Things that are awesome today.

1. Instant miso.
2. The sweater on the right here, which I found on Haute Macabre:
3. A fun writing challenge a friend dreamed up this week to help me work through a period of feeling stalled and dessicated, in which we each make up a scenario and the other person has to write a story based on it, then we trade pages a week later.

4. Sharpening pencils.

5. This photo, which I took while I was hiking in Inwood Park last weekend
I came around a corner and the angle of the sun on this plant made the flowers look SO pink and SO bright that my initial reaction was pissed that someone had hung plastic crap on a bush in the middle of the woods. I don't know what this plant is, but it also develops very glossy, dark purple berries on these bright, bright pink stalks and it's all very gorgeous and striking. And I love it.

6. I've been working on my ripple blanket [wow, I remember buying that plant before the guy I was seeing back then came over for the first time. Both the plant and that relationship died pretty quick deaths shortly thereafter.] for the past few days and feel confident that I will finish it someday, though probably not this year, and then will be able to shelter a couple of people and at least one rhinoceros under it with plenty of room for snacks and everyone's favorite stuffed animal.

7. Most, if not all, of the sweater knitting that I've done over the last few months needs to be ripped out. Either because the thing ended up not fitting, or I ran out of yarn or, as in the case of Yank, when I finally got around to sewing it up, the back was much longer than the fronts.
It's a gauge issue; they're the same number of rows. I do still like the pattern though, and may make it again at some point in the future. But the reason this project going off the rails goes on the awesome list instead of the suckage list (the only entry on which is the fact that my back hurts more, and has for most of this week, than it has at any point since the car accident in 2000 that screwed it up in the first place. I'm starting to take it personally.) is that I was never fully on board with the contrasting ribbing and I don't think I would have worn it much as a result. I'm looking around for something fun and entertaining and wearable to turn my attention to now though and am not sure what that's going to be. I want to make a few pairs of fingerless gloves because last year the heat in our office was really tricksy and I suspect that the apartment will be cold too and maybe a new hat or two (because what's more fun than a new hat? not much!), but I feel all bereft and at sea without a garment project to work on. I'll delve into Ravelry in the next day or two and see what tickles my fancy...