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WooooooHoooooooooo! Posting from the PDA. Gotta love technology.

Bone Detectives on Discovery Channel

I’ve been watching Bone Detectives with Scotty Moore.  It’s on the Discovery Channel. It’s ok.  I would enjoy it tons more if they didn’t try to make it so dramatic.  Last night was a Maya episode.  The content was pretty interesting.  But there was this shot of a slowly spinning ceiling fan and a dripping faucet.  Ok. Dramatic, interesting, but what on God’s green Earth does that have to do with the Maya and archaeology? Nothing and that’s my point.  This show has real potential if they would stop with the melodrama and concentrate on the archaeology and the history of the area.

Eureka – Try, Try Again

I’ve been over watching Season 2 now.  I got if form Amazon.com UnBox.  Kind of cool. I still want the DVD’s for the extras.

Anyway, Continuity error.  If you look in the background just before Beverly Barlowe comes to Section 14, you can see the Army guys with the nuke.  It’s not supposed to be in Section 14 yet.  Allison doesn’t authorize the transfer until 2 scenes later, but it’s the same 5 guys, same box on the gator, same formation both before and after the nuke is supposed to get there.

Cats & Nicknames

Why do we need to give our cats nicknames?  Or… Why do we feel the need to give our cats more than one name?  I have 8 and every single last one either has more than 1 name or a nickname.  Now some of the names are just variations on the original name. 

Take Irwin for example.  He was named after The Crocodile Hunter.  We call him Irwin, Win-Man, the Winster.

Then we have Houdini.  We call him, Houdini, Houd-Man, Houd-butt, Scraggle Butt (he is allergic to flea bites and licks all the fur off his butt in the summer – which we try to prevent), Scraggs, and Lao Tzu (his eyes slant and when he closes them and looks at you he looks very wise). 

Or Steve.  He’s also named after The Crocodile Hunter and he’s Win’s brother. Steve, Steve-O, Weavie Stevie (he’s got some brain damage from an illness and isn’t alway steady on his feet), The Weave Man.

Sam.  Samuel Q. Kitty, Sammy, Samster, Stinky Sam, Sexy Sam (he’s very sleek and silky), and Plough Kitty (we like Men In Trees).

Earl. I don’t think I’ve ever called her by her given name of Earl.  Earl the Girl, Bubbies, Bubbles, Grubby Bumps (she doesn’t like the other kitties).

So as you can see our kitties have a number of names each.  Is it any wonder they don’t come when called?  Ok, besides the fact that they are cats.

Knitting – My Favorite Yarns

In no particular order my favorite yarns are… 

  1. Carron Bliss
  2. Red Heart Light & Lofty
  3. Trendsetter Liberty (discontinued!!!)
  4. Lion Brand Homespun
  5. Bernat Alpaca

There are more, but these are the ones that I can come up with off the top of my head.

Sharpies – Not as permanent as you might think

I love Sharpies.  I have just about every size that they make.  I have 1 in my knitting bag, I have 1 in my camera bag and I have a complete color set in my desk at work.  I use them for marking my film as I use the rolls so I know what they are when I get the film developed.  I mark my knitting labels with the project for which I bought the yarn.  But, Sharpies aren’t as permanent as they might suggest they are.  The ink can be rubbed off of plastic or certain glossy surfaces.

The ink from Sharpies can be removed from non-porous surfaces such as wall, plastic, etc.  Just use alcohol.  Rubbing alcohol that is.  It might take a couple of passes but it will come off.  If you get the ink on cloth, concrete, stone, wood, sponge, anything porous, it is as permanent as the earth.  It’s not going to be removed.  Faded – eventually, but not gone.  Trust me, I exploded on on a dress, which is now a rag.

Knitting Tips & Tricks – Yarn Labels

Ok.  You knit that really cool shawl for Aunt Cattie and now Aunt Bill wants one.  You can remember the pattern but can’t remember the yarn.  Here’s a tip for remembering.  I keep all (I’m a little obsessive) my yarn labels.  Eventually this can become really massive.  Unless you use the same yarn over and over (which is very possible).  I keep them in 2 Ziplock bags  One bag has labels and the other has labels with a yarn sample attached.  Some labels have 1 sample attached, some have more depending on whether there is a pattern or like in the case of Lion Brand Homespun is really cool when it unravels.  I also write on the label with the sample what I made using that yarn.  Use a Sharpie… and if it’s a really glossly label try to write on the inside.  On certain glossy labels Sharpies aren’t as permanent as they would like you to think they are.  This way you can take the label and sample of the yarn to the store to buy the yarn for Aunt Bill.  Also if you have a favorite yarn, you don’t have to try to remember the name and the manufacturer.  You can just go to your baggie and pull out the label and get some more.  And that’s what it’s all about… more yarn!

Knitting Tips & Tricks – Ziplock bags

I put all my knitting “stuff” in ziplock bags.  I have a bag for tools & stuff, bags for projects on needles, a bag for current yarn wrappers/labels, a bag for old labels and a bag for old labels with samples.  All of this is in a lovely quilted tote bag.  Mom made the total bag.  She a great quilter!  There’s a couple of reasons for the zip bags.  1) they are clear – I can see what is in them.  2) the stuff is contained for when I dump the tote bag – accidentally or on purpose.  and 3) the stuff is kept clean and free of cat fur or other dirt that just might fall into the bag.  And they are inexpensive and if they get a whole in them, toss ’em and get a new one.