krunk-
1. Originally derived from the two words: "crazy drunk", crazy, off the hook, insane
2. Severe intoxication or getting drunk; a very fun or enjoyable time
3. used to describe something cool, hip, or fashionable
application:
dude, did your girlfriend make those gauntlets??? that's krunk!
question:
the album nasty girl released in 2005, i don't get it, since Notorious B.I.G. died in the 1990s
hmmm...that's krunk.
Monday, December 19, 2011
oppositedaygroundhogday
back in NZ..nothing much changed here..the weather slightly,
actually, it's great when it's cooperative, but now it's that same ole same ole is it a rainy day, sunny day, overcast??? noting really...makes it hard to dress or decide what to do.
it's the world summer sevens championship now...all night hoards of painted, drunken chants to their team loyalties...
oddly...england beat samoa and that got me down....the equiv. to the seahawks pounding the panthers. but don't hate the game...hate the playas...right?
as far as my olympic dreams...the chance for a gold may be steimied (spelling?)...i have a killer back problem, it hurts even post the blog!!! it's all very nancy kerrigan...but i hope to recover in time for the games.
my heart is broken...you can imagine why as i stare at the photo of maya and sam.
the blog may slow down a bit...this dial up situation is a pain.
oh, major update...we have a television!
cool, but no channels really, but at least we aren't watching dvds on the computer screen.
i don't know what it is...but, i've been listening to r&b lately...
i dunno
p.s.
thanks for the great comments...and due to overwhelming responce to 'glamour mandy'...i may be forced to make a regular segment of flashback mandy
actually, it's great when it's cooperative, but now it's that same ole same ole is it a rainy day, sunny day, overcast??? noting really...makes it hard to dress or decide what to do.
it's the world summer sevens championship now...all night hoards of painted, drunken chants to their team loyalties...
oddly...england beat samoa and that got me down....the equiv. to the seahawks pounding the panthers. but don't hate the game...hate the playas...right?
as far as my olympic dreams...the chance for a gold may be steimied (spelling?)...i have a killer back problem, it hurts even post the blog!!! it's all very nancy kerrigan...but i hope to recover in time for the games.
my heart is broken...you can imagine why as i stare at the photo of maya and sam.
the blog may slow down a bit...this dial up situation is a pain.
oh, major update...we have a television!
cool, but no channels really, but at least we aren't watching dvds on the computer screen.
i don't know what it is...but, i've been listening to r&b lately...
i dunno
p.s.
thanks for the great comments...and due to overwhelming responce to 'glamour mandy'...i may be forced to make a regular segment of flashback mandy
wwjd...what would jerry do
Must be getting early, clocks are running late.
Paint my love a morning sky, it’s all cold.
Dawn is breaking everywhere, light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains I don’t care, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
I see you’ve got your list out, say your piece and kiss off.
Guess I get the gist of it, but it’s all right
Oh well anyway, sorry that you feel that way.
Every silver linings got a touch of grey
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
It’s a lesson to me, the ablers and the beggars and the thieves
The abc’s we all think of, try to win a little love.
I know the rent is in arrears, the dog has not been fed in years
It’s even worse than it appears, but it’s all right
Cow is giving kerosene, kid can’t read at seventeen
The words he knows are all obscene, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
Shoe is on the hand that fits, that’s all there really is to it
Whistle through your teeth and spit, but it’s all right
Oh well a touch of grey, kinda suits you anyway,
That’s all I had to say, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
It’s a lesson to me, the devils and the east and the free
The abc’s we all must face, try to save a little grace.
even though this is an incredibly joyous moment in my life as an oyster (for those who may be guessing, you'll find out in good time), much like my shell...the late grateful jerry states...every silver lining has a touch of grey. it's that same ole bitter-sweet chocolate, the yinyang of life, the cutting oyster shell surrounding the succulent delicacy.
the truth shall set you free as we preach in the south, and denial will get me nowhere. i have realised and am in the midst of accepting that i am leaving my country (odd that this is something i dreamed of for years, and i now leave with apprehension). i am not going for a visit to nz, i am moving there.
it's almost like sending off a loved one at a funeral wake...a feeling of loss, mourning your familiar life. shedding the mundane objects that made your house a home and closing that shell around the delicate oyster.
sure, i'll be back...but when...and to what...
for now,
oyster girl in the world...hoping for a gentle warm tidal pool to call home.
Paint my love a morning sky, it’s all cold.
Dawn is breaking everywhere, light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains I don’t care, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
I see you’ve got your list out, say your piece and kiss off.
Guess I get the gist of it, but it’s all right
Oh well anyway, sorry that you feel that way.
Every silver linings got a touch of grey
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
It’s a lesson to me, the ablers and the beggars and the thieves
The abc’s we all think of, try to win a little love.
I know the rent is in arrears, the dog has not been fed in years
It’s even worse than it appears, but it’s all right
Cow is giving kerosene, kid can’t read at seventeen
The words he knows are all obscene, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
Shoe is on the hand that fits, that’s all there really is to it
Whistle through your teeth and spit, but it’s all right
Oh well a touch of grey, kinda suits you anyway,
That’s all I had to say, but it’s all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.
It’s a lesson to me, the devils and the east and the free
The abc’s we all must face, try to save a little grace.
even though this is an incredibly joyous moment in my life as an oyster (for those who may be guessing, you'll find out in good time), much like my shell...the late grateful jerry states...every silver lining has a touch of grey. it's that same ole bitter-sweet chocolate, the yinyang of life, the cutting oyster shell surrounding the succulent delicacy.
the truth shall set you free as we preach in the south, and denial will get me nowhere. i have realised and am in the midst of accepting that i am leaving my country (odd that this is something i dreamed of for years, and i now leave with apprehension). i am not going for a visit to nz, i am moving there.
it's almost like sending off a loved one at a funeral wake...a feeling of loss, mourning your familiar life. shedding the mundane objects that made your house a home and closing that shell around the delicate oyster.
sure, i'll be back...but when...and to what...
for now,
oyster girl in the world...hoping for a gentle warm tidal pool to call home.
more sweet than bitter
but here's a bitter sweet moment:
you know pride and prejudice, the 'jo sharp singlet' i had warm fuzzy feelings to...and now on the blog?
well, my mom was bugging me all this time how she wanted one, i started to try and make her one for christmasmas, but didnt' , and i kept sayin "why dont' you make yourself one",,,yado yada.
okay, well, i made the straps too long, and of course when i sewed them on, i sewed them to make sure they would never come undone...so i went to her this morning and asked if she had any idiea how to get them out so i could shrten them, of she was like oh boy,,,,see, by now it's all felted together. and she said let her try it on...oh gosh, it fits her fantastically...small enough on her that it clings just enough to show shape but not bulge out..you know?!?!?
so long story short, my mom is now the proud owner of the pride and prejudice sjs! and i have no completed handknits to wear (out of the house)...hense the bitter sweet...but it may give the solution to what to do with the sparkly patons crap i got at HL, and relieve the color anxiety i've had since my sister said, 'nice sleeve, but you need to move on from this color...' in reference to the sleeve completly blocked, now unravelled...cause it was too large...i finally learned the lesson...just do it, check your gauge!
so we {my mother and i} went to 'thursday night knitters' at barnes and nobles...we were both skeptical, but i was like what else were we going to do...it was hilariously interesting. not the hippest bunch of knitters, but nonetheless entertaining...
poor mom, she's really doing well with her fledgling project, but i keep finding dropped stiteches that we missed before, and all i can do is just sew it up...but it's lionbrand woolease so i can hide it...
you know pride and prejudice, the 'jo sharp singlet' i had warm fuzzy feelings to...and now on the blog?
well, my mom was bugging me all this time how she wanted one, i started to try and make her one for christmasmas, but didnt' , and i kept sayin "why dont' you make yourself one",,,yado yada.
okay, well, i made the straps too long, and of course when i sewed them on, i sewed them to make sure they would never come undone...so i went to her this morning and asked if she had any idiea how to get them out so i could shrten them, of she was like oh boy,,,,see, by now it's all felted together. and she said let her try it on...oh gosh, it fits her fantastically...small enough on her that it clings just enough to show shape but not bulge out..you know?!?!?
so long story short, my mom is now the proud owner of the pride and prejudice sjs! and i have no completed handknits to wear (out of the house)...hense the bitter sweet...but it may give the solution to what to do with the sparkly patons crap i got at HL, and relieve the color anxiety i've had since my sister said, 'nice sleeve, but you need to move on from this color...' in reference to the sleeve completly blocked, now unravelled...cause it was too large...i finally learned the lesson...just do it, check your gauge!
so we {my mother and i} went to 'thursday night knitters' at barnes and nobles...we were both skeptical, but i was like what else were we going to do...it was hilariously interesting. not the hippest bunch of knitters, but nonetheless entertaining...
poor mom, she's really doing well with her fledgling project, but i keep finding dropped stiteches that we missed before, and all i can do is just sew it up...but it's lionbrand woolease so i can hide it...
a year in yarn
This past year can be described as a knitting project...a colorful scarf perhaps to warm your neck as you walk through a cold city. Broken hearts were healed as a project took shape, new and existing relationships were knitted forming tighter bonds than before...and as with most of my projects, mistakes were made. Bad color choices were made and some projects simply unravelled. In the end, necks were warmed, chances were taken, and gifts (of all sorts) were given.
I've picked up wool and needles from time to time throughout my life starting, like many others, with my aunt, later, on my own... with never a completed project, always with frustration and defeat. However, most recently, with the a patient and supportive group of friends willing to see me through my first completed projects...and seeing one another through the daily trials of life.
So, with one thesis completed, I was free to indulge in some zen knitting and embark on my 'world journey'...I arrived in New Zealand and at Breakneck speed found myself working in a local architecture firm and making weeking pilgrimages 'down mount everest' into Cuba Mall's Left Bank to the largest stash of wool I've ever seen. I know, an unlikely pair...the hardness of architecture and the softness of knitting...but it's the yinyang of life. Again with the patience and kindness of those at KnitWorld , I graduated from the basic garter stitch scarf to sumptuous fibers, intricate designs, and my first completed garmet. This by the way only had to be unravelled once.
I was hooked and the following months were filled with sketching, speculating, planning, and experimenting...Knitters are everywhere, they come in all sizes, shapes, genders (some questionable), styles of knitting, preferences, but in the end, we are all the same with a few minor adjustments...for example:
at Knit New York, you find punk rock knitters, your 'typical New Yorker', and knitters in drag. Also, this boutique is great for the odd boyfriend or husband in tow as it has a full service espresso bar and cafe...this is not to undermine the beatiful color choices and European pattern books.
in Philly, you find Loop, the Ikea of knitting. The boutique is small, minimal, and slightly goth. A sort of 'cut to the chase' , efficient (yet very helpful) knitting boutique stocked with the softest of cashmeres and smoothest of silks...and here you will find the Kate Spade of need carriers. Here I discovered Crystal Palace circular needles and highly recommend them.
the Yarn Lounge is in Richmond, Virginia. Here, you enter a wool shop exuding southern hospitality and lots of hand spun wool and partially knitted projects in every nook and cranny...complete even with your typical southern hound dog. Here you can pick your new muse, plan it up with whom ever else may be in the shop, then have a seat on any of the compfy sofas and begin clacking your needles.
I've picked up wool and needles from time to time throughout my life starting, like many others, with my aunt, later, on my own... with never a completed project, always with frustration and defeat. However, most recently, with the a patient and supportive group of friends willing to see me through my first completed projects...and seeing one another through the daily trials of life.
So, with one thesis completed, I was free to indulge in some zen knitting and embark on my 'world journey'...I arrived in New Zealand and at Breakneck speed found myself working in a local architecture firm and making weeking pilgrimages 'down mount everest' into Cuba Mall's Left Bank to the largest stash of wool I've ever seen. I know, an unlikely pair...the hardness of architecture and the softness of knitting...but it's the yinyang of life. Again with the patience and kindness of those at KnitWorld , I graduated from the basic garter stitch scarf to sumptuous fibers, intricate designs, and my first completed garmet. This by the way only had to be unravelled once.
I was hooked and the following months were filled with sketching, speculating, planning, and experimenting...Knitters are everywhere, they come in all sizes, shapes, genders (some questionable), styles of knitting, preferences, but in the end, we are all the same with a few minor adjustments...for example:
at Knit New York, you find punk rock knitters, your 'typical New Yorker', and knitters in drag. Also, this boutique is great for the odd boyfriend or husband in tow as it has a full service espresso bar and cafe...this is not to undermine the beatiful color choices and European pattern books.
in Philly, you find Loop, the Ikea of knitting. The boutique is small, minimal, and slightly goth. A sort of 'cut to the chase' , efficient (yet very helpful) knitting boutique stocked with the softest of cashmeres and smoothest of silks...and here you will find the Kate Spade of need carriers. Here I discovered Crystal Palace circular needles and highly recommend them.
the Yarn Lounge is in Richmond, Virginia. Here, you enter a wool shop exuding southern hospitality and lots of hand spun wool and partially knitted projects in every nook and cranny...complete even with your typical southern hound dog. Here you can pick your new muse, plan it up with whom ever else may be in the shop, then have a seat on any of the compfy sofas and begin clacking your needles.
survey says
here is a knitters' survey I found floating on the web...
1. List your finished objects, or just list your favorite FO.multiple scarves, shrug, tube scarf, singlet, and wrist warmers
2. List your works in progress:
a Rebecca pattern, basically it's a scarf with sleeves and a cushion cover
3. What skeletons are in your knitting basket?the wool from my 'experimental sweater' that never materialised and i suppose the project I started when I was about 10 years old.
4. What's your favorite project?
I love the scarf I gave my mom for Christmas this year...if she regifts it, I hope it comes to me
5. What project(s) will you never knit again? I haven't been in the business that long, but I'll have to say the 'experimental sweater'
6. What was your major knitting accomplishment for the last year?
knitting beyond the garter stitch scarf!!! and i completed a garment!
7. What's your favorite yarn from the last year?
jo sharp comfort kid
8. What's your favorite yarn overall?there's just something about mohair...i don't know what it is, but i likes it!
9. What new knitting techniques have you learned?
sl, k, psso....with this, the possibilites are endless
10. What are your knitting goals for 2006?start and complete cleckheaton double-breasted jacket, and i fantasise about a blanket . oh, and i would like to make a dainty cardigan or shawl with a little bling knitted into it...
some random beading.
intarsha type experimentation
affording the color schemes i love
11. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?i think I am, but Hobby Lobby definitely has its place in the world too!
12. Do you spin? Crochet?
no, somehow, it seems too old timey for me
13. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? right now, a cardboard tube with corks on the ends
14. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?about a year, give or take, and i think i've just moved beyond beginner
15. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?no, but i should (lol, amber knows what i mean!)
16. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?duh, i'm a chocoholic!!!
17. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?sew, needlepoint, paint, and I like making my own stationery. I was a jeweler in a previous chapter of my life.
18. What kind of music do you like to knit to?retro 80s euro-trash (spandaeu ballet), classical, and post modern rock (soundtrack to Lost in Translation), well, actually, I don't even have a radio, so i listen to what ever i checked out from the library.
19. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
i keep going wtih sage-y greens and aquas, but i really wnat to go with a deep red...and chartreusse.
20. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?my family puts the Funk in dysfunctional, but we wouldn't have it any other way. I have two awesome dogs that I cry for, they are in foster care now, but you all know that.
21. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I live in scarves, wore ponchos until I saw a photo of myself in one, and i look stupid in hats. I don't have any mittens
22. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
like i said, something about mohair (it's very forgiving) and i just used this silky blend...it was interesting.
23. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?synthetics, and anything that looks like Fruitty Pebbles cereal
24. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?I've just completed a 12-step program for knitting obsessions...no, I have to say at the moment, seeking out the knitting scene where ever I travel
25. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? you can be so experimental and cheeky with scarves
26. What are you knitting right now?
didn't I already answer this...wrap sweater and cushion cover
27. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?of course I do
28. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?i've just conquered my fear of circulars, so i'm into them now...you can knit in bed on a cold morning
29. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?bamboo. but i also like the retro vibe of anodized aluminum
30. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?no, plus, it gives an excuse to visit the yarn shop (i don't know what a swift is)
31. How did you learn to knit?
first by an aunt 20 odd years ago, and recently by friends
32. How old is your oldest UFO?gonna say the sweater vest started when I was about 10 years
33. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?maya and sam
34. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?none, but I like to look at Interweave Knits and LOVE Selvedge
35. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?Jo Sharp and Rowan books (the cool ones), Last Minute Knitted Gifts, andAlterknits...the photgraphy is great and the projects good
36. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
button holes would be some handy knowledge
37. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
no, a US size 7, but jo sharp has a pattern for the most luxurious mohair socks...so cozy.
38. What are your favorite knitting weblinks?http://www.youknitwhat.blogspot.com
1. List your finished objects, or just list your favorite FO.multiple scarves, shrug, tube scarf, singlet, and wrist warmers
2. List your works in progress:
a Rebecca pattern, basically it's a scarf with sleeves and a cushion cover
3. What skeletons are in your knitting basket?the wool from my 'experimental sweater' that never materialised and i suppose the project I started when I was about 10 years old.
4. What's your favorite project?
I love the scarf I gave my mom for Christmas this year...if she regifts it, I hope it comes to me
5. What project(s) will you never knit again? I haven't been in the business that long, but I'll have to say the 'experimental sweater'
6. What was your major knitting accomplishment for the last year?
knitting beyond the garter stitch scarf!!! and i completed a garment!
7. What's your favorite yarn from the last year?
jo sharp comfort kid
8. What's your favorite yarn overall?there's just something about mohair...i don't know what it is, but i likes it!
9. What new knitting techniques have you learned?
sl, k, psso....with this, the possibilites are endless
10. What are your knitting goals for 2006?start and complete cleckheaton double-breasted jacket, and i fantasise about a blanket . oh, and i would like to make a dainty cardigan or shawl with a little bling knitted into it...
some random beading.
intarsha type experimentation
affording the color schemes i love
11. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?i think I am, but Hobby Lobby definitely has its place in the world too!
12. Do you spin? Crochet?
no, somehow, it seems too old timey for me
13. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? right now, a cardboard tube with corks on the ends
14. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?about a year, give or take, and i think i've just moved beyond beginner
15. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?no, but i should (lol, amber knows what i mean!)
16. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?duh, i'm a chocoholic!!!
17. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?sew, needlepoint, paint, and I like making my own stationery. I was a jeweler in a previous chapter of my life.
18. What kind of music do you like to knit to?retro 80s euro-trash (spandaeu ballet), classical, and post modern rock (soundtrack to Lost in Translation), well, actually, I don't even have a radio, so i listen to what ever i checked out from the library.
19. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
i keep going wtih sage-y greens and aquas, but i really wnat to go with a deep red...and chartreusse.
20. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?my family puts the Funk in dysfunctional, but we wouldn't have it any other way. I have two awesome dogs that I cry for, they are in foster care now, but you all know that.
21. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I live in scarves, wore ponchos until I saw a photo of myself in one, and i look stupid in hats. I don't have any mittens
22. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
like i said, something about mohair (it's very forgiving) and i just used this silky blend...it was interesting.
23. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?synthetics, and anything that looks like Fruitty Pebbles cereal
24. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?I've just completed a 12-step program for knitting obsessions...no, I have to say at the moment, seeking out the knitting scene where ever I travel
25. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? you can be so experimental and cheeky with scarves
26. What are you knitting right now?
didn't I already answer this...wrap sweater and cushion cover
27. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?of course I do
28. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?i've just conquered my fear of circulars, so i'm into them now...you can knit in bed on a cold morning
29. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?bamboo. but i also like the retro vibe of anodized aluminum
30. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?no, plus, it gives an excuse to visit the yarn shop (i don't know what a swift is)
31. How did you learn to knit?
first by an aunt 20 odd years ago, and recently by friends
32. How old is your oldest UFO?gonna say the sweater vest started when I was about 10 years
33. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?maya and sam
34. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?none, but I like to look at Interweave Knits and LOVE Selvedge
35. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?Jo Sharp and Rowan books (the cool ones), Last Minute Knitted Gifts, andAlterknits...the photgraphy is great and the projects good
36. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
button holes would be some handy knowledge
37. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
no, a US size 7, but jo sharp has a pattern for the most luxurious mohair socks...so cozy.
38. What are your favorite knitting weblinks?http://www.youknitwhat.blogspot.com
wishes for a happy holidays and a peaceful new year
Merry Christmas Milad Majid Glædelig Jul Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tovaFroehliche Weihnachten Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo HristovoRehus-Beal-Ledeats Buone Feste NatalizieShinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto Meri KirihimeteNeekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech
Christmas Down Under
I'll be home for Christmas.....and not only in my dreams....
I am making a list (so I don't forget anything), packing my sleigh (three suicases), feeding the reindeer (paying a fortune to the airlines), and will be in High Point, North Carolina on the 14th of December...hope to see you!
This is a little blurb I found and wanted to share it with you as I attempt to update my blog with photos. The last bit about the phone calls is so so true!
enjoy!
For the majority of Australians, Christmas Downunder has all the glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz of a Christmas in New York, London Paris or Vancouver. The major difference is one of WEATHER....Christmas Down Under is never White. Snow has rarely fallen if ever on this date, Down Under. We have during past Christmases experienced all the seasonal variations of a Summer Down Under.....electrical storms, floods, hailstorms, cyclones and bushfires. But 80% of the time we are blessed with blue skies and depending on our Australian location, temperatures ranging from 25-38 degrees centigrade. Currently it is Summer Down Under and daily temperatures range from 30-40 degrees centigrade on the mainland. Tamania is always slightly cooler.
Christmas is special to the majority of Australians for it is our Summer Holiday season and students especially are "wrapping" up their school year. That means sitting for end of Semester tests or exams and waiting for their results, as well as getting ready for the Summer Holidays. For the majority of Australian students this means ...SUN....SURF....SHOPPING. For students it means an end to homework and school studies and the beginning of lots of time for family, relatives and "mates". Our neighbours, the "Kiwis" or New Zealanders are actually the first ones to really celebrate the joyous day of Christmas. New Zealand is the first country immediately west of the international date line. So we're sorry most of American friends have to wait an extra day for Christmas.
So how do we REALLY celebrate Christmas? You must remember that Australia, though huge in size, has a population of just over 18 million people. Our country is a harmonious mix of many ethnic groups. Our backgrounds are very varied....our people have connections with England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Europe, Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Middle East, Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand as well as North and South America. So you can imagine that each of these national groups brings the colour ,customs and festive rituals of the Christmas celebrated in their respective homelands. As Australians we are able to appreciate culturally diverse Christmas celebrations.
However, up until 30 years ago, our Christmas celebrations were heavily influenced by our original Anglo-Celtic influences. The English style of Christmas served as our model for celebrating Christmas.......right down to the traditional roast turkey and steamed pudding in over 35 degree heat. Today with the huge influx of overseas migrants our Christmas celebrations are heavily influenced by the ethnicity of families involved. Common sense is prevailing today in terms of weather. Traditional dinners have been replaced with family gatherings in back yards, picnics in parks, gardens and on the beach. For many, it is the occasion to be with friends and relatives, to share love and friendship and not to forget, the exchange of gifts in the traditional manner. For many, it is of course a time to enjoy and consume massive quantities of food. A typical Christmas menu could include seafood, glazed ham, cold chicken, duck or turkey, cold deli meats, pasta, salads galore, desserts of all types, fruit salad, pavlovas, ice-cream plus Christmas edibles of all varieties such as mince pies,fruit cake, shortbread, chocolates etc.
There has been a suggestion that "Swag Man" take over Santa's franchise Down Under!!! There is a lot of concern about Santa Claus perhaps suffering heat stroke whilst Down Under. "Swag Man" wears a brown Akubra, a blue singlet and long baggy shorts. He spends all winter under Uluru with his merry dingoes and then at Christmas time, he gets in his huge four-wheel drive and sets off through the red dust to deliver his presents.
For those interested, the first official Christmas Down Under was celebrated on the 25th December,1788 at Sydney Cove by Reverend Johnson. After the service, Governor Arthur Phillips and his officers dined heartily, toasting the King of England and his family. But for the majority of the first white inhabitants...the convicts....there was no change to their regular menu... bread rations only. The only goodwill which seemed to have been displayed was to Michael Dennison. He was a convict who stole a pound of flour from Martha Pugh. He was sentenced to 200 lashes by the whip. But since it was Christmas, only 150 were delivered.
Currently everyone is beginning to get ready for the "silly season". Everyone is busily planning Christmas break-up parties. Children are writing letters to Santa Claus. Decorations are being bought and set up. Shopping centres and malls are experiencing record breaking crowds. In homes, many of the traditional Christmas rituals are being followed. Many children are helping to decorate the family Christmas tree. We have yet to follow the American ritual of getting "real" Christmas trees......though some do use gum tree branches. Children are learning Christmas Carols so that they may be sung at festive occasions such as public "Carols by Candlelight" and school concerts. Christmas stockings are being hung in homes....though fireplaces are in short supply. Cards galore are being written and posted. Everyone awaits.......the anticipation is high!
It must also be mentioned that with all the glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz.......Australians consider Christmas a time for remembering the true meaning of Christmas.........a time for remembering the birth of Jesus and the spiritual meaning of Christmas . For many, Christmas will begin with families attending a mid-night mass. 70% of Australians are either Catholic, Anglican or Lutheran. After the mid-night Mass, a little sleep is attempted. For many, the children in various households, wake up the family at dawn. Gifts are unwrapped and the joy of Christmas begins. For many with relatives and friends overseas, it is a mad scramble to get an early phone call to relatives worldwide.
I am making a list (so I don't forget anything), packing my sleigh (three suicases), feeding the reindeer (paying a fortune to the airlines), and will be in High Point, North Carolina on the 14th of December...hope to see you!
This is a little blurb I found and wanted to share it with you as I attempt to update my blog with photos. The last bit about the phone calls is so so true!
enjoy!
For the majority of Australians, Christmas Downunder has all the glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz of a Christmas in New York, London Paris or Vancouver. The major difference is one of WEATHER....Christmas Down Under is never White. Snow has rarely fallen if ever on this date, Down Under. We have during past Christmases experienced all the seasonal variations of a Summer Down Under.....electrical storms, floods, hailstorms, cyclones and bushfires. But 80% of the time we are blessed with blue skies and depending on our Australian location, temperatures ranging from 25-38 degrees centigrade. Currently it is Summer Down Under and daily temperatures range from 30-40 degrees centigrade on the mainland. Tamania is always slightly cooler.
Christmas is special to the majority of Australians for it is our Summer Holiday season and students especially are "wrapping" up their school year. That means sitting for end of Semester tests or exams and waiting for their results, as well as getting ready for the Summer Holidays. For the majority of Australian students this means ...SUN....SURF....SHOPPING. For students it means an end to homework and school studies and the beginning of lots of time for family, relatives and "mates". Our neighbours, the "Kiwis" or New Zealanders are actually the first ones to really celebrate the joyous day of Christmas. New Zealand is the first country immediately west of the international date line. So we're sorry most of American friends have to wait an extra day for Christmas.
So how do we REALLY celebrate Christmas? You must remember that Australia, though huge in size, has a population of just over 18 million people. Our country is a harmonious mix of many ethnic groups. Our backgrounds are very varied....our people have connections with England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Europe, Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Middle East, Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand as well as North and South America. So you can imagine that each of these national groups brings the colour ,customs and festive rituals of the Christmas celebrated in their respective homelands. As Australians we are able to appreciate culturally diverse Christmas celebrations.
However, up until 30 years ago, our Christmas celebrations were heavily influenced by our original Anglo-Celtic influences. The English style of Christmas served as our model for celebrating Christmas.......right down to the traditional roast turkey and steamed pudding in over 35 degree heat. Today with the huge influx of overseas migrants our Christmas celebrations are heavily influenced by the ethnicity of families involved. Common sense is prevailing today in terms of weather. Traditional dinners have been replaced with family gatherings in back yards, picnics in parks, gardens and on the beach. For many, it is the occasion to be with friends and relatives, to share love and friendship and not to forget, the exchange of gifts in the traditional manner. For many, it is of course a time to enjoy and consume massive quantities of food. A typical Christmas menu could include seafood, glazed ham, cold chicken, duck or turkey, cold deli meats, pasta, salads galore, desserts of all types, fruit salad, pavlovas, ice-cream plus Christmas edibles of all varieties such as mince pies,fruit cake, shortbread, chocolates etc.
There has been a suggestion that "Swag Man" take over Santa's franchise Down Under!!! There is a lot of concern about Santa Claus perhaps suffering heat stroke whilst Down Under. "Swag Man" wears a brown Akubra, a blue singlet and long baggy shorts. He spends all winter under Uluru with his merry dingoes and then at Christmas time, he gets in his huge four-wheel drive and sets off through the red dust to deliver his presents.
For those interested, the first official Christmas Down Under was celebrated on the 25th December,1788 at Sydney Cove by Reverend Johnson. After the service, Governor Arthur Phillips and his officers dined heartily, toasting the King of England and his family. But for the majority of the first white inhabitants...the convicts....there was no change to their regular menu... bread rations only. The only goodwill which seemed to have been displayed was to Michael Dennison. He was a convict who stole a pound of flour from Martha Pugh. He was sentenced to 200 lashes by the whip. But since it was Christmas, only 150 were delivered.
Currently everyone is beginning to get ready for the "silly season". Everyone is busily planning Christmas break-up parties. Children are writing letters to Santa Claus. Decorations are being bought and set up. Shopping centres and malls are experiencing record breaking crowds. In homes, many of the traditional Christmas rituals are being followed. Many children are helping to decorate the family Christmas tree. We have yet to follow the American ritual of getting "real" Christmas trees......though some do use gum tree branches. Children are learning Christmas Carols so that they may be sung at festive occasions such as public "Carols by Candlelight" and school concerts. Christmas stockings are being hung in homes....though fireplaces are in short supply. Cards galore are being written and posted. Everyone awaits.......the anticipation is high!
It must also be mentioned that with all the glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz.......Australians consider Christmas a time for remembering the true meaning of Christmas.........a time for remembering the birth of Jesus and the spiritual meaning of Christmas . For many, Christmas will begin with families attending a mid-night mass. 70% of Australians are either Catholic, Anglican or Lutheran. After the mid-night Mass, a little sleep is attempted. For many, the children in various households, wake up the family at dawn. Gifts are unwrapped and the joy of Christmas begins. For many with relatives and friends overseas, it is a mad scramble to get an early phone call to relatives worldwide.
hotdogs and heartburn
a new zealand hotdog is very different from an american one.
i found this out when i went to the 'town' for lunch the other day...
i wnated a bit of home you know...so i saw hotdog on the menu and ordered.
i sat down and waited for the thing to be ready, i was called to the counter, handed my dog, sat down to find a very large sausage lightly battered and deep fried...and i don't mean like a corndog either.
and to top it off...ketchup was two bucks!
i've been making sure to pack lunch since then!
i found this out when i went to the 'town' for lunch the other day...
i wnated a bit of home you know...so i saw hotdog on the menu and ordered.
i sat down and waited for the thing to be ready, i was called to the counter, handed my dog, sat down to find a very large sausage lightly battered and deep fried...and i don't mean like a corndog either.
and to top it off...ketchup was two bucks!
i've been making sure to pack lunch since then!
K-New Zealand
It's day three, and all is well,
I cannot really check email daily, and have to go at this point to 'internet cafes', so Conceptual Oyster seems the best plan to date. Thanks everyone for actually looking at it and replying...
not sure yet how to best post pictures...well, haven't taken any anyhow...but seen lots of things to take them of...such as the local Bed, Bath and Beyond, the orange juice with the same label as minute maid...but called Kerr, and the hi-tec KFC, etc...
Here are the highlights...well, this isn't exactly a third world country...and i'm glad to have teh comforts of home...but next time, i'll just buy lotion here...it's heavy to travel with and spilled on my coat!
the apartment is much 'homier' now that i switched somethings about...it's very tiney though, also very sunny, which is good. can't wait to post a picture of it...it's f-ugly form the outside.
oh, eureeka, the mayonaise!
well, there is a brand in the same packaging as Dukes...but again, of another name. But none of this matters anymore because:
I doscovered oilio....different varietes! Yessssssss! It's mayo with a kick...great on everything, last night i dressed a salad of green beans and tomato with it! yum yum....and also had fresh grouper...you can't believe teh exotic items in the grocery....that we only read about in Martha Stewart Living! Actuallly fun to go grocery shopping, then of course, you have to lug it up 'Mt. Everest', I don't want to spend money on a taxi, and i need the exercise!
Next, I found the equivilant to the Dollar Tree...The Two Dollar Store...very handy...
Now, many of you will be jealous here:
I found the mother load...of yarn that is...I went there again today, and started a new scarf...with beautiful mohair...that was only the equiv. of about three bucks a skein USD. and the needles they have...oh boy.
and, i am actually trying a new pattern on this on...of course, it took all three employees of Knit World to get me through six rows...and then sugested i pay, take it home and see what I could do overnight.
Now I am making the job contacts, keep your fingers crossed.
Last night I really started to miss Sam and Maya, so thanks for the updates...and thanks for loving them!!
Seriously, Thanks!
I need to go eat now, and rest...
hopefully going to a dance lesson tonight!
p.s.
the weather is beginning to wain...good thing for the sweaters!
love to you all.
m
I cannot really check email daily, and have to go at this point to 'internet cafes', so Conceptual Oyster seems the best plan to date. Thanks everyone for actually looking at it and replying...
not sure yet how to best post pictures...well, haven't taken any anyhow...but seen lots of things to take them of...such as the local Bed, Bath and Beyond, the orange juice with the same label as minute maid...but called Kerr, and the hi-tec KFC, etc...
Here are the highlights...well, this isn't exactly a third world country...and i'm glad to have teh comforts of home...but next time, i'll just buy lotion here...it's heavy to travel with and spilled on my coat!
the apartment is much 'homier' now that i switched somethings about...it's very tiney though, also very sunny, which is good. can't wait to post a picture of it...it's f-ugly form the outside.
oh, eureeka, the mayonaise!
well, there is a brand in the same packaging as Dukes...but again, of another name. But none of this matters anymore because:
I doscovered oilio....different varietes! Yessssssss! It's mayo with a kick...great on everything, last night i dressed a salad of green beans and tomato with it! yum yum....and also had fresh grouper...you can't believe teh exotic items in the grocery....that we only read about in Martha Stewart Living! Actuallly fun to go grocery shopping, then of course, you have to lug it up 'Mt. Everest', I don't want to spend money on a taxi, and i need the exercise!
Next, I found the equivilant to the Dollar Tree...The Two Dollar Store...very handy...
Now, many of you will be jealous here:
I found the mother load...of yarn that is...I went there again today, and started a new scarf...with beautiful mohair...that was only the equiv. of about three bucks a skein USD. and the needles they have...oh boy.
and, i am actually trying a new pattern on this on...of course, it took all three employees of Knit World to get me through six rows...and then sugested i pay, take it home and see what I could do overnight.
Now I am making the job contacts, keep your fingers crossed.
Last night I really started to miss Sam and Maya, so thanks for the updates...and thanks for loving them!!
Seriously, Thanks!
I need to go eat now, and rest...
hopefully going to a dance lesson tonight!
p.s.
the weather is beginning to wain...good thing for the sweaters!
love to you all.
m
Dateline S-Wellington
estimated time in Wellington to date:
approx. 47 minutes
long haul flight:
a very long 12 hours since the nasty british woman beside me spilled an entire bottle on water on my seat (thus a moist flight), kept taking my arm rest controls and my pillow
euro-trash spottings:
2
weather in Wellington:
agreeably sunny and cool in the shade
residence:
much potential, but as of the moment, messy and obviously a bachelor's pad
hair:
oily
new luggage:
heavy, one puncture, one missing handle, and a laseration
general outlook:
sunny, Wellington is much better the second time around and with the sun shining. A few fleeting thoughts of: okay, i'm here, why the heck am I here, and what do I do now? But should be a good experience.
approx. 47 minutes
long haul flight:
a very long 12 hours since the nasty british woman beside me spilled an entire bottle on water on my seat (thus a moist flight), kept taking my arm rest controls and my pillow
euro-trash spottings:
2
weather in Wellington:
agreeably sunny and cool in the shade
residence:
much potential, but as of the moment, messy and obviously a bachelor's pad
hair:
oily
new luggage:
heavy, one puncture, one missing handle, and a laseration
general outlook:
sunny, Wellington is much better the second time around and with the sun shining. A few fleeting thoughts of: okay, i'm here, why the heck am I here, and what do I do now? But should be a good experience.
Passenger Liability
one more day until departure...
packing has taken a turn for the better,
I finally have the suitcase closed and latched.
i've stock piled toiletries and reading material...
i've devoured much of the reading already.
can i justify a trip to barnes and noble for another fix?
packing has taken a turn for the better,
I finally have the suitcase closed and latched.
i've stock piled toiletries and reading material...
i've devoured much of the reading already.
can i justify a trip to barnes and noble for another fix?
Bachelor Gourmet: Weiners and Rice
ingredients:
white rice
1 package hotdog weiners
ketchup
brown sugar
method:
cook rice as instructed
cut weiners in bite sized pieces and sautee in pan,
add ketchup,
a bit of brown sugar
and cook until thick sweet sauce is formed.
serve over rice
white rice
1 package hotdog weiners
ketchup
brown sugar
method:
cook rice as instructed
cut weiners in bite sized pieces and sautee in pan,
add ketchup,
a bit of brown sugar
and cook until thick sweet sauce is formed.
serve over rice
Procrastination
Three days and counting...
so much to be done, som many people to see...but mostly, i just wnat to snuggle the pups...and they are so snuggly.
i'm trying to organize my packing efforts...but so far, i've just created a mess of my mother's home. she hasn't said anything yet...but i wonder how many times she has rolled her eyes when she cannot park in her garage and, well, i'll try to post a picture of 'my room'. maybe i will get her licquered up and i will prepare dinner tonight...risotto stuffed tomatoes i think and some fruit compote. good to be cooking again.
i wrote a poem once about oysters, i loved it, everyone thought it was about sex, it was simply about an oyster in the ocean....i wish i could remember it.
the weather is fantastic here! i love september and october most of all.
i really am excited to leave now...a little nervous my luggage is too heavy and that seymour and i will just observe one another like an aquarium situation...but i'm motivated, anxious, and becoming bored.
i'm really irritated that my former institute of learning, SCAD...purchases smart boards on a daily basis....but cannot manage to actually bind our thesis books...so i am to present to the family and friends who supported me a stack of paper bound with a dollar store bull clip...so official.
so i bought a set of meauring cups so i could follow my 'american' recipes, but somehow, i'm to cheap to fork over the one dollar for measuring spoons...
so much to be done, som many people to see...but mostly, i just wnat to snuggle the pups...and they are so snuggly.
i'm trying to organize my packing efforts...but so far, i've just created a mess of my mother's home. she hasn't said anything yet...but i wonder how many times she has rolled her eyes when she cannot park in her garage and, well, i'll try to post a picture of 'my room'. maybe i will get her licquered up and i will prepare dinner tonight...risotto stuffed tomatoes i think and some fruit compote. good to be cooking again.
i wrote a poem once about oysters, i loved it, everyone thought it was about sex, it was simply about an oyster in the ocean....i wish i could remember it.
the weather is fantastic here! i love september and october most of all.
i really am excited to leave now...a little nervous my luggage is too heavy and that seymour and i will just observe one another like an aquarium situation...but i'm motivated, anxious, and becoming bored.
i'm really irritated that my former institute of learning, SCAD...purchases smart boards on a daily basis....but cannot manage to actually bind our thesis books...so i am to present to the family and friends who supported me a stack of paper bound with a dollar store bull clip...so official.
so i bought a set of meauring cups so i could follow my 'american' recipes, but somehow, i'm to cheap to fork over the one dollar for measuring spoons...
A.I.B.
The Adventures of Allied International Babes:
*names may have been changed to protect the innocent
*facts may have been changed because it makes the story less boring
Part I: I'll keep it brief
Much like the Power Puff Girls, Charlie's Angels, and the girls from 'The Facts of Life'...there is a society of young, intelligent, and irresistible women in the world. Roswell has the UFOs, Salt Lake City has the polygamists, and believe it or not...Savannah has the elite group of Allied International Babes.
One does not aspire, study, or plan to become an A.I.B...the State Department of Motor Vehicles handles this matter. You will know you've been appointed to membership of this group upon registering your personal vehicle and receiving the appropriate plates. At this point, you may still not be aware of your new societal status.
A seemingly innocent friend, we will call E, declared one day, after tailing my vehicle, that I too was an A.I.B....explaining the rest would follow.
As a group, we blend inconspicuously to your world. We knit with you, we are in your pilates class, we even work and study with you. We take out role very seriously and must have a plane ticket, passport, and affidavits ready at all times for any situation that may arise.
Part II: even more brief...
This is what they do...they began by socializing you with other A.I.B.s, friends of friends of friends. Then you realize your social circle are merely clones of one another representing the world...you know who you are out there.
Next you are having two hour long conversations at coffee shops that you used to order "to go please..." Next, you are preparing the lasagna you have been promised all this time...then the trans continental flights, the language lessons...Finally, you too are putting your furniture, plates, the basics into storage and reducing our entire daily routine and shoe collection to two checked bags and a carry-on. You are officially a full-fledged A.I.B. and you have been called to duty. This is your job and you perform proudly it gladly with enthusiasm. You are the few, the irresistible...the Allied International Babes.
*names may have been changed to protect the innocent
*facts may have been changed because it makes the story less boring
Part I: I'll keep it brief
Much like the Power Puff Girls, Charlie's Angels, and the girls from 'The Facts of Life'...there is a society of young, intelligent, and irresistible women in the world. Roswell has the UFOs, Salt Lake City has the polygamists, and believe it or not...Savannah has the elite group of Allied International Babes.
One does not aspire, study, or plan to become an A.I.B...the State Department of Motor Vehicles handles this matter. You will know you've been appointed to membership of this group upon registering your personal vehicle and receiving the appropriate plates. At this point, you may still not be aware of your new societal status.
A seemingly innocent friend, we will call E, declared one day, after tailing my vehicle, that I too was an A.I.B....explaining the rest would follow.
As a group, we blend inconspicuously to your world. We knit with you, we are in your pilates class, we even work and study with you. We take out role very seriously and must have a plane ticket, passport, and affidavits ready at all times for any situation that may arise.
Part II: even more brief...
This is what they do...they began by socializing you with other A.I.B.s, friends of friends of friends. Then you realize your social circle are merely clones of one another representing the world...you know who you are out there.
Next you are having two hour long conversations at coffee shops that you used to order "to go please..." Next, you are preparing the lasagna you have been promised all this time...then the trans continental flights, the language lessons...Finally, you too are putting your furniture, plates, the basics into storage and reducing our entire daily routine and shoe collection to two checked bags and a carry-on. You are officially a full-fledged A.I.B. and you have been called to duty. This is your job and you perform proudly it gladly with enthusiasm. You are the few, the irresistible...the Allied International Babes.
A.I.B.
coming soon:
the adventures of Allied International Babes
or Globalization and the Merging of Western Civilizations.
the adventures of Allied International Babes
or Globalization and the Merging of Western Civilizations.
Noodles Aren't Just for Pasta
I'm not one of these aristocratic snobs that turns their noses up towards the "salt of the earth". In fact, I embrace folk culture, knowing that often these people are far more in tune with their environs than we pop culturists. These folks are at the root of human existence, they are the ones who have made our educated lives possible.
However, I recently watched a documentary entitled Okie Noodling. (it aired on PBS promptly after an ad for TIAA Cref -supporting those working in cultural fields and just before the History of Ketchup) These people are idiots! (I know this is in stark contrast to my last post...but if you, too, have seen this program you understand) These people are risking their lives to catch cat fish with their bare hands by wading around in swamps, flooded quarries, and collapsed highway infrastructure.
I learned this term 'noodling' as I was watching the local new broadcast here in sunny Savannah and they announced a law had been passed making noodling legal in the state of Georgia. Not knowing what noodling was...I set out to 'research' as many of you reading this know I am prone. The more I learned, the more I wish I did not know. Thissport, I find disturbing.
And as for Georgia, with so many homicides, crimes against humanity, and drug trafficking...Could resources be better spent cracking down on real crime and not exploiting ignorance and catfish?
However, I recently watched a documentary entitled Okie Noodling. (it aired on PBS promptly after an ad for TIAA Cref -supporting those working in cultural fields and just before the History of Ketchup) These people are idiots! (I know this is in stark contrast to my last post...but if you, too, have seen this program you understand) These people are risking their lives to catch cat fish with their bare hands by wading around in swamps, flooded quarries, and collapsed highway infrastructure.
I learned this term 'noodling' as I was watching the local new broadcast here in sunny Savannah and they announced a law had been passed making noodling legal in the state of Georgia. Not knowing what noodling was...I set out to 'research' as many of you reading this know I am prone. The more I learned, the more I wish I did not know. Thissport, I find disturbing.
And as for Georgia, with so many homicides, crimes against humanity, and drug trafficking...Could resources be better spent cracking down on real crime and not exploiting ignorance and catfish?
Dali Lama
Too often we spend our time and energy judging others for their faults or for what they are not giving us. We do this without ever looking at ourselves, our own faults, or what others may be needing from us. We call it spoiled, selfish, or simply conceited.
My guess however, is that even the best of us, our personal friends whom we admire, those leaders of faith, and our public leaders...haven't they once put self indulgent thoughts at the forefront of their giving minds and bodies?
We walk through this world keenly focused on our own pain and disappointments without ever considering those burdens that we have placed on others.
My guess however, is that even the best of us, our personal friends whom we admire, those leaders of faith, and our public leaders...haven't they once put self indulgent thoughts at the forefront of their giving minds and bodies?
We walk through this world keenly focused on our own pain and disappointments without ever considering those burdens that we have placed on others.
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