Kitten, kitten, kitten!

It's my birthday today, hooray! I'm 24, which is a mostly unexciting age, but I'm getting a kitten! Well, she is my present, but I don't get her till next Tuesday, because she doesn't turn 8 weeks till this weekend and also, she is being spayed and having her second set of shots on Monday. Gratuitous kitty cuteness:

More pictures to come next week for sure, and now I'm off to debate the merits of kitten sweaters. XD

My goodness.

I am a terrible blogger. I think about blogging all the time, I just never feel like I have much to say... Now, however, I think my life has become sufficiently upset to blog about. Long story short, I ended up leaving school and moving home to my parents' house (after a looooong drive in a UHaul with my Dad). I've been back for a week today. Boyfriend and I are still together, just doing it long distance again. It's been a little hectic, but I've got a cute little room here at home; my parents cleaned out the computer room and let me have it, which is fitting, as the room used to be my bedroom when I was little. This is the first time I've had my own room since I was six years old, so it's a little exciting.

To give a small update from my last post, pertaining specifically to the small kitten we took in - well, she died. :( We kept her for about a month and she seemed to be doing really well, eating more and learning to use the litter box, definitely growing, and one morning it just all went downhill, really really fast. We don't really know what happened still, but the vet thought it might've been a preexisting condition, and anyway there was nothing to do for her, so we had to put her down. It was pretty awful and the bf and I were really devastated. We felt so lonely without her actually, and realized how much we loved having a little kitten, that the next day when our landlord's mother mentioned a farm near her house that was giving away free kittens, we went to go see and ended up with a new kitty, just like that. He was a cutie, but he was never quite the same for me. Bf kept him up in Canada.

Now though, I'm really missing having a sweet kitty to cuddle with, so I'm going to look for a kitten soon. We're going to an MSPCA farm tomorrow actually, and even though I don't quite have the money, I'm hoping to get a kitten - my birthday is Wednesday and I'm hoping my parents might gift me with a small, furry friend. :)

I'll definitely post if I get one! Till tomorrow!

bad timing?

So I have discovered lately that I really, really, really want to knit big, happy, luxurious, knitterly projects. I don't want to touch any little cute toys of any kind. I want shawls, socks, sweaters, tams, scarves, etc. all the nice warm winterly stuff. Unfortunately, I still have to finish Nick's birthday present (his birthday was Tuesday), and then three more Tuppys by next week. Good god. I want to recast on the messed up toe for my hearts socks and complete my first pair of socks. I can justify casting on more socks before I finish my sweaters (yes, multiple are incomplete and on the needles) because they are portable class/bus knitting.

I think the worst part is is that all I want to do is cast on this sweet shawl (ravlink) that I saw the YarnHarlot knit a while ago. I want to make it in the same yarn because I think it looks lovely, just a different color. It's not the yarn that the pattern calls for, which was sort of one of my unofficial knitting resolutions, but that yarn is a crepe and my mind curls up in a ball in fear of such yarns. Blech. They do nothing for me.

So the other bit of news I have is that we got a kitten. :) My landlord found it outside in a bush in the rain, but he didn't want to keep it, so we're taking him. Or her. It's only about 2 weeks old so I really have no idea if it's male or female. For now, it's a cute grey kitty that I have to bottle-feed that has a strange attachment to my feet. :) Pictures later, when I can get it to sit still.

bad

oh hai. it's me. the terribad blogger. I had all these intentions of becoming more bloggy when I moved to Canada, but it's been a month and all I've done is update my blog's layout. Ah well. C'est la vie.

So I'm here, in Canada. In Ontario, more specifically. I've started school (a whole week now) and things are going well. We haven't done too much other than slowly unpack all my stuff, reorganize the apartment and skip school orientation. ^_^ It was stupid, and believe me - I don't need to be taking sessions on "Surviving the Western Classroom". So we ditched.

Well, this is me saying that I'm going to try my best to blog more often. I have a project (possibly 2) to finish for tomorrow, so I will try to post on Sunday with some FO pictures.

And I get to see my Dad tomorrow, because he's got a 6 hour stop-over in Toronto on his way home from Japan - exciting!

Buying Used Guitar - Something You Must to Know

Since I've been at UG, I've composed various guitar purchaser's aides customized for various types of buyers. In any case, it struck me a day or two ago that I've never handled the second hand market.

That is a glaring oversight on my part, and one that I'm quick to amend. Since, while purchasing an utilized instrument is frequently an extraordinary approach to snatch a deal, it can likewise be a wicked minefield.

To elucidate here, I'm not looking at purchasing utilized instruments from a set up guitar store. Trustworthy instrument retailers will just offer utilized instruments that have been checked and confirmed. They'll likewise do a full set up on said hatchet. You're not prone to get a uber deal purchasing second hand guitars from a guitar store legitimate, yet you get the security of realizing that the instrument isn't a turkey, and that you can return it on the off chance that you have any issues.

What I'm alluding to here is purchasing guitars "in the wild" - from pawn shops, through private postings locales like Gumtree and Craigslist, or online closeout destinations, for example, eBay. I would say, these are the spots where you find can insane arrangements on utilized electrics. But on the other hand, they're the spots where you're at most hazard as a purchaser. Off base postings can frequently be deceiving, while hidden issues with an instrument aren't the most straightforward to spot. At that point you have the issue of untrustworthy dealers attempting to pull a quick one, with no wellbeing net if things turn sour with your old/new hatchet.

To help you catch a second hand take without getting ripped off, I've accumulated the brilliant guidelines for purchasing an utilized guitar. Stick by these and you can arrange the second hand business sector to discover the hatchet you had always wanted.

Examine Everything, Check for Details 

At the point when seeing a second hand instrument, ensure you keep your eyes peeled for any deformities, abnormalities: anything that may indicate a fundamental issue with the instrument.

Try not to be put off by indications of general wear and tear. Those are normal when purchasing utilized. What you're searching for is indications of more profound harm; splits on the wood, hairline breaks or stretch cracks close by the neck, or any confirmation of past breaks on the instrument.

Fusses are another zone for thought. While worn fingerboards aren't inexorably an issue (all things considered, you'd anticipate that the past proprietor will have played their instrument), seriously worn fusses are, as having them dressed or supplanted can be inconceivably costly.

You'll likewise need to check the neck for twists or twists, and the state of the equipment.

On the off chance that you see anything strange when taking a gander at the guitar, don't be hesitant to question the dealer on it. What's more, in case you're not fulfilled by their answer, then leave. The minimal effort of a second hand instrument is totally discredited in the event that you have to burn through hundreds doing it up.

Put It Through Its Paces Before You Buy 

Obviously, you can just gain such a great amount from taking a gander at an instrument. Quite a bit of a guitar's actual nature will just get to be clear once you connect it to and play it. So ensure you do only that.

At whatever point I go to buy a  guitar, I generally demand taking my trusty Blackstar HT5 with me. What's more, I make a point to take as much time as necessary putting the guitar through its paces. There are two explanations behind this. Firstly, I need to affirm that there aren't any real issues with the guitar: that the electrics, the equipment and the setup are all stable. Also, I need to truly figure out the instrument, with what I can do with it and what it resembles to play. Do I get on with the neck profile? What do the pick-ups sound like going through my setup?

Going into somebody's home, setting up your amp and playing a guitar for 60 minutes may appear like an inconvenience. Be that as it may, if the individual offering the instrument knows anything about guitars, they'll likely be more than cheerful for you to do as such. All things considered, you have to realize that you're content with the guitar, and the best way to do that is by playing it.

On the off chance that you went into a guitar shop and were not kidding about purchasing an instrument, the store representative would likely give you a chance to play until you were totally fulfilled. Try not to be hesitant to expect the same from a private dealer.

Get the Lowdown on the Guitar's History 

In case you're in the business sector for an utilized guitar, you need to know where precisely that guitar has originated from. So be set up to get some information about the guitar's history. Did they purchase it new, or has it had numerous past proprietors? Have there been any alterations or updates made? Has it been restored? Is it safe to say that it was gigged, or utilized for the most part for room playing?

Alongside examining and playing the guitar, these inquiries are the investigator work you have to do to guarantee that you purchase a quality instrument. Also, if the dealer isn't attempting to pull a quick one, they ought to gladly answer them. In the event that they're not and begin getting cagey when you test them for points of interest, then leave.

Obviously, there will be times when the vender won't have the capacity to react to your inquiries since they just don't have the foggiest idea about the answers. Maybe they purchased the guitar second hand themselves and didn't have the premonition to ask the past proprietor.

school!

So the other day, I was at work, browsing the internet and wasting time (much like I am now, in fact), when I got an email. I just figured it was more junk, like from e.l.f., who emails me about 10 times a day. Nope! It was from an email I didn't recognize immediately. Something like "canigny" and then my eyes scanned over to the subject line and I saw "Study Authorization" and had to remind myself not to scream for joy while sitting in my cubicle.

It's true! My application for a study visa was approved! Huzzah! In August 2009 I'll be moving in with Kyle (maybe sooner depending on the job) and then in September I'll be starting school! Yay!

And to make me even more happy, my yarn came in for my happy yellow sweater, AND I knit up a gauge swatch (this yarn is so soft, it's making me delirious with happiness), AND I got gauge. Spot on. Freaking amazing.

new project planning

I am terribly excited. About a couple things. First, I'm going to see Kyle next month! This is exciting for a few reasons. 1] I get to see Kyle. Yay! 2] I get a whole week off work. OMFG YAY. You don't even know. ._.

The other thing I'm excited about (and which I've been researching at length, while I'm supposed to be working o_O) is the new sweater I plan on making. I have to finish Serenity first, as well as Mel's gloves/mittens (which are almost past the point of being useful, as it's steadily getting warmer outside) before I'm allowed to cast on this new sweater. It's called Global Warming, and I think it's supposed to be a pun because the recommended yarn is a wool, but the sweater is short-sleeved. I've decided it will be a much nicer summer sweater, as I'm not really into the whole layering short sleeves over long sleeves thing. Well, I was when I was 13, but not anymore. ^_^"

I'm going to be using Plymouth Royal Bamboo yarn (which is a worsted bamboo yarn) in colorway 02, a nice summery yellow. Not like, sunshine yellow, but not quite pastel either. I am sort of in love with it. >_>" I also got it on sale for $3.99 a ball, which makes me super happy. A whole sweater for $31! I have this terrible fear of running out of yarn, but I bought 8 skeins (which is more than 700 yds) so I think I'll be ok. This is a snug-ish sweater with tiny puffed sleeves and I'm doing a different neck. It'll be ok... I hope. o_O

The exciting thing about this sweater is that there's a lot of planning I have to do for it. I actually have to knit a gauge square and like, do math and things. It's going to be super customized. I plan on making my sweater a lot longer than the pattern suggests, as I like my tops to sit at my hips, or thereabouts. Also, I'm omitting the pocket. I want it to be a 'pretty' sweater, rather than a 'cute' sweater. Plus adding fabric to my stomach area is usually not kind to my attempts at not looking fat. >_< Also, I think I'm going to add some bust darts to maximize shapeliness. Aaaand I'm putting in a scoop neck, because high necked anything just doesn't really flatter.

So here's to a (hopefully) pretty yellow puff-sleeved, scoop-necked bamboo summer sweater! Hip hip, huzzah!