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Men are from Red Mars, Women are from Blue Mars -- Kim Stanley Robinson's epic about terraforming the relationship between the sexes.
A Brief History of the Wheel of Time -- Stephen Hawking takes time out from being clever to condense Robert Jordan's gargantuan fantasy sequence for people who can't be arsed reading the whole bleeding lot. 10 books and running, you've got to be having a laugh, mate.
[via Bookslut]
Welcome, Red Streak readers!
On Thursday, the Sun-Times cranky teenager featured an article about local knitters. Stitch 'n' Bitch was, of course, prominently featured, as the largest and most well-known group, but I'm happy to say the Kelly Girls rated a mention. :)
We are, as we have always been, a friendly drop-in group that offers knitting instruction gratis to anyone who asks. Come see us Wednesday nights at the Cosmicafe, 1944 W. Montrose!
Check out our first gift! Who knew getting married was so lucrative? (Just kidding, I think everyone knows that. I'm that much closer to my Kitchen Aid .... )
Thanks to my eminently stylish sister & brother-in-law for this gorgeous addition to our kitchen.
For those who haven't heard yet, the big news is out! I'm engaged!
I'm afraid the pictures don't do it justice, but here they are anyway:
Twenty of us shuffle through the barriers and we board an eastbound Circle Line train, where the group set about accessorising the carriage as thoroughly as they have their persons. They string knitted bunting along the hand-rails, and hang up their mascot, a macrame owl. Sue, a smiling woman, has brought along her spinning wheel, and gets to work on a hank of raw wool. A cheer goes up as she pumps on the treadle and the wheel starts turning. We're off.
This is one of the smartest articles I've read about knitting in a long time. It also includes the following superb quote from Debbie Stoller:
"Young women are looking at everything that was traditionally considered women's work and re-evaluating it. Also, young people want to opt out of global corporate culture - there's a big DIY culture now, where people want to feel they are more politically and socially conscious, that they aren't wearing stuff that was made in sweat shops."
More collegiate knitters, with some very intelligent things to say.
"If we pigeonhole ourselves and say we can't do knitting because it's girly, then we're hurting ourselves," she said. "What we're wanting to do in empowering women is giving them options of doing what they want to do."
Ridiculous article about knitting:
Carol Zahn, owner of Knitting Treasures on Court Street, said her customers get younger and younger.
...
Zahn compared the knitting "frenzy" to Cabbage Patch Dolls and the Beanie Baby craze.
Yes, it's just like children's toys. Except for the part where it's expensive, rewarding, challenging, companionable, decreases stress and allows you to create family heirlooms. But other than that, very much like Beanie Babies.
I regret that I have turned off all commenting on my blog, because I got tired of being spanned by people selling products to enhance other people's anatomy. If I ever have time to sit down and figure out SQL code, I'll be sure to install some plug-ins that will allow relevant comments to be submitted. Sorry for any disappointed readers!
Yes, I'm sure everyone has linked this by now, but I have to note the coolness of the State of the News Media report that came out the other day.
Alarming statistic:
49% of surveyed Internet users who "use the Internet for news at least once in a typical week" believe "most" of the information they find on the web is "reliable and accurate."
Lots of fun charts and graphs. NPR geeks rejoice!
If only my reference desk were this exciting.
One staff member in my own library in fact told me "I feel like I’m in sole charge of the Starship Enterprise when I have to help readers use the library’s electronic databases." ... I pointed out that the library had experienced neither alien invasion, nor ever crashed into another planet, and that the worst that could happen would be to look foolish in front of a reader.
I culled this from Nick Joint's article on library training procedures, published in a recent issue of Library Review. Too bad the article itself didn't give more ideas on how to improve library training -- or at least how to pilot a starship. Thanks, Library Link.
Apparently J.K. Rowling is considering milking the Harry Potter franchise even beyond book 7. It's a sad day, really. [via Bookslut]
On the bright side, Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series is a solid and enormously readable alternative to Harry Potter, so go out and get the first one, Mister Monday, right now!
to the farther north side! The Kelly Girls are changing venues. As of this Wednesday, we will be meeting at the Cosmicafe, at 1944 W. Montrose. It's only 1 block from the Montrose Brown Line stop, has three comfy couches, and a full deli counter!
We're awfully sorry to be leaving MoJoe's, where we've spent so many wonderful evenings, and whose staff and owners have been so accomodating of our needs, but lately things have been awfully crowded there. We are so delighted that MoJoe's has become so popular, and that we've become a larger group, but the combination is a challenge.
Thanks to MoJoe's, and especially Barb, for everything!
See you at the Cosmicafe!
I love this. Check out the cute, utterly posed construction workers knitting for charity.
Hmm, who can this be for? Very cute, regardless ....
As most of my knitting cohort is aware, my stash has reached rather alarming proportions. Since I'm not willing to part with any of it, for the moment, the issue becomes how to safely store my precious. Under the futon is its usual home, although the "current projects" overflow is now neatly stowed on a shelf in the closet.
Still, those bins on the floor have been looking pretty overfull lately, and I started to worry (during my 2-day, 18-hour, compulsive spring-cleaning extravaganza) that the yarn would get dusty or otherwise harmed if the lids weren't tightly sealed all around.
So I finally broke down and went to the Art Store to buy the plastic containers I've been lusting after for almost a year. They come in numerous shapes, sizes, and colors, but I decided I'd like to showcase some of my prettier yarn, so I went with largish clear bins, both square and circular (well, cylindrical, anyway).
They look very charming atop one of our taller bookcases, and they would be more inspiring still if that room got any decent light that high up. But I'm also warmed by the knowledge that two future sweaters and some assorted quality leftovers are safely stowed in plain view.
