Feel Me, Read Me, Watch Me, Eat Me

Oh, I know I've been MIA and only part of it was vacation.  However, even though I'm headed to Ottawa this weekend (if you're in the area, come see the ladyfriend perform), I'm back - at least figuratively.

Many of us are overeducated and underemployed; this is especially true of adjuncts/sessionals.  The discussion on wages and stability for us continues.

Talk about bike culture - this would be a dream problem for so many of us!

Shout out to my father who sent me this link on nerdy knits.  He's a fan of the Yoda hat.  Babies are great because you can just dress them up as you want, and they can't say anything about it.

Finally, here's a video from a friend.  Catchy song and I love that parts of it were shot in my old subway station in Brooklyn.  Yay!

Thoughts on Oscars Red Carpet Commentary - Part 1

I don't tweet, but I'm watching the E! network coverage of the Oscars' red carpet, and there are thoughts I can't keep back at the moment:

1.  Does Kelly Osborne actually know what ruching is?
2 a.  Why do we care what Khloe Khardashian thinks about the dresses?
2b.  Clearly Khloe has very traditional/conservative tastes.  Are you really saying that a beautiful light pink or peach couture dress isn't red carpet?  Is that why you're wearing red?  Can we say obvious?

I'm sure I'll have more comments as the evening goes on...

But here's the beauty of it all - during the commercials, I switch to the Rangers/Blue Jackets game.  The best of both worlds!

Guest Blog Post on Bike Pretty

In a moment of ironic coincidence, my guest blog post on chic winter cycling is up on Bike Pretty today...just as we're getting ready to leave Palm Springs.  Sigh.

A Little Soul Revitalization

Don't hate me; we really needed some vitamin D.

Throw Back Sunny Trip

We're on a little trip, and guess what we're driving...

(apologies to those of you in the snow.)

On My Mind Mondays: Giving Birth

Yeah, thought that might get your attention; however, it's not what you think.

On Friday I realized it was exactly nine months until my 50th birthday (step one:  put it in print) and knew that I couldn't let the opportunity pass to work on a project in honour of that.  So I'm saying I got pregnant with an idea on Friday, but like any fledgling idea or cluster of cells, it's not always immediately clear what that might turn out to be.

I knew that I wanted it to be a durational project, something that I would work on throughout the next nine months, and I knew it had to have significance for the occasion.  After talking with the ladyfriend, I realized that making the Turkish Coat from Folkwear Patterns would actually fit the bill.  I could engage in a textile-based project that would ultimately be both an artwork and wearable.  (Please note - I'm not talking about what some call "wearable art" or "art to wear." We can talk about my (probably misguided) distinctions later.)

The Turkish coat can be worked in sections, has options for hand (or machine - not my thing) quilting or trapunto, and can utilize various materials, which lends itself to all kinds of possibilities.  I haven't decided on fabrics yet except that I want to line the coat in silk and embroider words and phrases that are meaningful to me on it.

I'm thinking of the coat as something that will bring me to my birthday, something that I can use to meditate on the significance and perhaps the, uh, let's say insecurities I may be experiencing.  I'm also looking at it as something that will protect and comfort me, guiding me through the next 50 years (yeah, that's right - at least 50 years!).

Stay tuned for progress reports.

Sausage Party: G-Rated, Don't Worry

File under:  Long Overdue Posts

A recent blog post on the Alabama Chanin site about The Fatback Pig Project reminded me of the sausage-making weekend in January.  Here are some images from that weekend.  This is the third year I've participated, and as long as they allow me to come back, I'll continue on.  I love the conversations we have, the drinking and eating we do, and the whole community aspect of it.  Plus, I learn a lot about making sausage.  I'm hoping that next year I'll be on top of it and be able to make the Pig's Head Pancetta from Sean Brock's Heritage cookbook.

There's much to be said for knowing what goes into your sausage!

Feel Me, Read Me. Watch Me, Eat Me

Elizabethan Collar, two by Jesse Mathes

I love this piece about a portrait artist that travels from sitting to sitting by bike.  But it's not just his transportation mode that appeals to me, it's also what he's doing and how that connects to modern life that inspires me.

Also in the love category is this artist's series based on personal space.  I can think of more than one occasion for many of the items she's created.  They're both beautiful and intimidating (see image above).

My father directed me to Gladys Bikes, a woman-focused bike shop in Portland, Oregon (I know - of course).  One of the things I really appreciate is that they are "committed to carrying as many products as they can from business and makers that are local, women-owned and USA made."  I'm sure that if they were in Canada, they'd be looking for Canadian made.

While I might often be late to the party, I really try to have a good time (and contribute to such) once I get there.   So I'm excited to listen to a new-to-me (since they've just surpassed their 100K download) podcast, Woolful.  It's not just a knitting podcast but one that deals with all kinds of fiber subjects as well as sustainability and environmental issues.

And finally, if you're cold and need a little warmth from within, try making your own hooch.  Crafty and tasty?  Let's see.

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: Subtle Shifts

On Tuesday I discovered that my camera's display screen had cracked, but not until after I'd gotten to school.  That's why there's no image for Tuesday.  In the meantime, I'm using the ladyfriend's old camera.

Dress: Emmelle
Turtleneck:  3 Dots
Tights:  Wolford
Boots:  212

Animals Riding Other Animals - Variation on a Theme

 Saw this while running errands yesterday; goes so well with the cat riding the narwhal.