First things first. With friends like this, who needs enemies? AND she told me to take a hot shower which is like the kiss of freaking death when you’ve been exposed to poison ivy. She’s trying to kill me and I think she’s actually enjoying herself. Bottom line. If that patch in the picture was/is poison ivy, I’d say I’m fairly fucked. I didn’t walk into it or anything, but I did try to place a square on top of it for a picture – didn’t work out though so it was quickly off the leaves. Yeah. Now I’m knitting a small pox blanket. Terrific. Apparently this shit could erupt on my skin anytime between the next ten minutes and two weeks from now. It’s like I’ve got bugs crawling on me. I itch EVERYWHERE. If you should happen to see me this weekend, oh say, at like an event in Central Park, and I’m covered in oozing pus filled sores, please note that I’m not contagious. And don’t use Ann’s wheel or anything. I’m just saying.
Let’s move on to happier things, okay? Because today is BRUCE DAY!!!!! That’s right baby! IT’S A REUNION! And in honor of the day I’m having a BRUCE CONTEST!
Here’s a quiz! ETA: THE QUIZ IS FIXED. PLEASE DON’T TAKE IT AGAIN IF YOU’VE ALREADY TAKEN IT. THANK YOU. Take it and everyone who scores 50% or better will be put into a random drawing for the following prizes*:
The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Prove It All Night STR
My favorite bootleg recording of Prove It
If you win, and you are already a Springsteen fan and feel you are above and beyond something like a Greatest Hits album, I will burn you anything you want from my bootleg collection. And if you win and for some ungodly reason AREN’T a Springsteen fan, I will have to insist that you listen to the entire Essential Bruce from beginning to end and report back to me. I will instinctively know if you are lying. Entries received after Thursday, June 22, 11:59 PM EST will NOT be included in the drawing. One entry per person please. HAVE FUN and don’t cheat! You know who you are! Hee!
Thank you for all your lovely comments about my (poisonous) green squares. Each square roughly measures about 10″x10/5″. So I’m guessing the blanket will be somewhere around 30″x40″. I haven’t completely decided on the layout yet – and for sure I will tell you all about the seaming.
Oh yeah and WE BROKE THE $10K MARK! Gobsmacked. That’s what I am. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
* Ann, my love, you are so totally NOT ELIGIBLE to win.
It does look like poison ivy. But, you know, you may not be allergic. Not everyone is!
Woo! I squeaked in at 50% – crossing my fingers as I am a HUUUUUUGE Bruce fan as well – have fun at the show, I am seriously envious. My stupid job means no concert going for a while.
And, yeah – that’s poison ivy. Good luck!
OMG, I really sucked hard at that quiz…I tried (and failed miserably)
I hope your skin’s ok you poor thing!
I was supposed to go and see him last night… but there was this MAJOR thunder and lightening storm.
Ugh!
I so suck at quizzes. Next time! BTW, I’m sooo allergic to PI, I get really sick & it always happened within minutes of exposure, so you’re probably OK. Good luck!
Its a very good day for knitblog fundraisers.
🙂
Wow, 80% – who would have thought?
I’m very scared. I am either a stalker or know you better than I know myself sometimes. Have a great time at the concert. Hope to have the courage to show up on Saturday. Bought a shirt though and made my Heifer donation!! You have a great heart, even if the rest of you might get a bit itchy.
We listened to Bruce on the drive from Utah to Colorado and thought of you, Cara!
At least I got more than 1 right.
I’m afraid to take the test. But, girl, you are clearly addicted to giveaways!
Your survey was so much fun!
I love trivia, especially about great artists.
I dont think that pic is of poision ivy, it doesnt look very “Shiny” to me. Last time I got poisin ivy (and how) it was much shinier that that.
Mwahahaha, I got 20. I’m such a ‘tard.
Wow! You’re going to be Heifer Intl’s new poster girl! Last year, we had someone from Heifer Intl speak at our church – bet she didn’t know about the power of bloggers!
Enjoy the concert (I know you will). 🙂
Oh! If it is poision (I never know how to spell that damn word!), let me know, I’ll send you some cream that’ll help.
I never knew Bruce wrote Blinded by the Light! (I know, philistine…)
My Dad is very allergic to PO and swears by cortisone. Just wash the blanket (baby shampoo should do the trick) and you’ll be fine… And if you do itch, remember that pain & itch receptors are the same, so ice & advil will help too!
Poor Cara! Unless you are really allergic to it or rolled in it you may not get more than a bump or two. Got my fingers crossed for you. Enjoy the concert!
Duh, I know nothing. But I am 75% Jersey! And Bruce was part of that quiz.
http://www.gotoquiz.com/how_new_jersey_are_you
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-46,GGLG:en&q=poison+ivy+antidote
Damn! I hate it when Ann is right!
I read somewhere that poison ivy only hurts you if the oils get on your skin, and the oils are only released if the leaves are damaged. So you might be ok.
Then again, I have some sort of PO block. I can’t identify it. Leafy plants all look the same!!! Which is why I’m a geologist.
Call your doctor – you might be able to take Benedryl or something to prevent the outbreak. And they get new meds all the time so you might get lucky.
BTW, that skein of Prove It All Night you sent me? Yeah, I’m writing a sock pattern of my very own for it. With a Bruce song title for a name.
OMG, I sucked so bad I couldn’t even finish the quiz. You’d think I don’t even know how to spell Springstean! ; ) Have fun, darlin’ — I know you will!!
Congratulations for reaching 10K — totally awesome.
I only got 30. Apparently I’m sadly out of touch with adult culture! Put up a Dora the Explorer, a Cinderella or a Wiggles quiz and I’ll win for sure!
Take nice cool showers and rub some Calamine Lotion on any bumps that appear (if any) and you’ll be just fine. Poison Ivy isn’t comfortable, but it’s not really all that bad.
Well I stink! I only got a 40! And ya know.. I could use the Essential Bruce! My one and only Bruce cd (Born To Run.. cuz you know I love me some Thunder Road!) has been MIA since we moved. I have the case, but the cd is gone gone gone *weep*
YEA for beating the 10k mark, C! That is amazing!
I thought of you last night when I was shedding my tears of happiness over the Stanley Cup 🙂
Just in case (and I hope you won’t need this advice): Band Aid makes a clear anti-itch gel. It used to be called Rhuligel, but when Band Aid bought it they changed the name. I think the tube still says Rhuligel under the Band Aid label, in teeny tiny letters. Anyway, that’s the only OTC thing I know of that works. Not only does it ease the itch, it dries the yucky pus up so you heal faster.
It is a sad statement about me that I always, always have a tube of Rhuligel in the house. (In my defense, my husband and I both work for a landscape company–we’re not just dopes who can’t stay out of a patch of ivy).
Yikes – according to Eagle Scout horribly-wildly-unspeakably-allergic-to-poison-ivy boyfriend, that is indeed a picture of the Weed. Although, you may (like me) be inexplicably immune. *knock on wood!*
dearest Itchy,
hope you are having a wonderful day. Some of your readers believe that the poison ivy picture is from my yard. It is not. I am merely the very, very good friend who alerted you to the danger. Perhaps I shall buy you a guide book of some sort for future dangers.
have fun at Bruce tonight.
love,
Scratchy
ps. vectors like you are not allowed near my wheel….
TECNU Poison Ivy Wash – go buy it. They sell it at CVS & most landscaping places. If you can’t find it e-mail me I’ll send you some. It’s a wash that you can use BEFORE you break out – if you think you’ve been exposed, and it prevents the break out. If you’ve already got blisters it dries them up in days. Works WONDERFUL!! I have pulled the evil stuff out of the garden & not gotten a rash.
Hey!
I sent out my prize donation today, you should get it before the end of the week. Just two skeins of dyed sock yarn and a spindle I made…but I hope it helps :o)
As for the poison ivy…I’m just getting over it. I have never had it before and it totally sucks. The only thing that helped me was slathering Ivarrest (made by Blistex) all over every little bump. As soon as I felt the itch I would cover that spot with the gunk and let it dry. It stops the itch and drys up the blisters. It will dry out your skin a bit so don’t let it stay on your fingertips too long :o)
I hope you get rid of it soon.
Apparently, my computer and the quiz don’t like each other today:( I couldn’t even get the quiz to show up for me. I don’t know what the deal is…it’s never happened before.
Anyway, good luck with the poison ivy! I don’t envy you at all with that problem.
Crap, crappity, craptaculous. I can’t get this crapping quiz to load. Maybe it’s because I’m a wireless thief with a crappy connection, and criminals like me aren’t allowed to win yarn. Crap.
the quiz is fucked.
you know, regular ivy looks alot like poison ivy.. think non-itchy thoughts.
Congrats on breaking the 10k mark!! Woo Hoo!!!
and what an hysterical post by your “friend” (shall we use the term loosely until you see the results of your foray into the ivy?)
i’m crossing my fingers that you’re like me and the other commenter on here where, we’re just not allergic. (i’ve stood in it and picked boquets of it no problem) obviously you’re not like my friend where if the wind goes across the poison ivy and then hits her she breaks out. so you’ve won a bit there.
hmmm…only 30% correct. i guess i’m not a true january one fan, let alone bruce fan. i’ll have to study harder next ime! 🙂
Have you seen the log cabin quilt at Yarnstorm? It isn’t knitted, but should be good for inspiration.
http://yarnstorm.blogs.com/knitblog/
Do I have to take the quiz again?
Think happy thoughts that you won’t be itching.
I’m a dork – I retook the quiz – but I scored the same – consistent!
Jewel weed. Wild impatiens, grows near poison ivy – has a tall stalk that’s tender, translucent and juicy looking and small yellow/orange flowers. Pick a large bunch, rince off the dirt and throw the lot in the blender. Add some water if you need too. PUree until liquified. Strain out the gunk, store indefinately in fridge in airtight container.
Apply to exposed areas immediately (or as soon as possible) with a sponge (just leave a makeup spong floating in it) and let dry – so what if you are a bit streaky. Use after a break out as well, to minimise spread and itching and speed healing.
I swear it works.
http://altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
http://store.altnature.com/poivre.html
Or you can buy this person’s version of same, whcih isn’t bad.
Because Dude, that was totally poison ivy.
Sorry.
Wow, I did ok on your quiz. How the heck did that happen? Good luck with the poison ivy thing – I’m allergic to it and react even worse to all the meds supposed to calm the itch. Hope you don’t get it.
Rubbing jewelweed sap on the affected areas is supposed to work. I think it has to be within 24 hours, though. The Voice of Experience sez: if you think you may have gotten it on your hands, remove all rings right now. If your fingers swell up the rings will have to be cut off.
Taking twice the normal dose of 12-hour antihistamine may help, assuming you don’t have to be awake for the next 12 hours.
I think the hot-shower thing is an old spouse’s tale.
I just read a bunch about poison oak, since we did a hike on Sunday where there were masses of poison oak, in order to reach a falls. Was it worth it? I’ll tell you in a couple of days. So far I have only a couple of spots of poison oak, but past experience tells me that this could just be the beginning. Myself, I believe in taking the hot shower, and scrubbing every part of my arms and legs with something a bit rough, to try to remove any remaining oil (despite what I read recently about it “bonding” to your skin within 10-30 minutes and no longer being removable). At least it gets any possibly contaminated clothing off you. Good luck!
Hi!
I’ve been lurking for a few weeks but now feel i must comment. I too am a knitter/crazed springsteen fan. I saw him over the weekend in Ohio. I too saw the reunion tour, which was awesome, but this is so different and so much fun. It’s just dancing and singing all night. Feels like an old tent revival.
I woke up the next day sore and feeling like I had worked out for hours.
Bruce–good for the soul, good for the abs.
Hope you had fun–Meg
OMG I was awful. Doesn’t help that I don’t know any of the ‘new Bruce’. My knowledge stops at Born to Run.
Woo-hoo! 70%!
Hope you feel better soon…
Sorry about the potential poison ivy, that sucks.
I took the quiz and did really well but have to admit that a fair number of my answers were guesses…