The Secret Life of Walter Knitty

I have heard a few authors speak.  I’ve seen Sherman Alexie, Chris Hedges, Sam Seader, and a few others but I’ve never heard anyone quite like Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot).  She was human, funny, humble, witty, clever, and genuine. 

She told a story about how she got locked out of her hotel room in her underware and only her underware, blue with the words “cowgirl” on the bottom.  About how one of her friends was sitting in the Dr. office with a woman who was watching “The Price is Right” and made a comment about how she couldnt imagine herself being so bored as to take up knitting to which the Harlot’s friend responded that she couldnt imagine herself being so bored as to insult complete strangers.  She spoke about how knitting is good for the brain, that a repetitive task is meditative, staves off Alzheimer’s, how knitting is valuable and creative.  How knitters are hard to categorize, etc.  All things knitters know.  That we are not all lonely grandmothers, that we are not all women. 

I’ve only been knitting for just over a year.  I never thought I could learn to take a couple of sticks and some string and make a jacket, or a hat, or socks.  Especially socks.  And although I make lots of mistakes (LOTS OF MISTAKES) it is so nice to be able to wear something I have made myself, something that was not “Made in China”, something that will last.  This is not to say it is not frustrating because I have a project right now that is very frustrating.  Try making thigh-high lace stockings.  Not easy.  But, for the frustration, I do learn and I am getting better at it.  The socks I’m making for my Mom have not had to be ripped out yet.  (Yet, being the operative word.  I am not so perfect as to think I will not have to rip out any of the first or second sock) my stitching is more even, etc.  I never thought of myself as particularly creative and would never have thought of myself as crafty.  I used to think it was too girly, that I was too much of a feminist to knit. 

But, women have been knitting for over 1000 years.  Over one thousand years.  It’s a skill that will always have something new to show, some new challenge, a skill that can be comforting in the repetition and simplicity of just making a knit stitch over and over again.  My Grandmother knitted when she was alive.  it’s carrying on a tradition of women being crafty and creative and having something to show for it when you’re done.  Even if the sock you made for you looks like it could only fit an 8 year old.  Knitting is not a waste of time.  It is doing something of value with your time and hands.  It is more productive than just sitting in front of the TV watching “The Price is Right” eating chips and drinking beer.  While for me, knitting is not about survival, it is amazing to see how a pattern works up, or watching socks come together.  And marveling at the people, men and women, who took the time to come up with things like turning a heel, making cables, or just a simple knit and purl stitch.  Marveling at the ingenuity human beings have to come up with this and marveling at how long they have been doing it.

So it is raining sideways right now. I suppose I shouldnt complain having grown up in the Midwest, but I’m ready for it to warm up and dry up a little.

I found this

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080421/ap_on_en_tv/tv_wwe_candidates;_ylt=

ApkC9mhWwUuZjYWY0alE86Cs0NUE

Today. WWE is having a voter registration drive. How cool is that?! I admit it, I used to watch wrestling and I liked it. It’s a melodrama. The way it was explained to me is that it is a soap opera for guys. My favourite was Ray Mystero (sp?) Jr. And I always hated to see The Rock *cough, The Crock, cough* come out on stage. All 3 candidates are going to appear. Although it’s been a long time since I’ve watched wrestling (the height I think was when the 4 Horseman got back together. It kind of went downhill from there) it makes me wish I had cable so I could see it. This:

“McCain, meanwhile, looked to Hulkamania for inspiration for his message.”

Is my favourite part. Can you imagine McCain doing an impression of the Hulk?! I would pay just to see that; just thinking about it makes me want to roll on the floor laughing.

I am curious to see how Pennsylvania turns out tomorrow. I dont think Hillary will win by more than a few points like in Texas. She will continue to limp along for the next few primaries. She may win Indiana but will loose her shirt in North Carolina. But I’m tired of the horse race. I’m tired of seeing her limping along and attacking Obama the way she is. She keeps bringing up Louis Farrakhan and Reverend Wright. I want to hear these people talk about the economy and Iraq and about health care. I agree with Rachel Maddow in her view that the ongoing Democratic race, especially the way it is going, will and are hurting the chances of a Democrat taking the White House in November. The more time Obama and Hillary go after one another the more time McCain to rally the Republican party and donors to his cause. Rick Santorum today came out in support of McCain.

It is frustrating to see. I’ve heard the line so many times that the “Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory” I hope this ends soon, before Dean’s deadline of July 1st.

Spring may technically have come to Oregon, March 21st has come and gone, but it is 50 and raining.  Going home tomorrow is not going to be easy and I’ve been whining all day.  Samer has been kind enough to humour me by listening to me whine and complain about not wanting to leave the sun.  It’s 60 some and sunny, not a cloud in the sky, a breeze to rustle the palm leaves.  I wonder if it was like this every day if I would appreciate it as much as I do at this moment.  I feel very fortunate for it to have been so nice during my stay.  Even if yesterday I did feel a bit like Mary Poppins without an umbrella.  It was sunny but very windy.  If I had an umbrella I think I would have blown away.

Although I do want to sleep in my own bed with my cat and boyfriend I will miss the sun.  While I know it is coming to Oregon it still seems as though we are wrapped in the arms of late winter.

It’s early for a Saturday in San Francisco.  I’m visiting a friend who is listening to a song in Japanese.  I think she’s saying “Stupid Americans will buy anything”  Socks are on the needles for my Mom, her birthday is coming up in about a month.  That’s enough time to finish right?

This city is filled with an interesting mix of people.  I think I could visit here a hundred times and not get tired of watching the locals and tourists in China Town, The Castro, Mission, the chess players in Union Square . . .

We’re going to visit the Castro today.  All I can think is “Ooohhh, Orphan Andy’s”  It’s a tiny diner with excellent garden burgers, potato salad, and milkshakes.  The boys who work there are wonderful and very helpful to visitors.