The Future of This Blog

Obviously, there haven't been many posts on this blog as of late. What happened was, I got caught up in life and by the time I wanted to post something, I thought it had been too long and it would be embarrassing to post something now.

I'm considering making a new blog, for a few reasons: First of all, this blog has been a general smattering of anything, from spiritual ramblings to reviews to a variety of rants and general life updates. Over the past couple years that I've been sporadically posting in this blog, I've changed quite a bit and developed new hobbies and passions, while shedding other hobbies. I'm also going to graduate soon (May 2014). So maybe the new year is a good time to refresh things with a new blog. This new blog, if I choose to change homebase, would include two components: book/movie/video game reviews and posts on the subject of knitting. If I don't choose to make a new blog, I'll change the name of this one and change the outlook of this blog to match my focuses.

I'll keep you all posted. In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Summer of Jobs

The past couple of weeks, I've been working at ACCO (formerly Mead-WestVaco). Well, for all intents and purposes, I haven't worked here the entire summer, just a few weeks as a temp employee. My step-grandmother works there (she just celebrated her 35^th year). It's been awesome to have that connection; because of her and my aunt, I got the temp job until I go back to school. Not only that, but people recognize my last name and the family connection and I probably get treated better there because of it.

Anyways, ACCO is a factory in Sidney, NY that produces paper products. The reason I am working there as a temp is because they just bought out/gained a factory that produces products called “Daytimer.” Daytimer makes planners, address books, organizers, and other office products, That was the section of the factory in which I was placed.

The work I usually do revolves around working on a conveyor belt. I've gotten product ready to put into the machines, fed product into the machines, and placed product into boxes. When the machines break down, you're supposed to clean up the area in which you're working in, meaning sweeping the area, tidying up your area, etc. Sometimes, if a machine isn't working, you're moved somewhere else, sometimes to the other end of the plant. I can say one thing, it's very loud. Oftentimes, you have to wear hearing protection because of how loud the machines are. It's not a strange sight to see people walking by with earplugs tied around their necks. Then again, it's a necessary safety precaution—if you decided not to wear earplugs and worked there for several years, it'd be practically guaranteed you'd suffer from hearing loss.

There aren't very many words to describe the immensity of this factory. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of people working there. It's a very clean, bustling factory, and I'd like to say that this factory is hopefully the future of true-blooded American industry (especially since they added the entire new department to the factory). Too many things are now imported, and it's pretty cool that American industry still exists at all, let alone in Central New York state.

So yes, this is what I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. I've actually been working overtime, 45 hours a week. Pretty crazy considering that I haven't really been working at all this summer; only a botched job at a farm and a temp job at a shipping place. After next week, I won't be working anymore at ACCO, as I have to go back to school for my last year. I'm definitely cutting it close though—I work 9 hours the day before I have to go back—and it's an 4 hour drive up. I think that I'm going to have to start packing pretty soon for that.

All in all it's been worth it though. I've experienced a taste of industry in Central New York, and I will have enough money to buy my books online and save some money this year. A pretty nice turnout, overall.

Thoughts on Faith

In the long while that I've had this blog, I've never posted anything about my faith or beliefs regarding life and philosophy and whatnot. I have a friend who has a blog on this site and her main usage of it is to write devotional poetry about her faith. I'm not really a poet, and I don't use writing as a confirmation of my faith. And that's OK. But I guess I want to share with the world just a couple of things regarding faith and my beliefs. For the record, I'm not going to get all “Jesus-y” and preachy, because I'm not really comfortable with that sort of thing.

I think that part of Christianity, along with most other religions, is affirming that things DO happen for a reason and events that happen are in no way coincidences, they are reminders of an all powerful being that exists beyond our world (in my case, the Holy Trinity and God). Even before I became a Christian, I believed things did happen for a reason, but that affirmation continues to grow stronger as my faith and my religious believes grow and change with the events that happen in my life.

A few days ago, my sister, Tara, was involved in a serious bike accident. She received a lot of road rash and a severe concussion as a result—a concussion that caused her to lose all memory of the incident and the hours after it. You would think that her being harmed was not right; after all, if God is good, then why must everyone (and Tara in this case) suffer such trauma? Well, here's the thing. The premise of the accident was that Tara was going down a hill and hit a couple of jagged potholes. She went over the handlebars and fell on her head. I wasn't there, so how do I know? She had her accident right in front of someone's home and some people were outside and saw it happen. It gets weirder when the man who saw the accident knew my grandfather AND we share the same last name with him (he's my paternal grandfather). So when she told him her name (she couldn't tell him much else, not even her age), he called my grandfather immediately after calling 911.

So to me, the proof of God is in these two points:

1. She was wearing her helmet. The helmet was destroyed and there is a rock embedded in it that we still can't get out. That rock would have been in her head. She could have gotten brain damage or died without it.
2. The fact that she crashed right in front of a place where my grandfather and I could be reached immediately. We live in a rural area—she could have had the accident where there was no one around to help her and when we got there she had heavy amnesia and confusion. She could have stumbled down the road and gotten hit and killed by a car.

My sister is one of the most important people in my life. We've helped each other out on many, many occasions and there are times where I feel I have nowhere to turn except for her friendship and love. We are twins and we are connected in so many ways—now we are connected in our faith in God. No matter how many miles separate us, we are connected through our words and our spirits. What happened to my sister on Thursday and the events surrounding her accident are a reminder to me that there is a God.

Finishing What Was Started a Generation Ago

Those of you who read this blog may know that I've become obsessed in the past few months with needlework, that is, knitting and crochet. It's become one of my favorite hobbies, surpassing a few I've had in the past. Lately, I've been working on at least one project at one time; sometimes two and sometimes even three. It's something fun I like to do, relaxing, and I've even found a community of fellow knitters and crocheters on the internet. Finding people who have this similar interest is really awesome because it's not that fun if you're just doing it by yourself.

I knit more than I crochet. I've been slowly learning crochet techniques, but it's a slow process. I know the three basic crochet stitches, but I can do more with knitting. If you were to ask me which one I liked more, I will still tell you knitting, but it's becoming more of a tie now. You can do a lot with both; I've been incorporating both crocheting in knitting in some of my pieces recently and it's actually pretty cool how you can do that.

Last weekend, I caved and decided to buy a bag of what looked to be a bag of yarn in white and brown shades. I have a lot of yarn in many different colors, mostly acrylic, but I didn't have too much of whites or browns so it was justifiable in that regard.

When I opened the bag, there was a piece of yellowed paper with a pattern. I had seen the paper in the bag when I bought it but I thought nothing of it. I wasn't planning on using the pattern anyway; I had other things in mind for the yarn I was buying.

However, when I read the pattern, I couldn't help but stare in shock. The pattern, which looked like it had been typed on a typewriter instead of a computer, had a name, place, and date on the top. It said:

“Indian Afghan from Glenda Hartnick, Bushnell, Fla. 2/78”

Of course, the '78 is 1978. So I got pretty excited at that point. The paper was almost 40 years old! Intrigued, I looked at the yarn label, which looked pretty old. The label said, “Phildar Pegase 206,” and on the other side stated that the yarn was made in France. When I got home, I did a quick search of the yarn on the internet. Phildar, which I'd never heard of before, is indeed an exclusive French brand. How it got to the states in the late 70s, I'm not sure. What confirmed my suspicions that the “Pegase 206” was indeed out of date was the fact that I couldn't find that specific brand anywhere. I also saw skeins of “Pegase 206” on sites like Etsy and Ebay going for about $25-30.

What convinced me the most about the fact that the yarn and the pattern were connected is that the original colors for the pattern were black, red, grey, and white. However, the person who owned the yarn and the pattern wrote the colors brown, rust, beige, and off-white next to the original colors in cursive—the same exact colors that were in the bag. The person who originally owned the yarn had also started dividing the yarn into smaller skeins for the pattern, as the pattern is crocheted row by row, each row worked separately across with a fringe at the end.

When I get the correct hook for the pattern, I'll start working on the afghan.Whoever originally owned the yarn and pattern over 30 years ago never got the opportunity to finish what they wanted to start. I really wish I could get the whole story behind this, but I know I never will. I do know that the amount of satisfaction that I will feel when I finish this afghan that this person never got to finish will be paramount.

I am giving away the said pattern to anyone who wants to have it; after all, I wasn't the one who wrote it so I feel that everyone should enjoy it. It's actually quite simple. I am not much of a crocheter but I understand the pattern so it's something a beginner could accomplish easily.

I'll probably write another post soon about knitting or crocheting, or possibly farming, as I have a summer farming job that is shaping up to be quite interesting.

Bullhead Fishing Season

Going back on my last post, in which I claimed I was only posting once a month, I am posting an article that I wrote for the student newspaper about bullhead fishing. One of my loves besides knitting is fishing, and it's bullhead season right now, so what better topic to write about?

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Spring is finally here, and bullhead fishing season is still in full swing. Although bullheads can be caught at any time of the year, they are most often found and caught in April and May along rivers and streams, ponds, and lakes.

What are bullheads, anyway? A bullhead is part of the catfish family; they have slimy, scaleless skin and whiskers on their chin and around their mouth, also known as barbels. There are three varieties of bullhead found in New York State; black, yellow, and brown. The most common variety in New York are the brown bullheads. As fish go, they don't get as big as trout or bass; they average around 8-14 inches and can weigh up to two pounds. However, sometimes these fish can reach larger proportions—the state record for one of these fish is seven pounds. They are nocturnal bottom feeders, their diet being mostly insects, leeches, snails, and smaller fish. The best time to catch bullhead is at night during the months of April and May, due to their feeding habits before spawn season, which is usually in June or July. Right now is the best time to catch these fish, as they are more plentiful now and harder to catch other times of the year due to the change in their feeding pattern.

Luckily, bullhead fishing doesn't require a lot of expensive equipment or difficult set up. The basic equipment you need are a typical fishing rod and reel (with plenty of hooks), a place to fish for them, needle nose pliers, a lantern or flashlight, a nice stick or stand to place your pole on, and maybe a bucket to put all your equipment (and fish, if you're keeping them) in. When fishing for bullhead, it is advisable to bring plenty of hooks and maybe a pair of needle nose pliers because bullhead are notorious for swallowing hooks. If you've ever gone fishing before and had a fish swallow a hook, you know how much a pain in the neck it is to get the hook out. A pair of need nose pliers can be helpful in getting the hook out of the fish, but sometimes you cannot save your hook without injuring the fish. If that is the case, or you get too frustrated,

it's best to cut off the hook and put on a new one. Sinkers are also a good thing to have, since you want your hook and bait to be at the bottom of wherever you are fishing. However, you don't need particularly heavy sinkers to catch bullhead; split shot sinkers are usually effective. You may also want to use a bobber, that's up to you. Lanterns and flashlights are a necessity if you're night fishing, and since after dark is the best time to catch bullheads, it's advisable to take one with you. As for bait, there are a variety of bait types to choose from when fishing for bullhead. You can use anything from night crawlers and leeches, to bacon, hot dogs, and cheese. A bait that is also effective (but not for the faint of heart) is chicken liver. From both my experiences and research, the top two best bait to use when catching bullhead are old fashioned night crawlers (earthworms) and chicken livers. It's also useful to note that it doesn't matter how simple your pole is or what kind you choose to use; as long as you have good bait and your line is on the bottom of the lake, pond, or river, bullhead will bite.

When casting out, if you're on shore, you don't have to cast out very far. At this time of the year, bullhead will feed both far and close to shore. Once you've baited your hook and cast your line, feel free to set your pole down on your stick or stand and relax. If you don't want to set your pole down, holding your pole in your hands is fine as well (it is also helpful when you get a bite). When watching your pole, keep an eye on the tip of it; if it jerks, or your bobber moves (if you're using one) that's the best time to set your hook. If you're holding your pole and feel the line move, you're generally supposed to wait until the second nibble to yank your pole. Any method works, however, and how you choose to set your hook is up to you.

Once you've finally caught a bullhead, it's time to take it off the hook. Handling a bullhead can be difficult and even dangerous—these fish have sharp spines on their front and top fins that can pierce flesh and give you a nasty cut. However, if you handle a bullhead properly, it won't be able to hurt you. To properly hold a bullhead when you're taking off the hook, wrap your hand behind the gills of the bullhead, flattening the spiky fins. When you are taking the hook off, you may be alarmed by a squeaky sound the fish makes—don't worry, this is normal.

Bullhead are very good for eating—however, if you're not up to gutting and preparing your own fish to cook, don't be discouraged. Bullhead fishing can still be great fun, whether you're eating the fish or not.

When it concerns fishing, catching bullhead is a great experience. So grab your pole and get out there before bullhead season is over!

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The semester is almost over; when it's finished for good, I'll probably be posting hopefully a little more frequently.

Gains and Losses

At this point, I have come to the realization that I update this blog about... once a month. It's better than none at all, but since I don't write in a journal, this blog is really the only 'written down on paper' kind of way that is chronicling my life. I hope that in some way, these blog posts not only reflect my skills as a writer, but reflect my growth as a person. I think that is the greatest hope of this blog, as well as posting up movie and book reviews, and other useful/useless stuff that people might be interested in.

I'm going to be straightforward here; after all, this is my blog and why not?

I've definitely lost a lot in the past few months. The times I've been going through have been some of the hardest in my life—I've made plenty of poor decisions and had to pay the price for them. I've lost several support systems that I used to rely on more heavily than I should have. The thing about that though is that when I examine them deeper they were really never support systems to begin with. Some things and people I knew I was going to lose eventually, but the final blow on an already dying thing still hurts almost as much as continued emotional suffering.

I guess I've been angry a lot; angry at many things and at many people. Perhaps angry when I shouldn't be or at things that never did me wrong. I feel like that pain sometimes manifests as anger. For myself, I allowed that to happen because I didn't want to look weak. I STILL don't want to look weak. When you hold a lot of pain and suffering inside, it has a tendency to change into something else—I guess that could be dangerous if you let it simmer enough. That kind of stuff can eat you out from the inside.

I don't even know the point of this rambling monologue; if anything, it's more of an expression of my emotions and everything that's been crumbling around me. As I said before, this isn't the hardest thing I've been through—I've definitely endured worse things happening in my life. But to say these events aren't continuing to shape who I am, then I would be lying.

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In other, more cheerful and less contemplative news, spring is here!!! This means bullhead fishing, growing plants in my dormitory room like a crazy person, and enjoying the sunshine.

Plenty of knitting is going on as well. I'm not ashamed to admit how much I love to knit. It's a hobby that is very relaxing to me; if I have one thing that I can rely on to make me feel a little better, it's knitting or crocheting something and marveling at the finished product. I've never stopped being amazed how something can change from a ball of string to a physical piece of clothing, or a bag, or a case, or something even more amazing than that! I don't think my fascination with that will ever fade; that's a good thing, isn't it?

I guess I'll do some shameless showing off of my work in that case... Mostly because this is something I'm really proud of, since it came out so well.

This was done for a contest on Deviantart; I learned a lot while making it, and although it was frustrating at times (repetitive stitches), it really came out great. This is also probably the first larger thing I'm going to keep for myself. When I knit, I make things for other people as gifts. The only other things I've made for myself personally are washcloths for my face/hands. This is a little bigger and a bit more stylish. The funniest thing about this was that this yarn was originally going to be a pair of socks, but that's another story.

Oh! I also recently hit 1000 hits on this blog. That's pretty awesome. Thanks, everyone.

Although a lot of bad things have been happening in my life, there is still a brightness that I have to look forward to, and the knowledge that I'm safe in all senses of the word is not something to take lightly.

Spring Fever

I'm currently on my spring break—that is, I'm on my week-long break that the school gives during the month of March. Unfortunately, they're making us come back on Easter Sunday, so I won't be able to spend that holiday with my family. However, I'll be going back a little early so I'm not traveling on a holiday. The bus ride that I take to go home and go back to school is very long and tiring, and I refuse to travel on a holiday, especially for that long.

It's hard to believe that summer is coming closer. This winter has been the longest in at least three or four years—it's almost April and there is still snow on the ground. I think my step-grandmother shares my spring fever, as she is already breaking out her plants and gardening. My grandparents, who I'm staying with for the majority of this break, have a garden, and I know for a fact my step-grandma is just itching to get her hands back into the garden on the weekends. I know my grandfather is also itching to take his motorcycle out for a spin; after all, he brought his tractor out yesterday for a quick drive, but he said it was really too cold to drive it.

I myself have something of spring fever: I'm getting ready to plant some flowers and try to start them from seed. Right now I have no plants—my gorgeous cactus died last fall, and my roommate accidentally killed my chicks and hens I gave her to babysit over Christmas break. I really want to start some forget-me-nots, simply because they used to spot all over our yard the entire summer when I was growing up. They really are pretty flowers. Just to be safe, though, all of the flower seeds I bought from the co-op (local/organic food store) specifically state to “start indoors.” I really want to start from seeds to flowers, but we'll see. I know it takes a long time for some of them to flower, but I'll be patient.

My cactus last summer. Unfortunately I killed it last fall.

Speaking of plants and flowers and stuff, apparently I got a job for the summer at a local farm (not too far where I'll be living for the summer). My grandfather got ahold of the farmer down the road (apparently this farm is huge), and got my sister and I jobs at said farm. Decent wages too. I hope it all works out.

I've also been crocheting a lot. It's pretty funny, I swore I would never crochet, because it was too difficult and so different than knitting. I'm afraid I've become quite addicted, however. I've been crocheting mostly small things. I'm not skilled enough to do amigurumi or anything bigger than dishcloths or 'media device covers.' That is, I have been crocheting a lot of iphone/ipod cases. I made three for three of my friends.

An ipod touch case I recently made and gave to a friend.

Despite my earlier misgivings about the art of crocheting, I really like it. In fact, when I went to Barnes and Noble the other day (IT WAS AMAZING), I bought a book called “The Crochet Answer Book” by Edie Eckman. Seeing as I rarely, if ever, buy books brand new, I think this gives me some promise as a crocheter. I bought the book mostly because it's so hard to remember all of the stitches for crocheting, as well as the specifics of finishing, blocking, and whatnot.

I'd really like to start selling the things I crochet and knit, but for now I think it's going to be more of a hobby and a gift-giving thing than anything else. It really relaxes me, so as long as I can continue to knit and crochet, I couldn't be happier.

In all seriousness, though, spring needs to be here already!

"Another" Anime Review

Hello everyone! I have noticed that my fellow postcrossers (from postcrossing.com) have been reading this blog and seem to enjoy it. As I have this blog on my Postcrossing.com profile page, I figure I should keep this as updated as I possibly can.

The following is a review of an anime I recently watched. I highly recommend it--I did fail to mention in this review that you can watch this series for free on hulu.com and crunchyroll.com; with subtitles of course. There are no dubs, as far as I know. You should still check it out, however.

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If you're looking for a new and exciting anime to watch that won't involve a major time commitment and you enjoy the horror and suspense genre, look no further! Prepared to get blown away by the recent anime mini-series “Another.”

This series, originally a Japanese horror novel by Yukito Ayatsuji, made its debut as an anime mini-series in the spring of 2012 (that is, last spring). The series contains 12 twenty-five minute episodes, with a thirteenth episode as part of a prequel.

The series starts with a young boy named Koichi Sakakiriba, who transfers to a new school. Upon entering the school, he meets a mysterious girl, Mei Misaki, and befriends her. It is through meeting and talking to Misaki that Koichi discovers that there is something terribly wrong that is going on inside the school—and somehow, he has to stop this force that is killing his classmates.

The suspense in this series is pretty intense; the director, Tsutomu Mizushima, does a very good job in making the series as dramatic and as emotionally powerful as possible. Information about 'the calamity,' as it is referred to later on in the series, is given to Koichi and the viewer in very small amounts in the beginning. This witholding of important plot information until the last possible second had me on the edge of my seat. After the main secrets to 'the calamity' are revealed, however, there is less suspense and more of a horror element in the series.

Another tool that the director used in this film was the cliffhanger tactic; there was a cliffhanger at the end of nearly every episode, especially the episodes where a character was about to die or be killed. I should probably mention that if you don't like horror or suspense, it's probably not a good idea to watch this series. There are several graphic scenes that occur throughout the series; the violent and graphic scenes increase dramatically during the climax of the last two or three episodes. This is where the horror element comes in—the characters that do die during the series generally die in shocking, gruesome, and unusual ways, adding to the suspenseful and slightly morbid air of the mini-series.

The main characters from the series "Another." The main protagonist, Koichi Sakakibara, is on the far left.

The characters in this series have unique but hidden personalities—especially the main characters, Mei and Koichi. The character development in “Another” is another reason that this is a worthwhile anime to watch. The characters are relatable and it's fairly easy to get emotionally attached to one or two of them while watching.

The animation, led by chief animation director Yuriko Ishii, really stands out. The storyline in “Another” is characterized by dark and dismal scenes, yet there are some bright and cheerful scenes in the series as well. The animators manage to capture both of these constrasting scenes with talent and expertise. The characters are also beautifully represented, demonstrating their personalities through the animated representation of them.

One last thing that stood out to me while watching this mini-series was the music for the series. The main theme song for the series, “Kyomu Densen” (“Nightmare Contagion” in English) by the band Ali Project was my absolute favorite. Although the theme is meant to be frightening and suspenseful like the rest of the show, it fit the mood of the entire series perfectly. The rest of the soundtrack fit the events and climax of the show and was another element that the series definitely could not do without—like most television series or movies, the music is an integral part of it. This series was no different, and the music fit the rest of the high quality of this anime.

Overall, “Another” is a great anime to watch if you need a weekend to relax or a few hours to spare at the end of a long day. Just be prepared to watch for the unexpected with this series!

Making the Time for Writing

As usual, I've been pretty lazy with posting in this blog. It is what it is though, I suppose, and I feel good that I've been posting in it at all this year, even if it's only a post or two a month. Since my last post, I've been busier than ever. I've come to the realization that with these things, such as blog posting and writing in general, you have to make the time for them. I have been making the time for writing, so I can make the time for this. Writing stories is something you especially have to make time for. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of meticulous editing in order to produce something worthwhile and satisfying to both you and the reader. When juggling my part-time job, the student newspaper, a decent sized number of credits and the work that comes with that, and my social life, you begin to put your passions on the shelf for later because there simply isn't enough time in the day.

For myself, writing is like that. Writing prose and fiction is not my passion, but I do enjoy writing and I at least hope I have a half-way decent talent for it. But back to making the time. I suppose if you really want to excel at something, if you really want to get something done, you'll make the time for it. Prioritizing is something I really don't have the hugest skill set for. I admit I have my weaknesses, and prioritizing is one of them. I think that setting up your priorities in the right way can really set you up for success. Then again, completing my bachelor's is my top priority over everything else, especially writing. I like to write, but writing is not the only part of my identity. I am so much more than just a writer--I'm a friend, a student, a reader...

By writer, I suppose I mean what so many people mean when they say "I'm a writer and I'm writing a novel! I'm a special snowflake!" I think that so many people have said that term and used it so frequently that it's taken on a different meaning. It's taken on a shallow meaning, one that limits what writer means. "Writer" is a word that should go beyond just prose and poetry. It means so much more. Do I consider myself a writer? Sure, of course I do. But when I place the term "writer" as a part of myself, I don't just mean it as something that makes me special. I don't mean it as or some tag that separates me from the rest of the crowd, or that people should somehow revere me because I possess a skill that they don't have, the skill of manipulating and molding words to the plot of their choosing. I think the most ironic part about this, the people that tack the "I'm a writer, I'm specialer than you" mindset--well, their writing always seems to need improvement. I'm not saying that this is always the case, but... I guess what I'm trying to say is that generally the people with a big ego and a quickness to identify themselves as a writer deny that they need improvement. If you want to identify yourself as a writer, you better admit now that you are always going to need improvement and your writing will never be "perfect" or even half-way there. 

I consider myself a writer not in the fact that I write prose or I think I'm writing the next "great American novel," but in the fact that I write beyond that. I write every day--in Facebook posts, on postcards (if you have read my posts before, you know that Postcrossing is my big love), and I write in my academics. If you're not afraid to admit that we are all writers, then you're off to a good start. If you're not afraid to admit that we all need improvement, and we're never going to be perfect people or writers, and that you have to make the time in order for any dream you want (even writing, you have to make the time), then you're on the right track.

End rant. That started out as a typical blog post and actually ended up being... something. Maybe a substantial piece of writing? I'm not sure. I guess I can speak my mind when I'm overtired/have a lot on my mind. I didn't know where it was going to take me. I guess in that sense, writing is a journey too.

Classes

The first week of classes has come and I'm well into my second week. I waited until I had taken all of them to ramble on about them in this blog. I'll elaborate on some, skim over others. I guess this is just something I want to write about.

First of all, swimming is brutal and unforgiving. In my college, you have to take four credits of physical education, which I think is... well, kind of stupid. But rules are rules, and since I'm not in a varsity sport (you can fulfill your credits that way), I have to take four 1 credit pass/fail P.E. courses. So far, I'm on my third (the previous being ice skating and softball), and I decided to take "Swimming for Fitness." Probably a bad idea.

The fact of the matter is, I was only taught how to swim two years ago, and to be honest, it definitely wasn't a formal lesson. So I learned how to swim in a mismatched way, I suppose. I think it's a combination of that, and the fact that I'm definitely out of shape that contributes to how much of an utter failure I am at swimming.

Luckily though, the coach doesn't really seem to care how bad my skill level is, at long as he sees everyone swimming for the 45 minute allotted time for the class. Maybe I can jack my skill up by the end of the semester.

I'm taking a class called "Ancient Philosophy" this semester, just so I can get rid of a history general education credit. I thought for sure it was going to be boring, but it's turning out to be quite opposite the case. The professor, Dr. Curry (who is notorious for his smoking habit, apparently), manages to make the subject interesting. One class he repeatedly said that the Greek hero Achilles "was a badass." So I think I'm in for a good time. 

The two other classes that are of intense interest are "Biblical Heritage" and "Nationality and Literature." The first class is taught by a guy called Dr. Steinberg. He's interesting, but he speaks very softly. I joked with my friends that he needs a microphone (the kind used in acting) so everyone can hear him. But the Bible as a piece of cultural literature is of course the focus of the course, and I think it's fascinating. I'm not what one would call a "person of faith," nor am I heavily passionate about faith (talking Christianity). So I guess when it comes to the Bible I have a secular point of view. I'm sure others in the class are devoted Christians, or other religions as well. So it will be interesting to hear their opinions on the subject.

As for Nationality and Literature, it's exactly the typical literature course that I've been taking for the entirety of my college career. But its focus is on British Literature from the 1800s. We started with Jane Eyre, and to be honest, I am really loving it. I think I'm going to enjoy this class more than I initially thought.

I'm sure there will be more rambling about these courses as the semester rolls onward. Probably also rambles about the student newspaper, The Racquette. I have also received a bunch of interesting postcards as of late, so I will do a feature of that. Heck, maybe I'll show some of my stamps. I've been collecting stamps since I was a little kid, and although it's not my main passion, I still have a collector's booklet I've saved.

About Knitting

Okay, so my first post of 2013 is going to be about one of my biggest hobbies (besides Postcrossing), and that is knitting! (Sometimes I wonder how I manage to make time for both hobbies, but I do make the time for them and I have a lot of fun doing it).

Now, knitting is something I've been doing for at least half a year--I can't really remember when I first really started to get passionate about it. It's also something that takes a lot of practice. I was terrible at first and kept messing up a lot, especially with my first projects. My first projects included a dishcloth (during which I made a lot of mistakes), knitted bookmarks (which are very simple once you get the hang of it), and slippers (the first pair were too small and incorrectly sewed together).

I am going to show a couple of my projects and explain a little bit in how they are done.

One of my favorite and simple projects to do is a pair of slippers! Although my first pair was poorly made, I've improved with each and every pair I make. Given a suggestion by my boyfriend's mother, I even crocheted laces on the slippers so they won't slip off as easily.

This is my personal favorite pair of slippers that I have made so far. They were made as a gift to my twin sister, and they came out fantastic. I don't think I've made a better pair than these, and I have made five pairs so far. For the yarn, I used a kind of yarn that variates--this kind in particular variated between blue, light green, and yellow. From making the first pair and discovering that it's best to use the size needles that come with the pattern, I used size 10 needles as stated in the pattern. Needles come in many different sizes, from very thin needles to very thick ones. The way this works is in this way--the smaller the number, the thinner the needle. So a size 4 needle is going to be extremely thin when compared to a size twelve.

This is one of my newer projects. Yes, it looks like a piece of candy because it is SUPPOSED to look like a piece of candy. There is a contest on deviantArt for the month of January. The theme for the contest (it can be knitted or crocheted) is the board game Candyland. I thought and thought of an appropriate thing to make that I could knit for this contest--it's easy to crochet amigurumi, but I'm not much of a crocheter. So I came up with this. Using double pointed needles, I knitted a small tube to fit a empty toilet paper roll. Once it was long enough on both ends, I wrapped the ends up with hairties and you have something like a larger-than-life tootsie roll. I'm going to make three of these for the contest.

What are double pointed needles, you may ask. Well, they are four or five short needles that are six to seven inches long and have double points. When knitting, you place an even number of stitches on each needle and knit around it, creating an unseamed tube. Double pointed needles are often used when making smaller tubes, such as socks, these things, and gloves and mittens.

My classes start next Monday, so I may be really busy when that starts. But I'll try to keep these posts to once a week or at least once every two weeks.