A Blog of Lists, 2012 Edition

Well, 2012 is over as of Tuesday.  I am very happy about this.  It has been perhaps one of the hardest years I remember, not just for myself, but for many across the board.

But there has been a lot of accomplishments this year. :) Thus, the series of lists I now present to you.

Things I Learned in 2012:

~How to bake killer chocolate chip cookies

~How to open my own online store

~How to knit a sweater

~How to knit socks from the toe up

~How to hold a baby properly

~How to design my own projects, such as sweaters and hats

~How to write knitting patterns

~How to play with color

~That the world won't end when an ancient calendar runs out

~That I hate being bossed around in the work place

~That I dislike getting up before 5 am

~That babysitting is a joy

~That gluten free cooking is easier than you think

~That anniversaries are to be enjoyed cause it can be a struggle to get there sometimes

~That a lot of good things require work

~That I can handle a lot more than I originally gave myself credit for

~That family is one of the most solid things you will ever have (I already knew this, but 2012 solidified it even further)

~That comparing yourself to others only leads to frustration

~That God is kind

~That I love Mario Brothers for some reason

~That spinning is just as addictive as I feared

~That I am capable


I won't go into all the books I read in 2012 because the list is monumental.  However, here are a few I really enjoyed from the year and would recommend:

~Thinner by Stephen King

~Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

~The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzan Collins

~A Life in Stitches by Rachael Herron

~The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

~The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block

~Love Wins by Rob Bell

~Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee


From a movie point of view, it was a pretty good year too.  Here are some I really enjoyed that I saw for the first time this year:

~Repo: the Genetic Opera

~How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

~The Princess and the Frog

~Tangled

~Lincoln

~The Men Who Stare at Goats

~The Dark Knight Rises

~Men in Black 3

~The Hunger Games

~Alien

~The Fifth Element

And of course, all the stuff I managed to knit.  It's not as big as you would think, but I hit a lot of my goals here:

~Fall colored merino socks (for me)

~Windowpane bag

~Green, violet, and pink wool hat

~Barfly sweater in blue (my first sweater!)

~Purple socks (for Trevor)

~Heart hat (my first design!)

~A single purple glove, no mate

~Purple handwarmers (for Michelle)

~Pink and orange varigated socks (for Katie)

~Cherry Cordial Cardi in green (for me)

~Yellow washcloth

~Red shawl (for my neighbor)

~Rainbow socks (for Katie, currently to be reworked)

~Handspun chunky cowl (with yarn spun by Kristine!!!)

~Keep It Casual Cowl

~Absinthe sweater in purple (for Katie, shoulders to be reworked)

~Green striped socks (toe up)

~Pink cameo socks

~Forget-Me-Knot sweater in violet (my first sweater design!!!)

~Two charity hats

~Three ruffle scarves

~A Link hat from Legend of Zelda (for Trevor, my make it up as I go pattern)

~A prayer shawl in light blue (for mom)

~Mr. Dad Cardigan (for dad, my own design!!!!)



So it's been a pretty good year from a productivity stand.  My wishes for the new year are that it brings more lessons, more love, and more knitting.

Blessings to you and yours, dear readers.  I'll see you in 2013.

~Meaghan

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

The End of Internet and the Year in Review

Hello dear readers.

As I write this, I am using the libraries wi-fi.  We have gotten rid of our internet at home. There is something about paying through the nose for a service that's more a convience than anything else.

Granted, homework is turned in electronically and banking is done online, but the truth is - we need to save some moolah.

That being said, I wanted to give everyone a heads up.  I'll update here when I can, where I can.  But there will be times when posts will be few and far between.

Thank you for understanding.

Now, on the Year in Review!

(I can't believe the new year starts this weekend.  Holy cow.)

January - I started a new semester at school and gave my first speech in public speaking.  I had to give that speech in subzero temps with a cold, but I did it anyway.  I was dog sitting and watching my neighbor's son when the dog, Flash, had a seizure.  It was scary, but mom helped me through.

February - Valentine's day came and went, and I was still single, but not horribly upset about it.  School was moving alright, if not in a blur.  I had also started my heart burn medication which made me sick at school.  Not fun.

March - Ah, St. Patty's day, with fun at school.  I had knitted a green scarf over spring break that I wore for the event. Spring break itself was a disaster - I ended up in the ER with chest pains that we thought were from  a Pulminary Embelism, but actually turned out to be plurisy.  (Pretty sure non of that is spelled right.)  My liver was dying from my birth control, so my new doctor took me off it.  The scarf was cool though - three kinds of cables.  I still have it.  We also decided our groups for Public Speaking, and I was with Dorothy and Trevor who would soon become two of my best friends.

April - I was a mess.  I was stressed and sick and started having mild panic attacks.  My doctor started me on an anti-depressant that made me sick and caused me to lose weight cause I couldn't eat.  I really noticed Trevor for the first time; he was the first one to ask me if I was ok.  When we started meeting for our group speech, he took me home and picked me up, opening the door for me.  Before I knew it, we were up until midnight texting.  Within the first three weeks of April, I knew I liked him. 
      My grades also started to rise again, as they had dropped previously.  I also got a poem published in the school magazine.  A very busy, busy month.

May - School finished and I had a 4.0.  Trevor and I started dating and he became a figure in our family.  Trevor, myself, Katie, Dorothy, and her family all went to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Katie turned 18 and I took her for cupcakes.  I was still dog sitting, so I didn't get a real job.

June - We celebrated Katie's graduation from high school with a great party.  Trevor and I were still strong and spent the summer nights watching the stars and moon and eating ice cream.  There were a few thunderstorms of notable value as well.  I wasn't stressed and was happy.

July - Two days before my birthday, my neighbor had Flash put down.  She was sick and getting old, and she was having more seizures due to a bran anurism.  The day before my birthday we had a hail storm with so much hail it looked like snow!  It was scary and awesome at the same time.  I turned 21 and celebrated by going with Trevor to the midnight release of Harry Potter part 2 and then by having dinner with my family and Trevor at Olive Garden.

August - School started and I knew it was going to be a looong semester.  I got invited to be a part of Phi Theta Kappa, but wasn't sure I was going to accept the offer.  Trevor and I went stargazing for the last time near the end of the month. I got a job passing out samples in the grocery store, which I still have and love.  It allows me to study and still make money.

September - School still trudged along in a blur.  Fiction writing was harder than I ever thought it would be and the critiques in poetry class were exhaustive.  But astronomy continued to peak my interest, which was good, and I was starting to get the hang of humanities.  Trevor and I had dinner together every Thursday night through the rest of the semester and made a point of seeing each other before classes.  I don't think either of us would have completely survived if we didn't. 
      My family went on the coolest vacation, too, in September to South Dakota.  We stayed  at the most beautiful cabin resort on a lake and had a blast driving and sight seeing - Mount Rushmore will always stay with me as one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen, as will Devil's Tower.  I won't forget the antelope either!

October - I was in full research mode, ready to take on anything and trying to figure out where I stood on things.  Religion became a huge question for me, as it still is, and I began to explore other faiths.  I dressed as a kitty for Halloween and spent it with Trevor (Indiana Jones) and his family.  His brother was black spiderman.  I was wishing for fall break, too.  I was also designing my first hat pattern and bringing it to life.

Novemeber - A much needed fall break appeared.  I finished my hat, designed another, and got my research papers all done.  My presentations were ready to go.  Thanksgiving was a great time with family - we were all able to breathe and eat and watch the dog show on TV.  I counted my blessings, not realizing how much I was going to need those in the following month.  Katie got a concussion right around here, too.  Talk about scary stuff.

December - School finished; I passed with three A's and a B.  The car ended up in the shop due to an ice accident, so we were in a rental car.  Everyone got sick - mom and Katie with colds, me with strep.  We weren't the only family having trouble, either.  When Christmas came, none of us even cared about the gifts even though they were nice; we were more excited about everyone being healthy and together.  Trevor spent time with us, my dad had some great vacation time, and we were all happy and stressed and relaxed at the same time.

And now the new year is coming.  I am dreading January.  I don't have classes with anyone I know.  Trevor will be in Boulder.  I have a feeling I will be mainly alone on campus for the first time since I started school three years ago.  Change is coming in so many ways, and I am scared.

But it's going to be good.  There is a higher power guiding me.  I don't know who that power is, just that it is loving and kind and gentle.  I know that I will end up on the right track as long as I am myself and true to myself.  So even though I'm scared, I'm going to face life head on.  I haven't self injured in over a year and while I've been crying more freely lately, I can't help but think that's a good thing.  I will not go back to who I was before this journey of transformation started.

My goals for the year are to take the stairs at school again, which is something I've stopped doing, and to order my coffee from Starbucks with non-fat milk, cause that's a healthier choice and just as tasty.  I want to keep crying freely and to continue loving with everything I have - life is too short to hold back any more.

This year, I hope to see my degree hanging above my bed and to have a job that I can enjoy and make enough money to afford to keep knitting and writing.

I want to eventually open my yarn shop, but I don't think that is going to happen this year.  However, I want to start a new savings account for it.

I hope everyone has a safe year.  Enjoy your holiday and try to stay off the roads - people are crazy out there.  I will update as soon as I can. :)

Love you all, dear readers.

~Meaghan

New Years Eve

Time to make some New Years Resolutions.

Normally, I'm not one for resolutions.  I typically think they are pointless and a waste of time and effort.  I mean, come on.  How many of your resolutions do you actually keep?  I think it takes more energy to make resolutions and then try to keep track of them than it does to just live life.

But this year is different.

2011 is going to be my year.  There are three things I want to do this year, three things I am striving toward.  And I'm going to do my best to do them. 

The first goal is to reflect God more clearly in my life.  I realized the past two weeks that I want to be a Godly woman, not a woman of the world.  (Read Proverbs 31 - it gives you an idea of where I'm going with this.)  I want to be the kind of woman who trusts more than she worries, who loves more than she holds grudges, who is kind to everyone.  I want to reflect God.  I can not help but think that it will make me feel better and make life seem sunnier.  I do not want to be worldly.

Which brings me to goal number two: No More Conforming.  I'm the kind of person who tries to please everyone, and in doing so, I lose who I really am.  No more.  I do not need to please everyone.  I do not need everyone to like me.  I am going to instead be myself 24-7.  If people can not accept me for who I am, then I do not need them in my life.  I am going to be me: dorky, funny, odd, talkative, studious, etc.  All the things that some people have tried to change in me; all the things that I find myself changing for others.  This is my year to just be.

And finally, I want to run a half marathon.  I am kind of overweight and I want to lose that extra poundage.  It's not even from a vanity point of view; I actually am ok with how I look.  It's for health reasons.  I don't want to get the diabetes and heart problems and whatever else is lurking on both sides of my family tree.  I want to be healthy so I can live a long time. 

Why a half marathon?  Because I was inspired by the Biggest Loser and by two of my friends who both do marathons.  I am inspired to run, to power walk, to become active.  And if I don't do the half marathon this fall (because training is intense and I'm really out of shape), then I will do it in the spring.  I just want to accomplish something.  So I start training today.  I'm getting on a treadmill and I'm going to work my way up to running.  I'll feel better, and I know it.

So there you have it.  My three New Year goals.  Now it's your turn.  Are you going to do anything?  Why are you doing it?

Have a brilliant New Year eve, my readers, and I will see you on the other side.

~Meaghan

Last Blog of 2009

And so this is it. There is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes left of 2009. Therefore, I feel it is only fair to do a final blog entry for the year 2009.

I am so glad this year is almost over. Seriously. It was a very fast moving year, and I barely remember it because I was sick half the time and crazy ass busy the rest of it. It's like it's a year that's fuzzy around the edges, and I'm pretty sure that it's okay that it all blurred.

So what am I going to do with 2010? Well, I would make a ton of resolutions (lose weight, stop damaging my hair, cut out chocolate and sweets, etc.), but the truth is that I never keep them. I, like most of the American population as a whole, do amazingly well at keeping my resolutions for about the first week of January. After that, it kind of all goes to hell, and I end up saying that I'll do my stupid resolutions the next year. As you can see, that kind of thing just ends up being a depressing cycle that bums me out, like a really annoying record on repeat.

But I would like 2010 to be my year. I'm not going to make any resolutions. Instead, I'm going to just strive towards making 2010 a year that doesn't blur around the edges. I want to take charge of my life before it's too late. I don't want to be one of those people who look back bitter because they feel they wasted the years of their youth. I want to take my life by the horns and however else the saying goes.

I want to get something pierced, like my cartilidge or my nose. We will see how that goes.

Anyway, I hope that all of you, dear Cyberland readers, have a wonderful new year. Go out and do something ridiculous, and make your year something great. And have fun tonight, for what little is left of it.

And now I leave you to resume my MST3K marathon on youtube. See you next year.

~Birdgirl90
aka Meaghan

And that is my last blog