Today, I am thankful for our armed services.
Setting aside matters of budgets and policy, I appreciate the men and women who protect and serve our country. Thank you all for your sacrifice.
11 November 2011
10 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 10th
Today, I am thankful for roller derby.
Back when he was still living in San Antonio, David was one of the photographers for his local roller derby league, and while he never took me to a bout, his pictures and stories planted a seed in my mind.
Years later, I was looking for people to see and places to go, and discovered a hardcore derby fan who told me all about the local leagues. We went to a bout, and I was hooked, both on derby and on him. We've done five-hour round trips to our home teams' away games, we've booked a vacation to Toronto in December for the first ever Roller Derby World Cup, and there's a dedicated section of our closet exclusively for derby shirts.
You've all met football or hockey superfans, well, I'm a roller derby superfan. I dress up for bouts and have signs devoted to my favorite skaters/teams... the signs may or may not have glitter on them. (They totally do!)
And, lest we forget that this is a knitting blog, I have knit derby-related projects, too! Some of the early bouts this year were really cold, so I whipped up some legwarmers in my favorite team's colors (another excellent use for Red Heart, btw), and I started a matching mohawk hat with jammer stars on the side, but haven't gotten around to making the final star yet (they're appliquéd because my obsessive side doesn't like what duplicate stitch does to the proportions of a five-pointed star). The fella even got me a book of derby-related patterns written by roller girls (how awesome is that?), but it's out on loan to a friend who's currently an NSO (that's Non-Skating Official) for her local league.
While I have no interest in skating, I'm thrilled to have this amazing sport in the area, and very excited about the World Cup. And as much as I'd like to say I knit at bouts... I'm usually way too wrapped up in the game to even remember that I brought my knitting with me!
Back when he was still living in San Antonio, David was one of the photographers for his local roller derby league, and while he never took me to a bout, his pictures and stories planted a seed in my mind.
Years later, I was looking for people to see and places to go, and discovered a hardcore derby fan who told me all about the local leagues. We went to a bout, and I was hooked, both on derby and on him. We've done five-hour round trips to our home teams' away games, we've booked a vacation to Toronto in December for the first ever Roller Derby World Cup, and there's a dedicated section of our closet exclusively for derby shirts.
You've all met football or hockey superfans, well, I'm a roller derby superfan. I dress up for bouts and have signs devoted to my favorite skaters/teams... the signs may or may not have glitter on them. (They totally do!)
And, lest we forget that this is a knitting blog, I have knit derby-related projects, too! Some of the early bouts this year were really cold, so I whipped up some legwarmers in my favorite team's colors (another excellent use for Red Heart, btw), and I started a matching mohawk hat with jammer stars on the side, but haven't gotten around to making the final star yet (they're appliquéd because my obsessive side doesn't like what duplicate stitch does to the proportions of a five-pointed star). The fella even got me a book of derby-related patterns written by roller girls (how awesome is that?), but it's out on loan to a friend who's currently an NSO (that's Non-Skating Official) for her local league.
While I have no interest in skating, I'm thrilled to have this amazing sport in the area, and very excited about the World Cup. And as much as I'd like to say I knit at bouts... I'm usually way too wrapped up in the game to even remember that I brought my knitting with me!
09 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 9th
Today, I am thankful for my family.
My family is always on my mind this time of year. Friday is the anniversary of the day my mother moved out and filed for divorce, and though it's been thirteen years, I can still remember how I felt that day. Even though I've maintained relationships with both parents and see them regularly, I still struggle with the fear and anger and worthlessness that peaked in that family therapy session when Mom made the announcement.
As I've grown up and spent a lot of time working on my own issues, I've realized things about my family's issues that allow me to have relationships with them without sacrificing my own health. I know, for example, that my mother will only contact me if she wants me to do something for her. That doesn't mean that she doesn't care what's going on in my life, just that she doesn't know how to feel comfortable asking how I'm doing without making some other, more practical request at the same time.
I know that my sister, who is so much like our mother that she can't actually have a relationship with her, got all of the drive and motivation that I lack. She works hard, studies like crazy, and gets stellar grades in some seriously tough classes because she has a plan for her future, and she's not going to let anything get in her way. Our relationship is strained at times because we see the world in such different ways (her cynicism is as beneficial to her as my optimism is to me), but I know that when the chips are down, we come through for each other.
I know that my father and I will never have a loving relationship, but that doesn't stop us from trading jokes and keeping each other updated on the mundane goings-on in our lives. The abuse he suffered as a child was passed on to me, and while I know he never intended to hurt me and probably doesn't even understand that he did, that pain stands in the way of me truly accepting him as a father. Still, he's appreciative when I make his favorite meals, and he's financially supported me far beyond what most parents would consider reasonable, so I do value his presence in my life.
Despite my family's dysfunctionality, I'm thankful to have them. They've taught me a lot, even if most of it is how not to be, and I keep learning new things about myself because of them. They're nowhere near perfect, but they're mine.
My family is always on my mind this time of year. Friday is the anniversary of the day my mother moved out and filed for divorce, and though it's been thirteen years, I can still remember how I felt that day. Even though I've maintained relationships with both parents and see them regularly, I still struggle with the fear and anger and worthlessness that peaked in that family therapy session when Mom made the announcement.
As I've grown up and spent a lot of time working on my own issues, I've realized things about my family's issues that allow me to have relationships with them without sacrificing my own health. I know, for example, that my mother will only contact me if she wants me to do something for her. That doesn't mean that she doesn't care what's going on in my life, just that she doesn't know how to feel comfortable asking how I'm doing without making some other, more practical request at the same time.
I know that my sister, who is so much like our mother that she can't actually have a relationship with her, got all of the drive and motivation that I lack. She works hard, studies like crazy, and gets stellar grades in some seriously tough classes because she has a plan for her future, and she's not going to let anything get in her way. Our relationship is strained at times because we see the world in such different ways (her cynicism is as beneficial to her as my optimism is to me), but I know that when the chips are down, we come through for each other.
I know that my father and I will never have a loving relationship, but that doesn't stop us from trading jokes and keeping each other updated on the mundane goings-on in our lives. The abuse he suffered as a child was passed on to me, and while I know he never intended to hurt me and probably doesn't even understand that he did, that pain stands in the way of me truly accepting him as a father. Still, he's appreciative when I make his favorite meals, and he's financially supported me far beyond what most parents would consider reasonable, so I do value his presence in my life.
Despite my family's dysfunctionality, I'm thankful to have them. They've taught me a lot, even if most of it is how not to be, and I keep learning new things about myself because of them. They're nowhere near perfect, but they're mine.
08 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 8th
Today, I am thankful for frogging.
Because some projects just need to be ripped out.
Because some projects just need to be ripped out.
07 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 7th
Today I am thankful for Aleve, without which I would not have been able to get out of bed this morning.
Still can't do much now that I'm out of bed, but hey, I made it this far, and that's awesome.
Still can't do much now that I'm out of bed, but hey, I made it this far, and that's awesome.
06 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 6th
Today, I am thankful for what my mother taught me about cooking.
My mother isn't the best cook in the world. She tends to be scared of both flavor (except curry) and disease, so she boils everything beyond recognition and doesn't use seasoning. That said, she did teach me a lot about how to put a meal together, and what staples to always have in the pantry to get me through lean financial times.
Her meal guidelines look a lot like the old food pyramid: start with a grain (pasta, rice, bread), add a serving of protein (usually some form of meat), then pick one green vegetable and one red/orange/yellow vegetable, and maybe a little something sweet for dessert. Following this plan, my pantry always has a variety of grains (pasta, rice, and couscous) and some shelf-stable protein (lentils, canned tuna), my freezer is stocked with veggies (Hannaford's fiesta blend is becoming one of my favorites) and meat (sausage freezes well), and there's always enough flour/sugar/baking powder to bake up something tasty.
And for the flavor and techniques, well, that's why I used to watch a lot of cooking shows before I went TV-free. Alton Brown taught me the science, Graham Kerr (both as the Galloping Gourmet and in his more recent, health-conscious work) taught me the flavors, Jamie Oliver taught me to relax and have fun, and Anthony Bourdain taught me how to appreciate the meal as an experience.
Oh, and Gordon Ramsay taught me that some people are just jerks and should be ignored, but that has very little to do with cooking.
I suppose I could summarize my mother's food-related lessons like this: plan your meals a week at a time, use as few pots as possible (because the dishwasher only holds so much), make it balanced, and always have something to fall back on. After all, you never know when the power's going to go out (in which case, having a gas stove helps, but so does having a couple cans of tuna and a manual can opener), that pound of beef you were counting on is going to turn out to be freezer-burnt (I think Mom has venison in her freezer from two presidents ago, so this is more of a risk for her than for normal people), or you're suddenly going to have hungry family members pouring in from distaster-stricken areas (as happened a week ago, and boy, was I glad to have put a few pounds pulled pork in the crock pot that morning).
Speaking of food, it's about time to go grocery shopping. What staples do you keep in your pantry for emergencies?
My mother isn't the best cook in the world. She tends to be scared of both flavor (except curry) and disease, so she boils everything beyond recognition and doesn't use seasoning. That said, she did teach me a lot about how to put a meal together, and what staples to always have in the pantry to get me through lean financial times.
Her meal guidelines look a lot like the old food pyramid: start with a grain (pasta, rice, bread), add a serving of protein (usually some form of meat), then pick one green vegetable and one red/orange/yellow vegetable, and maybe a little something sweet for dessert. Following this plan, my pantry always has a variety of grains (pasta, rice, and couscous) and some shelf-stable protein (lentils, canned tuna), my freezer is stocked with veggies (Hannaford's fiesta blend is becoming one of my favorites) and meat (sausage freezes well), and there's always enough flour/sugar/baking powder to bake up something tasty.
And for the flavor and techniques, well, that's why I used to watch a lot of cooking shows before I went TV-free. Alton Brown taught me the science, Graham Kerr (both as the Galloping Gourmet and in his more recent, health-conscious work) taught me the flavors, Jamie Oliver taught me to relax and have fun, and Anthony Bourdain taught me how to appreciate the meal as an experience.
Oh, and Gordon Ramsay taught me that some people are just jerks and should be ignored, but that has very little to do with cooking.
I suppose I could summarize my mother's food-related lessons like this: plan your meals a week at a time, use as few pots as possible (because the dishwasher only holds so much), make it balanced, and always have something to fall back on. After all, you never know when the power's going to go out (in which case, having a gas stove helps, but so does having a couple cans of tuna and a manual can opener), that pound of beef you were counting on is going to turn out to be freezer-burnt (I think Mom has venison in her freezer from two presidents ago, so this is more of a risk for her than for normal people), or you're suddenly going to have hungry family members pouring in from distaster-stricken areas (as happened a week ago, and boy, was I glad to have put a few pounds pulled pork in the crock pot that morning).
Speaking of food, it's about time to go grocery shopping. What staples do you keep in your pantry for emergencies?
05 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 5th
Today, I am thankful for Red Heart Super Saver.
Blasphemy, I know, but when I need a basic worsted weight yarn to test out a pattern that I'm probably going to rip out an hour later anyway, my first dive is into the bin labeled "acrylic." Last night, for example, I was considering my costume for tonight's roller derby bout, and was leaning toward something steampunk, but I lacked spats suitable for the boots I wanted to wear. I grabbed a ball of Red Heart and some needles, sketched out my plan, did a cheater-swatch, did some math, and cast on. I only got a few inches into it before I realized that a) my swatch/math had been wrong, b) there was no way I could get a pair of spats done by the appointed time, and c) I was, by that point, leaning more toward a renfaire-style costume anyway.
Still, the Red Heart came in very handy, and suffered the frogging with no ill effect. If I'd completed the project, those would have been the hardest-wearing spats a gal could hope for, and I could just toss them in the laundry if they got muddy. So while I won't be casting on for an acrylic sweater any time soon, Red Heart Super Saver does have its uses, and I'm glad it exists.
Blasphemy, I know, but when I need a basic worsted weight yarn to test out a pattern that I'm probably going to rip out an hour later anyway, my first dive is into the bin labeled "acrylic." Last night, for example, I was considering my costume for tonight's roller derby bout, and was leaning toward something steampunk, but I lacked spats suitable for the boots I wanted to wear. I grabbed a ball of Red Heart and some needles, sketched out my plan, did a cheater-swatch, did some math, and cast on. I only got a few inches into it before I realized that a) my swatch/math had been wrong, b) there was no way I could get a pair of spats done by the appointed time, and c) I was, by that point, leaning more toward a renfaire-style costume anyway.
Still, the Red Heart came in very handy, and suffered the frogging with no ill effect. If I'd completed the project, those would have been the hardest-wearing spats a gal could hope for, and I could just toss them in the laundry if they got muddy. So while I won't be casting on for an acrylic sweater any time soon, Red Heart Super Saver does have its uses, and I'm glad it exists.
04 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 4th
Today, I am thankful for the internet.
Despite the trolls and stalkers, despite the wackos who have entire websites devoted to their tinfoil hat construction techniques, despite the fact that anonymity lets people feel free to say things they probably wouldn't say to somebody's face, I still love the internet.
I can check in with friends and family at a moment's notice, without having to use the phone (which doesn't seem like a scary thing until you have a hearing disability) or wait for a letter to arrive. I can research almost anything without having to wait for inter-library loan to come up with the one obscure text I'm looking for. I can limit my exposure to things like Lindsay Lohan's legal troubles, my abusive stalker's unsolicited emails, and anything relating to Michelle Bachman's hair, making my surfing experience that much more pleasurable.
And the best thing about the internet?
It has Ravelry.
'Nuff said.
Despite the trolls and stalkers, despite the wackos who have entire websites devoted to their tinfoil hat construction techniques, despite the fact that anonymity lets people feel free to say things they probably wouldn't say to somebody's face, I still love the internet.
I can check in with friends and family at a moment's notice, without having to use the phone (which doesn't seem like a scary thing until you have a hearing disability) or wait for a letter to arrive. I can research almost anything without having to wait for inter-library loan to come up with the one obscure text I'm looking for. I can limit my exposure to things like Lindsay Lohan's legal troubles, my abusive stalker's unsolicited emails, and anything relating to Michelle Bachman's hair, making my surfing experience that much more pleasurable.
And the best thing about the internet?
It has Ravelry.
'Nuff said.
03 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 3rd
Better late than never, eh? I was so excited at the prospect of insulating our windows this morning (yes, really, I'm weird like that) that I completely spaced on the whole blog thing and didn't remember until I was headed out for the afternoon, which brings me to my purpose:
Today, I am thankful for my friends.
One of the benefits of being unemployed is that I suddenly have time to go visit all of the far-flung friends I've missed while I was busy with work. This evening I caught up with a friend who I haven't seen since the last time there was snow on the ground (hey, now, no Vermont jokes, we do have summer up here) because she lives an hour and a half away, and most of the road to get to her place washed away during Irene. The plan was to fill each other in on the last two seasons of activity, cook dinner, and veg in front of the telly for a bit (I even brought knitting to work on).
The best laid plans, and all that...
Shortly after my arrival, one of her far-flung friends called to say he and company were in town, and would a group trip to the local diner work for us? Well, naturally! So we had some delightful company, the best mac-n-cheese a restaurant can provide, and rousing conversation about pens, firearms, Utilikilts, Angry Birds, and bar cats, among other things. Despite the change of plans, it was still precisely the type of cozy evening I'd been craving, and I'm very glad that I finally had the opportunity for it.
Speaking of friends, if any of you had given me your contact info, or if you hadn't but want me to have it, please drop me an email. My cellphone went for a swim the other day and my SIM card shorted out, so I need to rebuild my personal phonebook. My provider tells me I can transfer my old number to the new phone and card (task #1 tomorrow morning), so you won't have to change my info in your records, but I'd love to be able to call all of you fine folks once again.
And this time, I'm duplicating every record on paper. Modern tech is great, but ancient tech is far more reliable.
Night, all. Dream yarny dreams.
Today, I am thankful for my friends.
One of the benefits of being unemployed is that I suddenly have time to go visit all of the far-flung friends I've missed while I was busy with work. This evening I caught up with a friend who I haven't seen since the last time there was snow on the ground (hey, now, no Vermont jokes, we do have summer up here) because she lives an hour and a half away, and most of the road to get to her place washed away during Irene. The plan was to fill each other in on the last two seasons of activity, cook dinner, and veg in front of the telly for a bit (I even brought knitting to work on).
The best laid plans, and all that...
Shortly after my arrival, one of her far-flung friends called to say he and company were in town, and would a group trip to the local diner work for us? Well, naturally! So we had some delightful company, the best mac-n-cheese a restaurant can provide, and rousing conversation about pens, firearms, Utilikilts, Angry Birds, and bar cats, among other things. Despite the change of plans, it was still precisely the type of cozy evening I'd been craving, and I'm very glad that I finally had the opportunity for it.
Speaking of friends, if any of you had given me your contact info, or if you hadn't but want me to have it, please drop me an email. My cellphone went for a swim the other day and my SIM card shorted out, so I need to rebuild my personal phonebook. My provider tells me I can transfer my old number to the new phone and card (task #1 tomorrow morning), so you won't have to change my info in your records, but I'd love to be able to call all of you fine folks once again.
And this time, I'm duplicating every record on paper. Modern tech is great, but ancient tech is far more reliable.
Night, all. Dream yarny dreams.
02 November 2011
Giving Thanks, November 2nd
Today, I am thankful for Vermont Public Radio.
I don't have television, I don't read the news online, and I don't read the paper. Instead, I have the local TV station on my Facebook feed for hyper-local news, and I listen to VPR for everything else. My imagination is fertile enough that I can picture the places and situations I hear about on the radio without having video or pictures thrown at me, and because the stories on VPR come from a variety of sources, I feel better informed and don't get bored with the same news loop being replayed every 15 minutes.
Listening to VPR is also a coping mechanism for me. Being slightly obsessive-compulsive means that there's constant chatter going in my head (along with constant music), and if I don't have something engaging to listen to, I get stuck thinking the same things over and over again. Most commercial radio stations only make this worse, because they play the same songs over and over again (especially the stations that restrict themselves to a particular era) and the DJs and commercials are so inane as to drop my attention instantly.
There's a reason I set my computer's MP3 player to shuffle through three thousand tracks, and why my music collection is so varied. I never know what I'm going to be in the mood for, and I don't want to hear the same song twice in a week.
That's another wonderful thing about VPR -- it has separate frequencies devoted exclusively to classical music, and some of the shows focus on genres I don't know very well (like pipe organ music) or test listeners by merging one composer's tune with another's style, which is great exercise for the brain. Coming from the land of WFCR, which mixes news and classical, it's wonderful to be able to decide which I'd rather listen to at any time of day.
Which reminds me, it's time to break out the RCA cables, get my hi-fi set up, and decide where the speakers are going to go in the craft room. Then I'll see if my little radio receiver gets a clear signal out here in the boonies.
I don't have television, I don't read the news online, and I don't read the paper. Instead, I have the local TV station on my Facebook feed for hyper-local news, and I listen to VPR for everything else. My imagination is fertile enough that I can picture the places and situations I hear about on the radio without having video or pictures thrown at me, and because the stories on VPR come from a variety of sources, I feel better informed and don't get bored with the same news loop being replayed every 15 minutes.
Listening to VPR is also a coping mechanism for me. Being slightly obsessive-compulsive means that there's constant chatter going in my head (along with constant music), and if I don't have something engaging to listen to, I get stuck thinking the same things over and over again. Most commercial radio stations only make this worse, because they play the same songs over and over again (especially the stations that restrict themselves to a particular era) and the DJs and commercials are so inane as to drop my attention instantly.
There's a reason I set my computer's MP3 player to shuffle through three thousand tracks, and why my music collection is so varied. I never know what I'm going to be in the mood for, and I don't want to hear the same song twice in a week.
That's another wonderful thing about VPR -- it has separate frequencies devoted exclusively to classical music, and some of the shows focus on genres I don't know very well (like pipe organ music) or test listeners by merging one composer's tune with another's style, which is great exercise for the brain. Coming from the land of WFCR, which mixes news and classical, it's wonderful to be able to decide which I'd rather listen to at any time of day.
Which reminds me, it's time to break out the RCA cables, get my hi-fi set up, and decide where the speakers are going to go in the craft room. Then I'll see if my little radio receiver gets a clear signal out here in the boonies.
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