The Socks

The socks are finished! Well, more on that in one second.

• Noro, silk garden
• Color 50
• Size 5 needle
• Sock Model, son K
• Sock Photographer, Mom

Of course they don't match. And check out the color differences between the skeins; I mean completely different colors. (That is one of the reasons I really do not love Noro). Actually, the pair at the LYS did not either. One of the girls actually made 18 pairs for Christmas gifts this year and only had one pair that matched. So why the heck should I try? And, please do not faint; these are headed for the washing machine * GASP * No dryer. They will shrink about 1/2" inch in length and get very soft, and the color should mute a bit.

I Can't Sleep

I've been tagged...

Four jobs you've had in your life:

• Teacher
• Sales Representative
• Bar Tender
• Fruit sorter and packer

Four movies you could watch over and over again:

• Alien or The Terminator
• To Sir With Love
• Othello
• Brokeback Mountain

Four places you have lived:

• Western New York
• Adirondack Mountains
• hmmm...I don't get around much

Four TV shows you like to watch:

• Any of the CSI shows
• Lost
• Almost anything on HGTV
• 2 and 1/2 Men

Four Places you've been on vacation

• Cancun, Mexico
• Grand Cayman
• California
• Puerto Rico

Four Websites you visit daily:

• Education World
• Blogs on my side bar
• Google
• Buffalo.com

Four of your favorite foods:

• Ice cream
• Really good bread
• Cabbage and tomato Soup
• Oreo cookies

Four places you would rather be right now:

• Any place in the UK
• New York City to visit my old college roommate
• Smokies in Tennessee
• Any hot beach sipping a Corona

That was rather fun! Thanks Liz! Luci, I pass this one on to you.

I just picked up my new book for next month's club meeting. Somthing a bit different for us - non-fiction. Nicholas Gage is a reporter for the NY Times who returns to Greece to "find" the mother who died saving his life. I am only a short way into the book and it is truly engaging.

And this little gem comes from listening to too much NPR. A little bit techno, dance club, and Jewish. Go figure. But it sure is fun. I am just not allowed to listen to it when anyone else is in the room.

I think those socks I finished helped; I am in a much improved mood.

Define "Friend"

My good friend often wonders why some people are more likeable than others. So last night, sleepless in my bed, waiting for the 16 year old to come home, I think I came up with an answer. I think we like people for two major reasons: they are similar to us in the major ways...lifestyle, intelligence, temperament. Those are the things that initially draw us together; they help us form our early bonds of friendship. When we meet people who are our polar opposite, we back away or even avoid those individuals.

But I believe it is the second thing that is the more important of the two. I believe that our real friends have some character trait that we envy. It is a small thing. It creates an envy so small that we equate it with admiration. And that is why we wish to be with them. If we spend enough time in their company, we reap the benefits of this "thing" we envy/admire. We are allowed to bask in the aura this "thing" creates. If we meet a person who has no "thing" to give us, we do not seek out their company. They could be wonderful people, but without that little quality that we ourselves lack, what do they bring to the table?

And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My closest friends at work may not be the most outgoing, but they are outstanding teachers. They are intelligent, organized, and highly motivated. When I am with them, I feel the same way. I find myself trying to measure up to them. And that is a good thing. When I am with them, I feel confident and assured.

I have another friend who I adore. Why? Because everywhere we go she knows someone. I do not care where it is. I envy/admire her for that. Who does not want to be greeted with a smile and hug when they meet someone unexpectedly? The qualities my friend benefit me. She is popular, she is my friend, that makes me feel special. By watching her I am learning how to be a better person, a friendlier person. Through her I have met lots of people who I now call friends. And that is one of the reasons why I like her.

January?

Do you see this? Nice isn't it? Check the date: January 19! The sun is shining and it is 43 degrees out there. If this keeps up, the golf course behind our house may actually boast about being open year round. Here is the country girl fear: if this warm weather holds much longer, will the fruit trees start to bud?

I have not touched my knitting since Christmas. I think I burned out in the marathon knitting of my brother's afghan. Hey dear SIL, could you send me a photo of dear bro wrapped up in the green cocoon? Pity I never snapped a pix before letting him take it home. I plan on finishing the alpaca cream and brown scarf I started while in San Diego. Now that was in...September?!...oy! But I have been disciplined; no new yarn has wormed its way in my house. And I truly believe that is why I am feeling so unmotivated.

Do you think a pair of socks would help?

The Literate Knitter

The past two months have included a bit more than movies. Let us now check out the Green's bookshelf!

December's book club read was The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Apparently this was a best seller in both Spain and the States. Could it be that I lost something in the translation? The plot had great potential. A young boy is taken to a mysterious "Catacomb of books" where he is instructed by his father to make a selection. His choice leads him down a fateful path full of lust, a crooked cop, a questionable political criminal/innocent, and a mysterious author. As I said...great potential.


The next selection was a fast read. Jodi Picoult gives us another courtroom drama that could easily been ripped from today's headlines. Kate is diagnosed with cancer at age 3, her parents conceive, with a lot of help, a sibling that will serve as a future donor. Anna eventually seeks legal help when she feels that her parents have gone far enough. The question is truly how far is too far when parents are fighting to keep a child alive. I absolutely loved this novel up until the last two chapters. Sorry Miss P., but remember deus ex machina? I truly felt that was a cheat of an ending. But great twists and turns! Wonderful characterization.


And if you have not done so, check out the digs for Liz at Pocketfarm! Very impressive!

Lost in Blog Land

Has it really been over one month since my last post? Truth to tell, I have not had much interest in reading blogs, let alone making entries on my own. To ease myself back in the swing of things, I will start with the movie reviews.

Movies? The Green Eyed Knitter does not go to the movies, does she? Yes, and for some odd reason now feels compelled to see them twice within the same week.



The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was absolutely magical! Perfectly cast, these children were able to move from WWII England to the fantasy of Narnia in a very convincing manner! However, I must admit something about Aslan's eyes were not quite right. The first viewing was with 110 students; I had to go a second time to enjoy it without interruptions.



Memoirs of a Geisha was next on the list. Now, admittedly it has been a few years since I have read the book. And, my memory is not what it used to be. But did the Americans really come? Was she really asked to entertain the American military in order to gain contracts for her old friends? And are they sure that she and the Chairman formed an "alliance". But wow! the costuming and set designs were wild! Well worth the price of the ticket.



Now, my favorite. If you have not seen Brokeback Mountain, go. Go now. It is a love story that breaks your heart. The scenery begs a large screen viewing. The mountains, the vastness and isolation of the ranches. And my favorite line: "I wish I knew how to quit you." My SIL, my friend's 17 year old gay son, and I could not get it out of our heads.