So That Happened...

Countdown!

Holy crap!  I leave for Hawaii in less than a month!  Now all I have to do is make sure I don't blow all the hard work I've spent on getting back into shape for the trip.  (I'll write all about it when I can - it took WEEKS, I swear.)

Observations On Baggage Carousel Behavior

(Or, What I Did While I Waited For The Luggage)

1. Why do people, if they see their luggage pass them as it makes its rounds on the belt, feel compelled to break into a mad dash to catch up to it? I saw it happen at least six times. Don't they realize it's going to come back to them?

2. Why does everyone hover over the carousel as if they were cold and it was the only heat source available? No one can see any bags coming or going if everyone's blocking everyone else's view, plus all that crowding makes it hard to pull your bags off the belt.

3. Speaking of, I like seeing people help others when they are trying to grab their bags. Since the bag is moving somewhat quickly, inevitably the person standing behind the person going for the luggage lends a helping hand. It gives me a wee bit of hope for the human race.

4. Those SmarteCartes could really use foot-applied brakes (like on strollers) so that they won't roll out from under the luggage when you're trying to load them. At least the ones at LAX do; I don't know if the carts at other airports are equipped with them.

5. Seriously, people, BACK AWAY FROM THE CAROUSEL.

I took this picture of a baggage carousel at San Francisco International Airport. See that clever border created by the stripe of off-white carpet? It's a subtle hint for everyone to keep a clear space around the belt! I love it! Now if only people would heed it.

(Update: I reckon I'll start writing about the trip in a few days, so stay tuned! That is, if you are interested.)

Vacation!

WOOOOO! At long last I am now officially on vacation! And leaving for Europe in 17 hours! However, I have not yet finished packing! And I'm also vexed because two of my sweaters are not yet dry and I wanted to pack them now!

Anyway.

Please allow me to take the time to wish you all a very lovely New Year's wherever you may be - I hope yours is a fun and safe holiday. I also would like to wish my school a Rose Bowl victory!

While I'm at it, I'd like to give myself some early Happy Birthday props (psst, it's tomorrow), just because it's my blog and I'll post about my birthday if I want to. I cannot believe I am celebrating it in another country this year! Doesn't that sound dramatic yet fun? Happy Birthday to me!

I'll check in if and when I can, but if I do not, I will see you all back here after January 6!

(P.S. It is going to be in the THIRTIES in Budapest and Prague. BRRR.)

A Slightly Panicked Pre-Vacation Haiku

One more day until
we leave for Budapest and
Prague! Not ready! YIKES!

Things I Am Looking Forward To When I Go On Vacation

1. The mummified right hand of King Istvan in St. Stephen's Basilica.

2. The House of Terror Museum (I'd link to the museum's website but it is still under construction.)

3. Celebrating New Year's in a different country for the first time!

4. The Pilsen brewery - home of Pilsner Urquell. Mmm, beer.

5. Kostnice, or The Bone Church. The interior is made up entirely of human bones - I KNOW!

6. The Charles Bridge in winter. Oh, the photographs I will take!

These are just a few of the places I hope we get to while away. Do you have any other suggestions? Any particular restaurants or hidden shops we should check out?

My Vacation Haiku

Hooray - Budapest

and Prague in less than three weeks!

I'M NOT READY.  Crap.

If That's The Front, I Can Only Imagine What The Sign Over The Back Door Says

I'm back from my trip to the Bay Area.  Many pictures were taken, but this one asked - nay, demanded to be posted first.  Take one look and you'll see why:

• Name of Photo: The Spankme Building
• Location: Somewhere in San Mateo, California
• Date of Photo: November 9, 2007
• Taken By: Me

Oh, Look - A Knitting Post

I have been knitting a lot lately but haven't written about any of it until now.  Here are some examples of my latest crafty adventures:

My knitted squares for the San Diego Wild Fire Blanket Project in stockinette stitch with a garter stitch border.  I used some Lion Brand Homespun in...Antique?  I think that's what it is called.  It's been so long since I've had the labels for that yarn.  Anyway, the color of the squares is ivory-ish.  You get the hint.  I have just enough left to knit another square but I like even numbers so I'm leaving it as is.  Let the record show that Laura has totally bested me in the amount of squares knitted for this worthwhile project.  I don't know how she found the time to knit eight!

These skeins of Sirdar Snuggly DK yarn in Mushroom (not the official description of the color, by the way) are going to be knitted into a Pimlico Shrug for my Mom's Birthday/Christmas gift. (The pattern is from Knit 2 Together written by Mel Clark and Tracey Ullman - yes, that Tracey Ullman.)  I cast on for this on Monday (November 5) and was briefly yet completely perplexed by the Eyelet Stitch instructions.  Seriously, it was one of those things that just stumped me.  I was following the instructions to the letter but things just didn't look or feel right - do you know what I mean?  After conferring with my knitters on Tuesday night, I realized I was knitting it properly but just needed to believe I was.  Thank you, Blogless Sara, for helping me out!  Following instructions - who knew it would be so easy?

The knitting taking the seat next to my on my Virgin America flight last night. 

And here it is again, this time with Jamie and Adam from Mythbusters on my in-flight TV.  After the show ended, I switched over to IFC and jumped into Kill Bill: Volume 1 right when O-Ren Ishii decapitates the Japanese crime boss.  Nice.  I heart you, Virgin America!

Jet Set

I'm heading out of town for a few days - hooray!  I'm going to keep up with this NaBloPoMo thing, so in the meantime please enjoy these neat pictures taken by me inside a Virgin America plane on my last trip.

Check out that lighting!

Leather seats!

Mr. Bear always buckles up.

Hooray for Virgin America running the Discovery Channel!  I can still get my Mythbusters fix!

Some knitting and Mythbusters on my TV: it's like being at home!  (The ginger ale, however, is not - I only have that when on a plane.)

Phew.

I'm back from up north and am tired but happy. I got to spend some quality time with my nieces (the younger one who doesn't like anyone finally warmed up to me, but I'm certain she'll forget me and all the good times we shared and I'll have to charm her again during my next visit - sigh); ate my fair share of pancakes; and saw the Blue Angels prepare for the big show this weekend (it's Fleet Week). I also witnessed my nieces go through a fairly important rite of passage, and naturally I had to document the whole thing.

Photos of (mostly) everything to follow. Right now I just need to sleep.