When He Shines

Read my latest Squidoo lens about reading in the bathroom!


You will so need a cup of coffee for this:

So, let me tell you what the dog did last night. He was lying on the floor next to the surge protector that holds the plugs to the cable and DVR. He sneezed, his paw lifted up and when it came down, it turned off the surge protector.

Sigh.

I turned it back on - cuz I was watching the t and v and when I turned it back on, my DVR was blitzed. My cable did not recognize it's own DVR box. So I called Comcast and they reset it - still didn't recognize it.

Sigh. Sigh.

So, while they were trying to reset it, I asked them to let me know what specials they were running cuz I was looking to lower the cable bill. The very nice Comcast lady told me the cable I have now (standard cable package) was going away with the new digital revolution. (Still think that's a government conspiracy) so I would need to switch packages anyway and gave me three options: one for $49, one for $89, one for only Oprah could afford it. These fees would all be locked in for one year after which they would sky rocket like you wouldn't believe. I chose the middle package because it would be less than what we pay now and because after a year, I could threaten to go to a lower price one and lock in the price again.
I asked when it would be effective and she said immediately so I told her to wipe out everything I had that was extra on the service I have and just put in the new one.

You still with me?

So, the DVR never reset. All the movies I had saved...gone. All the episodes of Knitty Gritty...gone. Some of the season ending episodes..gone.

Dog was fine, though.

So, she set up an order for the technician to come out and see what was what. I also asked her if I could get a new remote because we've worn out one of the buttons and she told me where I could go to pick one up and that would save me $10 in a mailing fee. No problem. I would pick it up. I said good-bye to the nice Comcast lady and I was now wired so I wasn't going to bed - but hey, the new cable package includes all the movie channels so I was going to watch a movie - turned to HBO.

Nothing.

Shotime.

Nope.

Starz.

Nada.

She said the package also included the premium sports channels so I thought I'd watch some baseball.

Yeah, right.

OK, so maybe it would take until the morning. I would go get the new remote and all would be right with the world.

Getting the new remote was the easiest part of the experience. No problems with that. Came back home.

Remote won't sync with the t and v so now I have to use the remote for the cable and the remote for the t and v.

And the DVR is still out.

And I still don't have the new package - but all my old add on stuff has been wiped out just like I asked.

I've already apologized to God for whatever it was that I did - but honestly, I just think he's having some fun.

This is my latest work in progress. I didn't know how stunning it was until I saw the picture. It's going to be an afghan, of course, cuz I am in an afghan phase and probably will be until I go through all the patterns that are calling my name. I am in danger of running out of the ivory yarn so I have to make a mad dash to the basement to see if I have any in one of the five boxes down there - hey, it used to be six but I consolidated! I'm winging the stripes, but now that I see the photo, I think I will probably do one more round of the baby stripes, but then do the solid stripes the rest of the way. I think the thicker stripes make a better statement!

Oh, the cable guy is coming tomorrow between 1-4.

You Are On My Mind

I tell you it's an exciting time. So much so I don't know if I can keep up with myself!
I had a brain drizzle - those of you who know me know I can never really come up with a brain storm so a drizzle is about all I can manage. Any way, I have two blogs one here which talks about knitting and other stuff, and designbcb, which tells the story behind some of the things I knit.

Well, I was never really satisfied with the other blog but I didn't want to give it up all together and then along came Handmade News. It's the online news mag where I get to interview artisans about their craft and their work. The powers that be really want this magazine to take off and I must say I would like for it to be successful as well and part of that means marketing and promoting the site, my department, and my artists (yes, I claim them as mine.)

I don't want this blog to turn into a big promotional blog - that wasn't its purpose -you know where I'm going, right?

It was the purpose of designbcb. That blog was created to promote my things and it still can because Handmade News and the artisans are now part of my thing. I love synergy!

So, here's the deal. I am going to use the designbcb site to talk about the handmade movement, Handmade News and my shops. I will keep this blog for its original intention - time spent with you and me and our other crafting friends and seeing how this thing called knitting enhances and shapes our lives. Because it has evolved from two sticks and a string to what we have now. And we love it.

So, hang out over at designbcb and find out about interesting people, places and things. Click the links over to Handmade News and learn a few things about how crafting really does hold the world together and how it can take us those few steps back we need to take so we can move forward more responsibly. I'll see you over there.

Here's my new baby. She's soft and cuddly and green! This is a different version of the scarf I made a few weeks back. It's only 60 inches long but still very soft and will keep someone chill free. This is also the first original piece I've made for the ArtFire shop. I used a different Artistry colorway and the I Love This Yarn both from Hobby Lobby.

Quick knit and fun! Like I said exciting times!

I'll Try Something New

This is Marie Santiago. She's another one of the people I've interviewed for Handmade News.

Now, way back I thought it would be nice to feature the folks who hearted by Etsy shop. I thought it would be a nice to do thing for those people who stopped by the shop and gave me a heart when they didn't have to. I have certainly never asked for people to make me a favorite.

Well, it was a dud. Only one person responded - no, the person wasn't Marie - hold on, I'm getting to Marie.

I was really a little disappointed people didn't want to be interviewed for a blog...any blog, has at least two readers: the one who writes the blog and the one who doesn't want to get on the bad side of the one who writes the blog so they read the blog and are able to discuss its content at dinner.

Not that this is anyone I know or live with - I'm just saying.

So then along came Handmade News and I got to be in the department I wanted - which was interviewing people and helping them get people to look at their shops.

Dontcha just love the synergy?

My guess - and it is a guess - I have not checked any data. My guess is that some of the 90+ people who are wanting an interview with Handmade News turned me down when I was just a lowly blog writer but now they want themselves a little bite of the Bevvy!

See, this is why the ever wise God made the world round - so you wouldn't see it when the universe comes back to bite you in the butt! And since the world is round..

Marie Santiago.
Marie has a photo of her workspace on her Flickr page, (Yes, you will have to read the interview to get to it.) Now, you all know how I talk about my workspace. I haven't worked in my office in I don't know how long. I can tell you, the computer is on and has been all day, but I've been working at the satellite location in my living room. I'm in the living room right now - even though the workspace is looking better than it ever has and the chair is more comfortable.

I don't know why.

Marie makes mostly bags and they are cute. I mean officially, they are officially cute! Check out the interview and her shop and you'll see for yourself.