advantages to being short

I'll never be able to wear Erté, nor reach the top shelf, but at least I can be pleasantly surprised by the quantities of yarn needed to make myself a sweater. I'm on the bottom ribbing with more than two balls left. One will be used to make a shawl collar and finish the front edges. The rest will finish the sleeves. They are not quite at their final length in this (bad) photo. I think I'm going to make it!

At some point this spring I discovered podcasts. By that I mean I indulged in my first listen. Not all of them seemed to me to merit the raves that were going around. But I have to say, I love the Craftypod. Love it! It's my new theme music. I go around the house humming the funky soundtracks she puts in. Sometimes I even catch myself muttering the tag line. I've always sort of steered clear of "craft", at least the kind of craft that involves lots of glue and cheap sparkly things or acrylic felt. It's not really my style. I don't have much knick-knacky kind of stuff, nor do I want any. So, I will probably never make any of the things Sister Diane describes. Still I love to listen to her! She has a clear speaking voice, she does good interviews, her editing is great (did I mention the funky music?), her philosophy is sound. I love this show. I wish it came out every week, or every day.

In other news, I have completed my first year of grad school. Huge whoop of release, huge collapse. I declare--all those things I was aching to do while in the throes of looming deadlines and prepping for exams? Once the last thing was turned in, I didn't have the energy to move. I could hardly get out of bed. I checked out a bunch of old mysteries from the library, baked a batch of chocolate oatmeal cookies, and didn't leave the house for three days. I took a lot of naps. Somehow I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop--to get the e-mail saying "you forgot to..." or the one saying "we're sorry, but you have not passed the required class on..." I can't really believe that it's over. And there's a whole 'nother mess of challenges waiting for me as soon as I have the stomach to face them. The number one question I get these days from all and sundry is "what are you going to do this summer?" Don't know. That's right, I don't know yet so please just hold off a few weeks before you ask me, ok? I'll be travelling, as little as possible.

Now, as to what I want to do this summer, well! There's the refashionista project, and I have stacks of fabric yearning to be made and worn. There's all that knitting. And spinning. A variety of things has made me want to weave again, at least some bands if nothing else. There's so much to be done! Am I the only one who can't believe it's practically Memorial Day already?