This year I am phasing out my stash of acrylic yarn, and here's why: our oceans are becoming polluted with tiny synthetic microfibers, and it's bad news for marine life. I don't enjoy being a Debbie Downer, so I promise you that I will end this on a positive note. Here's the gist of the problem,… Continue reading What can knitters and crocheters do about synthetic fiber pollution?
This week I started watching Abstract: The Art of Design. I'm not the most talented TV review writer, so I'm not going to bother describing to you how good it is. It's really good. The first episode features illustrator and New Yorker cover-designer Christopher Niemann working in his minimalist studio, with a bucket of primary-colored… Continue reading Be a careless artist and a ruthless editor
I'm a sucker for holidays. I don't necessarily enjoy the taint of modern consumerism, but I do love food, making things, and celebrating seasons. I enjoy the connection that many of our Western, Christian-ish holidays have to the pagan traditions of Europe, the marking of the passing of time, and the opportunity to break out of… Continue reading Valentine’s Day reimagined: compassion, kindness, and non-complementary behavior
I recently cooked some egg in a pan and put it in a sushi roll. I did this because the only other thing in the sushi roll was carrots, and that didn't seem like the most nutritionally complete meal. This is, in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. But, when you're… Continue reading You can put anything into a sushi roll
Sometimes, when my health is swinging in the upward direction, I get a little project-crazy. I've had these bursts of creative brain juice since I was young and crayons/walls were my primary medium, but it's different with CFS. It reminds me of a classic Mitch Hedberg joke: It's as if the fatigue and brain fog are… Continue reading Ideas, the creative process, and a new crochet stitch[?]
I'm working on two crochet projects right now: one huge blanket in bulky yarn, and one small infinity scarf in fine, sock-weight yarn. They are testing my patience. They are both repetitive—the blanket is just the same two stitches over and over again, while the scarf has alternating rows of an very simple pattern. I could… Continue reading Impatience
What have I been up to in the three months since I last posted here? Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to write about, and other times I feel like I have too many things and can't choose one. So, here's a summary: My health has been up and down, as usual, but some of… Continue reading What I do while I’m waiting
