Today's random musings

Monkeys on my feet.

I’ve been losing weight pretty rapidly and steadily since the surgery. I know that’s the point, but I thought I would be able to wear my clothes for much longer than I have. Now, this is a good and bad thing. Good because it means everything is working as it should. Bad because I’m just not ready to buy more clothes. I now understand how people can have things in their “to give away” bags with tags on them. I have things in the closet that I figured I’d get to wear on the way down, no problem. It’s looking like I might shrink out of them before I get the chance to wear them. Again, good and bad.

So, when I got ready for work this morning I decided to put on a t-shirt that used to make me look like a sausage. It was previously ONLY worn underneath a larger more flattering shirt. Now I can wear it on its own. It’s not terribly attractive, but it’s fine under my jacket at work. The shirt is a light sea-foamy minty green and happens to match one of the many colors in the Aslan Monkeys I made for myself. It’s a bit of a reach, but I wanted to wear hand knit socks and these were the only ones that are clean and sort of match. So, I’ve got monkeys on my feet….better than one on my back, right?


The protocol of protocols.

School is over. Well, the classroom, 20 hours a weekend part of school is over. I still have to complete approximately six months of externship, but I am no longer obligated to show up at the building on the corner of La Cienaga Blvd. and Gregory Way any more. As part of the program we had to complete what are referred to as protocols. They were a series of shots for each part of the body whether it focused on one or many organs. The protocols are used industry wide. They might be tweaked, changed a bit by each hospital or imaging center, but they’re generally all the same. We had to commit these to memory and were tested on them all through the program. We were admonished to practice the ones we’d previously learned because although we’d moved onto a different subject we would have to know these for later. We would also be required, as a condition of being deemed externship ready, to produce perfect protocols at the end of our programs. They were the final test of our skill and knowledge, the Year-End Protocols. They were to be completed completely free of assitance.....from anyone.

I learned my protocols. I practiced them. I committed them to memory, and I was ready to do my Year-End Protocols at the end of the program. When I decided to take the six months off to be sure I am completely healed and healthy I realized I would not need to do my Year-End Protocols because they have to be done within 30 days of the start of your externship. However, the lab director and externship coordinator felt that it would be a good exercise for me to complete my Year-Ends even though I would be taking the break. So, I started them three weeks after we were allowed to begin them. I got five of the seven completed and approved within two days of beginning them. The last two were tricky. I needed someone who had clear anatomy, a good female reproductive system and a full bladder. It turned out that despite all the help I’d provided them, none of the women I have been in class with since the beginning would fill their bladder for me.

Well, not none. . . . the ones able to do it weren’t willing. There were only two or three others that were as conscientious as me. One of them did not have clear anatomy, one had a uterine variant that might not have worked for the protocol and the other was secretly pregnant so no scanning them. The others were suddenly angry with me. Asking for help but annoyed that I’d gotten through my Year-Ends so quickly and efficiently. It was, “T, could you help me find the main portal vein?” To which I replied, “Sure. Here it is.” And as I walked away I would say, “Is your bladder full yet? And they would print my picture and say happily, “Not yet, but I’m drinking.” This went on for a good ten hours. Finally, a girl who is one quarter behind me said, “T, I’m full. Do you want to scan me?” And another said, “T, do you have all your Year-Ends done? Do you want to scan my kidneys? They’re good.” And poof, my protocols were complete, and approved…and I was done. It was interesting that they all wanted pictures and to make sure I would keep in touch at the end, but still no full bladders in the house.

In knitting news.

I finished a pair of socks I've been working on as a birthday gift for a friend at the end of October. I've also got a pair almost complete to give to another friend in mid-October. I can't believe I'm ahead of the game like this....However, I don't have a birthday gift for my mother...on October 5th....lest you think I've gone and gotten organized on you. I haven't touched my father's sweater either. I have been working on my aunt's shawl though....just six more repeats of the little feather chart and then onto the area that I believe contains the nupps....5ptogs I think. It's very exciting.

Sorry there are no pictures. School might be over, but I'm still not organized!

I'm Tired...but, it's almost over!

I don't feel like talking...or writing. I just want to go home and sleep. School is almost over. I've got four things to complete and then I will have officially completed all of the pre-externship coursework for the class and I'm worn out. I keep looking around my apartment and thinking about how much time I'm going to have to spend to make up for 15 months of poor housekeeping.

In a fit I actually started yesterday. In a frenzy I pulled all of the clothes that weren't on hangers out of my closet. I was looking for something specific, and ended up with a three foot pile on my bed (I found it on a hanger on the other end of the closet--**sigh**)...this happened before I left for work...Yes, those things are now in a pile in front of the tread mill. No worries, I'll get to it. A lot of the stuff doesn't fit anymore and I'll need to get rid of it so it's a good thing. I also scrubbed the kitchen and cleaned out the fridge last night and that felt pretty good. Just need to mop the floor. I'm inspired by Crazy Aunt Purl.

In knitting news. I've been slogging along on my dad's sweater and two projects that are kind of secret. I think the recipients are semi-regular readers of the blog and I don't want to spoil the surprises I have planned. So, there are those two secret projects going on. I'm hoping to have them done by the end of this week.

When I got home yesterday I found the other ball of Misti Alpaca Laceweight had arrived(great transaction from this place, quick shipment). I ripped out the Swallowtail Shawl and restarted it. So, I'm through with the first chart and have completed two repeats of the second chart, just 12 more of that one and I don't know what else after that. Hopefully, I will get that done by my aunt's birthday in October. I've got alittle over a month.

It seems like I've got a lot of WIPs, but I'm done with school and it is my intention to spend SEVERAL weekends cleaning, knitting, and sleeping....not necessarily in that order. Hopefully, my girls will have time to spend with me too!

Whoo, it's almost over AND I survived it.

Knitting for the Baby

I've got a new niece....well, she's four months old now, but new in terms of being the child of my youngest brother. Before she was born I found out the colors planned for the nursery and made a blanket to match. It was a perfect match. The pinks and browns worked together really well, and it was a pinwheel and the motifs in the room were circles...how much more perfect could you ask for?

Apparently, it wasn't good enough. I dropped the blanket off at my brother's apt., along with all the other gifts, the night before the shower so that they could take them to the party since I didn't think I would be able to get out of class to attend. I was able to get out of class and drove across LA to show my face and watch them open the gifts....and guess what? They left the gifts at home because I didn't tell them to take them with them to the party. WTF??? I also told them to wash the blanket and give it back to me so that I could weave in the ends. They're a bit kooky and I wasn't sure about detergents and such, so it was simpler to say wash and return and I'll finish. I believe it was washed, but I've never seen it since then. I don't really expect to.

I also made booties and a little hat for her as a newborn. I don't think those items every saw any use either. Which brings me to now. I would like to knit for my niece, but what's the point if her mother will never put the items I knit on her? I figured I will just give gift certificates and that way at least I will have given her something that will get some use. What do you think?

Well, I've broken my rule and purchased a kit for a little cardigan. It's sooooooo cute. I've seen it made by Franklin and the Yarn Harlot, and thought, my niece needs one of those. Then the rational part of my mind spoke up and said. What the fuck are you thinking? $37 on a kit for a sweater for a baby and her mother will probably NEVER even let her wear it! So, I didn't order the kit....until Friday....it arrived on Monday. I've been looking at it every day since then.

What was I thinking? Almost $40 on a sweater her mother will probably never put on her. **sigh** I'm an ass. It came so nicely packaged in a ziplock bag...just the way I like it.

And the pattern came in a protective sleeve that can be placed in a binder.

Such a nice presentation. Such nice yarn. Such pretty colors.

Too bad she'll never wear it. I'll start it after I finish the body of my dad's sweater. I finally got the correct measurements. He was off by about six inches on every one I asked him for. Now the sweater will be longer than I anticipated, but still four or five inches shorter than he told me originally.