Saturday, May 30, 2009

Whatcha Knittin' On?

I just realized that the title prob shouldn't really be a question, since just myself, and Haley are huge knitters...or that's all that I know of...if there's anyone else, raise your hand, and make yourself known please, lol.

Anyway. I'll address the question to myself.

I've finished Clapotis (scroll down for pictures) and Veronique (scroll even further for pictures). In my life, if I don't have a knitting project going on, life is sad. Depressing. ....

Ok. I just searched "depression" to get more words for that...went to the dictionary site, after having to scroll through a page of actual "depression" sites. To find that there were more links to these sites on the dictionary site. That was useless...oh well.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2023/2052334213_fa7812b420.jpg?v=0

Malabrigo - Snowbird. Is that goregous or WHAT?! I'm not doing the cable pattern, but that's a really cool pattern, lol.

I've been kinda on a Malabrigo obbsession lately...Clapotis was in Malabrigo, and now this...then I've been working on stuff for my Etsy (yes, that's still working...just not as steady as before) with Malabrigo. On my favorite list of yarns, Malabrigo would be 2nd. Noro is 1st :-D The woody one, lol.

Annnd...I just did Epic Fail on finding a picture of Encore, this shrug I'm making. For some WEIRD reason...there was not one picture I could find...that looked even remotely like the thing I'm making. Fail. Anyway, I'll maybe take a picture of the copy I have then post that, lol. Oh well. I'm just having problems with pictures today. Gmail isn't loading my chat picture either...*sigh* Oh well, life is lifey.

Now. You know what I'm knitting on. Except you don't know what it looks like. Oh well. Patience :-) Talking pianos are key here.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Phantom of the Opera

One of my favorite subjects. Now, I shall rant and rave about what I think about the movie version, and the Broadway with Sarah Brightman, and what's-his-name.

I shall do my least favorite first.

The Movie Version *shudder*

...

Michael Crawford! That's the dud's name! Hahaha. He's in the Broadway one...not the movie.

Anyway, back to the movie version. *shudder*

Starring Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler. *shudder*

Whoever cast this...(btw, no offense to anyone here, but this is what I think) didn't do a very good job.
  1. Emmy was only 18, and hadn't really devloped her vibrato and highness. Kate (who taught my voice lessons, and will be doing again this summer) told me this. And, she sings through her nose. Not a very pleasant sound for singing...though I've done it too, you just have to train yourself not to.
  2. Gerard....*ick*. Seriously, this is supposed to be an opera. The Phantom is supposed to be someone who sounds like JOSH GROBAN PEOPLES. Pardon the caps. Not some dude who sings out of half his mouth, and burnt out his entire singing voice by being in some emo rock band in his youth. Yes, he looks the part...kinda, but that's not the point of the part. The point is SINGING. He has *one* part that he's flat, then (thankfully) slides up to this perfect note...and has this amazing vibrato. Now, if only he could do that the whole time, things would be perfect. If he could do that, he must have *really* ruined his voice. Then, his badness is 10000x when he's angry. *ick*
  3. Raoul. Can you say "girly"? Yeah, he's supposed to be kinda wimpy in the book, but not *that* wimpy. Plus, he can't sing either. Vibrato, wacked. He's like..somewhere between an alto and tenor, or something like that
Also, but this was rather expected. They runined the story. *sigh* Why must movie makers do this to awesome books? This is so depressing.

I just looked the book up on Wiki...and the genre is like..."Gothic Novel"? I guess...that kinda fits...maybe. Twas published in 1911, and at first was horrible at selling. For some reason. *shakes head* silly people who didn't like it.

Ok. NOW. The Broadway verison.

Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Who are these people? Sarah Brightman is married to Andrew Lloyd Webber. And Michael Crawford was in "Hello Dolly!". When I ask people if they've seen him, they're like. "Uuuuh, no? Who's he?" Actually, he's the guy in Wall-E who sings.

"Out There! There's a world outside of Yonkers! Out there! Full of SHINE and full of SPARKLE! Close your eyes and see it glisen, Barnaby! Listen, Barnaby!!"
"Put on your Sunday clothes when you fell down and out!"

Pardon my singing. I kinda do that sometimes...

When I first heard this. I cringed. His singing was horrible then. Thankfully, it got better....since he did the Phantom when he was older. BUT, his major problem?

Forcing his vibrato. Lol, it seems that all these people have problems with this. When he does this, he's making it sound like he's running waaay out of breath, and sometimes making himself go out of tune. But he's MUCH better than Gerard Butler, and it's the only other good version, so I guess what's what I'll take. The one note that Gerard has that's absolutely amazing, if you could just switch that, so it was Michael Crawford, instead of Gerard? It'd be perfect.

Sarah Brightman, is just amazing. Nothing wrong with her...that I can hear anyway.

My IDEAL Phantom?

Josh Groban - Phantom or Raoul. He looks more the part of Raoul, but hey. Looks aren't what we're going for here.

One of the guys from the High Kings, Brian Dunphy, (for people who know, he's one of the younger dudes, who's got major dark hair...) or Darren Holden - for whatever Josh Groban doesn't take, lol

And...Sarah Brightman is fine for me for Christine. She's pretty shweet.

The WORST Phantom?

Nick Jonas/Zac Efron - Raoul. Can you IMAGINE either one of them as that? Looks, maybe...lol. it'd be majorly disturbing

Joe Jonas - (I'm so creative. lol. All I could think of that would be horrible)

Miley Cyrus - Christine. *cringes*

Now....I believe that was my rant of the day. Hope you enjoyed it. :-)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Works of Clapotis

Ok, the colors didn't turn out as bright as I'd like...but it makes sense cause I took them on my mom's iPhone. Oh well. So, anyway. It's these colors, but brighter. And more green. Yep. So yeah...

You knit knit knit...then do a thing that you're normally taught *not* to do...or try to avoid. Drop stitches. It was super fun, lol.

The largeness of it all. Now, it's bigger.
It mushed together...that way it looks like ribbing instead of dropped stitches.
And the Clapotis its self, and it's ball of yarn. Here, I hadn't un-raveled all the stitches yet, so that's that kinda...blank spot there.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Knitting - My life. My Passion.

PICTURE TIME!!!! Oooh yeah. Ok. :-)

COMING SOON: Pictures of Clapotis.


Personally, I love this picture. My mom took all these pictures... And yes, those are my skinny jeans. And no, I'm not emo.
Outside...hum de hum.
Out side...
Picot cast off, and beading from afar.
Beading, and picot cast off. It's just a fancy/lacy cast off that makes it look more lacy. And the beads...which you can't see very well. Annnnd, my awesome nail polish, lol.
This, is an example of "k3tog". In English, this means "knit 3 together". This gives it a like...pucker-y look or something.

I'm here!

Just...busy. Isn't everyone?

Um. The wonders of a cold have been ruling my life for the past couple of days. Thankfully, I'm finally starting to get over it. Having a cold + 8 hours of rehearsal/an actual lesson = major major tiredness. I'm assuming many of you peoples can relate. Not going to an 8 hour ballet rehearsal/lesson...Waaaaaait.....


Waaaaaaaaait. Did I say 8? I think I might mean four....ummmm...yeah, it was four. Soooorrry! I, heh, just woke up....good morning!

I just took a Facebook Quiz. "Which Disney/Pixar person blah blah blah" (are you most like, btw). Who'd I get??

Dory

I feel so special. She's my favvvvvvorite. Now. I was going to write a story...about something funny I saw. At the mall, or something. Oooh, there was one...and another one...and...I think that's it.

Ok. Now I shall relate...tell....uh...whatever...Settle down now! *a group of toddlers settle down all sticky, and with a cup of goldfish*

Let's see....

We went shopping for some shirts for my mom...on...Saturday. Went in, found some stuff, she went to try it on, I sat while she came out and modeled for me. Thankfully, I had my knitting. The great thing about socks, you can bring them anywhere! So, anyway. I was sitting there, knitting, waiting for my mom...when this other guy comes in wanting to try on this shirt. There wasn't any like person back in the fitting rooms to give people rooms when they come. So, this guy starts like, knocking on doors and opening them. None of the doors he knocked on...they...didn't say anything? No one said anything. So, he opened them. 2 of them had people in them. Lol. It was hilarious to watch...the 2nd one was kinda funny...he opened, a guy was like..."Dude!" and he was like.."sorry...uuuuh...whoops" and shut it. This guy also wanted to get away as fast as possible, so didn't shut the door all the way. These doors...like open if you don't shut them all the way, so it started opening again, lol. So the opening-doors guy came back and closed it again...not all the way. So he had to come back for a 3rd time to shut it. Lol.

2nd. At the parking lot at Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart that we're near to...it super duper creepy. We don't go there often, thankfully. But, it's the BEST place to go and watch people, lol. So anyway...my mom and I were sitting in the car (just sitting in the car is awesome too. You don't even have to go inside! Major score, lol) and this young couple came by with this big load of stuff...but without a cart. They. Were lost. Lol. So, they had this bunch of stuff, and couldn't find their car...*is redundent* *wants to make things clear* *but ends up being redundent and not making things clear anyway* *epic fail* I feel so special. Anyway. So, then the girl is like "Brilliant!!" takes her keys, or his keys, I dunno. And lifts her arm all the way up in the air and starts clicking buttons. While she was doing this, and a car alarm was going off, this old man was walking in front of them...giving them very strange looks. Because also, the girl was very amused with herself. Go figure. I, would not be amused with pressing buttons and make a car alarm go off. This couple noticed the old man...they laughed, and said "Hi, lol, we lost our car". The old man hurried inside quickly. The couple were amused...surprised?

Anyway. I hope this was amusing.

OH! Quick, before I leave. I FINISHED MY VERIONQUE. For those of you who have not, or did not, see my Gmail status thinger. NOW. I shall go back to work on my Clatpotis...which I'm almost done with now...then..onto a new knitting project..which I already have the yarn and pattern for, lol.

Life is happy when your knitting life is succesful and victrious. This is a fact.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Hum de Gum

Don't you hate it when you have a bad case of allergies...then it turns into a cold?

This is summmerrrr....alas, there shouldn't be any hints of colds during the summer. It's just not right.


*sniffles*

Today I have a ballet rehearsal from 4 to 8. Yaaaaay! I'm not exactly sure what we'll be doing...as in dances. I think most of it will be acting with everyone. Then...I bet also the finale with the "Adult Class". Annnnd....perhaps the different dances. Ooooh, I know. I bet we'll go through the whole thing *with* the dances. About costumes, I dunno. It'd be sweet, but I doubt it.

This is just the first week of rehearsals. Next week shall also be included, but I'm not sure if it'll be...as long? Or whatever. Something of the sort anyways.

My knitting life is slow. I knit those 10 1/2 inches on Veronique. Put it on waste yarn, seamed the the sides together. What's left? Now, I have to pick up the stuff from the waste yarn, and the provisonal cast on on SIZE 10 and 1/2! >.<.

If you don't understand why exactly this would be annoying? Think about it.

It was knit on SIZE 8s. So, the little stitches, and their loop-y thingers are going to be big enough for size 8s but that's it...or lower than 8, but not higher. You guys know this.

So, now imagine trying to cram on stitches that can only fit a size 8 onto a size 10 and 1/2 needle. It's torture.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Respighi - the people at the symphony.

Usually....normal people (not like me) go to a symphony to listen to the music.

....

I on the other hand. I not only listen to the music, I take the WONDERFUL opportunity to watch and listen to peoples. This. Is my hobby. Besides knitting. Yes.

The lady I was sitting next to...She brought a book to read while waiting. I don't know what the book was, I failed at trying to find out...oh well. She also sneaked in a bar of chocolate. And had her purse, that was holding the chocolate, next to her (and me, in the seat between us) and she kept picking off little squares.

As an example about the millions and MILLIONS of ethnic groups in Houston, here is an example (I believe...I was just redundant. But. Who cares. ) When you're in the restrooms...and someone motions as if asking if you were in line, you answer no, and they still motion. Obviously, they don't speak English. So you...kinda have to motion and nod...or whatever...hoping they'll understand to some extent, that no, you're just waiting for your mom/sister/friend. Or whatever. Pretty much that. Also, when you're walking around the mall or some big, open public place, there are only 3 people around you that are speaking English.

The family sitting in front of us, were pretty funny. The reason for their funniness, was the family in front of *them*. I shall explain. The weird family, 2 rows away from us. (meaning, if you didn't get it, the family who was in front of the people who were in front of us. *gets confused*) They. were weird. Very weird. The dad looked like some hippy-surfer dude. The mom...was like covered in jewels and had this ginormous platform shoes on, the kids...? Creeeepy. The boy had a popular haircut. The girl...was weird. That's all I have to say. Anyway. So, like...the boy, was sitting in front of the girl, that I was sitting behind of. Confusing? Yeah. Anyway, so like...he kept on stretching his arms back. Remember, this girl is sitting behind him, who's sitting in front of me. So, he was like...majorly stretching, and stratching the back of his head....a lot...and stretching again. Then, he decided to sit, with his hands folded on the back of his head. Therefore, his elbow would be like...jabbing into this girl's knee. Who was sitting in front of me. This girl, got the giggles. Majorly. Her mom got the giggles, and her brother got the giggles. So, all these people have the giggles...trying not to make too much noise. I could tell they were laughing cause they were like...bouncing up and down. lol. But, the mom and brother calmed down. But the girl didn't...so she kept on bouncing...which I found really funny. I didn't laugh though...I just noticed that my ball of yarn had fallen on the ground. Yes, I did knit during this symphony. People who decided that they should keep the lights just a little dim during the programs are awesome. They must have known that people would be knitting, lol. That sounded stupid.

So yes. The guest violinist for the Houston Symphony...was like...beyondly amazing. The guy was only like 20 or something.

Peoples. Joey REALLY needs attention. He's not...leaving me ALONE. http://www.hosephs.blogspot.com. so therefore. Go to his blog, and comment. Maybe he'll stop bugging me if you do.

Anyway. This dude. He like had MAJOR vibrato...which, I think, is super hard on the violin, for people who don't know how to get it just right...I had major trouble with it. Along with chords, but that's a different matter. Anyway. He did it ALL over the place...he had the WHOLE THING memorized. Any kind of vibrato + G string = major major MAJOR hardness. The G string, is super duper thick. Cause...brilliantness, it's the lowest string on the violin. He did it...sliding...up the G string (up all the strings, anyway) Which...is realllly hard. He did all this amazing fingering on the E string (the highest, and therefore the smallest...but the smallest thing doesn't really mean anything) And did vibrato, as high as you can go on the finger board...on the E. So, it's this incredibly high note...that's just amazing. How in the world can that....make that high of a note? And it's...so beautiful!

Tomorrow....starts the last week of school. All. Of math. And a little bit of writing. After that. No more math. No more school. No more...yeah. Schoolness...though we're doing some stuff...but it's easy-peasy.

Quote of the Day ~

One loyal friend is worth ten-thousand relatives.
~ Euripides


Grace }|{

P.S. HAHAHAHA I figured out how to do the bolded, italics, stuff. Write it. THEN change it. Don't change it THEN write it. That ends up in disaster.