Knitting, Botany, Mycology, Nature, Adventure, and Life... in no particular order.
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Vacation Wrap-Up
So I have now been home from vacation for exactly 1 week. It sure doesn’t feel that long ago, and it feels like ages ago. It was a wonderful time.
We started out heading out to Northampton to pick up the last member of our ragtag crew. I had shotgun for that leg and had the Madelintosh sock yarn ready to go to start the Kai-Mei socks. (Which I did cast on in the car.)
While there we played a LOT of boardgames, swam. boated, kayaked, I found some fun things in the woods
we relaxed on the deck with a great view of the lake
people went tubing with various levels of success. Our buddy was very successful so the boat driver took evasive maneuvers to try to knock him off.
while when handsome and I went I screamed my head off while he laughed and waved. Contrary to my ascertations, we did not actually die.
We all cooked together and cleaned together and had a great time. We had amazing hosts and everyone did a combination of individual and group things. I got up early every morning to either drink tea and knit, drink coffee and knit/read, or to run and then want to die. (Vermont has these strange things called hills. Cambridge isn’t sure what they are but I think Somerville has heard of them.) This means that in addition to playing a lot of games, swimming, boating, and tubing I also got quite a bit of knitting done. From casting on in the car on Tuesday to leaving on Sunday I was almost done with the heel flap and about ready to turn the heel.
And now I am well on my way onto the foot and working the lace. I also am well on my way to wishing we had another vacation lined up. Maybe we’ll get to go the other place on Vermont, the one with no electricity! (Gas lights = knitting for me but no computers for the fella!)
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PAX report
So, last month I went to PAX. I went with friends, with family, and with strangers. It was very different from my first time going to PAX in Seattle a few years ago. Then I really knew nothing of gaming culture and played pretty much only Dr. Mario on occasion. I used it as a great excuse to go on vacation in Seattle with friends (which worked out great as I had lots of time on my own to explore) and did spend some time at the convention having fun and being totally overwhelmed.
This time was different. This time I knew a lot more going in, and I had some plans. I wanted to do some console gaming (and I did! played a Wii for the first time), I wanted to learn how to play D&D (which I also did, rolling a d20 for the first time and now knowing what “roll for initiative” means) and I wanted to meet up with other knitters who were also PAX attendees.
The last of those is one of my favorites. Many of us worked through the PA forums and Ravelry to spread the word. The most difficult part was that the place we chose was very crowded so not everyone found us. However, we had a great time and I met some great knitters & crocheters (or hookers if you prefer). There is a great post by Rows Red over here with more pictures of PAX. Playing D&D and other games with friends, getting a Castle Crashers t-shirt, having Will Weaton walk by (and then later take a pic with my sister while I was learning to play D&D… the irony), going to panels, and hanging with my sister really made the whole weekend awesome.
So, here are some pictures, since detailing the convention isn’t going to be interesting for anyone. However this summer I am totally going to the classic arcade museum up in NH, so feel free to join me!
The Beginning! (Gateway to PAX)
KN1TT3RS!
Saturday Night Concert
My first D&D final dungeon!
Nerd Sisters!
And in a couple weekends the DM there is going to teach our parents to play!
That’s all for now. Next big summary: St. Louis!
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Gaming meets Knitting
So, most of you now realize that I like to knit… a lot. Many of you may not realize I also like to play games. (Ok, and by many I mean any strangers that happen upon my blog since my friends and family all know I like to play games… often with them!) I like board games, card games, and even video games. (I am especially bad at video games… even worse when there are 2 analog sticks involved and I might get killed.)
Indulging my love of games is something I do less often than my handsome, XBox360 & PS3 owning fella. (He indulges his gaming, I indulge my knitting and we both sit on the sofa together.) However in 2 weekends it will be a 3 day extravaganza of gaming indulgence, and other game/comic/nerd type things. That is right my friends, the Penny Arcade Expo is coming and it will be in Boston! Yeah PAX East 2010! (I hope you already have you passes cause the 3 day ones are sold out!)
There will be panels, there will be concerts, there will be video, board, and role playing games (I’m gunna learn to play D&D and my sister will be competing for best DM in the Underdark D&D thingie) and there will be knitting!
That’s right. I said it. KNITTING!
So it turns out there are other people on Ravelry that are going to be attending PAX East. So after finding these people across several threads I have tried to organize us. I have also gone onto the PA forums and checked for interest there… and there is interest! Low and behold a PAX East/Ravelry unofficial meet-up is born!
So, if you love knitting, crochet, spinning, fiber arts, etc. (we have other crafter types coming as well, and hopefully the guy who knits with steel!) and you are going to the PAX East in 2 weekends then come on by! Right now the plan is to meet Saturday the 27th at 2.30p in the food court in the Prudential. I will make a sign, people can come and go as they please, and rumor has it that Paradise Bakery has excellent cookies. (Personally unverified cookie status.) See you there!
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Beer differences
Things beer may make seem different (or actually be different)
- Role playing (especially if you are new/nervous)
- Knitting tension
That is all I am currently testing. Results to follow.
