Well, Otakon '08 is fast approaching (is it almost February already? good grief!) and so costume production has stepped up in my group. For those that don't know, Otakon is an anime convention down in Baltimore, Maryland--one of the biggest on the east coast. We (my friends Corey, Brandon, Colleen and myself) are doing several group-cosplays (costume play: dressing up as an anime/game/fictional character) including the anime Bleach, which has become popular rapidly in the US; Final Fantasy VII, one of the most wildly popular Final Fantasy games which has spawned several remakes, sequels, and even a movie; and gothic lolita harry potter. Yes, it sounds very strange, I know, but we're anime fans and we're weird. And, of course, I manage to include knitting into this year's costumes: I'm knitting the socks that go with the girl's outfits.

They're knee-high socks, simple enough, with black as a base color and red and gold stripes near the knee. The pattern I'm using is toe-up, though I've never done that before. It's an experience. I think the toe will be stronger than the normal kitchener stitch, but that may just be my imagination. It's been very active lately.

Emily, having moved out, can no longer plague me with silliness when she gets home from work; now, she texts me a lot. An example from earlier today:
Em: Hi!
Me: Hi. Again. What's up?
Em: Hi. Is bored. Wants to text. Hi.
Me: Hi. That sucks. You are. Hi.
Em: Why are you such a grump?
Me: I'm not a grump, I'm just cleaning off my bookshelf.
Em: Okay. You sounded like a grump. Don't be a grump, 'cause then I won't give you the super cool surprise I got you today.
Me: Ooh, I like surprises.
Em: You will like this one. It is not fuzzy and adorable, but it is super cool. And fun.
Me: Sounds awesome. Alas, I don't have a surprise for you.
Em: That's okay. You don't need one, it's enough that I'm coming home to mooch dinner.

Yeah. Emily is strange. Not so strange as I am, I think, or maybe equally strange in different ways. Last night she sent me a text saying that she got an alpaca and his name is George. I was confused and momentarily imagined her building a stable for an alpaca in her back yard. While that was an amusing image, I opted to reply most verbosely with "What?" She sent me a picture of a fuzzy white stuffed alpaca. When I asked if she could get me one and I'd pay her back when she came down, she said "I can't, sorry. We already left the mall." Not cool. I spoke to Mom about it, and she said it was uncool of Em not to think of us. Good job, Em. Now mom is going to make a dinner on Saturday with lots of ricotta cheese in it. Just for you.

I have no real pictures to share this post, and not a whole lot of news. Be sure, however, that unemployment is not fun and I am not enjoying being really freaking poor. I've put out applications all over the place, mad some follow-up calls, and have been assured that my applications were "under review." I'm relatively sure that that's employer code for "thanks for the scrap paper, babe." I am growing slightly discouraged, but I keep telling myself it's because the holidays are over, and most companies have had massive lay-offs of seasonal people. Yeah, that's it.


I have learned to use the word 'impossible' with greatest caution.
~Wernher von Braun