That was quick

Last night, while on page 91 of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I announced to the world that I had started to read the book. That was about 18 hours ago.

And then...as of about 11am...
I finished it! And it was fabulous!

I loved it. It made me laugh so much. And I would recommend it to most people who wouldn't be morally offended by the idea that someone (Seth what's-his-face) would drop zombies into this classic love story. Here's the deal. If you think this is heresy, don't read it.
I've heard a lot of people say that it doesn't go far enough. But I'm not sure what "far enough" is. He didn't really change the story. He just added sentences and changed a few words. Oh, and they put pictures in.

It's definitely better than Facebook stalking Great-Aunt Geraldine. But if you really want to know, she's watching Funny Face and drinking a Long Island Iced Tea.

Well, I've given in...

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press. Drop whatever you are doing; it probably isn't really that important. You can facebook stalk your Great-Aunt Geraldine tomorrow; she'll still be watching Fred Astaire movies and drinking vodka shots.
Much greater news has happened upon you.
And no, it's not Barack Obama's admission that he was black BEFORE he was elected to the presidency.
It's bigger, better, and makes more people laugh.

Last Tuesday, I went to Amazon.com (shameless plug for them; they should pay me for that one) and purchased two books: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and the newly released Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. I also bought the soundtrack to the movie Newsies but that's irrelevant.
The books arrived over the weekend and I'm now 90-odd pages into P&P&Z.
So what do I think of it? READ IT!!!
Buy, sell, run, fly...do whatever you must...but it's a must read. It makes a great book even funnier.

And maybe someday I'll write a blog post about how the use of zombies in the novel reflects the status quo role of women in the Regency-era marriage market.
Or maybe I'll save that for my doctoral dissertation.

Opinions, please

I had to write the following poem for my Creative Writing class and I need some feedback. I think it sucks. But I want to know if you think it contains any imagery, metaphor, or other artistic bullcrap.

Yarn over, pull through

After seventeen months, I finally finished it

With one slip-stitch-

And a knot.

Seven feet long, pink with four white stripes

We made Alex stay until two in the morning

So I could have more witnesses to my triumphant moment.

Ben was there for the beginning-

When I was seventeen and naïve.

Alex was there for the end-

But they’ll both be there for more.

Yarn over, pull through

It’s three o’clock in the morning

And Kyle and I are tired, too tired.

Alex and Nicole are laughing and giggling-

About something, who knows what.

I crochet while Kyle talks,

Talks about dumb stuff

I say stupid things that no one will remember

Or maybe everyone will.

And he just laughs-but not at me.

Yarn over, pull through

Twelve hours is a long time in a car

Too long when you’re sick

Twelve hours across the vast expanse of rock and field that they call Ontario

A land of golf courses and Toronto and blah

But on a green couch with Ben as I crochet

It’s all worth it.

Annie teaches Miche to knit.

Alex even tries.

But I won’t teach Ben. He’ll mess it up.

Or do something wrong.

Yarn over, pull through

Cary Grant is suave and debonair-

Kyle’s hero.

Jimmy Stewart is softer, slighter, but still strong-

Alex’s hero.

Friday night at the movies-

Some of the old meet a new generation

Rum brownies, crocheting, Alex, Annie, and an old movie-

It’s a plan-a tradition-

If you will.

Yarn over, pull through

Blankets, scarves, mittens, hats, sweaters-I’ve made ‘em

While driving, while talking, while movie-watching

While with Alex, with Annie, with Ben, with Miche, with Kyle-

And with others-and in many places

Spain, Montreal, and home

Many colors, many ideas

Yarn over, pull through,

And end it with a slip-stitch-

And a knot,

But there’ll always be more.

Crocheted Musings

My esteemed institution of higher education deems it an exceptional idea to give us both Labor Day and the next day off. This affords us more time to do homework and enjoy the end of summer. It also prevents us from having a fall break in October. And let me tell you; I would love a break in October-even if it were just one or two days off.

In my case, this break has included more crocheting that usual.
This weekend, I bought four skeins of a beautiful gray medium weight yarn. Two of those skeins are now a beautiful gray sweater that is hanging in my closet while a third is being turned into a slouch hat for winter. And the fourth will probably become a scarf to match the hat.
I worked on the sweater while watching movies and while hanging out with friends all weekend. Now it just needs buttons, which I'll buy soon.
And the hat seems to be coming along really quickly.
I blame Ravelry for my spurt of creativity. Ever since Jenny Pink introduced me to the site a few months ago, I have found some amazing patterns for things that I've long wanted to make but just haven't known HOW to do it-or how to find a good, easy to follow pattern.
But now, I know. They have a lot of free patterns (and many more that you have to pay to use) that are pretty easy to follow.

I may also start taking more requests from people.

Un año después…

It's been one year since I left for Spain.
I think today will be a much more peaceful day than 1 de septiembre de 2008 was.
I just have two classes and a skype date with Kayleigh-a friend from Spain.

I finished my first knitted blanket on Sunday night; I'm so proud. Now I need money to buy the yarn so I can start my first crocheted sweater. I found a pattern online (thanks to Ravelry) and am super excited to start making it. I also have a knitted sweater I'm hoping to start someday soon. But that one requires special new needles so that will be a while in coming. I'm also not sure what yarn to use for that project, so it's really going to have to wait.
(I left the cord for uploading pictures from my camera at my parents' house, so pictures of my new apartment, my new blanket, and other things will be a bit in coming.)
I didn't knit this much before I went to Spain. Or crochet this much... Or drink this much tea...I drink at least two cups a day.
But I really think that going to Spain was a good thing for me.
Plus, how else would I have ever gotten to go to Rome for the Feast of St. Cecilia at the age of 20?
Spain was-despite all the rough spots-so worth it.

Now if only I could find my cell phone charger...I never had that problem in Spain. (And I did have a cell phone there.)