Tiny Little Baby Steps

I am crawling into the 21st century- kinda like Benjamin Button- that is, ass backwards.

I have upgraded my internet service to DSL.  It took 2 hours and 3 tech support people in India to make this happen.

My modem came with some cables and a disc and a packing slip listing all the equipment.  No other instructions.  The disc says “everything you need to get started”.  So I put in the disc.  My computer said “and just what do you think I’m going to use to open this?”

I called  Tech Support.  Yes, they could help me.  First I had to eject the disc.  Which makes me wonder why they bothered to send it to me in the first place.

Then Ms Tech says: “How many lights are lit up on the modem.”

“Excuse me?”  I said.  “What lights?  There are no lights.”

She:  “No, really, how many lights are showing on the modem”

Me:  “There are no lights.  I haven’t connected anything yet”

She:  “Please Ma’m there are 4 lights.  How many are lit?”

Me:  “None, there are no lights on.  I haven’t plugged anything in yet.  You are going to have to explain what cable goes where first.”

She:  “You are not plugged in?????”

I had to unplug the phone, plug in all the cables, move the phone to another jack, find a longer phone cord and crawl around on the floor under the desk for a few minutes before I could call back.  10 minutes of music and recorded messages about getting help online.  All well and good.  If you can get online.

It took Techie 2 most of the call to figure out that I had a Mac.  I don’t know what took him so long.  He kept asking me to open Internet Explorer and I kept explaining that I had Safari.  [“No really, just click on the Internet Explorer icon.”   “No really, I don’t have Explorer.  There is no icon.  I have a MAC.  I’m on Safari.”  “You  don’t have the icon?  You must have it.  Look for it.  It should be on the desktop”  “I’m not using Explorer.  I have Safari.”] x 3 He had to move me up the food chain.

Techie 3 had an AH HA! moment when it finally got thru to him that I was on a MAC.  He was able to give me the correct setup procedure.

When I got done I had bits leftover.  Specifically 4 DSL filters.  They are labeled “be sure to use a filter on any phone jack you have something plugged  into.”  I was instructed not to use them.

Why couldn’t they just provide written instructions for plugging everything together with the modem?  I do know how to read.  I can usually follow instructions.  Even the ones that come with IKEA furniture and Habu kits.

I have consoled myself with this:

A finished Striped Scarf That’s Not Noro.

And because it’s February, when one’s thoughts naturally turn to Romance, I have a new lover project to obsess over:

I am going to start a project of my own design.

Because new love makes one suspend all common sense and forget everything one has learned in the past.

But I have hope.

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Well Someone Had a Good Time

So I knew I was right not to make plans for this year.  Nothing could be more unpredictable  than a major earthquake in a place that only gets them once in a great while.  Nothing could be more heartbreaking and unbelievable that with so many resources available to help, help can’t seem to get to where it is needed.

A lot of other things seem to be up in the air too or on hold or tabled for the time being so I am just here slogging along.

The opera is doing Aida.  It’s a slogfest.  127 people, endless fittings, and every time you turn around there’s another person who needs a costume.

I have not yet put any music on my Touch.  This is a source of great amusement to my friends.

I’m knitting the Noro striped scarf but since I don’t really like Noro much I’m using Crystal Palace Mochi and some Cascade 220.  I’m calling mine That Scarf That’s Not Noro.   When I finish it I’ll post pictures.  I have about 15 more inches to knit before I run out of yarn or about 18 more inches to make it the perfect length.  I was happy with it, knitting along, watching the color changes until….

I got startitis.  I assessed the state of my stash and decided it scared me.  The only cure is to knit something from it.  Several hours Some time with the Ravelry pattern base gave me ideas.  Now I want to cast on for 20 or so things simultaneously and  a simple little scarf with cool color changes isn’t as satisfying as it used to be.

However, there are some who can enjoy themselves in spite of gloomy weather and bad news.  All it takes is a new toy:

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Christmas Part 2 and My Resolution for the New Year

Ok, so here’s the pen, write down those resolutions.

I’m not going to make any.

You’re what?

I’m not going to make any New Year’s Resolutions or goals for the year or any of that.  I’m not even going to make a list of the things I want to knit this year.

I considered how I felt about this year and I decided everything seems too unpredictable and fluid and making plans is just asking for trouble.

If anything I’m resolved to be more present, you know, like “Be here now”.

This is me rolling my eyes.

I refuse to feel guilty about this so give it up already.

What I am trying very hard not to gloat about in an unacceptable way (which would make me feel guilty) is that I got this for Christmas from Diana:

Bugga!  Color:  Praying Mantis.  Please tell me you don’t hate me.

Because there’s more.

My work colleague gave me a gift certificate to my LYS.

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment with the size of my stash and everything I acquired over the holidays such that I am actually considering waiting a couple of months to use it.  Is that a sign of maturity?  Because if it is I need to go dance naked in the street or something until I get over it.

I have been knitting things from my stash and one day I may really use up all the Dark Horse Fantasy leftovers.  Meanwhile this put a dent in it but…

I had to buy an additional ball.

It’s the Fair Isle Tassel hat from Adorable Knits for Tots by Zoe Mealor, modified to use 4 colors instead of 5. So I didn’t saddle myself with 2 more balls.

I also knitted this for the Red Scarf Project from some Patton’s Classic Wool that was originally some of Diana’s leftovers but went with something I was doing so I bought it from her and I only needed a little bit and then well… I had 2 balls with lots of yardage left and it made a nice reasonably long scarf.

It’s the Yarn Harlot’s One Row Scarf.  Really easy and quick.

I’ve got it!  Have you got the pen?

Got what?

The perfect resolution for 2010.

I told you I wasn’t going to make any.

Oh but this one is good.  You might even be able to keep it.

That remains to be seen.   What is it?

I resolve to take down my Christmas tree and decorations before Valentine’s Day.

Ok, I can agree to that.

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Christmas Part 1

It’s Jan 2.

I know.

Were you planning on blogging anytime soon?

Yeah, I will.  I just need to catch up and take care of a few things and load all the pictures…

Are you aware that you only posted twice in December?

Twice?  I’m sure it was more than that.

No really, it was twice.

I had a lot to do.  There were all those parties.  Then I’m still trying to finish one Christmas gift and I had to work and I cooked and made truffles for costume shop gifts and wrote a short story and then I got the Touch and I had to put all my contacts on it and I’m still trying to figure out how to use it…

It’s soooo like you to drop your responsibilities and go running after some new thing until you get tired of that too and before you know it you have years of unfinished projects taking up space…

Ok, ok.  It has been a while since I posted and I had a very busy merry Christmas.  First up was the knitting group party at Jane’s lovely home.  I drew the first number in the gift exchange and got this:

A project bag in a fun sushi print from Olivia and a skein of Boomerang in a lovely pink and orange called “Tequila Sunrise”.  It was a great party, great food, lots of friends, and very nice afternoon.  Several people brought bags of yarn to destash and I couldn’t help myself I took advantage of this to acquire these:

and now my stash is beginning to scare me.  I could ignore it before but 2 big shopping bags are not going to hold it all anymore…

I got this and I don’t even know what it is.

Next on Friday night at Knitch there were more surprises.

Jane gave everyone calendars she made with her wonderful flower pictures.

Famous Steve gave everyone a cute mini sock blocker with instructions for a mini sock.  I might have to make that my first sock.  He also included this set of wonderful handmade wooden buttons:

Just in case I was tempted to get a little too full of myself I also got this cute felted lump of coal from Nancy:

Why is it you might get too full of yourself?

You know.  I’m going to post about it next time.  Christmas Part 2.

Oh yeah, that.

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