ĭn'də-strē

hey pretty

home day! well...except I'm not going home as I'm staying up at camp for the weekend. It will give me plenty of knitting time and an excuse to organize my bunk. I haven't driven my car in over 2 months (that's incredible, seriously) so I'm just itchin' to go for a drive. I want to drive my car so badly that I've been dreaming about it the past few nights. Just me, my car, ipod, smokes, coffee and a highway under my wheels; bliss. Time and space to just get away and think without the hassles of airports and taxis. I hear they have a yarn shop in Fort McMurray so perhaps there will be a destination afterall ;)

Below are my colours that a spoke about a few posts ago. In trying to find a balance between knitting and wearing neutrals, I have this cheat sheet of sorts when considering coloured yarn. Kinda cool actually and no orange. Even the fates agree I look terrible in orange. The card does have fancy Pantone colour names but I still have to add them. I'm not against wearing colours but if I knit something colourful it would have to be for a specific reason; ie, a hoodie that goes with the majority of my colourful thinkgeek t-shirts.

go gently

well...well, it seems to be 2009. Happy New Year. Let's hope January disappears quickly. I had a shitty New Year's eve but then, I do every year. Januarys are not good to me. Either I suffer some shitty personal drama or else, someone I care about dies. This year so far it's been shitty personal drama. yes by.

I love living in St. John's. Sorry there has been no photos. I left my compact flash card in Alberta. I went to the Sony store yesterday to buy one and the clerk wanted to charge me $250 for one 8GB card. I politely told him to go pound salt. I'll probably resort to taking pictures with my camera phone.

I like my apartment and I found out I can own a dog!! holy shit! I can own a dog!! Plus I can paint the walls so that got me even more excited :) Of course, I can't own a dog right now due to working up in Alberta, but when I find a job here, I will get a beautiful Siberian Husky puppy (and name her Charlie).

I was going to go to the local yarn shop but sighed deeply and didn't bother. They don't sell any luxury yarns or yarns that I like to knit with. meh. When I get back to Alberta, I'll order some yarn. Until then I have plenty of knitting to keep me busy.

In December, I received a recognition award from the client for the work I did on our recently completed project. It included a $50 gift certificate to Canadian Tire. Combined with the $14 in Canadian Tire money I had saved up, I was able to score a toaster and a small coffee maker. I also bought a Ralph Lauren knitted cable blanket yesterday. It has no soul. It's machine knitted so every stitch and cable is perfect and uniform. It keeps me warm though, so it will do until I can knit my own.

I don't plan on doing much the next 9 days. I've had a very busy holiday so far and now I need time to relax. I have to exercise every day or I go nuts. Since my gym is in Alberta, I'll be doing plenty of walking around St. John's. There will also be plenty of coffee drinking, reading, knitting, blogging and exploring. Of course :)

paint it black

I'm still kind of spooked by the discovery of Black Dog Knits. I said it felt like finding a soulmate of sorts, and this is why. Below are three links to Nora's blog that hightlight posts that echo a lot of the same writing style and presence of mind that I feel we share. Below that are three of my posts from heima 2.0 (my old blog at Blogger):

1. Long Time Finished
2. Organized Collections
3. The Illusion of Simplicity

My post from December 4, 2006

clouds in my coffee. I am poetic and philosophical today, pondering over my honeydew, green tea latte thinking greatly about roots, spirituality and sexuality. The purgatory of journeys and the valhalla of finding out you've taken the right path. First the discovery of roots, then finding my spirituality and having the wisdom of enough years to explore the sexuality of being. Art populating the journey and weaving the colours of wyrd. Like Carly, there are clouds in my coffee.

My post from July 30, 2007

My life at this moment is two things; fluid and full of sweetness (I have no better word than that).

My life is sweet. It's uncompromised, uncomplicated, unhurried and full of curves and softness (although my coffee is cold). This is what I've always wanted. I want a life full of love and laughter, art and experience all wrapped up and lived simply. I've uncomplicated a lot of things. I now seek love and comfort, honest moments and defining experiences. I seek more softness and hot cups of tea.

I don't want to be so easily defined. If I want to express anything, it would be a certain quietness that is at the core of me. I am soft and thoughtful and ethereal and now at a point where I no longer have a desire to live any way but simply. Joy and simple pleasures-- hot cups of tea, art, sex, love, hot baths and soft clothes.

To be fluid and versatile, engaged and joyful. I think Joy is my favourite world lately. I will remember to let go of old ghosts and broken records.

and of course, the famous Madhatter post from October 11, 2007

I'll walk quietly down my corridors. Discretion my greatest ally and the love I have for myself comforts me. If all that remains are photographs that will be enough because I am photographer and artist. I am shadows and dancing light and my world reflects that. The contrast of joy and sorrow is gorgeous when painted honestly.

Hope springs eternal. I look through dirty windows at my grey world. I've cleaned the cobwebs and made peace with two of my ghosts. The dancing light captures me and overwhelms my imagination. When I revel in myself all that exists beyond falls away. The days are darker and what I see lacks contrast. Winter is whispering and there is snow falling softly out my window, sporadic and hesitant.

My days are quieter and more inward focused. I've been seeing life in layers- gorgeous, sensual, quiet layers. My creativity is fire in the belly. I desire to bunk down for the oncoming winter and get lost in my head. It's full of meanderings, musings and imaginings. I will plant seeds but of creativity and art which I hope will lead to love.

I desire, almost overwhelmingly, to define my self. To be revealed out of the abstract and ambiguous. I want identity. To survey my edges and mark them as artist, writer and photographer. To fill them in with emotion, love, spirituality, laughter, sensuality and beauty. The photograph itself should be as beautiful as the image it keeps. I plot where I want my garden to grow. I take with me my seeds.

I am optimistic. I crave quiet and routine as winter comes and settles. Reprieve. A juxtaposition of challenges and quiet serenity. There is hope in the newness of every day and the comfort of that which ages with grace. I will create my space, define my boundaries and allow winter to gift me with wisdom.

this list will self destruct Wednesday, August 3, 2011

In June 2006 I created a 101 things in 1001 days list based on the same by Michael Greene. I thought it would be a great way to beat the apathy many adults develop as they get older and more entrenched in the routines of daily life and work.

However, I wasn't given much time to become apathetic because I moved to a new province and began work in the Oil Sands of northern Alberta. Being restless and not really enjoying living on the prairies, I've moved 3 times with my lastest stop being Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. I also made the mistake with the original list of being too ambitious and too set in being in, or visiting specific places. So ultimately, it was a list that I couldn't fulfill.

Below is my new 101 things in 1001 days list. It focuses mostly on creative or artistic pursuits and limits the amount of items that need to be done before a task is completed. With the exception of my upcoming move to St. John's, Newfoundland, the list does not reference any specific places to visit. Also, with exception to the same, the rest of the list can be completed at home or at camp and anywhere I choose to be or live. The list is much more sensible. It's wash 'n wear, portable and goes with everything and everywhere. Enjoy:

1. knit a scarf.
2. knit a toque.
3. knit a pair of socks.
4. knit a pair of gloves.
5. knit a traditional fisherman’s cable sweater
6. knit a hand bag.
7. knit 3 pillowcases.
8. knit 2 blankets.
9. knit a bunnyhugger (aka hoodie).
10. knit a jacket.
11. knit 5 dishcloths.

*****

12. crochet a wave blanket
13. crochet a hand bag.
14. crochet 3 pillowcases
15. crochet 5 items from this book
16. crochet a scarf.
17. crochet a hat.

*****

18. create 4 beaded stitch markers.
19. create 3 beaded necklaces.
20. create 3 beaded bracelets
21. create 3 beaded bookmarks.

*****

22. sew a knitting bag.
23. sew a set of placemats.
24. sew 2 quilts
25. sew 3 pillowcases.
26. sew a pair of pajama pants.
27. sew a hand bag.
28. sew a bag for my macbook.
29. sew 2 aprons.
30. sew a pair of pot holders.
31. sew 2 laundry bags.

*****

32. buy a complete set of knitting needles.
33. journal all knitting, crochet & sewing projects on this list.
34. make 3 recipes from my Bill Granger cookbooks.
35. make 3 recipes from my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.
36. make 3 recipes from my Marie Claire cookbooks.
37. make 3 recipes from my Bobby Flay cookbooks.
38. make 5 recipes from miscellaneous cookbooks.
39. buy a KitchenAid mixer.
40. journal all recipes in tasks 22-26 on my bakespace account.
.

*****

41. have 8 of my photographs framed and mounted on a wall.
42. complete 10 projects from my Martha Stewart/Real Simple books.
43. complete 1 general scrapbook.
44. complete 1 photography scrapbook.
45. rip all my CDs into iTunes and donate the hard copies.
46. organize my iTunes library and iPods.
47. organize my book library and donate what I can’t take with me to NFLD.
48. have my car detailed and maintenance done before moving to NFLD.
49. watch all movies from my very subjective, personal Must See list.
50. write 10 book reviews and post them on librarything and Amazon.ca
51. write 10 movie reviews and post them on my rotten tomatoes account.
52. add 100 links to my del.icio.us account.
53. create 2 photo albums on my flickr account.
54. create my 43 things list.
55. create my 43 places list.
56. create my 52 projects list.
57. drive the Trans-Canada highway from Moose Jaw, SK to St. John’s, NFLD.
58. take the ferry from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland.
59. move to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
60. get a new passport.
61. finish the CSS and graphics for my blog.
62. finish setting up my Web 2.0 project (must include participation in at least 10 sites).
63. create lists for favourite books, movies, music and write reviews for each.
64. read 5 books by Canadian authors.
65. watch 5 movies directed by or starring Canadian artists.
66. buy and listen to 5 albums by Canadian musicians.
67. eat traditional fish n’ chips in NFLD. I don’t like seafood so this is a challenge.
68. try 5 new red wines and review them on cork’d.
69. try 5 new beers and review them on coastr.
70. participate in a Catherine Lowe seminar.
71. do a photographic study of my neighbourhood (thanks Michael).
72. do a photographic study of camp life.
73. read my 5 Diane Ackerman books.
74. read my 4 Kelly Hoppen books.
75. finish reading the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
76. buy a mountain bike.
77. dedicate 2009 to all things Canadian and blog the experience.
78. watch all 6 Star Wars movies in a row.
79. complete all tasks in 1 creativity book.
80. create and digitally colour 5 drawings and upload to deviantArt.
81. create a personal wiki to supplement my blog and web 2.0 project.
82. create an art piece for each of my poems and upload to deviantArt.
83. complete my 43 things list.
84. complete my 52 projects list.
85. complete my 43 places list.
86. watch 5 movies from the AFI 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) list.
87. watch 5 movies from the AFI 100 Passions list.
88. watch 5 movies from the AFI 100 Thrills list.
89. watch 5 movies from the AFI 100 Laughs list.
90. watch 5 movies from the AFI 100 Cheers list.
91. read 5 Stephen King novels that I haven’t gotten around to.
92. take only my list of essential things with me to NFLD. Donate the rest.
93. go sea kayaking.
94. go camping.
95. buy a desk.
96. organize my librarything library correctly.
97. bake bread.
98. buy bookcases.
99. get a professional crest/logo created.
100. etch glass.
101. find a home in St. John’s, NFLD and finally stop moving. Hopefully buy a puppy.