Pictures of disaster

A few weeks ago, a tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta. The week after, I had to go to the Westin hotel, which lost many of it's windows. It's a very tall, round building and the entire exterior is glass windows.

Despite all this damage, no one was hurt. There were injuries and, sadly,deaths reported elsewhere in the city and the metro area, but at this hotel, none. There was a rumor that the building shifted a few feet off it's foundation but that's not true. It sway with the wind, as designed.

Here you can see the cables for the elevators and the hotel curtains exposed.

We got some desperately needed rain, but I'm sure those who live in buildings missing roofs, windows, and walls, really wish it would have stayed warm and dry, not cold and rainy.

HALT: Words of Wisdom

I don't have the best memory in the world, but there is one thing I retained from some motivational speaker a long time ago.

She said, when you're making a decision, you should remember this acronym: HALT.

That is, do not make a decision if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

Yesterday, I was both Hungry and Tired and made a decision that wasn't the best thought out, but not the end of the world.

I have one more grant proposal to do, and it's due April 1. So I e-mailed my self the proposal. Which is written in Office 2007, which I don't have on my home computer.

At least I had printed out some things (so much for the paperless office) and did bring those home with me. I'll make those edits on paper then type them up on Monday.

Closing a door can open possibilities

I just had a brain flash at work. I realized I could close my office door. I am an accessible boss but that doesn't mean I have to be accessible to everyone all the time.

Now, instead of reacting to them whenever they come in asking for this, that, or whatever, I will have the peace and space to concentrate that I need to finish the 2 grant proposals that need to get out the door today. These are 2 proposals that support significant portions, if not all, of the staff's salaries. You'd think that they would understand that but open door means open access.

So I have put a sign on my door that says:

On Deadline

Do not disturb

unless this is a pressing matter or

you have information relevant to the grant proposals due today.

I will be available from 1pm to 2pm to answer questions, sign documents etc.

Thank you.

Somedays I have some really good ideas.

Ah, Spring, time for wool -- Part II

That's what I get for speaking too soon. A cold snap has come through and little snowflakes even fell from the sky.

Today I pulled back out my wool sweaters and put the Thinsulate lining back in my coat.

Pushing Buttons -- That's What Family Is For

Last Wednesday, I get home after 7pm and it's Angry Hour in my kitchen.

Husband and his mother are in the kitchen, having some drinks. Earlier that day, Mother-in-Law arrived and Husband took her to Harry's Farmer's Market/Whole Foods.

MIL was outraged at the prices and can't understand why people would pay so much when it's not hard to make your own sausage or French cheese or whatever. Yes, well, Husband and I don't shop there regularly but do like to pick up stuff for special occasions, like when his mother comes to visit.

Well, she allowed that her town of Madison has a Whole Foods, but on the west side, where it belongs with all the yuppies, and not on the east side where she lives.

Oh, and here's where the button pushing began. Husband said, you don't live on the east side, you live in the center (Madison is an isthmus, meaning a strip of land squashed in between 2 lakes, so there's a definite east side and west side, with the state capitol right in the middle of the isthmus).

MIL: No, I don't, I live on the east side!
Husband: I was born and raised in that town and I know that I grew up in the center, not on the east side. -- Husband wisely had the kitchen island between him and his mother. He knows which buttons to push, and where to be when he does it.
MIL: No, I've lived there longer than you, so f*** you!

Ah, family.

High stress time

Like most jobs, my job has cycles of high activity/high stress, and low activity/low stress. Guess where I am now? Yes, the high stress part. I have 4 grant proposals coming up, which of course means budgetting and seeing in black and white the gap between income and expenses. And not a good gap.

And yesterday my mother in law came into town for a visit.

Ah, Spring, time for wool

It's pretty much spring here in Atlanta. The Bradford pear trees are abloom in white and we've turned off the heat and opened the windows. Yesterday I even changed out of jeans and sweater into a cotton dress.

And the grass needs mowing. Guess what I'll be doing today? Even now, I can hear a neighbor mowing.

Because it's warming up, I have some pictures of wool knitting:

Here's a progress picture of the top-down, raglan cardigan,

Which will be the the Long Coat with Chevron Lace from Fitted Knits.

My portable knitting, a shawl using wool and mohair. Simple stockingnette stitch on big needles. Great for watching hockey games (keeps your lap warm) or listening to lectures.

Also, pictures of the mitered squares of Malabrigo, inspired by Hazy Corners quilt by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy.

I had not planned on making a clown quilt!

In February, when at the High Museum of Art, I picked up a book, a retrospective of works by Sean Scully, titled "Sean Scully: Twenty Years, 1976 to 1995." I will repurpose my Malabrigo to make an afghan inspired by his works such as:

"Enough" 1981 oil on canvas. I could totally use all those Malabrigo colors, along with some black and white, without it looking so clownish. The actual knitting construction will take some figuring out. I'm going to start with the Log Cabin instructions from Mason-Dixon Knitting for the center block of blue/black and yellow/grey. The red/white and orange/black will have to be knit separately then sewn on. The tan/black, not sure. I could modify it to make the orange/black longer to end on the left flush with the center blocks, and make the tan/black easier to make. The orange/tan at the top would be picked up along the top of the other pieces and knit on."Ukbar" 1993-94, oil on canvas:
I particularly like this one, "10.2.93" 1993 watercolor on paper. I'm thinking of doing this slightly reversing the colors. That is, instead of having the black and white horizontal stripes, doing it in some combo of yellow, white, and orange. And making the yellow and black vertical stripes in blues, white (?), and purple, given that I have so much of the purple and blue Malabrigo. Then add a strip of green and black (?) horizontal stripes along the bottom, or maybe along the left edge, to echo the central block. I don't know, but I feel really drawn to this piece.

"White Robe" 1990 oil on canvas. Another example of interesting construction
"2.24.82" 1982 oil on paper. Such simplicity."Heart of Darkness" 1982 oil on canvas. I like how the black and white stripes and the red and black stripes don't quite line up, creating a bit of tension.
The book is full of inspiration.