Blog Name Change

It’s come to my attention that my blog name is inappropriate.

Ok, well it’s come to my attention a lot.  I’m kind if tired of explaining the fact that the name “F*cking Yarn Balls” is a spoof of the “Angel in the Home” knitter and is a statement of the social implications of being a knitter.

Well, I’m going in for a name change then.  I won’t be posting the new link on here, but you can find it by leaving me a comment.  Um, I haven’t decided on the name for the new blog yet.

Blaaah

A few things have been going on at Knuckle Beach that have been bumming me out.  Hence the sad, pathetic “HO BAG” cookie post a few days ago.

• I turn 24 November 20th and the show we were going ot go in celebration is sold out (or $60 a piece).  Not worth it.
• I am sick, boo.
• I cannot go home for Christmas this year.

I’m trying to not let it bring me down because there are other great things going on.

• I start part time work next week!  (I Heart Working!)
• I am using this to get off my lazy ass (AND IT WORKS WONDERS):
  

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  lab.drwicked.com

• I still live in Philadelphia!
• OMG!  Two of my friends back in C-Springs have bought plane tickets to visit me!  (Granted it’s six months away) but it’s fabulous news!

I’d also like to say that I was fully aware that there would be a slight chance I wouldn’t be able to come home for Christmas and that (before I left) I would be spending my birthday in a foreign land with few to celebrate with me.  Moral of the story: Don’t feel too bad for me.

I’m off to try and get at least one thing done for tomorrow (Finished Object Friday!!)

Wordless Wednesday: Cats & Kntting

(this is my step-cat)

Conflicting Views

Ok, well, my favorite word is “so” apparently.  I feel like I try to start every post with “so.”  My effing goodness, can I just say that I am going crazy with National Blog Posting Month and National Novel Writing Month?  Now I’m too crazy to just stop one or the other as well.  It’s funny, because I look at the calendar and my first thought is, “THE 10th!?  I need 17,000 words!  WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DAYS!?”  then I think, “Shit, why is it only the 10th?  I don’t want to write more blogs.  I want to be a casual blogger again.  My life is sooo boring, why did I do this?  Why must I be part of a group!?  Is it Wordless Wednesday yet?  OMG, cheese.”

Speaking of cheese, I need to stop by this cheese store for more smoked gouda, but they are closed on Mondays!

Offensively Baked

so nothing very good to post.  here’s a picture for you to enjoy.

She Cooks Too!

Let me let you in on a little secret.  I am a terrible cook.  Earlier this week, I made some fish and risotto and it was pretty pathetic.  Usually, I don’t beat myself up after a failed meal.  Except all you have to do is cut open the package of the fish.  And the risotto is from a box.

I had to redeem myself.  I mean my roommate works a full-time job and she comes home to a dinner of crap.  A crap meal that was all easy to cook.

Thursday, I was craving some Vietnamese egg rolls.  I went to the Asian market and started to gather the stuff when I realized I couldn’t really find the stuff I needed.  By Asian market, I should explain it’s a Chinese market, so they have many things, but not the specialized Vietnamese stuff I needed.  I got home with some random stuff like chicken, seaweed and yogurt drink (so delicious.)

I really still needed some Asian food though.  I’ve found take-out Chinese has way too much MSG and you get all hungry two hours later.  I looked at a couple different recipes online and came up with this recipe.  Let me tell you.  This is a delicious meal.  Seriously.  I’ve made this Thursday and today.  That’s how much we love this.  It involved fresh vegetables, fresh meat, MSG free, and organic.  Oh, did I mention, it’s a $10 meal?

A few things, I used some frozen veggies and fresh veggies, so I wrote it exactly like I’ve been making it.  Also, you can use any meat– next time I’m going to use some kobe beef.  You make this as a side dish or a main meal.

Chicken Fried Rice
(serves 6)

Butter
2 Tablespoons of oil
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 cups of meat) – cut into pieces
4 cups of rice (cold)
1 egg
1 tsp of water
1 onion chopped
1/2 bag of peas
4 carrots chopped
1/2 bag of corn
2 tsp of soy sauce
2 tsp of teriyaki sauce (optional, but it adds a sweet element)
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of salt

1.  Cook four cups of rice and refrigerate.
2.  Put carrots, peas, and corn in water in a saucepan.  Put cover on.  Let water boil for about eight minutes.
3.  While carrots, peas, and corn are cooking, heat a little bit of a butter in frying pan.  Scramble egg and water together then cook.  Set egg aside.
4.  Heat oil in frying pan.  Brown chicken and onion together.  Drain carrots, peas, and corn.
5.  Add rice, carrots, peas, corn, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, pepper, and salt in the pan.  Mix all the ingredients together and cook for about five minutes.  Add the egg.
6.  Serve.  So warm.  So sweet.  So delicious.

This makes a whole lot of fried rice, but you’ll want leftovers.  If you cut the recipe in half, it really only feeds three people but it fits in the frying pan.

Finished Object Friday

Wow!  Can I just say that National Blog Posting Month, 100 Pushups, and National Novel Writing Month occupy me almost as much as a full-time job?  Actually, that would be a lie.  They’re more or less a part time job.  A part time job that has the only reward of self-improvement, but if you’re an adorable little scamp like me, you find it hard to stay motivated, because seriously, how can I improve myself more?  I’m already fabulous!

Well, regardless, it is Finished Object Friday and man, this is a full Friday.

Pattern: Japanese Crochet Pattern, I just followed the chart.
Yarn: Malabrigo in Blue Graphite and Pigeon
Hook: American size 4

This hat has redeemed my love of hats.  It also taught me a size 5 hook makes giant hats and I should not use it unless I know what I’m doing, which I ususally don’t.  Um, what else can I say about htis hat that you can’t see?  It’s adorable.  It’s from a Japanese pattern.  And I did a great job on my make up today (usually I don’t wear my contacts, much less make up)

Pattern: Madison Scarf from Blueprint Crochet (excellent book!)
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton
Hook: I think it was a J, I could check, but I’m already on the couch.

This is a motif knit, only a little different. You crochet the bottom half first then you come back and do the top part.  Not bad, I like looking at these scarves, but warmth wise they serve no purpose and I am definitely one of those people who knits because she needs something.  Like warmth.

Pattern: Improvised
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky Naturals in Bobcat
Needle: 19s

I love a big, quick knit and this is definitely one of them.  My favorite thing about bulky scarves is if you do a 1×1 rib, it looks like a stockinette and doesn’t curl on the edges.  I like skinny scarves, so I only cast on 10 stitches and did a 1×1 rib (as mentioned before).  Love this scarf and I can’t wait to wear it.  Oh and it only took two skeins.  I love long long scarves and I’m short, so it worked out great.  I do have a third skein, maybe a cowl is in my future?

That’s it for Finished Object Friday for this week!  Enjoy your weekend, stay safe, don’t do drugs.

Christine’s Don’t Abuse Your English Major PSA!

Hi.  My name is Christine and I was one of those people in college.  You know, an English major.  Or as my dad says, a member of POEM.  Oh you, probably are too young.  Just as I should too young to get that reference. . .  In general, I do not attempt to lord over my English major superiority.  Generally, unless someone asks me to correct his/her English (like my mom), I do not step in and say, “Well actually, when you say ‘where are you at?’ I just want to stab out my ear drums so I never have to hear that ever again.”

I won’t say anything, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.  So, please read these Don’t Abuse Your English Major Friend Public Service Announcements.  Follow as best as you can and at the very least you can appear a little smarter by using them in public places.  Seriously, the English is for everyone to share.

Hi, again.  It’s me, Christine.  Remember from the first paragraph?  I want to tell you something, come close.  This is a safe place.  It’s about the abuse of the word “Frankenstein.”

Sure, you know that “Frankenstein” refers to a book Mary Shelley wrote and it’s about a monster who wrecks havoc. Many people have used the phrase, “I’ve created Frankenstein!” referring to turning a normal human into a monster.  There’s a problem with the phrase “I’ve created Frankenstein ” though.

Frankenstein creates the monster.  The monster’s name is not Frankenstein.  The media is misleading, eh?

So, next time you’ve coddled your girlfriend until she demands that you take her to the mall, that you shave your balls, and that you get a tattoo of a unicorn with her name under because you would have done all those things a month ago, you should say, “It’s like I am Frankenstein and I created a monster!”  or simply, “I created a monster.”  or even, “Bitch, you’re crazy.  Consider yourself dumped.  Boo yah.”

This has been your neighborhood English major with your friendly PSA!

[sidebar: you may have noticed i missed a post on tuesday.  our internet at knuckle beach has been acting up.  it seems as though ti's working very well now though.  i seriously did try to post!]

Wordless Wednesday: It’s Looking a lot like Fall

(Some of these photographs were sent through the polaroid machine– currently my most favorite thing in the world.)

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For the full story on these pictures, go to my flickr.

Writers Block

I don’t really have anything to post about. . . I’ve found when you’re in a place with very few friends and you have no job, there are very few things to do.  The only real drama I have is other people’s and I hate to tell everyone this, I’m not gossipgirl!  Total spoiler, I know.  Long story short, I’m not exactly sure why I thought this was the year to participate in National Blog Posting Month.  In order to prevent 20 posts of “I went to Washington Square Park today,” I’m instituting two traditions:

Wordless Wednesday (seen on this blog)
Finished Object Friday

Also, I don’t keep my links updated on the right hand side.  Mostly because I am always reading new blogs and subscribing to them.  Another little ditty you will see crop up are blog reviews.  Because I do in fact read.  Oh look, here’s my first one.

Blog Review: Smitten with Smitten!

I love the word “smitten.”  It’s adorable, it has punch, and it rhymes with two other adorable words: Kitten & Kitchen.  When I moved to Philadelphia, my bff4e, JP sent me to a Philadephia based dating blog, Shmitten Kitten– don’t forget the h.  Don’t.

Shmitten Kitten is quirky, cute but has bite.  The writing is precise, witty, and very educational.  As with any dating advice, not all of it is for every reader, but it certainly is worth a read.  My favorite part about Shmitten Kitten is the readers are a huge factor in what makes this blog great.  Readers submit stories, questions and artwork about horror stories, underrated partners (like boys in bands), and prominent players of the dating community (I.e. the “Hot Dad” or “The Freedom Man”).  Even if you aren’t in Philadelphia, check this blog out.

I totally ran out of time to write about my other smitten blog– Smitten Kitchen– but it’s a cooking blog and it has tasty pictures of food.  Do you need any more than that?

Little C Out.