So the scarf was completed on 12/27/09 and is about 12 feet long. My honey loves it and wears it every time we go outside.
As for what's closer to my heart. I am a big fan of CakeWrecks. Recently they decided to do fund-raising for the Christmas season. One charity per day and a request of a $1 donation to each charity. One of the charities they featured was an organization called Love 146.
I read the story of how they got their name then cried for a while. Then I got mad and decided to do something about it. I started a FirstGiving page. You can go here to donate.
I challenge you to read that story above and not find something to donate. Check your couch cushions, dig all the change out of your car, take in all those soda cans you have laying around the house. Every little bit helps abolish the child sex trafficking that they're fighting.
If you know me in real life and don't have a credit card, or don't feel comfortable using it online, you can give me cash and I can add the funds myself. I'll make sure your name is credited.
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Latest on Scarf
Not much progress since the last update. Only 9% progess in 3 days. Maybe he was right and it won't be done by Christmas. Damn it all to hell!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Scarf Update
What I have accomplished in the last 2 days of knitting. I am now, as you can see below, at 49.3% completion on the scarf. And he didn't think it'd be done in time for Christmas. Silly man.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Dr. Who Scarf
So my man decided a little bit ago that he wanted a Dr. Who Scarf. You know like the one the 4th Dr. wore.
Like this.

I started about 2 weeks ago and then had to stop as I didn't have one of the colors I needed. At that time I was only at

Yesterday we got the last color I needed to continue and today I am

I'll keep you updated as we progress and let you know where I am. Perhaps eventually you'll get pictures. However if you're an old reader of this blog you'll know what kind of promise that is.
Like this.
I started about 2 weeks ago and then had to stop as I didn't have one of the colors I needed. At that time I was only at
Yesterday we got the last color I needed to continue and today I am
I'll keep you updated as we progress and let you know where I am. Perhaps eventually you'll get pictures. However if you're an old reader of this blog you'll know what kind of promise that is.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sooooo Shiny...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Knitting Nightmare #2
The evil that is Fun Fur should be blasted off the face of the planet. As well as the person that invented it.
When I was still living with my mom my niece came to visit for Christmas. She saw me knitting and decided that she wanted to learn. So we went to the local Wal-Mart and bought cheap yarn and needles so she could learn how to knit. I didn’t want to let her use my expensive bamboo or wool. She decided that she wanted a bright blue fun fur. I tried to dissuade her and get some nice smooth light acrylic yarn. She poo poo’d that idea. So we get the fun fur and some size 10.5 needles.
We take it all back to the house and I try to teach her to knit by having her sit in my lap so she can see exactly what I’m doing and copy the movements. She gave up on the fun fur so I handed her some nice smooth light acrylic yarn. After about 3 minutes of this she gives up and says she can’t do it. I keep trying to get her to knit and she keeps saying she can’t. I eventually give up.
I still have this bright blue fun fur however and no idea what to do with it. She decides that she wants the little kerchief pattern on the ball band. So I cast on my one stitch and start the painful task of making a neck kerchief with a KFB of the first stitch on each row.
I hated this after the about the 3rd row and wanted to throw it away. However I had promised my niece that I would make her this damned kerchief and so I would finish it. It took me about 3 years. There were several times where I would pick it up thinking it won’t take me long to finish then I can be done with it. Those periods only lasted about 10 minutes before I became disgusted. Then I would throw it back in my bag cursing the evil that is Fun Fur. The periods in my bag lasted much longer than 10 minutes.
It’s done. I’ve bound off. I still have to weave in the ends and mail it to her though. Not sure if she even still wants it. It’s been so long since she said she did. Maybe I’ll give it to my local animal shelter for some cat to snuggle with. It’s not really good for much else.
When I was still living with my mom my niece came to visit for Christmas. She saw me knitting and decided that she wanted to learn. So we went to the local Wal-Mart and bought cheap yarn and needles so she could learn how to knit. I didn’t want to let her use my expensive bamboo or wool. She decided that she wanted a bright blue fun fur. I tried to dissuade her and get some nice smooth light acrylic yarn. She poo poo’d that idea. So we get the fun fur and some size 10.5 needles.
We take it all back to the house and I try to teach her to knit by having her sit in my lap so she can see exactly what I’m doing and copy the movements. She gave up on the fun fur so I handed her some nice smooth light acrylic yarn. After about 3 minutes of this she gives up and says she can’t do it. I keep trying to get her to knit and she keeps saying she can’t. I eventually give up.
I still have this bright blue fun fur however and no idea what to do with it. She decides that she wants the little kerchief pattern on the ball band. So I cast on my one stitch and start the painful task of making a neck kerchief with a KFB of the first stitch on each row.
I hated this after the about the 3rd row and wanted to throw it away. However I had promised my niece that I would make her this damned kerchief and so I would finish it. It took me about 3 years. There were several times where I would pick it up thinking it won’t take me long to finish then I can be done with it. Those periods only lasted about 10 minutes before I became disgusted. Then I would throw it back in my bag cursing the evil that is Fun Fur. The periods in my bag lasted much longer than 10 minutes.
It’s done. I’ve bound off. I still have to weave in the ends and mail it to her though. Not sure if she even still wants it. It’s been so long since she said she did. Maybe I’ll give it to my local animal shelter for some cat to snuggle with. It’s not really good for much else.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Knitting Nightmares #1
When I first learned to knit I taught myself. It was prescribed as physical therapy after having a cystotomy in my wrist. After just a couple of months I was back to full flexibility, able to touch my thumb to my forearm.
I learned to knit by watching Knitty Gritty on the DIY Network. Apparently I didn’t watch close enough. For the first 6 months of my knitting career I was always knitting through the back loop. I was apparently also wrapping the yarn backwards when purling. So you’d think that with the twisting of the knitting and the twisting of the purling they’d cancel each other out. But noooo, not the way it works.
I couldn’t figure out why my knitting was so damned tight. My fabrics didn’t move the way they were supposed to. They just sat there like hard little lumps. Like some sort of cyst. See what happens when you try to do something for yourself? I was about to give up then I found my LYS and a very helpful women.
She told me about her beginner’s knitting class and it wasn’t until I took that class that I realized what I was doing. Even then it took the instructor looking at my knitting to tell me. I still have that little bright pink baby sweater. With the first half of the back with twisted stitches. I’m such a perfectionist that if I did it now I’d rip it out and start over. However it was my first ever piece of knitted clothing and it will stay with twisted stitches forever, and probably unseamed as well.
I learned to knit by watching Knitty Gritty on the DIY Network. Apparently I didn’t watch close enough. For the first 6 months of my knitting career I was always knitting through the back loop. I was apparently also wrapping the yarn backwards when purling. So you’d think that with the twisting of the knitting and the twisting of the purling they’d cancel each other out. But noooo, not the way it works.
I couldn’t figure out why my knitting was so damned tight. My fabrics didn’t move the way they were supposed to. They just sat there like hard little lumps. Like some sort of cyst. See what happens when you try to do something for yourself? I was about to give up then I found my LYS and a very helpful women.
She told me about her beginner’s knitting class and it wasn’t until I took that class that I realized what I was doing. Even then it took the instructor looking at my knitting to tell me. I still have that little bright pink baby sweater. With the first half of the back with twisted stitches. I’m such a perfectionist that if I did it now I’d rip it out and start over. However it was my first ever piece of knitted clothing and it will stay with twisted stitches forever, and probably unseamed as well.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Pink Scarf
Back in January I made a comment about some yarn being repurposed from one project to another. I said that would be a story for my other blog. Well since there is no longer an "other blog" I've decided to post it here.
When I was working for one of the world's largest hotel chains in their reservation center I made a friend. We had some past in common. We both worked in the complaint department. We had both been in Guest Relations for Disney. Me in Cali her in Florida. We were both comfortable with ourselves as far as our sexuality was concerned. Or so I thought.
We were constantly "flirting". Blowing each other kisses. Smacking each other on the ass. Groping each other. Granted all of this was out in the parking lot, the break room, or at each other's houses. Never on the call floor where others might be offended and get us in trouble for sexual harassment. The kind of stuff women do that their men hope would go further but never does. We were friends. I taught her how to knit.
One day when I was at a LYS they had a bunch of balls of different textured pink yarn in their dollar basket. I bought them thinking to make her a fun fashion scarf. Shortly after purchasing the yarn she was moved laterally from Guest Relations to a department that made reservations direclty for the hotels when they had groups coming in. After that happened she all of a sudden thought she was better than anyone else there. I didn't quite realise the change in her until it was too late.
One day I was walking past her on my way back to my desk after a smoke break, I used to smoke but quit just over a year ago. As per our established pattern I smacked her on the ass on the way by. She said nothing. Just ignored it and we both went about our days. A few days later I get called over to my supervisors desk to find out that she had made a sexual harassment claim against me. I was needless to say very angry. It was something mutual that SHE STARTED. I was just going along with it. It didn't bother me in the slightest as I am secure in my sexuality.
Nothing ever came of the claim as I explained the back story to my supervisor and he basically ignored it. What really pissed me off is that she didn't even have the balls to come to me and say somthing like, "I realize that this is something that we used to do in the past but I am no longer comfortable with the situation and would prefer if it wouldn't happen again." Granted I would have been confused but I would have said okay and that would have been the end of it. The fact that she went to my supervisor and bitched only made me lose all respect for her. Never spoke to her again after that and boy am I glad I'm out of that hell hole of a job.
When I was working for one of the world's largest hotel chains in their reservation center I made a friend. We had some past in common. We both worked in the complaint department. We had both been in Guest Relations for Disney. Me in Cali her in Florida. We were both comfortable with ourselves as far as our sexuality was concerned. Or so I thought.
We were constantly "flirting". Blowing each other kisses. Smacking each other on the ass. Groping each other. Granted all of this was out in the parking lot, the break room, or at each other's houses. Never on the call floor where others might be offended and get us in trouble for sexual harassment. The kind of stuff women do that their men hope would go further but never does. We were friends. I taught her how to knit.
One day when I was at a LYS they had a bunch of balls of different textured pink yarn in their dollar basket. I bought them thinking to make her a fun fashion scarf. Shortly after purchasing the yarn she was moved laterally from Guest Relations to a department that made reservations direclty for the hotels when they had groups coming in. After that happened she all of a sudden thought she was better than anyone else there. I didn't quite realise the change in her until it was too late.
One day I was walking past her on my way back to my desk after a smoke break, I used to smoke but quit just over a year ago. As per our established pattern I smacked her on the ass on the way by. She said nothing. Just ignored it and we both went about our days. A few days later I get called over to my supervisors desk to find out that she had made a sexual harassment claim against me. I was needless to say very angry. It was something mutual that SHE STARTED. I was just going along with it. It didn't bother me in the slightest as I am secure in my sexuality.
Nothing ever came of the claim as I explained the back story to my supervisor and he basically ignored it. What really pissed me off is that she didn't even have the balls to come to me and say somthing like, "I realize that this is something that we used to do in the past but I am no longer comfortable with the situation and would prefer if it wouldn't happen again." Granted I would have been confused but I would have said okay and that would have been the end of it. The fact that she went to my supervisor and bitched only made me lose all respect for her. Never spoke to her again after that and boy am I glad I'm out of that hell hole of a job.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
BlogHer
Blogging from work is never a good thing. I’m supposed to be working right? But I just can’t help it right now. I need to blog. I also need to wait for the drugs to kick in before I try anything more difficult, like vacuuming my studio.
I was reading My Favorite Blog this morning like I always do. I found a link to a new equally cool blog and from there to BlogHer.
I decided to join. Not sure what exactly this will do for me but I’m sure it will be a good thing. Exposure to lots of new blogs and new readers on the way! BlogHer is a great community of female bloggers talking about everything. Gaming, crafts, do it yourself, celebrities, politics, religion, life in general. You name it you’ll find a blog about it there.
While we’re on the subject of blogs about everything under the sun, I realize people have their passions. I still don’t understand the things that some people blog about. I can understand Mommy Blogging. I mean what else would a stay at home mom have to blog about but her child and life around the house? I can understand blogging about politics. Politics are important. You should have an informed opinion about the people that rule your world. I can even understand blogging about an MMORPG. I know some of those players in real life and it consumes them. I have a friend that is playing when he’s at home and on the forums at work. It’s all he does.
What I don’t understand are people that blog about things like celebrities. I mean they’re people just like us. They’re not special. They’re just more famous and most likely have more money. What is the world’s fascination with celebrities and spoiled rotten heiresses? I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
I used to work at the Disneyland Resort as a tour guide. I’ve met some of these “celebrities”. They’re no different from you or me. Except Susan Lucci, she was a bitch from hell. I’ve met Teri Hatcher, and her husband whose name escapes me. I’ve met Stephen Hawking. I’ve met most of the cast of whatever soap opera Susan Lucci is on. They’re all just normal people.
So why, as a society, are we all so interested in what’s going on in their bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens? Would you like it if there were people going through your trash to see what brand of tampons you use? Or people trying to get peeks in your windows to see if you really eat edamame like you said you did on Oprah? Or following you around trying to get pictures of your baby so the world could see how cute, or ugly, they are? I know that would drive me totally bat shit crazy.
Why can’t we just leave these people alone and let them do their jobs? Like we do with the policemen, the firemen, and shit even the greeters at Wal-Mart. Why are they so special? Just because they can get up in front of a camera and pretend to be someone else? Don’t get me wrong I like TV and Movies. I just don’t think that we should treat the stars of these movies/shows any differently than we do our next door neighbors.
Off my soap box now. This is supposed to be a knitting blog right? So on to my recent knits.
I love knitting and have decided that some of my recent knits should go to some charity. To that end I have decided to donate some of my recent knits to the local MTC, Missionary Training Camp. I am not LDS, never have been, never will be. I don’t believe in proselytization and I know “The Church” doesn’t need any monetary help, I mean how could they when all their members are going to go to hell unless they give 10% of their gross income to “The Church”. However these young men, and very few women, are being sent out into the world. To different cities, sometimes even different countries, to “spread the word” and, although I don’t agree with it, I don’t believe they should be sent without some comforts of home. So some of my hand knit dish cloths and market bags are being given to the MTC for these missionaries to take with them. Perhaps even some scarves or hats for those going to colder climes. If you would like to donate some of your items please send me a message at mtcdonations@yahoo.com and I will tell you where you can drop them off or mail them for delivery to the MTC the next day.
My mother requested I make her some market bags to take to the grocery store. I make them out of Peaches & Crème cotton yarn. They have lots of beautiful colors and, her favorite being emerald green, I figured she’d pick a green one. What does she pick? Not some beautiful shaded green, or green and lavender, or anything even resembling her favorite color in the least. She picks Pink Lemonade! Not so bad on the cone or in a ball. When knit up into a market bag? Hideous! At least it has green in it and she won’t forget them when going to the store.
I haven’t made any progress on my UFO’s this month. I have however added several dishcloths to my collection. I asked someone the other day what they would pay for a hand knit dishcloth and showed them an example and they said anywhere between $5 and $7. So then WHY ARE MY DISHCLOTHS NOT SELLING ON MY ETSY SHOP?! Major suckage. I guess I just have to give it time and advertising.
Speaking of my etsy shop. I’ve had two people mark me as a favorite but not buy anything. Is this something that happens a lot? I mean if you like my stuff enough to mark it as a favorite why not buy something? Just doesn’t make sense to me.
Guess a lot of stuff doesn’t make sense to me today. Maybe it’s all the drugs I took earlier. Who knows? I certainly don’t.
I was reading My Favorite Blog this morning like I always do. I found a link to a new equally cool blog and from there to BlogHer.
I decided to join. Not sure what exactly this will do for me but I’m sure it will be a good thing. Exposure to lots of new blogs and new readers on the way! BlogHer is a great community of female bloggers talking about everything. Gaming, crafts, do it yourself, celebrities, politics, religion, life in general. You name it you’ll find a blog about it there.
While we’re on the subject of blogs about everything under the sun, I realize people have their passions. I still don’t understand the things that some people blog about. I can understand Mommy Blogging. I mean what else would a stay at home mom have to blog about but her child and life around the house? I can understand blogging about politics. Politics are important. You should have an informed opinion about the people that rule your world. I can even understand blogging about an MMORPG. I know some of those players in real life and it consumes them. I have a friend that is playing when he’s at home and on the forums at work. It’s all he does.
What I don’t understand are people that blog about things like celebrities. I mean they’re people just like us. They’re not special. They’re just more famous and most likely have more money. What is the world’s fascination with celebrities and spoiled rotten heiresses? I don’t think I’ll ever understand.
I used to work at the Disneyland Resort as a tour guide. I’ve met some of these “celebrities”. They’re no different from you or me. Except Susan Lucci, she was a bitch from hell. I’ve met Teri Hatcher, and her husband whose name escapes me. I’ve met Stephen Hawking. I’ve met most of the cast of whatever soap opera Susan Lucci is on. They’re all just normal people.
So why, as a society, are we all so interested in what’s going on in their bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens? Would you like it if there were people going through your trash to see what brand of tampons you use? Or people trying to get peeks in your windows to see if you really eat edamame like you said you did on Oprah? Or following you around trying to get pictures of your baby so the world could see how cute, or ugly, they are? I know that would drive me totally bat shit crazy.
Why can’t we just leave these people alone and let them do their jobs? Like we do with the policemen, the firemen, and shit even the greeters at Wal-Mart. Why are they so special? Just because they can get up in front of a camera and pretend to be someone else? Don’t get me wrong I like TV and Movies. I just don’t think that we should treat the stars of these movies/shows any differently than we do our next door neighbors.
Off my soap box now. This is supposed to be a knitting blog right? So on to my recent knits.
I love knitting and have decided that some of my recent knits should go to some charity. To that end I have decided to donate some of my recent knits to the local MTC, Missionary Training Camp. I am not LDS, never have been, never will be. I don’t believe in proselytization and I know “The Church” doesn’t need any monetary help, I mean how could they when all their members are going to go to hell unless they give 10% of their gross income to “The Church”. However these young men, and very few women, are being sent out into the world. To different cities, sometimes even different countries, to “spread the word” and, although I don’t agree with it, I don’t believe they should be sent without some comforts of home. So some of my hand knit dish cloths and market bags are being given to the MTC for these missionaries to take with them. Perhaps even some scarves or hats for those going to colder climes. If you would like to donate some of your items please send me a message at mtcdonations@yahoo.com and I will tell you where you can drop them off or mail them for delivery to the MTC the next day.
My mother requested I make her some market bags to take to the grocery store. I make them out of Peaches & Crème cotton yarn. They have lots of beautiful colors and, her favorite being emerald green, I figured she’d pick a green one. What does she pick? Not some beautiful shaded green, or green and lavender, or anything even resembling her favorite color in the least. She picks Pink Lemonade! Not so bad on the cone or in a ball. When knit up into a market bag? Hideous! At least it has green in it and she won’t forget them when going to the store.
I haven’t made any progress on my UFO’s this month. I have however added several dishcloths to my collection. I asked someone the other day what they would pay for a hand knit dishcloth and showed them an example and they said anywhere between $5 and $7. So then WHY ARE MY DISHCLOTHS NOT SELLING ON MY ETSY SHOP?! Major suckage. I guess I just have to give it time and advertising.
Speaking of my etsy shop. I’ve had two people mark me as a favorite but not buy anything. Is this something that happens a lot? I mean if you like my stuff enough to mark it as a favorite why not buy something? Just doesn’t make sense to me.
Guess a lot of stuff doesn’t make sense to me today. Maybe it’s all the drugs I took earlier. Who knows? I certainly don’t.
Monday, June 02, 2008
To Frog or Not to Frog
That is the question. I have found a recent article on finishing or frogging UFO's. I have quite a few UFO's in my inventory. Some that need ripping. Some that need finishing. I know for a fact that my mom's socks are on the finish list. I will be adding a page of items that need work or frogging and updating as new items are found.
You can see the link to the list in the upper right hand corner. Wish me luck.
You can see the link to the list in the upper right hand corner. Wish me luck.
Friday, May 30, 2008
I'm SOOOOOO Excited
I finally have My Etsy Store set up and items listed. Right now just dishcloths. As soon as I can find the button my roommates cat decided to play with I'll have one of my fulled bags up and I'm thinking about listing some of my hand dyed yarn.
What do you think? Should I list it for sale? Would you buy it?
What do you think? Should I list it for sale? Would you buy it?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Knitting articles
I've been writing knitting articles on Helium. I've found a few topics that I'm interested in writing about and that I believe I have enough knowledge to actually contribute. I 'm wondering however what other topics you might be interested in reading about.
So fellow knitters. Tell me what you want to know. What topics are you interested in reading about? It can be something as simple as casting on to something as complex as kitchener stitch. What do you want to know. Tell me and I'll try to come up with an article.
So fellow knitters. Tell me what you want to know. What topics are you interested in reading about? It can be something as simple as casting on to something as complex as kitchener stitch. What do you want to know. Tell me and I'll try to come up with an article.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
New knits
Normally I wouldn't call this knitting but it's a knitted fabric in the end soooooooooo. Joann's had Knifty Knitter kits on sale for $10.00. Three looms, scissors, measuring tape, and the tool to get the loops off all for $10.00. Couldn't resist.
In the instruction book that came with it there was a pattern for a braided scarf that was made on the little spool loom. I was supposed to use the 5 stitch side but used the 8 stitch side instead. The strands probably would have been longer had I used the right side but oh well.
I had this pink yarn that I had purchased to make a different scarf for a friend but she is no longer deserving of that. That's another story for my other blog. So I made the tubes and braided them together, it was really very quick, and this is what I got.

I have also recently become addicted to knitted dishcloths. They're great as they only take a couple of hours to knit and get my mind off the large hours and hours of stockinette I have on other projects. I've already completed 7 and have enough yarn for a lot more. Here are some of the completed one's (I've given 2 of them away).



New yarn to make more.


As usual the colors aren't entirely accurate but they're close.
Well it's time for me to get to karate now. I'll post at you later.
In the instruction book that came with it there was a pattern for a braided scarf that was made on the little spool loom. I was supposed to use the 5 stitch side but used the 8 stitch side instead. The strands probably would have been longer had I used the right side but oh well.
I had this pink yarn that I had purchased to make a different scarf for a friend but she is no longer deserving of that. That's another story for my other blog. So I made the tubes and braided them together, it was really very quick, and this is what I got.
I have also recently become addicted to knitted dishcloths. They're great as they only take a couple of hours to knit and get my mind off the large hours and hours of stockinette I have on other projects. I've already completed 7 and have enough yarn for a lot more. Here are some of the completed one's (I've given 2 of them away).
New yarn to make more.
As usual the colors aren't entirely accurate but they're close.
Well it's time for me to get to karate now. I'll post at you later.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Schedules
This is yet another rant about my job there is knitting stuff at the end so if you don't want to read my bitching about Convergys just skip on down to the knitting stuff.
As you know from my previous post, and above, I work for Convergys. Well they have these things called variable shifts. I have one of these variable shifts. What this means that I can start anywhere from 2 hours earlier to 1 hour later than my "normal" start time. I can also have different days off from week to week.
When they want us to come in at a different than "normal" time or on a different than "normal" day they're supposed to give us three weeks notice. I just found out tonight that next week I have to start at 11am instead of 1 pm! What's the big deal you might ask. Well the big deal is my knitting class is from 9am to 11am on Saturdays. That means that I'll have to ruin my perfect attendance at work to be able to go to my knitting class on the 23rd. Argh!!!! Or I'll have to try to get the day unpaid or at least half of it. I am NOT missing my knitting class. I paid too much money for it and by that day it will be half over.
Enough of my ranting now on to knitting.
I didn't do much knitting today but I did go on a S.E.X. run.
I bought 5 sweaters from the local thrift store and I have already frogged one of them. It's in the washer right now in hanks so that I can hang then up with weights on the bottom to stretch them out and get rid of all the little kinks.
I love the thrift store. The 5 sweaters only cost me $14. 3 womens sweaters, White, red with flecks, and a nice heather blue one, and then 2 mens sweaters once again red, and a dark forest green.
Don't know what I'm going to make with the yarn yet but I'll be sure to post pics when I have them all in balls.
So I'm off to frog land to get the rest of these sweaters torn apart and then maybe a little knitting before bed. Once again it's after 11 here. Good thing I don't have to be in to work until 2:15 tomorrow.
--K
As you know from my previous post, and above, I work for Convergys. Well they have these things called variable shifts. I have one of these variable shifts. What this means that I can start anywhere from 2 hours earlier to 1 hour later than my "normal" start time. I can also have different days off from week to week.
When they want us to come in at a different than "normal" time or on a different than "normal" day they're supposed to give us three weeks notice. I just found out tonight that next week I have to start at 11am instead of 1 pm! What's the big deal you might ask. Well the big deal is my knitting class is from 9am to 11am on Saturdays. That means that I'll have to ruin my perfect attendance at work to be able to go to my knitting class on the 23rd. Argh!!!! Or I'll have to try to get the day unpaid or at least half of it. I am NOT missing my knitting class. I paid too much money for it and by that day it will be half over.
Enough of my ranting now on to knitting.
I didn't do much knitting today but I did go on a S.E.X. run.
I bought 5 sweaters from the local thrift store and I have already frogged one of them. It's in the washer right now in hanks so that I can hang then up with weights on the bottom to stretch them out and get rid of all the little kinks.
I love the thrift store. The 5 sweaters only cost me $14. 3 womens sweaters, White, red with flecks, and a nice heather blue one, and then 2 mens sweaters once again red, and a dark forest green.
Don't know what I'm going to make with the yarn yet but I'll be sure to post pics when I have them all in balls.
So I'm off to frog land to get the rest of these sweaters torn apart and then maybe a little knitting before bed. Once again it's after 11 here. Good thing I don't have to be in to work until 2:15 tomorrow.
--K
Monday, April 11, 2005
Rating Limits
Before I talk about any more of my knitting I just have to get this off my chest. Be forewarned this is kind of long.
For those of you that don't know me I work for a company called Convergys. We do customer service outsourcing. The project that I work on is DirecTV (DTV). As a DTV call center we of course have monitors on the call floor that we can use to check programming if a customer calls in with a problem. When not being used to check programming they are tuned to the channel of the day. Usually some boring sports programming. Well tonight that channel was Cinemax (AKA Skinemax). Not a big deal earlier in the night but for those of you who do have access to this channel you understand the AKA.
Another thing you need to understand before you can get the whole point of this is that these receivers, the box that translates the signal from your dish to your TV, are pretty darned smart. You can block out specific channels, you can make it so that no Pay Per Views are ordered, and you can block out programs based on content and rating. It's called a rating limit and it's very easy to set up.
We were watching Men In Black which ended about 8:30ish Utah time. Well about 8:35 I'm on a call with a customer and all of a sudden I here a women saying, rather loudly too, "Robert you need to change the channel right now!" Robert is one of the supervisors and sits at a desk with one of the few remotes that control the receivers on the floor. What caused this sudden outburst you might ask. Well scheduled after MIB was a show called Lord of the G-Strings. When I look up at the TV I see a close up of a woman's breast with her hand massaging herself.
Now I wasn't offended by the content of the programming it takes quite a bit to offend me. However the fact that this program was even able to start offends me. You would think that in today's litigious society a company as large as Convergys would know how to cover their own ass and not expect the employees to do it for them. There have been several complaints about the programming that we are sometimes forced to watch and yet nothing has been done about it.
I complained once around X-mas time about a very religious program that was on. I can understand the programming running at that time but to turn it on in a call center was not appropriate. Well when I told the Operations Manager (OM) that was on at the time his response was "Well the program is almost over." Not the right answer.
You can be assured that I am going to the Senior OM tomorrow with this, since I know I wont get a response from any of the Jr. OM's. I also wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there is a sexual harassment suit out of this.
Okay enough of my ranting now on to my knitting.
I have several W'sIP. The baby sweater featured in my previous post. I have been working on a guitar strap for my fiance. Pics to come.
Also a, dare I say it, poncho out of the most fabulous ladder yarn. It's called Melody by the South West Trading Company. They don't have a pic of the color I'm using it's a Rainbow variegated called serendipity. Again pics to come.
Also last but not least a cabled scarf for my mom. That was the second project I started and haven't worked on it in a while. Maybe after I finish the guitar strap I'll work on that some. It's not like she'll need it any time soon now that it's spring, almost spring.
Look to the menu bar to the right to see updates on my W'sIP.
Well it's late, just after 11, and I have knitting to do. I'll post again tomorrow.
For those of you that don't know me I work for a company called Convergys. We do customer service outsourcing. The project that I work on is DirecTV (DTV). As a DTV call center we of course have monitors on the call floor that we can use to check programming if a customer calls in with a problem. When not being used to check programming they are tuned to the channel of the day. Usually some boring sports programming. Well tonight that channel was Cinemax (AKA Skinemax). Not a big deal earlier in the night but for those of you who do have access to this channel you understand the AKA.
Another thing you need to understand before you can get the whole point of this is that these receivers, the box that translates the signal from your dish to your TV, are pretty darned smart. You can block out specific channels, you can make it so that no Pay Per Views are ordered, and you can block out programs based on content and rating. It's called a rating limit and it's very easy to set up.
We were watching Men In Black which ended about 8:30ish Utah time. Well about 8:35 I'm on a call with a customer and all of a sudden I here a women saying, rather loudly too, "Robert you need to change the channel right now!" Robert is one of the supervisors and sits at a desk with one of the few remotes that control the receivers on the floor. What caused this sudden outburst you might ask. Well scheduled after MIB was a show called Lord of the G-Strings. When I look up at the TV I see a close up of a woman's breast with her hand massaging herself.
Now I wasn't offended by the content of the programming it takes quite a bit to offend me. However the fact that this program was even able to start offends me. You would think that in today's litigious society a company as large as Convergys would know how to cover their own ass and not expect the employees to do it for them. There have been several complaints about the programming that we are sometimes forced to watch and yet nothing has been done about it.
I complained once around X-mas time about a very religious program that was on. I can understand the programming running at that time but to turn it on in a call center was not appropriate. Well when I told the Operations Manager (OM) that was on at the time his response was "Well the program is almost over." Not the right answer.
You can be assured that I am going to the Senior OM tomorrow with this, since I know I wont get a response from any of the Jr. OM's. I also wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there is a sexual harassment suit out of this.
Okay enough of my ranting now on to my knitting.
I have several W'sIP. The baby sweater featured in my previous post. I have been working on a guitar strap for my fiance. Pics to come.
Also a, dare I say it, poncho out of the most fabulous ladder yarn. It's called Melody by the South West Trading Company. They don't have a pic of the color I'm using it's a Rainbow variegated called serendipity. Again pics to come.
Also last but not least a cabled scarf for my mom. That was the second project I started and haven't worked on it in a while. Maybe after I finish the guitar strap I'll work on that some. It's not like she'll need it any time soon now that it's spring, almost spring.
Look to the menu bar to the right to see updates on my W'sIP.
Well it's late, just after 11, and I have knitting to do. I'll post again tomorrow.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
New to this Blog Thing
I've never had a blog before. I'm kind of new to this; as if you couldn't tell by the title of this post. If I don't post often enough or if my posts are just no fun please let me know.
As you can probably guess from the title and URL of my blog this will eventually be about my knitting. As soon as I get my scanner hooked up to my pc you'll eventually get to see pictures of me and my work.
Right now there isn't much work to show. I've mostly only done pieces that require nothing more than a rectangle. I am however taking a class from a very lovely young woman named Miriam at a LYS (local yarn store) and am working on my first non-rectangular project. A very cute and very bright pink baby pullover. I'll have the pull over done three weeks from last Sat. 04/09/2005. I will post pictures in progress. In fact here's one now.

My First 5 inches!! Yay me!!
As you can probably guess from the title and URL of my blog this will eventually be about my knitting. As soon as I get my scanner hooked up to my pc you'll eventually get to see pictures of me and my work.
Right now there isn't much work to show. I've mostly only done pieces that require nothing more than a rectangle. I am however taking a class from a very lovely young woman named Miriam at a LYS (local yarn store) and am working on my first non-rectangular project. A very cute and very bright pink baby pullover. I'll have the pull over done three weeks from last Sat. 04/09/2005. I will post pictures in progress. In fact here's one now.

My First 5 inches!! Yay me!!
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