Writers

I'm always annoyed at what I think shouldn't be on lists of what books have you read. It's not just because I don't like this author, or because I think that author should be more frequently read. I think it's because while I like Pride and Prejudice, it's just that I think that Persuasion is a better book.

What if we went by writers and not particular books?

That being the case, here are who I think people should read in non chronological order, who do you think people should read? Favorite work or personal comment following in parens in some cases.

• "Homer" (Iliad)
  
• Dostoevsky 
  
• Poe
  
• Shakespeare (poetry over plays, IMHO)
  
• Lowell (because The Unlovely scarred me for life in high school, or should I say high school life?)
  
• R.L. Stevenson
  
• Dumas Fils
  
• Lovecraft 
  
• Crowley (how can you not love the Book of the Law?)
  
• Clark Ashton Smith (again, I love his poetry)
  
• Gaskell
  
• Anon Icelandic Sagas (Njal's Saga)
  
• any and all anon medieval stories
  
• silly romance novels (to keep life in perspective. And to remember that the person that needs to rescue you is YOURSELF, not some cute boy or girl!!!!)
  
• Marion Zimmer Bradley
  
• Poul Anderson (because Vault of the Ages got me into post apocalyptic science fiction)
  
• Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
  
• Sharyn McCrumb (because EVERYONE needs to read Bimbos of the Death Sun)
  

What do YOU think?

QVC is the Devil

I mean that in a nice way. After all, I found a Christmas present for my Dad there! Dad hates everything I give him, but I think he'll like a heated blanket for all the time that he spends downstairs in the cold Family Room.

Really, the problem is me. I keep thinking that I can spend whatever money I want, when in reality, I can't.

I just cancelled an order for a jacket, because I realised that I wasn't in love with it or anything, and I can use my current winter coat for one more year.

How do you keep yourself from buying stuff that you don't need, BESIDES cancelling the order or returning it? I've got to learn that dicipline!

Proud to be an American

OK, I don't often say this. but. Yesterday, I was proud to be an American.

Most of you know that I'm a conservative, but am voting for Obama this time around. What was it that made me proud? The news that Colin Powell is supporting Obama. Personally, if Powell had run for president, I'd be "Obama who?", because I'm conservative.

Mind you, conservative to me is kind of granola. Limited government, states should have more rights, it's no one's business who is in my bedroom, limited resources should be traded in for renewable resources. Taxes are bad, regulation is bad, governemnt intervention is bad.

For me to support someone on the socialist end of things says something about the republican candidate, or lack there of.

So, essentially, Colin Powell is as sick of old white men being in charge as I am!!
W00T!!!

I want to spend money, but I don't have any!

OK, I am broke. I've been broke for a while. Not out on the street broke or anything like that, but I need to stick to my budget. I get paid on Thursdays, so every Thursday, I get $100.00 for food, gas, and "stuff."

The problem is that I went through all that money, and yesterday I really wanted to get some Chik-Fil-A.

To make things worse, I had plenty of food at home - I'm not starving. Just broke and not wanting to make what I already have at home.

So I made a hamburger, and ate it. It was good, as usual.

What do you do when you want to spend money, but can't? How do you control the urge?

At last, some results

Well, after a day off from work, and the help of a good friend, I have some results in my bedroom.



Another view:



There IS a lot more work to do - stuff around the bed where you can't see it, all the boxes, and the closet. BUT, I have some progress.

I love my new bedroom!!! WHEEE!!!

:)

OK, first stop, bedroom

This is an old post that I forgot to publish. The results come next!


-----------------------

OK! I don't have a picture of the original mess, but just imagine the 2 square feet of almost clear floorspace as not there. It can't be that hard - it's not even clean - just clear!

I threw out a bag of trash, have this one to go, and culled 2 boxes of books to donate. Any clothing that I find on the floor in this room is being thrown away. It's probably too infested with allergens, anyway.

So, let me ask - what belongs in my bedroom? I've come up with the following:
-Bed (duh)
-clothes
-1 to 2 lamps
-chair (to sit and read or knit in) - this is not in the room now
-SOME books - 5-10 at the most
-iPod dock
-Grandma's Hope Chest
-dresser
-bedside table
-trash can
-alarm clock
-tissue box
-jewelry

What items do I not know what to do with, and need to find a permanent home for? They don't belong in my bedroom, but I don't have a place for them yet. They can squat for a while, till I find new spaces for them.
-linens
-pillows (living room pillows, I mean)
-laptop
-extra lamps
-cds

So that means that Everything Else needs to be put somewhere else, used on a regular basis, thrown out, or donated.

Let this be a lesson to you kids out there - don't be like this crazy lady!!! :)

Space Under Construction

I'm changing the focus of my blog from knitting and spinning to cleaning up my house.

Things have really gotten out of hand over the last couple of years, and it's just too emotionally draining for me. I've got to get my house under control!

Down for the count

OK, so I haven't posted in a while. I've gotten some more yarn spun up, and I'm hoping to have that to show within the next couple of days.

However, 1) I'm sick and 2) I fell on my ass and back, slipping on the ice Thursday. So I'm a little slow these days. Luckily, when I hit my head on the pavement, I didn't get concussed, just a sore head. I guess being thick-skulled payed off.


I've found people to process my Scottish Blackface fiber into combed top - yay. Only problem? I'm not happy with my spinning top yet. However, it's got such along staple, I think it would be wrong to not go combed top.

Also, I'm hoping to ship out my two Finn fleeces shortly after that. I may be selling my Indigo Hound 2 pitch combs to offset processing costs - I realized that I'm never hand processing any of that fiber - really!

Anyway, hope all is well!


Gretchen