw this one before Joaquin Phoenix's recent strange appearance on David Letterman, thank goodness. I would have hated to have that in my mind while watching his sensitive, subtle performance. The movie is based on a Dostoevsky story. It's about an emotionally stunted guy who is living with his parents after his broken engagement has left him emotionally fragile. His dad owns a drycleaning business and he's in negotiations with a big businessman to buy him out. Phoenix meets the businessman's daughter and there's clearly a connection. They seem perfect for each other - they're both Jewish, down to earth and she clearly wants to take care of him. And obviously joining together would help the business deal too. So they start a relationship, but Phoenix is also drawn to his neighbor played by Gweneth Paltrow. She's blond, a party girl and as screwed up as Phoenix. The film is somewhat predictable, but more in an indie film way. I liked it, but it won't be on my Top Ten list next year.

FO and movie update

2009-03-07T15:26:00.003-06:00

I am happy to report an FO - and it was a gift, so I have never even mentioned it before, so here's the surprise!

Project Name: Scandinavian Jacket
Pattern Source: Knits for Babies and Toddlers by Fiona McTague
Yarn: Knitpicks Merino Style
Yarn Source: Knitpicks
Date Started: 11/16/08
Date Completed: 2/20/09

Comments: As I said, this was a gift, so I kept it under wraps while I was working on it. I really enjoyed it, though. Believe it or not, the pattern is written to be knit back and forth instead of in the round, which I had never done with fair isle before. So, I tried it and it wasn't bad. I would never do an adult sweater that way, but a baby sweater was ok and I was glad not to have to do steeks. It's big, but I wanted the baby to be able to wear it next winter, when he probably will be out and about a lot more. The mommy is a knitting friend, so she was very appreciative. I really love the yarn, Merino Style, but I'm sure it would pill like crazy on something that gets a lot of wear, because it's so soft. Such a nice, pretty, soft yarn, though.

I'm less happy to report that the Koolhaas hat I showed you last time is now suitable for wear with this sweater. Yes, my brother threw it in the washing machine and he shrunk it down nice and small - you know how great Malabrigo felts. I should have warned him, but I hardly ever wash my hats, so I didn't really think about it. Plus, he felted a sweater I knit for him once, so I thought he was clued into the whole washing machine and handknits thing. I think this is a pattern that's cursed for me, so I don't know if I'll be knitting him yet ANOTHER one any time soon.

I've also been working on a pair of socks for my nephew, Michael. It was a birthday gift for his 13th birthday and I wasn't sure how much he'd like them, but he actually said, "they're awesome."

I only finished one before his birthday, but he tried it on and it fit perfectly, so now I just need to finish the mate. The yarn is the Opal Harry Potter yarn in the Hedwig colorway. Michael LOVES Harry Potter and especially Hedwig. I knit the Quidditch socks last year in Slytherin colors just because he likes gray and green, so I thought this yarn was perfect for him. I'm using the Quidditch pattern again for this pair because I know it fit him well.

Ok, I've got a lot of movies to blog about because I was trying to get a bunch in before the Oscars. Here's just a start:

I wasn't crazy about this one. It was ok, but it's one of those movies where the characters all treat each other like crap and I just don't enjoy watching that. It stars Anne Hathaway as Kym, an alcoholic/drug addict and Rosemarie DeWitt as her sister, the Rachel who is getting married. It's sort of a slice of life movie, showing this family coming together for Rachel's wedding and all of the old hurts and disappointments surface. The acting was great all around and it felt very real, but like I said, just not fun. The film has a real documentary feel because there really isn't a big plot and structure. Stuff just happens, just like in life. It's filmed pretty much entirely with a handheld camera, which adds to the cinema verite feel, but it was way too shaky for one of the friends I saw it with.

This is another slice of life movie. I saw it the same weekend with Rachel and they went well together. Michelle Williams stars as Wendy and Lucy is her dog, her only companion in life. The film opens with Wendy on the road with Lucy. They're pretty much living in the car and then things go badly. Wendy is down on her luck and lonely and lives in a totally different world than Rachel and Kym, but they both show the lives of women in the our country today and neither one is a happy, joyful story. Williams filmed this movie right after she and Heath Ledger broke up and she made good use of whatever sadness and loneliness she may have been feeling at the time. Another great performance, but you need to be in the right mood to watch the film.

OK, long post. More movies next time.

Best of 2008

2009-02-24T18:02:00.002-06:00

It's been a month since my last post, so I've got a bunch of movie reviews I want to post, but instead I'm going to stick with tradition and post my personal Best Movies of the Year list around Oscar time. I liked the changes they made to the broadcast this year and enjoyed the show. It was fairly predictable, but I'm pretty happy with the winners. So, without further ado, here are my favorite movies of 2008:

1. In Bruges
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Dark Knight
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. The Visitor
6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
7. Wall-E
8. Burn After Reading
9. I've Loved You So Long
10. Frost/Nixon

My favorite documentaries for this year were:

1. At the Death House Door
2. Young @ Heart
3. Man on Wire
4. American Teen
5. Gonzo
6. Up the Yangtze
7. U2 3D
8. Encounters at the End of the World

There were a bunch of other movies that I really liked a lot and quite a few that I liked, but didn't love, so overall I'd say this was a good year for movies, for me.

On the knitting front, I finished up one more preemie hat in January, using Chelle's preemie hat pattern. I guess I forgot to take a picture of that one.

I also knit up another Koolhaas hat for my brother:

I just couldn't capture how beautiful this yarn is. It's the regular Malabrigo in a very dark green. It was my first time knitting with Malabrigo and I loved it. And this time, I actually made it big enough to fit before I ran out of yarn:

And I finally blocked out my Chevron scarf:

Project Name: Chevron Scarf
Pattern Source: http://www.domesticrafts.com/Clog/2007/03/12/HitchingARideOnTheBandwagon.aspx
Yarn: Wollmeise 100% Wool in Red Hot Chili and Sonne
Yarn Source: Wollmeise
Date Started: 10/18/08
Date Completed: 12/3/08

Comments: When I placed my first Wollmeise order (back when the Wollmeise was dyeing to order and you could order any color she carried at any time) I knew I wanted to get two colors to make a chevron scarf. I thought these two colors would look really good together, and the scarf turned out pretty much exactly how I thought it would in my mind. There is one shade of orange that is present in both skeins, so the transition from one skein to the other isn't as abrupt as it could be, but I kind of like how gradual it is and that it reallly looks like it's just one skein of yarn with a lot of variation. This was the first time I knit or even saw Wollmeise knit up at a little bit looser gauge and I love it. I knit it on size US 3 needles and after I blocked it out, it's just really drapey and soft and warm. I'm very happy with how this project came out. I only used about 1/4 of each skein for the scarf, so I easily have enough for a pair of socks in each color left.

Here's a closeup view:

Don't you just feel better?

2009-01-21T17:46:00.003-06:00

What a great day yesterday was!! Unfortunately, I had to work, so I couldn't stay home and watch the inaugural, but I got to see enough of everything to be absolutely elated. After so many disappointments over the last 8 years, especially the death of Paul Wellstone, I feel such great hope.

I did spend part of MLK Day watching the fantastic concert on the mall and knitting preemie hats. I got three hats done:

Project Name: Spiral Preemie Hat
Pattern Source: http://www.geocities.com/bbcrafty_17//SpiralPreemieCap.html
Yarn: Artyarns Handpaint Stripes
Yarn Source: leftovers from a hat and scarf set - stash!
Date Started: 1/19/09
Date Completed: 1/19/09

Comments: I wanted to use up some leftovers in my stash and figured a worsted weight hat would go pretty fast, so I found this cute pattern on the internet. It went really fast but was still interesting to knit. And the ribbing-type will fit a wide range of headsizes. The pink one in the middle is Chelle's basic preemie hat pattern in some Plymouth Dreambaby DK I got in a yarn exchange at a knitting retreat I went to a couple of years ago. Look at me using up the stash for service knitting!!

I also took my nephew, Michael, out for a movie on MLK Day:

I would describe this one as mildly amusing. Neither Michael or I laughed a lot, but it wasn't a horrible way to spend a couple of hours. I think Kevin James is funny enough, but all of the jokes in the movie are pretty much exactly what you see coming. James plays a mall security guard who takes his job way too seriously. He's a single dad and has a big crush on the pretty girl who works at the hair extensions cart in the mall. On the day after Thanksgiving, thieves take over the mall so they can steal the credit card machine codes and the pretty girl gets taken hostage, so Paul Blart refuses to leave the mall without first rescuing his lady love. The movie is an obvious tip of the hat to Die Hard, but there are a few too many fat guy jokes and nothing that happens is in the least bit realistic. But Michael said he liked it and we had fun together. I'd say save the money and rent it or catch it on cable.

Knitting News

2009-01-18T10:39:00.003-06:00

OK, as I said last time, I wasn't super productive in the knitting department between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I did work on a few things.

I finished one front and the back on my Borghild cardigan. I thought I'd knit the boring stockinette back before the second front so that I'd have something to look forward to.

As I mentioned last time, I gave a pair of socks I knit last summer to my sister for Christmas and I was knitting a hat for my brother.

Project Name: Koolhaas Hat
Pattern Source: Interweave Knits, Holiday 2007
Yarn: Classic Elite Lush
Yarn Source: Needlework Unlimited
Date Started: 12/7/08
Date Completed: 1/13/09

Comments: I didn't finish it in time, but I had him try it on and he definitely needed the length the pattern gives for a man's hat. Unfortunately, I ran out of yarn. I looked for another skein in a couple of my local stores, but couldn't find this color. I thought the yarn was a little soft and feminine looking anyway, so I decided to just knit it in the women's length and keep it for myself. I used a little bit of some other yarn to finish up the top, so it's not as fuzzy, but it really isn't too noticeable. It fits me just fine. So, now I've started another hat in Malabrigo for my brother and hopefully I'll have it done by the Super Bowl.

I also knit a scarf, but I want to block it out before I take pictures and I've been too lazy to get down on the floor and pin it all out. I've got this cold that will not go away, so my energy level is sort of bottomed out. But, I'm spending most of the weekend sleeping, so I'm hoping I'll sleep it away!

I've also done a little crocheting. Here's my progress on the Babette blanket:

I have a definite love/hate relationship with that project. Sometimes I look at it and think it's great and other times I think it's hideous. I definitely am a better knitter than crocheter.

I'm currently working on preemie hats for the annual January preemie hat collection. Here's my first:

Jeanne and Chelle have taken down their blog since last January, but there's a Ravelry group, so if you're interested in joining us this year, let me know and I'll point you in the right direction. I plan to heed President-Elect Obama's call to service for MLK Day and knit preemie hats.

Hey, it's 2009!

2009-01-11T11:13:00.003-06:00

Thanks for coming back again, friends! I hope everyone had wonderful holidays. I went back to South Dakota for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and enjoyed spending time with my family. I put in some overtime at work and did a lot of baking, but had to forgo the Christmas cards this year. I only had two knitted gifts this year. I gave the Little Bunny Foo Foo socks I knit last summer to my sister, Laura. She LOVED them and was really excited to get another pair of socks, so she'll be on my list again for next year. I also started but have not even yet completed a hat for my brother. Once I finish that up, I'll post a picture. I made a few other beaded jewelry items for gifts too, but I didn't take a picture of any of them.

Since it's been so long since I last posted, I have a lot to catch up on, so I guess I'll start with the movies. I saw a couple of foreign films:

In English, that's "A Christmas Tale". This film stars Catherine Deneuve as the matriarch of a pretty dysfunctional family. She has two sons and one daughter. The oldest son is played by Mathieu Amalric who starred in my favorite movie last year, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. He again plays a man who is deeply flawed and selfish. His sister has cut him out of her life and effectively the family after he's nearly bankrupt their family. After the mother finds out she has cancer and needs a blood marrow donation, he joins the family for Christmas when it turns out he's a match and could donate to her. All of the old grudges come out and the family seems to feel free to say whatever pops into their heads. It's very smartly written and well-acted, but that kind of mean, dark humor never sits well with me, so I admired it more than I liked it.

If you're in on the vampire bandwagon, this one is worth checking out. This is a Swedish film about a 12-year-old boy who is picked on and lonely until he makes a new friend one night outside his apartment building. Turns out his new friend is a vampire. It's a good mix of drama and "horror", though I think if you're a horror film nut, this isn't going to be scary enough for you. A lot of the film takes place at night (the vampire can't just walk around in the daylight, of course) and the snowy landscape, so it's really beautifully shot. There is a lot of suspense and some gruesome scenes, but it's not overly gorey.

I saw a few English-language movies, too:

This one is getting a lot of Oscar talk, but it's another film that I admired more than I liked. Kate Winslet plays a 40ish woman who has a summer-long affair with a 15 year old boy in the late 1950s Germany. Years later, the boy is a law student and is surprised to see his ex-lover is a defendant in a Nazi war criminal trial. Ralph Fiennes plays the grown up boy, struggling with his feelings about this relationship and how it has affected the rest of his relationships. The film also is showing three periods in German history - the post war period, the late 60s and the 90s. The film explores a lot of themes of guilt, too - personal guilt, community guilt. The cast does a wonderful job, especially Winslet with a character who could be very unsympathetic. I just didn't care about any of the characters as much as I felt like I should have. Also, I really wasn't comfortable with the way they portrayed the affair between Winslet and the teen boy. I guess it's my years as a Guardian ad Litem, but I just am not comfortable seeing that type of relationship as a plot device.

This was a film that I loved whole heartedly. Dustin Hoffman plays a guy who writes jingles, but he's quickly becoming irrelevant to his ad firm. His daughter is getting married in London, so he flies in for the wedding and meets Emma Thompson, a single woman who spends most of her time taking care of her mother. Both of them just perfectly capture the feelings of loneliness and isolation that you sometimes feel as an older single person. Yet somehow, miraculously, they find each other and spend an amazing day together. It's sort of a Before Sunrise movie for middle-aged people. Yeah, there's a lot of romantic comedy cliches, but there are also some real surprises. I would whole heartedly recommend this film for anyone that's been through a heartbreak or two.

I'm not quite as enthusiastic about Yes Man. I should caution that I'm not a huge fan of Jim Carrey. If you love his mad antics, I think you'll find this one quite satisfying. Carrey plays a guy who is still trying to get over his divorce and just barely makes through each day as a bank loan officer. His friends try to get him out and having fun, but he's resistent. Until he's talked into taking a self-improvement seminar and makes a commitment to say "Yes!" to everything life offers him. Because of his new optimism, he ends up meeting a charming young woman played by Zooey Deschanel. There are some funny parts, but in general I thought it was pretty predictable and bit too silly for me. I'm not sure what the line is between the silliness of Jim Carrey and the silliness of Will Ferrell, but for some reason Ferrell cracks me up and Carrey doesn't. I did really like Rhys Darby as Carrey's boss, though he's playing a character who is almost identical to Murray from Flight of the Conchords.

And last:

I'm sure you've heard plenty about this one. Brad Pitt plays Benjamin Button, a guy who is born as an elderly infant and ages backward throughout his life. Cate Blanchett plays his true love, who he meets in childhood, when he appears to be an old man. It could have been super creepy, but Pitt does such a great job of convincing you that this really is a young guy who just looks old, that you don't even think of it as an old man and young girl. The special effects that "age" Pitt in his younger years and make him look even younger as an older man are amazing. And he's ridiculously handsome when he actually looks his current age. It was a great, tragic love story. The special effects make the story believable but the acting makes it real.

There are a bunch more movies that I want to see still. I hate that it's always feast at this time of year and famine in spring. Next time, I'll update you on my knitting progress.

Movie Catchup

2008-11-11T16:26:00.003-06:00

Ok, you saw the little bit of knitting I did. I also didn't see that many movies. But the ones I did see were good:

OK, you know I love the Coen Brothers and my boyfriend George is in it, so what's not to like? George plays Harry, a Treasury agent who is having an affair with Tilda Swinton's character, who is married to Osborne Cox, played by John Malkovich, who has quit the CIA and is writing his "memoirs", except his notes are accidentally lost and found by Chad, a personal trainer played by Brad Pitt, who thinks he and his co-worker, Linda Lipsky, played by Frances McDormand, can use them to extort money from Osborne Cox, or maybe the Russians, so Linda can get plastic surgery because she's having an affair with Harry too. Yep, it's totally convoluted just like it sounds, and I thought it was hilariously funny. All of these characters are as idiotic as they sound, and yet I loved watching them. The acting and crisp writing are what set this film apart. I think whether you like it or not will depend on how much you like the Coen Brothers style. It's not Fargo, but it's still pretty good.

I thought W. was just ok. I wanted it to either be hilariously funny or deeply insightful, and it was neither. Most of the funny lines we already saw in Fahrenheit 9/11 or just in the nightly news. The story is familiar to almost everyone who watches the news, too. W. was a disappointment to his daddy and jealous of brother Jeb. He partied it up in his young adulthood, but then he found Laura and Jesus and changed his life. He and his cabinet were not too worried about the facts leading up to the war, because Cheney wanted to consolidate power and get access to oil in the middle east and Rove thought it would be just great for re-election time. Colin Powell was the lone voice of reason, but eventually was a good soldier and went along. Yep, I kinda knew all that. The movie goes back and forth between Bush's early adulthood and the lead up to Gulf War II. I'm not sure that style of editing/storytelling was especially effective. And there's not really anything else about the Bush administration - 9/11, the war itself, Katrina, etc. I think we're just too close to all of this to have any good perspective, too. So, overall, it didn't totally work for me. I did, however, think the acting was amazing. Josh Brolin is far, far too good looking to be W., but if you close your eyes, he sounds just like him. I think he really captured the essence of the man and makes him fairly sympathetic. Everyone else is great too. Thandie Newton does an over the top portrayal of Conde Rice, but for me it worked because it gave it a little comic relief. I'd say this is probably worth renting if you're into politics and interested in seeing the performances.

In English that's "I've Loved You So Long". Boy, I don't even want to say too much about what this is about, because I think it sort of ruins the film. I've read a couple of reviews and they've given away too much, I think. My advice would be to just trust me and go see the movie and don't read any reviews. The beauty of the film is you are introduced to Juliette, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, at the beginning of the film and you don't really know who she is or anything about her. She looks beat down, sad and lonely, so you know she must have a story. As the film goes on, you learn more and more about her story and it unfolds like a flower - as does Juliette. Kristin Scott Thomas gives an amazing performance and you're just sitting there, fascinated by this woman. It's a French movie, with subtitles, so if that's not your cup of tea, fair warning. But otherwise, I'd highly recommend checking this out.

I'm going with the banned poster on this post for a reason. If you are offended by that poster, this movie is not for you. If Seth Rogen's face makes you giggle a little, check it out. I'm not the biggest Kevin Smith fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Seth Rogen plays Zack and Elizabeth Banks plays Miri, lifelong friends and roommates who decide to make a little porno film in order to make some money to pay the rent and utilities. BTW, Elizabeth Banks also played Laura Bush in W., so that was quite a contrast in my mind! The film is really dirty and has Kevin Smith's usual fascination with bodily fluids, but I laughed pretty much the whole way through. It ended up being a very sweet romantic comedy, sort of in the Camp Apatow tradition.

This is another film that I don't want to say too much about so as not to ruin it. I'm going to describe the basic plot, and it's going to sound really cheesy and lame, but trust me when I say it's not. The movie is about a young Indian man, Jamal, who grew up on the streets of Bombay/Mumbai and then goes on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." There are flashbacks between Jamal's life and his appearance on the tv show. There are three actors who portray Jamal throughout the years and they all are really good. Directed by Danny Boyle, you really get to see what life is like for an orphan trying to make his way through Mumbai. There are all kinds of connections throughout the movie and the story itself is such that it could have been just unbelievable, but for me, it totally worked. I think Boyle flirted with the line between art and schlock, but never crossed it. Stay for the credits, which features a wonderful Bollywood dance sequence.

Yes, We Did!

2008-11-08T12:04:00.003-06:00

Amazing night, wasn't it? Sorry I've been absent for so long - I don't think I've ever gone over a month without a post before. This whole having a job thing really puts a crimp in my lifestyle :-) I spent most Saturdays doing some phone calling and doorknocking and Sundays with football, so I just haven't had a lot of time for blogging. They both paid off, though. We have a new President, and it's the one I wanted and I'm in first place in my fantasy football league. Yay and yay! I also was sick for a little while, but I'm feeling tip top now, so let's get back into the swing of things!

I have a ton of things to blog about, but let's go with the knitting this time, since this is supposed to be a knitting block. I finished up a couple more thing for the Knitters for Obama project:

A pair of socks from Woolease, and a matching hat:

The sock pattern was my own - one I cobbled together from a couple of other sources and measurements of Bill's feet. The hat is Ellen's Knit Hat and I really liked it a lot. If you're looking for a basic worsted weight hat pattern, I can recommend this one.

I was the collection point for the delivery of KFO goodies to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Vets. This is a great organization that does a lot of good stuff for our vets here in Minnesota, so if you're looking for a good organization to get involved with, I can't recommend them highly enough. I got a stack of hats:

scarves:

and washclothes and soap:

I had three big bags full of stuff to deliver, which was so much fun. They handed out a few of the items this week and it looks like the guys really enjoyed their new warm woolies!

I also finished up a pair of socks for myself:

Project Name: Froot Loop Socks
Pattern Source: Knitty, Spring 2008
Yarn: Chestnut Bay Fibers Galloping Colors in the Vikings colorway
Yarn Source: Chestnut Bay Fibers
Date Started: 8/30/08
Date Completed: 10/08 (I can't remember when I actually finished them)

Comments: I made these socks as part of a knitalong on the footballalong group on Ravelry. The colors are really beautiful and I can't capture them on my camera - it's a very true Vikings purple. The yarn is very soft and lovely, but it is a bit thin. I liked the pattern a lot. It's easy to memorize, but still interesting to knit. I think it would work better with a solid color and the darkest purples do swallow the texture, but I still like how it turned out. I liked the striped pooling of the colors and the variations kept the knitting interesting.

Update

2008-09-28T11:23:00.002-05:00

Now that it's officially fall, I'm keeping busy, but most of it is not really good blog material. It's election season, so I've been doing some volunteer work for the DFL and watching hours of political/news coverage. The debate was really fun to watch and I can't wait to see the VP debate this week. Most of my readers are progressives like me, so do what you can to make sure things change this time!

It's football season too. The Vikings have been pretty disappointing, but thank goodness they won last week or else I'd really be depressed. You feel like such a chump when you dump so much money into season tickets and then the games suck. My fantasy football teams are doing pretty well. I'm in first place in the league I care the most about, the one I've been in for the last 10 years that my brother is also in.

The new television season has started too. I haven't seen anything new yet, but it's good to see some old favorites return. With the writer's strike last year, it's been a while for some of these shows, and I'm happy to see them. I'll do my usual fall tv post in about a month or so.

With all that extra tv watching, I have been doing some knitting. I finished up the first of my Vikings Froot Loop socks:

The yarn (Chestnut Bay Fibers) is a little thinner than I'd like, so I hope these don't wear out too quickly. I didn't want to mess around with changing the numbers in the pattern, so the gauge isn't as firm as I'd normally like. They do fit very nicely though.

I'm also knitting one more pair of socks for the Knitters for Obama drive.

I'm using Woolease for this pair and am almost up to the toe right now on this first one. I'm starting to collect stuff for the Minnesota group now, so I should be able to finish up the pair in time for my delivery to the Veteran's group.

And finally I'm doing a knitalong on the Elsebeth Lavold Ravelry group. I decided to make the Borghild sweater in a Silky Tweed I had in my stash:

I love this yarn. Soft and silky and also just gorgeous. It's gray and cloudy today, so I couldn't get a good shot of it without the flash and the flash overexposed it, so hopefully next time. But it's a lovely green with flecks of orange.

Show and Tell

2008-09-18T18:02:00.002-05:00

I had a special request to see that necklace I'm wearing in the Mr. Greenjeans photo, so here it is:

I did not make it, but I got it at a craft fair last year. It's actually two-sided:

I love the colors on that side - the bright blues and golds are gorgeous. But I actually wear the other side quite a bit because it matches some tealish blues that I wear occasionally and don't have any other matching jewelery. I thought it was really a good value to get two pieces of jewelry in one!

Since I'm sharing, here's some stuff that I did make. Last weekend I made my yearly trip to the Scrapfest. Every year this event gets more and more popular. The lines for the make and takes were out of control. So, I took my classes and did fewer make and takes this year, so I have fewer completed projects and more works in progress, since the classes are only 45 minutes long, so you can't finish most things:

There's a couple of small books, some pages, some cards and a couple of other random stuff. I'm not sure I'll go back again next year. I do like the classes, but the crowds are just not fun for me. I took a vacation day to go Friday and it was super fun to sleep in and be off of work, though.

I'm also doing a knitalong for the Football Along group on Ravelry:

As I said when I first posted this yarn purchase, this isn't really blue, it's actually a beautiful purple. They're actually the perfect Vikings colors. I really like this yarn - it's from Chestnut Bay Fibers. It's very thin, but the fabric is nice. Very soft and cushy. The pattern is the Froot Loops pattern. It's an easy one to memorize and it keeps things interesting. Obviously, a solid yarn would show off the pattern better, but I actually don't mind the pooling look on these. Here's a close up:

FO

2008-09-17T17:52:00.002-05:00

Actually, I have two FOs! Exciting, huh?

Project Name: Mr. Greenjeans
Pattern Source: Knitty, Fall 2007
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Peru in Thraven Colorway
Yarn Source: Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth
Date Started: 5/25/08
Date Completed: 9/7/08

Comments: This sweater didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. I definitely think the top half is too big and the bottom half is about right. I should have adjusted the pattern and knit a smaller size on top. Or really, I should have started the cabled rib earlier so it start right under my bustline, like the pattern shows, instead of at my waist. I may try throwing it in the wash and see if I can shrink it down a little bit.

The pattern was pretty clear and easy to follow, although I did have trouble at the very beginning. The number of cast on stitches and the number of stitches in the set up row didn't seem to be the same, so I just adjusted on the back. I did adjust the measurements a little bit. I knit more of the cabled rib portion because I didn't want the sweater to fall right at my widest part and I wanted it to be more in balance with the top stockinette portion. I think if I had started the cable rib earlier, I wouldn't have had to lengthen it. I have short arms, so I didn't change the length on those, but they end up being regular long sleeves on me instead of bracelet length as shown on the pattern.

I had plenty of yarn left over, even with the longer length. The yarn has a very nice, soft feel although the alpaca is a little itchy to my very sensitive skin.I wore a tank top underneath and it wasn't too uncomfortable. I originally sewed a pretty pewter toned button on, but I didn't like how it looked like it was pulling, so I sewed the buttonhole shut and I'm going to use this brooch to fasten it closed.

Here's the back view:

and

Project Name: Veteran's Socks/Obama Socks
Pattern Source: I sort of mixed the Knit to Fit Ankle or Calf Socks pattern by Nancy Lindberg, the Ragg Hiker pattern from 2-at-a-time Socks, and my own random choices to create the pattern
Yarn: Plymouth Encore
Yarn Source: Knittin From the Heart
Date Started: 8/12/08
Date Completed: 9/12/08

Comments: These were knit for the Knitters for Obama group. They are being donated to a Homeless Veterans shelter here in Minnesota. I really love this color of Encore - it's a beautiful chocolate brown with flecks of blue. Hopefully they will keep some veteran's feet really warm this winter. If you are interested in knitting some worsted weight men's socks, I'd be happy to send you my final pattern.

Mid-Day Post!!

2008-09-04T15:13:00.002-05:00

Hey, look at me! Blogging in the middle of the day, just like old times. Things have turned weird in the sleepy town of St. Paul. Things may get dicey with the last day of the convention today, so I was able to leave work early and get out of Dodge. Well, sort of, since I live in St. Paul too.

The other plus side of having the convention in town is that I got to go to a taping of The Daily Show on Tuesday. It was really fun to see how a show like that is put together and see Jon Stewart interacting with the staff and how much he gets into even the taped bits. It was really great. I had to stand in line for about 4 hours beforehand, but it was worth it.

Afterwards, a big protest with about 2,000 people was right outside of the theater. They kept us in the theater for about 10 - 15 minutes and then if we wanted to leave, we could go out the back door and take the risk ourselves of something happening. I figured it would be best to get out while I could, so I did. It's weird to see so many cops all around downtown St. Paul. Cops in riot gear, cops on bikes, cops on horse. I was parked on the other side of the crowd, so I headed around to circle around and be able to get in front of them. There was a big group of police officers strapping on gas masks and then rushing right at me, but luckily I got through and got to the car and out. One of my friends who left after I did ended up getting maced and the biggest clash between the police and protesters happened right in front of the parking ramp my brother used, so I was glad we left when we did.

While I was waiting in line, I finished up the first of the socks I'm knitting for the Knitters for Obama group:

I cancelled my sock club membership and joined a new one - the Artsygal Sock Club. Here's the July selection:

I love this yarn! It's a merino superwash and is super soft. The red semi-solid is really beautiful too. I think it'll be great for some sort of textured pattern.

The August selection was a bit different:

This one is a mix of bamboo, merino and nylon. The colors are a little more subdued than I'm usually attracted to, but I do like the pretty sheen of the bamboo with the softness of the merino.

End of Summer

2008-08-31T11:21:00.003-05:00

I know it's not officially the end of summer yet, but Labor Day weekend always feels like the end of summer - the State Fair closes, school starts, football starts for real and the days are getting shorter and cooler. I love fall and I'm excited about it, but I'm also a little sad because this summer just zipped by and I don't feel like I made the most of it.

Another sure sign of the end of summer - the end of Summer of Socks. I finished up my second pair:

Project Name: Silk and Cashmere Ankle Socks
Pattern Source: Handmaiden Website
Yarn: Handmaiden 4 Ply Silk Cashmere in Sangria Colorway
Yarn Source: Simply Socks Yarn Company
Date Started: 7/27/08
Date Completed: 8/28/08

Comments: These are so incredibly soft and warm! I started with the pattern linked above, but I decided to skip the yarnovers on the edge and just do ribbing. Then I decided to carry the ribbing all the way down the top of the foot. This yarn has very little elasticity because neither silk nor cashmere do, so it probably won't stay huggy ribby very long, but I do like how it fits. After I finished the socks, I still had a ton of yarn left, so I undid the cast on and knit another inch on the legs, so the middle of the legs shift 1/2 a stitch. I still had yarn leftover at the end, so I probably should have just knit toe up socks, but at only 170m, I didn't think I'd have that much yarn. This is a gorgeous, special yarn and I'd definitely buy it again for a special project.

I had hoped to knit three pair of socks, but since it usually takes me about a month to knit a pair of socks, 2.5 pairs is about right for the time period. I'm also almost done with the first sock of my Obama Veterans knitting socks.

I also did a little beading. As I mentioned before, I got the Kit of the Month club from The Bead Monkey for my friend Florence for Hannukah last year and we try to get together periodically to do our kits together. Here's the latest:

Once again, it's really hard to get a good picture of your own wrist. There's a better picture of the kit at the link above. This project looks deceptively simple, but it's actually a bit complicated to keep the wires straight so you get the pattern right, without it looking like a big mess of wire. I finally got a system going and once I figure that out, it went pretty quickly. We also worked on another project, but that one required some time to set, so I'll show that one once we get it all finished.

I saw this film this weekend:

I always feel like I have to start reviews of Woody Allen films by saying I'm a huge fan. He seems to be one of those directors who either appeals to you or he doesn't and he definitely is one of my favorites. By the same token, I should also say that I don't like ScarJo. Obama supporter or not, she annoys me whenever I see her on film. I do think she's less annoying in Woody's films, which is good since she seems to be his muse these days. I still think she's a wooden actress and her performance in this film was no exception. She plays Cristina, an American in Barcelona with her best friend, Vicky. Cristina is an artsy, free-thinking woman who is always vaguely dissatisfied and searching for something better, especially in the love department. Vicky is her opposite in all ways, visually and temperamentally. Vicky is decisive and knows exactly what she wants and has her whole future, including her impending marriage to Doug, mapped out. Vicky and Cristina meet Juan Antonio, played by Javier Bardem at his most sexy and sultry, a Spanish artist known for his tempestuous relationship and divorce from his ex-wife, Maria Elena, played by Penelope Cruz. With a cast like that, there's a lot of sexy on the screen and your eyes just drink it in. The story of how these people interact and what they're looking for in love and in life is really interesting. It's not a laugh a minute and it's not earth shaking drama, but it's really well made and I loved spending every minute with this group.

I also finished up a book:

A friend of mine read this book for book club and now that I'm living the cubicle/office life, it sounded intriguing. I'm so glad I picked it up. It's about a group of people who work at an advertising agency that is slowly going down the tubes. It takes place in 2001, before 9/11, and everyone is gripped by the fear that they're going to be the next one laid off (which they call "Walking Spanish down the hall, from a Tom Waits song). The book is narrated in a first person plural voice - meaning it's not one person telling the story, but the whole group. It's an interesting device and I really thought it worked well. The book starts off very light and very funny - I could definitely see my coworkers and our office life in the characters and action. It gradually gets a little darker and more serious and there's a big shift toward the middle, where the middle section changes to one person's story. Then the last portion goes back to the third person plural narration and office story, but things aren't so light and funny any more. It's really different and I really enjoyed it. Even though the story is told through the voice of the collective, you get to know each of the people that work in the office, too, and they seem very real. The details are all spot on and really stay with you. If you've ever worked in an office, I really think you'd enjoy this book.

Catching Up

2008-08-24T11:15:00.003-05:00

Oh good heavens! I didn't realize how long it's been since my last blog entry, until I sat down to see where I last left off. This summer is speeding by so quickly!! What have I been up to since then? Finished up with the Fringe Festival. I saw some more really great shows and a couple of groaners. I thought I'd really miss not having the ultrapass this year, but I still saw 15 shows and that felt pretty ok. So, maybe next year I'll skip the ultrapass again. I believe the Fringe starts the day after I return from my big trip, so I probably won't feel much like running around town anyway.

I saw Keb' Mo' again. He was just as silky smooth as I remembered. Such an attractive, talented guy. The show was at the MN Zoo Ampitheater and I may be getting too old for that venue. There was an opening act and after three hours with no support, my back was killing me. It's so pretty and the sound is so good, though.

I spent the rest of that weekend at the Irish Fair. It was such a gorgeous weekend, just perfect! I worked a couple of the ticket booths, but most of my time was spent in the volunteer tent, helping coordinate all the volunteers, so I had plenty of time for knitting and whipped up these washcloths for the Knitters for Obama drive:

I went out to the State Fair and enjoyed all of the gorgeous work on display there. As I do every year, I vowed to learn how to do rughooking because I love those pieces. I managed to not buy any yarn there this year, but I did get my annual pair of fleece lined slippers, so I'm all ready for the cool weather now.

I did get this yarn in the mail:

It's another Obama fundraising yarn (100% of the profits go to the Obama campaign) from C*eye*ber Fiber. This colorway is called Fired Up and it's gorgeous!!

I saw a couple of movies, too:

I was disappointed in this one. I am a huge Will Ferrell fan and I even liked Semi-Pro, but this one was just not that good. There were some funny moments, and I do have to admit I was in a theater with only a couple of other people and they weren't laughing, so if there had been more people there laughing it up or if I had been alone and could have felt more comfortable just laughing out loud whenever, I may have done so. As you've probably heard by now, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play 40 year old men who are still living at home - Will with his mom and John with his dad. The mom and dad get married, so the two men have to live together and blended families are even more difficult with men who suffer arrested development, I suppose. Since I'm 40 myself, I just had little patience for two characters who were so annoying and ridiculous. The laughs weren't that huge and the ending was played much more straight and cheesy than one would expect from the first half of the movie. I'd say rent it if you love Ferrell, but otherwise, don't bother.

I liked this film much more:

This is a French thriller based on a mystery novel by Harlan Coben, an American author. I haven't read the book, so I'm not sure how different they are, but the film is really well done. It was really suspenseful and kept me guessing all the way to the end. It really has the feel of a Hitchcock film, so if you're a fan of that type of film, you must see this. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, so I'll just say it's about a pediatrician whose wife is killed one night while they're at their lake house. Eight years later, new evidence surfaces that may implicate the doctor in his wife's murder and he starts to wonder if she is even dead at all.

Making Progress/Fringing

2008-08-02T09:55:00.002-05:00

I started another pair of socks for Summer of Socks:

I wanted something a little more quick to knit up this time, so these are in a sport-weight yarn on size US2.5 needles. And they're ankle socks. Because I only have one skein - Handmaiden Silk and Cashmere. Oh, it's lovely, lovely stuff. So soft and pretty. But way too expensive to make full sized legs. So far, I'm enjoying it immensely.

I also am making progress on my Mr. Greenjeans sweater:

I'm a little worried about the fit on this one. I know, it's a top down knit, how could I not have tried it on a million times to make sure it was just right as I went along? Because I'm lazy, that's why. I tried it on a few times and just ignored that little voice in my head. Which I'm going to continue to do. Yes, I am an idiot. The proportions look ok in that photo, but on me, the cabled rib section starts too low. I am pretty long waisted, so I should have stopped the stockinette and started the cable rib earlier. Oh well, we'll see how it looks when it's all done. I started the first sleeve. This is a little hard to knit right now because it's so dang hot in my house and it's a very hot and heavy piece of knitting to have sitting on my lap.

I forgot to mention last time that I saw this guy in concert again:

As always, he and the Heartbreakers put on a great show. They've been around for over 30 years and it's amazing how many hits they've had during that time. And they seem to still like playing those songs. The crowd was really into it too. I kind of liked the lighting/displays they did. There was a big cone-shaped video display and some big screens across the top of the stage and a lot of different videos and lights throughout. It was just kind of interesting. If you're into that kind of thing, here's the setlist:

1. You Wreck Me
2. Listen to Her Heart
3. I Won’t Back Down
4. Even the Losers
5. Free Fallin
6. Mary Jane
7. End of the Line (Traveling Wilburys)
8. Breakdown
9. Saving Grace
10. A Face in the Crowd
11. Honey Bee
12. Learning to Fly
13. Don’t Come Around Here No more.
14. Refugee

ENCORE 15. Runnin’ Down a Dream
16. Gloria (Van Morrison)
17. American Girl.

The Fringe Festival has started again, so I've been spending most of my free time on that since Thursday. I didn't get an Ultrapass this year because next week I've got a lot of other stuff going on, so I'll only be seeing about half the number of shows I saw last year. I still highly recommend you check out a show or two if you have any interst in live theater at all. Here's what I've seen so far:

Boys Don't Make Passes At Girls Who Wear Glasses
This is a two-person show by two perennial Fringe favorites - Laura Bidgood and Curt Lund. They stand behind a music stand and tell stories, sometimes together and sometimes individually. This year's show is about what is it means to be a nerd, especially in the romance department. As always, very funny and relatable.

An Intimate Evening with Fotis: Part Two
The sequel to Mike Fotis' one-man show last year. He sits at a table and reads stories of his life in a forceful, rapid-fire style. So, so funny. This year I felt like he was talking about my life. One story was about his deep fear of bats, another his love of Tom Petty's music and the last was about the power of his blogging to mete out social justice.

Tipping the Bucket
This is a one-woman show, by another Fringe Favorite, Allegra Lingo. This year's show is about her search for spiritual meaning and eventual conversion to Catholicism, even though she's a lesbian. As always, she's a great storyteller and her pacing and the movements and music she includes in the show are very well-done, I had a hard time connecting to the material.

An Inconvenient Squirrel
My old favorite, Joe Scrimshaw. I've sung his praises often enough in this space that it's probably no surprise to hear that I loved this show. What is surprising, is that I also found it not only funny, but completely charming. This is a family show and the kids in the audience I saw it with loved it. It's about how the squirrels have names that reflect who they are and how one squirrel isn't sure exactly who he is, so he doesn't want to be labeled just yet. The lead squirrel is played by frequent Scrimshaw collaborator, Tim Uren. Joe plays a number of other squirrels, with my favorite being Thespian Squirrel. Dan Rooney also gives a fantastic performance as Socially Awkward Squirrel. I'd love to take my nephew to see this one.

Boom
This is a one-man show, but it's not storytelling, it's a play with Andrew Connor playing all of the parts. Connor is half of The Cody Rivers Show, a troop I just loved last year and am looking forward to seeing again tonight. Connor's work in this show is amazing. It's a sharply written satire commenting on how our government is selling out to corporate interests and how devastating it is for our community and its citizens. But it's also really funny. Connor's performance is as good as his writing. The way he quickly moves from one character to the next, making each one distinct and fully realized is a sight to behold. He obviously isn't making any makeup or costume changes, but I could literally SEE the difference between the characters.

FO!

2008-07-28T18:19:00.003-05:00

I finally finished my first pair of Summer of Socks socks:

Project Name: Leyburn Socks
Designer: Mintyfresh
Pattern Source: Pepperknit Blog
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug
Yarn Source: Needlework Unlimited
Date Started: 6/21/08
Date Completed: 7/27/08

Comments: I like these socks quite a bit. The pattern is kind of neat and easy to knit. I was afraid about the fit, because it doesn't have much stretch, but they fit me perfectly. It is my first time knitting with Jitterbug and I really like it. Beautiful colors and very soft. I had only a small ball of yarn left, so if you have larger feet or want long legs, you may want to pick up an extra skein. It was also my first time knitting with Knitpicks Harmony needles and I love them too! Very smooth wood with a nice sharp tip, but not as hard on my hands as the Knitpicks Options DPNs. Here's the obligatory sole to sole pose:

and a top view:

I also saw this last weekend:

Let me start by saying I'm a HUGE X-Files fanatic. Like, top five all time favorite show fanatic. I love, love, love Mulder and Scully. So from that point of view, I enjoyed the movie. Duchovny and Anderson slipped right back into their old roles and it was thrilling seeing them interact and hearing some of the old dialog. The story itself was decent, though a bit out there (no pun intended). There is nothing from the alien mythology of the show in the film - it's a stand alone monster episode. It was like a pretty decent episode of the show. But I really would have loved it more if it had explored the mythology and continued from the first film. I'm sure they wanted to draw in people who didn't watch the show and make it watchable to that audience. They were fairly successful - I think you could enjoy it as a summer matinee if you'd never seen the show before and had no idea who these characters were. But if you're in that position, I don't think it's anything special. Not bad, but not fantastic either. I think this will be last X-Files movie, because there were a grand total of 12 people in the theater I saw the film on opening night. Not good box office. I guess it's time for me to put away all those X-Files action figures, books, trading cards and posters for the last time....

More of the same

2008-07-20T17:20:00.003-05:00

More knitting for KFO group done, this time a ballband washcloth:

I also finished up a pair of socks, but it doesn't count as part of the official Summer of Socks total because they've been in progress for quite a while:

Project Name: Feather and Fan Socks
Designer: Judy Sumner
Pattern Source: Socks, Socks, Socks
Yarn: Panda Wool
Yarn Source: Needlework Unlimited
Date Started: 5/10/07
Date Completed: 7/17/08

Comments: These were my "car knitting" project for the last year (knitting I keep in the trunk of my car for when I need something to work on when I'm out and about). As you may recall, I've been working my way through the Socks, Socks, Socks book. I knit them mostly at CLEs and watching the kids at the park on Tuesday nights. These are constructed a little differently than your basic sock and I think they fit pretty well. It was my first time using Panda Wool and I really liked it. Very soft, but the bamboo gives it a little shine. I bought three skeins because the balls are pretty small, but with the lace pattern and my preference for 4" legs, I only needed two balls. I would definitely use this yarn again, either for socks or for baby garments.

and the obligatory sole-to-sole shot:

I also saw one of the films I've been looking forward to all summer long:

It lived up to my expectations. As you've probably heard, it's the sequel to Batman Begins, with Christian Bale returning as Batman and Heath Ledger as The Joker. Gary Oldman returns as James Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. Besides Joker, we get Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. There was one cast change - Maggie Gyllenhal takes over for Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. I mention everyone because this truly is an ensemble effort. Of course it's a Batman movie and Batman/Bruce Wayne are the lead and Joker is the primary villain, but you really get a lot true ensemble scenes and really, really strong performances all around. Oldman is exactly as I pictured/heard Lt. Gordon when I read "Batman: Year One". Bale is fantastic as the dark and depressed Batman as well as the playboy cad putting on a show for the world, Bruce Wayne. But the most amazing performance is of course, Heath Ledger at The Joker. He's just incredible. You don't want him to ever leave the screen, because he's magnetic every time he's on there. It's pretty much a lock that he'll be nominated for an Academy Award, but I really wouldn't be surprised to see the film nominated as well. It's really a good, gripping movie that's got some great special effects, but is also intellectually satisfying. If the lead characters weren't in a bat costume and crazy makeup, this would still be a fantastic action thriller. I also have to warn the parents out there. It's pretty dark, violent and scary. I think if it wasn't a Batman movie, it'd be rated R instead of PG-13. I think it's probably too intense for younger kids and borderline for 10-13 year olds, depending on how sensitive your child is. This Batman is about as far away as you can get from the old Batman tv show and even most of the previous Batman movies.

Knitting and Wall-E

2008-07-16T18:10:00.003-05:00

I finished another piece for the Knitters for Obama, but this time it's part of another KFO project:

Project Name: South Dakota Square (50-State Afghan)
Designer: Rhonda White
Pattern Source: http://www.knittingknonsense.com/people_places.html
Yarn: Vanna's Choice
Yarn Source: Another KFO knitter
Date Started: 7/5/08
Date Completed: 7/12/08

Comments: This is my contribution to the 50-State Afghan, which is going to be a prize in a fundraising drawing by the Knitters for Obama group on Ravelry. There are a ton of fantastic prizes, so if you're so inclined, the details are here.

I've also finished the first of my Leyburn socks:

and here's the side, heel view:

This pattern isn't super stretchy, but it fits me perfectly. You increase once you start the legs since you have the pattern stitch all the way around, but it also made it much wider than the foot, so I was a little worried it would be too big and droopy. But my thick calves came in handy - it fits exactly as I would want it to fit.

I finally got to see the movie that's been raved about so much, too:

Everyone else has probably already seen it, so I won't get into too much detail, but a quick synopsis - Wall-E is that adorable robot. He seems to be alone on Earth (except for his indestructible pet cockroach) after it's been abandoned by us human after we trashed the place like a rockstar in a hotel room. He's eventually joined by another robot, Eve, and they end up both joining the humans on their endless vacation. I absolutely adored this movie. It's funny, sad, exciting, wise, everything you want in a film. It's absolutely gorgeous. The animation is so detailed and beautiful that there were times where I completely forgot it was animated. I really wanted to get into Wall-E's "room" and look through all the little bins of things he had found and saved. Even though Wall-E never says a word and is a machine, you could completely read his every thought and emotion (and he definitely had both). If you haven't seen this yet, please do. I really think it's a movie that's begging to be seen on the big screen so you could truly appreciate the beauty of the animation.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-06T14:11:00.003-05:00

The celebrating continued this weekend with my sister and nephew and her mom coming up to visit me. We had a fantastic day on the 4th. We went to a carnival in Richfield (where my brother lives) and enjoyed a beautiful sunny day. Jason and Greg were having some high powered discussions that I wasn't privvy to:

Jason is getting so big! He can even walk all by himself now:

And he enjoyed going on a few rides with his mommy - including this big slide:

I think Michael liked the rides better than Jason, though. He's still a little too young to really think it's neat. We all got plenty of sun and junk food, but we saved room for a nice birthday dinner for Greg and I (just like the old days. My brother's birthday is today, so we often had joint birthday parties with the family over the 4th of July). After dinner we cooled off in the pool:

We capped off the evening watching the great fireworks at the Taste of Minnesota. Kim and Kerry were staying in the Crowne Plaza in downtown St. Paul, so we were able to enjoy the fireworks from the air conditioned comfort of the hotel room and sip on a few cocktails, too. It was a fantastic day.

I didn't knit much on the 4th, but yesterday I finished up a scarf that I'm knitting for the Knitters for Obama project:

Project Name: Striped Scarf
Designer: Lion Brand
Pattern Source: lionbrand.com
Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun
Yarn Source: Probably Joann's or Michael's
Date Started: 6/7/08
Date Completed: 7/5/08

Comments: We are knitting warm winter wear for homeless veterans in several key election states. I had these two colors left over from another project and thought they looked ok together and appropriately manly. The darker blue knits up at a slightly smaller gauge than the lighter blue, which is annoying. I thought about changing needles for each color, but decided it wasn’t a big enough problem to have to remember to do that, as I’d invariably forget to change at least half the time.

One of the states we are knitting for is Minnesota, so if you're interested in contributing something, let me know. I'm going to be the coordinator, gathering up all the knitted or crocheted goodies and delivering them to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.

Forty is Fun

2008-07-02T17:37:00.002-05:00

Last weekend Greg, Michael and I went to the Star Wars exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota:

We all really enjoyed it. There are a lot of artifacts from the Star Wars movies:

That's (of course) R2-D2 and Princess Leia's costume from the beginning of the first movie. There are also really fun activities and games to play:

That one was an activity where you build a vehicle that uses magnets to travel from point to point. Very cool and very fun. I'd highly recommend the exhibit if you're a fan of the movies or just like science. We also saw the IMAX movie about Special Effects. It's ok, but not one of the best Imax films I've ever scene. It's a bit dated since it was made a few years ago and there are so many more great FX techniques now.

Then yesterday was my 40th birthday. I had one day a few weeks ago where I kind of freaked out and thought 40 sounded really old, but the panic passed after a couple of hours and otherwise it really hasn't been that big of a deal for me. I guess I'm just pretty satisfied with where I'm at with my life now, so getting older doesn't seem like anything major. There's something about the mid-decades that are harder for me. At 25 I was the most freaked out about where I was and how my life was turning out. At 35 I had a little adjustment to realize that the picture I made for myself and how I thought my life would be wasn't going to be the same. But by now I've come to terms with my life choices and how things turned out and I really am pretty happy with everything. I guess we'll see where I'm at when I'm 45 :-)

I wasn't even sure whether to post about it, but I had to share the big surprise I had. I got up and got ready for work as usual in the morning. I walked out the door, thinking about what was on my schedule, etc. and I catch sight of a man in a suit standing right outside the door:

I'll admit I was really startled and frightened at first because he looked so lifelike and I thought maybe someone was stalking me, but after a second I noticed the face and realized it wasn't REALLY Barack Obama delivering some birthday balloons, just a life size cardboard cutout. Then I started laughing. It was fantastic! Thanks, Kerry - you got me good!

She also gave me a beautiful birthday cake tape measure for my collection:

And some of my co-workers had a real cake for me:

Yes, one of my co-workers calls me "Nae" for short, or sometimes Nae Nae. We're a little silly in our office sometimes.

I also had a gorgeous present from Deb sitting on my desk when I came in:

She hand-dyed some gorgeous merino sock yarn for me. My problems capturing purple on my camera are well-documented in this space, so I won't bore you again, but trust me, it's a gorgeous purple color. That birthday cake also had purple and yellow flowers, not blue.

After work I had a fun little party over at Senor Wong's with a bunch of people from work and some other friends. I really had a great time - it was so nice to feel so celebrated and loved all day long.

Another new project

2008-06-28T10:14:00.003-05:00

I haven't knit a sweater for myself in a while, so I decided it was time to do that again:

It's the Mr. Greenjeans sweater from Knitty. I'm using some Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarn called Peru. It's an alpaca, merino, silk blend that I just love. Very soft and cushy. The colorway I'm using is one of the Raven colorways called Thraven. So far I'm happy with how it's going.

I got to see a sneak preview of Alex Gibney's newest documentary this week:

For those who aren't familiar with Hunter S. Thompson, he was a writer, best known for creating what is known as Gonzo Journalism. He's most associated with his columns for Rolling Stone magazine and his books such as "Fearing and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail." Thompson inserted himself into his stories, becoming a part of the story, and wrote from his own personal perspective. I guess you could say he was the first "imbedded reporter". He took vast quantities of drugs and injected outlandish fiction into his stories. The film does a great job of looking at Thompson's life, from his early days riding with the Hell's Angels for a controversial book he wrote about the group, through his peak writing for Rolling Stone and travelling with George McGovern during the 1972 presidential election, through his final decision to commit suicide after Bush was re-elected in 2004. Johnny Depp sort of narrates the film by reading passages from Thompson's work, and there are tons of interviews with his two wives and son, writing colleagues such as Tom Wolfe, Douglas Brinkley and Jann Wenner, and political figures such as George McGovern, Jimmy Carter and Pat Buchanan. It's highly entertaining and again shows how the more things change, the more they seem the same - the late 60s seem so similar to the period we're in now. I really wish Thompson was around now to write about this election. I think he would have loved Barack Obama. I also have to say I loved the soundtrack. The film uses the music of the era - huge hits that everyone knows - to punctuate what's happening on screen. I guess it's sort of like a movie I don't like, Forrest Gump, but I liked the wink Gibney seems to give in the song choices.

Happy Summer!

2008-06-25T18:13:00.002-05:00

Well, it's officially summer and it sure feels like it around here. It's sunny and warm and humid. I've been partaking in the usual summer activities, too. Sunday we went to a baseball game:

Ben's team got to run onto the field with the Saints and participate in warm ups and such:

Ben's #13. The rest of us got to sit back and enjoy the game.

Even though the Saints lost, I wasn't too sad because they lost to the Sioux Falls Canaries and I still feel loyalty to my hometown. Plus, I got to sit outside and knit and watch baseball - how fun is that?

Summer also means Summer of Socks. On Saturday I cast on for my first (hopefully not only) pair of the KAL:

These are the Leyburn socks knit in Colinette Jitterbug. The colorway is Kingfisher and this picture doesn't do it justice. It looks just black and blue in that picture but there's a wide variety of purples and some green in there too. I really love it. It's my first time using Jitterbug and I really like it. It feels nice and soft and I like the fabric it makes.

And because summer is so short, I also picked up this yarn:

It's a Minnesota Vikings colorway from Chestnut Bay Fibers. The picture again doesn't capture the purple very well. It's a true Vikings purple, though. The yarn is a superwash merino and it feels so soft and cushy. I'm putting this one away until football starts in the fall again, though. Chestnut Bay will dye any team colors for you, so if you're foolish enough to support a sports team other than the Vikings and want some yarn of your own, check them out!

Reviews

2008-06-19T17:28:00.002-05:00

I saw a couple of movies last week. First was:

It was pretty good. Not as good as Iron Man, but not bad. Edward Norton has finally won me over. The first movie I saw him in was Primal Fear. He got incredible reviews and was touted as the next big thing. I thought he was just ok. Overrated. But over time, he's really won me over. I've really liked him in The Illusionist, The Painted Veil and this film, so he's officially off my list of actors who kind of bug me. Norton plays Bruce Banner, who everyone probably knows turns into The Incredible Hulk because of his exposure to high levels of gamma rays. There were little nods to the tv show, which I was a huge fan of back in the day, and the comic books, which I really liked. I felt like it was just a little too much action, though. Tim Roth plays Blonsky, who turns into The Abomination. The climactic battle scene between the Hulk and the Abomination felt like a rip off of the Transformers battle scene from last summer's movie - or like Godzilla, as my brother pointed out. It just wasn't all that interesting to me and the movie felt like it dragged out. If you're a fan of super heroes, comic books and big action films, I'd say check it out. If that stuff isn't your cup of tea, skip this, but go check out Iron Man - I'm telling you, it's a great movie!

The other movie I saw was this:

I didn't care for this one. I really wanted to like it. I've been a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan. I liked Signs and The Village even though I may be one of the few. Didn't see the last one. I checked out the reviews for this one and some of my favorite critics liked it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The writing was just terrible. If you sit and think about the plot and what happens for any amount of time, the whole thing just falls apart. And I've been a big Mark Wahlberg fan, but he sounded so wooden and stiff reciting these incredibly lame lines. The idea was pretty good - some sort of biological disaster is causing people to kill themselves. The opening sequence where you first see something taking hold of people and them killing themselves is pretty scary and creepy. But then it all sort of unravels. There were a few moments of suspense, but it really wasn't very scary or suspenseful and I don't blame him for not wanting to be a one-trick pony, but there isn't some sort of trick twist ending, either.

And I finished up a book:

I've heard so many great recommendations for this series and I finally picked up the first one. The main character is Stephanie Plum, a woman who becomes a bouny hunter because she really doesn't have many other choices. Her first assignment is to capture Joe Morelli, a former cop accused of murder who also happens to be sort of an ex-boyfriend. Plum is a great character and the writing and pace of the story are great. The mystery kept me guessing most of the way through the book and I liked how everything got wrapped up. I'm assuming Morelli makes his way into future novels, and I'll be looking forward to reading his, Stephanie's and her family's further adventures.