Where the Threads Come From - I make stuff. More accurately, I make thread/yarn. Other people make things from thread/yarn. I start wondering what it would look like if all our projects made from string were made from hand-spun. My brain is spinning... (pun intended!) (read more...)

My Second Scroll - I finished my second scroll in the SCA during October, and I've uploaded all the progress images today. I've commented on what went well, what I would change, and some plans for the future. (read more...)

Steampunk Birthday Goodness - Today's major photo accomplishment? 155 images from Lynn's Steampunk Birthday (complete set on cayswann, flickr, and a small feature set on Facebook). And once that was done, a whirlwind of clutter-busting at home for a bit, before rest. (read more...)

Photos from Short Cuts - I'm not participating in either "NaNoWriMo" nor "ArEvDaMo" but I have worked on uploading some photos more frequently. In this episode of "GeMoPiOnAsMaDaAsPoMo" I share the little camera sleeve I made, Theresa's celebration at the synagogue, and the Halloween party hosted by Saul and Amy. (read more...)

Short Cuts - Once upon a time, I wrote a news column in high school that just hit the highlights of the month. This entry is in honor of that column and mentions weight loss, exercise, steampunk, organizing, clutter-busting, small repairs, textiles, scribal work, and Mateo's visit. (read more...)

Upside Down and Back up the Rabbit Hole - Thoughts after a major loss, and how I've been handling grief and memory. A status report on weight loss since mid-June, a promise to dance, and my Arts goals at GWW (accomplished). (read more...)

Official News - Official news, with permission to cross post:

"It is with deep regret and much sorrow that after getting permission from Sven, I pass on that Duchess Kolfinna will lose her brave fight with H1N1 today, Oct 1, 2009. We all feel a great loss but Kolfinna's family asks that her friends refrain from coming up to the hospital. There will be a memorial at Great Western War and there will be more information on that and final arrangements posted on the website later http://www.kolfinna.sca-caid.org/ -- Thank you. Viscountess Lorissa"

Some Work Days Good, Some Not So Much - Sometimes at work, I have a fabulous time. Last week for instance, when I solved a problem for our team and would spontaneously do a "happy dance" with a silly song. Last night and today, not so much, when the developers made my life harder and harder and harder, every time I turned around. So, at least I get to tell you all a few stories. (read more...)

A Nice Work Parable - Once upon a time, I participated in a summer challenge at work. Here's the story of our final review. (read more...)

Sven/Kurt's update on Kolfinna/Kitty - Sven (Kurt) posted a detailed account of Kolfinna (Kitty)'s hospitalization with pneumonia. He also gave permission for cross-posting the information, to dispel rumors. (read more...)

Remember the 24 Months? - Returning to the notion of "What can I do with my life in two years, in 24 easy-to-manage one month portions" Project, I sum up the four major goals that I think will help me with housecleaning, and I start thinking about Pentathlon. (read more...)

The Big Kitchen Thing - I'm not a recipe girl. I mix and match ingredients I like, until I make food that I like. I shopped at the Farmer's Market on Sunday, attended a swim party/BBQ on both Sunday night and again on Monday. And so on Tuesday I finally attacked all the fresh food in my kitchen. After staying up late and getting up early, I have a fridge full of food cooked, chopped, assembled, and packed for over a week of good eating. Enjoy my "recipes" for Rice Salad, Chopped Apple Salad, Green Salad and Toppings, Stir-fried Squash, and Curried Lentils and Beans. (read more...)

Fires, fires, fires (pics) and some summer updates - All the latest about the fires nearby: My experiences, my photos, and links to several maps, photos, articles, and videos. Then a quick summary of weddings, An Tir/West war, and visiting Florida. (read more...)

Crown Tourney Results - A little story about a Family Memorial I attended on Friday morning, and then my experiences as a Consort in the Crown Lists of Caid (which means in the SCA, I might have been the new Princess and the next Queen for our southern CA group, for the next 9 months). My fighter didn't win, but it was a high-point of honor for me, that he fought on my behalf in this List. (And I do describe who won, for the rare person who might not know already.) (read more...)

East Coast Time - I'm home safely from Pennsic and although I don't have Pennsic stories or photos for you yet (soon! soon!), I did leave you links to last year's (in case you're really bored), and I've started experimenting with the idea of just living on East Coast time, right here in the Pacific time zone. It's got some potential! (read more...)

More Summing Up: Two Wedding Albums - Huh. Look at that. I posted at midnight last night, and completely forgot to set up my link over here for the RSS feed and LJ. Oops, sorry! So.... I've been to four weddings this summer, for eight friends. Last night I managed to post the photo albums from the first two: Ann and DW's wedding, and Matt and Tamara's wedding. Bonus: The M&T album has links to three YouTube videos. Enjoy. (read more...)

Summing Up the Narratives, Part 1 - Five weeks of stories to tell you quickly, and I realize I have to break it into two posts. So in this one, I tell you about my new short haircut, a couple of birthdays, lots of family time, and some fantastic variety at work. (read more...)

All About Photography - Several weeks ago, I had uploaded six Dyestuff/Fiber Retreats photo albums on the Griffin Dyeworks site. Then I added photos to my site: 12th Night in Caid 2009, additional photos from my FOUR-tieth Birthday party, Altavia Anniversary 2007 and 2008, a repost of Festival of the Rose 2006 (which is also on kottr.com), and new photos from Erika's Bachelorette Party. Then this weekend, I added 3 albums from my family: my cousin Cindy's Baby Shower, my first visit to her see her son when he was only six days old, and his baptism this weekend and our family get-together around this event. Stories to follow later, enjoy the images now. (read more...)

Food and Weight and Bad History - This entry is not for everyone. If you have no interest in reading about eating disorders, weight gain and loss, and all that crap in my head, please accept a hug from me and I'll see you next journal post. If you really do want to read this, it includes the poor behaviors of my junior high and high school years (with regards to obsession with weight and food), things I learned in my college years, the recovery attitudes I've adopted since then, and my successful jaunts running this week for exercise. (read more...)

Next Day Follow Up - A short treatise on what is a "goober," what is "red-flag behavior," what blinders do I have, how I believe in the power of the SPOKEN word, and what I hope to get from encouraging the Good Behavior to increase in the world. Here's fingers crossed, knock on wood, bringing out the Good in the World. (read more...)