More from the land of Random

I can't focus on anything lately. There's just too much stress in our little family's life right now and it's starting to take its toll on me. But here's a few things I've had in my head that want to come out so here they are...

1. Karis. Such a lovely pattern and I had fun starting it but I took it off the needles. I had about 12" of the neck portion knitted and I am so proud of the work I did on it that I bound it off and now it's draped about the base of my monitor at work. I felt like I needed a reminder that I am a creative person at my not-at-all creative job.

2. Socks. Still coming along, just starting the gusset. I'll be very happy when they are done because I have the idea that I'm going to try Jaywalkers with some Lorna's Laces I picked up a while ago. I finally picked a practical color scheme instead of the deep, rich jewel-toned yarns by which I seem to be constantly seduced.

3. Eeep! I gotta get started on my Xmas knitting. Now.

1/2/3 Yes, I know I'm the slowest knitter in all the land. Do I win a prize?

4. I finished my postcards for the swap, even addressed 'em. I'm now wishing I had spent more time making the artwork more different for each card. But I guess I know myself well enough to know that I just don't have much time and that to get them done in time should be high on my list. The part that was unexpectedly wonderful was writing the messages on the cards. I had a few themes..."A few of my summertime faves", "A Summer To Do List" and "A Summer Memory". Writing these made me dig deep and really think about what it is about Summer that I love. It was a lesson in gratitude for the small stuff. The cards all have something different written on them. After I wrote them out, I then tried to match the card to the person. I don't think I was 100% successful on this, but I did try.

5. Photos. I'm really frustrated. I just can't bring myself to buy a monitor, but at the same time I'm having a hell of a time processing photos to make them look right. On my lappy, they are bright and crisp. When I see them at work...dark and muddy. I know I'm trying to do this on a lappy and that throws a bit of a wrench in the works but even when I try to fix them in comparison to 'known good photos' (a serious pain in the ass, let me tell you), I still can't get anything to look good. I know every monitor across the world is different but I just want it to be a little more middle of the road as far as brightness is concerned. It doesn't help that I've found a couple of photographers on flickr that take my breath away. They've got it going on. I just feel like a hack. Le sigh.

6. I'm reading the most awesome book. All the King's Men. Love it. Completely. I tried to read The Invisible Man, but the violence was too much for me. I had to stop around page 70.

Ok, that's enough randomness for today. Go back to your regularly scheduled late afternoon activities.