Nineteen Candles

Actually, at no point in the past week did I have a cake with nineteen candles, but I did have cake that my friend baked for me! It said "Happy Birthday, Chiclee!" which was really sweet. So all week I've been celebrating my birthday this week. It was on Thursday, and it was raining and gross but also a really awesome day. I've actually had a social life lately, so not so much knitting. This is what I have on the second sock (picture via my iSight!)=:  And also pictures of the blue hair for those that requested them. It's kind of faded now but it won't be all the way out for my sorority composite pictures this week, but oh well. Off to knit!!

Skype!

I have Skype! My name over there is Chelseyblair

Got it so my mom (windows) and I (mac) could video chat. It's great, and I get to see little brother tomorrow!!!!!

New Computer!

I just bought a Macbook!! I also installed a widgit that will let me post to my blog without having to open a webpage and things, which means more posts from me! Except, it doesn't do pictures, but as I haven't been finishing anything lately, that's not a problem. What with classes, I'm still on the socks. But I will prevail!And soon I will rhasphodize about my English major crazy realizations and such, but at the moment it's late. Good night, Blogosphere.

Something Unpredictable

Life has picked up significantly, so less knitting, I'm afraid. I did spend two hours today on the cuff of my sock (the cuffs look ridiculously long, because they need to stretch), and will cast on the second tomorrow.

I had a blast last night at my friend's party, and hung out at Chi Phi (frat) for a little while too with some of my sisters. It was a wonderful night, and I'm much happier than I was this time last year in a lot of ways. I'm more in-transition now, with a lot of things and friendships, but it's okay; I have so much to look forward to. So yay.

Pictures after I cast this sock off. :)

Yo, Listen Up, Here's The Story:

About a blue girl....

Rie and I have been planning on dyeing my hair blue for a while now. Today we finally got around to it. First, let me say, my hair looks really good.

Now for the fun part. All went well during the slathering my hair with color, part. Then I let it sit for quite a while, because my hair is thick. And then, RIe left to go home and I went to rinse, as the bottle said.

A torrential downpour of blue cascaded all over me. My hands became purple. I stood in the water for AGES until each time touching my hair didn't bring new waterfalls. I shampooed. Got out, not touching my hair with the towel, and surveyed the damage.

The Smurfs had World War Three in my bathroom. I, as it seems, am the only survivor, and covered in Smurf blood. My shower hosted the Blitz.

Now, after a million baby wipes and nail polish remover, my face looks okay. My hands are still a little smurfy, particularly the thumbs and nails. Sonya and/or Rie is going to help me with my shower in the near future.

Once my shower is clean and I don't have the threat of having to pay OU for damages I will laugh about this. Oh, yeah, and after I'm sure I don't have to join a freak show or Blue Man Group.

Back to School

The first week of class is over. I like most of my classes, but I've already switched one of my required courses for another professor. I feel bad, because my little sister (sorority) was in that class so I was going to take it with her, but the professor is very vague about what he wants, and I want a class that I can get an "A" in.

Shakespeare looks like it will be good, although we're reading some pretty obscure plays it makes me happy because then I can make obscure Shakespeare references. We have a twelve page research paper, so that will give me the opportunity to find out how much i like researching Shakespeare.

In other, really exciting news, it snowed here on Wednesday, and it's snowing now too! In Atlanta! And up until Wednesday, I'd never really seen snow. I mean, it flurried once at home when I was four, and I have a picture of me at my grandparents at the whopping ages of 9 mos in the snow, but that's about it. So this is very exciting!

Not much knitting, having scoped out any classes where I can get away with it yet, though I plan on doing some this weekend :D

Book Review: Blackberry Wine

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris

This is the book I received in the Book Swap. It's by the same author as the book Chocolat and set in the same village.

I enjoyed the book as a bit of a light read. The main character, Jay, was interesting to me and different from other characters I have seen. I loved the contrast between London, the small English time where he spent his childhood and the French village that he came to.

The appearance of his old friend Joe as an "out-of-body" traveller was interesting, but not as clunky as it could have been, and I liked it. The village characters are all quirky and interesting, and I felt a real pang when it was talked about how many villagers want to modernize their villages for tourism. Realistic, but sad.

Harris's prose is spectacular, and it's worth the read just for that. Her images are vivid and luscious. The two real peeves I have about the novel are these:

The narratives done from the point of view of the wine was inconsistent, and in my opinion, unnecessary. I appreciate the exploration of new techniques, but I think an editor should have cut that at some point. I also think Jay's romance with Marise was too sudden. She goes from reclusive to in his bed very quickly. I appreciate the off-camera talks that they must have had, but those would have been nice to see.

Overall, though, a good and quick read.