Chitchat and the occasional in-depth analysis about fiber, knitting, spinning, crochet, cooking, feminism, self-image, and a modicum of personal blathering.

Monday, October 13, 2008

But the rock's too small, she said, can't you see?

It's been an uneventful week for the most part.

I do want to share this video, with reservations. I don't like the part that says "too thin to bear children", because our worth should not be tied in with our ability to procreate any more than it should be tied in with our weight.



I do tend to try to stop people from using disparaging language about themselves or others based on weight, shape, or appearance in general. I think this video will be helpful to many women (and men) who have yet to learn to accept and love their bodies for what they are.

Anyway.

We went to the zoo on Saturday. It was a gorgeous day. The weather could not have been more perfect. I took ten million photos. The ones I found worthy to some degree can be found here. Here's a few highlights.

River Otters, so CUTE.
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Gorilla
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Jellyfish
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Lions being awesome.
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The flickr set has a lot more and better ones.

I did better than expected at the zoo. We did buy tram passes (a tram runs every 20 min or so around to some major points of the zoo) but ended up not using them at all. Of course, I was exhausted when it was over. I thought Bob was going to have to get someone with a golf cart to get me back to the entrance, but I did make it without passing out or throwing up even though both things were looking kinda likely at one point. It's definitely the hardest I've pushed myself since the accident and I managed to NOT spend the whole day recovering yesterday, and had no leg cramps or other hideous pain at night. I'm getting stronger.

And in crafting, I spun up the merino ball that I got at Penn's Colony. It was full of neps, little lumps of fiber, and could not be spun thin as a result. I made a seriously chunky three-ply from it and then tried to dye it black and gold. It did NOT work. I don't have photos yet, but I overdyed it with blue to make it greenish. It's pretty heinous. I think I'll make myself an ugly hat out of it.

I got an awesome swap package from a Ravelry swap.
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Among other amazing goodies from the package was that Elizabeth Zimmermann book. It's a knitting classic, containing the famous "baby surprise jacket" which is a legendary pattern. I want to make the adult size for myself, and it's recommended that you make the baby size first to get the hang of how it works. So I cast on one out of oddments.

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It's alpaca and I have some merino in a coordinating color. Hopefully that will be enough. If not, I'm sure I can come up with something to finish it with. Then I'll have to find a baby to give it to.

Still working on the beaded rib socks
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Here's a better photo of the flyaway free jacket.
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I have been wearing that thing all over the place. It's a nice garment with a multitude of uses.

Progress continues to be made on the koi socks.
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I'm just not very enthusiastic about them for some reason. I think I dislike short-row heels. They should be finished by the end of the week, though.

And the woodland shawl also moves along slowly.
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And now there's some show on the style channel (I was watching Clean House) about how this woman has no life now because she's not hot and sexy any more, she's dressing for comfort and also hates herself because she's gained weight. This message is unhelpful. They're tarting her up in cute (sexy, "flaw" hiding) clothes and encouraging her to lose weight "for herself". Because making yourself as appealing as possible to the male gaze is your whole objective in life, ladies. If you don't do that, you're letting the menz down. Can't have that.

Gah.

Ok. I'm out, I have laundry to do and I need to get some serious knitting time in.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woo! Zoo!

I trust you're bookmarking this entry so that on bad days you can remind yourself that it will not be impossible forever?

Why is the legendary baby surprise jacket a surprise? I feel clueless.

Unknown said...

Simbel-it's knitted all in one piece, then some magical folding occurs, you sew up one seam, and voila, it's a jacket. I haven't got there yet so I don't know how it works.