In the Long Run, We Should All Knit

Man...

2009-08-13T15:06:00.002-04:00

...am I glad I forced myself to learn LaTeX last year. It seemed sort of stupid at the time to spend two days reading tutorials and typing up nonsense, but it is really paying off now!!

Buttercup Bag

2009-08-10T11:55:00.001-04:00

I made a Buttercup Bag (free pattern!) recently. It takes a fat quarter of fabric for the outside and another fat quarter for the inside lining. I found that the triangle-shaped scraps from the last A-line skirt I made were enough. I did have to flat line the lining fabric to some heavier cotton twill to keep the purse from being too floppy. I also inserted cotton webbing into the handle to make it stronger. The outcome is a nice, small shoulder bag.

New Skirt!

2009-07-22T09:27:00.001-04:00

I realised recently that some of my favorite skirts are getting a bit ragged. The weather has been so bad most of the summer that I hadn't started wearing skirts most days until the past week or so.

I thought this was a perfect time to try out a new book I recently got, Sew What! Skirts. They have instructions for drafting a basic A-line and a basic straight skirt to your measurements. Then there are lots of customization ideas. I tried the A-line with a side zipper, and I am very happy with the results. Now I have my own pattern to use again and again. Not bad for an 11 USD book (on Amazon).

Plus, and this was super exciting for me, I learned to use my serger! I got it as a wedding present over a year ago, and I hadn't even opened the box until this weekend. But Mike helped me get over the fear (knives! two needles!), I successfully figured out threading it, and I was able to use it to finish the interior seam allowances.

Movie Review: Harry Potter 6 (Half-Blood Prince)

2009-07-21T16:59:00.003-04:00

You know what the problem is with the Harry Potter movies? They've been coming out forever. By the time they all come out, a decade (give or take) will have gone by. There's nothing per se wrong with this, but it means that I never remember everything that happened before when I go to the theater for the current installment. I could fix the problem by watching them all again before each new release, but that would mean subjecting myself to the sketchiness of the early movies. I nearly fell asleep in the theater during the first one. I also don't own all of them (only movie 5). And reading the books in a marathon session beforehand, like my husband sometimes does, probably won't help either. Then I'll start focusing on all the little (and big) things they changed to translate the stories to film, which will also annoy me.

Leaving aside this fuzzy memory feeling, Harry Potter 6 was a good experience. The movie was exciting most of the way through (though it was a bit episodic), and Daniel Radcliffe turns in a solid performance. They got really lucky in casting him, since there wasn't a lot of evidence he could act in movie 1. He happens to have matured into a dependable performer.

Green Day at the TD Banknorth Garden, 20 July 2009

2009-07-21T14:55:00.003-04:00

I saw Green Day (with opening act The Bravery) last night. I have gone to see them in the past, but the last time was a little over 7 years ago. I was impressed with their performance. They were just as good as I remembered them, with better production values (they were not as flashy on the previous tours I saw them, probably because they weren't as popular at that time). Billie Joe was, as usual, very into audience interaction, calling up three people to sing Longview and another kid to play guitar on Jesus of Suburbia (which is quite an ambitious song to try that with, btw). Their set was of good length too, over 2 hours, I believe. Much longer and I would have collapsed from too much dancing! Plus, The Bravery was also impressive, with the lead singer really delivering melodic, energized vocals. He did have a weird habit of sitting down on the stage or facing backwards while singing, which looked odd on an arena stage. But it made me want to buy an album by them, regardless. I'll check out their itunes offerings tonight.

The Boston Globe review is here.

Movie Review: Taken

2009-07-20T11:59:00.002-04:00

This was an incredibly simple movie. The always watchable Liam Neeson plays a retired spy who left the business in order to spend more time with his teenage daughter (played by Maggie Grace). He reluctantly grants her permission to travel to Paris with a friend, even though he's nervous about her safety. Of course, it turns out that his fears were warranted, as his daughter and her friend are almost immediately kidnapped by a human trafficking/prostitution ring. The rest of the movie follows Neeson as he works to save his daughter.

There is nothing special about this movie. The action sequences are tight, but not groundbreaking; Neeson's performance is solid but not astonishing. However, at only 1.5 hours long, it doesn't wear out it's welcome, and it is clear that it doesn't have delusions of grandeur.

??????

2009-07-16T11:01:00.001-04:00

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. So this is the natural progression from zombies?

My husband Mike suggests the following next installments:
Northanger Abbey and Neanderthals?
Persuasion and Pirates?
Mansfield Park and Midgets?

Movie Review: The Quiet American

2009-07-06T15:58:00.004-04:00

I got this through Netflix. An interesting little film about a journalist in early 1950s Vietnam, before the French pullout. Michael Caine stars as the journalist Thomas Fowler stationed in Saigon, living with his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen). Fowler's comfortable life is disrupted when an American aid worker, Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), arrives and begins to compete for Phuong's attentions. Pyle is idealistic and energetic, committed to defeating the communists in Vietnam and hoping to offer Phuong the marriage that Fowler cannot. This love triangle goes through a number of tense battles and then ends predictably in tears. Meanwhile, the war in Vietnam continues, and it appears that the French efforts against the communists are being supplanted by those of enterprising locals. But is unclear who is funding these new players...

Overall, I found the movie a bit odd but still thought provoking. The love story and the war sequences are not well-integrated, but it was interesting to see a film about the Vietnam conflict before large-scale American involvement. The book by Graham Greene upon which the movie was based was published in 1955, before all of that occurred. But given that this movie was released in 2002, my watching of it was colored by what I knew was going to happen in Vietnam during the 1960s.

Movie Review: Up

2009-06-17T18:30:00.002-04:00

I saw this the past weekend. It's probably the best movie from 2009 I've seen so far. It also continues the Pixar streak: they haven't made a bad movie yet. This is an amazing achievement, and I keep thinking a clunker is coming, but somehow it doesn't. A Bug's Life was probably the weakest Pixar, and that's really saying something. Especially given the standard being set by other children's cartoons out there.

I was a bit skeptical of the premise for this film: man goes on a trip to South America by turning his house into an airship. Boyscout kid tags along. Sounds a bit wierd, right? But instead of being some crazy technicolor adventure, the movie turned out to be about aging, death, divorce, and finding joy in one's life, however one can. It was pretty heavy for a children's movie, which was evidenced by the confused questions some kids were whispering to their parents at the showing I attended. But despite that, all the kids I saw after the movie seemed happy and excited by the experience. I left the theater feeling the same way.

Best movie title spoof ever

2009-06-17T17:39:00.001-04:00

The Phaeton and the Furious: Derbyshire Drift.

Movie Review: Star Trek

2009-06-02T10:51:00.002-04:00

I wasn't super eager to see this one, but Mike was. So I went to see it last weekend. I watched Next Generation a lot for a couple years in grade school, but then I switched to police procedural shows and never looked back. Therefore, I just wasn't that interested in this movie. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

What also made me skeptical about this movie was its director, JJ Abrams. I used to be a faithful watcher of his TV drama Alias, but that show had a drop off that began in Season 2 and ended in a spectacular crash and burn in Season 5. Really, it was embarrassing. Mike assured me that since Abrams was working within the confines of a 2 hour movie, there was no way it could get that out of hand. I was still hesitant. But you know what? Abrams did keep things under control. The movie plot was pretty simple (even though it involved time travel) and well-paced. I was afraid when that ball of "red matter" was revealed (longtime Alias fans will remember that annoying red ball of water stuff that was involved in many stupid plots), but that turned out not to be a problem.

Plus, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are great. I liked that Quinto's Spock seemed just a bit different from Leonard Nimoy's Spock. That makes sense, because they've had different life experiences. Sometimes time travel can get messy, with the main characters either worrying too much about changing events or thinking that they can't change anything because it's already done. This movie did neither. The characters accept that some things will change and make a new future. The result is fluid and freeing.

Matlab.....

2009-05-29T14:57:00.001-04:00

Slowest program ever. Argh!!!

Book Review: Rattle His Bones

2009-05-29T14:56:00.000-04:00

Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a very simple mystery, but I enjoyed it. It is set in the British Natural History Museum, and carefully explores the relationships between the different curators and museum staff. I found this interesting, because it touches upon rivalries between related scholarly fields and the big egos common in academia. Really, the book could quite easily have been set in a university department and had a similar flavor (though there wouldn't be an excuse for jewel theft!).

Book Review: Battle for the Cowl

2009-05-21T11:24:00.003-04:00

Batman: Battle for the Cowl by Tony Daniel

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
First thoughts: I'm reading this in floppy form as it's released. Currently I have read issues 1 and 2 out of three. I have also been following the tie-ins (Gotham Gazette, issues in Batman, Detective Comics, etc.). The action is moving right along, which is nice. I guess that's what happens when the main series is only three issues long.

Update: I finished the third (last) issue. I found it confusing that there was apparently some action that happened between issues 2 and 3 that was missing. That stuff probably happens in a tie-in that I missed (damn you, DC, for your large event cross-overs!). But besides that, this was a sensible ending to a simple story. I don't mean that as a criticism, but rather as praise. It was nice to read a straightforward "comics event," instead of the time-jump-around-y stuff that Bendis always writes. I am looking forward to what's in store for the new Bat books coming this summmer.

Movie Review: Wolverine

2009-05-21T10:53:00.002-04:00

This was okay, but not as good as it could have been. The relationship between Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Sabertooth (Liev Schreiber) was interesting, and some of the other mutants on Wolverine's government special ops team (like Dominic Monaghan) were decent. Otherwise, we get a sequence of sometimes standard and sometimes super weird action and character moments. (What was up with the fat man boxing bit? Or the naked Wolverine running through the woods bit?) Gambit and Emma Frost don't add much, sadly. A bit of a waste.

Baby Hat and Booties

2009-05-07T12:15:00.001-04:00

I made these for my advisor, who is due to have a boy in a couple weeks. She's always wanted to learn how to knit, so I knew she would appreciate these. The patterns I used are here for the hat and here for the booties (ravelry links). Both were well written. My only issue was that the hat pattern wasn't clear on the gauge, but that doesn't seem to matter so much for baby hats. I didn't do the fold-down cuffs or the eyelets for the booties. I hope they stay on his feet!

Book Review: Styx and Stones

2009-04-27T12:10:00.001-04:00

Styx And Stones by Carola Dunn

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
This installment of the Daisy Dalrymple series was much better than the last. Although the setup was a bit wierd (Daisy's brother-in-law asks her to help find who has been sending him letters accusing him of adultery), the whole story flowed much better than in the previous book, Dead in the Water. This book concentrates a lot of Daisy's relationship with Alec's daughter, Belinda, and those scenes add depth to both characters.

Overall, I think these books are just a little too short. If they were about fifty pages longer the mysteries would not have to be so simple (and wrapped up so quickly) and we would have more time to follow the Daisy/Alec relationship (although Dunn does a decent job of highlighting it already).

Book Review: Dead in the Water

2009-04-22T09:55:00.001-04:00

Dead In The Water by Carola Dunn

My review

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
I had read the earlier installments of this series several years ago, and I had always meant to read more. I finally got around to it, but this book was not really worth it. The mystery is not well constructed, and the ending is rushed (both figuratively and literally--for some reason we get a wierd foot-chase scene that was really out of place). What I found most distasteful was Daisy's attitude. She kept thinking unkind thoughts about the other characters, and then only sort of regretting her meanness. I didn't remember Daisy being so unlikeable before. Since these books are short, I will give them another chance. But they better bounce back quickly.

One note for me, since I've also been reading Robin Paige's Victorian Mysteries: these books take place only 30 years after Paige's, but here finger-printing and other methods of modern forensics are used regularly. In Paige's series the police look upon these methods with a lot of skepticism. The turnaround from distrust to acceptance of these techniques is interesting.

Movie Review: State of Play

2009-04-20T15:32:00.002-04:00

I saw this on Saturday. Mike, being a big fan of journalism movies (All the President's Men, Good Night and Good Luck, His Girl Friday, Zodiac) wanted to check it out. I definitely enjoyed it (Russel Crowe, Helen Mirren, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams give great performances), but there was something lacking in the plotting. Mike described it as about 80% of the quality of Michael Clayton, and I would agree with that. It's not quite as amped up as Clayton, so you're not waiting for some one's car to blow up the entire time. Nor are the plot twists quite so twisty, and the ending just sort of putters out. The constant whining over the death of print newspapers is also a bit much, making the movie feel a little grumpy. Also, how in the world are we supposed to believe that Russel Crowe and Ben Affleck are close enough in age to have gone to college together? In real life about 8 years separate them, and Affleck has a perpetual twenty-something look to him. Overall, a tasty snack but not a full meal.

Book Review: Death at Rottingdean

2009-04-17T14:35:00.002-04:00

Death at Rottingdean by Robin Paige

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not a super-complicated mystery (I think of this series as similar to "The Closer" TV show: if something or someone pops up for no discernible reason, that means it's a clue to the killer). Nevertheless, there were several interesting passages detailing the birth of automatic handguns. This builds upon the authors' previous examinations of modern technology (including motor cars and forensic techniques) as it developed at the end of the Victorian Era. This aspect remains one of the most unique parts of this mystery series.

Also, the use of quotations from totally random sources abates somewhat relative to previous entries in this series. However, it doesn't go fully away.

Movie Review: Hellboy II

2009-04-14T11:29:00.003-04:00

I finally got to see this on DVD. I remember thinking that Hellboy I was a decent movie, but not great. This one is a step up from that. It's much more fantasy-driven, dealing with a war between elves and humans. As such, del Toro (who both wrote and directed the movie) has created a visually interesting world full of mystical creatures. There is much less action occurring in the real world (the streets and subway tunnels of NYC) and way more in fantasy locales (the Troll Market, the elves' throne room). The major issue is that the characterisations are a little flat. Hellboy himself remains interesting (the movie deals a bit with his constant struggle to fit in with humans) but his comrades aren't. At one point a main character has to decide whether to save Hellboy's life, and her struggle did not seem nearly as emotional as it ought to have been.

Movie Review: Watchmen

2009-04-10T09:49:00.002-04:00

Although I avidly read comics, I have never gotten into Alan Moore. I have read a couple things by him (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Killing Joke), but I have never managed to get through his iconic stuff: Watchmen, V for Vendetta, etc. So bear that in mind.

I found this movie interesting, but too long for what it was. There were some beautiful, eye catching sequences (particularly the opening credits), but these were also very drawn out. I wasn't that interested in the characters, so I wasn't willing to wade through so much flashback and slow unraveling of the mystery. Really, the opening credits were the best part of the movie, which raised expectations, only to fail to meet them.

Book Review: Death at Devil's Bridge

2009-03-31T15:55:00.003-04:00

Death at Devil's Bridge by Robin Paige

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
What I found most interesting about this book was the setting: a motor car exhibition in the late 1890s. This allows the authors to talk a lot about the early development of the motor car, including some fascinating details about the relative benefits and costs of steam, electric, and gasoline powered cars. Given that we're trying to wean ourselves off of oil today, it was neat to hear some of the reasoning behind choosing gasoline engines in the first place.

The mystery itself ends a bit oddly, with an abrupt, less-than-pat conclusion. I was surprised by this, but it did make a refreshing change from the usual happy ending. The authors also spend some time developing tension in the Kate/Sir Charles relationship, which I am sure will continue in the rest of the series.

Book Review: Death at Daisy's Folly

2009-03-26T10:20:00.003-04:00

Death at Daisy's Folly by Robin Paige

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
This mystery series has not been "knock my socks off" good, but it has been enjoyable. Each book is short, but not too short (270-290 pages). If they were any shorter, the mysteries would feel rushed. If they were any longer, they would lose their light feel by dwelling too much on the mystery or characterization. I am especially pleased at the way the relationship between the two protagonists, Kate and Charles, has developed. Both characters are described as independent and intelligent. Given that, it's refreshing that they approach their relationship with honesty and open communication. There are few drawn-out misunderstandings between them. If something is wrong, they talk it out quickly. Most mysteries with romantically involved leads do not follow this pattern.

Book Review: Death at Gallows Green

2009-03-17T09:40:00.005-04:00

Death at Gallows Green by Robin Paige

My review

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
I just finished this up this morning. I read the first installment in this series several years ago, and I remembered liking it. Thus, when I saw this in a local mystery book store, I decided to give it a try. It was a pleasant, quick read. The mystery isn't super-difficult to solve, but that is appropriate for a book of this length. The characterization of the two lead sleuths, Kate and Sir Charles, was good. I look forward to future developments in their relationship. My one major annoyance was the quotations printed at the beginning of each chapter. Although they were somewhat relevant to the content of the chapters, they came from such diverse sources that it seemed as if they were drawn at random from Bartlett's. This was distracting, in that I was always wondering why these sources were chosen. The one exception was quotations from Beatrix Potter's books, since Potter appears as a friend of Kate's.

I did see from the inside cover that one of the authors (Robin Paige is the pen name of a husband and wife writing team) has written a series of Beatrix Potter mysteries. I want to try those, since Potter is an interesting figure, and she was well-written in this book.

Best Picture Round-Up 2008

2009-03-12T20:56:00.003-04:00

I know this is super late, but I did see all the Best Picture nominees before the Oscar ceremony. My thoughts, in brief:

Milk
Sean Penn gives a beautiful performance, as does Josh Brolin. The pacing was a little off (particularly during the portions dealing with the second boyfriend), but the ending was very powerful.

Frost/Nixon
A very simple, yet compelling film. The performances are tight. Ron Howard's direction is controlled and appropriate. I wouldn't expect any less from the director of Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Cinderella Man.

Slumdog Millionaire
A beautiful movie, though the game show framing mechanism is both creative and a little forced.

The Reader
My favorite of the 2008 Best Picture nominees. This film shows how personal pride leads one woman to destroy hundreds of lives. It's examination of German guilt for the Holocaust, both for individuals and the nation as a whole, is both fascinating and sobering.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Interesting, but way too long for what it was. I was surprised that the movie was framed by Hurricane Katrina. I suppose they felt they had to deal with that, given that the film is very much about New Orleans.

Craft Circle

2009-03-05T14:04:00.004-05:00

I participated recently in a craft circle, where I sent out crafts to five people, and got five crafts in return. Here's what I sent:

A crochet rabbit amigurumi:

Crochet cupcake pincushions:

Crochet flower pins:

Badges from my badge-maker:

Crochet bird pins:

Knit Garters

2009-03-01T19:05:00.008-05:00

A Pair of Period Garters

Notes: These are building upon my interest in period knitting, following Taylor's Mitts from a couple years ago. These are meant to hold up the cotton or wool stockings worn by women in the 18th and 19th centuries. You tie them around your leg right below the knee. They were inspired by the many extant examples of garters shown on the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a specific extant example to base these on, so they are more "inspired by" than fully accurate.

Finished Size: These are quite stretchy, but they were made to fit around a leg of 13" circumfrence.

Materials: Way less than a ball of Paton's Classic Merino or similar worsted wool yarn (Cascade 220, Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, etc)
1 set of US 4 needles
Medium (about a size F) crochet hook
Darning needle
Scissors

Gauge: 8 stitches=1.25" in garter stitch (row gauge is unimportant)

Garters: cast on two stitches using a long-tail cast on, and leaving at least a 6" tail.

Knit into the front and back of each stitch, so that you have four stitches total.

Knit back and forth in garter stitch (knit every row) until the garter measures 10.5".

K1, m1, k2, m1, k1, giving six stitches total. Work one row even in garter stitch.

k1, m1, k4, m1, k1, giving eight stitches total.

Continue working in garter stitch until the whole garter measures 19". On the next row, k2tog, k4, k2tog, giving 6 stitches total. Then work one row even in garter stitch.

K2tog, k2, k2tog, giving 4 stitches total.

Continue working in garter stitch until the garter measures 30". Then k2tog, k2tog, giving 2 stitches total. Finish off by cutting a 6" tail and pulling it through the two live stitches with a crochet hook.

Repeat for the second garter.

Tassels: cut six strands of yarn about 3" long each. Lay these side-by-side and fold the whole bundle in half. Tie a piece of yarn around the bundle just below the fold, making a loop, and knot it off securely. Attach this tassel to one of the garters by threading the 6" yarn tail through the loop a couple times and knotting off. Repeat for the three other ends of the garters.

Cable Faster, Dammit!

2008-09-25T10:52:00.003-04:00

I'm making really slow progress on the new celtic cabled cardi. The back is done, and now I have half a front. The last time I knit this, I did it in a couple weeks. I've been working on this version for months. I don't know what happened!

I have a good excuse...

2008-07-15T14:23:00.002-04:00

...for not posting much lately. I just got married!!! I do, of course, have some knitting progress to catch up on, but I'm still recovering from the wedding crazy.

Shetland Triangle: Almost There!

2008-05-15T11:43:00.004-04:00

I am so close to finishing the Shetland Triangle. I bound off early this week, but I need to block it. I think I'm going to wait until I visit my parents next week to do that, because they have more floorspace. This picture is just a preview; I experimented with pinning the shawl on my ironing board to get a feel for what the final product will look like.

I have also started swatching for a sweater--another go at the Cable/Rib Cardigan from Vogue Knitting a couple years back. I have already knit this pattern once before, but the yarn I used (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino) is starting to look pretty ratty. So I pulled out some Classic Elite Patina I had in the stash and started swatching. I still need to wash the swatch, but I think I've found a gauge I like.

A Couple Book Reviews

2008-05-08T10:02:00.003-04:00

Have you seen this website Goodreads? It lets you create a list of books you have read, are reading, and are planning to read. Plus it stores your ratings and reviews. The site design is pretty nice too. I started my profile here.

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
I had been planning on reading this one for awhile, so I finally picked up a copy from bn.com. Unfortunately, I wasn't thrilled with it. The story follows a young widow who, two years after her husband's death, finds out he may have been involved with some shady art dealers. The widow, Lady Emily Ashton, hardly knew her husband. She married him only to escape the overbearing influence of her mother, and he died shortly after their wedding. It's only through reading Lord Ashton's diary that Emily begins to realize how interesting her husband was. But this exploration also leads her to discover his involvement with art forgers. The plot itself was okay, but Emily as a character is annoying. She is selfish and quick to judge those around her. She doesn't even seem to be that smart, given that it takes her a long time to figure out what, to the readers, is the obvious answer to the mystery. Nevertheless, I'm considering reading the second installment in this series, if only because I've seen other series get much better over time (such as Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen series or Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple series--though I did get burned by Marion Chesney's Edwardian Mystery series).

Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte
This was a short yet enjoyable book, which is part of a larger series about, you guessed it, Captain Alatriste. These books were originally written in Spanish, and are slowly being translated into English. This installment centers around "the adventure of the two Englishmen." Alatriste, a soldier-for-hire in 1620s Madrid, is given an assignment by a member of the Spanish Inquisition. Alatriste is told to kill two Englishmen traveling into Madrid. However, when the attack actually unfolds, Alatriste realizes that his targets aren't two nobodies, but rather people very important to the fate of England and Spain. And more intrigue ensues.... Overall, I was very taken with this book. It's not the most well-paced (there are some places that wander off on tangents about 1600s Spain), but the clear love Perez-Reverte has for Spanish history leads to some interesting writing. I'm already reading the second installment.

Blergh

2008-04-30T09:48:00.006-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA for awhile. I'm getting married in June, and I have been working on my research agenda for my dissertation. That has pretty much sucked away any knitting time.

Knitting news:

But, I have managed to slowly keep plugging along on my shetland triangle. The pattern was originally written with about 8 repeats of the body chart, but I've done 14. I had to add all these repeats because the intended recipient, my mother, complained that the shawl was too small when I showed it to her in December with 8 repeats. I've put my foot down at 14, so I've now started the edging chart.

Movie news:

I did see a bunch of stuff over the past couple months.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age
I liked this movie, even though it was incredibly heavy handed. (We get it! Catholic=Bad! I can totally understand why some Catholics were offended by this movie. ) Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett really owned the role of Elizabeth. It's the strength of her performance that lifts the film from mediocrity.

In Bruges
This is an odd little film written and directed by the playwright Martin McDonagh. It follows in the tradition of many modern Irish plays, dwelling on themes of death, fate, and the plight of the working-man. (Admittedly, I'm basing this assessment after only having read one JM Synge play.) Imagine something depressing along those lines, then throw in a dose of ridiculous gun violence, cocaine, and midgets. The result is oddly funny and quite watchable. I haven't been able to take Colin Farrell seriously before, but he was quite good as the main character in this film. And for some reason Ciaran Hinds (Munich, There Will Be Blood, Persuasion) pops up for an uncredited cameo.

Once
This film is pretty weak in its plotting, but it's so short that it doesn't really matter. The story revolves around a Guy (Glen Hansard) and a Girl (Marketa Irglova) who run into each other on the streets of Dublin and decide to collaborate on a demo album. The Girl and the Guy both have a lot of emotional baggage that prevents them from acting on romantic feelings that are kindled over the course of the ensuing week. But the music they create does help both of them make something new out of their lives. The scene where they first play "Falling Slowly" is fantastic. That song was very deserving of its Oscar.

Elizabeth
I neglected to see this before I saw the sequel. In some ways, I'm glad of that, because this film was better, allowing me to end things on a higher note. The plot is hopelessly romanticised (even I could tell things were off, and I haven't read anything about Elizabethan history since sophomore year of college), and like the sequel, it boils everything into a Protestant v. Catholic brawl. Nevertheless, Cate Blanchett again delivers as Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush has some striking scenes as Francis Walsingham. I think Joseph Fiennes is largely wasted, but you can always watch Shakespeare in Love to make up for that. The one thing that I thought was really odd about the movie was its sometimes amateurish effects and subtitles. They used this huge, ugly, white lettering to tell us when the action moved to Scotland or The Vatican. And there is one scene where someone gets beaten to death that looks like it's from a low-rent war movie. This doesn't gel well with the otherwise rich atmosphere.

Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is the man. I don't even like Tony Stark as a character, and I still had a great time watching this one. (Note: I actually saw this on May 3rd, even though this entry is dated April 30th--I went back and edited this in.)

Grey Cabled Mittens

2008-02-27T09:43:00.002-05:00

I finished them! I've been wearing them this past week, and I'm quite happy with them. They fit well, aren't too bulky, and are pretty warm. I did end up buying yarn for a matching Gretel hat (damn you, tempting yarn sales!). Hopefully I can start swatching for that soon.

Oscar Wrap-Up, 2007 Best and Worst Movies

2008-02-25T11:48:00.007-05:00

So I sat through the entire Oscars ceremony last night. I was pleased with a number of the awards results, from the expected (best actor Daniel Day-Lewis, best supporting actor Javier Bardem, best picture No Country for Old Men, best score Atonement) and the unexpected (best supporting actress Tilda Swinton, best editing Bourne Ultimatum, best visual effects The Golden Compass). I thought Jon Stewart did okay, especially considering that he only had a week to prepare with his writing staff.

Which brings me to my 2007 Best and Worst: Movies list. Of the Oscar nominees, the only film I planned to see but didn't was Elizabeth: The Golden Age (I have netflixed it though). Of the other movies, I would still like to see Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and The Great Debaters. I'm going to admit that I'm voting a bit more with my heart than my head here. I ranked some stuff pretty high, even though I saw more artistic merit in other movies. This is what I enjoyed the most.

The Best:
1) Michael Clayton. I loved a lot of movies from 2007, but this is the only one I didn't have ANY reservations about. Acting, script, design, direction...this movie has it all. Plus, it stars George Clooney.

2) The Bourne Ultimatum. This isn't a particularly cerebral film, but it is well-written, directed, and acted. And the assassination in the London train station scenes are as good a suspense/action sequence as any I've seen. I like that someone as talented as Paul Greengrass (United 93) is willing to make something so enjoyably popcorn-y. This is sure to become an action movie favorite. Plus, it stars Matt Damon.

3)3:10 to Yuma. Like Bourne, this is also a fairly straightforward film. But also like Bourne, it's incredibly well-made and very enjoyable. Russel Crowe and Christian Bale work wonderfully together.

4) Ratatouille. Pixar continues its streak of beautiful, lovable, quality family films. It's not quite Finding Nemo, but it's close. As soon as I finished watching this one, I put it back in the DVD player and watched it again.

5) No Country for Old Men. I still have reservations about the ending, but this movie was impeccably executed. The showdowns between Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin are so good, that you can almost forgive anything else.

6) Atonement. Unlike No Country or There Will Be Blood, this is an example of a "classic" drama, made very much in an older mold. However, due largely to its interesting plot structure and kinetic direction, the film avoids feeling dated. I wish they had given Keira more to do (she comes off as annoying, largely due to the lack of material she has to work with), but James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan are excellent.

7) Eastern Promises. It's all about Viggo Mortensen. End of story.

8) Gone Baby Gone. The script lacked some zest, relying too much on voice-over narration, but I was very taken with Ben Affleck's direction and Casey Affleck's performance. I'm looking forward to future projects from them.

9) Zodiac. A beautiful ensemble piece, though a bit drawn out. Mark Ruffalo totally works his ridiculous haircut, too. I was a bit surprised it got totally ignored this award season, though it was probably released too early in 2007.

10) Juno. A little too artificially cute for me, but Ellen Page is amazing. Plus, who doesn't like JK Simmons?

Stuff I liked but had some issues with: American Gangster, Charlie Wilson's War, Harry Potter 5, Across the Universe, Shoot 'em Up, The Golden Compass, Live Free or Die Hard, Oceans 13, There Will Be Blood.

The Worst:
1) Spider-Man 3. Painful. May be a franchise killer, though Marvel is planning to try again.

2) Shrek The Third: Eh.

3) Breach: A waste of Chris Cooper.

4) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: It lost a lot of the joy of the previous two installments. It felt as if they just wanted it over.

5) The Seeker: The Dark is Rising: Very disappointing. It was so flat.

6) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: There was a good movie in this film, but it's hard to find in the 2 hours 40 minutes running time. It's really a shame, given that Casey Affleck and Brad Pitt are quite good.

At the speed of light

2008-02-21T16:46:00.005-05:00

So Mike and I have been pushing really hard to see a bunch of movies before the Oscars. We started January with the following list, and have crossed a number of them off:

~~Atonement~~
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
~~The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford~~
American Gangster
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
No Country for Old Men
There Will be Blood
~~Eastern Promises~~.

This past holiday weekend we saw 3:10 to Yuma, No Country, and Jesse James. It was a sort of a "western weekend."

3:10 to Yuma

Of the three, this is the one I enjoyed the most. Christian Bale plays a rancher, Dan, struggling to provide for his family. Dan is a Civil War veteran, and he's never really recovered from that experience. Russell Crowe plays a violent bandit, Ben Wade, who is captured in Dan's hometown. Dan volunteers to transport Ben to the 3:10 train to Yuma prison in exchange for much-needed cash. But, as a result, Ben's gang of theives is hunting Dan, trying to free their leader. The story is reasonably simple, and it ends just like you would expect. However, I was very impressed by the acting of the two leads, Bale and Crowe. Bale's character is a bit of a pathetic loser, but Bale makes sure we don't write him off. Crowe's Ben Wade is a scary psycho (there is one scene where he kills a guy with a fork), but he's also a bit of a dandy (Crowe sports a purple striped waistcoat throughout most of the film). Crowe meshes those disparate qualities together very effectively. These two men are so different, yet they manage to come to an understanding in the end. The final sequence is a keeper. (PS--Firefly fans, this movie features Alan Tudyk, aka Wash.)

No Country for Old Men

I'll admit that I was too scared to go see this movie when it first came out. The trailers alone were close to giving me nightmares. But after hearing so many good things from friends, I decided to suck it up and head to the theater. I'm glad I did. Yes, there were some violent parts, but the movie didn't dwell upon the gore. It's much more of a suspense piece, stringing you along in anticipation of something awful happening, instead of showing lots of awful things happening (though the final body count is really high). Javier Bardem is as good as everyone says he is, and I was equally impressed with Josh Brolin (I'm actually surprised he didn't get more awards buzz). And the dry wit conveyed by Tommy Lee Jones tops it all off. My only complaint: what is up with the ending? I realize that the Coen brothers sort of backed themselves into a corner, in that a movie like this has to end with a big shootout, but they probably didn't want to be so conventional. But instead of that type of ending, we get a drawn-out sequence where people meditate on the meaning of life. These scenes aren't bad, but they fit poorly with the rest fo the film.

The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

No need for a plot synopsis here. The title does say it all. The only thing I would add is, "... Framed by Lots of Arty Shots of Blowing Grass," after "Ford." I'm still a little confused by this movie. The actual assasination scene was interesting and well-constructed, but in order to get there we have to wade through lots of really random plot, somewhat stupid voice-overs (please, don't describe to the audience what you're already showing on the screen), and, well, grass. Seriously, the film crew must have spent days sitting in a hayfield somewhere. The acting is really good, led by Brad Pitt (as James) and Casey Affleck (as Ford). I just don't understand all the other artistic choices.

Mitten Chop!

2008-02-15T09:39:00.002-05:00

I overcame "second mitten syndrome," and I am now about a third of the way through the second one. I'm contemplating what hat I could make to match these. I like the look of Ysolda's Gretel. This is the problem with knitting mittens--I always think they require a matching hat, which means buying more yarn! But Fabric Place is having a sale on Cascade 220, so maybe I can justify breaking my yarn diet....

Mitten Number One

2008-02-11T09:36:00.000-05:00

I finished the first of my cabled mittens yesterday and set it out to block. I really like this pattern, despite the fact that it has some typos in it. But they were pretty easy to figure out, and the result is very cute. I sort of want a hat to match these, but I don't know if this cable pattern would translate well onto a hat. I'll have to think on it. I could always resort to my favorite cabled hat pattern, the Basic Cable from SNBN.

In other news, Mike and I have been trying to catch up on some more movies before the Oscars. First, there was Juno. I loved the quirkyness of this movie, but after a while the crazy dialogue got to me. You can tell that this is Diablo Cody's first film writing effort because she tried to cram way too much nonsensical hipster-speak and oddball situations into the script. However, the basic characterizations are very strong, and all of the actors, led by Ellen Page, do an excellent job. This is the second movie directed by Jason Reitman that I have enjoyed, following 2005's Thank You for Smoking. I am looking forward to his next project.

We also saw Eastern Promises on DVD this past weekend. In some ways, this movie didn't have a story arc at all. We just follow around a bunch of Russian mobsters for awhile. There isn't much resolution in the ending. However, I liked that there wasn't an epic storyline. This movie had no chance of topping all of the great gangster films out there, so it doesn't even try. Instead, it gives us a couple interesting characters and lets us explore their lives for a bit. Viggo Mortensen is amazing, as always. But be prepared for some graphic violence.

Two Movie Reviews

2008-01-29T18:17:00.001-05:00

As I did last year, I'm going to hold off on picking my best of 2007 movies until I've watched everything I've got in my pre-Oscar queue. I crossed another one off my list this past weekend: Atonement. I was very curious to see this movie, because I really enjoyed director Joe Wright's last effort, 2005's Pride and Prejudice. Atonement did not dissapoint. You've probably figured out most of the basic story from the many commercials that were playing around Christmas: a young girl (Saoirse Ronan) witnesses something scandalous which she doesn't understand, and promptly tells people about it. As a result, two young lovers (played by Keira Knightley and James McAvoy) are separated, and they remain apart through the tumult of WWII in England. I was prepared for the movie to be really sad, which it was, but I was also struck by the quality of the film. It is interestingly constructed, jumping forwards and backwards in time (this reminded me a lot of Brian Michael Bendis's writing). The acting is tight, led by Ronan and McAvoy (though Knightley got top billing, hers is actually more of a supporting role). The design was excellent. I particularly liked the sound design and score, which cleverly incorporates typewriter sounds at key moments. Overall, it was a beautiful, well-made film. I'm looking forward to Wright's next project.

The other movie I saw recently was Shoot 'Em Up. This is a short, violent, ridiculous movie about a "Mr. Smith" (Clive Owen) trying to protect a baby from some bad guys. Really, that is most of the plot. It's just an excuse to show tons of stunts, which are actually quite cool. It's an 80 minute movie, more than half of which is gun fights. It's got every iteration: gun fight in the street, gun fight in a car chase, gun fight on a rooftop, gun fight in a plane, gun fight while skydiving, gun fight in a gun factory.... Don't expect anything cerebral, but it's fun for what it is.

Mittens for the Emma Knitalong

2008-01-29T17:05:00.000-05:00

So, I've been sewing more than I have been knitting lately, but I did start a pair of cabled mittens. These are for the Emma (as in Jane Austen's Emma) knit-and-readalong on the Ravelry Austentatious Fiber Artists message board. The theme was "made for each other," meaning things that come in pairs. Since I've been needing some new mittens for awhile (I love my old cabled mittens, but they're beginning to look a little ratty), I started these. They're from the Vogue Knitting on the Go: Mittens & Gloves book. I wasn't sure about knitting so much reverse stockinette, but they're coming out fine. I'm using a ball of Cascade 220 from the stash (which was originally supposed to be felted sheep stuffie, but whatev). Maybe I can make a matching hat? (Though that would require me buying more yarn, and I'm trying to be on a yarn diet right now.)

Best and Worst of 2007: Installment One

2008-01-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

So since we have just started a new year, I figured it was time for me to recap my favorite tv, books, and movies of 2007. I am by no means an accomplished or dedicated tv watcher, reader, or movie-goer. But I like to do this so I can look back over what I enjoyed the past year.

The Best:

1) 30-Rock. ER gets knocked down from the top spot by, of all things, a sit-com. This is the only sit-com I watch regularly (though I sometimes tune into Scrubs, and Mike is slowly introducing me to How I Met Your Mother). When I saw the first few episodes of 30-Rock, I wasn't sold on it. It seemed too random. But over time, the show began to weave together seemingly unrelated story lines, creating a hilarious whole.

2) Chuck. This was a total dark horse. When I heard the premise (guy gets a super-spy computer downloaded into his head and then gets drawn into international intrigue), I was more than a bit skeptical. But surprisingly, the show isn't too hokey. The actors (including Adam Baldwin of Firefly fame) give simple yet effective performances, and the plots aren't too over-the-top. I like that Chuck, the guy with the computer brain, isn't a total loser. He's a smart guy who has never quite gotten his life together. Sometimes he jumps to conclusions and does stupid things, but other times he comes up with brilliant plans that save the day. NBC gave this one a full-season pick up.

3) ER. Some of this past year's episodes have been perfunctory, but overall I am still impressed with this show. The Abby/Luka wedding episode was a standout. It combined poignant joy, zany comedy, and sadness, all in the trademark ER style. The current season has been focusing on Abby's alcoholism relapse, and it has been both painful and wonderful to watch. I particularly liked how they spread that story over several episodes, letting the events unfold slowly.

4) The Closer. Although I don't think the third season was a strong as the second, it was still very good. The cases were less predictable, and the oddball interactions between the many characters in Brenda's squad continue to be fascinating. My one qualm is with the show's portrayal of Brenda. She throws her all into her work, very often to the detriment of her personal life. Her fiance Fritz has been much abused on this point. I find this conflict interesting, but after a while it makes Brenda a very unsympathetic character. I'm all for the portrayal of strong women in the workplace, but sometimes she ignores personal obligations to an extreme extent. I hope that we will see her learn to better balance work and family in the next season.

The Worst:

1) Heroes. I lost all interest in this show. The first several episodes just dragged on, and on, and on. . . . There was very little action, and they decided not to explain anything about the ending of the last season until several episodes into this one. Plus, the new characters weren't that compelling, though Kristen Bell put in a good effort. Eventually I just stopped watching, though I did catch the final episode of the "half-season."

2) Veronica Mars. The first half of the last season was good, but after that it was clear that the show had run out of money. There were several episodes that used very few actors and took place entirely on one or two sets. This really limited what used to be a much more exciting show. The disappointing results aren't really the fault of the show's creators, since they were put in a tough place by the CW. It's sad that the show was canceled, but it was clear that the network wasn't being supportive.

3) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Eh. Aaron Sorkin has a lot of trouble writing compelling female characters. CJ was great on the West Wing, but I think that has more to do with the talent of Allison Janney than Sorkin's writing. That major weakness, combined with the indifferent plotting really sunk the show.

4) Big Shots. I only watched half an episode of this show, so it's really not fair for me to say much about it. Nevertheless, that thirty minutes was a horrible waste of my time.

Lace adventures

2008-01-06T13:30:00.000-05:00

When I visited my parents for Christmas, I finally had room to block out my Highland Triangle shawls. They are just too big for me to do it in my apartment. (I don't have the floor space.) I picked up some aluminum hanging wires from Home Depot (look in the lighting fixture section). Then I threaded these through the points in the shawl edging. The wires helped me a lot in blocking the shawls out evenly.

As for my Shetland Triangle, I almost finished it over Christmas, but then my mother started complaining about how she thought it was too small. This complaint was raised when I had already begun the edging. As a result, I really had to work at pulling the edging out and ripping back. I ended up threading some sewing thread through a row right before the edging and using that as a lifeline. Now I've added another repeat of the body chart, and I may add another.

New year, new movie reviews

2008-01-01T08:48:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!!!!!

It's that time of the year where I frantically try to watch a bunch of movies before the Oscars. Although, since the writer's strike is still on, it's not clear if there will be a televised ceremony this year.

Here are a few things I caught recently. I'm hoping to see Atonement and Juno soon, also.

The Golden Compass
I have to admit that I have never read the series of books upon which this movie is based. I have listened to Mike and my sister talk about them, so I know some of the general plot. With that disclaimer, I thought this movie was good but not great. They clearly threw a lot of money into the project. The visual designs were excellent. But, it seemed as if they weren't sure what parts of the book they wanted to focus on, which left the plot really muddled. Although, the armored polar bear fight was awesome.

Charlie Wilson's War
This film was written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Tom Hanks (as Charlie Wilson). The result is slick and professional. That is both a strength and a weakness. For being a movie about the end of the Cold War and continuing tension in the Middle East (particularly Afghanistan), it has a surprisingly light and detached feel. You almost feel as if the entire thing was made up. One of the best sequences, where Congressman Wilson is holding a meeting with a CIA officer (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) while simultaneously writing a memo with his staff, is zany and brilliantly executed. But it's really staged and fake given the gravity of the base material. This mood was probably a conscious choice, but it did come off as a bit weird to me. We, as an audience in 2007, know that the story of Afghanistan does not yet have a happy ending.

Zodiac
I saw this on DVD. I was a bit afraid to watch it, because I am not a fan of gore. I feared the movie was really going to dwell on the Zodiac murders. However, that is not the case (though there is one particularly graphic scene). Instead, the movie focuses on the men investigating these killings, played admirably well by Jake Gyllanhall, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards (who is, of course, one of my faves from his time on ER). Roger Ebert compares this movie to All the President's Men, and I agree with him (though Zodiac is not as good as AtPM). My one qualm is that the shift from when the investigation is handled by the police (Ruffalo and Edwards) to when it is handled by one journalist (Gyllanhall) creates a marked break in the film. It's almost as if they are two separate movies. My guess is this happened because the movie is trying to follow the way the investigation evolved in real life.

Snow time

2007-12-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

We had a bit of a snow storm last Thursday, and I decided to take my camera out on my walk the next morning to snap some photos of the aftermath. The accumulation wasn't that much, just a couple feet, but it did snow for 10 hours straight.

This is the parking lot of my building. See that black Audi in the middle? It's parking space is no where near there. I think they just managed to drive that far into the lot and then gave up on actually getting into their spot.

This is Memorial Hall at Harvard. It was built in the 1870s. The freshman dining hall is located in there, along with Sanders Theater. This is Littauer, the Economics Building. I spend a lot of time here. If I'm not home, I'm here.

This is Memorial Church. It was built in the 1930s to honor those who had died in WWI.

Happy Hanukah!

2007-12-04T11:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight is the first night of Hanukah. You have no idea the lengths Mike went to to get candles. For some reason, none of the local grocery stores had them until we hit the Auburndale Shaws last night. CVS was also a bust. We were considering stopping at a Synagogue or at the Israel Bookstore, but that would have required going farther afield. Also, it isn't particularly helpful when the clerks direct you to the full-size tapers when you ask for Hanukah candles.

Meanwhile, I have been crocheting up a storm, busting out a few more of the cupcake pin cushions from this pattern. I'm using them has holiday gifts!

Cupcake!

2007-11-12T16:08:00.000-05:00

Crocheted this up last night, using up scraps in my yarn basket. I think it'll make a cute pin cushion. The pattern is from BitterSweet, here.

Plus, I have made some progress on the Shetland Triangle. I'm using Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud in the color "Iris." I thought this colorway was more brownish originally, but now that I have given it a good look, I realize that it's much more purple. I think this is a good thing, because I'm making this for my mom and she had a brown/purple scarf that she wore for years when I was a kid.

Three Highland Triangles=Done!

2007-11-10T13:50:00.000-05:00

That's right, I cast off on the last of my three Highland Triangle shawls this morning. Two of them need blocking, but they are so huge that I'm waiting until I visit my parents so I can block them in their huge living room. This pattern gets my hearty thumbs up for not driving me insane after knitting it three times in a year.

I promptly began a Shetland Triangle shawl for my mother this afternoon. I'm looking forward to having a different lace pattern to occupy my time!

Movie Review: Michael Clayton

2007-11-04T10:15:00.000-05:00

I saw Michael Clayton yesterday. It is an impressive movie. Although it deals with a corrupt corporation, it's not trying to send a message about corporate America. It's just a well-crafted business/legal thriller. The leads, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Wilkinson, give understated and realistic performances that form the core of the film. If they weren't there, the movie probably wouldn't work. This is the directorial debut of Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the script. He clearly knows his way around thrillers, having written the three Bourne Movies (though I've heard that Paul Greengrass pushed a lot of improvisation during The Bourne Ultimatum). What I found most compelling about this movie was its attention to detail. They put Clayton (Clooney) in a Mercedes, a very "old money" car, but he's only leasing it. It's as if he's trying to exude classy swank, but that's not actually who he is. Clayton is also always well-dressed, but during one scene, you can see the creases in his shirt created by packing it in his luggage. He tries to look well-pressed and perfect, but he's actually living his life from day to day, out of his suitcase. There were times while I was watching the movie that I felt bored, and I wasn't sure what the movie was trying to do. But as I neared the end of the film, I realized that this bored, unattached feeling was exactly what the movie wanted to create, because it lulls you into a place of security. Then with the conclusion, that security is ripped forcefully away.

The Bind off!

2007-11-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

Mike always tells me that "bind off" sounds like the name of a bad Steven Segal movie. As I'm knitting, I will tell Mike, "hey, I'm almost to the bind off," and he yells "THE BIND OFF!!" in reply. This has been going on for months now.

Weird stories aside, I am working on the bind off ("THE BIND OFF!!") on Highland Triangle #3. It seems like the closer I get to finishing this project, the farther away the finishing line gets. But fear not, I am persevering!

Taylor Wearing Taylor's Mitts

2007-11-01T09:29:00.001-04:00

As promised, I now have pictures graciously provided by Taylor of her wearing the mitts I made her. The first two are of her at a reenactment at Saratoga, also showing off the beautiful wool cloak she made for herself. The last one is of her carrying firewood at a reenactment at Kingston. It's so great to see these mitts in action! Enjoy!

Where did October go?!

2007-10-28T18:41:00.001-04:00

Thank you for your kind words about my field exams. I'm sorry I've been rather silent lately, but I've been plunging into my dissertation research. I've gotten a bit sucked into my work. But I have managed to do some fun things:

Knitting:
I've been plugging away at Highland Triangle #3. I made it to the bind-off edging this morning, so hopefully I will finish soon. I cannot believe I've managed to knit this pattern three times in a year. My plan after I finish this shawl is to try the Shetland Triangle shawl from Wrap Style. I've got some lovely Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud set aside for this project.

Reading:
I've been reading the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series by Pamela Aidan. It's a somewhat cheesy "Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's POV" trilogy. I've tried a few of these P&P reworks before, and they usually disappoint. However, Aidan has managed to capture Austen's characters well, and she adds some interesting touches to the already well-known story. I have read the first two installments and have begun the third. Unfortunately, the second book, which details Darcy's actions during the "lost year" between his time in Hertfordshire and Kent is poorly plotted. For some reason Darcy gets drawn into some crazy revenge plot involving friends from his university days. I felt like I was reading a historical mystery/thriller instead of an Austen drama. But the first book was quite good, and the third is shaping up well also.

Movies:
Bourne Ultimatum
I saw this a couple months ago, but I haven't had the time to write about it until now. This movie was awesome! The acting, the direction, the plotting . . . everything was perfect. I saw an interview with Matt Damon, in which he said they didn't really have a script while they were filming the movie. That seems utterly unbelievable to me. Paul Greengrass (the director) must really know what he's doing. Of course, I do think he deserved an Oscar for directing (and writing, for that matter) United 93. The only "bad" thing about watching this movie was that there was a rather loud lady sitting in the same row as me at the theater. She kept saying things like "who's that?!" and "wait, is he dead?!" all the time. This was amusing and slightly annoying.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
I went to see this with Mike, because he really likes the books this movie is based on, The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper (who, btw, is visiting Boston for a couple speaking engagements in November). This movie was okay. It did a really good job of setting up a spooky atmosphere early on, but the climatic final battle was pretty lame. The effects got murky and muddy, and the kid they had playing the lead (an actor named Alexander Ludwig) couldn't quite carry the scene. Ludwig was pretty good throughout the rest of the movie, though.

Across the Universe
This is another uneven movie. Julie Taymor (of the Broadway version of The Lion King fame) has put together a visually stunning film, but the plot is quite cliched. In that respect, it's just another movie about kids trying to deal with the trauma of being sent to fight the Vietnam war. And it doesn't have anything new to say about that topic. However, the use of the Beatles' music (in several inventive arrangements) and the creative use of puppets, masks, and visual effects is very powerful. Plus, I did think the fellow who played Jude (Jim Sturgess) was impressive. However, there were several other characters I could have done without (such as Prudence) and some songs that were superfluous (they were cool to watch in and of themselves, but they didn't further the plot at all).

Gone Baby Gone
The acting and the direction in this film are both very impressive. Ben Affleck shows amazing talent behind the camera. However, the script was not as strong (this was co-written by Affleck and Aaron Stockard). It is reasonably well plotted, and it does a good job of planting the clues that solve the final mystery without being obvious. Nevertheless, there were several voice-overs and speeches that felt stilted, especially when the performances and visuals were otherwise so realistic. There were some bits of "The Departed" deja vu, but that was probably inevitable given that these are both movies about the Boston underworld.

Good news

2007-10-12T11:26:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, I passed my field exams. This means that I have now completed my masters degree in economics at Harvard. I'm still in a bit of shock (how could these past couple years have gone by so fast!), but I'm excited to be able to turn to my thesis research. Now, with a little luck, I'm aiming for my PhD!

Taylor's Mitts: Finished!

2007-09-23T20:59:00.004-04:00

They're finished! I'm quite happy with the result, and I can't wait to see them on Taylor. Hopefully she will have some pictures from the Saratoga reenactment with her wearing them. For now, I have included photos of me wearing them with one of my regency dresses (sadly, I don't have a proper 18th century outfit to really show these off, but mitts similar to these were also worn during the early 19th century).

ETA: And now I have pics of them on Taylor! Here.

And of course, here is the pattern. Enjoy!

Taylor: A Pair of 18th Century Mitts

Notes: These were made for Taylor to wear to an American Revolutionary War reenactment. As such, I tried to make them historically accurate, but there are several modern modifications. (I am hoping to revise this pattern to be more accurate in the future.) First, so that I could finish these within a month, I chose to work the mitts at a corser gauge than was common during the 1700s. I chose 7 stitches to the inch, but period examples can have nearly twice as many stitches to the inch. Second, I worked a knitted hem involving a provisional cast on. I did this to give the mitts a strong edge and mimic the hem seen on these mitts at the MFA, but I'm not sure exactly how the lower edge is finished on the MFA example. My method of working a provisional cast on involves using a crochet hook, and crocheting did not become common in the West until the 19th century. You can work a knit hem without crocheting, but it would be way more annoying. Third, I sort of made up the construction of the top point. I wasn't sure how to sew on the facing. I looked at a couple period examples for clues, but I sort of improvised my solution.

Finished Size: These were made for Taylor's measurements (9" arm circumfrence right below the elbow, 6.25" wrist circumfrence, 9" length from wrist to elbow).

Materials: 2 balls of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport (184 yards per ball, 100% wool) in color 720 Ash (I used only about 1.5 balls, actually)
1 set of four US 2 DPNs
1 set of four US 3 DPNs

1 set of four US 0 DPNs

Small crochet hook

Small bit of waste yarn

Darning needle

Gauge: 7 stitches, 10 rows to the inch in stocking stitch.

Left Mitt:

Using the waste yarn, a crochet hook, and the size 2 DPNs, work a provisional cast on of 70 stitches. There is a good picture tutorial on provisional cast ons here. Distribute the stitches equally on three DPNs. Join the stitches in a round, being careful not to twist them.

Work in st stitch for 1 inch. Purl one round. Switch to size 3 DPNs. Knit for another inch. Turn your knitting inside out, so that the purl side is facing you. Carefully pull out the provisional cast on and transfer these stitches to the size 0 DPNs. Fold your work in half on the purl row, so that the purl sides are facing each other. Knit the two sets of live stitches together. You can see pictures of this process here.

Place two markers, so that you have the stitches of the round divided into two equal halves of 35 stitches each. Work one round in st stitch. On the next round, you will work the decrease round. Decrease round: knit until three stitches before the first marker, ssk, K1, slip marker, K1, K2tog, work until the next marker, ssk, K1, slip marker, K1, K2tog, finish the round.

Work for another inch in st stitch, then work the decrease round. Continue in this manner (working in st stitch for one inch, work the decrease round, repeat) until the mitt is about 8 inches long, and you have worked the decrease round 8 times. You should have 38 stitches left.

Begin thumb gusset: knit until three stitches before the first marker. M1, k1, M1, knit the rest of the round. Knit one round. On the next round, knit until you reach the first M1 of the thumb gusset, then M1, K3, M1, knit the rest of the round. Knit one round. Continue increasing in this manner (increasing for the gusset every other round such that when you get to the beginning of the gusset on an increase round, you M1, knit the previous increase stitches, M1, continue) until you have worked the increase round 11 times. Knit for 5 more rounds.

Divide for thumb: Knit until you have worked three stitches into the gusset, transfer the next 17 stitches onto a piece of waste yarn, knit the rest of the round. You will be knitting over the gap created by skipping the stitches on the waste yarn, creating a hole for the thumb. Knit for five more rounds.

Bind off for the point: On the next round, bind off loosely all the stitches between the two markers on the thumb/palm side of the mitt (this is the side that has more stitches between the markers). You should have 19 live stitches left. You will now be knitting back and forth in stocking stitch on these stitches. Knit one row, picking up a stitch from your cast off edge at the end of the row, giving 20 stitches. Purl the next row.

Decrease for the point: On the next row, ssk, knit to the last two stitches, K2tog. Purl the next row. Continue in this fashion, decreasing two stitches on every knit row, and purling the purl row, until you have 4 stitches left. Bind off. Break yarn, leaving a 5 inch tail to weave in.

Finish the thumb: Transfer the thumb stitches from the waste yarn to three size 3 DPNs. Knit one round, picking up two stitches from the body of the mitt where the thumb meets the body. This gives you 19 stitches. Work 4 rounds. On the next round, knit 8 stitches, K2tog, and knit the rest of the round. Knit one more round. Bind off loosely. Break yarn, leaving a 5 inch tail to weave in.

Knitting the facing: Cast on 20 stitches onto one of your size 3 DPNs. Do not join in the round. You will be knitting back and forth. Knit one row, then purl one row. On the next row, ssk, knit to the last two stitches, K2tog. Purl the next row. Continue in this fashion, decreasing two stitches on every knit row, and purling the purl row, until you have 4 stitches left. Bind off. Break yarn, leaving a 5 inch tail to weave in.

Finishing: Whip stitch the bottom edge of the facing to the bottom of the tip on the mitt. Then sew the other two edges of the facing using a mattress stitch. Weave in ends.

Right Mitt:

Work as for the left mitt, but begin the increases for the thumb gusset 3 stitches AFTER the SECOND marker, instead of 3 stitches before the first marker.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Making progress

2007-09-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

I'm almost to the thumb gore on the second mitt for Taylor. I was really busy last week, so I wasn't able to get as much work done on these as I would have liked. I'm in the midst of studying for my Oral Exams, which if I pass will mean I have finished the masters degree portion of my PhD. Of course, this has meant tons of studying. When I tallied up the hours I had studied last week, it came to about 50 hours. And I still have so much more I need to do! Argh! Well, back to work....

Update on Taylor's Mitts

2007-09-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

Thank you, yet again, for all of the kind comments on my current project! I have been hard at work on the second mitt for Taylor. I finished the knit hem last night, and now I have started into the arm shaping. I even tried to take some close-up in progress photos:

Here you can see the provisional cast on:

Here you can see the purl row I worked so that you can turn the hem under:

Here you can me pulling out the provisional cast on and putting the live stitches on another dpn:

And here you can see me knitting the two sets of live stitches together:

Mitt #1 is Finished!

2007-09-05T19:33:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all of your comments on the mitts I'm making for Taylor. I'm really enjoying this project.

Over the weekend, I finished the first mitt. It has a point on the back of the hand, as was common on 18th century mitts. It can be folded back out of the way if you need your fingers totally free for work. I also didn't do anything special to the top bound off edge, so it does roll a bit. However, it's actually not rolling as much as I expected. I guess the 18th century habit of not using ribbing isn't that big a deal in this case. Now on to the second one!

More Mitts

2007-08-29T21:24:00.001-04:00

I have been hard at work on Taylor's mitts. I'm through most of the thumb gusset on the first one. It's relaxing to have a project that's all stocking stitch in the round, as I don't even have to purl!

And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Highland Triangle #3. I'm about 1/4 of the way through the border on that. I just decided I needed a break from all that shawl knitting!

Knit Mitts

2007-08-27T20:12:00.000-04:00

I'm starting in on an exciting new mini-project. Taylor, one of my friends on livejournal, mentioned that she is afraid of freezing to death at the Saratoga reenactment in October. She said she didn't have mitts to go with her outfit, which got me thinking about knitting some. Long story short, I am now making Taylor some knit mitts.

I began with some research, starting with Richard Rutt's A History of Handknitting. This book deals mostly with European knitting, but I was able to confirm from it that most knitting was done in the round in the 18th c. The book also seems to indicate that bar increases for thumb gussets were common. Then I looked at No Idle Hands: A Social History of American Knitting by Anne Macdonald. This book is more about the social meaning behind handknitting, as opposed to talking about knitting techniques. However, there is is nice picture of an 18th c mitten, which clearly shows a worked thumb gusset.

With this knowledge in mind, I looked at some pictures of mitts on the MFA website. They have some gorgeous pieces here. Looking at these examples made me realize that 18th c knitters had one major difference when compared to modern knitters. 18th c knitters didn't mind rolling edges due to the way stocking stitch curls. The MFA site is littered with mitts where the top edge and the thumb edge roll in on themselves. Us modern knitters would freak out if this happened, and would instead use ribbing to finish off these edges. But I haven't seen any garments with ribbing from before the 1830s. So I guess I will have to suck it up and deal with the slight rolling. Maybe I can do something with the bind-off to make it less noticeable. At least I've found examples of mitts with turned under hems, so I don't need to worry about rolling there.

Anywho, after looking through these sources, I came up with a plan for Taylor's mitts. I got some lovely wool, Brown Sheep Naturespun Sport, in the color "ash." It's a sort of beigeish white. The Naturespun is made from US wool and is a plied yarn, which seems to be a good modern substitute for period yarn. It's a little heavier weight than would have been the norm, but not too bad.

I have now worked out a rough pattern, and I am a few inches into the body of the first mitt.

Back from Turkey

2007-08-21T20:37:00.000-04:00

So I went on another trip, this time to Istanbul, Turkey. One of my classmates was getting married, so Mike and I decided to use that as an excuse to take a vacation. Istanbul is fascinating, what with its rich history and culture. It's an interesting mix between Europe and the Middle East. Turkey is about 98% Muslim, which was a change from the predominantly Christan or Jewish places I have been before. The Turkish government, which is democratically elected, is quite secular compared to those in other Middle Eastern countries. Turkey has also been avidly seeking membership in the European Union and is a member of NATO. This makes Turkey a unique environment in which an American can learn about Islam. The country welcomes tourists, and there is PLENTY to see. I highly recommend visiting!

The store owners do like to target tourists with their sales pitches, though. Like Gloriana, I did get propositioned by more than a few folks asking if I would like to buy a carpet. However, I found nearly everyone I met to be quite friendly, especially when compared to the average person you would meet on the street in the United States.

And of course I have pictures:

Back from Switzerland

2007-08-07T09:22:00.000-04:00

I'm back! It was a good trip, and I learned a lot from the class I took at the Graduate Institute of International Studies. Plus, I got a chance to do some sight seeing. Geneva is beautiful, right on the Rhone, and full of gorgeous parks. This picture is of a HUGE fountain they have on Lake Geneva. It shoots water up 132 feet in the air. I could see it from the plane! As you can see, when I took this picture the wind was blowing in such a way as to create a rainbow effect.

I also visited the Art and History Museum while I was there, and I came across this interesting painting. It's from Delft, and I believe that the woman in the picture is using a swift to wind a ball of yarn. I thought it was an interesting piece.

In addition, I managed to knit a bit on the plane to and from Switzerland, so I am now a ways into the border on Highland Triangle #3. With any luck, I will finish it soon!

Back in a Week

2007-07-28T16:53:00.001-04:00

I'm leaving this evening for Switzerland. I'm taking a class in Geneva on the trade policy, but it's only a week long. I'm bringing along highland triangle #3, and I hope to get some good knitting time in on the plane. Back in a week!

Memories

2007-07-21T18:07:00.000-04:00

I was looking through some pictures from college, and I came across this gem. It's a photo of me and several of my friends holding up a blanket we made. Each of us knit and/or crocheted a bunch of squares using leftover yarn, and then Michelle (who is standing in the top right corner of the picture) and I sewed it up into a blanket. The colors we used clashed horribly, but it was a great bonding experience, and we grew to love the ugliness of the blanket. We spent about two years working on this project (off and on), and then we donated it to a local women's shelter. I'm told that it got some good use there.

Highland Triangle #3!

2007-07-14T13:15:00.000-04:00

That's right, I have started Highland Triangle #3 in earnest. This is the last one I have to make for my bridesmaids, and then I can move on to other projects. It's a testament to the pattern that I have been able to knit it three times in a year and not freak out from boredom. Cheryl Oberle did a good job designing something that is interesting to knit without being TOO challenging. I have been happy with the finished results, also. So I give the pattern a thumbs up!

I'm slightly less taken with the yarn I am using, Brown Sheep Nature Spun. It's a decent quality wool, but it gets a bit of a halo that picks up lint easily. This wouldn't be such a problem if I were using a more neutral color, but light lint shows up really easily against black. Nevertheless, this yarn is a good value, and I appreciate that it can come on a cone, making it easy to knit lace from.

Some Movie Reviews and Random Chit Chat

2007-07-07T09:52:00.000-04:00

So I finished knitting Highland Triangle #2. I only need to block it and weave in two ends. Of course, I don't really have room to block it in my apartment, so it may be awhile before that gets done.

Also, I got my invite to Ravelry. My username is quincy134, so please friend me if you want to!

And now, onto the movie reviews. I rented a bunch of stuff last week, plus I caught a few things in the theater. Note that there are some spoilers

Spider-Man 3
This movie was pretty bad. It was too long, much of the dialogue was embarrassing, and I have no idea what they were trying to do with the Tobey Maguire dance sequence in the middle. Unlike the previous two installments, it went totally over the line from quirky to ridiculous. If I were them, I would have cut out the Sandman plot entirely.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
Also not a great movie. It's sad, because I actually kinda enjoyed Dead Man's Chest. But this installment was a bit more perfunctory, finishing up the threads thrown down in the last movie without offering much new. The action sequences were fine, but they didn't have the interesting sight gags that were in the second movie.

The Painted Veil
This movie is beautifully shot, well acted, and nicely designed. But the script leaves something to be desired. There is cliched dialogue ("Forgive me..." "There is nothing to forgive."), and you know the entire time that one of the main characters is going to die. This is a shame, because Edward Norton and Naomi Watts have good chemistry.

History Boys
Of these movies, this is probably the most inventive and the best written. However, I'm not sure what the point of the film was. It's adapted from a Tony Award winning play, and perhaps the stage version makes more sense. One of the main characters is basically a pedophile, but the movie seems to sympathize with him. I'm not sure if it is trying to be provocative or if the author actually believes that such behavior is excusable. If nothing else, the ensemble acting is excellent.

Miss Potter
Out of these five, I probably liked this movie the most. However, it too lacks something in the script and plotting. This may be because the creators were trying to follow the time line of Beatrix Potter's life, or it just may be because the script wasn't well constructed. It's unclear, mainly because I don't know much about Beatrix Potter. Nevertheless, the acting is nice (though at first you think that Renee Zellweger is being a bit over the top), Zellweger and McGregor have good chemistry, and the way they use Potter's drawings to move the story along is visually interesting.

So close!

2007-06-28T09:55:00.000-04:00

I'm working on the bind off on Highland Triangle #2. Of course, it's taking forever, because you have to work two rows of the pattern in order to bind off one stitch. However, I think I can finish soon.

In other news, it is HOT here in Boston. 96 degrees F yesterday. And my office is really poorly air conditioned (I have a cubicle in a room with about 30 other cubicles, and this has 4 old window units trying to cool the whole area.) Plus, some pipe in the ceiling started attracting condensation, which meant there was this giant dripping wet spot in the middle of the room. But it is supposed to drop into the low 70s tomorrow and for the weekend, so it's almost over!

AFI's Top 100 Movies

2007-06-22T13:11:00.000-04:00

I Play with Pins and Needles mentioned that AFI had updated their Top 100 Movies list. This got me curious as to what I had seen on said list. Bold=Seen. *=I really like it.

1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.

2. "The Godfather," 1972.

* 3. "Casablanca," 1942.

4. "Raging Bull," 1980.

*5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.

6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.

7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.

8. "Schindler's List," 1993.

*9. "Vertigo," 1958.

10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.

11. "City Lights," 1931.

12. "The Searchers," 1956.

*13. "Star Wars," 1977.

14. "Psycho," 1960.

15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.

16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.

17. "The Graduate," 1967.

18. "The General," 1927.

19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.

20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.

21. "Chinatown," 1974.

*22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.

23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.

24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.

25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.

26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.

27. "High Noon," 1952.

28. "All About Eve," 1950.

*29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.

30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.

31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.

32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.

33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.

34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.

35. "Annie Hall," 1977.

36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.

37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.

38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.

39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.

40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.

41. "King Kong," 1933.

42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.

43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.

44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.

45. "Shane," 1953.

*46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.

47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.

48. "Rear Window," 1954.

49. "Intolerance," 1916.

*50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.

51. "West Side Story," 1961.

52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.

53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.

54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.

55. "North by Northwest," 1959.

56. "Jaws," 1975.

57. "Rocky," 1976.

58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.

59. "Nashville," 1975.

60. "Duck Soup," 1933.

61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.

62. "American Graffiti," 1973.

63. "Cabaret," 1972.

64. "Network," 1976.

65. "The African Queen," 1951.

66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.

67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.

68. "Unforgiven," 1992.

69. "Tootsie," 1982.

70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.

71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.

72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.

73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.

74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.

75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.

76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.

77. "All the President's Men," 1976.

78. "Modern Times," 1936.

79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.

*80. "The Apartment, 1960.

81. "Spartacus," 1960.

82. "Sunrise," 1927.

83. "Titanic," 1997.

84. "Easy Rider," 1969.

85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.

86. "Platoon," 1986.

87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.

*88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.

89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.

90. "Swing Time," 1936.

91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.

92. "Goodfellas," 1990.

93. "The French Connection," 1971.

94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.

95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.

96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.

97. "Blade Runner," 1982.

98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.

*99. "Toy Story," 1995.

100. "Ben-Hur," 1959.

That's 30 I've seen. I'm happy that Vertigo and Casablanca are so high up there, but I was a little puzzled by The Sixth Sense being on there at all.

The endless border

2007-06-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

I'm plugging away at the border on Highland Triangle #2. I'm tantalisingly close to the bind-off! What has surprised me is how long one cone of Brown Sheep Nature Spun has lasted. I figured that I could get 1 and 1/2 shawls out of one cone, but it looks more like I will get nearly 2.

Another Meme

2007-06-06T10:28:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the kind comments about my Nantucket Jacket! I have now moved on to Highland Triangle #2 again. I'm well into the border now, but there is still a ways to go.

I got this meme from livejournal:

1. Do you knit continental or English? English.

2. How long ago did you learn to knit? Eh, around 1990?

3. First FO? A drawstring bag.

4. Favorite yarn? I'm willing to try most things, but I love merino.

5. Favorite pattern? There was this cabled cardigan from Vogue Knitting a couple years ago. I think I'm going to knit it again.

6. Favorite pattern source? VK and IK magazines.

7. Favorite needles? Denise Interchangables, though I also like aluminum needles.

8. Nicest thing you’ve ever knit? A cabled sweater in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. But the yarn isn't holding up well, so I'm thinking about knitting it again (see question 5).

9. Most hated project? Nothing comes to mind. I always think I'm going to hate something at some point during the knitting, but I usually make peace with it later.

Nantucket Jacket: Finished!

2007-06-03T15:40:00.000-04:00

That's right! I finished the Nantucket Jacket. I really enjoyed knitting this sweater. The cable/twisted stitch pattern is fun, and the gusset shaping is unique. I was dubious about making a wool sweater with elbow-length sleeves, but after wearing it around for a bit, I've decided I like that feature. Overall, it was an enjoyable project that produced an end result I am happy with. However, I am still unsure about the yarn, Berroco Pure Merino. It's very soft, but it stretches a lot. I will have to be very careful when I wash this sweater.

Pattern: Nantucket Jacket from the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits by Nora Gaughan
Needles: US 9 Denise Interchangeables
Yarn: 13 balls of Berroco Pure Merino
Notions: 6 5/8" buttons
Size: 34" chest

Modifications to the pattern: After knitting the waist decreases as written, I knit for 2 extra inches before I did the bust increases. For the sleeves, I knit the sleeves for the next size up, because some people had complained about the sleeves being too tight (however, I don't think this mod was necessary, since the yarn I used is so stretchy). When I crocheted the scallops on the sleeves, I did it with the RS facing and worked in rounds, instead of starting with the WS facing and turning after the first row. For the crochet on the button bands, I did the sc row in one hook size, then I went up two hook sizes for the scallop row. I also did the scallops as *sc, skip 1 st, dc/ch 1/dc/ch1/dc all in next st, skip 1 st* instead of *sc, skip 2 sts, dc/ch 1/dc/ch1/dc all in next st, skip 2 sts*. I found that this made the scallops stand out a bit better. Finally, I worked six buttonholes instead of five.

Block like the wind

2007-05-28T17:26:00.000-04:00

I am so close to being able to put my Nantucket Jacket together. So close! Of course, it takes two days for a piece to dry on my blocking table, so I still have to wait a bit longer.

In the meantime, I should probably go back to Highland Triangle #2. It has been sadly neglected this past month.

In other news, I visited the Adams National Historic Site this weekend. It consists of three historic homes: the house where John Adams (as in the 2nd president of the United States) was born, the house where John Quincy Adams (as in the 6th president of the United States) was born, and the house John Adams retired to (known as the "Old House"). I have been to the site three previous times, but I still love visiting. It's cheap for what it is ($5 admission to all three homes), and the park ranger tour guides are always interesting and quirky. I have learned something new on each visit. This time I took a closer look at the afghan on top of the guest bed in the Old House (it was made by John Quincy's wife, Louisa Catherine). I realized that it was knit. And knit at an incredibly tiny gauge! Can you imagine knitting a roughly queen-size blanket in plain white yarn at what looked to me like DK or sportweight gauge? I was impressed. Below is a picture of me standing next to the side of the Old House in the garden. It's funny, because I have pictures of me standing in that spot both from when I was in high school and college. Can you tell I like this museum? If you are ever in the Boston area, I highly recommend it.

7 Things About Me

2007-05-27T15:19:00.000-04:00

Thank you for your kind comments on my Nantucket Jacket progress.

So Andrea tagged me to list 7 things about myself (thanks for thinking of me, Andrea!). I already did the 6 things version of this, but I thought I would change things up and list 7 things about my knitting.

1) Although I rarely buy clothes in red, I love red yarn. Witness this sweater, this hat, this capelet, these fingerless gloves.... The other common colors for my knits are purple, blue, and gray. As my local knit-bud Michelle says, these are "Gloria Colors."

2) I'm a big fan of cables. The current Nantucket Jacket I'm working on is right up my alley. My other favorite cable project was my Vogue Cabled Cardigan (which I am thinking of knitting again). I also really love the Basic Cable hat pattern from SNBN.

3) Somehow I ended up being a sweater knitter, as opposed to say, a sock knitter. I open up a knitting magazine or a pattern book, and I am immediately drawn to the sweater patterns. Although, I have recently been looking more at lace wraps and socks.

4) I try to mix it up with the fibers I use. I am perfectly willing to use more "craft store" type yarns, such as Lion Brand, Caron, or Red Heart for some projects (I have a pair of mittens done in some acrylic from Wal-Mart that are the hardest wearing knits I own). I also like the inexpensive natural fiber options, such as Knitpicks, Patons Classic Merino, or Brown Sheep. Lately I have been looking into using Valley Yarns, the discount brand WEBS puts out. But I also love the expensive stuff too. Rowan, Berroco, and Classic Elite are favorites. Although sometimes a heaftier price tag does mean better quality, it doesn't always (I have to say I am less than thrilled with Cashmerino from Debbie Bliss, for example). I try to keep an open mind.

5) I go through cycles with my knitting. Sometimes I knit A LOT, then other times I don't touch the needles for weeks. This is usually because I'm working on a different craft, such as sewing.

6) My favorite online source for yarn is WEBS. They have an absolutely amazing brick-and-mortar store too. You cannot beat their 20% discount on orders over $60, and their sales are always way too tempting.

7) I'm a "sit in front of the TV" knitter. I like hearing stuff in the background while I work. My favorite show for knitting is ER.

It seems that most people have been tagged for one incarnation of this meme or another, but if you haven't, please consider yourself tagged!!

Getting closer...

2007-05-25T19:10:00.000-04:00

I finished one of the fronts, and now I am a goodly way into the other side. I can feel this sweater coming together! Except, I'm beginning to think it should have long sleeves, not these elbow-length ones. We'll see how they look.

Knitting Meme

2007-05-22T09:01:00.000-04:00

'bold' for stuff you've done, 'italics' for stuff you plan to do one day, and 'normal' forstuff you're not planning on doing. I got this from I Play with Pins and Needles.

Afghan/Blanket (baby)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl (wrap?)
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backward
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

For the weekend

2007-05-17T11:21:00.000-04:00

Guess who's going to the WEBS Tent Sale and Fiber Festival (scroll down for the info)?!

The Back is FINISHED!

2007-05-13T19:06:00.000-04:00

DONE!

Getting there

2007-05-10T17:57:00.000-04:00

I am back to the armhole shaping on the back. I'm glad I ripped back because the hip gussets do look better now (though you probably can't really see a difference in the photo--it may just be me). Hopefully I can finish this piece soon, and without incident!

Sleeve Number Two

2007-05-07T21:43:00.000-04:00

I finished the second sleeve, and I'm halfway through the back. When I first blocked out the second sleeve, it did stretch out a lot. But I scrunched it up on my ironing board, and it dried back to the right size.

Back on Track!

2007-05-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

I finished the first sleeve on the Nantucket Jacket, and it is blocking right now. It didn't get huge when I took it out of the water, so maybe that will work out. I did make two changes, in that I knitted the sleeve for the next size up (because this pattern has very narrow sleeves) and I omitted the seed stitch along the edges. Now, on to the next sleeve!

Nantucket Jacket: 1, Me: 0

2007-05-01T17:25:00.000-04:00

Remember how I was doing so well with the Nantucket Jacket? Well, scratch that. I realised I had made a mistake back at the top of the seed-stitch hip gores. And although I could have ignored it, I decided to rip. I should really start with a sleeve anyway, to use as a extra-large gauge swatch (a la Grumperina's recent post), since I have grave concerns about how this knit fabric will react to wet blocking. I'm trying to be zen about losing all of that work. It really serves me right for not counting my stitches earlier. I guess it just fits with my past sweater history, as I don't think I have ever knit something this big without a major redo.

Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival

2007-04-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

I attended the Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival this past Saturday. It was a great time! They had a crafts fair, a "fiber tent" with tables from local yarn stores, a sheep dog demonstration, lots of food, and a petting zoo. I got to see plenty of sheep, alpacas, and goats. And to top it off, it didn't start raining until after the festival was over. Go Boston weather for cooperating for once!

I am also a ways into the back of the Nantucket Jacket. I started the armhole shaping this morning, so hopefully I will finish this piece soon. I want to try blocking the back out before I move on to the fronts, because I have heard that Berrocco Pure Merino stretches out after wet blocking. I wet blocked my swatch, and it did expand a bit, but it dried back to a normal size. I just want to make sure that nothing crazy will happen with the final product. I know I probably should have started with a sleeve, since that would have been a smaller piece to test out, but I started knitting the back first out of habit.

Moving Along

2007-04-26T19:19:00.000-04:00

I am a few inches into the back of the Nantucket Jacket. I'm finding the stitch pattern to be surprisingly relaxing. And the yarn, although a little splitty (especially for wool) is quite soft. So far, so good!

And did anyone else see the beautiful knit chuppah in the upcoming summer 2007 issue of IK? It's like they know I'm getting married! Except, there is no way I will ever knit a project that requires 18 skeins+21 cones of yarn.

Swatch Time!

2007-04-22T16:02:00.000-04:00

Somehow, I got a cold this weekend. I felt sick on Friday, but I didn't realize how bad I felt until yesterday. However, things have been much better today.

I did stencil a shirt (for a craftster swap), and then I dug into swatching for the Nantucket Jacket. I think this is the first time I'm knitting a pattern in the exact yarn and colorway that is called for. I usually either go for a yarn that is cheaper, or if I'm treating myself I end changing the color to red, purple, or blue. But this sweater was already knit in a reddish color, and I got the yarn for my birthday.

Spring Cleaning

2007-04-20T10:23:00.000-04:00

Boston appears to have finally escaped the "April Showers" portion of this year's program. Which means it's time to clean out my closets and welcome spring!

I started with my yarn stash. I had taken to just piling knitting stuff up in a corner, but it was getting ridiculous. Now I actually know what I have! Of course, the stash still looks a bit bloated. I need to work on that.

Crochet time!

2007-04-17T09:05:00.000-04:00

I was looking at my rather ridiculously sized yarn stash last night, wondering what I should work on. I didn't want to pick up a big project. As a result, I decided to crochet a hat to match a One Skein Scarf (from the Happy Hooker book) I finished last fall. Nothing fancy: just HDC in Caron Simply Soft. Maybe it will give me the energy to tackle something larger. I did wind a ball of Pure Merino in preparation for the Nantucket Jacket, but that's as far as that went.

In stash accumulation news, I got a late birthday present from the lovely Michelle, two skeins of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud and the book Romantic Knits. Plus I picked up Lace Style. Apparently I'm into lace right now!

It's Raining

2007-04-15T14:04:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting at my desk in the economics department (somehow the grad students got the short straw and are relegated to the basement) listening to the freezing rain/hail mixture that is coming down outside. That's right, it's the end of the spring semester, and I'm in full-on disaster mode. Work, work, work.... I am sorry I've been so laggard in posting lately, but unfortunately school comes first.

But, I do have some knitting plans! I started in on the border for Highland Triangle #2, but somehow I managed to pick up the wrong number of stitches. I was way off. I haven't gotten up the courage to start into that again. However, I do still have all that yummy Pure Merino for the Nantucket Jacket. Maybe it's swatch time?

And PS--thank you all for your kind birthday wishes!

Another Year

2007-03-27T21:34:00.000-04:00

My birthday was on Friday. I had a great time, since I took the day off and just hung around the house. It was quite relaxing. Then a few of my friends came over, and we grabbed dinner and played Taboo (which, surprisingly, did not end in tears). Plus, I got the awesome knitting swag you see pictured here. Beth gave me Victorian Lace Today (which I have been wanting since I first saw it in Barnes and Noble several months back), and Mike's dad gave me enough Berroco Pure Merino to make the Nantucket Jacket that was on the cover of the Winter IK. I see some more knitting in the coming year!

Still Life of Shawl with Ikea Chair

2007-03-12T18:49:00.000-04:00

I finished the center part of Highland Triangle #2. Now I just need to pick up the stitches for the border and then do lots of boring YO's and K2tog's. I wish I could just make those parts of the shawl magically finish themselves. The center pattern is somehow more exciting, even though it's just a bunch of YO's and k2tog's too. Watching them form the diamond patterns makes it more palatable for some reason.

Best and Worst of 2006: Movies

2007-02-28T08:45:00.000-05:00

Now that I have caught up on a bunch of films from the end of last year, I feel that I can make this list somewhat well-informed. There are still things I want to see (Letters from Iwo Jima, Children of Men, The Painted Veil, History Boys), so keep that in mind.

The Best:
1) United 93. This is the only movie I saw from the past year that I wouldn't change at all if I were making it. It was respectful of the tragedy without being soft. I thought Paul Greengrass deserved an Oscar for directing and writing this film.

2) The Queen. Even aside from Helen Mirren's brilliant performance, there was a lot to love here. The script was creative with its material, the direction was appropriately restrained, and the acting was wonderful all around.

3) The Departed. Some things about this movie aren't quite right (re: the psychiatrist storyline). But it is such an amazing collection of performances, that it almost doesn't matter.

4) Little Miss Sunshine. I haven't had as good a laugh watching a movie in a long time.

5) Casino Royale. After the last few somewhat embarrassing Bond movies, this one brought the franchise back into full swing. And Daniel Craig is surprisingly hot, though in an "ugly-hot" sort of way.

6) Thank You for Smoking. Although it doesn't hold up as well after repeated watchings, this is an incredibly creative film. And it's crazy. CRAZY.

7) Wordplay. This isn't a hard hitting documentary, but the love it shows for the subject matter (crosswords) is inspiring.

8) The Good Shepherd. It was too long. The performances were excellent, though.

9) The Pursuit of Happyness. This one is all about Will Smith and his son. The rest of the movie is okay, but they are phenomenal.

10) A Prairie Home Companion. I don't like NPR (I'm slightly deaf in one ear, so I can't hear things that aren't music in the car, which is the only place I listen to the radio). But I have to admire both the performances and the direction in this film. Robert Altman will be missed.

11) Dreamgirls. This was beautifully produced and well-acted. Something is lacking in the pacing, though.

12) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. This film is on probation until the third one comes out, as it's really only one half of a two-part movie. But the joy and creativity that shone through the action sequences was quite enjoyable.

The Worst:
1) X-3: X-Men United. I don't understand what happened. The second one was so good, whereas this one was so flat.

Oscar Wrap-Up

2007-02-27T08:18:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed watching the Oscars this year. I thought Ellen did a good job, keeping the jokes funny but brief and moving things along reasonably quickly. I was pleased with Martin Scorsesee's win (though I thought Paul Greengrass made the better movie). It's also sad that Peter O'Toole has yet to win an Oscar (besides his honorary one). The two highlights of the ceremony for me were the opening film about the nominees and the wierd song routine that Will Ferrell, Jack Black, and John C. Riley did. I loved it when Ferrell sang "Hey Ryan Gosling, you're all hip and now. Well, I'm going to break your hip, right now!"

By my count, I managed to watch 8 of the nominated movies before the ceremony: The Queen, The Pursuit of Happyness, Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed, United 93, Dreamgirls, The Good Shepherd, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. However, I failed to catch Letters from Iwo Jima. But I'm going to make an effort to see it.

Movie Review and a Book Review: Enigma

2007-02-22T19:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, I changed the template. I'm too lazy to use anything but the pre-loaded blogger layouts, but that pink one was beginning to get old. I thought the blue here was soothing, so there you go.

In other news, I recently rewatched Enigma (a movie from 2001), which led to me reading the book it was based on, also Enigma, by Robert Harris.

The Movie
I was impressed with this the first time I watched it, and it holds up really well. The script was written by Tom Stoppard (who wrote Shakespeare in Love, along with a slew of famous plays such as Arcadia, Jumpers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead...). However, the film is incredibly conventional for Stoppard (the storytelling is quite linear and no one ends the movie with a pineapple on their head). But it's a good conventional, in that we get effective storytelling and character development. The acting is solid, led by Dougray Scott as a cryptanalyst, Tom Jericho, working on breaking the German submarine enigma code. He enlists the help of Hester (Kate Winslet) to unravel another puzzle: the disappearance of Tom's former girlfriend, Claire (Saffron Burrows). Both Tom and Hester have to dodge the questions of an oily investigator (Jeremy Northam) who is looking into Claire's whereabouts. And then somehow all this gets dropped into the middle of one of the largest convoy battles of World War II. The story sounds more contrived than it is (or maybe the movie just does a really good job of selling it). The film is quiet and simple, acting like a modest slice of life movie that just happens to also be a war movie. As an added plus, we get some great British character acting, including Matthew Macfadyen (2005's Pride and Prejudice) and Tom Hollander (2005's Pride and Prejudice, and PotC: Dead Man's Chest).

The Book
I was surprised by how similar the movie is to the book. The two are extremely close, except for a brief departure at the very end. Regardless, the book is a different experience, dwelling on details a little longer, and really probing the character of Tom. But the language remains frugal and effective, so this close characterization isn't overdone. My one qualm upon comparing the book and the movie is that Hester is a much stronger character in the latter. The book is really Tom's story, while the movie is more about Tom and Hester. I sort of like the movie's focus more. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

There is one historical note to all of the above. The man actually responsible for many of the British breakthroughs with enigma was Alan Turing, a pioneer of computer science and a man prosecuted for being a homosexual. He was a fascinating person himself, but this book and movie are not at all about him. They are pure fiction.

From the pre-blog file

2007-02-21T09:04:00.000-05:00

I was looking through my photobucket album, and I noticed that I had pictures of this outfit I made a few years ago in college. I never posted pictures here, so I thought I would share. The skirt is basically just knitting around and around in circles, then doing some eyelets for the ruffle. Not rocket science. Then you just sew some elastic into the waistband, and you are good to go! I haven't worn it in a couple years, but it was one of my favorite skirts senior year of college. I think I remember wearing it to the Boston Knit-Out and Crochet that year.

Skirt

Pattern: Rebecca 25
Yarn: Cotton-Ease for the black and Sugar and Cream Cotton for the burgundy (this was before I discovered LYS's with expensive yarn!)
Needles: US 6 Susan Bates circulars

Tank Top

Pattern: none (it's just a panel of st stitch with i-cords attached)

Yarn: Cotton-Ease

Needles: US 6 Susan Bates circulars

Looking ahead

2007-02-21T08:46:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I have had so little knitting content lately. It's because the semester is heating up, and I haven't had time to knit much. I did sew a little, but all I have to show for it is half a skirt. I haven't finished that because I didn't have a zipper for it.

I did want to figure out what is in the "to knit list," though. I stopped planning new projects because I have to knit all those Highland Triangles (I'm on the last repeat of the center chart on #2 right now). But I do have yarn sitting around for these:

1) Cabled boat neck sweater from Debbie Bliss's Cathay book. I got the yarn for this two summers ago in London, but it's just sitting there. The color I have is this bright pink.

2) A hat using this great handspun I got in a Craftster swap from TheBon.

3) A cabled wrap from Wrap Style, using some red Wool of the Andes from knitpicks.com.

4) Enough yarn (it's the blue yarn in that picture) to knit another VK Cabled Cardigan, since the first one I made is getting old and pilly.

5) I'm contemplating the Nantucket Jacket that was on the cover of the winter IK, too. But I don't actually have the yarn for that yet. Maybe I should hold off.

Movie Review: The Departed

2007-02-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

Next up on our magical mystery tour of oscar movies: The Departed. I'm probably the last person in Boston to see this movie.

Overall, I liked it. It was like watching a very slow train wreck, in that you know exactly how it has to end, but you're mesmerized anyway. I could have done without most of the first hour. A little too much set-up. And I hate to say it, since she was the only actress with any lines of note, but I would have trimmed the psychiatrist (Vera Farmiga) storyline too. But the last hour was incredibly riveting. All of the performances were strong, including Leo's, who continues to surprise me. If the first movie you see him in is Titanic, he kinda has to spend the rest of his career trying to dig himself out of a hole. But he has done that admirably since (Catch Me if You Can comes to mind). Matt Damon does a good job of being the glue of the movie, allowing everyone else to be flashier (though Jack Nicholson is flashy no matter what he does). I still don't understand why Alec Baldwin's and Mark Wahlberg's characters had so much hair, but their performances were great examples of perfect character acting. And I forgot that Martin Scorsese doesn't just have a verbal ADD style (watching his interviews is fascinating) but also a visual ADD kick. It works, though.

Next up: Letters from Iwo Jima, if I can get out to the theater.

Movie Review: United 93

2007-02-11T09:39:00.000-05:00

I was scared to watch this movie. Watching something about 9/11 when the memories are still so vivid ... but I'm very glad that I did. This film is an important story, and it will be an important document of 9/11 50 years from now. When Mike and I started the movie, I was nervous that something in it would be handled poorly, embarrassing the memory of the event, instead of honoring it. But that moment never came. Paul Greengrass (who wrote and directed) deserves great credit for creating the best constructed movie I have seen from 2006, and doing it with such emotional source material. Many of the people involved in that day (FAA officials, air traffic controllers, military personnel) play themselves, and that works surprisingly well. The film is also a scathing indictment of the administration, showing us how little ability our airspace control system as a whole had to deal with a situation of this magnitude, despite the heroic efforts of individual members. As a result, the passengers and crew of United 93 are on their own, and their final act is captured movingly and appropriately in this film.

Next Up: The Departed

Movie Review: Little Miss Sunshine

2007-02-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to seeing this one. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Some people have told me that they loved it, others not so much. I think the problem is that this movie is based on a series of utter unbelievabilities. How exactly did this gangly, not entirely beautiful Olive (Abigail Breslin) win a local beauty contest to begin with (or even come in second)? How did Steve Carell's Frank self destruct so badly as to go from being a successful professor at Yale (the university isn't mentioned by name, but I think that was implied) to needing a teenager to be his suicide watch? How did Dwayne (Paul Dano) survive public school without speaking for 9 months? In what world would the bastardish Richard (Greg Kinnear) marry a caring woman like Sheryl (Toni Collette)? This movie makes no apologies for this set-up. In fact, the opening scene just throws it on the dinner table without any fanfare. If you accept it, the rest of the movie works. If you don't, it doesn't. I accepted it.

Next up: United 93.

Movie Review: Dreamgirls

2007-02-03T17:57:00.000-05:00

Mike and I are trying to watch at least one Oscar movie a week all of February, so as to be able to catch up before the ceremony. First up was Dreamgirls.

I was impressed with the production values on this film. The acting was solid, making good use of interesting casting (Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson did give Oscar-caliber performances). Bill Condon's direction was smooth, guiding us through years worth of plot. However, I was less than taken by the music. It seemed slick and unemotional, cooked up for the stage. The singers did their best to liven things up, but there was something fake about it. The other issue I had was that the pacing was a tad off. The movie would dwell on one thing for a LONG while, then skip forward suddenly. I just didn't buy it. Nevertheless, it was definitely worth seeing.

Next up: Little Miss Sunshine.

Oscars 2007

2007-01-23T16:23:00.000-05:00

Nominations are out! I've held off on making my best of 2006 list for movies because I haven't seen everything from last year that I wanted to see.

So far, I have seen the following Oscar nominees: The Pursuit of Happyness (Best Actor), The Queen (Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, and others), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects). This is a pathetically small list! I am hoping to see The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine, Dreamgirls, and perhaps Letters from Iwo Jima before the ceremony. I also sort of want to see Blood Diamond (though I've heard the film is only so-so; it's apparently a case of good acting in an average movie) and United 93 (if I can stomach that).

Highland Triangle #2!

2007-01-19T16:27:00.000-05:00

I have been knitting like crazy lately, so I am through 5 out of 6 repeats of the main body pattern. Then on to the neverending border.... I don't have pictures, but the shawl looks just like the last one, so it shouldn't be hard for you to use your imagination.

In other news, I have been sewing, and I made two new regency dresses. You can see pics at my livejournal.

Best and Worst of 2006: Installment Two

2007-01-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

Next up, books! Note that the books included here are from those I read in 2006, not from those published in 2006. I'm not that up to date on my reading material. Also a warning: I didn't get much time to read for fun this year. Even when I was riding the subway to work in the summer, I spent most of my time reading The Economist. So this list is short. *Sniff*

The Best:
1) Daughter of Fortune and Zorro, both by Isabelle Allende. Allende has an amazing voice. She carefully crafts a detailed world for her characters, but doesn't let the environment overpower the story and plot (unlike some talented authors...I'm looking at you, Tom Clancy!). Both of these books examine the immigrant experience with breathtaking honesty and poignancy.

2) Jane and His Lordship's Legacy by Stephanie Barron. Barron's Jane Austen mysteries is one of the best historical mystery series I have ever read. Although early installments were a little obvious (as in you could spot the villain well before the reveal) and mired in their attempts at historical scholarship (Barron frames the books as lost letters and manuscripts by Jane Austen herself), Barron has managed to get past the gimmicks and write engaging stories. This entry is the best of those I have read (I haven't yet gotten to the newest book, which was just released), a fitting end to the Jane/Lord Trowbridge relationship. I'm just not sure where we go from here, as Jane died relatively young, and the series is now nearing the last years of her life.

3) Cavalcade by Walter Satterthwaite. This is the third mystery in the Phil Beaumont and Jane Turner series. In it Jane and Phil investigate an assassination attempt on Hitler. It's a really weird book, but Satterthwaite makes his characters accessible and really tries to take the darkness of his subject matter seriously. But not too seriously. If you want to check out this series, I would recommend starting from the beginning, though (with Escapade). The previous two entries were stronger.

Honorable mentions to Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding and North by Northanger by Carrie Bebris. Just some chick-lit goodness.

The Worst:
1) The Edwardian mystery series by Marion Chesney. These mysteries are on crack. Chesney just likes to jump from one situation to the next, without any explanation, and then suddenly reveal the murderer in a cliched final reveal scene. Skip these.

2) Yet again, all the books I didn't get to read this year. Damn you, lack of free time!

Best and Worst of 2006: Installment One

2007-01-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's that time again! Time for Gloria to make pointless lists about what sort of books, tv, and movies she was into this past year. I know I'm running a bit late, but bear with me; I've been dealing with end of semester stuff.

Let's get the ball rolling with TV.

The Best:
1) ER. This has been at the top of my list now for two years in a row. This is probably because it is my favorite show ever. I realize that this makes me a little biased. However, this show has also been surprisingly successful for NBC during it's 13th (!) season, so much so that they decided not to put it on mid-season hiatus. Season 12 ended strongly, with a massive shoot-out in the ER and with Abby going into labor. Season 13 has been even tighter, with effective guest appearances by Sally Field and Forest Whitaker. But now Laura Innes is leaving! She made Dr. Weaver an interesting and compelling character for 11.5 seasons. Yet, I have faith in the show's continued strength. Even John Stamos is working for me (I got over the Full House connotations).

2) The Closer. This show just keeps getting better. The second season had more zany moments, which really endeared it to me. Even the mysteries are getting less stupid. Kyra Sedgwick is doing a wonderful job, and the entire cast meshes incredibly well. This is the series that will restore faith in the police procedural.

3) The West Wing. It's over! The show ended after 7 years. I was very impressed by their ability to rewrite things after the untimely death of John Spencer. They managed to honor his work while still carrying on with the plot. I'm still a little miffed at the way in which things ended for Toby, but at least he didn't go to prison. And Bradley Whitford finally got me to love Josh, despite the fact that he's a self-righteous bastard. Somehow I like John Wells' softer Josh better than Aaron Sorkin's crazy "I know what I'm doing so just do what I say" Josh. I know, that's blasphemy, but I respect John Wells and Aaron Sorkin. It was a fitting end to a great show.

4) Veronica Mars. I started in on this show just this season. Then Mike and I watched the DVDs of seasons 1 and 2 in about a week. Suffice it to say that I am now obsessed with this show. Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring are phenomenal. Plus the mysteries are compelling (if a little oddly plotted and paced--I hate how they sometimes drop things for episodes at a time). I do think that the Lily Kane case is the best arc the show will ever have, and that it suffers now because of it. But I'll still watch for the Logan and Veronica scenes alone. It seems unlikely that this show will get another season (they only got a 20 episode order for this one). I just hope Logan and Veronica end up together in some suitably happy relationship.

5) Heroes. This show creeps me out. The gore in the indestructible cheerleader scenes is a bit much for me. But so far it has been really well constructed, with tight cliffhangers. And it balances a lot of characters effectively. I've been a fan of Adrian Pasdar since he had a recurring role on Judging Amy, so I'm pleased to see him, even if he is playing a horrible person (though I am sure he will be redeemed somehow). It is also great to see Milo Ventimiglia and Greg Grunberg (of Gilmore Girls and Alias, respectively). Plus the Tim Sale artwork is beautiful, as always.

6) Scrubs and 30 Rock. All hail the return of Must See TV Thursdays! I am not normally a sitcom person, but these two are just too much fun to pass up. Plus, they're on right before ER, so it's no big deal to turn on the TV a little early. At first I was puzzled by 30 Rock, but Alec Baldwin kept me coming back. But now the show is genuinely hilarious. Scrubs has always been strong, and it is just rolling through what looks to be another great season (apparently its last, as Zack Braff is not coming back).

7) Gilmore Girls. It's weird without Amy Sherman Palladino, but Gilmore Girls is still trucking along. At first I was afraid that the dialogue was going to get just fake enough to become annoying (it's not as if it has ever been that natural). But the new show runners seem to have ironed that out. I really hope Lorelai can just settle down and be happy. Christopher is trying so hard to make their relationship work. The Rory/Logan storyline is getting a bit boring though. Somehow Rory is just not as cute as she used to be. I did love the knitting episode. Lorelai even had a shirt from Craftster!

8) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. This show has SO much promise. Great cast, great director, great writer...but somehow it's not quite right yet. Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry are really working it, as are Amanda Peet and Steven Webber, but the plots and dialogue aren't really singing. Many of the situations feel stilted (after having watched West Wing and some Sports Night, I keep thinking, "...and here is where we get the patented Aaron Sorkin touchy feely scene...and here is the classic freak out scene...etc."). But Nevada Day was nice, and I still have faith that this many talented people will make something of this show.

Honorable mention to Without a Trace. There is just something about Anthony LaPaglia that is watchable.

The Worst:
1) Alias. Arrrrrrrgh! At least they brought Michael Vartan back. That and the fact that Victor Garber's Jack ended the show credibly are really the only saving graces. I would prefer to forget that seasons 4 and 5 ever existed.

2) CBS for canceling Smith after only a few episodes. I was very intrigued to see John Wells working on a show that had such unlikeable characters. And the first episode was so well made that I thought it could be a feature film. A good feature film. Ah well, better luck next time.