The Secret Life of Walter Knitty

Having Cool Neighbours Rocks! July 13, 2010

There is not a lot of knitting going on.  The muscles in my left shoulder (the hand and arm I use to hold my needle) seized up on me and gave me a tension headache.  Fortunately, the girl I see for massage pulled out the headache on Saturday but I dont want to push it.

At least I have freaking cool neighbours.

Friday two of them (boyfriend/girlfriend) had a little cook out.  I chipped in with food and beer as did one of my other neighbours.  The three of them kept me up till 3 AM.  I cant remember the last time I stayed out so late.  We ate, drank beers, walked up to the pub, played ping pong, hung out, talked, etc.  It was a lot of fun.

The girl in the boyfriend/girlfriend pair has a washer and dryer.  The laundromat closest to me is gone.  Courtney has said she’d be happy to do a load for me once in a while.  Thank God for small favours.  She offered to do a load on Sunday if I left it on her back porch.  I got busy and forgot then left a load yesterday morning.  My bag o’clothes was gone last night, they were not on the line, usually she’ll put my bag on my back porch once they’re done.  Not today.  I left for work thinking they had been taken.  Not that the person who took them would end up with much, mostly dirty underwear, undershirts, and some t-shirts.  They were on my back porch after I got home today.  Yea!  I wont have to worry about seeing a homeless man in my neighbourhood wearing my underwear on the outside of his pants.

They want me to go camping with them in August.  I havent been camping since I was 18.  They want to hike up to Eagle Creek.  I’ve been up there once.  Hiked six miles in to Tunnel Falls and back.  Oregon is a state with a lot of natural beauty.  I hope it works out.  It sounds like it’d be a lot of fun and with no city lights there will be a lot of stars to see.

Book Review: East of Eden May 26, 2010

I’ve read East of Eden before and went back to re-read it a couple of weeks ago. 

This is a multi-layered story, rather like an onion.  At first it is presented as a history of the Salinas Valley, CA and an embellished history of John Steinbeck’s own family, his maternal Grandfather being the lively Samuel Hamilton.  There is also the coming of age story of Cal and Abra, the maturing of Adam Trask, the cruel side of the feminine with Cathy/Kate and  the inability of Aaron to grow up and accept the world as it is.  There is also a biblical theme running through the story.  There is the theme of Adam, Abraham, Job, and Cain and Able.  At the centre of the story is the concept of “Timshel” or “thou mayest”.  The belief that man can choose his/her own life.  That man/woman is not condemned to a life of sin and suffering but has the ability to choose how to live the best life for themselves.  Which, I suppose, is a Post-Modern philosophy.

The pages are littered with remarkable landscapes that no longer exist in the 21st century.  Will anyone now, ever see a man riding a horse and yellow flowering grass that comes up to the top of his hat?  Not in 21st century CA.

Even Steinbeck felt that everything he had written before “East of Eden” was practice for this novel.  Personally, even more than “The Grapes of Wrath”, I think this novel is an honest examination of the human condition. 

There is great joy and great suffering.   All manner of people populate the novel from the gentle, but stern Lee who is a philosopher and Adam’s house husband (for clarification, Adam is not gay, neither is Lee, but Lee performs all the domestic duties of the house and is the person most in charge of raising Cal and Aaron) to Cathy/Kate who is a whore and runs what is described in the book as the most despicable whorehouse in all the Salinas Valley.  She blackmailed public officials.  She is described as missing a key human quality, whether this is conscience or compassion or both, it is left for the reader to decide. 

Timshel comes into play when Lee and Samuel meet after the death of Samuel’s favourite daughter.  Many years prior, during the naming of Caleb and Aaron, Lee, Samuel, and Adam discuss the story of Cain and Abel.  They have a discussion over this part of the story:

“Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell.  And the Lord said unto Cain, “Why art thou wroth?  And why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou does well, shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.  And unto thee shalt be his desire and thou shalt rule over him”

Lee argues that the Bible has been misinterpreted in the last statement.  There is a whole long story in the book, but it comes down to the original Hebrew word Timshel meaning “thou mayest” that Cain is given the choice to overcome sin/ignorance.  And we, as Cain’s children, also have the same choice.

It is the concept of “Timshel” or “thou mayest” that I find most interesting.  Hawkeye thinks “East of Eden” is a depressing book, I have to disagree because of the concept of “thou mayest”.  That a person is not condemned to a specific fate, that we are able to choose, is, I think, a very hopeful message.

Ugh! May 22, 2010

After a beautiful weekend last week, sunny, 75ish, no little humidity, True to form Oregon turned absolutely craptacular again.  It’s rainy and about 55.  Ugh.  I havent been able to get my plants out yet because it’s been too cold.  My tomatoes are getting big and have to go out soon.

There are two things about living in Oregon weather that are always true:

It always rains during Rose Fest

And

Summer doesnt come until after the 4th of July.

I didnt believe the second one until I lived here for a while.  It’s true.  Sure, there are some nice days, it might be nice for a week or longer, but then it will get crappy, cold, and it’ll rain.  After the 4th it’ll stay nice.  Even so, it gets old after a while.

This totally made me laugh today.

It’s 4/20, or I heart Willie Nelson April 20, 2010

It’s the 20th of April, or 4/20.  There are many reasons why I love Willie Nelson, but today, this seems the most appropriate.  My favourite bit is when Willie Nelson talks to Larry King about how to use a vaporizer.

English Weakness April 13, 2010

This might make me a geek but I dont care.  There are some things about the English language that I love and have weakness for.  Onomatopoeia, palindromes, and today’s favourite alleritation.  This is one of the best, most clever uses of alleritation I’ve seen in a while.  I bring you The Most Badass Alphabet Ever.  Tonight’s post is brought to you by the letter “L”.

Dear Great Weather Machine April 8, 2010

Dear Great Weather Machine, also known as the Pacific Ocean,

Before I get started, I want to let you know that it’s not you, it’s me.

I know we had more than our fair share of lovely, sunny, warm, weather in March.  For which, I’m very grateful.  Afterall, this is Oregon and you cant count on it being consistently nice until after the Fourth of July. 

I understand that our winter was drier than usual, so, all the rain and snow have been a boon for skiers and farmers.  In the last two weeks there has been more than 4 feet of snow dumped in the mountains.  Since the snow pack was more than 20% below normal, this is a cause for much rejoicing. 

I understand that a cool, wet spring and a cool, wet, start to summer means less serious forest fires come August.

I know I am just one small human being, but all I’m asking for is a few nice sunny days mixed in with the 50 degree rainy days.  My plants would be quite happy as would the more than 1 million people that live in the Portland Metro Area.  Their plants would be happy too.  Farmers would be pleased to get their crops planted before it gets too hot. 

Oh, Great Weather Machine, could you please grant this request?  Pretty please with sugar on top?

Yea! March 17, 2010

I found this at the grocery store today

It says “Y is for Yarn”!  When I saw it, I couldnt resist.

If it’s wrong, I dont want to be right March 12, 2010

My work has a company that picks up our mail from the post office and drops it off at the office.  Back in May they switched companies for a variety of reasons.  With the old company we were not getting all of our mail, they were expensive, they didnt want to do anything different to meet our needs, and frankly, the guy who did the delivery was a big cranky grouch.  Every day was awful and sometimes each new day was more awful than the day before.

Anyway, in May they hired a new company to pick up and drop off our mail. 

The new guy is younger, about my age, is pretty nice, and has a great ass. 

This and of itself I think is a good reason to keep him.  Some days, depending on the pants he wears, his butt looks better than others.  I look as often as I can get away with without being obvious or creepy.  He has a girlfriend.  I have to admit that there have been days where I want to make squeezing motions with my hands.  

Ladies, and men depending on your persuasion, take some time each day to appreciate the natural beauty that is around you.  You may just be surprised.

Marking Territory March 5, 2010

I got my new bed on Tuesday!  Each day since it’s been harder to get up and go to work but tomorrow is Saturday.  Saturday=no work=can stay in bed as long as I like. 

I bought a full size frame and mattress which, to be honest, is a big upgrade from a twin.  It feels like I have a huge bed all to myself.  Having never had a brand new bed before (brand new that no one has slept in or laid in before me) it’s been an exciting experience.  Tuesday night after laundry I laid in it and rolled around in it, rolled around under the covers, stood on it, and resisted a very strong urge to jump up and down on it.  The mattress doesnt have springs and it’s a futon frame.  Somehow, jumping up and down on it didnt seem like a very good idea. 

I have to admit, there is part of me that wants to pee on it.  Isnt that what animals do to mark their territory?

Having a bigger bed is nice because now there is more than enough room for Claire and I.  Now, when I roll over at night I dont get a face full of cat hair and Claire isnt trying to stick her butt in my face. 

Having the new bed also makes me feel like more of an adult.  It’s not a feeling that I can explain.  I’ve never had my own brand new bed, not since I was a kid and lived with my parents.  When I lived with Jim we had his bed.  When I got my own apartment I received a hand me down frame and mattress.  When C lived with me we used his bed. 

It feels very indulgent.  Even though I had a limited budget, I was able to pick out both the frame and mattress that I wanted.  A mattress that I felt was comfortable.  Trust me, it is.  It’s the kind where you sink  just a bit and then it’s firm but still extremely comfortable.  And a frame that I wanted and thought was cool.  The frame is high enough off the floor that I can get some under the bed storage containers.  Storage is important in a studio.

Getting rid of the old bed means that more old, negative energy, has left my space.  With everything I’ve been though in the last year, all the emotional turmoil and heartache, getting a fresh start and getting rid of things that have negative associations is important.  I think I spent more time in the last year sleeping on the sofa instead of the bed. 

Waking up without cat butt in my face is a bonus.  Sleeping at night, in my own bed (one that no one has slept in before me) is pretty cool.