In which not much knitting is discussed.

The body of the twist-front top is finished. Now I've only got blocking and seaming left. I'll save the pictures for when it looks lovely and all the ends are woven in. The actual knitting of the piece took 2.5 weeks. I'm amazed at how quickly it went. I will probably make this pattern again, and recommend it to anyone who considers themselves an advanced beginner or up. Honestly, the pattern isn't difficult. I'm not sure why it was rated "experienced" in the pattern booklet.

I'm glad to have my knitting this weekend. I got a care package from the family today, and in it was a letter reminding me that this weekend is Easter weekend, and that this will be the first time I don't get to see my family around this time of year. I've got my work to keep me preoccupied, and when I'm done with that work on Saturday I'll head down to Knit Picky since all my classmates are visiting their families this weekend. I'm the only one whose home is really too far away for that sort of thing. At least I can be a help to them by pet-sitting (and mouse-sitting in some cases).

I intend to use the weekend to finish some things and start some others. I'll be finishing the twist-front top and the second Crusoe sock. Meanwhile' I'm going to sit down and really start the push to write my candidacy proposal. I've been jotting down experiments and questions for the last couple of months. It is time to make an organized push for this thing to happen. I hope to have my first draft done by the end of May. For right now I'll still try to think of it in segments because an entire grant proposal seems daunting. I've never done anything like this before - this will be a trial to see if I could do this sort of thing for a living. Scary.

I just finished watching the film "Pursuit of Happyness." While everyone I've spoken to thought it was a really heartwarming and wonderful film I can't entirely agree. It is a good movie, but it was painful to watch. It was even more painful knowing it was based on a true story. When the credits rolled I was left with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. It pains me to see such misfortune. The last movie that left me so uneasy was Dancer in the Dark. If it weren't so late I'd watch some uplifting film to get over it.
Be thankful that you know where you will sleep tonight, and that your loved ones love you in return.

I'm sorry I can't be there this year, guys. I'll be thinking about you the whole time (and getting fat from all the dark chocolate you sent!).