Overweight and being openly blasted in a fashion mag?

http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/dating-blog/overweight-couples-on-television

The article above has me beyond livid. A friend sent it to me today, because she knows that 1) I love this magazine and 2) this article would make my blood boil. Especially the horrendous back-peddling by the author.  The list of "nutritional advice" from the author is also laughable:

(I'm happy to give you some nutrition and fitness suggestions if you need them — but long story short, eat more fresh and unprocessed foods, read labels and avoid foods with any kind of processed sweetener in them whether it's cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup, increase the amount of fiber you're getting, get some kind of exercise for 30 minutes at least five times a week, and do everything you can to stand up more — even while using your computer — and walk more. I admit that there's plenty that makes slimming down tough, but YOU CAN DO IT! Trust me. It will take some time, but you'll also feel so good, physically and emotionally. A nutritionist or personal trainer will help — and if you can't afford one, visit your local YMCA for some advice.)

Seriously? What about women like me? Women who spent 10-15 years CRYING at Weight Watcher weigh-ins? Women who had doctors tell them that they would need weight loss surgery b/c of "lack of self control?" I'm an overweight (obese, to be honest) woman in the U.S. who had to fight her primary care physician to get a referral to an endocrinologist. He only agreed if I saw the specialist to get approved for weight loss surgery. What was the first thing my endocrinologist tested me for? A brain tumor. Yup. He was so concerned about my lack of "health problems" and my weight steadily increasing over time that he thought I had CANCER.  (I don't, I have insulin resistance due to ovarian tumors/cysts that are reoccurring; I need to eat a highly regimented diet and take medication, but it's nice to know that those 10 years I thought I was 'doing it right' (fruits, veggies, walking...) were right, just not right for me.)

What do you guys think? Fat people making out on TV — are you cool with it? Do you think I'm being an insensitive jerk?

yes, she's a jerk, but more than that, she's a mean girl. What about this author? is she black? Indian? Asian? 

So anyway, yes, I think I'd be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat kissing each other ... because I'd be grossed out if I had to watch them doing anything. 

Does she have small boobs? Small boobs make me uneasy, we shouldn't let small-boobed women on tv. Oh, even grosser? What if she's a tall woman? Ewww.... any woman over 5'5" inches is gross.  What if I wrote for an  international magazine and said "black people kissing grossed me out." Or Indian people. Or gay people. Fat is the last acceptable "mean girl" target and I am tired of it! I've had coworkers, bosses, friends, family and complete strangers feel like they had the right to make fun of me for being overweight. Really? Do I tease the BALD one in the family? What about the one with the learning disability? No. Because I am NOT MEAN.

To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room — just like I'd find it distressing if I saw a very drunk person stumbling across a bar or a heroine addict slumping in a chair.

To that point (and on a more personal level), a few commenters and one of my friends mentioned that my extreme reaction might have grown out of my own body issues, my history as an anorexic, and my life-long obsession with being thin.

And really? You are going around making fun of people with weight issues and you have one? Welcome to the real world, sweetheart... I really hope no one starts telling you how disgusting you look. How you make them feel uncomfortable for just being the room with them. How the sight of your lack of muscle tone and creepily sagging skin over your  bones makes them want to hurl. Because that would be bitchy and mean. Like you. 

Marie Claire editors: fire this person. Fire her now. Pack her desk and leave her on the sidewalk. She doesn't do anything for your magazine but perpetuate the idea that woman are disgusting, slovenly and worthy of hatred being spewed upon them unless they are 100lbs.  You put Nina Garcia on Project Runway touting the "every woman" design and you let this filth be printed and associated with your magazine? Shame. Shame. Shame. 

Color Dominance and... doh!

Herringbone Mittens (Elliphantom is the designer), knit with Cascade 220 in two lovely shades of blue. A quick knit (US 6 needles) with easy to memorize pattern. Lovely, right? And a Christmas gift. Even better, right? Because they only need some thumbs?

Enter color dominance and the problem with putting down your colorwork mid-project. Oh, you don't see it?
How about now? I went from holding the light blue in my left hand to my right. But these are going to a non-knitter, right? They'll never notice right? Well, PC did. From across the room. In bad lighting. While only moderately paying me any attention when I nonchalantly said "like the mittens?" hmmm.....

I knit mitten #2 while I decided what to do. ( I know, what was I thinking? I kitchenered and everything, all the while noticing the color dominance switch). I took it to knit night (rip and repeat was the advice). I knit along on mitten #2. I finished mitten #2. And then at 12:10a.m. on Saturday night, I did this:
Which at 12;35 a.m. resulted in this:
So happy together!

Thumbs will go one tonight. and it's one more for the holiday basket. Also, I'll be showing my latest design tomorrow, which is fairly easy and I can share with you a la pdf later this week: a toddler dinosaur hat with fold down ear flaps. :)

bday wishes... and merino dreams

4 ounces of delicious Rambouillet in the "hippie chick" colorway. *drool*

4 ounces of merino/bamboo blend in the "sherbert" colorway

So, my grandmother gave me some money for my *ahem* 3rd anniversary-of-my-3oth-birthday recently. Nani's always been a generous gift giver, but she told me she wanted me to get something very special. And she knows I love to knit (she used to as well). I was thinking about this for a few weeks: what to get? Lord knows I don't need any stash enhancement, but then I slipped on my favorite, well-loved, oft-worn cowl this morning. I want this, I thought. I love the squish and the feel and the smell.... and I knew where to get it. PumpkinMama had spun some of her hand-dyed wool for me a few years back (2?).

But... oh no! The etsy shop was empty! The bonus of going to all these fiber related events and what nots? I have actually met the PumpkinMama, in real life. A quick email with the appropriate amount of begging (ha ha ) and voila! 8 ounces (total) of the two fibers you see above will be coming to me in yarn form. :)

I'm not a spinner. I'm not. I've tried. Ask Mel. Poor thing; he & Cheryl tried so hard one year at SPA and I.just.can't.spin. But I love watching it, asking questions about it and knitting with handspun. I see the advantage of paying more for it. I love the special-ness of having hand-spun yarn. But, I can't do it. I've tried, I've failed.

The lesson? Don't be afraid to outsource to get what you want, what you need. Heck, I was even willing to offer up free babysitting for the Pumpkin-kids if she had really put up a fight. just kidding... or am I?

Now, to finish up other projects so I can admire and squish my new yarn when it arrives (4-6 weeks). Photos to come.

10 on Tuesday

10 things in my freezer. Oh boy, you asked for it!

1. alligator. Yup, alligator meat. It's in patty form, I believe.

2. Venison-blueberry sausages.

3. chicken tenders

4. 2 yogurts (PC likes them cold, like ice cream)

5. frozen veggies: corn, peas, asparagus, broccoli, and lima beans.

6. garlic.

7. wild boar patties.

8. steaks.

9. chicken thighs.

10 chana masala.

As you can see, we are NOT vegetarians! :) I can tell you better what's not in my freezer: ice cream, good popsicles, naan, rice, frozen potatoes (in tater tot form).... :(

I've been trying to be really good (and protective of this wacky pancreas) by not eating carb-heavy foods. We eat a LOT of green veggies and protein. Tonight is halibut marinated in sake and lemon... yum.

Knitting content tomorrow... and it's all about the quiviot.

Down in Fraggle Rock!

I am NOT going to Rhinebeck this weekend for a multitude of reasons:
1. I shouldn't be spending $$ like that right now
2. a friend (with whom I was to travel) has been laid off and she asked nicely if we could postpone (umm, yes, been there, done that).
3. the last NE Revolution game is tomorrow night
4. I have ENOUGH yarn for awhile.
5. I haven't knit the yarn from my last trip to Rhinebeck.
So, those of us left behind, let's have a fun weekend anyway! I'll be knitting up a storm and I hope you will too! Leave a comment if you aren't Rhinebeck bound with a link to what you're knitting. :) And if you are going to Rhinebeck... pet a sheep and smooch and alpaca for me!

A Friday funny....


My favorite line? "My cardigan would look silly without lime green stripes!"

pumpkin t. cat

Hi. Pumpkin here. her and him *finally* left for work this morning and (hee hee) he left espn.com up again, so the computer is mine! they've been leaving for work late this week... something about being tired. Tired. They don't know tired. I'm tired. I watch those damn birds all day... it's exhausting. and being neighborhood watch? two jobs takes a lot out of a cat!

anyway, it's been a while since I got to blog. I mentioned it to him last night, then her. She said no, no, no. She wants me to talk about knitting, but i don't know knitting. I know that string and sticks next to the chair. the new chair. my chair. well, it was my chair... then she came home. she leaves a lot now. leaves me with him. He's okay... he lets me sleep on the bed, feeds me ontime and puts my tush-warmy mat on the new chair. but, she. she i miss when he takes her away ( i think she goes to gramma's 'cause that's where i go when i leave the house in the car for more than a sleep). when she comes back, she smells funny. like somewhere else, so i have to rub her to make her smell right again. and then she carries me around. he doesn't understand how much work it is to walk from one room to the other.

She has a bunch of sticks and string in a basket called "pumpkin, no!" next to my new chair. she knits there until i crawl on her lap and tell her no! then i make him play with me and her watch; it's more fun that way.

there's a new kitty in our neighborhood. it's white and black and i don't like him. this morning he stood outside (under the birds!!!) and looked at me. he was mean. he meowed and told me i was a stupid inside cat. it's not true! i have outside! when the window is open, i definitely have outside! but, he said no, i couldn't run outside, so i got mad and i told him he was stupid. and i hissed. but he stayed in the yard. i told her that i wanted him to go away. she told me to ignore him and put me in a new window without him. i hope the squirrels bite him.

well, i've been up for 20 minutes so I need to go sleep. tell her that you like her sticks and string and that you missed her birthday! i didn't. he bought me a card to give to her and then all my grandparents came over and ate pizza and petted me and told me i was pretty. and they gave me a plant! something called a fern. i'm not supposed to eat it, but i like to rub it on my face. it's nice.

*yawn* well... the chair calls.

and don't tell her that i was on here...

10 on Tuesday

10 Ways To Have Fun on a Long Car Ride. Huh. Well, since it seems like PC and I only take LONG car rides, we do a lot of the following to keep ourselves entertained:

1. Sing along to the radio.... we prefer Mike 93.7 FM when we're in the car together.

2. Chat. We do a surprising amount of our communication in the car.

3. Knit. I knit on th

e way to Friday night pizza in Attleboro (with my nephew) because of the sheer amount of traffic and the need to drive in the breakdown lane. We take my car, but PC dri

ves b/c I do not drive in the breakdown lane.

4. talk on the phone... i only do this if I'm alone. I use the hands-free and call my mom. Or Sylvie. Or Mariuca. Or PC.

5. Look out the window.

6. Look at maps... we still use maps (no GPS) and it's interesting to see what's around you as you travel down a highway.

7. Get a little lost. We like to get off on an exit and just drive; it's not always about the destination, sometimes it's the journey.

8. Play the lottery game... where I think of what i would do if I won the lottery. (i'm

not the only one who does this, right?)

9. car dance. 'nuff said.

10. ...try to think of something fun to do on the next long ride!

and now, for some knitting...

.

Herringbone Mitten... for J's girlfriend for Christmas.

A linen stitch cowl: right side..............

......................wrong side.

Over the weekend, I participated in the MetroWest Yarn Crawl. What a great idea! My friend, Dora, and I headed out to 4 new-to-us shops: Sheep Street (Canton, MA), In the Loop (Norfolk, MA), Dee's Nimble Needles (Walpole, MA), and Iron Horse (Natick, MA). It was a LONG day, but it was nice to see some new shops.















Dee's is right on the town square and has a nice welcoming front. I took home 2 types of sock yarn for my mom's holiday gifts, including a berroco glittery.



















In the Loop had to be be nicest shop I've been to in a while. It screamed "come, sit and knit!" 3 separate, clean seating areas with large work tables were spread around the room. One was set right near the pattern books, so you could sit down with a set of pattern binders and really look through them. The staff was so, so friendly!




















I saw this gem of a sweater in Sheep Street. Now, shop samples never call my name. Never. *ahem, Dora* but this one did. Sheep Street (forgot to get photo) was a smaller shop, but had great selection. A lot of good basics, a wide variety of color was represented. And they were having a 40% off book sale. Yeah.

Iron Horse was visited after lunch, and I forgot to get a photo. It was a nice shop as well, having recently(?) moved from one location to another. Lots of knitting-adjacent things too, like spinning and weaving. They had a trunk show from a new-to-me design team: Polly Macc. Great ideas in their designs... we came home with 3 patterns.

I'm in Philadelphia this week. With any luck, I'll post again tonight about my mitten-in-progress. No time to hit the yarn shops nearby (boo!) but I think my next trip, I'll maybe arrive a bit earlier.... :)

New socks, New babies, New knitter!

I have been knitting, even if I haven't been blogging. One of my holiday knitting goals is to knit my mom 5 pairs of socks: 3 pair of these cotton ones and 2 pair of wool ones. She loves these cotton socks (Cascade Yarns Fixation) and they are easy to knit up on US 3 with 48 stitches on the foot and leg. The color combos are atrocious, to me, but my mom loves them. If you want the pattern, I can post it.

And, a friend at work is pregnant with her first child. As I was the first one at work to find out (we were on a business trip and she was puking), I thought she needed a handknit for this bambino who spent 1 week of his/her 1st trimester in Arizona with me, at a rodeo.

Pattern: EZ's Baby Surprise sweater, without the button band

Yarn: Great Adirondack superwash

Needles: US6

Mods: a kimono look with a simple button and loop closure. Good for a girl, good for a boy. I may need to knit a few more of these...

And, another knitter has been made! A co-worker, Sammi, quickly requested a knitting lesson this week and I obliged last night. She learned the long tail cast-on and the knit stitch in about 20 minutes. Yeah. Really. Frickin' amazing, right? I would say I'm the best instructor ever, but Sammi's pretty quick to pick things up. Last night, post-lesson, she headed home and kept on knitting.... this is her 1 night progress.

Her tension has evened up and her stitches are getting looser (she, like us all, tried to strangle the yarn into submission at the beginning). So, give a big "woohoo" for Sammi (who will be checking this blog) for her first knitting.

Yarn: Plymouth Encore from my stash

Pattern: Cast on 25, garter until you run out of yarn scarf

Needles: US 8 (4.5mm) needles from the JCA sale a few years ago.

Tomorrow: scenes from a yarn crawl, a completed hat for charity, a toddler sweater and yarn choices for holiday mittens. (if you are my sister in law, don't look tomorrow. ha ha ha)