How to Find WBNM/PoMo Golightly on Bloglines

I've had a few questions about subscribing to the new blog via bloglines. As far as I can tell, the best way is to search for the URL, which is: www.wbnm.typepad.com/pomogo.

Hope to see you over there!

100 Things About Me for Post 100. Be Sure to Read #100!

1. I’m named after my aunt.
2. My middle name is the same as my mom’s.
3. My confirmation name is Monica.
4. My mom almost named me that.
5. I like Beverly better.
6. I own far too many bags.
7. I used to own too many shoes.
8. Ok, I probably still do.
9. I learned how to knit English a month ago in order to finally make gauge.
10. I’ve been knitting for almost 10 years. I should have tried to make gauge a little sooner.
11. I’m an ovo-lacto vegetarian.
12. One of my favorite things to do is to watch a Shakespeare play, especially outside.
13. I’m perfectly good at math. I just pretend I’m not.
14. I learned to read in church by following my mother’s finger as the lector read the Gospel.
15. I became an Episcopalian in 2003.
16. I stopped going to church when I moved.
17. I still like to read my Book of Common Prayer. I think it’s well written and comforting.
18. I like that William Shakespeare also read the Book of Common Prayer.
19. I don’t believe you have to go to church to connect with God.
20. I hate working out in a gym.
21. I love getting my work out by doing something: kayaking, boxing, hiking.
22. I spent a summer at St. John’s College, Oxford.
23. I’ve rarely felt as comfortable and at home as I did then.
24. I haven’t had tv since February 1992.
25. I watch a lot of tv when I’m at Neal’s house. I won’t even admit to how much.
26. The avid tv watching usually only lasts a couple of days. Then I get disgusted with myself.
27. I watched golf with my dad throughout my childhood.
28. Now my favorite sport to watch is UCONN Huskies basketball.
29. I lived in the same town Hilton Armstrong is from.
30. I don’t know him.
31. I saw Richard Gere, Joan Rivers, Harrison Ford, and Kevin Bacon in Manhattan, but not at the same time.
32. I wish I had Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe. And hair.
33. I have subscriptions to Real Simple, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Creative Non-Fiction, and River Teeth.
34. I was born in a blizzard. I used to say I was a “lizard baby.”
35. Jonathan Safran Foer, Italo Calvino, James Salter, and A.S. Byatt are some of my favorite writers.
36. I didn’t get my BA degree until I was 28.
37. I taught college-level English in a maximum-security women’s prison for two semesters.
38. I count a dog as one of my best friends. The other dog is more like a child to me.
39. I have 13 nieces and nephews, but five of them are from my ex’s side of the family. But I still consider them my nieces and nephews.
40. I’m friends with my ex-husband. I still think he’s an amazing person.
41. The beach is one of my favorite places to be.
42. When I’m angry I cry.
43. That makes me even angrier.
44. I learned how to spin in the fall and bought a wheel of my own.
45. I want to raise alpacas some day.
46. I write about the same things over and over, but in different stories.
47. I learned to ride horses as a means to meet Prince Philip.
48. The plan didn’t really make sense as I lived in CT and he in London.
49. I like to be prepared.
50. I act really tough the first few weeks of the semester to try and get some students to drop.
51. After that I’m a soft touch.
52. I went to Australia when I was 19.
53. When I was in 4th grade my best friend, Denise, moved to MA. It seemed really far away.
54. I still miss her sometimes.
55. I’m tired of living alone.
56. Sometimes I really like living alone.
57. I was 14 before I had my own room.
58. I was a synchronized swimmer for three years as a pre-teen.
59. My first boyfriend gave me Of Human Bondage as a gift. It became one of my favorite books.
60. Even though D.H. Lawrence’s novels sometimes seem over the top, they are among my favorites.
61. I’m a better baker than I am a cook.
62. Bread is my favorite thing to bake.
63. I used to talk to a squirrel I would see as I walked between the train and work. He was missing his tail, so I knew it was the same one.
64. My cat Norman died when I was 12. It was my first experience with death.
65. New York City makes me happy.
66. I understood line after seeing a Sol LeWitt exhibit.
67. I like to mess around with watercolors.
68. My friend Linda Jean Fisher believes that we were once the same person. I believe her.
69. She taught me how to mix paint.
70. She also taught me to believe in myself as a writer.
71. I used to have a recurring dream in which these people, not merfolks, though, who lived underwater would urge me to join them. It was beautiful.
72. It makes me believe I will die by drowning.
73. That doesn’t stop me from swimming.
74. When in CT I walk the dogs by a beaver pond. It’s one my favorite places to be.
75. I have three tattoos.
76. One of them covers a Chinese symbol that was supposed to mean student.
77. I learned it meant Saturday.
78. I thought that was funny, but I covered it anyway.
79. Chewing ice makes me happy.
80. Sometimes I feel obsessive about it.
81. I don’t think I’ll ever have children.
82. I’m afraid everything bad that runs in my family would emerge in my children.
83. But then I think that everything good that runs in my family could exist in my non-existent kids.
84. That’s the most I’ve thought about children in months.
85. I made a lot of quilts between 1992 and 2000. Then I moved to a small apartment and didn’t have room to keep my sewing machine up.
86. The last quilt I made was for Julia, the daughter of a dear friend.
87. I’m learning to embroider.
88. Sometimes I like working with fiber and fabrics better than with words.
89. Mostly words make me happier than anything else, though.
90. Except my boyfriend, family, and friends.
91. My SnB group has kept me sane during the last two semesters.
92. I love to teach.
93. I cheated on my yarn fast.
94. But not as much as I thought I would.
95. I would like to have a little writing house, a room of my own as it were, some day soon.
96. I want to get married again.
97. If I could go anywhere in the world right now, I’d pick Iceland.
98. My parents always told me to do what would make me happy, and I love them for that.
99. The Artist’s Way changed my life.
100. I have a new blog: www.wbnm.typepad.com/pomogo. I’ll be posting there from now on, so change your blogrolls, my dear readers.

I Finished my Story, and I Opened the Boxes: A Contest

Sadly, though, my camera batteries died. I considered, for a brief moment, that I should let the batteries charge overnight and open the boxes in the morning when I would be able to photograph the big event moment by moment. But haven't I been patient enough, waiting for hours after I arrived home to tear into the boxes? Of course I have.

So now Miss Lendrum is put together. I practiced treadling, and I'm about to find some roving to start spinning. That shouldn't be a problem, as you know if you've looked inside my office closet.

My car's name is Clarke Sable. My sewing machine's name is Sally. My computer is Phineas (I know, no alliteration there, but I can't ever give that name to a child or pet...the computer won't complain, at least). What should I name Miss L.? Make your suggestions, and I'll send a skein of a festive, fun yarn purchased at Flying Fingers in Irvington, New York, to the winner.

By the way, this is my 99th post. Next post WBNM turns 100. And that post will have a big announcement.

Don't forget, bring out your Lenten projects tomorrow. I'll be bringing my St. F's Vest of Many Colors to share with my SnB. If you hear some crazy cackling around 7 p.m. Central time tomorrow, you'll know what it is. 'Cause there's a good reason this vest is unfinished. Really.

I'm going to go charge those camera batteries now.

She's here!

Yup. I came home from running errands after boxing (a trip to the post office to mail a SP package, then to my LYS to exchange needles, then to the grocery store for garlic and milk) to see some packages at my door. Right now they're leaned against the banco (sp?) next to my big ol' fireplace. I will not--I repeat, I WILL NOT open them until I get some writing done. I have to turn a story in to workshop tomorrow. So, no pictures.

There's something else I want to tell you, but not just yet. Patience!

The Saga of a Girl Without a Wheel

Noelle has been joining me, her breath baited along with mine as we track the UPS progress of my Lendrum. It's in Albuquerque. Now. As I write this. But no apartment number was added to the address, so it is not in my possession. Nor will it be until Monday. I'm a patient woman, though, so I'm keeping calm about it. Really.

Crafty Friday was lots of fun. Liz worked on her Big, Bad Baby Blanket, Trevor started the Umbilical Cord hat (his first knitting in the round project). Cari worked on designing her fair isle hat (pink reindeer would ROCK!), and Noelle spun her gorgeous Neopolitan. Allen learned to knit, and maybe because he's a guitar player, or maybe because his gram taught him to crochet as a kid...but man, this guy had three beautiful rows of a washcloth done before he left. Great tension, even stitches. Dana worked on her cross stitch blanket.

Noelle's doll of a hubby stopped by at the end of the night with my favorite guest (sorry everyone else), Winter. Noelle gifted me with One Skein, which I thought didn't come out until April. It is beautiful, and there are a load of patterns that I'm excited to start.

Cari gave me a wheel warming gift, too, but I'll wait to post a picture of that goodness until it is on the wheel. Apparently the gang was all at our LYS yesterday shopping and visiting Scout.

I enjoy my Tuesday night SnB so much, and Crafty Fridays, while only a monthly event so far, are also a lifesaver. I love to write. I love to read. I love to read about writing. I love to write about reading. You know what I mean. But sometimes I feel like I'm too much in my head, and knitting and other creating gets me out of my head, makes me feel more connected to the world at large. I feel fortunate to have a great group women (and guys) with whom to share this connection.

Sew? I Knit

This came earlier in the week from Cia's Palette. I joined the Sew? I Knit sew-along, and I'll be making the Betsy Ross a-line skirt. I'm not confident about putting in a zipper or making an even hem, but I am so in love with this fabric that I'll figure it out. If I have a good sized scrap I'm going to make myself a needle case. That's how much I love this fabric.

I'm also using this for my March Project Spectrum project. And can I just mention that I think Lolly is a total doll? She comes up with the coolest ideas, including the Project Spectrum Postcard Swap. I'm going to get out my watercolors for this one!

Sockapaloooza Yarn has Arrived

Isn't it pretty? All shades of green. I ordered it from Celia in Australia, and it got here in less than a week. Now to pick the pattern. I've thought about Dublin Bay, but I also like Cascading Leaves from the Jeannie Townsend Knitalong group. I'm waiting for Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks before I commit to a pattern, though. Any thoughts?

Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter

Ok, I seem to get myself in trouble with this. Here's the deal. My name, Beverly, means the meadow where the beaver dwells, or according to Behind the Name, beaver stream. Go ahead, have your giggles. I was adult before I knew there were sexual connotations to what had become my totem animal, and it's too late now for me to change my feelings. Beavers are industrious, they're creative. Last year while kayaking with Neal and Brian, we startled a beaver who was snacking on some ferns. He looked pretty ticked off at us, which made me like beavers even more. Nothing like seeing emotion in an animal (don't give me that worn out attitude that animals don't have emotions. I can't be convinced).

Now, I'm a vegetarian. Yes, I still wear some leather, and yes, I know everything you might want to say about that. My reasons for my eating habits are a subject for another post. I don't like the idea of animals being harmed or killed. But, man, am I ever tempted by this. Go look. It's beaver yarn. Kind of horrible and kind of fascinating.

I am more tempted, however, by this. You saw right. Socks that Rock has a club now. I may join for just one month. I want to join for a year, but my graduate student budget is getting in the way. For that matter, I'd like to join the Dizzy Society, too. I need me a yarn sugar daddy, kids!

2/22 ETA: Apparently beavers are decended from these neato prehistoric creatures. Love me some prehistoric freaky animals!

Where in the World?

I got curious about who might be reading my blog, and where those readers might be. So, although I don't have as wide ranging readership as my favorite TN LYS, it is cool to see some of the places:

Denver, Colorado
Palo Alto, California
Fresno, California
Tijeras, New Mexico
Auburn, Washington
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Point Harbor, North Carolina
Minneapolis, Minnesota
New York
Valley View, Texas (I once had a pen pal from there--is it you?!)
Boston, Massachusetts
Dallas, Texas
Vancouver, British Columbia
Andrews Afb, Maryland
Dodge City, Kansas
Oakland, California
East Windsor, Connecticut
Columbia, Maryland
Meriden, Connecticut
Huntington, West Virginia
Fairfield, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ozark, Missouri
Tempe, Arizona
Tallahassee, Florida
San Francisco, California
Terre Haute, Indiana
Coventry, Rhode Island
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Dallas, Texas
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Plano, Texas

There's lots more, but I don't want to go on and on. I'm no Crazy Aunt Purl, I know, but it's cool to know that there are people out there reading. I'd love to have some of these towns posted on my Frappr map or get some friendly delurking comments.

In other news, I asked my local girlys about doing this, and now I'll send it out into the wider knitting world. As a way to think about the Lenten season, I'm going to pull out my oldest UFO, a complicated intarsia vest that I knit for my ex. We picked out a variety of colors, and I knit for months and months. When I bound off the shoulders, and he tried it on, it was WAY too small. I mean, small enough to fit a child instead of a grown man. I kept at it and wove in the roughly ten million ends, but got stuck doing the finishing work on the edges of the armholes and button bands. So I'm going to bring the UFO to my SnB next Tuesday to show it off, and the other knitters with UFOs will bring theirs. And I'll make a commitment to finish this baby and put it to rest. I'll post a picture on Mardi Gras for my readers from all over the country (and "hi", Canada!) to look at, too.

B Cubed in the House

Monday usually finds me a little worn out from my exertions with the Rev. Boxing exertions. We now have four fighting chicas in our class, and it might stun you to know just how violent we are under our sweet exteriors. Or it might nauseate you how girly we can be..."that was a really good left hook just now, D." "R, your kicks are great." "W., that's a good jab." All compliments and making sure everyone knows they're loved.

This Monday night, though, I am Bouncing Baby Beverly. 'Cause I got some news that has me dancing. My Lendrum is wending its way to me, even as I type. ETA is Friday...just in time for Crafty Friday.

Even more exciting news...my ex-SIL is having a baby girl tomorrow. She was supposed to deliver on Friday, had a cold, and had to reschedule her C-section. Keep her and baby Shane in your thoughts, please. My gramps believed that if you prayed 12 Hail Mary's, 12 Our Father's, and 12 Glory Be's on a Tuesday morning that nice things would happen. A new baby sure is a nice thing, prayers or not, don't you think?