More socks... surprised, anyone?

I just finished a pair of socks out of this yarn, Claudia Handpainted in some unknown colorway (why didn't I keep the tags? Durrrrr.) which has been languishing in my Seattle stash since I bought it over a year and a half ago. Several times while i was in Oberlin, I would paw through my socks yarn stash in frustration, lamenting the fact that I had no good handpainted sock yarn on my half of the country. And, lo and behold, as soon as I got home for the holidays, these gorgeous puppies were waiting for me. Now, less than a week later, they are a pair of socks. (I'm still lazy - pictures will come!)

Now that the year is drawing to a close, I'm wondering which projects will hold over into 2009, and which will be part of the huge FO pile of 2008. I have half of a cabled gauntlet left, so I think I might try to crank that out before New Year's. I figure a sock project is just fine to keep around, though. And my next projects will most likely be out of this:


Claudia Handpainted in Ingrid's Blues...

or this:


Koigu in deliciously bright f%*ing yellow. I'm thinking cables. I actually had a dream about this yarn before I bought it, and I woke up with a hankering for yellow. Thank goodness Weaving Works provided.

Also, as 2008 draws to a close, I start thinking about the good and bad that came from it. But on the happier side, I'll stick with the good. It's way more interesting, anyhow!

Oberlin has definitely, definitely been a good point. Being constantly surrounded by incredibly intelligent, articulate students and professors is pretty kick-ass; my job as a student information desk attendent has made me come out of my shell; keeping up with classes as well as work and personal life has slowly molded me in the direction of responsibility. I've had some rough spots, mostly around exams and finals, mostly because I take my academics too personally; I get physically stressed about grades and performance on exams, often to the point that I live on coffee for a few days before each one. That's to be expected, though (I mean, what student doesn't go through that?) and once it's over, it's so very satisfying to have lived through it. (Plus, I get to be all like, "Man, I kicked that exam's ass! Pay no attention to my gnawed-off nails and the bags under my eyes. I am hardcore!")

I'm also incredibly grateful for my friends, who have eaten lunch with me; listened to my stories; told me theirs; knitted with me for hours on end; commiserated about The Future and Relationships; dreamed of owning a yarn store; swam in waterfalls and lakes; lived in the basement (literally); eaten at Moosewood; gone dancing; driven in the snow; watched Forensic Files until 2 am and spoken in silly accents. I am grateful for the friendships that fade in intensity for a few months or years and then grow again; for friendships that are the same no matter where you left off; for friendships that make me laugh into my cookies and milk at the dining hall after a long afternoon at work.

Basically, I'm just full of love and hugs and all that gross stuff.