Another season, another weight panic.

Time and time again, I get to a point where I feel fat and inconvenienced by my size/weight.  Two weeks ago I had quite an atrocious practice that lead me to the gym in a frustrated determination to run a mile.  Just out of the blue, I ran.  Since then, I have been avoiding alcohol and logging my intake.  I even bought a vívofit to track my movement (and lack of sleep) which unfortunately I can't fully exploit because I have a Chromebook.  Maybe some day.  In the meantime, here are my measurements, compared to feb 12, 2013 (the last full log I have) and jan 23, 2015 for the basic MFP stuff.

Weight 181.2 lbs (down from 184.6 the monday two weeks ago that I got triggered)

Chest 38" > > 40.5"

Arms 10.75" > > 11.75"

Hips 36" > 40" > 41"
Waist  > 37.5" > 41.5"

Natural Waist 32.5" > 32" > 35.25"

Thighs 20.75" > > 21.125"

Calves 15.75" > 16" > 16.125"

Forearms  9" > > 10.25"

Shoulders 42" > > 43.5"

Neck 13.5" > > 14"

Oh yeah, I got cast as the Narrator in Rocky Horror Show.  I have 3.3 months left to do something about this.  I guess it isn't as atrocious as if I had been cast anybody else.  They don't specifically expect the Narrator to prance around in underwear.  I also really just want to get my balance back when I skate -_-;;

So, I'm counting calories and logging food (Dan claims he'll help me recalculate BMR), skating mon/wed, playing pick up soccer on tuesdays, and trying to do as much gym/skate/jog/ingress on the other four days.  And I've been drinking water like it is going out of style.  Mio and Lippton drops are like crack.

Helmet!

Pretty pretty pretty please let me get a helmet that actually fits this time and doesn't suck.


1A. Head circumference around the forehead:  23 5/8"

1B. Head circumference around the nose:  24 1/2 

1C. Head depth at forehead:  7 3/8 

1D. Head depth at nose:  8 1/4 w/hair 

1E. Head height - crown to chin:  8 3/4 

1F. Head height - crown to neck base:  10 3/8 (NO armor) 

1G. Center of eye to chin:  4 5/8 

1H. Center of eye to crown:  3 7/8 

1I. Head width between temples:  5 1/4 

1J. Head width between ears:  6 1/2 

2A. Neck circumference at collar:  14 1/2 neck, 17 3/4 WITH braid 

2B. Shoulder length:  5 1/4 

2C. Length of neck:  3 1/4

Autumn in The Valley

I've been a bit sporadic in my updates...  But life has had its changes, and I will probably be getting back on track.  I flew down to Texas in August to empty out my mother's storage unit and drive her truck back to PA to sell.  It was amazing to be able to spend two days with Amalthea and Kakashidactyl, and to meet some of Burn's oldest friends.  And then I got home to a lot of bullshit and debt.  So, in order to get everything back in order, I decided to transfer back to SCAR.

So what am I supposed to do with 15 hours back into my week, no longer stuck in the car commuting 80 miles each way, three times a week?  I was a Phantom in Rocky Horror.

It was a blast!  It was also another three months of no life outside of Derby and rehearsals.  I'm the christmas ham on the left.  

As soon as the mic packs were off, we all ran to get pizza.  OMG, The Arena's pizza is SO GOOD!  Kuges got a whole series of pictures with people stuffing their faces with said delicacy.  It rocked.

So now that I "have time", I plan on updating the last three swaps I was in (Alice In Wonderland, Buffy and ... I could have sworn I'm missing a third one...), finishing all those half socks, and the sweater I started for Burn last winter.  And maybe I might even knit something for myself this year!  You can also expect to see a huge thanksgiving post coming in a few weeks MUAHAHA and a lot of makeup swatches.  Blame it on Cephalogal, who should be scheduling some Crafty Bitches shenanigans already.

Cutting Time

So I tried to do paleo last month and it was a complete failure.  The lines were so blurry that I really can't justify not eating ice cream.  So I basically took the month off and ate anything I wanted.  But now that March has started, I have gone into a cutting phase.  

And let me tell you one thing, it sucks!  But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Dan found this Keto Calculator which helps you know how much you need of what macro nutrient depending on your weight, exercise level, and goals.  This is where I stood March 1st:

32/F/5'10" | CW 162.6 | 22.2% BF | moderate exercise

* 1363 kcal Goal (1362 min, 2374 max)

* 10g Carbohydrates

* 120g Protein (81g min, 158g max)

* 94-206g Fat

I've been trying to get 1400 kcals on days I don't do exercise, with the option to eat a few hundred more when I skate (there's a whole 1000 kcal window).  I weighed in at 158.8 this morning, almost four pounds less than four days ago, but I atribute them to debloating after getting off carbs.

My intention is to follow this through April and the end of the play, then alternating with bulking every six weeks after that.  If I don't finally lose that ponch after this, I will be very, very furious.

LIFT ALL OF THE THINGS!

During the holidays, which spanned most of halloween through epiphany, I ate everything I could find.  I went down to Mexico and there was no way I wasn't going to fill up on quesadillas, tacos and tamales, or have chocolate at christmas, or wine at new years... yeah.  The weird thing is that I got to the point where I no longer felt going in and out of keto.

Of course, all this food brought along its friends who bullied me into getting serious into exercise.  I started January 9 with the Stronglifts 5x5 program and, while I am still neurotic every day that I am fluffy and keep gaining weight, Dan keeps reminding me that I AM getting much stronger, my form is epically better, and I'm even seeing an improvement in my skating after having taken december off.

When I started with derby 2.5 years ago, I was 185 lbs.  In the first few months of keto I dropped to 165, with an all time low of 145 for a very short time.  I have been stable mostly between 150-155, but went up to 160 while away.  After a few days of strict keto, I got back to the low 150's, but back up to 160 with the month of lifting.

And now I decided to go off keto and have gone up to 165 this wonderful week of Carnaval.  I've been playing with the idea of trying Paleo, but really can't find the logic to it.  The lines are too tenuous and shifting, and Paleo means so many different things to people.  Someone shared this post on the Seven Shades Of Paleo and it started to gel with me.

So, in theory, I plan on trying this Paleo thing (Lent?) but follow the more basal definition of it.  I want to avoid eating (to a certain degree) over-processed foods in favor of more natural foods.  Have I told you how much I had missed fruit?  I have been eating the everloving shit out of it the past week!  And milk.  Damn, did I miss milk.  But yeah, less processed foods.  Steel cut oats instead of rolled oats or other chemically processed cereals.  Milk, fruit, meat, veggies.  

Another thing that I'm having trouble with is completely changing my appetite.  Yes, I'm craving fruit and milk, but I'm also still craving ALL OF THE CHEESE and meat and cream, but now it really disagrees with me, especially if it follows or is combined by some large source of carbs.  This is something I need to work on.  I need to find a balance where I'm not constantly starving or stuck to the toilet.

Now, for something more interesting:  data!

Jan 11 > Feb 12

Squat 5x5 @ 65 lbs > 110

Bench press 5x5 @ 45 lbs > 60

Deadlift 1x5 @ 135 lbs > 175

Barbell Row 5x5 @ 65 lbs > 70

Standing Dumbell Press 5x5 @ 30 lbs > Standing Plate Press 2x5 @ 45 + 3x5 @ 35 lbs

Chest 37" > 38"
Arms 10" > 10.75"
Hips 37.75 > 36"
Waist 33" > 32.5"
Thighs 20" > 20.75"
Calves 14.25" > 15.75"
Forearms 8" > 9"
Shoulders 41" > 42"
Neck 12" > 13.5"

(PS:  I'm on bodybuilding.com and MyFitnessPal for anybody willing to harass me)

Swap Partnerz

> Fantasy Authors Jan 2013 > dabasque
ChiFiberArtist > Tea Swap November 2012 > Justgotatbeme
robotfactory > Roller Derby Swap October 2012 > scarletampersand
knittinkitten13 > Buffy Swap the Third October 2012 > OeuHyasten
nubsmom > Star Wars June 2012 > loopiedoo
Winter Madness December 2011 - MediaPeruana
meglw2008 > TARDIS September 2011 > Pinksonia

Big Damn Heroes September 2011 - Aranov

JustAKnitWit > Buffy August 2011 > maureenbr

meredithparker > Steampunk June 2011 > Caitinc


henchwench > Hennson April 2011 > Melinda77520

Sparkleshan > DotD September 2010 > JoanC2

Lalsox > zombie 2010 > therowantree

divamaglia > Buffy August 2010 > Saberpirate


Ocean angel July 2010 > lycanthropica

ladyval75 > Firefly May 2010 > drewbird

heathen13 > DHSAB May 2010 > swamps42

Twilight April 2010 - xmasangel69

Neighbors: cephalogal, isilzhaFriends 

IRL: nanonukie, snowpony, scarletampersand

Wish List Post 227

Measurements
Head: 22.5”
Neck: 13”
Shoulders: 44”
Upper arm: 11”?
Sleeve: 25”
Sleevespan: 60”
BOOBS! 38”
“natural waist”: 32.5”
Bellybutton: 36”
Hip bones: 34”
Widest part of ass: 38”
Thigh: 22”
Calf: 15”
Foot: 10”
Floor to knee: 20”
Belt to knee: 21”
Collar to belt: 19”
Wrist: 6.5”
Wrist to tip of middle finger: 7.5”
Palm: 4”
Around knuckles: 7.5”

Docs

I figured I'd start making a catalogue of all the Docs I own...

1999: Brown 8 holes, with a more square toebox. I outgrew them before I ever wore them down.


~2000: the only pair I ever got rid of. Got them small because they were the only size in stock, before everything had a zipper. I took them to many concerts, but didn't love them as much because the leather was always too stiff and bent into my achilles.


2007: I got these for fighting in beige with a grass and butterfly lazer print. They are the softest leather and very nice, but the zipper is a bitch to all my socks.


2008: Christina. Damn, I love these shoes! I have worn through half the heel in the last three years because I wear them so much!


2008 (same purchase) or 2009: Thema. Gorgeous. I love these boots, but they are annoying to put on because of my heel getting stuck in the straps.


2010: 1914 Triumph. They are the first I ever saw that are lined and fold over. Very comfy!


2010: Same purchase. Darcie, cherry red rub off. I like them, they are comfortable, they aren't my favorite. I don't know why...



This week I plan on purchasing another pair of 1914 Triumphs; brown with flowered lining. I also want a pair of 8 holes in black flowered canvas, and a pair of plain green 8 holes, but I should probably draw the line somewhere...

ETA: Yeah, I drew the line. One pair farther than that.

These are a few of my favorite things.

I am a nerd. Seriously, nerdy things make me extremely giddy. If something related to any of these things finds itself into one of my packages, I will squee very loud.

- Buffy
- Firefly
- Dollhouse
- Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog
- Anything Joss Whedon (including Roseanne)
- New Doctor Who (someday I'll pay more attention to the old stuff)
- Star Wars
- Dungeons and Dragons (though not 4E)
- Society for Creative Anachronism, focusing on early 16th century Spain, preferably Basque
- Spiderman
- Wolverine
- Rogue
- Phoenix
- the rest of the X-Men
- Iron Man
- the new series of movies leading up to the Avengers
- Hello Kitty
- Metroid (Samus Aran has green hair bob damnit!)
- treehugging
- more fiber crafts than I will ever have time to complete
- cooking
- force feeding people

Second Annual Buffy Swap

I am still putting the finishing touches on my steampunk swap, and I've already had my Buffy partner for two weeks -_-;; I know exactly what I'm making (still kind of dubious on the yarn), so I shouldn't be too far behind. Since BDK will be announcing partners tonight, I better get a crackin'.

Here will be my compilation of questions asked in both Buffy swap threads. Don't forget to look through the rest of my blog if you have any other curiosities!

CHECK IN QUESTIONS

Signup:

1) What kind of crafting do you do?

Knit, crochet, spin and sew, mainly.

2) Fav colors/combinations

Check the blog and the wishlist, but I love blood red, autumn/fire colors, and jewel tones. Anything that is strong!

3) Least favorite colors

pastels and pink

4) Favorite fibers/yarns

anything natural, with a maximum of 20% nylon if need be (for socks).

Check the yarn post I made a couple of days ago.

5) List some Small items you would like to have

I can never have enough stitch markers or bags of all sizes!

7) Things you don’t need or want

Other knitting notions are already taken care of.

8) List as many sizes as you can

Full body measurements are also on blog

9) What is something you would like to receive in this swap? (keep price limits in mind

something creative, definitely useful, preferably wearable. I don’t have display space, and my cat eats everything. I’d love something that showed off my love of the Buffyverse to the whole world!

10) Would you like the package to be a more detailed buffy theme or random buffy?

Either can be interesting.

11) Where do you stand on things like make up, nail polish, jewelry, and hair items?

I very rarely wear make up (and I have more than enough!) or nail polish (though I love it) or jewelry (no necklaces, please), but I love stuff for my hair! I also specifically don’t use bath products or lip balm/gloss that I didn’t make myself because (I am a dirty hippie) the scents are almost always too overpowering. If you make it yourself, go right ahead!

12) Do you have any hobbies (other then fiber ones lol ex: reading, writing, photography, drawing ect.)

Roller derby and reading.

13) Do you have pets or children who like to receive little things as well?

No thanks, he’s more than spoiled already!

14) List anything else you think useful (we want your partner to have as much to go on as possible in order to make your package amazing and just right for you!)

My blog is pretty indicative of who I am.

15) Do you promise to be a good partner, fulfill all obligations, and send out a package made with just as much time care and love as the one you would like to receive?

You’re darn tootin!

Partner Assignment

1) What are your favorite snacks, treats or drinks?

I am currently on a ketogenic diet, so I don’t eat any carbs or sugars. I wouldn’t trust anything premade, since even diabetic candies are only -low- in sugar, but have much more than I can eat. Um, no-carb protein shakes and bars? Yeah, sorry about that.

2) What types of things do you knit or crochet?

I mostly knit for swaps and other people. I love lace and texture, and stay away from self striping yarns or yarns with quick and abrupt color changes. Amigurumis, shawls, scarfs, socks, gloves, whatever project is required!

3) What one pattern from your faves or queue are you itching to make but you haven’t the time, skill or supplies?

I have a huge stash, so supplies have never been an issue, but I’ve never had time to knit anything bigger than a hat for myself. I’d love one of the MMario shawls or a sweater.

4) And if you have a wishlist somewhere else like etsy, amazon, knitpicks, etc. please post a link for easy stalking. :-)

I don’t have any wishlists, but my blog is pretty indicative of what I like. I’ve started posts that list yarns that I want and things that I want for swaps.

5) Do you have an anti-wish list? Like allergies, annoyances, colors/fibers and overstocked notions.

I don’t do art yarn or fun fur or acrylic. Yarns components need to be > 80% natural, but I don’t mind their nature or origin. As far as colors, I knit with solid, semi-solid, transitional/gradients, or anything that won’t look odd when knit in a lacy fashion. As far as allergies, I am very sensitive to scents and soaps, so please no bath products, chapsticks, or highly scented things.

September 3

1) Fav Buffy character/ why

While I am quite passionate about the whole ensemble, and have an intense love/hate relationship with each one of the characters, Anyanka is the one I have found the most to relate to. I’ve been living in the US for six years now, and I still can’t quite put my finger on how people function here. I’m just that perpetual outsider that constantly manages to stick a foot in her mouth.

2) Fav season

I’m big on 6. I love how everything that is happening is just -normal-. Yeah, it’s great to have evilness with super powers, but it’s surviving the little things that really matters.

3) Fav episode

One? Damn. OMwF? I love all of the classics, like Hush, Dopplegangland, Zeppo, Band Candy, Smile Time. The Body makes me cry like a little baby every single time.

4) Have you read or would you be interested in the comics?

I have the first couple of comics and have been meaning to read them, but can’t seem to get around to them. I wouldn’t mind a compilation of them.

5) Buffy books?

Never read any of them. Color me intrigued.

6) Buffyverse Quotes you use often?

OMG, did it sing?

Don’t speak latin infront of the books!

Beer good.

The hardest part of life is living it.

They got the mustard out.

Bored now.

7) Fav big bad?

Life.

8) Do you like the show Angel as well as Buffy?

Angel had wonderful standalone episodes and characters, and the first and last season were really good, but there were several main plots I just didn’t care for.

9) Do you like buffy with Angle or Spike?

OH BOB PLEASE BOTH!

10) Do you have any other fav character relationships?

This goes back to me loving/hating everybody on the show. After the fifth watch through, you really notice everybody’s flaws. Willow/Oz, then that stupid werewolf interferes. Willow/Tara, then Willow becomes a junkie. Buffy/Angel, then he gets all mopey and leaves. Buffy/Spike, but she never allows herself to let go and feel. Giles/Joyce, then they kill her. Xander/Anya, but he’s an idiot. Xander/Cordelia, but he’s an idiot. Spike/Dru, but then she is insane… Fred/Wesley, but then she goes all demony and crap.

SWAPPER QUESTIONS

Handmades: I love ALL handmades! I’m a bit obsessed. And since I always end up giving away the things I make, I don’t really have many for myself. I’m in PA, and it snows 7/12 months. I love anything shawl/glove/hat related, but wool socks make my feet swampy. I’m willing to try something thin, like cotton or bamboo ones, but I do love leg warmers!As far as toys, I have a huge cat that devours EVERYTHING. So please no toys, and especially no dust catcher! (unless it is a Smile Time puppet, then I can be persuaded)

Collect: I love things that are useful, and if anything I collect big mugs.

Media: I have the Buffy and Angel sets, and the first couple of comics. I’d love anything else!

Do you have any specifications for how you like you gloves, socks, hats or shawls? i.e. length, thickness, materials

As far as socks, 100% wool makes my feet swampy, but I'd love to try any other more breathable/wicking material. Any length would be nice. I also like them tighter rather than looser. Gloves are all ok, preferably at least mid forearm or longer. Hats are very nice, and I like them like anything I've already knit or in my queue. Shawls are also all wonderful!

How do you feel about blingy, sparkly, or other “novelty” yarns? Not just typical novelties like fun fur, but also those with stellina content (Blue Heron Rayon Metallic, DIC Starry, Stroll Glimmer) or other “additives.”

I normally hate novelty yarns, but I'm ok with stellina and minor additives. As long as it looks even as I knit it, I'm fine. I've also been jonesing for Astral in Sexy and Regenerate.

Do you like/will you use straight knitting needles? Are you a circ only fan? How bout DPNs?

I only use circs and DPNs. I have an AddiClick set and a few AddiCircs for socks. Straight needles just always felt cumbersome, since I can always use DPNs for smaller projects and circs for heavier ones.

If you have a pattern book (or any book) on a wishlist, will you accept a gently used version?

I am a dirty hippy, so anything that has been pre-loved (well, ok, there are definitely a couple of things that don’t apply…) is always a plus. I especially love used books that have annotations in them, since I love trying to imagine what the previous owner was thinking when they wrote it.

Would you like your swap partner to knit/crochet/create something out of your favorites, or should we leave that stuff to you?

Ooo, favorites. When I tag something as favorite, it doesn’t necessarily mean I want it for myself. I normally am appreciating the work or like some detail from it. My queue, on the other hand, is well tagged with things I actually want for myself. I would love something from my queue! I “plan” on making them one day, but unless it is already on my project page, I don’t actually have -plans- to make it.

Would you like to receive something by/starring a cast/crew member of Buffy? For example and SMG film, other Joss project etc?

I make an effort to watch things that involve Whedonites. I have Buffy and Angel, and have already watched/bought most SMG movies. “Timer” was really cool, too! As much as I enjoy these random productions, it’s not the same if Joss isn’t part of it. I absolutely adore Roseanne, Firefly, DHSAB and Dollhouse, so anything that might sneak in is fine.And Buffy Staked Edward, The End.I love the saying, but I already have the shirt :P I wouldn’t mind it on anything else, though!

Scarves: As well as shawls, I like them all. It snows 7/12 months here and they are predicting a harsh winter this year. As long as it isn’t too stiff, I likes ^_^

Coasters/potholders: I’ll toss in washcloths/scrubbies and say no thank you.

Clone me!

So, every swap I'm in always asks for the oddest measurements. I also tend to sew some odd things, so I'm going to take a bunch of measurements, starting from the top!

HEAD
Hat band = 58 cm
Head band = 40 cm
Neck circumference = 35 cm
Neck lenght = 10 cm

BODY
Shoulders, flat (front) = 45 cm
Shoulders, around = 106 cm
Over chest = 98 cm
Chest (with bra) = 106 cm
Nipple to nipple = 20 cm
Under breast = 90 cm
Natural waist = 87 cm
Pants waist = 101 cm
Clavicle to breast = 22 cm
Clavicle to navel = 44 cm
Back of neck to natural waist = 34 cm

ARMS
Shoulder to elbow = 33 cm
Elbow to wrist = 28 cm
Sleeve = 65 cm
Arm pit up = 45 cm
Arm pit around = 31 cm
Wrist = 17 cm

HAND
Wrist to fingers = 10 cm
Middle finger = 8 cm
Around hand and thumb = 23 cm
Around hand, under thumb = 19 cm
Inner thumb length = 6 cm
Pinky length = 5.5 cm

LEGS
Hips = 100 cm
Thigh = 59 cm
Mid thigh = 53 cm
Knee = 37 cm
Calf = 40 cm
Ankle = 22.5 cm
Wide ankle = 29 cm
Bridge of foot = 24 cm
Ball of foot = 22 cm
Print length = 25 cm
Floor to knee = 48 cm
Knee to hip = 44 cm
Floor to mid thigh = 67 cm
Floor to widest calf = 32 cm

Did I miss anything?

Lisa, it's my birthday! Happy birthday... uuu... me!

Last wednesday was my 30th birthday!!! I am very excited about this fact, and the week I had ^_^ It started on friday the 13th, when I was informed that I got an NSF fellowship, CarbonEARTH, where I get to teach science to 4th or 8th graders!!! I re-enrolled in the PhD program (I got my MS last may) and now I really want to take some teaching classes (maybe work towards a teaching certificate). There's a class called "History, Philosophy, & Sociology of Science and Science Teaching" that just sounds beyond amazing! Now I just need to badger the teacher to let me take it.

Tuesday was also cool, since I played soccer and then got fondue. I love fondue! We are actually going to celebrate tomorrow, since many people were out of town or exhausted. Then wednesday, several cool people came out to karaoke with me! I made a proper fool of myself and had so much fun ^_^

Someday there will be a video here, if they let me upload it >.<

Thursday and friday were a bit less cool, since I had to do actual work, mainly beat the NMR into submission and chase people around for my re-enrollment. But then I went kayaking on saturday! Wow I'm in pain. I went to a really cool party that night of another girl that turned 30, where we got stickers on our back and had to guess what/who they were. I always love these kind of things. Then sunday was The Roller Derby :D

HARD had their homecoming bout, where they pummeled NJ 212-93. It was amazingly violent and full of time outs! And now I seriously caught the RD bug. I was already thinking of driving the hour and a half back on wednesday for Fresh Meat night, when a friend told me Williamsport has a brand new team. I emailed them as soon as I got home, and they responded! So I'm driving there after work today (only an hour, and no mountains) to get a feel for how serious they are about it. I'm still really pissed that the Craigslist ad I found several months ago didn't go anywhere. But hey, I am totally going to make this happen now!

me me me meeeeee!

I am currently participating in three swaps over on Rav, and I figured I'd set up something to help them out.

I am a very odd person with a much odder sense of humor. I love "morbid" things, in the sense that the human body fascinates me! I didn't study it because I'm lazy, but I love it when my friends who did tell me all about it. One of the highlights of last year was going to the National Forensics Symposium with my best friend that plays with dead bodies for a living.

My About Me has the list of all the crafts I have done in the past. I am all across the board! The only thing I've never gotten into is painting. I'm great at technical drawings and anything that involves capturing what I see, but I am by no means an artist and I have no idea how to "interpret my feelings" and shit. (did I mention that I am very badmouthed?) My current fixation is spinning and knitting. Not that you could tell, since my knitting meter hasn't gone up in the last several months. (I have a swap project I haven't recorded, and I don't add what I've ripped or haven't finished yet, so there are three incomplete pairs of socks missing, too. Also, a partial sweater sleeve and a shawl I just started.) As far as difficulty, I love to make my life impossible! I always end up recalculating and mixing and matching and changing patterns. There is no such thing as a difficult pattern! You just have to concentrate a bit more at first, and then it flows. So yeah, I love knitting lace!

As far as food, bacon makes it better! Chocolate covered bacon is one of my specialties ^_^ I will try anything twice, and the only things I can't go anywhere near are coconut and artificial sweeteners.

Colors: I love blood red! Or any tone of red, for that matter. I love rich, saturated colors and have no patience for pastels or barely dyed fibers. When it comes to variegated yarns, I love how they look in skein form, but I hate knitting them up, since they pretty much only look good in stockinette, and stockinette bores the crap out of me. I love long color sections and transitional yarns, and am in the eternal search of the perfect rainbow ^_^

Fibers, the more natural the better. I can only take polymers in less than 20%, and that is only for socks. I also have no patience for novelty yarns, as I have no clue how to knit them up. Regular yarns, I prefer in the thinner weights, as they can be doubled up and are more versatile. I don't have any allergies, but I do live with this fucker:

He's a were-bear parading as a 20 lb cat. And he's a dick. His name is Herbert, because I am a major dork, and I has a Herb. Speaking of my nerdities, where should I start? I have a passion for anything Joss Whedon, especially Buffy. I've been a fan since the movie and cried like a little girl when it ended. I know all of my current friends through the local Harry Potter club, which two of them started, which lead me to the SCA, and then the local LARP. I also D&D every Saturday, while I knit (because SOMEBODY gets distracted by the noise of the wheel). I love reading fantasy and supernatural books, and have read most (or all, multiple times) of HP, Anne Rice, Terry Prachet, *cough*Twilight*cough*, and am currently on the sixth of the True Bloods and second of Dresden Files.

Next sunday will be my graduation for a MS in Materials Science and Engineering (holy shit my family is coming up!!!) and I got my undergrad in Mexico (where I'm from) in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, with a focus on Mechatronics (I wanted to work for Jim Henson's Creature Shop) after a two year stint in Architecture. Hopefully, in the somewhat near future, I will be getting a job in the renewable/clean/efficient energy research field. Meanwhile, I will still be a lab rat for my adviser, running the IR Spectroscoper, some GC-MS, SEM, and other assorted experiments and data collections. Did I tell you how much I love collecting data? I just suck at concluding anything from it :/