The Whole Damn World is Just as Obsessed

Due to the incredible response of my first "guest post" on Mrs. Cutthroat's blog, I've been invited back.  I hope I can live up to your expectations.  Mrs. Cutthroat has introduced me to an array of amazing television shows: 16 and Pregnant, which lead to Teen Moms, the Real Housewives of Atlanta, New York, Orange County, Bethenny Getting Married and Bethenny Ever After. That's just to name a few.  These shows don't follow my normal television patterns, especially the "reality" nature of them, but I'm drawn to them for so many different reasons.  I love the drama, the ridiculousness of the shows and at times how much better I feel about my life while I watch a well-timed "reality train wreck."  I really appreciate Mrs. Cutthroat forcing me to watch her shows because now I enjoy watching Janelle ruin her life week after week on Teen Mom 2 and crazy fights between blond, botoxed socialites on Real Housewives.  I cannot help how much I enjoy this trash TV.  Luckily I have Cutthroat Yarn to help promote and support to provide some constructive purpose in my life.  But I'm working on convincing Mrs. Cutthroat to offer 10% of the profits of certain knitted items to go to paying for Janelle's (from Teen Mom 2) bail the next time her and her "prince charming" end up in the "clink." 

Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night

My spinning wheel is taunting me.  It is staring from the corner, looking all lonely.  I have nothing to do right now.  I am getting ready to turn on the Shore.  But, other than that, nothing.  I could very easily be spinning.  So, why haven't I jumped on the ol' hobby horse?  I guess I am a little nervous that it is going to hurt.  My wrist looks kind of gross where my surgery was and I am afraid that once I start to spin, it is going to be too painful.  It is totally unbiased fear, for I am typing this blog entry as we speak and my wrist seems to be working just fine.
My life is a graveyard of under-developed hobbies.  I am one of those people who gives up at the first sign of failure.  I think I went rollerblading once.  The first time I fell was the last time I dared to don the blades.  I quit doing ceramics when I failed to finish the overly ambitious nativity scene prior to Christmas.  I stopped playing my guitar when I got bored with playing Blackbird over and over again.
But, knitting!  It is the first hobby in which I feel competent.  And, yarn making is something I love.  I have to stop writing, go over to my little Ashford Traveler and make yarn happen today. 
Also, I wonder if I still remember how to play Blackbird.  My neighbors are about to be really upset.

Purple Haze All In My Brain

I love going on vacation!  I just got back from a work trip with my husband to his hometown.  It was a nice break from the four walls that have been a prison because of the wrist surgery.  By the way, wrist is healing nicely and I am back to knitting soon.  Anyway, we only went for the weekend but it was a much needed change of scenery.  While my husband was taking meetings and working, I hit up every yarn shop I could.  I bought several skeins of discontinued yarn in a beautiful lavender.  I realize that buying yarn is crazy when I make yarn to sell.  But, I can't resist a $3 purple cotton blend.  I bought so much this weekend to make, spin, knit, etc.  I'm sure this wouldn't have been the case if I wasn't totally out of commission just before my yarn tour. 
On top of all the things I purchased, on my knitting respite, I dyed a lot of my own fiber.  I went a totally different direction then what I have been going in these days.  RED!  ORANGE!  YELLOW!  I am very excited about the possible combination of colored yarn ahead of me.  My husband thinks I am obsessed with purple, and while he may be right, I am sure there are customers out there who may some day want to knit something for a man.  I give in.  No more purple for a while.   

It was Red and Yellow and Green and Brown and Blue...

A Guest Blog by Mr. Cutthroat...
Since Mrs. Cutthroat is healing from her surgery late last week, I'm taking over several tasks in the Cutthroat Household.  I've been helping Mrs. Cutthroat with her dyeing, which is the only thing she's tried since the surgery, and we've dyed some great new yarn.  The colors are a vivid orange, red and yellow, which is different than her normal blues and purples, and should be incredibly beautiful.  I've been in charge of rinsing.  This is the most important job (contrary to what Mrs. Cutthroat says).  So look for Mr. Cutthroat's yellow, red and orange yarn coming soon.  It will be the colorful yarn that looks like it belongs on Joseph and Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  During my younger days, I was one of Joseph's brothers in a community theater production.  Mrs. Cutthroat loves to hear the stories of my musical days (insert sarcasm here).  Now that I've ventured down the road of being the "Cutthroat Assistant" I'm worried that I will be taught to spin yarn and knit socks.  I can picture me hunched over the spinning wheel, fingers bleeding and sweat pouring off my forehead.  Can you unionize with only one employee?  I could start the Amalgamated Spinners & Knitters Local 801.  As much as I may complain to Mrs. Cutthroat about helping with her knitting and spinning adventures, I am truly excited about the progress made and the great yarn and knitted wears being produced.  I hope that many more folks will visit www.cutthroatyarn.com and buy lots and lots of yarn and knitted wears! I hope that after this post Mrs. Cutthroat will allow me to come back and write again. 

You Can Stand Under My Umbrella

I wish there was a way to knit some rainwear.  Where we live, and pretty much everywhere in the US, March is coming in like a lion.  It is raining everywhere.  We are in that weird weather space where it is too warm to wear anything knitted and it is too rainy to knit outdoors.  When it gets nice and warm and dry, I love to knit outdoors.  I have to keep the business going even in the summer when I can't don a fancy knitted hat with earmuffs!  When I knit in the park, I appear to others like a dog walking on its hind legs.  People are surprised to see knitting these days.  Although, I feel that recently knitting is making a serious comeback.  But, that may be only because 90% of the people I hang out with knit.  I just go into serious depression when I have to pack up all the scarves, hats, and thick socks.  I will enjoy this Spring and the rainy days-but I am not happy about it.  I will make it through the rain without my knits, unless someone can figure out how to knit an umbrella. 

They're Worth So Much More After I’m a Goner

Right now, I am knitting a coffee cup cozy.  Or, it could be coozy.  I think it is a regional difference.  Anyway, I am knitting it on my countdown to surgery.  That's right, surgery.  I have grown a cyst on my wrist from all the mouse movement at work, along with knitting and spinning.  I'm not particularly worried about the surgery itself, except that I will be totally awake for it.  I am worried about having to be without my knitting needles for the next week or so.  I've got a lot of things to get knitting on and I don't have the luxury to sit around with my hand in the air.  What if my fingers don't work after this surgery?  I'm not worried, but what if that did happen?  Aside from surgery, what if I die someday?  If I ever die (if I will or won't is still up in the air), I hope that I get something totally awesome accomplished.  What if the last thing I knit in this world is a coffee cozy coozy?  That is not how I would want my legacy, even if I walked in front of a bus tomorrow.  I also don't want to be buried in my first sweater.  My first socks?  Sure.  One of my furry frienemies dressed in a little sweater?  Definitely. 
I wonder if I was making a cozy coozy when I kicked bucket, whether it would be worth more money because of my early departure?  The same for my yarn.  If I am going to leave Mr. Cutthroat with any sort of retirement planning, I am going to need to show him how to raise prices on www.cutthroatyarn.com.  Enough writing for now!  I need to finish the cozy coozy and quickly start a blanket before Friday!

Red Letter Day

I cannot believe that this day has finally come.  I have been waiting for this day for 10 months.  I.  Finished.  My.  Cashmere.  Scarf.  I got all the way through the yarn, with the exception of what is in the picture.  I put the penny there for reference.  Imagine being so fed up with a project that you give up with that much yarn left to go.  I just couldn't do it for one more second.  And, since I am attempting to live my life more like a winner, I thought:  what would Charlie Sheen do?  Well, it is a trick question because he is such a winner, he can just think up a scarf and it is so.  I will never, ever, never take on this project again.  But, this terrible cloud has an immensely thick silver lining.  I haven't knitted anything for Mr. Cutthroat.  Now, he thinks this scarf is the bees knees and who am I to keep him from owning it?  So, I have killed two birds with one stone by knitting this tedious scarf.  I am so happy to be done.  Next project:  purpley merino wool!

I'm the Party Star, I'm Popular

Like everyone in America, I am currently watching the Charlie Sheen interview on 20/20.  As I watch this, I am getting the very minimal amount of knitting going on this scarf.  My knitting gets tighter and tighter as this interview goes on.  I have learned a lot from this interview.  I did not know that Ambien is the Devil's Aspirin.  I also don't have any concept as to how much a 7 gram rock is, but he is talking about it like it's a lot.  I'll have to take his word for it.  God, he looks terrible. 
His girlfriends.  Yikes.  Hey, Charlie, here is the difference between you and Hugh Hefner, and it's basically the quality.  Sheen has some valid points in this whole scenario, though.  You do get to see what you are getting beforehand when choosing to date porn stars.  Of course they want to marry Charlie Sheen!  If I was hanging out with someone who was on the verge of death who was also making $2 mil for 30 minutes worth of work, I would be all over marriage. 
Quote of the Night:  "I was kinda counting on that money to get me through the summer.  Now, I have to work."  How many episodes did he make $2 mil per?  When I was working at Home Depot in college, that was money I was counting on to get me through the summer.   Man, what a good summer he was getting ready to have!  I am super jealous. 
I am totally bi-winning.