putting the knit in shizknitz

Back View!

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

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Canon Powershot G7

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

The splurge arrived today.

I feel like a writer. I keep these oddly random, strange hours, going to sleep and waking up to type. Too bad the content isn’t terribly interesting, they’re usually just another paper or another for school. When I was younger, I loved to write. Notes, short stories, poems, anything. I still find notebooks here and there of earnest feelings and emotions from long ago. Some I can laugh over, some I still anguish over.

I have a paper and presentation at 1 PM today. Ugh. Must write something.

On a different note, I made a splurge today.

Perhaps its the wind blowing outside, or the cold air seeping into the apartment. I suddenly had a craving to hear some classic, Nat King Cole.

When I fall in love it will be forever
Or Ill never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before its begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun

When I give my heart it will be completely
Or Ill never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.

There’s a tinge of sadness with this song - he talks about only falling in love if that love is reciprocated. Whatever happened to “love like you’ve never been hurt before”?

I suppose he was one of the ones that was seriously hurt.

Curry Bread

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

My mom and her huge curry bread. I wish she would stop feeding me!

My mom happy to be at Javiers

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

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Javiers

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

My original Mexican favorite!

I am absolutely ecstatic. I’ve now booked tickets for both my Christmas holiday as well as my Europe trip.

I figure this is the last degree I’ll be embarking upon, and the last long holiday break and summer break I’ll have before I hit the office again, this time for good.

December: A week up in the snow in Whistler, British Columbia - flying into Vancouver and staying at the Hilton Whistler Resort and Spa. We didn’t ski at all last season, so we’re making up for it this year.

April - May: 12 day Mediterranean Cruise, and backpack through Europe for 4 weeks. We fly in and out of Rome. I’ve always, always wanted to do this. Now its going to come true.

At the last minute, I decided to come home for Thanksgiving. I actually rarely comeback to Fresno, maybe twice a year - the last time being in July for Mia’s court thing. I decided to drive today since I figured traffic would be better, but as you see from my post below, it wasn’t quite so. It took me almost 3 hrs and 45 min, which is about 45 min longer than it usually takes. I came home to my mom in a cooking frenzy, as usual, trying to feed me the second I walked in the door.

I also brought my laundry home, college style, since T and I desperately needed to do it (and I have classes on Tues mornings which have traditionally been laundry day). I was very conscienscious about taking things out of the laundry, put them in the dryer, etc. I’m kinda picky about things that I DON’T dry…

We ate early, and I passed out on the couch around 3PM… I awoke at 7PM to find… my laundry folded in the hallway. OH CRAP. I rushed into the dryer to find EVERYTHING IN THERE. Including, my favorite Banana Republic wool sweater I bought regular price a few months ago (and of course, they no longer carry it in the stores). I freaked out.

Note: This conversation is a translation from the Japanese version.

Me: OMG! You dried my wool sweater! It shrank!
Mom: No it didnt, see? Its still wet - once it dries you see.. (she starts stretching it out)
Me: DON’T! OMG Its totally messed up!
Mom: No, no… see? (still streching) besides, this is size SMALL. It’s supposed to be this size.
Me: NO! THIS WAS EXPENSIVE!!! (I’m touching the material) It’s ALL MESSED UP!
Mom: I handwashed it… just so it wouldn’t stretch!
Me: Yeah, but you DRIED IT. IN THE DRYER. Even a dumbass like me knows not to dry wool!

(A few min later, she’s in the living room with my dad)
Dad: Wow, the newspaper is huge..
Mom: Yeah, looks like the Sunday paper. But its Thursday.
Dad: Its for the After-Thanksgiving sales…
Mom: Oh! Shizu, look through the newspaper.. find sale for Republic of Banana. You can find your sweater on sale..
Me: There IS NO newspaper ad for BANANA REPUBLIC. I don’t think we even have one in Fresno!

Okay, gotta go. My mom now is trying to feed me Oden. T, I’m trying to keep her from giving me 2 huge vats of it to bring home.

Sitting in traffic

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

Gotta love the I5!

In b-school, your most precious item (yes, more than your cel phone believe it or not) is your laptop. I put in significant thought into which model, type, brand before I made my purchase about a year and a half ago. It’s wise - I spend more time with it than any other item I own.

In computer age, my laptop is now ancient. Thinkpad X40’s aren’t even made anymore. I have no warranty (I figured it would be like buying a warranty for a Civic, what’s the point?) and I’m at its mercy. But it begged for something more - something cosmetic. But there was no justification… until the left mouse button went limp.

Those who know me know my appreciation for crispness. I like crunchy french fries, crunchy toast, crunchy bacon, and crunchy candy. I have no patience for limp things. Limp lettuce, limp sandwiches, limp… well let’s not go there. However, my tried and true left mouse button no longer had a spring in its click, and was so limp that a gentle blow would send the signal up the motherboard. I had to get it replaced.

However, what I soon found out that it was not a simple button replacement - it was a whole KEYBOARD replacement. Gosh, I thought. This is L.A. for goshsakes, I thought anything could be tucked, primped, REPLACED. IBM/Lenovo apparently never thought this through on design. After some searching, we found a replacement keyboard in Irvine. We immediately had it shipped, and T performed the surgery.

After about 10 minutes, the keyboard was in place. The left mouse button - was performing like a young’un! I was relieved. My baby now had a new face. The ‘N’ button no longer was shiny, there were no crumbs or dust particles between the keys. What I’m discovering now though, is that there is something different about the keys - T says that this X41 keyboard was manufactured elsewhere - which just goes to show that facelifts are never as good as the original.

Cassava Chips

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

My most favorite secret indulgence! I found them at 99!

I’ve had this one lovely project on hold for over a year because I haven’t been able to figure out Fisherman’s Rib!!!! The sleeves are done… I’ve looked at numerous sites on the web (some with some lovely photos) and still cannot seem to figure it out. Any suggestions?

We were having lunch when…

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

Someone we don’t know decided to join our table. Only at Chinese restaurants would this happen….