Adventure Day: Colma Edition

Today I woke up and thought, "I want to have an adventure!" My first thought was to go check out the Golden Gate Bridge and be all touristy and what not, but then I remembered that my most recent Netflix acquisition is a documentary called The Bridge. Maaaaybe not today.

Instead, I went to visit my dead grandparents! Jazz hands!

To make this more of an actual adventure, I decided to use what a friend of mine once described as The Jenna Method™, in which I know the general direction and possibly the name of the place I am attempting to reach, and then I just kind of...go. Success rate ≠ 100%. In this case the general direction was "all those graves on the peninsula" and I didn't have the name of the specific place (other than it might have the word "veteran" in it), until I got to Colma, ran out of ideas, gave in and called my mom. Turns out it's in San Bruno, not Colma, but when I think of cemeteries, I think of Colma, and so should you.

So I get to the place (Golden Gate National Cemetary), and there's really no other way to react to huge plots of graves than; "Huh, that's a lot of dead people." 'Cause really? That is a lot of dead people.

I thought maybe I would just wander in the direction I remember from the one time I was here, oh, ten years ago, and then I thought a little better and went to visit the Gravesite Locator:

What?! YES. Computerized Gravesite Locator. I had no idea the dead were so technologically advanced. Awesome.

Not only that, but it's a touch screen.

Except it didn't actually do anything when I touched it.
How oddly appropriate.

And so, on to more traditional methods: Apparently, plot numbers do not go either up or down here (they go both at the same time). So, after walking the better part of the way around the main hill, I found the marker I was looking for in the very front. Way to be, me.

I didn't bring any flowers...not exactly my thing. I basically snapped a picture, said hello (to the slab of stone, yes), and went on my way.

That was pretty much it, but it was good to finally do something I've been meaning to for at least the last 6 months or so.

Oh, and:

What. The. Hell. School of Music and Dance?! Don't give a person a recital date and then jack it from them later because you are unorganized and full of terrible "new systems" that in fact do not work at all.

Rant done (Edit: and I also now have a more thorough understanding of said (still stupid, though) systems, which work slightly differently than I thought when I first wrote this). The end.

YES.

Dr. Who Scarf. Finished.
BAM.

What's that? It's not 5 million miles long like I kept swearing it would be? ...Yeah, I know. I've let you down.

I realized when I tried it on (still on the needles) that if it got any longer it would, in fact, be so ridiculous that I would not be able to wear it...as much as ridiculousness is kind of my favorite thing ever and was totally the point.

I had to face the fact that I actually wanted to wear this scarf, and it is super, super thick and warm, and it really did not need to get any longer. Also, I trip over myself enough as it is. I really don't need any more help with that, thanks.

So, it's done! And I've been getting lots of very genuine compliments, which kind of surprised me, because, honestly, I've seen plenty a prettier scarf. And yes, it has been tripping me anyway. But I haven't actually fallen down yet, so I think that's a win for me.

Oh, yeah, and remember how I said this would be a cooking week? NO. Just no. There will be a cooking week. Probably several. Just not until opera is over.

I have had time for reading, though. And have decided that this woman is quite possibly my soulmate, for various reasons.

Aaaaand then there's Sabie.
She's getting pretty fat.
It's a work in progress.

I finally did some arts!

I have not been able to do arts for quite some time.

I love drawing, and writing comics, but I usually end up thinking whatever I draw isn't good enough, which is disheartening. Thus, four little sketches are kind of exciting for me.

Why, yes, I do love that hat. Thanks for asking. :3

Also, yes, I do use pictures of myself for reference and practice. It's not so much vanity as it is way easier than finding other references.


And then I did an "abstract" painting. Quotes
because I won't pretend to know anything about real art. I did put some thought into it, but it didn't take a whole lot of actual time. And, let me just say, I hate that paint never comes out dry like it does wet.

It's not quite what I intended, but it's close.

Don't worry. I usually paint actual stuff.

And here is my ongoing knitting project:


The Dr. Who scarf. Circa Tom Baker (70's-80's). I'm not planning to make it full sized, but it will probably end up about twice this long...and it's as tall as me already (5'7"). I think this counts as one of those "larger" projects.

Other than that (and working, and jogging), I've been watching Wonderfalls again. It's no Dr. Who, but I can't deny that it will always be a favorite. If you liked Dead Like Me or Pushing Daisies, this is by the same guy, and features some of the same actors (Lee Pace, anyone? Yeah, I thought so).


I think this coming week is going to be a cooking adventures week. Expect burnt kitchen ware.

You're just jealous.

Of my amazing cat hat:


Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.
As long as you don't tell them how remarkably difficult it is to take a picture of yourself encompassing both anthropomorphic kitty ears and dangly pom-poms.

Rest assured, I will be wearing this hat all possible hours of the day for at least a week. You will have plenty of chances to mock me. And I won't care.

Because I have a cat hat.

:D


Pattern found here, not that I exactly followed it, per se...

Hat 1.0

I finished a hat today. My first one.
...It's kind of ugly.

Turns out brown/green/tan multicolored yarn ends up looking like camo. Who'd have thought?

However, it does fit absolutely perfectly, and I put a button on it, so it's better.


I do actually like it, but I have a feeling I will less so upon making something cuter.

Pattern found here.

...just not today...

Actually, I did do quite a bit of stuff today. But I didn't finish anything...

Except watching all four seasons of the current Dr. Who.

Yes. It totally counts as pictorial evidence. And yes, my computer screen is (apparently) that dirty.

David Tennant is amazing, and I highly recommend you waste just as much time as I did watching this amazing show.

...since the new year started.

Let's start with the coolest one: I got my brain scanned.

I qualified to volunteer for a psychological study and got to hang out in an MRI for two hours. They showed me some pictures, I pushed some buttons and fell asleep several times, and eventually they'll send me a check. Oh Craigslist, the things you come up with.

And now I have pictures of my brain!







The study will be published in about a year (the middle one is my favorite, because it is the most creepy and weird).

Then I took up knitting! Err, re-took up knitting, I suppose. I learned a very long time ago and was never very good at it. But I love scarves...a lot...and I really needed a new hobby, so I gave it another shot. So far I only have one finished product; a pink ribbed scarf with a hole in it to loop through. There may or may not be a few extra holes... Luckily, none of the flaws are very noticeable.


You can find the pattern here if you are craftily inclined:
http://alison.knitsmiths.us/pattern_beginners_scarves.html

Likewise on the crafty side of things, I had some fun with paperclips and masking tape at work. I then took my masterpiece home, fixed the inaccurate bits, added a few details from my craft box, and spray painted the crap out of it.

I have been watching a lot of Dr. Who, and I may be going just a teensy bit overboard... Wait till you see that knitting project.

(It's a Dalek, sworn enemy of the Doctor, for those of you not in the know. They like to exterminate things. A lot.)

My cat has also been quite busy. Mostly trying to destroy things. Maybe she's a Dalek, too.

...and now I'm going to tell you about it.

I've had a rough couple of months.
A rough, oh, six months, let's say.
And I really don't want to talk about it. Or think about it. Or anything.
Because the more I talk, or think, the worse things seem to get.

Thus, my strategy:
I would, in fact, very much like to just turn off my brain. The best way I can think to do that is to do some stuff. And then I'd like to tell people about that stuff. 'Cause really, one of the best parts of doing stuff is telling people about it later.

Clearly, I'm not going to be doing anything particularly grandiose. And I'm definitely not saying this is recommended reading. Put simply; I am going to do some stuff, take some pictures, and write it down. Do with it what you will.

A few stipulations as to this stuff I am planning to do:
1. Anything posted must be a finished thing; something that I have already done, unless it is a particularly elaborate project which must be done in multiple parts.
2. Everything posted must be evidenced graphically in some way. 'Cause I like pictures, and you should, too.
3. I will make an effort to do odd or interesting things whenever possible. It's just better that way. Plus I'm totally awkward, so putting myself in additionally awkward situations will be that much more entertaining.

With the third rule in mind, I have to admit that I will be doing a lot of cooking and knitting. Not fascinating, no, but I am a pretty terrible cook and I just started knitting, so that should make for a lot of pictures of burnt things and holey scarves. If nothing else, it will be very schadenfreude.