Time Warp Fiber

I had originally planned a tirade railing against the unwillingness of society at large to accept any kind of non-traditional union, but in the end, it seemed unnecessary. Moreover, my irritation with the antiquated traditionalism of Americans was eclipsed by one far greater. Hemingway. I've not done battle with him since high school, but it was with dread I anticipated having to teach The Sun Also rises this summer. Reading the book has done nothing to assuage said dread, but has indeed intensified it. I've come to believe that I actually disagree with everything about the man. Morevoer, I find his work hyper-masculine, self-congratulatory and whiny. I am further resentful due to the fact that I have to teach to a room full of thirteen year olds a novel revolving around the sexual frustration of a man unable to penetrate the object of his lust. Can we take a moment to reflect on this. First of all, I just love the assumption that no relationship is complete without a penis. Indeed. Let us also take into account that it was Hemingway that was so adamant that one can only write that which one knows. It gives me joy to think that the figure of American virility found himself familiar enough with impotence to write an entire book on it. The phallocentrism grosses me out. My book schedule has been all man stories thus far, not what I would have chosen. In addition to the aforementioned problems, the work is very subtle and filled with french, spanish, and references to things my students can't possibly know. Argh.

Moving away from Hemingway and his penis, I have done some yarn work lately. First, and unfortunately without photos, I knit a rack. Quite a nice one, I think. Someone very close to me is undergoing a bilateral mastectomy tomorrow. The new boobies went off in a package with lots of other goodies before I got the chance to photograph them. Unfortunately, she has also learned that she will need a hysterectomy following her recovery. I feel a knitted womb coming on. Also, I finished a pair of plain jane, carry along socks, done a la Widdershins. It's shameful. I cast these on in December. The yarn is Trekking Pro Natura. I rarely work on them, clearly, but I try and keep a plain sock around for car rides and cinemas. I have been unable to knit on my three hour daily commute; I get motion sick to easily. And, honestly, much of the time I'm just too exhausted. I'll need to cast on another plain sock to take on the role of neglected carry-sock.

In the realm of new socks, there's this little dude. The yarn is Tofusties, in colors I associate with easter. I'm knitting it on 2mm (US zero) needles, 72 sts around. The pattern is a remix on a Fiber Trends one I used o make the socks I sent to Laura a few months back. (Btw, she is tying the knot in less than a week, click over and congratulate her)

Finally, my long-suffering but faithful wheel. I've finished the singles for the green yarn I've been working on. I would desperately love to ply this today, but between laundry and dishes and cooking and lesson planning, plus clearing out the guest/store room for my brother's impending visit, I just don't think I can spare the two hours. Sigh. Why can't people pay me oodles of money to make pretty things. Hope your week goes smoothly, where-ever you are.

...between blog posts. (ps everyone should read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman) I'm sure you can relate, o hypothetical reader; life gets in the way. I'm mostly healed up from the wisdom teeth. There are still weird holes. It's amazing how long it's taken, actually, mouth injuries usually heal so rapidly. But I lived to tell the tale, and that's enough for me. 

In other news, I have made it through two weeks of the new job. It has its ups and downs, like any job, but I would say it's been mostly on the up side. I have enjoyed the teaching. It gets challenging at times, but I haven't dreaded it. I have a fear of hating my job. I've worked a lot of jobs that fit that bill, and most of the adults I grew up with were in the same boat. Americans devote such an obscene percentage of their lives working that it seems to me imperative to find some kind joy in what you do. I'm still not totally sold on teaching high school, but I've really enjoyed the lit, much to my shock. The blogging will taper off slightly though, with the nine hour days plus three hour commute, I don't get much free time. I have been knitting a little, I'll take some photos tomorrow to share. I leave you with a priceless quote from a student.

Me: Define prophylactic 

Student: Something...condom...sticky?

Just a brief post today, as vicodin does not an articulate knitter make.My surgery was yesterday, and it went fine. I didn't even hit the doctor. But I might have hyperventalated. A little. They strapped me down to the chair and brought out the needles, I can't be blamed. The surgeon says it went well, and there's no evidence of nerve damage. So that's good. I'm living on a steady supply of apple sauce and pain pills, and my already chipmunk cheeks are even puffier. But I'm grateful to have it behind me. And look who came in the mail to keep me company while I recover. Isn't he the cutest? A gift from Laura. With friends like her, I feel rich indeed. 

So,lots of news. First off, I actually have a job, if not the ideal one. I'm going to be teaching at a summer program until august, at which point I will re-examine grad school options and other job thoughts. But hooray employment. I'm sure you'll hear plenty about my students in the upcoming months.

FOs! Two of them. The first is actually a crochet project, a rarity for me. This whole thing started with my missing SAFF 2005, and having Laura surrogate shop for me. (she comes up a lot, major fiber enabler) One of the things she brought back was for ounces of an incredible heathered garnet merino. I spun it the following summer into thick and thin singles and waited for it to tell me what it wanted to be. The answer came a year later,  it needed to be a scarf, and I thought a simple single crochet would jive well with the textured yarn. I started it that summer 2007, and then kind of forgot about it with all the madness of that fall and winter. But I picked it up again et voila: a scarf. It's a little shorter than I usually make (I like very long scarves to be able to skim my more ample curves) but it might do better as an all day piece, for inside and out. And of course, it's delicious in color and softness. Quite a journey for that scarf, over years and thousands of miles. It makes it all the more special. 

The second FO has less history. It's one of the many pairs of plain socks I started to keep me company on the most recent trek out CA. I bought the yarn last summer in Santa Monica, at the fabulous wildfiber, actually having it in mind for someone else. But then another sock yarn called that person's name to me and the yarn went into the stash. Being Cherry tree hill, one of my favorites, it didn't languish long. While purple is not my favorite color, there is something fun about such loud socks. 

However, all the good news has been a little overshadowed for me. Now that we have good insurance, I've been playing catch-up with my healthcare, which was spotty at best through my childhood and teen years. The worst of this has been dental.  I am terrified of the dentist. Like I would rather face three Balrogs armed with only a squirt gun terrified. I bravely went and had a cleaning. I even didn't have a panic attack in getting fitted for a crown. But then came the referral to the oral surgeon. My blood pressure rose just going into that office. And then she informs me that because my wisdom teeth should have come out 7 years ago, they have tangled with the nerves and caused major damage and infection. Huge pain, enough antibiotics to disinfect Chicago, and a CAT scan later, I schedule my surgery and sign ten different things acknowledging how high risk the surgery is and how they won't completely sedate me and how it will cost my soul to pay for and they shove me out the door. It was all I could do not to crawl under the car and cry. Of course, this surgery interferes with my job training, so my brand new boss is already not pleased with me. And I have nightmares about having no teeth or no feeling in my head or medical bill collectors throwing tear gas into my apartment. So, my hypothetical reader, if you choose to spawn, have their teeth taken care of at an early age, lest they face the indignity of being a grown up, educated human who fears nothing so much as a green smocked surgeon with a pair of pliers. 

I mentioned I'd been spinning right? I took quite a hiatus, with the holidays and the move. You can see in the photo (click to enlarge) that it took me a while to get back into the groove of consistent yarn. The lovely green roving is corriedale, and it was a gift 'for the soul' from a swap I did last fall. As I said at the time, it's very apt, as spinning is something I turn to to soothe me, particularly in rough moments. I haven't spun corriedale before, but it's turning out nicely. Not as soft as merino, but glossy and long-stapled. I'm spinning this long draw (my preferred method) at about the thickness of a fingering weight yarn. It will be plyed with this variegated green roving to make a roughly sport weight yarn. (I rarely spin with a particular project in mind) I think it will be interesting to see how the solid and the variegated plys will interact. You might recognize these colors from this yarn , which I spun from the same roving for the Knit Picky holiday party. The roving is a fine Australian wool (not sure of breed) which I got ages ago in Ohio, and which I dyed on a visit to Laura's studio last september. It's fun to spin the stuff I did that day and remember that warm afternoon and how much fun it was. Laura is planning a wedding these days, so I'll hope some of the peace and fond memories my spinning evokes for me will find its way to her. I know it's a help to me. 

Just a quick post to show off this gorgeous yarn and send a thank you to the lady who sent it to me. A really dear friend from college, now living in Baltimore, got this at MDSW and sent it to me with a sweet card. I'm very touched. It's a little rough making friends in a brand new place, and this gift was like a hug. Thank you very much.

The yarn is from Kid Hollow farm, and it's a blend of nylon, mohair, and wool. I think it wants to be warm bootsocks for around this house and when I head to the mountains and other colder places.  

First off, has the blog been slow for you? It's been taking ages to load on my end. Would you drop a line if it's not just me? I'll put Butthead on the case.

Secondly, apologies for the lack of photos. I left the wire that lets my camera talk to the 'puter in Butthead's computer bag, so it's at the Googleplex with him, no doubt getting high minded ideas from all the swankified wires that frequent that place. However, in the next few days I'll have pictures of spinning. That's right, I've dusted of the wheel and am making yarn again. And after that, maybe a few wedding photos.

Last weekend, Butthead and I took a bus, three trains, two planes and a van to get to Chattanooga, where his sister was getting married. We had a blast. The groomsmen were hysterical, a ton of fun to be around. There was lots of wine, laughing, dark chocolate, and everything went generally well. I had a kind of awkward place as (more-or-less)  sister-in-law to the bride, but it was gracefully handled and I felt very included. I think the in-laws are finally catching on to the idea that Butthead and I are no less in a marriage for the lack of papers. Rather than 'girlfriend' or significant other', they've switched to 'partner' and 'wife', which pleases me to no end. I met many of Butthead's big clan of a family, who are somewhat intimidating and all look alike. But it went fairly well. I think the wine had something to do with that. We finally had a chance to use some of that deteriorating ballroom dancing skill. It was a beautiful wedding with very few hitches. Kudos to MIL and SIL for doing a bang-up job.

On another note, it was a little strange to go back to the South. I think we've established that I was never really at home there, despite having lived in NC for five years. The culture was just so alien to me, I always felt like I was just learning the language and blundering every third word. Our fall return to Winston, all of four months, was not without its high points (I'm looking in your direction, Kim) but it was never a place I could imagine staying. Going back to the southeast put into perspective how comfortable Silicon valley has become. I'm clearly still a newbie, with a lot to learn, but there's something about the easy-going attitude that feels right to me. Business formal means actually putting on socks, and I hear more languages in the grocery store than I did in the airport in NC. I don't have to hesitate to out myself or bash on the neocon regime, although those are hards habits to break after years of toeing the line. While it's certainly not perfect (i could do without the train station crazies), it's home.  That is something I wish for you, o hypothetical reader, that you find someplace that feels like home, on your own terms.

As in, 'there's no such thing as.' I don't know if you read ravelry, my hypothetical readers, but I do. Probably more than I ought to. What I've noticed lately is a lot of negativity in the area of free patterns. Now, I'm not one of those people who thinks you should only say nice things. I think criticism has it's place, both in being constructive for those it's aimed toward and in helping air out the complainers feelings. We could do with a bit more honesty in the world, even if not everything is pleasant. However, there is a difference between this and spite. And spite is something I've seen a lot of, which is sad to my eyes.

When I started knitting, I was a student. An independent, financial aid fund student. That's right, no cash for knitting. However, I was (and am) pretty apt at research, so I turned to google. And found a world of free patterns. It was fantastic. Here was a place I could expand my knowledge (b/c classes were certainly out of the question) and be inspired. I owe a lot of my knowledge base to all those wonderful people who chose to share their talents freely. It is a beautiful thing, a bank of knowledge and creativity, shared and built upon by a huge community. If you're a programmer, as Butthead is, compare it to open source software.

On a personal level, I'm of two minds regarding knowledge and payment. Part of me, the greater part, feels that the restriction of knowledge, any knowledge, to those who can pay for it is wrong. I went to an underfunded public high school, and fought tooth and nail to pay for a good college. I know that there's a distinct difference in what is available to those with money. In my bohemian spirit, it seems that knowledge of art and of craft is a matter of heritage and creativity, which should be shared freely among us to foster the love of the work. 

That said, I do not inherently object to someone charging for their work. It's your perogative as an artist. If the work is good, people will pay for it. I certainly do. I have a small cache of books and patterns that have inspired me. I am glad to compensate the designer for their time when I am able.

What gets to me is when people rail against those who offer work for free. I heard this a lot in connection with LYSs, who worry about their cut of pattern sales. "Why would people pay for a design they could get for free?" Why indeed? I don't think we have a duty to buy something simply because it's for sale. It seems to me, as a designer, one can't expect to be paid for a simple pattern, such as a ribbed hat, when there are myriad free alternatives. For my part, I'd far rather design it myself. What a designer can do is produce unique and thoughtful work, of a high enough quality to make people glad to pay for it. If ever there were a good side to raw capitalism, this is it. 'Beat' the competition by doing better, not by whining about people 'stealing' your profits. 

This issue has gotten ugly, I think.  I've seen a lot of people sniping at one another. Last night, I read an article blatantly scolding the people who use free patterns. It's hard to respond to turmoil within the community like this, particularly when you are riled, without causing more mess. I will try to respond through my actions. I will continue to buy, as I'm able, those works which inspire me, and thus support the artists. I will also continue to knit from free works. In fact, I'm taking the time to thank specifically those who have made their work available to me, and all of the knitiverse, without charge. I would ask you to as well. Take a moment to send a message to the designer. Cash is not the only currency, and it seems payment in kind to thank those who share the love of the craft freely. Let's send a wave of love to our favorite designers, oh hypothetical reader, and hopefully counteract some of the negative feelings out there. 

I've heard this phrase a lot, with different meanings associated with it all the time. Some years ago, I was told by a professor that it was good that I could knit, because, come the revolution, there wouldn't be any textile mills. I've heard feminist activists imply equality or an imbalance in the other direction, queer rights activists imply equality, too. Liberals as a group are so far flung with all our causes that it's hurt us some that we can't all agree on what's the most important. I would never trade that complexity for the single minded nature of many other groups. (did someone say war mongering neocons?) However, today being Earth Day, it seems appropriate to give our mother her due, and think about the green revolution. After all, it would be very difficult to argue about pay scales and equal rights if none of us could breathe. 

Are you green? How green? I've heard a lot of 'drop in the bucket' arguments about not even bothering, but that doesn't fly with me. I try, which is all that I could ever ask of anyone. I recycle anything with a symbol on it. (I have to be thankful to my county for allowing this, the last place I lived would allow almost nothing and the apt complex didn't even offer a pickup, so we had to drive it over) We have reusable bags, and reuse even the odd plastic or paper ones. I try not to print things out, and when I do, work with small fonts and two sides. I bake with recycled parchment paper. I don't drive, and use transit or walk for everything but groceries and occasion errands. Even then we use a Gfleet hybrid. I shop at farmer's markets, and do my best to buy in season and even local when it's available. We use flourescent bulbs and have cut out many chemical cleaners. There are things I don't do, like garden or compost. Hard to manage in an apartment.  I'm sure there's more, but we try. And I would encourage you to. I don't enumerate green things I do here to be smug or to guilt anyone. Bu I think we need to talk about it, bring people over, little by little. I'll admit I didn't vote for Nader, but I do recycle.

There are good side effects, too. Less chemicals in your body and home is something to be happy about. Growing a garden is something to be very proud of, and burns calories too. Not to mention just leaning out the window to get basil for the tomato sauce. I get a sense of accomplishment from everything I do for myself rather than pay for, with dollars and carbon. That scarf spun from local wool and handknit? Not only did you not support terrible labor practices and a fashion industry that kills female self esteem, you saved all that fuel from the probably Asiatic factory to warehouse to outlet. So think about it the next time you get in the car, or throw away a bottle, or buy imported fruit. Try. Tell your friends. It is impossible to fail if you never quit trying. Happy earth day.  

How are things with you, my hypothetical reader? I haven't any monumental updates for you this week, but no news is good news, or so I've been told. I baked bread today. (with the phenomonal Sweeney Todd movie for company. I wonder if my neighbors can hear me singing.) There's something grounding and elemental about baking your own bread from scratch. It takes a whole day and is pretty exhausting. But I enjoy the process, and the results are fantastic. I get the same connected feeling as with knitting, evoking images of centuries of communal hearths.This is a parmesan swirl baguette from today's baking. It looks nice and tastes better. The apartment smells great too. Also simmering on the stove all day is a homemade marinara with porcini and portabella mushrooms. But even the best red sauce doesn't photograph particularly well, so you have to use your imagination. Sidenote: At our local deli, one of the men questioned my wanting a prosciutto sandwich. I offered to show him my Italian horn as verification. He was very confused. Are Italian horns a Northeastern thing in the states? They weren't rare at all where I grew up, but are not much in evidence in the Bay, despite the rampant multiculturalism. Or perhaps with so much variety, the european descendants don't feel the need to parcel themselves out so much. 

On the fiber front, I'd like to introduce my Juno Regina. I figure today is appropriate, since it's the video release of the film Juno, which was wicked. If you haven't seen it, drop by a rental place, it's totally worth watching. Witty, well-delivered dialogue and a non-judgmental treatment of a much condemned group. Anyway, back to my stole. These are just the beginnings of it. I'm planning to widen it a bit with an extra repeat or two, to make is more appropriate to my size, and to use up my yarn. This is Chasca, by the Unique Sheep, in Brookside. It's a 100% alpaca laceweight, thinner than many. I actually got this from Ms Unique Sheep herself, as a barter for my bread machine, this past december. ( I love the barter system, so much more personal and fun) The yarn is behaving nicely, although I remain divided on the subject of lace in variegated yarns. I think this shawl, being fairly simple, will agree nicely with the yarn. I hope Laura has enjoyed the bread machine as much as I am the yarn. My MIL's socks are progressing, I'm almost to the gusset increases on the second sock. I have been trying to resist casting on for more socks until these are done. I'm in the process of convincing myself that the baby socks in New Pathways don't count. Anyone have a baby with cold feet? Or the potential for one in the future? I don't even have a cat. That's all on the homefront, o hypothetical reader. Rent a movie and sing along on my behalf. Life should be a musical.