I have a love/hate relationship with the 100 Things. I love getting into the corners of the minds and lives of bloggers I like, being surprised, seeing how they emerge as individuals beyond the fiber stuff. On the other hand, at about Thing 19, my mind, she wanders. So I'm going to do this installment-style and create a category for anyone who wants them all at once. Oh, and I'm also planning to post an FO for each set. Great expectations and all.
1. The smell of eucalyptus really sends me. When I was pregnant, I had cans of Burt's Bees bath salts stashed around the house and huffed it constantly. I sometimes got up in the middle of the night to bury my nose in it. Now I put eucalyptus essential oil in my bath, and sometimes dab some on my p.j. sleeve before I get in bed.
2. I have been a nailbiter all my life. You may have noticed this in photos in previous posts. The only two times I have been able to grow out my nails have been for my wedding and prom. I'm not really trying anymore. I think at this point having nails would drive me crazy with their clickety-clicking, and might mess with my knitting mojo. So no nails.
3. I have a degree in English literature with a minor in Spanish from The College of William and Mary, and also an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I have a novel in a drawer.
4. I was born at exactly midnight on August 12. The doctor allowed my mother, who was busy telling all who would listen about her love for potatoes (read: she got the good drugs), to choose August 11 as my birthday, as that was "the day I did all the work." My father was busy asking confused nurses about the circumcision procedures (read: contact high?), and the doctor almost dropped me. I am told I kept a pretty level head throughout it all. So I am a Leo. (Congrats to Lisa and Robyn!)
5. Although I've spent most of my academic life in the liberal arts, my slight tendency towards OCD means my mind is always looking for patterns, counting, and arranging what it sees. Specifically, while I am in a car, I often look at license plates and make equations out of the numbers and letters on them. I think this is part of why I love to knit.
6. When I was 8, a boy got on a waterslide too close behind me and ended up falling on top of me at the bottom. My pinkie was jammed and remains so to this day. It aches when I knit too much stockinette on straights or circulars, so I have to break it up with a little patterning or dpns.
7. I think this is a particularly worthy cause, likely in part because I read this book while my son was new-born, and may never get over it.
8. It drives me up the wall when people mistake its for it's, your for you're, and their for they're or there. Up. The. Wall. I will admit to having a comma problem, though.
9. When I was in sixth grade I stared down this woman, who had reported my bad behavior to my teacher. It's a long story, but in hindsight, I was being a brat. She didn't help matters with that hair or that attitude, though. (Her son was a really nice guy.)
10. I have lived in Valencia, Spain and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I collect these, almost all of which I bought while living in SMA, and plan to remodel our tiny bathroom this summer in a manner befitting their display.
* Hanny's socks, they are finito. See Knits '06.
The socks look great! Oh, so glad to hear you're a Leo. I knew I liked you. I'm August 6th. Though I'm not perfect in the grammar department, those grammatical errors you mentioned bother me as well. I'm a comma person; I probably use them entirely too much. And Spain and Mexico! How wonderful is that!
I imagine you're close to being out of school, if not already, so hope the end of school goes well for you!
Posted by: Robyn | May 30, 2006 at 09:30 AM
I got my Scorpio and my Leo mixed up. Our family is bursting at the seems with both (mom, dad, BIL, SIL, me, sister). Love your 100 things broken up; I might have to try it your way. Viva E.B. White and grammar! I correct spelling on signs and menus. Have you ever ordered a "bowel of grits?"
Posted by: lorinda | May 30, 2006 at 10:10 AM
Gorgeous socks! No problem linking to my blog at all... I'm proud of my little Voodoo man and have had requests to do one in my boss' image. More to come.
PS I have a degree in English and Spanish as well - but no novels in my drawer :)
Posted by: reluctantmango | May 30, 2006 at 03:12 PM
I totally organize license plates, phone numbers and digital clock times into equations. I am glad I am not the only one!
Posted by: Kristin | May 30, 2006 at 03:17 PM
Love your post. I was just thinking about the 100 things list and feel overwhelmed by it too. So funny. There is a lot of this/self reflection going in in (knit)blogland now. Some kind of universal stream or something?
Your birth story is great, btw :-)
Posted by: SpiderWomanKnits | May 30, 2006 at 07:23 PM
oh, i also rearrange the numbers in license plates, trying to even them out and divide them, etc. i also count syllables, which may be even odder.
now you have to tell us the marilyn quayle story ...
Posted by: carrie m | May 30, 2006 at 07:45 PM
That's a good way to tackle the 100 things list. I love the socks!
Posted by: Passions & Distractions | May 31, 2006 at 07:04 AM
What fun! I love those random-tidbit-things. Did I know that you spoke Spanish? Yay for you. My job next year is going to be creating a "Spanish for the workplace" for a HS that is the academic side to the district tech school... so I'll be preparing the tech kids to actually speak and communicate, in an environment that isn't obsessed about testing or preparing kids for the AP track.
Anyhow -- yes, tell me all about your idea! I once thought of an idea as well for a tutu -- long story -- but it was going to become a knitty submission and never quite worked out. Did you see Debbie Stoller has issued a call for submissions about the SnB book: beyond the basics?
Take care!
Posted by: Jenifer | May 31, 2006 at 07:09 AM
Which Interweave Knits issue is the sock pattern from? Thanks!
Posted by: Julene | June 01, 2006 at 12:12 PM
I make up acronyms from the license plates of cars I use. It's the only way I can remember which car it is in the lot. : )
And #8... oh yeah! Misuse of apostrophes bug me too. : )
Posted by: limedragon :-: Harriet | June 26, 2006 at 06:14 PM