MOVING

I've gone and done it...i've gone and moved. If you're interested in following my blog, point your browser to http://jerryc37.wordpress.com/

I think that's where I shall be from now on.

Great

I just updated my blog to do something with folloing other blogs and it fucked up my haloscan comments. I hate technology. Now to remember my haloscan info so I can go re-install it....I wish Blogger made it that easy to add 3rd party templates...assholes.

Oh geez...I'm a happy guy, eh? I will return....I think a pill may be in order...it's one of those days. I can feel the fury rising

I give up....tried reinstalling...doesn't seem to have worked. Sometimes it's better to just leave well enough alone. SInce the advent of Ravelry and Plurk, there really is no need for web rings anymore and I haven't liked Blogger for a while so maybe it's time to move.

I WANT DRUGS!

Black Void

How long can one man survive without intimacy and passion before he snaps? Is 25 years long enough? Is it real or is it an illusion Hollywood has manufactured? I believe it is real...for the truly breathtakingly beautiful people of which I was not one this time around. Teetering on the edge of blackness yet again is frightening-the coldness of the world and the male race in particular is no fun.

Then again, artists are too sensitive and I can fully see why we are driven to drug abuse & suicide. My next life I want to come back as a female much like an ex freind of mine who had men (GAY and straight ) falling at her feet to do whatever they could to be in her presence because I fully intend to use and treat men like the shit they are.

I've prayed and cried to the universe....it has not brought Danny any closer to me. A drug habit is real close....just where to find a dealer? I can no longer live like this. It's time to escape.


For You Danny....You'll never know just how much of an impact you've had on my life. For 16 years my heart has cried rivers for you-when you walked into the room, you did set it on fire. I only hope wherever you are and whoever you're with, you are safe and happy. That's all I ever wanted for you...I only wish it were me that got to share that with you. I just didn't try hard enough. You were shy and I was too scared...I blew it without even trying. I'm sorry....I hope we'll meet again on the other side, I miss you so much....I'll always love you...And I would walk a thousand miles to see your smile (and eyes) one more time.

Interesting Accent

I found this interesting...

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast   Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
Philadelphia
Boston
The Inland North
North Central
The South
The West
The Midland
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Traumatised

My doctor got a bit more intimate than I cared for today...knew it was coming,just not when. While I recover, I leave you with this teaser....

Twisting Wicker

Err, Dicker Twicket....no, no...WICKED TWISTER! That's it! I made an interesting discovery last week at Cedar Point thanks to this ride. I found my extreme hesitation to do rides like Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda ka have to do with the fact I'm not too keen on laying on my back facing the sky at a 90 degree angle. I don't know why.

This ride was the closest I'll ever get to the now defunct Chiller that Six Flags fucked up (as only six flags knows how to do). CRAZY FUN! You get launched 3 times forward, twice backwards on this fun contraption. 215 feet tall, 70 MPH. First launch takes you part way up the spike, ditto the reverse. When you come down from the back spike the first time, you feel just how strong a push the magnets thrust you out to climb much higher on the front spike. ALl the while twisting around like a candy cane.

I did not mind being on the back spike, facing the ground at 90 degrees...the front spike spooked me a little bit. I'm not real sure why-that's fucked up logic, no? Looking at the sky should be easier and the ground scarier? For this reason I probably could never go up in the space shuttle. But now that I see where my fear lies, I can probably conquer TOp Thrill Dragster next time.

I actually made a second discovery-I'm no longer so enamored with the poorly run, money grubbing, highway robbery chain known as Six Flags. I'm a confirmed Cedar Point fan boy! Six Flags ought to be ashmaed of themselves. No, let me rephrase that...Red Zone management and the asshole that is CEO should be...the park was fine until he took over. Fuck him and his chain-we goin' back to the point next year!!!!! WOOT WOOT!!!!!

Next post will come my newest love who stole my heart..but that's for next time. Gotta present her well, she's very very special!

For now....enjoy WICKED TWISTER! The music stinks but the ride kicked ass! Loved this.Chris was laughing every time we ride. Said it made my hair look like I stuck my finger in a power point. LMAO!



Here's an on ride POV from the front. Sorry, the raw intensity of this just does not come through in videos. it's probably the most intense coaster I've ever ridden, but that's just me.

Leaving...On A Jet plane

Off to Ohio to go ride some coasters. Got a 10 AM flight and am freaking out. I wanna be on the Motley Crue jet getting wrecked with Nikki and Tommy so I don't know or care we're in an impossibly heavy suppository. I want the rock & roll BLARING. I'll take a Xanax about a half hour before we're set to take off. On an empty stomach it hopefully will chill my ass out some but given what happened Saturday on two of them, I dunno. It may have no effect at all.

Thinking I may be done with the platinum too. She's WAY over processing me all of a sudden. The last two times she's bleached me up to white and that's a BIG no-no. Now it's starting to break off in front and I'm just so done with this-I can't lose anymore. She was doing great at first...dunno what's up now. She knows better too. I'm going for extensions when we get back. UGH1 THe older I get the more high maintenance I get. Does this shit ever stop? Youth honestly really is wasted on the young.

SO...I'm wondering how long after take off I can put my iPod on? I don't see what the deal is with an iPod. Mobile phones I do...that damn thing interferes with my computer speakers, my television, my radio....I totally get the mobile phone but whatever.

Wow...in a few hours I'll FINALLY get to ride a stand up coaster. I've done floorless, I've done traditional sit downs, I've done inverted, I've done launched (God I miss you Chiller-Mark Shapiro you bastard!), I've even done 'em laying down staring straight at the ground below...never done a stand up. Gonna be wild! :D

I was gonna put Kickstart My Heart here but I used that one below. shrugging shoulders

OK, I'm off...this is fear making me ramble now. See y'all on Wednesday

KNITTING!

Knitting content...can ya believe it? I'm about 50% done with Whitby now...actually, I consider it more like 75% done because the final sleeve will work up so fast it won't even be funny. I wish I could knit on the plane. But I'm sure long haired, bleached blond, tattooed dude and pointy sticks will put a major knot in the ass of TSA agents. Coz I look like a terrorist, right? Well...maybe if the pilot or co-pilot is some major babeage ,I could become a bit of a nuisance. LOL!


We fly out to Ohio Thursday morning...I'm SO not looking forward to this flight. I just hope the fear of post 9/11 in a plane doesn't overpower the Xanax. I remember all too well back in the metal days when we'd be so wrecked and if something freaky happened, having the situation sober you up in the blink of an eye. That happened a few times.

Saturday I picked up Nikki Sixx's book, The Heroin Diaries. I was never a HUGE Motley Crue fan. I liked 'em but I didn't break out over them like I did/do King Diamond or Warlock or Lita Ford. Anyway, I'm about half way through it and it is mind blowing. I can relate to a lot of the pain and fears he's writing tho. It's kinda spooky.

Saturday Night was so crazed it's unreal. The assholes out back had a party which...fine-I'm not an unreasonable guy I don't think. They had shitty music blasting but they had a fucking mixing desk OUTSIDE so this shit was blaring NON STOP It was like the K-Tel record from hell...8 PM came and it was still blasting so after 7 phone calls to the useless police dept in this ghetto I couldn't take it anymore and at 10.30 PM I went psycho on their motherfucking asses. SCREAMING like a lunatic TURN THAT FUCKING SHIT OFF! YOU HAVE NO FUCKING CONSIDERATION FOR ANYBODY BUT YOURSELVES! IT'S 10.30 AT NIGHT! This asshole yells back "It's weekend mon....no work." SO I yelled to go take it back to the ghetto where you belong and bother them. I can't fucking deal with this anymore. SO I popped 2 Xanax, threw some shit in a duffel bag and went into Boston like a fucking lunatic rock star at 11.15 PM and got a room at the Westin....I paid $400 fucking dollars (including a $40 bar tab) for 6 hours of sleep because ghetto trash has no consideration for anybody around them. I SO wanted to do a Sharon Osbourne and throw a fucking roast over the fence but they'd probably have lit the grill and cooked it. If my dad weren't already pissed off enough himself, I would have put some Slayer or Venom on and given them a real concert.

Which leads me to....when people take a holiday and come to Boston...where the fuck do they have breakfast? It dawned on me Sunday morning when I woke up and looked out the hotel window and it dawned on me I wasn't in New York. There are no diners to pop into for a bite to eat. How do visitors eat in this half-assed city? There must be a restaurant or something in the hotel I imagine. I didn't see one.

Since I'm reading his book...let's close this with some rockin' good tune...How about:

Songbird

At some point there must come a time when your soul heals and your heart smiles. I'm not even close yet. Maybe that only comes when we move on to the next plane of existence? I don't know anymore. For you grey eyes, with all my soul...

Pianos

SO I found this guy on the 'net who tunes pianos. Found several actually but this dude sounded the best of them so he came today to tune my piano. First time its been tuned in 19 years. Was WAY flat....it's better than it was but still flat. He comes again next week to tune it again and this time it should be in perfect tune. He said it actually appreciated in value-it's worth 2 grand more than what my grandparents paid for it when they got it for me back in '86. Good to know but I don't plan on selling it. I banged out a little Kate Bush, F'wood Mac, Queen and Suzanne Ciani. Feels good to play but I'm really really rusty and it's a bit embarrassing given the level I was at back in the 80's.
I don't like to be heard just yet but my dad paces round and round.

I'm thinking of taking lessons again, classical. I love the discipline of classical but I remember how hard it was at the time my dad got early retirement. I was already pretty adept at that point and having him pace round and round would throw my count off. Not sure it's worth it to take again even tho I want to.

Ain't she purdy??!



He even told me to polish the brass...I didn't know, for some odd reason,this could be done. The Yamaha logo is actually a brass inlay in the wood. I thought it was painted on and lost forever. It was really really dingy. Looks like the day the 3 guys brought her in and set her up! The pedals too-they were BLACK. Not anymore WOOT! WOOT!



I also got a couple movies from Amazon. On Ravelry, a friend was saying there's this German movie with English subtitles...Mostly Martha. Loving the German language so much, I ordered it. Wouldn't you know it came today-when the Olympics begin. DAMNIT! I also got Fantastic Voyage. Love those old sci-fi moves.

Purple

I am purple. I think there were 5 unticked boxes from this quiz I stole from my friend Moon over there on the Nocturnal Knit Witch. I expected it to tell me I am black but it said I am purple.

you are purple #800080

Your dominant hues are red and blue. You're confident and like showing people new ideas. You play well with others and can be very influential if you want to be. Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right. Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Which colour are you?

Movie Rentals LOL!

So I'm truckin' along on the Whitby jumper....really enjoying that. It was supposed to be finished for the spring-I said I was going to wear it on the first harbour cruise of the season. I'm about 3/4 the way up the back and 3 more pieces to go. No big deal, I can still wear it in the autumn. I'm debating weather to make another pair of log cabin socks....that Elsabeth Lavold angora/wool blend if he's a nice guy, Shetland wool if he's not. Too soon to tell yet. I can knock those out in a week or less so I'm not worried.

I just finally ordered a Doctor Who t shirt from my favourite episode that is on the UPS truck as I'm typing this. I can wear it tonight to knit night :) WOOT! WOOT!!!


I also ordered a new night stand that I think I should have Monday if the confirmation e mail is correct. I'm real excited about this-it's really really nice...and no, it's not a naked guy table LOL! It's even better...at least it's ilk have been nicer to me than guys ever have. I now need to find what to do with a huge stack of art books because there is no under the table shelf or storage. I guess it'll be relegated to the attic with everything else. There's so much that needs to be thrown out up there but my dad won't do it so I have the lovely task of doing it when he's dead 'coz he's just as big a pack rat as my grandfather was. Funny, he berated my grandfather for that and he does the same damn thing. I should just start doing smaller stuff now. See, this is the reason that anything I throw out now I smash with a sledgehammer-my dad went and fished a broken electronic typewriter out that is still sitting in his bedroom. He doesn't type and the damn thing is broken but still, he's saving it. For????????? Chances are good if he's not attempted to use it in 23 years, he's not going to. GET RID OF IT!!!

In meantime, I got all my DVD's sorted. This is part of them. There's another shelf off to the left of this that is filling with TV shows and music videos and that lot. I could open a rental store, no? LOL! According to Delicious Library, I have 458 DVD's....LOL! I own more DVD's that CD's. Never liked CD's but I'm not going there now. I think if you click the pic you can see a lot of the titles...not sure if Blogger shrinks it more so you can't? Apparently Blogger shrinks it even more so you can't read the titles.

One Word

I saw this on my friend Lorraine's blog so I stole it. I think I did this once before but what the hell....

Rules: You must answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? Dresser

2. Your significant other? CK

3. Your hair? CANDYFLOSS!

4. Your mother? Dead

5. Your father? Home

6. Your favourite thing? Roller-coasters

7. Your dream last night? Sex

8 Your favorite drink? Absinthe

9. Your dream/goal? Happiness

10. The room you’re in? Office (?)

11. Your hobby? Knitting

12. Your fear? Heights

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy

14. What you’re not? Laid

15. Muffins? CUTE!

6. One of your wish list items? Muffins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

17. Where you grew up? Here

18. The last thing you did? Showered

19. What are you wearing? Jeans

20. Favorite gadget? Vibrator (you want honest or a lie?)

21. Your pets? Cat

22. Your computer? Macintosh

23. Your mood? Horny

24. Missing someone? Yes

25. Your car? Jaguar

26. Something you’re not wearing? Shirt

27. Favorite store? Tiffany

28. Like someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Purple

30. When is the last time you laughed? Just now?

31. Last time you cried? Yesterday

It seems that everyone has been tagged for this- but in case you haven't been - please play along. Finding a single word for an answer can be challenging.

How come the link didn't work?

I don't have one, shit out of ideas

I'm feeling really vulnerable and uneasy the past couple days which means my bohemian streak is starting to rear its head.
That means I'm fighting an urge to put the purple back in my hair. I'm getting older so I dunno what the fuck I care what other people think but I'm thinking if I do it is exactly when I'd bump into D again and that's all I need after 16 years of heartache over him, to run into him again looking like a freak. Would it even matter to him? Someone else I have my eye on too that I see fairly regularly.....not sure he's gay for starters and is he even into older men if he is? He's really sweet but I'm 40 and have a lot of baggage that I'd not expect a 20 something to deal with...he shouldn't have to. He's young and that's a time to enjoy yourself, not having to deal with some old fuck's problems...I wish I could go back and do it again.

I guess I'm feeling like a caged animal and I don't like it....I could bust at the seams. It has to stop....I can't deal with this. I want to jump out of my skin.

I fucked up the last row of knitting...have to rip it back tomorrow.

There's something wrong with me.I wish I could get electroshock done to scramble my brains....forget everything up until the point in time it was done...get a totally new lease on life.

I think the best thing to do is for me to do first is seek a past life regression therapist....delve into that to see what the fuck exactly I am here for 'coz I can't figure it out anymore and I'm damn tired of the bullshit. I thought I had it figured out at one point but I guess I was dead wrong. I'm just tired of it all...and everything.

Felt good for a couple weeks and BAM....feeling like shit again. I need to get laid...for one thing...that's a major part of the problem. Who knewthis is how it'd be when you're involved with someone?

I'll leave you with this video....Damn Terry Bozzio is fucking hot!!!! Love his expression beating those skins during the solo-so sexy!

Settling In and knitting

I got my new waterbed yesterday. Dude from the store came and set it up in about 45 minutes. I clearly remember my old one taking my dad and I MUCH longer. I was amazed to see this guy haul the headboard himself...it's huge and heavy and it's attached to the frame before he can lift it. He wasn't much bigger than I am either. SO for the first time in over a week, I finally slept well last night. I guess the novelty of a new bed made it feel like the first time ever on a waterbed. The mattress pad is different so that had to play into it as well.I used to use these cheap ass synthetic pads on the old bed and they'd bunch up and shift and I HATED the sand it left behind that I had to clean up every 6 months. This is a very heavily quilted envelope the mattress goes into, you fill it then zip the pad closed. It's like sleeping on a cloud. I'm tempted to say it's similar to those egg crate things except only more comfy than that.


The frame is nice tho I wasn't all that wild about the roses painted all over the glass. My old one was all wood, no glass but the 80's are over and waterbeds are not the popular things they were back then. Back then you couldn't go to a mall or any place without seeing a store for them.Now I know of only one place in my area that sells the classic waterbeds and the styles are very slim. Still, I'm happy with it. I LOVE the King size...never slept on a King size before and I did not want to get out of bed this morning. My back is not screaming at me anymore and my shoulder doesn't hurt as much. I guess after 24 years of sleeping on one, it is the only thing I can sleep on anymore.

I've been knitting too. I got about 28 rows done which is one complete repeat. I'll work more on that today. I should have the jumper done by the fall if I work on it steadily.At least I'm knitting again and that feels good. I guess the stress down that hell hole was just too much. I'm far more relaxed here.

The madness of moving

Well, I'm back living at my dad's. I just couldn't take it down that hell hole another day. Last Thursday night I stormed off. Called the mayor the next day telling him I was forced out of my own home and thank you for dicking me around on buying my house. First he said the city was interested-no shit-they could expand the fucking dept. of public works-then his people told me he never said any such thing and he has no authority to say any such thing. What did I do, pull that statement out of my ass? Can you see the mentality I'm dealing with-the mayor should have known that if it's true but whatever. So I called him again and told him since I can't get hold of him and he refuses to return calls (this from the person who said he was the most accessible mayor this ghetto has had in years) I have no recourse but to go to the local news channels and expose how corrupt the city really is. The next morning I found the back window to my Jag smashed. I wish I saw who did it so I could have gone out and dismembered them.



ANYWAY....life is much less stressful here but carries with it some stresses of its own. It's not easy at 40 to go back home. Still it beats the shithole I was living at before. I've not had much time to write as my BF comes up to visit me at night (he stayed at the house or my dad is pacing around which really grates on me at times....retirement shouldn't be an option for people that have no real hobbies....it's dangerous really to have all that idle time and it just rots the brain. Not healthy. Mental activity is important and watching tv and looking out windows doesn't do the job.

I got hooked up to Verizon DSL for internet but have big problems with e mail and they're useless as they don't support Thunderbird...they only support MS Outlook Express. I asked them if they're aware MS abandoned that a few years ago.

A heavy metal concert would be great about now but ya gotta love the USA...they decided we didn't need metal and killed it off. This Numetal shit they can keep...it ain't real metal. Something is gonna have to give 'coz I can't blast music anymore and that's not gonna work. I may need to get me a passport and go to Germany to see some concerts. Soft music is going to kill me.

The bed I've been sleeping on is crippling me, I've been sleeping on a waterbed the past 24 years. I ordered a new one Monday or Tuesday and got a call it will be delivered next Tuesday. Thank god! I can't wait...at least I'll be able to sleep comfortably again. The bed I'm on is like sleeping on cinder blocks and is REALLY hard to get to sleep. This move is costing me a lot of money-UGH!

Still, I was able to knit yesterday, 2 rows but I did some anyway. I guess I'm still getting settled in. My cat is loving exploring the house, looking out windows and not being blocked from the other side of the house by a division wall like at the other house. I think she's tired from so much to see LOL!


Doctor Who is on tonight...first time I've gotten to see it in three weeks...can't wait! I suppose I could buy the past two episodes I missed on iTunes but I'll get the whole set when it comes out on DVD No big deal.

I'll close with this:

What's Going on?

OK, normally, I despise rap music but this is sorta fusion. The fact this reminds me a lot of the opium tinged Alice In Wonderland doesn't hurt...nor does the fact the singer is fucking hotter than hell. Holy shit.....

Sunday Morn' Creativity

LOOK OUT! Helter Skelter

At some point things are going to look up...they have to, no? A person can only take so much negativity and frankly I'm tired of it but I got even more bad news on selling this twat trap so......I've been singing this, shouting is more like it, all day. When I've not been crying on the sofa.

I'm sorry for being so whiny and immature lately, I've just had more than enough fucking negativity and can't take anymore.


In two weeks,we will be in New jersey riding roller coasters at Six Flags. Suffice to say,I'm planting my ass on row 9 of Nitro and NOTHING is going to pry my ass off that coaster.
This ought to be cute,pulling back in crying because it feels to good to ride.


In meantime, crank up the volume and sing along. I generally don't like covers but Pat Benatar did an awesome job of this, I think.

Expression

I guess this is pretty self-explanatory to anybody who knows what has been going on the past few weeks.To those that do, yes, it's tearing me up inside. To those that don't...it's just artistic expression. As always...this is for you D...if you ever see this.

I'm a Mean Motherfuckin' Man

City fucked me around for over a month to tell me they're not interested in buying this fuckhole. ANybody wanna buy my house? Can blast your stereo 24/7 and not bother anybody...I'd love to put a fucking needle in my arm right nw...too bad I'm such a pussy.

I'm fucking OUTTA HERE! FUCK YOU EVERETT MASSACHUSETTS!!! NO MORE LOW CLASS WELFARE TOWNS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!

In My Dreams

Great Dokken song...but dreams can be torture.

Two Moon Junction

I was feeling great last night...made some good progress with my writing and have been bolstered up to the heavens since I just got Mike Oldfield's autobiography on Friday. I think I understand his music a bit better and so far, it feels like someone looked into my life and described it-I can relate to the isolation and being outcast and all that stuff. The book is amazing.

I watched Two Moon Junction as well. I forgot how hot that movie was...smokin' hot! Great couples movie to get the blood flowing. It's been years since I saw it and it just popped into my mind for some reason. I need to order it on DVD. Sherilynn Fenn was absolutely gorgeous in that...I don't think she's ever looked better. Platinum blonde suited her well. Maybe I'll watch it again tonight, not sure.

Speaking of platinum...busy week for me. I go get the second laser treatment on my face Tuesday morning and then Thursday I go get my roots done. It's really thinning on top at the crown...may be time to start looking into weaves or a wig. YIKES! I can't deal with it. I see some of these guys..like Mike Oldfield..he just turned 55 years old a couple of weeks ago and still has a full head of hair, ditto Ozzy Osbourne, and a smattering of other rockers...what did I do wrong? Is the key to retaining hair taking drugs? If I knew that's what I needed to do to keep my hair I'd have developed me a drug habit instead of just experimenting. Seriously....I cannot handle losing my hair. Thank god it's still full everywhere else, for the time being.



I'm supposed to be knitting, huh? Been ages since I've blogged about knitting. It's a little too warm to knit right now tho.

Time to go do some writing now...

Paradise..Tesla

I dunno what to say. I'm writing, the book is coming along well. I'm really happy with how it's going. It feels like I've been given a muse. At the same time I'm scared the flow is going to end so I'm doing as much as I can when I'm feeling it. I just feel this flow of creativity like I've not felt since the 80's. I don't want it to end. I should be trying to get some music going too but writing is what I find the most difficult now so that's what I'm concentrating on. With 14 chapters written in about 3 weeks, I think I'm doing pretty well.

One scene I just wrote tonight involved a concert which made me think of my past and this song. It's always been special to me.I know it's probably futile at this point but D....This song goes out to you.



I am smarter than 75.01% of the rest of the world.
How Dumb Are You?

Smokie vocals

Wow...what a night. I've been working on some music and lots of stuff came flooding back. I'm hell-bent on recording Smokie's "If You Think You Know How To Love Me". I've been belting that out all day. Actually, I've been listening to Smokie most of the afternoon. They just had that damn feel good vibe of the 70's. As I was working on a short story just now, This gem came on and stopped me dead in my tracks. It's kinda hard to sing for a few reasons, not knowing it all that well for starters but this conjured up memories of my past. A certain someone who will never leave my mind and also my mom. I'm sure my mom is leaning on a chair or something watching me work on the vocals to this. I was unable to find a video for it that Smokie recorded so this will have to do. I want to say, even tho I know he's probably not ever going to see this, all those nights delivering to Rockit, I've never forgotten you Pizza Boy. Those eyes and that smile are burned in my memory forever. So for you mom...and for you D.......

Bring on the lasers! I'm fighting back!

Well, I had an appointment for Botox today at a medspa and decided I wasn't sure if I wanted the maintenance of it. Every 4 months going back for another injection. I have a dent between my eyebrows that has bothered me for a long time and I've been considering this for about 2 years I guess. The nurse told me to take my time and decide
-she didn't try to pressure me into it. If the Botox didn't smooth out the dent on its own, I could get a Juvederm injection which is really what I wanted but she said that the muscles are too strong and too active between the brows and the Juvederm would break down within a month and be wasted money.


I had asked her opinion on IPL treatment, a Photofacial. She said she loved them and thought they were good. I had read they were snake oil, have read a lot on those and while most were relatively benign, I thought I'd ask. Well, one could be done right there on the spot. So I went ahead with that, not really sure what to expect.

Let me say right now, I can fully understand how people get addicted to cosmetic procedures. The Photofacial was not at all like I expected. I didn't feel a thing on my forehead, around my eyes or on my cheeks. It did HURT when she got to where my beard was. Less painful than tattooing but it stung. She said because the hair absorbs the energy. I guess it must be like what electrolysis feels like, I dunno. I've only ever waxed my face before and this was different.

Right off the bat with only one treatment,I can see a significant difference in a red splotch on top of my right cheek I used to agonise over with make up to cover and it never STAYED covered. I would say it has lightened up about 70% and will be completely erased with the next treatment in 3 weeks. I THINK maybe I see a difference with the baggy areas beginning to form on the sides of my nose, they seem less pronounced but I can't tell yet if it's real or just wishful thinking.

I am now seriously thinking of going to the dermatology dept. of Mass General hospital for C02 laser which is pretty serious business-it's the most aggressive laser, I had the weakest today and it wasn't even a laser what I did today. That will most assuredly do what I want that I know this Photofacial can never do. C02 laser will tighten my skin, it will smooth out the texture and given how I look now, I think I can turn back the clock and make me look more like I did at 23 or 24. TO tighten up the frown lines, erase the crows feet starting to form and even out the texture is really what I want and make me happy. I also think I am going to go ahead and get the Botox/Jevederm but I still need to weigh that....that is a process that needs to be done every 4 months...the Botox anyway...and I already have a heavy commitment with keeping my roots up bleaching them every 4 weeks.

I never said I planned to age gracefully. As a teenager I was a tough-talker, saying I would get a facelift when the time came. Done right, I think they look awesome but as the years have passed and I've seen what these surgeries actually involve...I'm not such a big mouth anymore and lasers are one of the few things left that do not scare the shit out of me (maybe they should?) It's the only thing, aside from chemical peels, that I have left to fight time with. Surgery with knives is out...I just can't do it but I'm still young enough that lasers can work miracles if I choose a doctor wisely.

If I go with the C02 laser, I'll really have no choice but to get the Botox/Juvederm as that dent ages me and is really what started all of this.

I can hear my mom now, what a vain bastard I am, wasting my money...but I can't help it. Is there anything wrong with wanting to look like I'm 24 while I'm still young enough to do it without looking totally ridiculous? What's wrong with wanting smooth, even toned skin? Why shouldn't I exercise that option? What is wrong with wanting to look youthful while I still can?

I know already that I'm in big trouble...I cannot handle ageing....there's nothing wrong with it except I do not want to get old looking. I'm not ready...when will I be ready? I dunno,maybe never, I have no idea. I just know right now I'm at a point where I can fight back and I think that's just what I'm going to do. I don't have unrealistic expectations, I'm not doing it for anybody but myself. I'm seen as a freak already so I don't really care, I only care about making myself happy and I think this will do it.

Moonlight Shadow

Maybe it's when I get in low cycles of mood but this is one song my my biggest non-metal idol, Mike Oldfield. This man is a guitar god like no other, and far more than a musician. I can't tell you how long I've been into him, I was very young when I first got Tubular Bells, maybe 12. Before I go rambling, here's one of my favourite songs sun by a vocalist who wasn't with him long enough, Scottish born Maggie Reilly. She has the voice of an angle and I guess she still releases records. For you John Lennon fans, take a good listen to the lyrics, the song was said to be inspired by John's assassination.



One more...Five Miles Out....Can you tell this man is a demi-god to me? Once upon a time I could hit all of her notes....no more :(



OK, Last one, I promise. This one's called Punkadiddle.....it has always been a huge favourite and very near and dear to me. It's kinda crazy, a whole lotta fun....I love how at the end he's toying with the audience and enjoying it ;)The studio version is a bit better but it's always fun to see them perform it live.

Ever-Evolving

Jesus it's been over a month since I blogged. A lot has been going on, a lot of internal stuff I've been struggling with. Some personal issues which are really hard to deal with and other stuff that's just frustrating like living in this dump with the noise. I only wish the two newest industries moved in a year prior to my moving here
and I never would have destroyed my life by leaving home. Its cost me a lot in terms of personal happiness, health and stability. Not sure there's a lot to do with the economy in the shitter, I've endured far too much to take a big loss on selling in this market. HOWEVER...

I've been writing again because I just need to. There's things swirling in me and bubbling and it needs to come out so I'm working on a story and have about 4 or 5 more I started that never finished. Maybe I'll work on those once I get this one done.

I also hadn't anticipated my current venture back into music. A good friend of mine is gearing up to release her new CD this summer and as we were talking, I googled one of the programmes she's using and watched the demos and thought about it for about 3 and a half minutes before promptly ordering the damn thing. SO now I sit, frantically trying to learn Apple's Logic that I bought last year for some strange reason or other and only installed but never used. This new programme reminds me a lot of my vintage 80's synth, the Fairlight CMI which I ache to use again.

This'll be different as I've not really done electronic music since the mid 80's. I switched over to guitar because I got sick of screwing with computers and this and that setting and all this other technical stuff. With guitar, you just plug in, tune up and rock out. But here I go back to the rocket science again...and it really is now. Back when I was doing it before it was sort of in its infancy and so new that it was easy to grab what you needed to know because we were all learning together but now it's mind boggling. It'll be interesting though to see where this leads. I've always admired Mike Oldfield and put him up in some pagan God-Like status...maybe I can create soundscapes as haunting and beautiful as he has.

I don't know if this is the blessing or the curse aspect of being a Pisces. It's interesting tho how things cycle and evolve and constantly change. For now, I'll leave with a pic of two of my favourite people I recently met.

Let's ride a bull!

Well, I said I'd take ya on another guided visual of another favourite coaster. I'll apologise in advance for the video, the dude is screaming before anything happens but it's the only video I could find that starts in the station. I hope you like steep drops 'coz this is the mother of all drops at the moment. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure. 181 feet tall...not too bad given Nitro is 230 feet tall, eh? The drop is 176 feet at a 76 degree angle and for all intents and purposes, it may as well be a sheer 90 degree drop because when you're on that train and round the bed and begin pointing down....it IS a straight drop.

So you make your way to the queue. It's always packed unless you hit it right when the park opens. The only bad thing about El Toro is they let too many people into the station. It's small in there and get too crowded. For air time, you gotta sit in the back. It doesn't really matter where you sit, you get a great ride. As you're standing there, you watch a few trains come down that drop and you wonder what you got yourself into. The train speeds by in a blur...70 mph never seemed so fast and this ride is 10 mph SLOWER than Nitro. It sounds aggressive, it looks aggressive, it IS aggressive. Two people ahead of you then it's your turn to board. They load, their train is checked and off they go. You stand there, heart beginning to race and you think you'll have a few minutes to compose yourself but think again, here comes the second train, it unloads and the air gates hiss open. You notice how long the train looks ass you slowly edge forward and take a seat on the outside seat.

You're sitting down when I tell you you're sitting on the seat belt and you definitely need it on this ride. Lifting up, you grab the belt, fasten it and pull the lap bar down.
"What does extreme uplifting forces mean?" you ask me as you point to an overhead sign. I smirk and tell you it means exactly what it says....this coaster has extreme ejector air...and I mean EXTREME. "But it's fun, don't worry." "It's less scary than Nitro because it's not as high, right?" you ask with a nervous laugh as attendants come down the line and staple you in. "Let me put it to you this way....Nitro is like a Maine Coon cat...it's big, and it looks tough but a gentle giant. El Toro means business...it is going to buck you around and your butt isn't going to be in your seat until the end of the ride, during the twister section...just before we pull back into the station." Your eyes widen as the ever-familiar "All Clear, Enjoy your ride on El Toro" is announced and the train begins to roll forward slowly and makes a very sharp left turn.

We approach the lift hill and there's a sudden loud BANG! "That's just the catch car engaging the train." I say leaning my head back to enjoy the warm sun on my face. Suddenly, the train gains a lot of speed, almost like a mini launch. It takes no time at all to reach the top and the cable lift, the first on a wooden coaster, is eerily quiet. It slows as the train inches over the top and you notice the front reaching the drop. It is very quiet and still up here but there's not much time to take it in as we're beginning to get whipped over the drop.

STRAIGHT DOWN the ground is racing up to meet us, your butt is not in the seat and the train is going so fast it feels as if we're going to crash through the track and keep on going straight through the ground. 'Holy shit!" is all you have time to say before the G's plant you firmly in your seat as we race up the second hill where you again become airborne but smile and say CHEESE! It's picture time at the bottom of this hill. Again we race up and there's a very swift,sharp turn to the right...into a very heavily banked swoop to the right. The lateral G's are nice here. Racing to the sky again and turning to the left slightly we're diving into and behind the structure where the head-chopper effect is amazing. The train begins to turn to the left again and I say "This is the best part-hold on!" And it's true....after this swoop there's a slight incline as we cross over the other wooden coaster, Rolling Thunder and get one spectacular moment of extreme ejector air before the train hurtles into a very severe but extremely fun serpentine twister section that snakes along Rolling Thunder's infield. Pulling out everyone is laughing and cheering as the train finally begins to lose some speed and hit the brakes before pulling back into the station. "I wanna do it again!" you say running down the exit to get back in line.


The only real problem with El Toro is for the extreme speed, it's too short a ride. It is honestly over WAY too fast. During construction of this, there was one photograph someone snapped that showed workers on the lift hill and the first drop was in gorgeous view. It make both the lift and the drop lok impossibly vertical, I wish I could find that shot but I can't. I have this one but showing the workers strapped to the lift while laying down the track really put things in perspective.

"Stuck"

Wow...I don't even know where to begin so I guess at the top is a good place. I think I'm over my bad mojo. I've been working on a lace shawl. Beltane from Goddess Knits. It's perfect...not too hard that it's frustrating and not so easy that it's boring. See:




Actually, I'm a bit farther along than that-I finished that portion and picked up around the edge for the border. There's a few more of her shawls I want to get...they'll look great strewn over a book case and my bed's headboard. I'm going totally bohemian now that I'm 40.

Somebody started a roller coaster group on Ravelry. That was cool-I had thought about starting one not long after I got my invitation but didn't think there'd be enough people.

I've got an idea for a story. Actually, I had started it a while ago and didn't like how it was going so I put it aside. Now i've got some idea on where to go with it and was all excited to sit and write tonight and I can't. I get 'stuck'. I dunno what the hell is wrong with me. I'd got the ideas and I know it'll begin to write itself once I let go and become a passive vehicle but getting from "here" to there is the problem...I can see it all going on in my head but to click into that moment and do it...I dunno...

I was never like this...I used to write 9 pages per night EVERY NIGHT back in my 20's. I'd cook an idea during the evening, let it take shape and being to write about 9.30 or 10 at night and go until 2 or 3 in the morning. I was NEVER at a loss when it came to writing and now I have trouble...and it's not usually with the ideas bit just getting myself to click into that mindset and sit to do it. I dunno, I don't like it. I don't know if it's my environment (probably), my frame of mind...what.

I think I need a vacation from me. I keep hearing Pink's song "Don't Let Me Get Me" in my head...that's how I feel. What happened to that cosmic river of creativity that was so abundant in the 80's...it's just not there. I should probably have a glass of Absinthe or two...maybe I will...I dunno.....just not in the mood for alcohol. Oh this is horrible!

One thing I'm happy for is I got my roots done for my 40th birthday....my hair is so damn white, I'm over the moon with it. I'm so loving this. Why does it even matter?



I promised a few people another virtual ride on another coaster...next entry.


Now Playing: Pink ~ Just Like A Pill

Now Showing: Rosemary's Baby

The View from 230 Feet above the ground

I guess this is the time of year when things get really bad, just before the amusement parks open up and my roller coaster withdrawal gets really bad. The final month before opening seems to go by like frozen molasses, so close yet seemingly so far.


For the past five months, I've been riding this over and over in my head and on my coaster simulator computer programme. Every night when I get in bed I walk the queue line,walk up that long, tall flight of stairs and quickly walk to the back row of air gates just as a train pulls into the station...the clamshell harnesses open...the riders get off and walk down the exit.

I smile as the air gates hiss and swing open, take my seat in the final row either outside seat. Row 9 right makes you feel like you're going to get tossed and fly out on the turn of the second hill (it's a very sharp left turn), Row 9 left seat makes you feel like you are just going to slide right out and drop. Either side is amazing but Row 9 is where to ride this baby.


Dude behind the control panel checks to see the 2 other attendants have their thumbs up, he gives the familiar "All clear. Enjoy your ride on Nitro" (I'm getting goose bumps typing this) and the train is dispatched. Slowly rolling forward until it takes that brief diving swoop to the left and begins the noisy climb into the heavens.


The 52 second ride to the top is peaceful...you take in the sunny day,a you rise higher and higher more of the layout comes into view and you begin to get giddy with anticipation that in a short time you'll be flying over the tracks. Higher and higher you climb until.....is that the curve...yup...at the top...

Feet sticking straight out...Check, hands in the air....check, big shit-eating grin plastered across face...check and there's no time to think...the back row gets pulled over and down that sweet 215 foot drop at 80 MPH at a delicious 68 degree angle and for the next 2 minutes, everything is right in the world. NOTHING else matters...there is no stress, there is no anxiety, there is no sadness, there is no anger. Just pure joy-joy that comes from deep within your soul. There is nothing better! Not food, no drug not even sex can match the joy of this.

The train screams over the steep hills, into the hammerhead turn-around which is overbanked so the train does not lose speed, over another hill, into an S curve which whips you into a sweet double helix...the G's are so strong it's a fight to keep your hands up in the air. Sometimes there's deer feeding at the base of this helix...if you look down you can see them. You pull out and into the mid course brake run where you slow down somewhat but it doesn't matter because you're at the final 4 bunny hops baby....your ass is out of your seat! Hands up...feet out...butt up...into the brakes and back to the station. If it's still early in the day you can run around the exit and get back in the station for a re-ride fairly quickly...no more staying seated-they won't let you anymore.

Hello...my name is Jerry and I am a roller coaster addict. LOL!

I CAN'T STAND IT!!!!!!! I need to get on this again, it has been FIVE LONG MONTHS and will be at least another month before we get on it again.

R.I.P. Chiller :'(

It's been ages, I guess I've been lost in the bad mojo. I'm still frustrated as hell I can't make a sock. I got to the heel of those Socks of Kindness and figured the short row heel wouldn't be a big deal...WRONG! Frigged the whole thing up, got really pissed off and frogged it. The next night,I started again and distractions caused me to screw up on row 2 so being annoyed as I was...I threw the whole damn ball of yarn away. Umm, I don't know how to apologise to the knitting gods for attempting a cat bordhi sock but I swear I'll never try that stunt again...just please smile on my bleached blond head and let me knit socks again. please?

Yesterday I guess it was I sat on the sofa and cast on big ass needles with worsted weight yarn and attempted to knit JUST a short row heel. Wouldn't ya know it, sonofabitchin' thing turned out perfectly....large enough, in fact, to become a hat for my cat. I got photos but need to edit them else they'll be monstrous in size.

SO on the knitting front, I've cast on for yet another pair of fingerless mitts since I can't work on the denim sweater at night...the yarn is too dark to see well and the lighting in this house is shit. I've told Chris that if I ever become homeless, I'll be the best dressed hobo in the city with all these fingerless mitts.

On a lighter front, Chris renewed our season passes to Great Adventure. YAY!!!!! Just a little over a month the park opens for the season and we can once again go riding the rails. I think that'll help me jiggle things back the way they should be and maybe I can once again knit socks? However, this season is very sad for me.

I don't know how many of you are coaster fans or if you have a favourite over all others but this is the first season my beloved Chiller is no longer standing. Great Adventure decided at the last minute to remove it. Yes,it suffered an awful lot of down time, there were problems and even a couple accidents. I think a large portion of it was due to neglect. Prior Six Flags management did nothing but throw up coaster after coater...higher, longer, faster...and let the older ones rot. Sadly, Chiller was one. Other coasters took priority and they neglected Chiller. When new management took over last year I guess they just decided enough was enough even tho they said up until the end, and I quote, We are not giving up on Chiller. Well, lying bastards did. I was in shock when I heard it was coming out and didn't beleive it untilI saw most of the track gone.

Yeah,I know it's just a roller coaster but it was so much more-if you ever rode it you know it was more than just another roller coaster-it really was something special. The utter raw power of it was unreal...it launched you from 0-70 mph in 3.5 seconds through a cobra roll on the Robin side or into a unique inverted tophat on the Batman side, through a zero gravity roll (replaced with a dumb hump last year) and up a 200 foot spike only to stall out and drop back down and you got to do the whole thing all over again.... backwards. Chiller was unique in that it was the world's only dual tracked LIM launched coaster...that alone should have made them do more to save it. Throughout the entire park you could hear its roar. Some complained it was the most obnoxiously loud coaster but it was comforting to hear it roar. We never did get to ride the Batman side as it was open very rarely and Chris didn't ride the Robin side much with me...the G forces were very strong and he said it crushed his chest...so I often rode it alone which was fine with me. I'm not embarrassed to admit I have choked up and shed tears over this. I don't know what it was about Chiller but I loved it. It only lasted 42 seconds from start to finish but what a 42 seconds it was. I'm not even sure I can walk to Nitro, our second favourite, as you have to pass by where Chiller once stood and it's too hard for me. I can't even begin to put into words what I felt on this coaster other than crazy, intense fun. I'm surprised it has affected me the way it has but I loved the damn thing. While Nitro is equally as fun in different ways, I will miss taking my first ride of the season on Chiller...hearing the electricity sounds as you enter the queue, walking up the dark ramp into the launch house, sitting in the train knowing in seconds we're gonna blast off at crazy speeds,hering them count down and feeling the juice feed the LIMS just outside the train, the train would give a little shake and you were sent off into orbit. I can still remember my first ride, how nervous I was and as soon as it launched a big grin plastered across my face and I was in love. What made it even more intense was you got turned upside down and had nothing but a lap bar holding you in-there were no shoulder harnesses...they took them off six yeas ago.

I hope one day soon another park that will take care of it properly buys it and gives it new life..a park close by because I will be there to take the inaugural ride. I miss my Chiller.....

Front row P.O.V.



And off ride footage showing it in action:



And finally...both running together two months before the accident...nobody was hurt-the train just stooped abruptly on the track on the return trip. This was a very rare but beautiful sight to see both running:

Hallo?

Jerry --

[noun]: An alien

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

That about sums it up....

Its been a while, hasn't it? Not much really to say I guess? I got my roots bleached today and am really happy with it-she's making it look so good and no more 3rd degree burns and clumps falling out. Platinum doesn't HAVE to destroy your hair if they know what they're doing.

SO I decided since I'd be sitting there for quite a while to take a pair of socks to knit. YOu remember I had trouble after that damn Cat Bordhi book? Well....It's BAAAAAAAAAACCCCKKK! I decided to do the Kindness socks (Google Kindness socks, the pattern is on Flickr) in the cool orange/black/grey halloween yarn I got from Yarn Pirate. I was cruising along until round 12....the last round of the repeat. Came up one stitch short...counted and recounted, ripped back the round and did it again...still messed up. Took the needles out, ripped back a few rows, counted my stitches...all 64 are there...was truckin' along again until round 12. And again 63 stitches. SO I put it back in my bag and after supper I ripped back to the ribbing and started over...all went fine until Round 12.

At this stage, I'm through knitting socks. Not a friggin sock has turned out since I tired knitting from that fucking Cat Bordhi book. I was reading on the Yarn Harlot's blog that Ms.Bordhi delights in coming up with difficult ways to do things. Let's see if she delights when I give her a piece of my mind after I calm down. My suggestion would be for ms. Bordhi to move to a major metropolitan city which would force her to get a real job thereby decreasing the abundance of time she seems to have. harsh? No, I don't think so...knitting isn't supposed to be rocket science. If that is what she wants then she should seek employment at NASA. I am so sorry I wasted the 30 bucks on that book..TOTAL waste of money. I swear she has cursed me...I have not had a SINGLE sock get much past the ribbing since I attempted one of her goddamned socks. Can you tell I'm her biggest fan? :-/ Her bio says she was a math teacher...I hope she explained math to her class better than her knitting patterns else there's a lot of not so good at math people walking around. Me thinks she's just a little too into trying to be clever.

This has really thrown me because I've been knitting for 30 years off and on. I am NOT a beginner and have tackled socks more difficult than these Kindness socks. It's pretty bad when I'm left looking at "Patrick", the Rowan jumper I knit last year-just to reaffirm that Yes, I CAN knit and intricate stuff at that 'coz this sock shit has really rattled me. Now I am left trying to figure out what to do with $120. worth of beautiful Wollmeise sock yarn because I'm done with socks. Claudia has a nice Mobieus on her blog I will try to do..the thought of 420 stitches makes my head hurt but it's better than letting the moths get to it. As to the rest of the balls of sock yarn I have....what do you do with fingering weight yarn? I have A LOT of it.

No more socks for me...I'm spending too much money to keep my hair white...I don't need this crap giving me dark hairs. Stay tuned...when I return from New York I am going to burn the book...pictures will be posted here.

Now that I'm thoroughly aggravated, I'm going to go to bed.

PS...I see the spell checker isn't working again, I'll have to use my computer's spell checker. I just love all the mediocrity...thank god Blogger is free. This is what my friend Lorraine refers to as your mood going form shit to fuck. Amazing how fast that happens.

I want a tardis of my very own

Before I get into catching up here, Lorraine tagged me for a meme. I'm supposed to go to the current book you are reading, on page 161, and copy down the 5th sentence: It falls in the middle of a paragraph so:

That was it. Months of effort , for nothing. We lost! It was over. We caught up with our contact in the CDC.

I'm reading Lessons in Becoming Myself by Ellen Burstyn. I started this a few days ago after finishing Harry Potter. Which brings me to:


On Monday I ordered the British Harry Potter set. Tuesday they e mailed me to announce it had dispatched. Today, Thursday just 3 days after ordering it has come from Scotland, cleared customs and is in my hands-72 hours people!!!! WOOT! Colour me impressed! Now I'm debating weather to start them again from the beginning.

Knitting wise I'm working on another pair of fingerless mitts. Why am I making so many of these? I wear them all the time but really....do I need 5 pairs or however many I now have? My Ravelry to-do list keeps growing, I'm hoping we have a very cool, short summer LOL!

I've become a rabid Dr. Who fan. Since I'm often up at 5 AM making breakfast, I've caught a handful of season 3 episodes and liked it. Unable to resist David Tennant, I've gone and bought the 3rd season DVD set and can't get enough. I'm going to have to get the first two seasons now. I never thought I'd see the day I'd be a Dr. Who fan. I'm not a huge Sci Fi fan, never got wrapped up in Star Trek or Star Wars but there's something unique about Dr. Who. As a kid I remember seeing a few in the early 70's that scared the living shit out of me but I guess now as a Slightly South of Sane adult, they're brilliantly wacky and appeal to me. This poses a problem in that I have NO SPACE left to store DVD's but does that prevent me from buying more? Of course not. I'm gonna need to have 50 friends come help us move (I don't have 50 friends at hand)-between the DVD's and the books, moving is going to be a total nightmare.

Took my daughter to the vet-I made the mistake of saying I think she has a little cold 'coz she's got the trots (I keep the house at 64 degrees, I probably shouldn't with a short haired cat). Well-straight away, I was presented with a list of antibiotics I needed to take a pick of one antibiotic-could be parasites, could be non-cancerous inflammatory bowel disease, could be something else, could be cancer-they'll need to biopsy to be sure. And do I want the one year rabies shot for her or the 3 year one."What's the difference?" I ask. "Well-one she has to get every year, the other only every 3 but that one has a higher incidence of causing tumours." Gee, let's see, real tough decision...why don't we go with the annual one...WHY EVEN OFFER a 3 year if it poses a higher risk of tumours? Would you stick your kid in the arm with a chicken pox shot that had a higher incidence of tumours? Someteims I wonder about this shit.

WHOA! Before we start cutting my cat and turning her into Frankenkitty...let's try this vet cat food you insisted I buy and see if that helps....Let me quit there because there's this $175 litany of tests they want to do to get a baseline...I thought we did that last year. Ever see how they get a urine sample from a cat? That was done to her last year, it is NOT being repeated unless I get to stick a needle into THEIR bladder to get a urine sample...just so they know what the cat feels. Her kidney functions were tested last year with this test....so like I said, it's not going to be repeated...they have that baseline already in their charts, if that's not good enough then I'm a bad pet owner.

I think I'm gonna go make a cup of tea and work more on the last fingerless mitt. I'll leave you with a pic of my sleeping angel

End of an era

I finally finished the final Harry Potter book today...Deathly Hallows. Seeing as how I took my sweet time to complete I won't say anything other than WOW in case there are others taking even longer.

I milked it for all it was worth because for the past 10 years, we had a new book to look forward to every 18 months or so. I remember back in 1997 hearing about it and on a whim picked up the first book o a whim, never expected to get so into a children's book. WRONG! I was rabid from day 1.

I'm really going to miss a new adventure with 'people' we've come to know and love over the 10 years they've been published. It was an awesome series, I'm really happy that J.K. has had such incredible success, she was so deserving of it. There was a lot to take from it.

My only desire now is to obtain the complete British series of books so I can read them as they were written.I have been annoyed the entire series of the Americanisation of them. I would gladly trade my US set for the hardbound,first editions of the British series if they're in excellent condition. My eyes stick to American spellings like "color" because I have never in my life spelled that way- for starters- so it grates on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. It was a British series, it should have been left as such. I'll quit there or this will get into a long drawn out tirade but suffice to say, this has been an ongoing thing with me for MANY years, and not just with Harry Potter. The Frank monster in Hellraiser was another one-deemed too British, he was dubbed with an American actor. ACK. He was far scarier from the clips I saw with his British accent, not to mention it made for a far more cohesive film. The talented Alida Valli, an Italian actress who spoke perfect English, had her voice dubbed by an American in Argento's film Inferno when her beautiful, CLEARLY UNDERSTANDABLE voice was not dubbed in Suspiria several years earlier. Conversely, Pans Labyrinth was not advertised as a Spanish film and I loved how the tv ads for it you didn't hear a single word of the dialogue.. it was left all in Spanish...how come it was not dubbed WTF??? It was a lousy movie and frame for frame the 1986 masterpiece Legend was a far better movie. I hate being misled that way. There is a whole world outside of the USA but it only seems to be selectively applied.

Anyway, Thank you J.K. for such a brilliant series. Something this special comes but once in a lifetime and I'm glad it came in mine.

What a journey!

Snow White

And that's no lie! We got snow earlier in the week and I finished my angora scarf so I ventured out to snap some pics since we seem to get snow so rarely. It was so white and so fresh and so was my hair! You couldn't tell where one ended and the other began ;-)



I'd forgotten how yummy angora was to work with and now I want to make another one in green but have to wait a bit. Besides, if I knit with it too often, it won't be special anymore.

I also made these fingerless gloves, Evangeline from the current issue of Magknits I'm not sure they work in this yarn. Too busy I think. I was so sad to learn Mountain Colours discontinued it, the colourway was Painted Rocks. I love the colour :( Hope they bring it back soon.


There's a ball of fur on my lap so it's a bit tough to type. I best run...have stuff I need to do anyway.

I hate clever for clever's own sake

If anybody is contemplating Cat's book on socks, New Pathways book one...I would sincerely advivse you find pretty patterns from other resources. I don't know how many weeks this woman takes to come up with this stuff but they are not do-able. I cannot stand when someone comes up with stuff in an obvious attempt to be clever. The cast ons are absolutely asinine and even tho I take tranquillisers, these STILL manage to raise my blood pressure to the point I want to annihilate something.I came pretty damn close to jamming one of my Knit Pick's Harmony needles into my kitchen table. Thank god I didn't waste a needle.

The socks are nice and her attempt to keep them out of the realms of most knitters by intentionally making them extremely complex has worked. I've knitted the better part of my life and can't make heads nor tails of this crap.

This was the biggest waste of $30 on any knitting book I have ever spent and I wish to god I could get my money back.

It would be nice if these patterns could be converted for normal knitting...I have not the desire nor inclination to even think of doing that right now but this book is on the verge of being set aflame.

Some may give this book 4 stars...I give it a big fat Turkey

The Q-Tip knitting machine :-)

Yes, I guess I have lost my marbles LMAO! The title will become apparent in a little bit. Where to start, where to start...I guess I'll say I knit a lacy scarf with the KidSilk Night that my friend Lorraine gave me. I wanted to try one ball to see what it was like to work with...it's really really nice! It's also really really expensive. I found a scarf on Ravelry that uses 9 balls of it that I want to make. WEBS, however, is out of stock on 4 of the colours I want. See...



Don't look too hard, I could stand to drop about 10 pounds again, damnit. I didn't snap that shot for the cheap thrill, it wouldn't ever show up on anything I wear since I'm mainly in dark colours.

Next up, a three year wish came true.I finally got the purple angora to make a scarf. I stretched the knitting out over 3 days just to make it last...I don't know how anybody can say they loathe angora and will not touch it (two people have told me this-both men). It makes me want to strip off my clothes and roll around in it. I knit a navy blue scarf with it 23 or so years ago and have to admit at that time, it was mainly for trophy value. I didn't (or I had forgotten) just how warm angora actually is when we had a deep freeze about 2 weeks ago and it kept my neck and lower face REALLY warm. Now I understnad why women say angora sweaters aren't really practical because they're too warm. The purple is probably pushing the envelope a bit too much, but I'm crazy enough to wear it anyway. The navy blue one is perfect.





The second shot on the needle is the correct colour. I think I need to create a custom white balance for the camera, it's got too much blue in it.

Notice anything? From a certain angle I look like a Q-Tip...I got my hair bleached again Tuesday. I called my old hairdresser and explained to her what I had done and what was going on. I told her I had an appointment for this Thursday and I was going to cancel because I was too scared to go.I was tired of getting burns and thick scabs, I was losing hair at an alarming rate. What didn't break off when it was done, would come out in clumps when I'd run my hand through my hair. If I went to arrange spikes on top of my head, the ends would break off. For two days every time I went I had to freak out with all the hair I'd lose. Long story short, she is now doing my hair platinum and is ok with it because the scary part of overbleaching what was done before to even the colour out from the foils is done. There is A LOT of yellow in it thanks to the high lift blond that asshat did (she had a difficult time lifting it)...that also gave me the most severe burns I've ever had. It felt like someone was pouring acid on my scalp and my skin was being eaten away. His bleaching would tingle but that high lift shit he put in was actual, physical pain and the thick scabs covering my scalp were disgusting. This was about 4 hours what she did this time but it was done properly-no burns, no scabs, I have not lost a single strand of hair, not a piece has broken off. NOW I remember why I quit doing platinum in my teens, it took to damn long all the time but I'm determined to keep it now. It took me long enough to get it back and man alive did I suffer for it. I'm in good hands.

We're going to New York first week of February. I can't take it anymore so I took the spousal unit by the ear and said "Find some time off, we're going to New York!" so he found some time off and I booked a hotel. I cannot wait. I'm really excited-I can't believe its been 3 years since we were there last.

I'm also nearing the end of the final Harry Potter book. Can't believe it's taken this long to get through it but I didn't want to rush through it-it's going to be strange knowing there will never be another one.

Whew, that's a lot of jabber.....I'm done

High Maintenance

Well...what else do you call a guy who knits himself cashmere socks? I finished them last week. Put them on to take the photo and am afraid to wear them. They're so soft & cozy I said I needed to get suede or leather soles so they don't wear out quite so fast. I would love nothing more than to open a drawer of NOTHING but Jade Sapphire log cabin socks. Hmm....I wonder if I could eventually make a pair in each of their colourways? That'd be an awfully expensive drawer of socks. Here they are:


So now I have a pair of these in cashmere, a pair in Elsebeth Lavold Angora/wool and am waiting for 100% angora to arrive. I ordered that from Canada right after Christmas and it should be here any day. Deep purple colour...it'll be a scarf. Well...I TOLD ya I was high maintenance.

Today, at 2.50 PM will be the 4th anniversary of my mom's death so I'm going to run out and get some elbow mac and pepperoni to make pasta fagoli for supper. That was one of her favourites and was definitely mine when I was growing up. I probably shouldn't have the pepperoni given I have gallstones but I'll boil a lot of the fat out of it first.

My musical taste really is evolving, I saw this guy on tv a couple weeks ago and the song is catchy. I think I like the glint in his eye and the devilish smirk a little too much. I was bummed to find he was playing in NYC not that long ago. I'll have to keep an eye on when he is again so we can go. I dunno what for, he's 28, a lil too young for me maybe? I dunno. He's a cutie... Josh Zuckerman....



Oh yeah, I've been knitting a scarf to try out the Rowan Kidsilk Night my friend Lorraine gave me for Christmas. I'll drape it over a stained glass lamp or something-it's far too lacy for me to wear but it'll make a nice accent piece somewhere. Let me see if I have a photo of it...Damn, No, I'm fast. I'll post it when it's done.

Hope you all had a great New Year!