Sile mentioned me over in the knit-one-one blog. I had recommended she go read one of my favorite bloggers, Rachael (Yarn-a-go-go). I have yet to meet Rachael in person, despite living within 15 miles from one another and my (lack of) participation in Run-a-go-go.

Many months later, Rachael is teaching a Sock it to me, a four-week class on a pair of warm and lacey sock. If you’re in the Bay Area, go sign up for one of the remaining spots! It starts on Monday, March 5th.

I need to get my butt over to knit-one-one so I can meet Sile in person. I couldn’t do the doggie sweater class because of swim practice last week. Janie Sparkles will just have to wait for some couture of her own.

Everyone raves about how lovely the knit-one-one experience is, courtesy of Sile’s hospitality. Rachael’s socks are beautiful, but more open-work than I’m used to in my “manly” socks. (Scout, I find your colors so butch!) In reference to this post’s title, it sucks to be a selfish boy who only wants to knit for himself. I’m girly enough as is… no need to add lace!

… no yarn for me! I didn’t go to Stitches West this weekend.

Not that I “deserved” to go. I sign up for Runagogo, and then I never run. Or post. Or cheer. For most of this month! I have a lot of miles to get through in the next five or six weeks. I think I’ll have to bust out the bike for some big distance. My knees won’t be able to handle the sudden increase in mileage. The runs will have to be walk/runs to ease me back into activity. If I get to 100 miles, I’ll reward myself with some cashmere yarn from that sweater.

However, there was plenty of swimming this weekend. Too bad I’m not counting that yardage. I was at the pool on Saturday from 8:30 until 3:00; four of those hours in the water. Due to missing mid-week practices (thank you, work stress), I considered dropping my solo for the Paris competition, if not Nationals. I was feeling all kinds of behind and my free routine barely has an opening hybrid. Saturday’s afternoon swim boosted my confidence, as I locked down my tech routine. I practiced more today, during our five hours of land and water time.

Only other interesting highlights of this weekend were seeing The Lives of Others (which I just read wonthe Oscar for best foriegn film), more jeans shopping (that deserves a post or two) and completing the first Lisa Souza sock. Oh, there was another first… right after I turned the heel earlier this week, I decided to start up another sock—different yarn, needles and pattern—just so I don’t get bored. We’ll see if I can avoid second sock syndrome. So far, with all of the socks I’ve made, so good.

At last, the saga of the Jaywalkers is over. Surgery was successful and the toe grafted at the breakfast table on Tuesday morning. Thank you all for the well wishes (and I’ll explain roasted turnips at a later time). My Monday was not a pleasure at work, so I really needed these happy socks to uplift my Tuesday.

While the pattern was mildly interesting to knit, these wouldn’t be my favorite socks to wear—too slouchy; I need me some ribbing. They sit on your legs like an oldfashioned stocking.

The only redeeming quality is the LOVELY Scout’s Swag yarn. Keep in mind, this photo is a washed-out blue of a dim San Francisco morning sun. In real life, the socks (and my pallid legs) are even brighter. I adore the colors and the wool itself feels fabulous, especially in comparison to the commercially made bike socks I’m wearing today.

I cannot thank Scout enough for making this yarn for me. She went with the colors in the photo in my header and introduced me to the joys of well-dyed handpainted yarn. Happy blog birthday, lady! I owe you (yet another) drink when we finally meet in person!

Here’s my new six needle technique… two circulars and four DPN’s. Don’t you just hate when you’re ready to begin the toe of a sock, only to read the pattern and realize you f’ed up about four inches back? And I thought I was going to finish this guy today.

I ASS-umed that I could just plow ahead once the gusset decreases had the same number of stitches on the sole as the instep. Nope. Due to the angularity of the zig-zag pattern, it’s 6 less stiches on the sock’s under belly. It wouldn’t have been a problem had I not already knit the first sock correctly. No wonder this one was striping nicely while its partner had a rotating pooling.

I’m ready to rip… say good-bye to this Dune-inspired monstrosity.

It’s not like I’ve been sitting here and picking my nose, ignoring my blog. I’ve been sitting at work picking my nose, not blogging. Don’t feel left out, I haven’t been writing over at Runagogo.com, nor have I been running!

Sure, work’s been busy, but when isn’t it? It’s the nature of busy-ness. The new month offers a chance for a new beginning. But, before I rush into the future, let’s look back at the first month of 2007.

I have tried a new restaurant, Sebo (or on Yelp.com) with my dear friend M. Great, fresh fish, but TINY nigiri! I won’t be running back anytime soon, unless it’s with my neighbor who’s gotten friendly with one of the chefs.

Speaking of food, I enjoyed some amazing eats on a business trip to New Orleans. Here’s breakfast from a po’ boy place down the street from our hotel. It wasn’t business as usual. In lieu of sending people abroad to work with Habitat for Humanity (like my 2005 trip to Poland), we’re going to send people to the Big Easy. In addition to the local H4H, we met with Common Ground Relief, Acorn and Emergency Communities. All are doing amazing work, and so needed. The magnitude of the devastation that remains 17+ months later cannot be described. If you can, donate, get your butt down there or find a way to help out. It’s more than a tragedy, it’s a national disgrace. Luckily, people are coming together to make things right. I hope to head back there, myself.

Knitting-wise, I’ve finished one of my Scout’s Swag socks, and I’m closing in on the toe of the second. Photos upon finishing. I started a scarf, but I’m not proud of that (a variation on a certain drop-stitch sensation that everyone and her mother did a year or two back—MdV, I’m so ashamed). I am proud of finishing and gifting the Knucks for my synchro team coach (Tsunami Tsynchro). She’s a knitter too, so she appreciates all the finishing required by that embroidery.

Speaking of said coach, Dr. S. (she’s a physicist) and I swung by Stash to say hello to Ms. Vickie Howell. Still cute as a button and rocking some killer shoes. I wish I could have stayed longer to chat… next time?

There’s a snoring puppy (who turned 3 today) and a snoring boyfriend next to me on the couch. I should go walk them before we head off to bed.

Thanks for your kind words during my absence.

It was one year ago today that Ms. Janie Sparkles joined our home. At the risk of overloading this blog with cuteness and dog photos, I promise to write more knitting content soon. I’m closing in on the toe of my first Scout’s Swag custom-dyed sock.

Inspired by Lime & Violet, I’m considering “running” my own Sock Marathon, knitting through my mileage of sock yarn. Compared to some of the stashes I’ve seen, I’m not even a high school cross-country sprinter with a measly 2 miles of yardage. I’d be happy to get through 4 pairs, plus the Socks that Rock club from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. (That’s 10 this year, don’t hold me to that.)

Work was a beast this week. In addition to my absence here, I’ve been quiet at Runagogo. Off to go do that and/or get a run in. After a week of no running, my foot’s feeling much better.

(Thanks to Peephole for the inspiring this post’s title. You look so fetching in that Hallowig!)

No, no, Scout, as a matter of fact, they don’t stretch very much. Sure, I had tried it on earlier, but thought that I could squeeze into them. But anything that’s only a few inches of cuff can be wedged over a heel. (You’ve already called me old today, so don’t call my ankles fat!)

Now that I’ve started on the heel flap, I realize this is a lost cause. I already did 84 stitches. Should I go up in needle size? Maybe cast on another 16 or more stitches? I wonder how that will change up the color striping… Why didn’t I read your post on the pain that is Jaywalker?

At least, I’ve enjoyed myself using the yarn. This is the first time I’ve ripped back, nay, scrapped an entire project.

Another less-than-productive day, but very vacation-like. I didn’t get through my entire list of to-do’s for the day, but I did get some solid knitting in.

I’ve decided to knit up Scout’s hizKNITS-inspired colorway as Jaywalker socks. I do love this wool, not to mention the cool “Silver Streak” dye job she just did. Did you know she’s having a sale over the next few days? I think I need a sushi wallet kit…

This is just two day’s worth of knitting, accompanied by a little Cast On, Lime ‘n Violet and Sticks and String podcasts. Being the type-A personality that I am, I’m systematically working my way through all of their past episodes. Once I’m up do to date, then I’ll consider commenting, interacting with and perhaps contributing to their creations.

Until then, if you’re Googling own names and find this, thanks, Brenda, L’nV, and David. I love your work… so much that I’m not listening to my Audible books that I paid for.

Wel, today’s projected productivity didn’t translate into a pithy post. While I did start the day taking photos of my freshly wound ball of Scout’s yarn, you’ll have to wait until I upload it to see its glory. I did cast on a sock and I’m about 2 inches into it. I’m knitting on 2.25mm needles, somewhere between a 1 and a 0. I like the resulting fabric. It makes the self-striping (what, it was on sale!) Regia socks seem chunky even though they were knit on a 3 and a 2 (for tighter sole, heel and toe).

In other news, I continued on my holiday dish-washing binge (a rare occasion that I’ll be at the sink). I cut music for my free solo (thank you, Pet Shop Boys “It’s a Sin”). My coach and I listened to Bush .mp3’s for samples to include in our team routine. We’ll looking for lies and mis-statements, so if you know of any send them my way! Tonight was a difficult swim practice, 1: because I’m “detrained,” and 2: because I swam extra hard, inspired by videos on YouTube (go search “synchronized” “swimming” “synchronisee” “montreal” “solo”). I’ll be feeling it tomorrow.

Sadly, we heard to day that a close friend of C’s passed away on Christmas Eve. He had hid his pancreatic cancer from everyone, including his mother with whom he lived! When you read this, take time to tell people who are important in your life that you love them. Live hard and safely.

You’d think with a title like that, I’d be posting about my dog. Alas, I’m not. We did give Ms. Janie Sparkles a bath last night, her first in a few weeks. Tonight, I decided to indulge in a bath of my own for the first time in this place. Why did I wait over a year and a half to try out the tub?

I’m rocking the babushka in case my Mom is reading. If you wander over to flickr.com, you’ll see a more provocative photo, but not that provocative!

What’s better than knitting by candlelight in a bath while listening to Cast On? (Feel better, Brenda!) The relaxing was followed by a home-cooked meal that contained not one, not two, but three veggies from the organic CSA box from a local farm. Baked potatoes, brocolli, and my famous 5-minute beets (shredded beets tossed in melted butter, covered after 1/4 of water to steam for 5 minutes, salt, pepper and a glob of sour cream or yogurt).

Tomorrow, I’ll be baking the dough that’s chilling over by the warmish radiator. Maybe some pea soup to accompany the bread?