Got Cabin Fever?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I get cabin fever bad in the winter. Working from home does not help the situation at all. (I know, I know, I should be thankful, and I am, sort of). I did go out for Drunken Knit Night on Friday. There were a lot of people there and it was fun to visit with people face to face. Actually, Merlin's was packed, so I guess I wasn't the only one dying to get out of the house.

In knitting, I'm not sure if I mentioned I made a Habitat for myself using a hank of yarn I won as a door prize at Yarnover last year. See Ravelry for the details.

I also started an Equation cowl - Chelsea's first published pattern. Hooray Chelsea!

It's snowing at the moment, so I guess I'd better go out again while it's warm(ish).

Je Suis Charlie

As you know from previous rants posts, I have strong feelings about freedom of speech.   Recent events in Paris demonstrate the worst of what can happen when fanatics find satire dangerous.

It's a sad day when comedians (Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, etc.) have such somber moments as they've had this week.

I didn't see The Interview ... I hear it did pretty well with it's strategic/limited release.  The critics panned it, but from what I can tell just seeing the trailers it is a pretty stupid movie.   I'm glad it did well enough I didn't feel compelled to watch it myself ;-)

I remember purchasing The Satanic Verses in 1989 - it had to be requested at the bookstore counter, a copy was retrieved from the back room and brought out in a brown paper bag so that no one could see what I was buying.  Rushdie's comments on the events in Paris this week are not surprising, after all, he experienced the worst of what suppression of expression can mean for a person who survives the fanatics.  I strongly recommend Joseph Anton: A Memoir for anyone who is interested in free speech issues, or for those who might be interested in the story of a man who had to hide for over a decade because of a story he wrote.

If you're interested in the history of Charlie Hebdo you can look here for an article from The Atlantic.   The Huffington Post has an article on Why Satire Matters.   If you want to print out a little sign to put in your window you can go to the Charlie Hebdo website.  It's a small gesture, but it's something.

In the long run I'm going to assume freedom of expression will prevail in The West.  What the cost of that freedom will be remains to be seen.

A Christmas to Remember

It's been a weird holiday season.

Boy-child was supposed to arrive on Christmas Day but was held in Chile because he overstayed his welcome.  His passport was confiscated.

Family and friends in Chile assured him that it wouldn't matter, but it did.

  

I was in National Harbor for work and became very, very sick.

We were at last reunited.  Boy-child is darker than Girl-child for the first time.

It's good to have everyone together again, even if only briefly. 

All's well that ends well.

Political Musings

It's been an interesting news day, don't you think?

I nearly fell out of my chair when I read the headline that the U.S. and Cuba will (finally) normalize relations.  It's about time!

I'm adding Havana to my bucket list.  It'll be so much easier to get there now!

I know a number of people who went to Cuba via Mexico or Canada - for the adventure as much as anything.  Well, and a couple of Communists who won a trip to Cancun so added on to their trip and went to Havana instead.  My (ex) in-laws went too, for a conference.  Being that they are not U.S. citizens it was no big deal but they did have some interesting stories.  They also brought us a(n illegal) pound of Cuban coffee for a souvenir.  It was delicious.

Also, many years ago, when I was in Paris with Pato, we were following the story of a Cuban poet who was being let out of prison.   Because Mitterand pulled strings which helped Valladares gain his freedom, he went from prison in Havana to Paris.   I was impressed with this man's case not only because he was imprisoned the year I was born and released the year I was married, but it turned out he was staying at the same hotel we were at ... we got to meet him and watch a Scandinavian news crew interview him after breakfast one morning.

In other news Sony has decided to pull The Interview.  Cowards!  

I find this appalling.  It's particularly appalling to me because part of the reason I became a librarian is I believe in the concept of the freedom to read ... because part of the reason I love being a librarian is to be able to professionally support of the concept of the freedom to read ... because volunteer work I've done in the past and the present supports First Amendment rights ... because I am currently reading Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie.

I was thinking of going to see the movie on Christmas Day to support it but now I have no choice.  I viscerally resent the fact that I am denied the choice.

So, good news and bad.  Let's hope that Cuba loosens up on poets and others, and that North Korea develops a sense of humor.

Knit On!

I accidentally purchased some super bulky yarn so I could knit something quick and fun over the Thanksgiving Day weekend. I have no regrets.

The progress on the lace project for 2014 is ... slow.  I'm on row 60-something out of 155 or so.

Boy-child will have new glittens when he gets home from Chile.  I will not weave in the ends until I know they fit.

I'm trying to decide on a pair of socks.  

I'm also planning on making another Habitat hat in purple for myself - to go with the cowl above.