FO: The NGN Sweater

We are in the home stretch before the arrival of my New Great Nephew (NGN), and I am actually ready in advance!  He is due April 17, though my niece told my sister that she thinks he'll be here sooner.  In any event, I will be sending off his gift later this week.  

Project:  NGN Sweater (New Great Nephew Sweater) (link is to Ravelry project page)

Pattern:  Garter Yoke Baby Cardigan, by Jennifer Hoel (free on Ravelry)

Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn DK Merino Superwash, colorway 1132 Green Lake

Needles:  US size 4

Modifications:  I don't know that these are modifications necessarily, rather than mistakes in the pattern.  Anyway, the pattern says to pick up 38 stitches under each arm, and I found that to be impossible.  The upper part of the arms that were on stitch holders had 38 stitches, but I could not figure out any way to make room for 38 stitches on the underarm, so I picked up 19 under each one, and that seemed to work just fine.  The other thing was that when you got to the end of the arms, the pattern said "Row 1: K 38 sts.  Row 2:  P 38 sts."  That would have meant you only did a portion of the stitches, when I am 99.99% sure that the pattern meant to K and P all the stitches you had on the needles!

Notes/comments:  This pattern was so much fun to knit, and really very simple.  Except for the two instances mentioned above, it was easy to understand and the instructions made sense.  I wanted to choose a color of yarn that was not strictly "little boy" color, and I thought the color was not just gender-neutral, but good for springtime.  Usually Plymouth yarns are lovely but this one was pretty splitty, and that was annoying until I got used to it.  

The buttons (shown in a close-up above, complete with Jack hair!), were another story.  Again, I didn't want buttons that screamed "little boy" but I was also not willing to devote a quest to finding ones that were the Most Perfect Buttons in the World.  I was happy with these little Volkswagen Beetle buttons in red.  They made a nice contrast, and were kind of an homage to my sister and brother-in-law (NGN's grandparents), who had a VW bug for years before they had children.

Anyway, once the knitting was finished, I gave it a wash on the delicate cycle, 10 minutes in the delicate air dry cycle, and then blocked it to dry the rest of the way, because I wanted it to look as nice as possible since it's a gift.  Plus, this also served to get rid of all of Jack's fur that had worked its way into the project as it was being knit.  I can recommend this pattern to anyone who has a knit-worthy baby on the way.

I love, love, love, the result, and cannot wait to meet the wearer!  

Now, back to my other projects ... :-)

Small Is Still Important

Hello everyone, I hope your week is off to a good start and that you had an enjoyable weekend.  Our weekend was great, if very busy.  Friday morning we headed home to Wheeling, West Virginia, to see some of my family.  My sister Mary Ellen and her husband Patrick live there, and my other sister Nancy, her husband Michael, and their 17-year-old granddaughter Anya were going to be in town for a visit.  We haven't seen Nancy and Michael for a few years, and have not seen Anya since she was about 10 years old.  My niece Amanda and her husband Pat decided to drive in from Baltimore to see everyone as well, so we knew it would be a good weekend - and it was!

A lot of the time was spent just catching up, laughing a lot, and enjoying being together.  But Saturday morning, we all got up to head downtown for the March for Our Lives rally.  I was really glad we decided to go, because in the past couple of years, every time I planned to participate in something, a health issue kept me away from it, and this time I got to not just attend, but be there with a nice chunk of family in my hometown. 

Wheeling's population is currently about 30,000 people, and by the end of the rally, there were easily 200+ people there, which is a pretty good turnout for a cold Saturday morning, for something that - according to my sister - was not publicized that well.  Though she also said that they took three buses' worth of people to the march in DC.

Anyway, here are some photos from the day.

There were a nice variety of speakers, from local clergy, to college students, to local high school students.  There was even a girl who is in 8th grade who got up to say her piece, even though it was clear she was really nervous.  As you may know or may have imagined, West Virginia has a lot of people who hunt, so guns are not alien to the place.  Even some of the speakers either had guns themselves or grew up in a family of hunters, and so had guns in the home.  But every single one of them was in complete support of controlling access to guns, and were 100% convinced that the government was not trying to take their guns away from them.  I was encouraged by those statements, since so many other gun owners seem to go all the way in the other direction.

It's more than true that compared to a lot of places, Wheeling's rally was very small.  But it was no less sincere, and those participating were no less determined to have our government see their beliefs in action.  It was a wonderful group and also a group that is clearly in it to win it.  And across the country, we have to hope that other places that are not major metropolitan areas are taking a stand for themselves, their families, and their neighbors.  Small is still important, if you ask me.

Going to the Wolves

As mentioned in a previous post, I had a birthday last week, and the one thing I had asked to do was to visit the Wolf Sanctuary of PA for one of their tours.  So last Thursday, The Tim and I got up and got going out to Lititz, PA (which I enjoy calling "La Tits" because apparently part of me is an 11-year-old boy).  It's a lovely drive, and once we got away from the city, there wasn't much traffic, so we were there in no time!

I wasn't *exactly* sure what to expect in real life, but I can assure you that the entire experience was wonderful, and did not disappoint in any way! 

The Wolf Sanctuary is a huge area, which currently houses 48 wolves.  There is one pack ("The Big Pack") made up of some of the wolves from the original group at the Sanctuary.  They had formerly bred wolves, but then realized that it would mean they would very quickly run out of room for other wolves that needed a place to be.  So all the wolves that are there now, and that come in the future, have been spayed or neutered, to control the population and assure room for any wolves that need their help down the road.

We have both always been attracted to wolves, and there used to be a woman in our neighborhood who had a wolf/dog hybrid (who was incredibly shy), but other than that, have never had much of a chance to be around the animals otherwise.  It was really interesting to hear all about the history of the Sanctuary, as well as learn details about wolf behaviors.  But of course, the actual wolves were the stars of the day.

The Original Pack includes Lincoln, Levi, Sarge, Chomp, Trinity (Alpha Female), Frodo (Alpha Male), and Lucas.  They were very interested in us, though would have been more interested if we had brought lunch for them!

Lucas and Frodo 

The Whole Pack

Frodo

Frodo

Lucas

Lucas

Lucas

Chomp

Below, please meet Thor.  He is the oldest wolf at the Sanctuary, having turned 18 on February 15th of this year.

Thor is blind, but was still very alert when the tour guide was talking to him.

This is Jake.  She is a relative newcomer to the Sanctuary, and is in the enclosure next to Thor.  They are hoping that the two of them will form a pack.  She was very friendly, but then decided she was lonely and started to howl.

And, just like when one dog in the neighborhood starts barking and then all the others start, the same thing happened here.  Everyone else started howling too.  It was amazing.

Here is a little video that The Tim took of her howling, I hope it works here.

Next up, we met Cheyenne.  She is particularly friendly, having been someone's pet.  She was so excited to see us and the tour guide!  Here's a video of her coming to see him.  (Again, I hope it works.)

Then we met Spirit and Mika, who are both white wolves.  Mika was extremely shy, but Spirit was ready for some attention and wanted to play!  Spirit is a former pet, who one day escaped from her yard when everyone at her house was out and she got bored.  She ended up at the playground of an elementary school, where the kids at recess loved playing with her, and she loved the attention!  Only when they called to say a lost dog was there, did they find her, take her to animal control, and learn that she was a wolf mix!  She was more than happy to get some attention, and clearly loves our tour guide, Denny.

The animals were all clearly quite content in their enclosures, and it was clear that the people working there were not only familiar with them, but that they love them all, and take excellent care of them.  

This is a cow skull, which is the only part of a cow that they are not interested in eating completely.  They use this to "play hunt," as they did with an opossum that [foolishly] wandered into an enclosure.  

Happy wolves all around.  This place is amazing and the people so clearly care about the animals and caring for them and rescuing them, it was a wonderful thing to see.  I can't wait to go back - our guide told us that the nighttime tours include a bonfire, which would be really something to experience.

I would definitely recommend a visit to this place if you like wolves and are interested in animal rescue.  There is even a B&B on the property where you can stay!  But it's well worth the day trip too.  

As we were coming home, we realized it's not that far from the Stoudt's Brewery, which has a tour of their facilities and a pub too.  So you could make a day of it and probably get a yummy meal as well.  

Which is surely on the agenda for a future trip ... 

I hope you enjoyed these pictures and videos, and seeing the wolves.  I have a ton more photos, but what I have shared here surely gives you the idea of the place.  Let me know if you visit, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Off to enjoy the rest of my snow day, courtesy of the most recent nor'easter.  Have a good one!

This First Day of Spring Is Being Brought to You by Yet Another Nor'Easter

I know it's wrong, but it amuses me that we are expecting yet another nor'easter to hit today.  Not because I enjoy shoveling snow and slogging around in resulting slush once it starts melting, but because people always seem surprised when the first day of Spring does not arrive and turn out to be a day that is 60 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny.  Everyone always seems so shocked, and it just seems that this year, Mother Nature is saying, tough luck suckers!

I am sad that it might mark the end of our daffodils that started to bloom.  But they bloomed for my birthday, and that was good enough for me, if they can't hang around for a while after today.  I love daffodils, and consider them my birthday flower.  I take it very personally if none have shown up by then.

Anyway, I am somewhat disorganized at the moment, but wanted to post something, so I decided to borrow Nance's Monday Meme, called Love/Hate Relationships.  (Yes, it's Tuesday.  So sue me.)

1. What kind of song/kind of music always makes you feel good/irritated?

I like most music in general, but I will say that songs by The Beatles make me feel good.  "Modern" music (for example, Philip Glass) makes me irritated.  Big time.

2.  What are among your best/worst traits?

Best:  Self-discipline, loyalty, empathy
Worst:  Impatience, quick judgement, bad temper

3.  What food did you used to like but now you don't?

Marsala veggie burgers from Trader Joe's.  The Tim still really likes them, but I can't stand them anymore. 

4.  What book did everyone else love but you didn't?

The Girl on the Train.  I could not stand any of the characters, and would not have been upset had said train crashed on page 4 or so.

5.  Fill in the blanks:  I love my _________, but I hate (its/their/the) __________.

I love my house, but I hate to clean it (though once I get started, it's fine, and I'm always happy with the result).
I love my country, but I hate the current administration and their ilk.

OK, that was fun.   And it meant I had a legit post for today.  Feel free to answer in the comments, at Nance's original post, or on your own blog. 

Stay warm and safe if you are in the path of the crazy weather!

Celebrating 62 Years

First of all, Happy St. Patrick's Day!  It's one of the very best days of the year, with good baking, good food, and most excellent beverages. I hope you have a lovely one, and at a minimum, lift a glass of something good to honor Paddy himself.

It's been a grand few days (with one exception) leading up to today.  This past Wednesday was my 62nd birthday!  Other than wondering how the heck I got to be 62 (spoiler alert: it comes after 61!), it was a day of just enjoying myself.  I took that day and the rest of the week off from work.  Which is always a good idea, in my opinion.

The Tim had to work on my actual birthday, so I just enjoyed the day myself, knitting, reading, taking a walk, cuddling with the kitties, and getting my hair cut.  Once he came home, he fixed us homemade gnocchi and garlic breadsticks for dinner, followed by cake and presents.  A most wonderful way to celebrate a birthday.

The Tim had asked if there was anything special I wanted to do to celebrate, and I decided I wanted to visit the Wolf Sanctuary of PA, so he booked us a tour for this past Thursday.  It was the best day, and deserves its own post, so that's coming in the next few days.  We got back home early in the afternoon and just relaxed and hung out the rest of the day, watching some shows we'd recorded, and cuddling with the kitties.  Perfect.

Yesterday was the only ick day, but I knew that it would likely be so.  I had an appt first thing in the morning at the periodontist's office to have a tooth removed and a bone graft done in preparation for a dental implant.  Ugh.  It went just fine, but as with any dental procedure it was unpleasant.  I spent the bulk of the day putting ice on my jaw and dozing in and out.  It's still sore today, but not quite as swollen, and I know it will improve every day, but ICK you know???

So that brings us to today, St. Patrick's Day!  I'm baking brown bread this year, which will make the house smell sooooo good.  And we'll have it some Kerrygold butter, which is also a treat every year, and later we shall raise a glass to the good saint.

I still have all of today and tomorrow to enjoy my extended birthday celebration, so it's definitely been a good week overall.

I hope you are having a good weekend, and having a chance to do what you like.

Sláinte to you and yours!

In Which I Get To Meet Another Blogger in Real Life!

As you know, I have had the chance on more than one occasion to get together with Dee - I even got to meet Giroux! - both for knitting and just for hanging out.  She and I hit it off really well, and it's great to meet someone in real life and have it "work," if you know what I mean.  Let's face it - some people are completely different in their online personas, and then you meet them in person and it's a quick trip on a bullet train to Dudsville.  (Perhaps it works the other way, but not in my limited experience.)

Since Dee moved back to the area, she has asked me on more than one occasion to join her and Vera for an afternoon of knitting, chatting, tea/coffee drinking, etc.  Each time, it was when I had something else I already had committed to doing, and so I'd miss out.  But the stars aligned, and this past Saturday worked for all of us, so I packed my tote bag, bought my train ticket, and headed to Beautiful Downtown Lansdale, PA, to spend the day.

The train ride back and forth was both crowded (people heading to/from the Philadelphia Flower Show), and also enjoyable.  I read my book for a while, but mostly I looked out the window, and enjoyed both the scenery, and making up stories about people I saw.  For instance, I saw a guy lugging a large trash bag out of his garage towards the open trunk of his car.  A body in a bag?  The bloody carpet from the crime scene?  Small children who once too often said, "I'm boooored"?  Only time will tell.  :-)   (Spoiler alert: It hasn't.)  Then there are also the people who are full-grown adults, and say things like, "Excuse me - I've never ridden the train before, is this where you get on?" even though you are STANDING on a platform NEXT TO TRAIN TRACKS with signs that say "BOARD TRAINS HERE," and I wonder to myself, how can you possibly be a grown person and have never ever ridden the train?  (Though Dee said her husband fell into this category.  But he's at least ridden the subway/el, so that's a variation on a theme as far as I'm concerned.)  I will excuse people who have just moved to the area, but other than that, I often wonder.  However, this is largely because growing up, my parents were not likely to drive us anywhere and so buses, trains, etc. were the way to go if it was too far to walk or bike.  (Edited to add: I am also someone who is more likely to try and figure it out myself or ask the ticket seller or conductor.  They are to the point and don't expect me to chat with them.  But maybe that's just me.)

But I digress.  Back to my destination of Beautiful Downtown Lansdale.  Dee and Vera met me at the train station, which was very nice of them.  They had said that the coffee shop where we were heading was nearby, and I'm sure I could have found it even though suburbia is often puzzling to me (would it kill them to have signs??), so I didn't have to waste any time wandering in the wrong direction.  (Also, Lansdale has sidewalks, which one cannot always assume in the suburbs, so that was nice.)  So we headed down the street to a place called Backyard Beans, which was lovely.  It's an oddly shaped spot that makes the most of the space.  Both of them recommended the Ginger-Turmeric Steamer, so I gave that a try.  It was sooooooo freakin' good!  Also - at the place they were selling Girl Scout cookies!!!  I bought a box of shortbread and Thin Mints - score!

Whoops, another digression.  Back to the story at hand.  Well, let me tell you, Vera is so much fun!  The three of us knitted, drank, and laughed for a couple of hours, and it was like we'd known each other forever.  It was also funny, because Vera was wearing a really pretty sweater.  I asked her if she'd made it, and she told me the story of buying someplace, at which point Dee joined us after getting her drink and immediately asked Vera if she had knit the sweater she was wearing - perhaps when knitters meet, they should have small cards to hand out to each other explaining any knit item they are wearing!  Then we headed across the street to a really lovely restaurant/pub called Stove & Tap for lunch.  Our waiter was SO nice - he showed us pictures of his kids and dogs, told us about a friend who had gone to the Super Bowl, and told us that he couldn't give us separate checks because a law had just been passed forbidding it.  ;-)  He was so nice, and I'm pretty sure he got a big tip from all of us ...

Then it was time for all of us to head home.  They walked me over to the train station, and we said our goodbyes.  I gotta tell you, when I got home, I was pretty tired!  I think because I am seldom that social and I used up more than my quota for the weekend!  But it was just The. Best.  To use a phrase of my mother's "It sure beat spittin'!"

Yesterday, Kathy asked the question:  If you could sit on your couch and knit with anyone today, or a few folks, who would they be?  Well, I had that chance over the weekend with Dee and Vera, and it would have been hard for it to have been better!

So, when/if you have a chance to meet others that you know in cyberspace in real life, I would suggest taking a chance!  Even if you end up in Dudsville, you can always say you have to head home at a certain time, and make the suffering less.  But I'm betting you'll have at least as enjoyable a time as I did.  Even if you don't go to Beautiful Downtown Lansdale ...

And since I have no photos to prove we were together (because of course I don't), here is a picture of Milo the Koodle from Sunday morning, which was the morning of his 6th birthday.  He is the only cat we've ever had whose birthday has actually been known to us.  :-)

Three Good Things on a Snow Day

Yesterday I really enjoyed my snow day.  The Tim had to work, so it was just the kitties and me, spending a relaxing day together. 

I thought I would join Three on Thursday today, and regale you with Three Good Things on a Snow Day.

1.  I saw that the brackets were announced for MDK March Mayhem!  I was able to be very leisurely checking out the patterns included this year.   I voted in the various rounds last year, and it was so much fun.  It also made me aware of a lot of patterns/designers I was not aware of before.  Check it out, and be a part of the voting. 

2.  I got a nice chunk of knitting done on the baby sweater I posted about yesterday.  I finished the yoke, put the sleeve stitches on holders, and got an inch or so into the stockinette part on the bottom.  I really think it's gonna be cute when it's finished, and hopefully that will not be too long coming.

3.  I have been wanting to bake this coffee cake for a while, but finally yesterday the planets aligned and I made it happen.

This is Italian Walnut Coffee Cake, and it is a) really easy to put together, and b) sooooo yummy!  The house smelled so good yesterday afternoon while this was in the oven.  The Tim and I enjoyed a slice with a cup of tea when he got home from work, and then repeated that later in the evening.  I've had this recipe for years, I'm pretty sure it was originally from a magazine, but the details are gone with the wind.  If anyone is interested, I'll try and get myself together and post the recipe.  It's nice because it's not overly sweet, and it doesn't just land in your stomach like a rock.

Today it was back to real life, and back to work.  I managed to find a route where most of the sidewalks were shoveled, so it wasn't as nerve-wracking as it could have been getting to work.  After work today, I have to go to the dentist to have a filling replaced - ICK!  But at least tomorrow is Friday, so I think I'll survive ... ;-)

Snow Day Unraveling

Today in a rare move, my workplace closed before it was even time to go in, due to the nor'easter that is underway.  It was so nice to not have to slog my way to work only to be sent home in the thick of it.  Usually they wait until 2 or 3 o'clock if they decide to send us home at all.  And then people have all kinds of trouble getting home.  Hooray for whatever made them be sensible today!

So I figured I would join Kat and everyone else for Unraveled Wednesday. 

A week or so ago, it occurred to me that I have a new great-nephew due to arrive in April,  and if I wanted to knit something for him, I'd better get moving!  I decided to give this pattern a try, and got started.  So far, I've only had to frog/unravel once, when I realized I'd gotten completely off count.  But fortunately it wasn't too far into the knitting, so I wasn't too upset.  I'm back on track now, and am pleased with how it's looking.

The yarn color is a bit more green than the photo shows, and I have some little red car buttons to add.  I think it will be cute.  And who knows, it might even be finished before he's born!

Book-wise, I'm still listening to the audiobook version of The Amber Spyglass, and enjoying it.  On this past Monday, I started this book:

I think I may be one of the last people I know to give this a read.  From what I can tell, most people either love it or hate it.  I'm only about 70 pages in, and so far I like it, but it's over 700 pages long, so I've just begun to skim the surface.  I think I'll probably get a nice chunk of reading done today, as well as more knitting. 

I may even bake something.  Snow days rock!

Mini-Rant

Please indulge me for this mini-rant. 

A few years back, a friend gave me an unopened set of Addi Interchangeable Needles, still wrapped up.  She had received them as a gift, and already had a set, and did not want to try and return/exchange them.  So she gave them to me. 

I have approximately one bazillion circular needles of various sizes, in various states of condition.  Most of the time, I grab one of those to work on a project, but recently I did start working on something that used a needle size that was not in the bazillion, so I broke open the Addi set.  When I pulled out the size cable I needed to attach for the project I was using, there was a huge bump/bubble on it that would definitely catch yarn.  I remembered that Addi was usually really good about making good on broken needles, faulty products, etc., so I went on to the website and explained my problem.  I received an e-mail saying that if I didn't have the paperwork to return them to the merchant, I could send them to the company in Washington State.  So I sent them there with a note as to the issue.

Yesterday the replacement cable arrived, along with a letter.  The letter stated that they were "happy" to send me the replacement cable this time, but that "this is not considered a manufacturing problem, and in the future, we will not be willing to replace the product."  This really annoys me.

Yes, they did replace the cable for me.  And that is lovely customer service.  But if a bump/bubble in the plastic of the cable is not considered a problem in the manufacture of said cable, what would be?  The "non-problem" would be a big-time problem when you were trying to knit.  And it came that way, in a sealed package, so it's not like I had been using it and set it down next to radiator causing it to melt or something like that. 

I have to tell you, I was disappointed in their response.  I understand that there may be people who do/have tried to take advantage of their returns/exchange policies, and they are a business with a bottom line, etc.  But I still would like to know why the problem wasn't considered a problem on their end.  And the snippy tone of the letter surprised me too.

So although I know have a working cable, which is nice, I'm a bit put off by them.  I'm not sure I'll go out of my way to purchase one of their products in the future.

White People Problems, am I right?

Well That Was Fast! (An FO Post)

I do love to knit socks.  And though I can generally knit a pair in a shorter amount of time than it used to take, I am not one of those people who can just churn them out like a machine.  Some just take a while, whether due to yarn, pattern, other projects, or life in general.

But this pair flew off the needles!  I think it was a combination of wanting to see what stripe sequence came next, and at a certain point, wanting to finish them by the end of February (the toes were kitchenered during the evening of February 28).

Project:  Vanilla Valentine Socks
Pattern:  Classic Socks for the Family
Yarn:  Must Stash Yarn self-striping yarn, in one of their Must Match! colorways, called Be Mine
Needles:  US size 1
Modifications:  None
Comments:  This yarn has been in my stash for a couple of years.  I'd come across it and think, oh I want to wait until a February to knit this, and then would forget I had it.  Anyway, I finally remembered in time, and wound this up.  The way it winds is fascinating, since it is a Must Match! colorway.  It arrives in a single skein, but when you wind it, it separates into two separate balls.  You knit one from the outside of the ball, and the other from the inside, and you have matching socks, which as far as I'm concerned is a miracle.

The yarn is lovely to knit, and the colors are so pretty.  Also, I actually like to knit from two balls (though I am too lazy to divide skeins myself), as I will usually do the cuff on one, and then the other; then the leg, etc. so that by the time I am doing the toes, I have only the toes left to do on each sock. Which is another reason I think the knitting went so quickly.

Anyway, I'm pleased with these, though I have to admit I do wish there was not so much white in the color scheme.  But that's just me.  I'm on track now, as these are my second pair of socks for my 2018 Box o' Socks. 

I really recommend this yarn.  Her colorways are amazing, and it's really nice to use.  She also does a podcast with the woman behind Little Skein in the Big Wool, and they talk not just about their knitting, dyeing, etc., but also their dogs ... so you know I find it interesting!  :-)

Meanderings

I really didn't intend to go quiet for so long, but the past week was just not kind to me.  And though I kept up with your blogs, I mostly didn't take the time to comment because ... well, because.

But I have been knitting away (finished the stripey socks!), and reading, and paying attention to the world - and doing my usual amount of overthinking the little things.  It's what I do.

Here are just some of the things that have passed through my brain over the past week.

-- Am I the only knitter in the world who doesn't mind purling and/or seed stitch?  I've never thought purling was annoying or difficult, and I love the texture created by seed stitch.  But nearly everyone I know will do anything to avoid the purl stitch, and some people will skip something entirely if seed stitch is involved.

-- Why do people want to have a gun?  I know people who want/have them, but even when they give me legitimate reasons, I don't understand.  I guess because I've never even been curious about or fascinated by guns at all.  And I will never ever ever ever understand why individual citizens should have an assault weapon.

--  Am I the only person who doesn't care about the British Royal Family and in fact actively dislikes everything they represent?  Even friends of mine who are not obsessed with them seem addicted to knowing everything they do, etc. 

--  I watched a lot of the Olympics, and I enjoyed a lot of it, but why in the name of a small black dog named Pete did it seem that the bulk of the events covered were snowboarding?  I do not wish ill to snowboarders or their activity, but there are other sports, and I would have liked to seen more of them.  Even those where (gasp!) there was not a touching/tragic/American human interest story.

--  Dystopian books/novel/plays do nothing for me.  It would be hard for me to find them more annoying.

--  Why does everything have to be a MAJOR THING these days?  Can't things happen, or can't people have experiences, without it becoming somehow Very Important or Extremely Symbolic? 

--  Following up on that, why are stupid people famous and even worse, admired?  Not that I want them rounded up and shot (well .... no, no I don't), but why are they so celebrated?   Smart people - heck, even just average people with sense - are looked on with suspicion or even mocked. 

--  Also, you will never convince me that it is a bad thing to be a feminist. 

OK, I've gotten all of that off my chest.  Time to leave for my appointment with the eye doctor, and then on to the hilarity and wonderfulness of the work day.  [insert sarcasm]

Happy March, Happy Friday, and here's to a wonderful weekend!