Yarn people ahoy!

As many of you know, I have often lamented my utter and unexplicable lack of yarn skills. The yarn related arts have always eluded me. I cannot crochet, not even the simplest stiches. I tried several times to knit H a scarf, because I was told that knitting is easier than crocheting and that nothing is easier than a scarf. No dice. Some of you even sat down with me and taught me, I even received some lovely yarns and needles/hooks in the mail.

I can't even do a latch-hook rug out of a damn kit. Everyone in the world has one of those circa 1978 latch hook rug pillow thingys with a goddamn tweety bird on the cover. But not me, because I can't make anything with yarn. Nothing at all...well, maybe a poof ball that I could put on top of a hat if I could make one.

Why bring this up, yet again?
Well, the Yule season of perpetual gift giving will be upon us soon. And as usual, I'm poor as hell.
So I want to try to make H a scarf again this year--especially since I still have all my stuff leftover from last years disasterous attempts, and the year before that.

So what's different? What's changed?
Well, I learned of the existence of this device, called a knitting board. Aparently they are even easier than knitting (which of course, was far too difficult for me). They are supposed to be more akin to working a loom than actual yarn craft. I used to be really good at loom, having made many many potholders before I ever even smoked pot. Ha HA!

Do any of you (or your grandmothers, I suppose) use these things? Are they as easy as they appear, or is this just another ploy for me to waste more money on supplies I'll never use? The drag part is, I'm awesome at embroidery, and used to make my own cross stitch patterns for fun. But I can't imagine anything H would want embroidered.

Advise me, crafties!

Coupla things:

Here's what I'm sick of saying to people this week, but still mean:

1. Take responsibility for your own happiness.
This is one of the hardest things for people to do. I know a lot of unhappy people would would rather wallow in sadness and victimization rather than simply speaking up in their own defense. Then, they blame other people for their inability to assert themselves, even though they are adults. A blaming stance is a very comfortable way to keep from moving forward in life. Just ask my mom...oh, I mean me. Seriously people, if you're waiting around for someone to make your life better, get over it already.

2. Reasonable people can disagree.
Here in the US, people on all sides are pissed about this or that. I often catch myself being disgusted or infuriated by people who disagree with things I feel strongly about. But in the end, the surest sign that you're not a fascist is to simply allow people to respectfully disagree. Honestly, it took me a lot of reframing and therapy and such before I could stop hearing "I don't agree" as "Wednes, you're an idiot". It kept me from being able to have logical or rational debates, because I was quick to feel personally attacked by general disagreements. So I understand where people are coming from, but seriously...get over it already. Or at least admit that it's not the whole rest of the world making you miserable (see above).

3. Know the value of things.
No amount of money, objects, anything is worth your health, your happiness, or your loved ones. Why don't people know that yet? Why haven't people realized that taking care of themselves is the first and most important step to being a good spouse, friend, parent, sibling, or employee even? So many people think they're being somehow virtuous or unselfish by not addressing physical or mental health issues. That is so fucked. And frankly, if you go through life not seeing the value of what you have enough to take care of it, you don't really deserve it.

4. Posting on a controversial topic and removing comments from it doesn't really give you the last word.
It just makes you look like someone who refuses to withstand, or even know about the scrutiny of others. Setting up the equivalant of a Free Speech Zone* on the internet is the action of a fascist. Yep, I've said "fascist" twice now. It's my new word I like. Seriously though, several of you have done this lately, and I don't get it. Can someone explain to me what the point of that is? Saying something like "abortion is murder" or "all muslims are terrorists" and then disallowing comments? How is that anything but an excersize in intentionally infuriating people?


*Free Speech Zone: a recent American construct wherein those who disagree with Bush are removed from camera range until all reporters are gone. This is one of the reasons other countries think all American's support Bush. Amazing how intenetionally misleading political spin can be, no? /sarcasm.


On a less irritating topic, TV was pretty funny today. And H bought us a new DVD recorder. Whoooooo!