emily k(nits, watches, and writes)

When I was little, before the internet was a Big Thing and I could afford buying strategy guides for games, I would write letters to Nintendo asking for help. I got a few replies, yet this one was the most useful. I had written asking for two things: the location of the secret shells in Link’s Awakening for GameBoy, and the location of Master’s Emblems in SoulBlazer for SNES. A helpful gent named Dervin Camden (a pseudonym? perhaps… but an excellent one) sent me this reply:

Letter From Nintendo

If only customer service was this helpful nowadays. Well, I guess the internet takes care of that, doesn’t it? I think I wrote them this letter about a year before I got a reply. But hey! They still replied. Link’s Awakening and SoulBlazer are still two of my favorite games (I still have the poster that came in the box for SoulBlazer). Thanks, Nintendo.

Well well well. Here we are. 2011. The year of Eleven.

So, I figure I should set some goals for myself. Things I can do. Keep myself on track. etc.

1. Make and keep a budget. Oh my god, this will be painful. I may even meet with a financial adviser at my bank to help me out.
2. Use my damn stash. And here’s how.
a. I can only cast on something new when I finish a WIP.
b. I only get one extraneous purchase a month. Either clothing, yarn/fiber, or stuff for my new PS3. It has to be under $100. If I buy yarn I can’t buy a new game, movie, or clothes. And vice versa.
3. Spin at least once a month. I want to sit down at least once a month and use my spinning wheel. If I can’t justify having it I’m going to sell it. I’ll use up the fiber I have, and then fiber gets included in 2 above.
4. Re-commit to C25K. The curve was just a bit too steep for me, so I gave up on it. Also, this past semester was kind of crazy. So when I get home next week I’m giving it another go, and I’ll spend 2 weeks on each week of the program. I’m not interested in killing myself, and I’m not doing it competitively. I am doing it for myself, so I’ll use my own pace.
5. Eat out only once a week. I need to stop eating out. It cost me a fortune this past semester. So I’m going back to eating out only once a week. Exceptions: birthdays/parties/celebrations. Which, trust me, I don’t participate in often.
6. Be less of a flake. I have a tendency to commit to something, then when the time comes back out because I’m tired or I don’t feel like putting forth the effort. I don’t get much time to myself because I am working or going to school every day of the week. So I either need to commit to less, or be less flaky. We’ll see what happens.
7. Stick with the 365 Project. Damnit. I’ll make this happen.

I think these are good, realistic goals.

Austin: see you Tuesday.

To the rest of the Internet: happy new year. I hope it’s a good one.

Welp. A year has passed and what have I actually accomplished? I learned how to spin, I work at a yarn shop, I made a new pattern, I’ve done test knitting, I’ve unsuccessfully busted my yarn stash, and I’m just as disorganized as ever.

But.

It’s the future now and I feel like I have this magical clean slate to work from. Or maybe all the time I spent cleaning my house today has clouded my judgment.

Basically, my goal for this year is to Think Big and be more independent. I want to knit bigger projects: cardigans, pullovers, lace shawls, etc. I want to make staple foods on my own: breads, jam, canned veggies and fruits, etc. I want to try to make everything on my own at least once. Even if I do so poorly, at least I’ve tried.

I also really want to organize and pare myself down. I have SO many old video game systems and games that I haven’t touched in years. I’m just going to sell it all off. I have tons of old yarn that I have no desire to touch. I’m going to send more stuff to charity organizations. I’m going to get new organizers from the Container Store and I’m going to clean up my room and house more often.

It’s time to grow up and take care of myself. You know?

There are quite a few non-me related things that I am totally stoked about this year:
- NEW FUTURAMA EPISODES GOOD LORD IN HEAVEN YES
- Matt Smith taking over as The Doctor
- The Grand Moff taking over as show runner on Doctor Who
- A new Alkaline Trio album in February
- Alkaline Trio/Cursive tour (seeing them at Emo’s in Austin in late March)
- Going to Gallifrey One in February

Less talk, more rock soon.
- ek