Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tobin

Tobin the Barn Owl

My sweet,  sweet barn owl baby died.  He was my favorite bird at the sanctuary when I was volunteering there; he always made me smile.  I got to hold him before I moved to Colorado.  I will miss him like no other. 

~Meaghan

Sunday, January 22, 2012

They're Finished!!

I finished my socks.  My 100% merino wool handpainted by a local family in Canada hand wash only socks are done.  I am so happy.

I'm wearing them now. 

I think it's safe to say they are the most expensive pair of socks I have ever or will ever own.

Pics to come down the road.

~Meaghan

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Shades of Gray

I'm back in the throws of school.  It's a good semester, but a busy one.  I mean, I'm at school almost every day of the week right now.  How did that happen?

I have come to the conclusion that Facebook is a terrible place for political poking.  I post  things with the idea of starting conversation on both sides; what happens instead is everyone gets so worked up over what they believe and over the topic that it becomes a posting war of sorts.  It's like grown people have forgotten how to debate and articulate their ideas.  You know, don't attack the people, attack the issues; listen to both sides and put out facts to back your claims.

I'm rather disappointed, actually.

A friend of mine brought up a good point, which is that if you don't read or research the opposition of your view point, you become an extremist.  While the right side of issues typically has the reputation of being extremists, it also goes for the left.  I realize there have been times where I've probably come across as a liberal extremist, and I apologize if that is the case cause that has never been my goal.

Rather, I write and post and read to start conversation.  I think it's important that both parties and sides be able to have rational discussion about hot topics.  If we don't, then we'll never find middle ground.  I don't want the left side to be so sure they're right that they shoot down the right; I don't want the right to be so convinced that theirs is the only way that they refuse to look at the left.

It's like science.  I was raised Christian.  Growing up, I went to church and was taught all about God and Jesus and the Bible.  But I was also encouraged to learn both about Creationsim and Darwinism through being homeschooled.  The reason for this was so that I could formulate my own opinion - not the church opinion, not my parents' opinion, but my own opinion and beliefs.


I want that for the world.  I want us to not be so comfortable in our own little bubbles that we forget there is more out there.  I personally try to read everything that comes my way - world religions, fundamentalist things, liberal things.  Heck, I've even read part of Hitler's book just so I could see what made him the way he was.  Knowledge is not the enemy. 

When you write a paper for college, you have a thesis.  But in a really strong paper, you also have an anti thesis to show that you understand the flaws in your argument and that you understand the opposing view.  Life is a lot like that.  You can't back your own things unless you know what the other side thinks too.

It's okay to be passionate about things.  I know I am.  But it's also important to respect the opinions of those who differ from you, even if you don't agree with them.  When I post things, I read all the feedback.  I try to see where everyone is coming from.

Because isn't that what makes this country great?  That you can have opinions and that you can voice them, but that you can also learn about everyone and everything else?

Just a thought.

~Meaghan

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

I Just Want to Skype

That's all I want to do - Skype my boyfriend.

I'm at the church.  We don't have internet at home and we were going to be here anyway, so it seemed ideal.

Except there are a million things going on.  When I asked for an empty room, I was told to check the bulletin board and then go accordingly.  My sister and I checked and found one not in use.  We had just gotten settled when we were kicked out - apparently there is a group that meets there every week that isn't on the schedule.

So now I'm in the youth room in the basement.  The internet down here is no bars.  Stuff works, but slowly.  I just need to see my boyfriend - is that really too hard to ask for? 

Please, please, don't let the internet fail while down here.  Maybe next week I'll reserve a room at the library.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Update Time Again

Sorry for the slow update, guys.  I've had the flu for the past week.  The worst of it's passed it's course, but I pushed myself too hard yesterday and am paying for it today.  So that's where I've been for most of the week - at home, on the couch.

My yarn made it to me.  It's beautiful.  The sweater is going to be so nice when I get it done.  Totally worth it.

School starts next week.  I think I'm ready for it.  One of my classes got cancelled, so my load is a bit lighter.  It's going to be a busy but good semester.  Then I get to create a resume and get a full time, real world job.  Which terrifies and thrills me, so we aren't going to think about it right now.

My boyfriend is settled in his new college town.  I'm going to go see him either at the end of next month or the middle of March.  He's in Boulder, so there's a lot of cool stuff to do and see up there - Celestial Seasonings, the Pearl Street Mall, etc.  I'm excited.  He seems to like it up there.  He's optimistic and happy for the first time in a long time, which makes me happy.  Our relationship is as strong as ever.

Can you believe we've been dating for over 8 months now?  That seems like such a long time, yet it feels so short.  It's like I've known him my whole life. :)

I ordered his birthday gift today.  I got him (and no telling him, okay?) a boxed set of Anne Rice books.  He loves Interview with the Vampire, so I got him a collection of the first four books - Interview, the Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned, and something about a corpse.  I'm so excited. =D

Life is pretty good, other than being sick.  As soon as this nasty thing passes, I should be back up and running like normal.  Which I want more than anything.  I really do.

I started a pair of cabled socks (I'm adapting the pattern myself) and a pull down shirt for my sister. This is my year to knit and write and grab life by the horns.  It's too short to not do what makes you happy.

And on that note, I'm off.  I hope you are having a great weekend, dear readers. :)

~Meaghan

Monday, January 9, 2012

Hanging Out

Oh look.  An update.  Who'da thunk that one?

I'm actually at my friend Dorothy's house.  She and her husband are awesome.  You want to talk to someone who knows not only a lot about life but who's also great at helping people?  Talk to Dorothy.  She helped me and Trevor through the previous spring semester and helped me tons through the last semester.

Trevor and I are hanging out, playing games and visiting.  It's nice.  Especially since I didn't think I was going to get to see Trev again before he leaves for Boulder.

I really don't have anything else to say.  My yarn got shipped. That's about it.

I hope everyone is hanging out alright.  I'll blog again when I have internet or when I have something to say.  Whichever comes first.

~Meaghan

Thursday, January 5, 2012

All Things Considered....

I'm doing pretty well at keeping this blog somewhat updated.  Even without the convience of internet in our home.  And without really having anything important to say.

It's like cutting my bangs.  Geez.  I finally did that this morning.  I washed my hair and combed my bangs forward (where they should be) instead of to the side.  And I realized they hit the tip of my nose.  Awesomeness.

Several minutes later of chopping frenzy that only hair stylists and five year olds tend to have, and voila.  My bangs now sit where they should be - just below my eyebrows.

Why is blogging like cutting my bangs? 

Well....I'm actually still working on it.  I really just wanted to talk about cutting my own hair and not butchering it.

Oh!  Wait!  I know!

If I don't try to at least keep up with this blog, much like my bangs, then I end up with so much to write about that I can't do it in a post and life becomes skimmed over.  There.  That's my analogy.

My brain hurts.

Today is my mom's birthday.  It's pretty exciting. :)  She's a capricorn and totally fits it, too - good with numbers,  very logical, needs schedules, etc.  I love her.  I would be nothing without my parents, especially my mom. So happy birthday to her.

Gah, school starts in two weeks.  My boyfriend leaves for his school (in a different city) on Wed.  Life is changing.  I'm terrified.  But I will face it head on.  I will.

Alright.  I'm off.  Wish me luck facing life, and I'll be doing the same for you, dear readers.

~Meaghan

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Yarn Has Been Purchased.

I found a pattern last night that is both simple enough for a beginner but complicated enough that I won't get bored.  It's called the Barfly and I got it out of my Pints and Purls knitting book.  I'm excited to finally work on it.  (I've been eyeing it since I got the book two years ago but never worked up the dedication to actually do it.)

So today I did the whole transfer money thing and ordered my yarn.  Ultimately I decided on Wool Ease by Lion Brand yarn in Blue Mist.  It's a mellow blue with shades of gray and green in it.  They don't carry it pretty much any of the stores around here (and the one that does have it doesn't ever have it in the quantities I need) so I ordered it from the site.

In case no one told you, dear readers, knitting (or any yarn craft for that matter) is an expensive hobby/lifestyle.  It cost me $47 to get the yarn needed to make the sweater.  Why am I doing this if it's cheaper and quicker to just go to the store and buy one?

Because I want the satisfaction of making something.  Because the yarn is so beautiful I can't stop myself from wanting to play with it.  Because it's challenging and fun and ultimately a great way to spend free time.

That's why.

It's a bit of an obsession, really.  I just can't help myself from wanting to play with yarn and make things.  Even if all my money goes to it.  All things considered, it's a better thing to be addicted to than what I used to do anyway to relieve stress.

So yeah.

The yarn has been bought.  There's no way out of this one.  This sweater will be made.

Until the next time, dear readers.

~Meaghan

Monday, January 2, 2012

Hello, January.

I think 2012 is going to be a year of conspiracy theories. 

Don't quote me on that.  I could be wrong.  But based on the conversations my family and I were having earlier, I'm pretty sure this year is going to be filled with conspiracies.  That's okay with me, I like them. I think conspiracies are fun.

(And possibly true.)

My goals for the year are as I said in the previous blog: be true to myself, order coffee with non-fat milk but keep the whipped cream, and take the stairs.

I'm adding something to that, though:

Knit a sweater.

I have never had all the proper needles to knit one in the round and my attention span is too short to do one in pieces.  But now I have all the circular needles I will ever need.  And I am determined.  My knitting is getting better and better and better, and faster and faster and faster.

I will have a sweter by December 31, 2012.  I will.

There's a lot of planning that has to go into this choice, though.  First, I have to pick a pattern I like. (I have never made one before, so designing my own would be unwise for the first project.)  Then I have to choose yarn that I A.) can afford in the amount needed and B.) like well enough to play with it every day and then eventually wear.  (I plan on wearing this monstrosity, no matter how it turns out.)

So I plan on spending the rest of the week going through my patterns until I find one I really, really love.  Something fun and not too boring.  Something I can knit in the round and not in pieces. And, of course, something I can wear that will be flattering.

Thus, no varigated or self-stripping yarn, cause that would give horizontal stripes which are not, under any circumstance, flattering.  Unless you're a size 00 and desperately need to look heavier for whatever reason.

Hmm, choices choices.

I'll let everyone know what I decide.  Like I said, no internet at home, so blogging is spurratic at best.  I'm at the library right now. :)

I hope everyone had a safe new year's and that this year brings blessings to all.

~Meaghan