About Me

Well hello, there! Glad you stopped by.

My name is Jessie and I live in the nation’s capital where I work, play, eat, sew, knit and do other fun stuff.   This space started out chronicling my adventures in knitting but has grown to include other crafty pursuits, kitchen capers, my love of travel, and other things that make me happy.

Want to say hi? Email me at jessmary@gmail.com,  check out my photos on flickr, or friend me on Ravelry!

I don’t think I’m very good at these “about” things, but I always like to know about other people, so I should at least try to return the favor. Maybe a 100 things about me meme-ish deal could work?

  1. I have two masters degrees, an M. Litt. and an M.A.
  2. I don’t use either degree for my job.
  3. I dropped out of my Ph.D. program
  4. I’ll be paying off the student loans forever.
  5. I minored in music.
  6. I have played, at one time or another, the flute, oboe, piccolo, violin, french horn, and piano. I don’t really play anything these days.
  7. In choirs, I often sang alto because I could read music. I’m really a very high soprano, when my voice is in shape (which it’s not right now).
  8. I like Karaoke.
  9. My living room is painted orange. This was not my idea.
  10. I live with my boyfriend husband. The orange was his idea.
  11. Oddly, the orange looks really good.
  12. I love living in the city.
  13. I never want to move to the suburbs.
  14. I really really want a cat.
  15. My husband won’t let me.
  16. I love my husband, despite the fact that he dislikes animals.
  17. My husband is over a foot taller than me.
  18. I’m 4’11″.
  19. My driver’s license says I’m 5′.
  20. For a few years, my drivers license said I was male.
  21. I am female.
  22. I want to learn how to knit faster.
  23. I want to learn how to knit continental.  I learned how to knit continental.
  24. I think the last two statements may be linked.  They are! I knit faster now. But still not as fast as I’d like.
  25. I bought a sewing machine on a lark a few years ago.
  26. I have no idea how to use it. I use it lots now! See my quilting posts.
  27. I love Neil Diamond.
  28. I love English church music.
  29. I live in the complex where one of the most famous scandals in American history took place.
  30. I have a pretty cool cityscape view from my apartment.
  31. I’m named after two of my great-grandmothers.
  32. I wish I were better at keeping in touch with friends.
  33. The only bone I’ve officially broken is my skull.
  34. Yes, now you know what’s wrong with me.
  35. I lived for a year in Scotland.
  36. I’d move there in a minute if I could.
  37. I’ve lived in 3 states (NJ, KY and NY) and a District (of Columbia).
  38. Despite learning several times, I still haven’t mastered a manual transmission on a car.
  39. I don’t own a car.
  40. I don’t like celery, grapefruit, olives or parsley.  But let me tell you about the time I had all 4 in one dish.
  41. I’m asthmatic and allergic to pretty much any pollen or dander.
  42. I’m not allergic to foods.
  43. I was a waitress once, for a single shift. I quit and never went back.
  44. I’d love to own my own business someday.
  45. I love a clean house. I hate cleaning my house.
  46. I have a tattoo.
  47. I’m a terrible swimmer.
  48. I took lessons when I was 26 at the Y.
  49. I’m still a bad swimmer.
  50. I’m afraid I lack focus.
  51. I hate going to the gym.
  52. I like to do yoga.  I don’t do it often enough, though.
  53. I love shoes.
  54. I have no idea how many pairs I have, although I’m not Imelda Marcos.
  55. I don’t know how I’d do if I lived somewhere without 4 seasons.
  56. This is problematic since my husband would like to live somewhere where it’s warm all year. (not so good for a knitter)
  57. I have an older brother.
  58. I wanted to have more siblings, until I realized I wouldn’t be the baby.
  59. It’s good to be the baby.
  60. If I had been a boy, my name would have be Jonathan.
  61. I never got detention in school.
  62. I have never seen Goonies.
  63. I love James Bond movies.
  64. I think I’m a feminist…depending on how it’s defined.
  65. I rarely wear makeup.
  66. Burts Bees lip balm is the best.
  67. I’m a Mac girl. (although I doubt I’ll ever get an iPad)
  68. Favorite breakfast food: Oatmeal with whiskey. Good on the coldest of cold days.
  69. I like to bake more than I like to cook.
  70. But cooking is not as onerous as it used to be!
  71. I’ve worn glasses or contacts since 2nd grade.
  72. I think there’s too much war and not enough looking for peace.
  73. I cry easily at TV shows and movies.
  74. I like to think I’m organized.
  75. I’m probably not as organized as I think I am.
  76. I work well under pressure…lots of pressure!
  77. If I could do anything all day it would be knit (and sew) and listen to audiobooks.
  78. And take a walk to get outside.
  79. I love a good thunderstorm (my husband doesn’t).
  80. I have bungee jumped.
  81. It was the worst thing EVER.
  82. I try to be nice to everyone, even to people I don’t like.
  83. It doesn’t always work.
  84. I feel absolutely awful if/when I offend anyone…it usually makes me cry.
  85. I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.
  86. I was in marching band in high school.
  87. I secretly wanted to be a cheerleader.
  88. It doesn’t matter now, does it?
  89. I like pedicures better than manicures.
  90. I love to read.
  91. I hate math.
  92. Political debates stress me out.
  93. I love dairy products.
  94. I love a good hamburger.
  95. My favorite poet is Rilke.
  96. I think I worry too much.
  97. I know how to snowboard, but not how to ski.
  98. I love giving and getting gifts.
  99. I hate it when people clip their nails in public.
  100. The Red Sox rock. (except when they don’t)