Because my day job is at a scientific journal, I spend most of my time sending and receiving emails from overseas.  We were supposed to sponsor an award at this conference outside Tokyo later this week, but the convention center is damaged, and the conference is canceled.  Then I was following up on an unrelated issue, and noticed that one of our board members actually lives in Sendai.  I've never met this man, but I cannot imagine what he is going through. It's all just very sad, and I hope the worst is over...

 

On a happier, more materialistic note, we set up our baby registries this weekend.  It was actually kind of exhausting.  I had been doing all this research on strollers and carseats and stuff, and ended up mostly relying on Consumer Reports.  Friday night Mark had a meeting, so I went out to Target to do some preparatory field work.  At least only one stroller fell on my head...it was that kind of embarrassing moment where you're kind of injured, but actually glad nobody was around to see it.  I probably should've reported the incident, but I was not bleeding, so I figured I was okay. ;)  Anyway, we're all set up now.  I'll probably continue to add things one by one as I think of things.  I'm just really afraid we're going to get Precious Moments/Disney princess/"Daddy's Little Angel"-type stuff that I find tacky and/or offensive.  I know I can't really control this (although doesn't my family know me?!  Shouldn't they know that I hate that kind of crap?!), so in the meantime I will practice my fake plastic smile and PRAY that people give me receipts...  Yeah, we also hate things that make noise, and are minimalists.  This should be interesting!

 

Another FO picture, as promised.  I finished this tiny Multnomah in late January, I think... I had a 300-yard skein of Jitterbug, purchased before I learned that it wasn't that great for socks (hence the name Jitterbug...).



Because I had so little yardage, I knew I would have to fudge a bit.  I went up a few needle sizes, omitted the WS decreases because I don't care for crescent-shaped shawls anyway, and started the lace when I was able to do a bit more than ten repeats on each side.  Then I just knit until I ran out of yarn.  It actually works pretty well as a neckerchief, and is surprisingly soft.

 

Must run to PT (I have this gluteal muscle thing...which ironically would make actual running a problem), but I shall leave you with this lovely gem.  Which reminds me:  apparently I still know most of the words to "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough", and even remembered the Don Henley harmony line when it came on the radio this morning.  That fact is much more embarrassing than anything related to the below video.