The most awesome thing I saw on the internet today

I seem to have a thing for alternate versions of Michael Jackson's Thriller video.



After watching this, I thought to myself, "Gee, I wish I could understand the lyrics." Lucky me, someone translated it. Sort of.

Friday night links

Have you ever pulled an all-nighter and then struggled through the next day, fueled only by massive amounts of caffeine? Then, after about twenty-seven hours without sleep-- and that sleep was pretty much just a nap anyway, so we're really talking about thirty-three hours or so (and the night's sleep before that was horribly insufficient) -- you're so completely exhausted that suddenly you're wide awake? No? Oh.

So yeah, I've had a long week. At the moment, I feel alert enough to go out and do something with my Friday night, but I'm afraid that my body might unexpectedly shut down like an overheated laptop in some really unfortunate and embarrassing place like, say, the bathroom at the Nachbar. Instead, here are a bunch of random links (and a video):


O'Reilly surprised "there was no difference" between Harlem restaurant and other New York restaurants (Media Matters)
So now we can add "clueless racist" to this list of terms used to describe Bill O'Reilly (compiled by me right this very minute using the always-entertaining "[name] is" Google search method): "nuts", "thug in a suit for Fox News", "wrong", "spineless wimp", "big blubbering vagina" (?!), "lying son of a whore", "nutball", and "moron".

Response to Student Writing: 13 Ways of Looking at It [.pdf]
My graduate advisor passed this on to me some months ago. I wish I'd reread it before I read that first pile of lab reports earlier in the semester.


I've been really into my knitting lately. I finished another pair of socks today (they're on my feet at the moment, but I'm way too lazy to go grab a camera, so you'll just have to trust me when I say they're pretty sweet), and I'm doing a pair for my grandmother next (in KnitPicks Swish DK, Pale Lemon), and I've got about fourteen other things I want to make after that. It is fall... maybe I'm nesting or something.

hard stuff made soft.
When Neil toasted us at our wedding, he speculated that I might at some point knit an entire place setting. From time to time, I've thought about how I might actually go about doing that. I'd like to attempt it at some point, just to see if I can.

Craft the Vote! (Slate)
I'm loving this one:

RepubliCraft No. 4: Pro-Life Baby Onesie
Make pro-choicers feel the shock and "awwwww." Embroidered appliqué reads "I'm Alive!" If you have twins, make another one that says, "Post-Born Fetus!" Why abort a baby when you can use it to express your political views?

Southern Indiana FiberArts Festival
Allison S. brought this to my attention today, and I definitely think I'm going. As I explained to my darling geek of a husband, "It's sort of like a comics convention... for knitters." He gets it. Bonus: Southern Indiana is beautiful in late October.



I think I first saw this over at Neil & Erin's house. I've decided to include the term "mafipulation" as a possible answer choice in the exam I'm writing for my Biology 104 classes. I guarantee you someone'll pick it.

And now: a few rounds of knitting, and then bed. I have a feeling I'm gonna have some really bizarre dreams tonight.

God bless the internets

So, I'd been having a pretty crappy day, all things considered, when I came across this. I'm so over the zombie thing, but it's amazing what that did to brighten my mood.

(Note to self: Suggest "prison choreographer" as a possible career choice for my sister.)

This and that and the other thing

Rafael Nadal is a pretty man. So it's especially unfortunate that he looked like a starving lunatic during Sunday's award presentation, chewing on the French Open trophy like an overexcited puppy:

Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

Um, Rafa? It's real. Seriously, you don't need to do that. Please stop.

On the other hand, I really like this shot:

David Vincent/Associated Press

In other French Open news... I don't fully understand what's going on here, but I suspect it's pretty awesome:


Take a look: Roger Federer and Serena Williams gave similar performances.


"So, Allison," you may be wondering, "I couldn't really care less about tennis. Or French television, for that matter. Do tell, what have you been knitting lately?"

Well, first of all, French television is quite entertaining, especially their game shows. Giant floating skulls asking trivia questions! Cheap Survivor ripoffs! But that's another discussion for another time. As far as knitting goes, I'm so glad you asked.

Here are the Monkey socks I finished a few weeks ago using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and #2 double-pointed needles:

I'm now working on a pair of socks for Paul, but before I started those, I took a couple of days to make myself a hot pink beer bottle cozy using some stash yarn (something cotton, maybe on #5 DPNs -- I really can't remember):

I plan on knitting up a few more of these using various yarns and colors; I'll probably change the pattern up a bit, too. They'd make good gifts, I think.


I have little nerdy content at the moment, mostly because it's summer and I'm spending more time in the lab than I would like and less time in the field. The lab work isn't exactly thrilling, though maybe I'll describe my study in more detail some other time. I'll definitely have more to say when I start teaching in the fall; I'm looking forward to that.


One more thing -- dried strawberries are crazy delicious. I'm just sayin'.