Back in my office again.

All of a sudden, I am seized with loneliness - Few of the blogs I read are updating. Either everyone is on vacation, or there's some kind of Internet-issue making sites go down. There isn't even anyone around the department.

I bought a bunch of plastic totes this morning for my demonstration supplies (which look like craft supplies but which are really very carefully chosen representations of molecules, etc.)

I also bought a bookcase kit. Which I cannot lift. I had to get one of the guys at the store to carry it out to my car for me and I'm really hoping (probably beyond hope; no one was in yesterday) that one of the Big Strong Guys in my department will show up to help me carry it from my car to my office. (If not, I guess I can get a cart and push it onto the cart and roll it from there to here. Which is sort of the refrain of the independent single person. "I can move it myself." "I'll just get a cart." "I don't care if I strain my back." "No, it wasn't too heavy for me." Although maybe if I had been less independent and more of what I refer to as a "fruit-cup girl," I wouldn't be an independent SINGLE person right now.)

My office is still bad. I really need to box up the rest of my supplies and then make room for the bookcase and get it in here SOMEHOW, because then I could stack all the books I "found" under piles on it. (And not give in to the temptation to reorganize my books right now - that's something I can do later, after the office is actually clean.)

I think it's the lack of apparent progress that's getting me. I know, things have to get worse before they get a lot better, but it still looks like a library and an office-supply store got involved in a lover's suicide pact and blew themselves up in my office.

I did do some knitting (and some quilting last night). I've decided the only way to finish long-term projects is to work consistently on them, even if it's only for a bit each day. So I've both been knitting edging on Hiawatha and handquilting on the quilt in the frame.

I also started something new. Both the new Vogue and the new Interweave came. Interweave is the usual mix of interesting projects. What immediately grabbed me were the "Target Wave" mittens. I found some Muskoka wool in the stash that I bought ages ago (when Hobby Lobby had it on clearance) for "community knitting". I cast on and began a pair in "Malt Heather" (a medium greyish brown) and cream. They're for the Dulaan box. I like the idea of being able to try out patterns for things I might not make for myself - or that wouldn't be sized for me, the mittens are for a child's hand - and then donating them.

As for Vogue - well, I checked my checkbook and found that I had renewed. Too bad. I think I'm about done with Vogue. They've now instituted a "VK +" section, which means that they will deign to offer a few patterns with a largest-size larger than 40" finished bust. But - the choices they offered in the "VK +" designation (I counted six) were among the uglier designs, and for that matter, the designs that wouldn't look so good on us fluffier types (bulky yarn knit into a tight vest top, anyone?). And of course, the designs I really liked stopped tantalizingly short of the size I'd want to make.

FWIW, I require a 44" finished size. That's for a fitted garment. I can take a 42" in ready to wear, but that's going to be a closer fit than I like in a sweater. I just can't wear sweaters next to bare skin, something about that skeeves me out.

I don't know. Maybe I'm too activist about this thing and I should just spend the energy I spend griping about it exercising so I might get within that magical 34" to 40" range* that Vogue seems to think reasonable women come in (My mom also has problems finding patterns to fit, but in the other direction - she tends to be smaller than the smallest size). But it bugs me - I mean, Interweave just offers its patterns in a wide range of sizes and doesn't trumpet, "Hey! Look! This is a pattern for you, fat girls!"

In my imagined dystopia, the Jenny Craigs of the world ally themselves with the clothing and pattern manufacturers and tell them "Don't offer anything for the fatties...after all, being OBESE (gah, how I hate that word, even if it's a medical term) is soooooo bad for you and makes you die, like, really early [I will refrain from doing more than mentioning my chubby grandma who lived to be 92, and my equally chubby aunt who is 88 and still going strong] and if you don't offer clothes or patterns they can wear, it'll force them to come to us and diet! And we all win!"

(*Although, given my height and bone structure, I think that's unlikely. 40" as a finished size might be doable, but then again, it might only be doable with a mammary reduction surgery, and I'm unwilling to go under the knife just so I look better in clothes. And I think if I lost a LOT of weight, I'd look like a bobblehead, and that's kind of unappealing too.)

Also, since I'm in a snarky mood, I'm going to remark on how Vogue suddenly seems so breathless about sock knitting - "Oh, my gosh! Did you know people knit SOCKS?! And it's not just those geeky re-enactors or grandmas who don't realize the Depression ended 60 years ago... Did you ever?....Now, how can we capitalize on it and make it hip and new?"