Kninja Knitter

This was a very long, grueling week, but I made it through and had some super-fun experiences in the mix. At work, we have a lot of activity as the year-end freeze (no IT changes between mid-December and early January), so I had evening work a couple nights, plus an early Saturday release. Everything seems to have worked smoothly, and as of now I have one remaining major activity later this week. Now to share about what’s happened!

Stitched or Still-in-Progress

I have one finished object this week, though it took me a lot longer than expected to finish, lol. The little toe-up socks fit my grandson, but I’m also noting elements about the design that don’t suit him. I prefer toe-up socks, but I think I’ll knit a pair of cuff-down Rye socks for him next.

With the activities throughout the week, I needed a simple project, so I made great progress on my vanilla socks. I’m closing in on the contrast cuff, so I’ll be pulling out my next vanilla sock yarn soon.

Cast-on Conversations

With the start of a new month in the Down Cellar Studio Pigskin Party (PSP), I started a new project. The December challenge is to knit a project using at least four mini-skeins. I pulled out a collection of minis I bought at Zombie Knitpocalypse to use with a couple skeins of Cascade Heritage to make a nice sized shawl with a rainbow of colors. My progress has been very slow given the activities of the week, but I have a fair amount of down time this month, so I should be able to finish it by the end of the month.

I also started working on a shawl as a Christmas gift for a friend. I bought two kits from Laura Nelkin to knit matching shawls (different colors) for friends with whom I’ve exchanged gifts for years.

Grandson Glimpses

Because of my work activities this week, my schedule with the munchkin has been adjusted. But I’m still enjoying overnight visits, and this week I had a bonus visit so he could show me his new collection of Paw Patrol toys. It’s very fun to hear him calling out their names and playing with the figures and their trucks. Of course, he’s still obsessed with the show, and I was amused to see he’s now sitting “criss-cross applesauce” while watching.

Exploits in Exercise

I don’t think I mentioned last week, but I took advantage of the Black Friday sales to upgrade my fitness watch. After years of FitBits and dabbling with a Garmin, I went all-in as an Apple user and got an Apple Watch (series 11). While I greatly appreciate the data I get from my Oura ring, its tracking of activities is very limited.

The watch arrived on Tuesday, so I’ve been monitoring the data since then, and that spurred me to look into returning to OrangeTheory. I haven’t cancelled my membership, though I kept thinking about it. To my pleasant surprise, my home studio has added open studio hours to the schedule. These are blocks of time for members to come in and do their own “thing.” What a perfect way for me to dip my toe back into the treadmill.

It’s challenging to add workouts back into my calendar after getting used to a different schedule. But fitness remains a priority for me, so I will find ways to make this work. I’m worth it!

Football Frenzy

Following the Ohio State victory over their arch-rivals, the Team Up North (TTUN), I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of Ohio Stadium! We had a small group which made it really nice. The only place we couldn’t take photos was the team locker room, though our guide said we had a bit more access than usual just because the staff was turning over the equipment to be ready for the team’s trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.

The tour began in the Press Box area atop the west side of the horseshoe and concluded at the center of the field. There were a lot of details our guide shared that brought back memories of my years on campus. One of the other guests on our tour was impressed that I had graduated from The Ohio State University, especially when I mentioned that I received my diploma on that field (Spring 1990 commencement). I still learned a few things I didn’t already know!

The Buckeyes didn’t win the Big Ten Championship – congrats to Indiana for their first outright championship in over seventy years – but they’re still in the hunt for a repeat National Championship, taking the number-two seed in the playoffs. Next up: the Cotton Bowl, against the winner of the Miami-Texas A&M first round game.

Movie Moments

I didn’t get out to see any movies this week, but I think this topic suits to share about my experiences at GalaxyCon this weekend! This was my fourth year attending this event, and it provided some truly wonderful core memories! My work commitments on Friday meant I couldn’t make it to the convention center for the first day, and I’m sad that I missed the Mike Colter Q&A as a result. Then, our Saturday morning release ate into my morning, so I didn’t get to walk the celebrity tables that day.

On Saturday, I attended Q&A sessions with Jodi Benson and Christopher Daniel Barnes (Ariel & Eric in The Little Mermaid), William Shatner, Pom Klementieff (Mantis in The Guardians of the Galaxy), Billie Piper & Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who), and Simon Pegg. I also had my photo op with Simon Pegg, and he was truly delightful!

Shatner was certainly one of the most unusual celebrities I’ve seen in a Q&A! There was no moderator, and once he transitioned to the actual Q&A with the audience, it kind of went off the rails and was hilarious. Perhaps it’s because the man is 94 years old, but it also seems he has an inquisitive mind. He ended up asking more questions of the audience members who stepped up than they asked of him. Still, he shared some really interesting stories, and we also learned a bit about the history of musical notation.

On Sunday I had a more flexible schedule. I managed to arrive in time to see most of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Q&A, though honestly, I was keen to see Robbie Rist (voice of Michelangelo in The Secret of the Ooze) because he was on The Brady Bunch as cousin Oliver. I left early to book it to the main stage for Cary Elwes’s Q&A session – where I was a little disappointed to learn that photos & videos weren’t allowed. (And a violation would result in removal from the premises) Still, he shared some fun stories. I also made it to Jason Isaacs’s Q&A which was also not moderated, but stayed under control. I was late to that session because of my photo op with Mike Colter (Luke Cage), but I was still able to get in line to ask him a question. He recognized me when we met again for my photo op.

Before I left the convention center to wrap the weekend, I wandered around the celebrities area. I chatted briefly with Kerr Smith, who is working on a memoir about his Dawson’s Creek years, and Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) – and mentioned how much I appreciated the podcast he and his wife, Genie Francis, did with her co-star, Maurice Benard. (If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it, primarily discussing mental health. Link here)

I also walked through a new-to-me area of photo op stations. My favorite is the “Funko Pop Yourself” station (where I had to find a photographer nearby), and second-favorite is the replica car of Lucille from Supernatural. Lastly, I loved the group cosplay costume of Yip-Yip Martians from Sesame Street! I’m not usually one to dress up for these events, though perhaps I just haven’t found my cosplay of choice yet.

I would have liked to have more time and energy to wander around the main convention floor, as there was a lot of cool merchandise there. And there were a number of other celebrities I’d like to chat with. I’ve had some lovely conversations when there was no one in line, but those opportunities are non-existent for some folks. I’m already looking forward to next year’s con, and I’m curious to see who will be there. Meanwhile, I can start thinking about which knitted items to wear, lol.

Knit on. 🧶