No knitting content here, so if you’re just along for pretty pictures, go ahead and skip this post.

I’ve spent far too long fighting with a virtual house.  It kicked my ass, TWICE, to the point where I had to have the whole thing replaced.

I really with that were possible in real life.  Especially since I didn’t have to move my furniture when I put the new versions in place.

In between frustratoins with the house and my computer (for which I need to start soliciting for a young and old priest), I’ve been dabbling with (collective gasp) World of Warcraft.  And, honestly, I have really mixed feelings about the whole thing.  Sure, blowing stuff up with fire is always fun.  However, the people seem to, as usual, attempt to ruin the whole experience.

Or maybe it’s me, and I don’t know whatever etiquette is considered normal.  I’ve played these kinds of games for years now, though, and I was pretty sure I did.  I’ve lost count, though, of how many times I’ve been happily blowing things up to get a message popup asking if I want to join a group or guild.  No greeting, no word at all from the person doing the inviting.  And the answer’s always no.  Of course, it generally pops up at least once more, so either I’m wrong or people are dense.

Either of these things is always a commitment to me.  Guilds, more so, but still…I’m not going to run around with anyone without the ability to type “Hi.”  I do laugh, however, when I get invited to a guild that can’t even spell its own name properly.  “The quitest death,” I’m looking at you.  And yeah, typing that with miscaps and misspellings was painful.

I’ve run into exactly two people in the game who have spoken to me politely.  They both asked favors, but I was more than happy to help them out.  One’s actually gone on the friends list, and later on there was mass slaughter of various animals.  Also, fishing.

I’ll give it a bit more of a try, because I’ve met my dearest friends in games like these.  And I’ll always be thankful for every one of them.

Finally, hopefully there will be something interesting to show you all soon.  Actually, several, if I get off my rear and get things done.

Yes, Thirteen, you know what I’m talking about.

When you have to call a technician over to fix your virtual house.

Also when the sleeping pills haven’t actually, you know, knocked you out even though you were almost stupidly tired before you went to bed.

This after your hard drive decided that it wasn’t going to let the computer boot a few times in a row.

I’m tired.  I’d like things to just be normal for a bit…

At least, after getting deeply into a project that seems to suck out my brain and wonder why I even started it. Even more so if it’s a case where I start multiple complicated techincal projects at the same time. Currently on my plate at the moment:

• Making the blog look good again, which actually led to:
• Switching web hosts (don’t ask how it led to it. It just did, trust me)
• Writing a complicated PHP/MySQL database application for…tracking virtual clothing
• Preliminary planning for a system rebuild

And the best part? I had given myself a “brain vacation” this weekend, after turning my brain to cheese with the clothing project on Friday. Of course, then I had to rewrite some code that got eaten by a bug in Second Life. Followed by helping a dear friend set up a TeamSpeak server. That I didn’t mind. I just hope she forgives me for being braindead a lot during the process. I thought I’d spend Sunday doing photography and just entering things into the clothing database, but every few outfits I’d find something I’d forgotten to take into account. And therefore, would have to do some more programming.

Yeah. Not a lot of knitting done this weekend. There was also large amounts of sleeping, all during daylight hours, and some actual downtime. Adamas has stayed it its drawer. I started the August sock, but the first ball decided to puke up yarn guts, so it took awhile to make it all better. I’ve just finished the first section.

With that, I’m going to go do a small bit of blocking and get some sleep. I’m really, really sick of still being awake at almost 10am.

Sometime this week the next shipment from the Rockin’ Sock Club came! So, to avoid being spoileriffic, go to the cut to see more.

Read the rest of this entry »

I know the blog’s probably looking kinda weird right now.  Trying to get things the way I want them, but I keep making attempts when I’m exhausted.  I’m just glad to get links up, and I’d still like to add a sidebar section for podcast novels, which have been absolutely excellent knitting and spinning listening.  I may actually attempt to listen to normal podcasts again when I’m caught up.

Who am I kidding?  TD keeps linking me to more things.  I’ll never catch up.

Pattern:  Rockin’ Sock Club’s Solstice Slip by JC Briar

Yarn:  Socks that Rock Lightweight, colorway Firebird

Needles:  US Size 1 (2.25 mm)

The only thing I’d do differently with these next time?  Okay, two things.  First, I’d make the legs longer.  Secondly, I’d do without using toothpicks as cable needles.

I’ve put Adamas on hold for a bit so I can finish up socks.  I’d like to actually catch up with the Rockin’ Sock Club, and this puts me a good deal closer.

Honestly.  Lace knitting.  Medications that make me loopy.  They do NOT mix.

I suppose the public service announcement here is:  if you shouldn’t be driving while taking it, then don’t knit lace while taking it.

This message brought to you by the Adamas Shawl, Xanax, and our special sponsor, lifelines

I’ll also note that, probably for similar reasons, I thought this was a good time to design a database for my clothing in Second Life.  And because I’m not insane enough, a MySQL database with a PHP front-end, and ideally with the ability to hook into it from Second Life itself.

Yeah, I aim high.  I’ve done something *like* it before, but not on this kind of scale.  Yes, I *do* have that many virtual clothes.

It is, however, now almost 9am.  I haven’t slept, so I think I’m going to put the to-be-recycled ink cartridges in the mail before I try again.  How very kind of them to give me free recycling envelopes.  *rolls eyes*  Since the twin-pack of ink (black and color) was expensive enough to make me think it must be made from the blood of virgin unicorns or something.

…And my mind just took a very, VERY wrong turn.  Blame a conversation with a friend that was far more detail than I ever needed or wanted to know.

Insert comment about goggles and their lack of usefulness here.

Covered in cats

Originally uploaded by foogrrl.

Wonder why I can’t get any sleep…

Well, this was a lovely way to wake up.  </sarcasm>

Sleep far too late, because I’m still getting the last traces of Luvox out of my system.  Come down to check email, etc.  Hit the power button on the computer, and absolutely nothing happened.

There may have been some cursing.  In Mando’a, at that.*

If that wasn’t hint enough, proof I’m a geek:  I had a spare machine I could cannabalize for a temporary replacement power supply.

I’m also experiencing more or less the PMS from Hell, due to withdrawl from the Luvox.  I’m very thankful that I have people around me who are both caring and understanding.

For good, there’s this:

The phoneix-like return of the Adamas Shawl.  Please note, I hate the picture on the KnitPicks website – you can’t see any actual detail of the shawl, which is quite lovely.

Also good:  the podcast novel 7th Son from J.C. Hutchins.  TD turned me onto podcast novels in general, and this one in particular, and I’m enjoying it a great deal.  Bit too involved listening for knitting lace, but perfect for spinning.

If it weren’t so hot here that the thought of spinning makes me want to melt.

*  If you’ve never read Karen Traviss’ work, please treat yourself.  Her Republic Commando books are my literary equivalent of comfort food.  With the past year being what it has, I need to replace those copies with new reading copies, as they’ve been read and loved nearly to death.

One more thing that makes me smile often:  The signed copies of those novels on the shelf over my desk.  That was a most wonderful gesture at a time I really needed something good to happen.  I do, however, suspect TD’s involvement, since he has my mailing address.  Otherwise I’d start to worry.  Hehe.

You know, you see one little winged thing flitting around, you jump but tell yourself it can’t possibly be what you thought it was.

Then you see them more often, and they maybe sorta kinda match the pictures online.

Long story short?  My spinning stash, plus one full cone of lace yarn fits in my freezer without taking the food out.

The knitting stash…not so much.