I swear I'm still alive

I just have been so BUSY! V is now FOUR months old, which blows my mind. She's babbling now, and army crawling around in her crib. She's long and svelte- certainly not the gigantic, fat baby I was expecting. She's so alert and inquisitive- every day is an adventure.

I have shot my first weddings as a (semi) pro, and I LOVE it. I am looking forward to Friday- my cousin is getting married, so I have a particular investment in photographing that wedding. :) If you're looking to hire a wedding photographer in the Midwest, I am willing to travel and I work for cheap (we're talking less than $500 for all day coverage!).

I just got hired at school to work as a student assistant for one of my professors from last year. I am nervous to be out of the house more, but I think it will do wonders for my time management and sanity to be away from V a little more.

And surprise of surprises, I've still been knitting despite the whirlwind of activity (class is good for something!). I am getting near the end of the Adamas shawl I started in the spring. I have memorized the lace repeat (doesn't usually happen), and it's really coming along swiftly, considering the amount of time I work on it. I am hoping to be done by Thanksgiving, but we'll see. I only get to work on it at school because V demands to be held when I am at home.

February is a work-in-progress

and I am actually kind of impressed with my ability to keep up with everything. The baby is very active (more so, I'm told, than other babies its age), and I am feeling pretty damn good (but TIRED). I've been knitting up a storm, and although I would rather focus on that, this week is kind of busy school-wise, and I am going to be up late tonight, writing a paper (yuck- at least it's only three pages... in grad school. yeah, I know). I've got a couple of weddings that I might be photographing (I'm in Detroit, but I'm willing to travel. And I'm cheap! Hire me!), and I am actively searching for a new job before I get so big that there's no way that I'll get hired, discrimination laws be damned. I know the second everything slows down, a baby comes out, so I'm trying to just go along with everything that's happening and simply focus on making an effort. It's not easy to keep from feeling overwhelmed.

But when I do, I get out my camera, and take a few pictures of works-in-progress:

ooh, a black felted bag. Exciting!


That's more like it- Dan thinks it looks like Fruit Stripe Gum (it's odd that he'd liken a hand-knit item to a gum, but whatevs)


It's not perfect, but it is cute- I want to bind it this weekend (and then it's done!)

Plugging along

The first week of school is ovah! I met some of the other grad students. They seem pretty nice, although they tried to scare me a little about the syntax class I'm taking. It's not going to be hard. I have had syntax before. Minimalist syntax. With a guy who wrote his dissertation on noun phrases.

I'll be okay.

I've been taking the bus when I can to and from work. Dan really wants to fix the Impala's break lights on his own, so I'm letting him fiddle. The Detroit bus system is kinda crappy, but the route I take comes reasonably close to my house and to work. I hate the stigma that the bus is only for the poor and those who have lost their licenses to irresponsibility, but I guess I have to ask myself: will I continue to ride the bus when I have my car back? On one hand, it's damn convenient to drive. But on the other, gas is expensive, and standing at sketchy bus stops at quarter till midnight makes me feel like a badass.

Nevertheless, commute=commuter knitting!

I'm a little sad that the green only appeared near the heel and toe. I think that means there'll be a lot more in the second sock, which will make them similar but not matchy.



This is too much to lug on the bus now. You can see Stefanie's trademark raglan increases, which I really like. I'm almost to the part where I join the body, and let me say, I am not loving the purl rows right now. I think I will ultimately make the sleeves longer than called for in the pattern because I am using a wool blend, but we'll see. Dan and I have been watching the second season of Twin Peaks, and this makes for great mindless knitting.