Whiting's Writings - My Life |
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Pictures! 31 Mar 2006 evening Both of my daughters have sent pictures of their daughters recently. By request of one of my daughters I won't be posting pictures of my grandchildren. I understand her reasons, and I will honor that position. And here's some shots of what I did today:
The red and yellow stuff is a TOTAL MISTAKE. I was going for something entirely different, but when I saw this one it absolutely reminded me of those banana-berry frozen popsicles I ate as a kid -- the long ones they used to call "bullet pops", I think (although the current bulletpops are fancier shaped). Now it makes me wonder if there might be a market for the colors of nostalgic treats of our youth. Today's kids only know about neon-like brilliants, but use older folks remember the "real" stuff. LOL (And I'll bet OUR parents used to wonder what the world was coming to, way back then! hahahahaha)
This is another poor shot of the greens. Well, a good shot, but poor greens. In person it looks like yellowing tops of celery greens. Tomorrow will be a busy day.... I want to replicate the orangy-looking lace yarn. I really like it, in a weird sort of way. Because it splotched out so unevently, I'm thinking it would be totally smashing if it knits up in a pooling effect, a very lightweight spring wrap over a cobalt evening gown, perhaps? Actually it would go over cobalt, warm gray, oyster gray or black, I'm pretty sure. |
Geez ... it just gets better and better, huh? 31 Mar 2006 My head is spinning with the news from the last 24 hours. There has been an enormous miscalculation (of about $6 Billion) in what it will cost to repair the levees. The Army Corps of Engineers has been telling us that we will be protected at least to pre-Katrina levels by the start of the next hurricane season. Now, barely two months out, they are telling us it ain't gonna happen. Oh shit! Check it out:
If the Corps of Engineers can't certify that its levees will protect against a 100-year flood, then residents may be forced to elevate homes or businesses 10-15 feet, or perhaps as much as 30 to 35 feet above sea level to qualify for flood insurance. Can you imagine??? New Orleans could be a city on stilts! How many homeowners and business owners do you know who can afford to raise their physical structures 30-35 feet above sea level? This means that many will take the risk of not having flood insurance. And this is separate from regular homeowners insurance, which is also suddenly very difficult to obtain. If you can't get insurance, you can't buy a home. If you can't buy a home, you can't live here (well, you can rent, but you'll end up paying the landlord for all this expense, so either way, it's ridiculous). Businesses will not be able to afford the expense, either. Hmmm. Oh, and look at this: It could take anywhere from five to twenty-five years for New Orleans to return to "normal" . Holy shit! Now, granted, anyone with a brain realizes that progress has already begun in that direction. it's not like the city will remain in ruins for 24.5 years and then suddenly sprout up out of the dust into a glorious new city. Certain things will be improved along the way. But even in the short term (the five-year estimate), this is just too long for most people to put up with things. In many ways, New Orleans is somewhere between a third-world country, and a frontier-town. So many challenges ahead. If this city does not clean up the crime, focus on higher quality education (from pre-Kindergarten), and actually take a stand on becoming a city worth living in, I'm afraid that thugs, welfare queens, and a culture of ignorance will drive the remains of this city into the ground. I'm grateful to be leaving. I just hope I can survive with my sanity for the next few months. Pictures of a couple of my granddaughters coming this afternoon!!!! |
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WTF???? 30 Mar 2006 The nola.com forums are becoming increasingly divisive. It's to be expected, of course. People have opinions, and they are quite passionate about it. (I generally only tool around in the Uptown/Garden District and the Orleans forums.) The whole discussion is becoming insane. ALL displaced voters have access to absentee ballots. There is no poll tax. There is no obstacle to exercising a right to vote. And yet the outside rabble-rousers and shit-stirrers continue to beat their drum of ignorance, crying about disenfranchisement and poll tax and all the rest. Depending on whose statistics you read, there are between 1/3 and 1/2 of eligible New Orleans voters ALREADY RETURNED to New Orleans. The people who are here are the ones struggling to make sense of all the rampant ambiguity, lack of leadership, and all the rest. The people who are here are the ones who NEED to get some decent leadership in place, and we need to get rid of the current administration. Someone whose opinion I usually value expressed serious concern for the future of New Orleans "if those goddamn niggers fuck up this election." He was referring to the outside shit-stirrers like Jackson, Sharpton, and others who have no business meddling in a local election. I strongly dislike the "n" word, of course, but in this case it's a proper use of the term. These outside shit-stirrers are living back in the 60's. If they continue to perpetuate the victim mentality of that era, they might as well wear the name of that era. Anyone who is displaced and is tracking the news from New Orleans already knows about the election. Many of them, of course (especially renters who have no property in the city), are getting on with their lives wherever they are...and many of them are discovering a version of life beyond the boundaries of this city -- they have discovered schools that actually educate, cities where things actually work together, and communities that actually take real pride in excellence. Why the hell would they want to come back to the mess here? I get so tired of the wrangling in the forums about this issue. There is just no defense for delay. Even Judge Lemelle rightly declared that the election on April 22 has to take place. This is part of what scares me This news report from the NYTimes is disturbing on SOOO many levels, too long to quote, but it is a more realistic report of the rise in crime in New Orleans, with a more blatant coverage that what our local media are willing to provide. Notice that in the article they cite the concerns of many on the nola.com forums, too! Also, this was posted on the forums this morning: A friend was blindsided--hit in the face--it happened so fast, he literally doesn't know what hit him--on Jefferson and Pitt in the middle of the afternoon. Was so surprised and disoriented that he thought he might have walked into soemthing, until he noticed his wallet missing. The only people he'd seen in the area were a couple of guys who looked like laborers. His jaw is now wired shut. We can continue to hope for a low-crime city, but I think we all need to start behaving again like we did before the storm: be on your guard This happened in broad daylight, not far from one of my own regular afternoon routines. This is bullshit, and totally unacceptable. In a city with reportedly 1,400 police officers there is no excuse for so many criminals ruling the city this way. Oh wait... I remember now. The current police chief has almost all regular officers SITTING AT GODDAMN INTERSECTIONS instead of on patrol. And there's supposedly only a dozen officers assigned to drug detail and all other officers are not allowed to investigate such things. WTF????? Daylight robberies and violent muggings like the one quote above should NOT be part of everyday expectations in this (or any city). It makes me rethink my habits (because I am a pedestrian, not locked inside a car all the time) - where and how I walk (head up, with purpose, briskly), where and how I carry my valuables (ID, money/cards), when I can leave my home (daylight only, in before dark) and all the rest. It is truly a shame that anyone would even need to be so vigilant. Sadly, because so much of the city remains in ruins, the viable parts of the city cover a much smaller footprint, and the thugs and muggers and others who used to prey on folks in other parts of town are now moving up to (our) higher ground. Every now and again, I think maybe (just MAYBE) there might be some hope of starting my business here and making it work. But the city is proving to be unliveable in so many ways. This is just fucking bullshit, y'know? Sometimes I wonder if I should have bothered coming back at all, other than to collect my things and hightail it out of here. But dignity insisted I return and take a reasonable departure from work, finish certain projects, and help the crew get back to some normalcy. They're getting back and moving forward and don't need me, and I am grateful for that. Anything I've done can be picked up and carried on by someone else. If not, tough shit ... basic N.O.P.D., y'know ("Not My Problem, Dude") :-) I just hope I can make it until I get the funds to leave. |
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"Why do you bury the dead above ground in New Orleans?" 28 Mar 2006 "So they can get to the polls faster on election day." Old joke, base in a history of incredible voter fraud in the region. Last night there was a "debate" between the
7 leading candidates for mayor. A couple of times in the 90-minute televised
Pathetic. Rev. Watson was the first to pull out the race card, when he told Ron Couhig, "Your people have already come back; my people are still waiting to come back." Watson would be a dangerous person to have as mayor. His whole focus seems to be about the black citizen, not the New Orleans citizen. Listening to him, I feel confident in saying he would not take my needs or concerns seriously BECAUSE I am not black and not from the Ninth Ward. Fuck him. Sadly, there are enough ignurnt fools in the area, they will believe him BECAUSE he is black and BECAUSE he is a "minister". Bull-fucking-shit. You have to listen to what he says, not look at his skin or his current profession. Nagin didn't propose much new, but repeated the old "look at my record" song-and-dance. Uhhh... yeah, dude, that's WHY we want someone else to be mayor. Through the evening there seemed to be plenty of insinuations and hints of mud-slinging to come. One thing Landrieu brought up several times is that the mayor HAS to be able to go to the legislature and get things done. I think, on that score, Landrieu probably has the best shot at actually getting things done through the political machines in Baton Rouge. One of the questions posed to all the candidates was about the chief of police. Nearly all said they would replace the current chief. I didn't catch Nagin's response, but the ones I did hear all said they'd recruit from the best in the country. Watson said he would seek out a FEMALE police chief, because we've had men all these years and the crime problem isn't getting any better. Uhhh... hey dude, we've had black mayors for 30 years and look where this city is now! New Orleans used to be the same size as Houston or Atlanta. Not any more. If history is a reason to change the pattern for the police chief, it must surely be the reason to change the mayoral pattern as well. But, I imagine the logic is wasted on a guy like Watson. A similar logic could be used for having a female mayor now, as well, although I don't believe either woman visibly running has what it takes; both Wilson and Boulet have some good ideas, but I don't see a "whole package" candidate that this city needs. Less than a month until the election now (April 22), and I can only expect a LOT more mud-slinging and vigorous chest-thumping. I don't know if Landrieu is actually the best man for the job (I strongly suspect the best man or woman for the job is too smart to actually run for office), but of the available candidates, I'd have to go with Mitch Landrieu. Oh yeah, and the buzz words this season: "train wreck" (for the election); "diaspora" (Watson's favorite word, indicating who he's playing up to); and "disenfranchisement". I hate buzz words. They become loaded with way too much baggage, innuendo, and garbage. And hearing these same words come out of the mouths of so many people, you can instantly tell who they've been listening to. What a shame. Onward into to the day I go. |
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"Are you the guy they call the KnitterMan?" 26 Mar 2006 On the nola.com forums I use the alias "knitterMan" for posting, and I've commented that I often visit Cafe Luna at particular times. So it isn't totally unexpected that someone would approach me with this question as I knit on the porch there. Today I met some friends at Cafe Luna (one of whom is helping me create some Lagniappe goodies for my yarns), and while I was waiting for them someone else came and asked that question. He had posted infrequently while still in evacuation mode in South Carolina. We had a pleasant chat, but brief. And then after my friends arrived, we all started chatting with the couple at the next table. Turns out they are also frequent readers, infrequent posters on the forums. And the husband is the son of a rather well-known knitting goddess (the owner of Heart Strings Fiber Arts), with whom I've exchanged a few emails over the years. She's out in Destrehan, so she can be called "remotely local". Anyways, it's just kind of cool all these various connections coming about lately. I suppose if I were a total clod on the forums, nobody would bother introducing themselves, I'm sure. Or they'd come around and observe silently, out of morbid curiousity, or something. hahahahaha It's a bright sunny day here, and I've enjoyed myself for much of it. I biked down to Blockbuster to return the Harry Potter movie (I watched it all over again last night and was better able to get into it, but I still didn't like it as much as the earlier ones), and then biked up to Cafe Luna. Good exercise. I didn't make much progress on the prayer shawl while I was at Cafe Luna -- busy chatting. And I'm not pleased that this one isn't as broad as I would have liked. I might have to go up to a larger yarn and larger needle, which would delay things even further, and I really want to get this one finished, since the reason for its creation has already passed. But, even so, when it is finished it will be a message of comfort for the recipient, and that's what counts. This will be a busy week, both for work and for Knitivity. This evening I'm going to rest up some and get myself mentally prepared for a working week. |
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Take THAT, you stupid judge!!!! 25 Mar 2006 Hey, you remember a few days ago, the article about Judge Elloie letting a guy off on his own recognizance, after being caught with loads of crack, an AK-47, and wads of cash ... you remember? Well, guess what? The FEDS packed up his ass and there's no way they're going to let him go so easily! Bwaahahahahaha.... so take THAT, you mo'fo easy-out Judge! And, do you remember the other day I also mentioned my concern about riots and other troubles if a white mayor is actually elected? Well, guess what -- other people on the forums are now expressing that same concern. Well, duuuhhhh.... if you bring in emotionally-charged, politically-motivated, mentally-challenged shit-stirrers like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and others, loudly proclaiming that displaced blacks have been disenfranchised (that's become a code word for "we don't like the results"), you can be sure there will not be a quiet end if a white mayor is elected. Later....
It's been a gloriously beautiful day today, and I did three batches of yarns, all in fingering weight. The first batch was another Bird of Paradise, which came out well. Then I tried to make a couple more yarns called "Kiss my Brass" and "Crack of Dawn" but neither of them came out the way I like. My brother liked the colors, and maybe someone else will. But I will have to rename them. The colors that came out are NOT the colors I thought of. Maybe I'll have to do like my brother says .... just play with the colors and name them after they've developed! I guess that makes sense, huh? I am continueing to enjoy the new dyestuffs I've been using -- better saturation and somewhat more even covering. That's a good thing. This evening I'll be working on a prayer shawl for a friend, and finishing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (the movie). I started it last night, and discovered I'd been watching it an hour and a half and still wasn't quite getting it. Bummer. I mean, the first couple movies were good, but this one (the fourth in the series) just isn't so hot. It IS sort of interesting to watch the characters as they grow up during the filming, and the special effects are sort of cool. I just wish the story would grab me as much as the earlier ones did. Into the evening I go. |
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Ending on a good note... 23 Mar 2006 My back is killing me from sitting at this computer most of the day. I am glad that once I am doing Knitivity full time I will up and about and more physically creative. It was grey and gloomy in the start of the day, and I couold feel myself getting sucked down into the grayness. I forced myself to put on my sunglasses and take a brisk 30 minute walk. By the time I got back the sun had broken through (mostly), and I was in a better mental state. I really need to get out of the house regularly, daily, and get my exercise. I've had a couple ideas cogitating in my head for marketing ideas, and I think I have come upon a really cool idea. Can't wait to show you, but it will be shown first at the other website. Lord knows I can't just go blabbing it all over for the world to see just yet. But anyone who knows New Orleans will see it is a good idea. And those who don't get it .... well, they say marketing is all about education, right? I'm thinking this is one of my better ideas. Can't wait to make it happen. Working this evening, finishing up a few things and shipping off some documents for the work team tomorrow. Easier than carrying everything on a CD. Anyway... into the evening. |
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Ohhhh... THIS was next! 23 Mar 2006 I was tipped off in the forums to this little tidbit: a certain judge keeps letting known criminals out on their own recognizance for free or little bail. Like the one this week: "the buy who was caught with a bayonet and one with a 60-round clip; a Tec-9 with a silencer; four pistols; and $189,000 in cash." WTF???? Released on his own recognizance? Holy crap! No wonder this particular judge has a bad rep among the local crime enforcement AND judicial communities. After all, this one judge is responsible for "83 percent of the cases in which a suspect was released after a bail reduction". Read the whole story in the Times-Picayune. But don't come crying to me if your brain turns to mush trying to make sense of it. Other Random Notes: My Shit is Weightless No, it's true. This morning when I went to the bathroom, I stepped on the scales. One hundred eighty-four and a half pounds. Then I pooped (twice!!!!), and shave my head back down to the nubblies. No intake of coffee or breakfast. Weighed again. One hundred eighty-four and a half pounds. WHAT??? Does that mean my hair AND my shit is totally weightless? What could be even worse is if I would have weighed MORE after a dump than before, and I don't even want to consider the implications of THAT! Busy day today, no dyeing on the calendar. But my brain is continuing to grind out some awesome ideas for my yarn lines. The colorings may or may not be absolutely unique, BUT there's a New Orleans tradition called Lagniappe (pronounced: lan-yap). It means "a little something extra" -- a little surprise or treat in addition to what you paid for. Some of these little extras I can develop on my own, and others will need some assistance. In the next few days I'll be meeting with a local artisan to discuss one such idea. The Spoon Theory Have you ever tried to explain to a healthy person what it is like to have a chronic condition that isn't so visible or so easily grasped by 'outsiders'? Try explaining it with The Spoon Theory. Very cool way to grasp the [almost-]ungraspable. Fortunately I do have my health and can usually do what I want. But I do have a variety of nebulous aches and pains and there are times when my days and events have to be modified because of it, or I have to take my cane with me to relieve pressure in certain parts of my legs, hips, or lower back. The cane helps, so I use it. To hell with those who don't get it. The Damn Nola.com Forums Well, shit.... I went to the forums to post something and discovered my posts come up blank. The last time this happened I just waited a few days and things were normal again. I can login, and it shows that I'm logged in. Also, some of my posts have been poofed (deleted; POOF gone bye-bye) by some mysterious poofer. Hmph. Anyway, I discovered this when d'nola gave me a shout-out on the forums and I tried to respond with a thank-you, and discovered my post turned to dust. Damn! So, d'nola (and you know who you are) ... I DID see your note, and I thank you for the comment. *** Onward into the day -- lots to do to make ready for tomorrow, a half-day training session to orient a bunch of people to the things I used to do. |
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Crap.... what next? 22 Mar 2006 Will somebody PLEASE drive their pick up truck or moving van to New Orleans, pack up all my shit, and get me the fuck outta here???? Plleeeeeaaaaaasssee???? New Orleans is going to hell in a handbasket, I swear! Several weeks after Katrina, a salvage company offered to PAY THE CITY $100 per car to haul off all the abandoned and flooded vehicles left on our streets -- to be salvaged for scrap and parts. But Noooooooo..... the mayor couldn't do that, he wasn't clear about the city's "rights" to remove abandoned and trashed vehicles. Bullshit. But now, after soliciting bids for towing, Hizzoner is primed to PAY OUT up to $1,0o00 per car to have them towed. WTF???? Why the hell is he doing this? Oh yeah, and the crime has returned ... in spades! Check out this article from Time Magazine. But the local media isn't covering adequately the sharp rise in crime, nor has it been published (that I've seen) the correlation between reopening some of the housing projects and this rise in such crime. The same goddamn lazy-ass mother-fucking welfare queens are back in their little subsidized housing units for FREE (or nearly free), while first responders and others who NEED housing because they HAVE JOBS are forced to make some unnecessarily hard decisions. I'm sorry, but New Orleans is going to die unless we elect a WHITE mayor and get rid of the legacy of the last 30 years. It's not that a black person couldn't do it, but NONE OF THE CURRENT BLACK CANDIDATES have what it takes. Nagin is a fucking lunatic, and Watson is a goddamn fucking racist minister more interested in pandering to the blacks, blaming the whites, and not even addressing the issues running rampant in the black community. Fuck him ... and the horse he rode in on. I don't know if it's going to do any good, but I'm going to vote on April 22. And that's another thing... even after the courts have given the go-ahead on the election, certain people are STILL putting up a fuss. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition is planning a protext march soon. What the fuck for??? Where was he when his people (predominately) were looting and destroying the city? Where was he when his people weren't getting educated adequately enough to learn how to fucking vote? He was out pumping the flesh to line his own pockets. He doesn't care about "his" people. AAAAAaaaaaarrrrggggghhhhh.... I can't wait to get out of this fucking stupid asshole goddamn backwards ignorant town. I can pretty much guarantee that if a black mayor is NOT elected into office, there will be riots, lawsuits, and all sorts of accusations about a dishonest election. Such bullshit. For the first time in 30+ years, New Orleans is once again a white-majority city, and that just bugs the snot outta certain members of the black community. Now, having said that I have to be very clear. New Orleans DOES NOT HAVE A BLACK COMMUNITY. There are LOTS of blacks here, and pre-K there was a black majority (70%+). But there is not "A" black community. There's a lot of small communities -- many are educated, engaged, involved in the city at all levels. There are working class communities of hard working intelligent blacks. And then, there is "that" element that NOBODY WANTS HERE -- the ignorant criminal lazy-ass folks who make it hard for all the rest of the blacks and give all blacks a bad name. I've worked with too many black people who have made it into mainstream society without losing their identity, their pride, or their self-respect and dignity. Many of them actually grew up in the projects .... and found their way out because their parents made them create a better life than the parents were able to enjoy in the 50s and 60s. The problem in New Orleans is NOT a race thing -- it's a poverty, ignorance, apathy thing. And the political powers in control want to keep it that way. The "leaders" need ignorant folks to keep electing them, and those politicians will do ANYthing (legal or otherwise) to keep the power, even if neither they nor their voting bloc has the smarts to actually USE that power for the good of the city. It just pisses me off enormously that ALL of New Orleans has become the laughing stock of the country, and it pisses me off even more that a very small percentage of the black population has been allowed to get away with destroying the city (and the city's reputation) for all the decent black, white, hispanic, and asian folks. In spite of all the fucking bullshit, I still believe that MOST people of ANY color are decent, and they want the same things I want -- a safe home, access to basic city services, peaceful enjoyment of one's own neighborhood, a good education for their children, and so on and so forth. Okay, enough about that.... looky what I did today:
I'm not sure what to make of it. I used the same "burgundy" color for the ones on the right and the left (bottom picture). The ones on the right were double dipped at the opposite end into Delphinium Blue. The LEFTOVERS of that blue were enough to do the solid blue in the middle. Very cool, and very powerful coloring on the solid one, but the ones on the right are really crappy in real life. I need to work on that some more. The ones on the left, however, have the same burgundy as a solid dye, but then I dipped the bottoms into a mix of Delphinium Blue and Black. I may have to re-think how the multi colored yarns are done, maybe doing one color and letting it fully try before dipping the opposite end. I don'tknow. The cool thing is that any of them I can knit up and then over-dye to bring all the colorings under consistent over-coloring. Oh yeah.... and that brilliant pink that came from the burgundy dye ... it looks like brand new Bubble Gum! Yummmm..... I might have to develop that into the SnowBall colorings somehow, huh? Tomorrow is a busy-busy day for me. It will likely be icky and rainy (per the forecast), so no dyeing during the day. But I have a shit-load of work to do in preparation for Friday -- I'll be doing a half-day training session for co-workers so they'll be somewhat equipped to take over various tasks I've been doing. Fortunately I've seen it in writing that they will not be able to hire my calibre ouit of the pool of civil service workers, and will have to replace me from a different kind of budget. That says a lot about my ability, no? Plus, I think it is hilarious that they'll have to pay more to get what I've been giving them for cheap because they couldn't find a way to pay me for it any higher. bwaahahahahaha. Small wonder I'm not all that committed to wanting to stay. Their system is set up to reward mediocrity yet penalize anything above that. Fuck 'em, y'know? (No, I won't -- I've built my reputation on a solid skillset, and I will provide them as much tutoring as I think they can bear, and I won't leave out parts or deliberately sabotage things as I leave. But once I'm out of there, there's only a limited few people that I will freely offer further assistance. After all, I have my own business to build, so I can't be holding their hand forever.)
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Much better today! 21 Mar 2006 See....? I knew I had to go to the office today, so I got up plenty early, ate a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and went off to the office... a good long walk there from the bus, plus walked back to the bus stop afterward (I think it's about 15 blocks or so, roughly, each direction. I caught a tiny nap around mid-day (maybe 15-20 minutes...?) and then off to a late-afternoon meeting, from which I walked the 25 blocks back home afterward. Overall, I feel much more engaged and vital than I did yesterday. Very cool. Lots of knitting to do this evening, but no new pictures to share. Bummer |
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Flow 20 Mar 2006 flow "Flow" is not the word I would have chosen to describe this day. Nope. it does not fit. Not one little bit. I awoke around 3:30 a.m. and began the day, pretty much as I normally do, just a little bit earlier. I privileged myself to enjoy my morning coffee on the back patio, wearing my glasses and a smile. But after that the day became horribly disjointed. I've had a horrid sinus-like headache the last few days (due to swiftly fluctuating barometric pressure), and it lingered into today somewhat. I managed to muddle through a few MUST DO projects for work first thing this morning, but even as I did it my brain was calling out for me to work on some other necessary things. I finally gave in and turned my attention to something else, only to have the Muses call me elsewhere ... and yet again. Focus and concentration was virtually impossible for me today, andI regret it, but that's just the way it is. Part of this I recognize is due to bad bad eating habits the last couple of days. If I don't eat what I am supposed to be eating for peak mental performance, I get all fucked up in my head and can't focus very well. Most people would probably die of boredom eating the way I eat, but for me it is my salvation. And, I've eaten mostly good things for so many years, that when I slack off and get sloppy about it, I can not only feel it, but I can identify why I feel it. And, of course, getting sloppy about eating is a symptom of issues or something that I don't always so easily identify. Bummer. Plus, the crappy overcast weather hasn't helped motivate me to exercise, although I DID do a little cardio when I came back from making groceries. Instead of just pulling it along, or pushing the cart in front of me, I found if I lean into it just a little it turns into a lot more work on the gluts, thighs, calves, shoulders, etc., etc. And doing that straight for 8 blocks is pretty good. I was thinking I might could do that for my morning walks, just put a 5 gallon bottle of water into the granny cart and push it around my route. I can't remember if it is 43 pounds or 48 pounds, but it's just hefty enough to make a good pushing work-out. In spite of the disjointed day, I am just about ready for bed pretty soon. If I go too early I'll be up early, so I need to try and stay awake a little bit more. And there were some good things, interesting emails and nice contacts during the day, too, so it wasn't all bad stuff happening ... just disjointed. Very little flow. Y'know? |
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Bless the readers!!!! 19 Mar 2006 Once again, readers come to my rescue! Charlotte wrote that the blue color yesterday reminds her of Blueberry Snow Cones! And Linda says it's definitely a 'blue ice' or aquamarine. And Ardi puts in a vote for "Bayou Blue". It wasn't clear in the pictures yesterday, but the dark parts was 'supposed' to be a deep red-purple. I'm not happy with it along, but it goes well alternating with the other mistake lot I did last week. Very blendable for a deeper visual texture (I hope). Yes indeed! New Orleans is famous for its Snowballs -- a summertime favorite treat, with brightly colored flavor syrups in all sorts of combinations. What a perfect way to celebrate the colors and flavors of the South, and particularly New Orleans -- snowballs, bayous, and deep Cajun and Creole cooking. The cool part about snowballs is that although the flavors and colorings start out pretty much the same at the bottle, once they begin to melt, they all melt down just a bit differently, and there's NO WAY to predict the resulting colors as they oooze and blend on the sidewalk! Man-oh-man ... I'm gonna have to get cracking on these ideas, y'know??? There has come up a significantly troublesome issue in the back of my mind. Tell me if I'm wrong, or missing something... When I was still in Houston, I was thinking, "start a business selling my holiday stocking patterns" ... which evolved into starting a line of yarns to celebrate New Orleans and the South. Does it make much sense to celebrate (and promote) New Orleans colors, flavors, and culture, if I'm planning to pack up and move away? It would seem almost as hypocritical as that guy in the commercials -- you know, the pansy who gets his hot sauce from New York City! A new friend recently commented that I can't move away now because there are no other yarn dyers in New Orleans and the city needs independent entrepreneurs. True enough. But what about hurricanes ... and crime ... and politics? Granted, most of it passes by me while I'm busy living my life, and I could probably survive here just fine in this house (if it gets repaired) and run my business. On the flip side, however, certain geologists and scientists are saying New Orleans might not even be here in another 50 years or so, due to erosion and loss of the wetlands between here and the Gulf, which means any future hurricanes would wreak more and more damage to the area. And the politics aren't getting any better. I want to be in the Houston area to see and enjoy my kids and grandkids. I'm not sure I could survive there very long, however -- it is SUCH a big place, and it is not conducive to alternative living. I need a reasonably modest size house to live in, with a BIG yard for dyeing yarns -- probably a large greenhouse affair would be best, plus fresh air for drying. It would have to be walking or bicycling distance from all regular shopping areas, or a super strong transit system for farther distances. Okay, I realize part of it is fear and intimidation from facing too many changes all at once. And all the insurance papers say that changing job, moving house, and changing cities are among the MOST STRESSful events, and it is particularly dangerous for a person to experience too many of these too close together. I really want to avoid over-stressing myself and turning into a blathering basket case. Back in 83, over about 6 months, I got divorced, moved to a new city (and a new job), got and then lost custody of my four children, got dismissed from the ministry, AND came out of the closet.... and nearly lived in a suicidal spirial for months on end. I really really do not want to repeat that sort of thing, y'know? It's just not a fun way to live. I'm still committed to leaving here this summer. Just mulling thoughts through my head, so that I can address each issue appropriately and not let it jumble in a solid mass in my head. I'm nearly done with the new Knitivity website. I should be able to post it publicly next weekend, along with some preliminary yarn sales. Keep your fingers crossed, 'kay? This is totally exhilerating for me, starting something real and dynamic. I just hope it goes somewhere. |
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I need a name for this.... 18 Mar 2006 I initiated my set of stock pots today, simmering up a pot of fingering yarns. You can't even see through the dye (on the left) , while the yarn soaks and is brought up to temperature on the right. You CAN, of course, see the steam rising above the dark blue pot.
But after I immerse the yarn into it, you can get a better view of the blue involved.
But then after a little magic, some hocus-pocus, and the incantations of a few magical mystical words (well, okay, so I splashed some of the hot dye bath on myself and cussed up a blue streak), there were some additional influences introduced, resulting in something that sorta kinda makes me think of blueberry muffins, or blueberry ice cream, or some such thing. What colorway would you call this?
or this....
I finally realized that my outdoor color shots were being distracted by all the background yard material of the yards next door to mine, so I hung a white bedspread. Unfortunately, it's a cloudy overcast day, so the colors in the picture aren't nearly as brilliant as in real life. But I used a technique this time that is different from what I've done before, and I actually sort of like it - both the technique and the results. The problem is that it is guaranteed to produce different results every time. The bonus is that it is guaranteed to produce different results every time. Conundrum? Probably. I mean it's great to come up with something that has 'wiggle room' for creative license, but at the same time it wreaks havoc in the minds of those who insist on consistency. I sure don't want to build a reputation for crappy colorings, so I have to be sure I can pull it off. But, then, as one of my readers mentioned, if I'm doing yarns for socks or other small project, buyers won't need to stock a lot of the yarn. Maybe if I go for colorway families, using the same colors/dyes for each group, knowing that there will not be exact consistency. That could be a "feature" rather than a "bug" if it is marketed correctly. Soo... what would YOU call this colorway? |
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Am I wrong to feel this way? 18 Mar 2006 Yesterday the Times-Picayune had an article about KNITTING ... woo-hooo!!! And, basically, it is an interesting article about the psychological benefits of knitting. It seems to highlight the Tulane Craft Ladies, and how they are knitting chemo caps for the Tulane Cancer Center. (Please note: ANY charitable knitting is a GOOD thing, okay?) The part that bothers me is that one of the key instigators of the project is also the wife of that cancer center's director. How convenient! When Bundle Up New Orleans started, we notified all the major local media. We've had ZERO coverage, yet managed to distribute hundreds of goods from volunteers in over a dozen states across the country. The article just feels like a self-congratulatory attempt to promote Tulane and their cancer center, under the veil of "knitting for therapy". Maybe I'm just overly sensitive, but it just bugs the snot outta me, anyway. Is that wrong? Other Stuff Today will be a busy day. Yesterday, returning from the office downtown, I stopped at OfficeDepot and picked up QuickBooks Pro to help me figure out the financial parts of running a business. There were several "business accounting" softwares, in a broad range of prices. I got QuickBooks partly because it was recommended by people whom I know, and partly becuase it is such a ubiquitous software package if I get into trouble there is more likely to be more help available. I am not an accountant, and could probably make-do with a more basic software. But, not being an accountant means I don't know all the various nuances of bookkeeping, or what needs to be tracked, and how it needs to be tracked. This morning I'll be installing it and trying it out. Wish me luck. Also today, I will be doing some more yarn dyeing. I'm debating whether to repeat past efforts, or try a few new colors and/or some of the other yarn weights I now have available. Between dyejobs I'll be charting out some cool yet easy patterns for sale. And writing out a project plan. |
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Emotional ups and downs 16 Mar 2006 Not a rollercoaster, just a lot of ups and downs. And, much of it is derived from external input over which I have very little control. Now that most of the work folks know that I'm leaving, I've been switched over into a stronger transitional mode -- making sure all my bits and parts and pieces can be turned over to a successor. Which in turn sparks that "oh my god it's really happening" sensation. Funny... six months ago, the middle of September, I had no idea if I even had a job to return to. Then came the press to get my ass back into town, the commitment to do what I could to help the school get back into semi-normalcy. Well, they've done that now. It was frightful to think powers beyond my control would swoop in and eliminate my job and render me less than useful. This impacted my thoughts about whether to even return. Lots of 'helpless/hopeless' moments during that span of time. But now that things are starting to be sort of normal, I am able to decide for myself what to do, to make my own choices. If Katrina had not happened, I'd probably be muddling along like I had been doing. Katrina shook up my world big time. Six months ago, there was no sure idea that I'd be starting my own business. My, my, how things can change! |
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How much is it worth? 13 Mar 2006 Well, this was just posted in the nola.com forum: <<Tonight there was a gunshot on my block (4100 Annunciation) b/t two men arguing. No one seemed injured, but we called the police anyway. Ten minutes later, no police. So we called 911 again and asked why police were not responding to gunshots, and the operator became belligerent and said there were at least 2 murders tonight, and the poice were too busy to investigate gunshots. Then she hung up on us. Ten minutes later, a police car ambled by, and didn't even stop to investigate. We have friends on Peniston who had this exact same thing happen to them New Year's night, except that they were almost hit by their neighbors. Does anyone have any similiar stories? Any advice? It's pretty scary to live in a place where there is no police protection. I'm going to post this on crime and safety too.>> Really makes me wonder how much it is worth living here. Oh by the way.... the first address is about 5 blocks from me. Penison is three streets over from me. And the 2nd District police station is barely four blocks from my house. Why don't I feel comfort in this? New Orleans is returning to pre-Katrina crime levels. This is bullshit. There's no reason for me to live in a place like this. New Orleans is imploding, even without another hurricane. Fuck it. |
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Swatches 12 Mar 2006 Well, in spite of a cloudy overcast day, I went outside and tried to capture credible pictures of the color work I've done. I've already shown the yarns hanging to dry, so I will skip those pictures. Each of the following pictures has a sample of the hank, a balled sample, and a knitted swatch. The swatches are all nearly identical, with stockinette stitch, garter stitch, rib stitch, and my own "Über-Rib" stitch. (The Über-Rib is similar in appearance to a Shaker Rib, a cartridge rib, or even EZ's Mistake Rib, but in reviewing the pattern directions for all of these variations, I've not seen MY way documented anyplace else before. I'll add it to the patterns section when the other Web site goes live.) Anyway, these are the colorways I've been working on so far: My favorite, Bird of Paradise:
And this was supposed to be Trinity (the holy trinity of cajun cooking: onion, celery, bellpepper), but it's just not coming up the way I want, yet.
And this was originally going to be Red Beans and Rice, but I'm thinking it is more like a Dusty Rose, although in this shot, it is too heavy on the reds/pinks -- in reality it a a deeper country rose.... someday I'll have a dependable camera to capture reality the way my eyeballs see things!
So.... if I have a line of 6-8 gradients and variegateds, plus coordinating solids, that will be a good start. The solids are easier to manipulate, of course. I am waiting for the next shipment of yarns, along with a full complement of expanded coloring options, which I hope will improve my success rate with things. Well, into the evening I go, I suppose. I find myself never having enough time to do all the things I want. And having an overcast gray day doens't help my motivation much. I need to work on that some more, huh? |
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Skeeters and stuff 11 Mar 2006 It is barely 6:00 a.m. and already we are above the average HIGH temperatures for this date in history. And that's fine by me. I've been outside doing laundry for an hour or so already, taking advantage of an early day. Yippee. O'course, this means I've got the citronella candles going, and sprayed myself with skeeter repellent. There's no way I'm instantly ready to turn on the A/C. I know full well that come summertime I will be sweltering, and it may be necessary to sleep under A/C. But I would prefer not to. People survived through the millenia without A/C, so why can't I? Later... Nearly bedtime now. Was busy much of the day with yarns and such. I made another batch of what was supposed to be the Trinity mix (onion, celery, bellpepper) colors, but there's just something not working. Grrrrr.... Oh yeah... and for those of you who prefer to work shirtless ... this isn't a good idea when dyeing wool, 'kay? No really, it can be downright frightening to walk into the bathroom and discover parts of your torso are covered with blue-green specks. I didn't feel any splashing, and these specks were teeny-tiny, just barely noticeable. Anyway... easily washed off. Another dye experiment was partially overdyeing previous experiments. Very cool. The not-cool part of the day was when I went outside to discover two of my five hanks of the first batch had blown off the line and were lying in the dirt. Holy Crap!!! Well, I have to let it dry completely so any flecks of surface dirt can be brushed off. Thank gawd it's all experiment at this stage, so I can knit it up and then wash it. Speaking of which ... I've begun knitting up a simple shawl in the Bird of Paradise. Both the Bird of Paradise and one of the Trinity experiments look like they'd be shashing for Springtime shawls. In person they are BRIGHT, and happy, and springtimey. There is a part of me that needs to be controlled and disciplined, and another part of me that wants to break totally free, manifest all of my ideas at once, and burst onto the scene with all these cool things simultaenously. I can't do that, of course, without incredible funding, at least for some of it. But in my head I see three lines of yarns/colors, as well as two different sections of patterns. I am always amazed at the creative process and how one thing leads to another which leads to another and so on. Seems like almost any time I'm percolating an idea or trying to hatch a tough egg and mention it here, someone else speaks up with an new angle, a special insight, or some other thing that takes me to the next step. I am surrounded by brilliance, and enveloped by a marvelous bunch of creative minds. There's no way I could do all the thinking myself, and I hope I never ever get to the point of having people think I'm some brilliant so-and-so thinking up all this cool stuff in a vacuum. As a business man, I'm not going to divulge every idea shared with me in private, because my income ultimately depends on certain proprietary limits and creative license (duuhhh) ... but that doesn't mean I can't acknowledge all the brilliant minds and creative spirits around me, too. I totally appreciate the input from so many. Certain people will discover a colorway or product named for them, in appreciation for their input. That's all I'm going to say on that ... for now, anyway. Other stuff ... The weather continues to be horribly, unseasonably, undressingly warm even at almost 10:00 p.m. It's not even the end of winter yet, and already it's muggy. Tomorrow I will have to climb up and drag down the fans. I don't want to run the A/C, but this place is already stuffy and disgusting. And, on that note, I'll bid you good evening. |
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More Bodies ... and Leaving the Grid 7 Mar 2006 Now that demolition has begun in parts of New Orleans, more bodies are being found in the rubble, so badly decomposed it will be difficult to determine not only the time and cause of death, but even the race or gender. And, considering so many of the houses now being razed (like those that were floated off their foundations and shifted to new locations), the difficulty of even determining location of death makes identification more difficult. I'm sure most will be presumed to be Katrina-related, but until an autopsy is conducted, nothing will be concrete. Here's the story from WDSU-TV and one from NOLA.com. It grieves my heart that already 9 bodies have been found in the last week or so, six months after the hurricane that started it all. I cannot imagine the depth of mourning experienced by the families of those who continue to be found. .... A couple days ago, while picking up a set of hangars to help with drying wool after dyeing, I found something I've been wanting for a long time, but resisting because of the price -- a wind-up alarm clock! It was at a reasonable price, so I got it. I had one for a while when I was living in Denver, and always enjoyed it (one of the very few things I enjoyed about that time in my life). I got the clock opened, wound it up, and set it by my bed. It is loud. Comfortably loud. I don't know why but I find myself at peace listening to the tick-tick-tick. And the alarm! oh my! What a rattle! It's PERFECT. I would LOVE to have a genuine Big Ben, but those range up to $49.00 (and higher for certain classic models), but this one will do. The kind I want has the two big bells on top, but those are classics ... and expensive. I'll keep the wind-up clock next to the electric alarm clock for a while, in order to get the timing adjusted just right, and then I can get rid of the electic clocks. Zing! Down goes the electric bill. Keeping the lights in other rooms turned off. More Zing!!! No, I know that I am not able to live completely off the power grid just yet, and I realize that my refrigerator (older model) and the computer are my most expensive items. Neither is particularly negotiable, although I can turn off the computer and remove power from it beyond "sleep" mode. Ditto for the television, as I discussed a few weeks ago. I can listen to television on the battery-power radio, which is fine most of the time -- besides using less power, it doesn't suck my gaze away from other projects that need my attention. And, I like that there are several models of wind-up radios that run for hours on a full wind-up. Would be nice if there is a television with similar self-generating mechanism. I also found a foot-pump style generator for other devices, but I wouldn't use it for things I need running all the time. It's almost $250.00 for that little gem, but I bet it would save me that much in electric bills within a year or so. It's amazing what you can find by searching for "survival gear" or similar terms. I will also look into building (or buying) a bank of solar ovens like I found a couple weeks ago. This would be awesome for the dyeing process without running up a gas bill for boiling on the stove. I don't know if this would make a difference between dyeing in a jar, versus dyeing in a solar oven. Both use passive solar energy to create heat. It may be cheaper to find 2-gallon and 5-gallon glass jars instead. I don't know. But I'm willing to find out. (plus, being able to use a food-safe, non-toxic dyeing process in combination with solar energy, that will give me an additional marketing strategy worth investigating, no?) I also need to investigate various types of non-electric lighting -- candles, lanterns, oil lamps .... I don't know all the options just yet. So much to consider, but I am confident my life is going to be somewhat less orthodox than it already is! And I LOVE IT!!!!!!! |
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Lipstick ... it runs in the family! 6 Mar 2006 My older daughter sent me this picture of her daughter ... that sweet little Grace was caught putting on Mommy's lipstick while Mommy was in the shower! she put it on all by herself, by the way. Picture removed by request Isn't that just tooooo cute??? Well, of course it is! And, just so there's no doubt, early-onset lipstick runs in the family:
That's me and my older brother in 1957 (I was probably about 2-1/2 years old). I found this picture among the old family photos -- you can see it had been stuck to another picture at one time. At least the important part wasn't damaged! Even at that tender age, before my formal education in accessorizing, I knew that "less is more" -- can you tell which one is me??? (yeah... the one not ashamed to show his goods!) bwaahahahahahahaha. Gotta love those grandkids, carrying on the "family tradition" (take that any way you like, I suppose!) Hmmm... as long as I have the box of family pictures out, maybe I'll scan a few more from my youth. I FINALLY got to go pick up my new glasses today. Holy cow, this is weird. I've been in trifocals for several years, but this pair takes some getting used to, I suppose. The right lens was changed more than the left, so there's a different "balance" for me to adjust to. Aaaarrgggghhhhh! This morning I had to go to the office for a little bit, and had "the chat" with another co-worker (the chat about my leaving). She commented that I am a "young" 51 years old -- which I presume means I look good for my age, I guess. Anyway, it was a compliment, anyway, and I appreciated her saying so. I'm not sure I FEEL so young most days anymore, but I have thankfully avoided a life of 'hard-living', so I expect I'll age well for a good while longer. Into the evening I go. |
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Owie, owie, owie.... YEOWCH!!!!! 5 Mar 2006 Holy jamoley!!!! Woke with a most horrible 'crink' at the base of my neck. holy cow, this sucker hurts! I suspect it is from dipping TWO batches of yarn yesterday. This does not bode well for me, if I'm expecting to do TEN batches a day for an income! I won't give away "trade secrets" on how I'm actually doing all these gradients (one of my worst faults is giving away too much, so I'm pulling in a bit nowadays), but it has to do with suspending twenty ounces of WET WOOL overhead .... more than once ... and holding it there. I have no doubt that a floor-level hotplate or stove would serve me better, but I don't have such a thing ... YET! :-) There is something to be said for independent, small-batch dye lots -- each dyelot is unique in some respects, and therefore worth more. At least, that is the theory. I just did a little brief Web search on "art yarns". Most are small amounts for exorbitant prices, and most appear to be either exotic fibers and/or novelty (synthetic) fibers. The exotic fibers will cost a pretty penny no matter what you do, and the synthetics will be out of fashion soon enough. That leaves basic wool and other natural fibers done in fairly consistent colorways, and done in a manner so that even budget-conscious knitters can create unique and 'artful' garments. That's the market I want -- budget-conscious people with taste. I have a pot of Dusty Rose simmering on the stove at the moment. I'll do one or two more batches of this today, and perhaps do some lesser experimenting with some other things as well. I'm really enjoying this, y'know? Later.... okay, got a second batch of Dusty Rose done, but it spotted in a couple places, then tried to do another green-based batch, but realized I didn't have all the right colors to match what I'd done before.... dang it. HEY! Ol' What's-His-Name is at it again...... Mayor Nagin is campaigning for the upcoming election, hoping to be re-elected. Yessirree, he's out there talking the talk, making nice-nice with all the nice voters.... uhhh.. but wait. He's campaigning in HOUSTON, TEXAS, because that's there the biggest majority of hurricane evacuees ended up. And you know what he had the balls to say ... out loud... in front of an audience ... within recording range of media reporters...?? " This process that's before us is one that I'm getting more uncomfortable with every day. This is not about Ray Nagin," he told the group. "There is potential for major changes in the political structure." Nagin noted that 23 candidates entered the mayoral fray before the registration deadline last week. "Very few of them look like us," he told the almost totally black crowd of about 200 persons who attended the meeting at the NAACP Family & Technology Center on Fannin. How blatant can you get?? He's telling black audiences that most of the candidates "don't look like us" (they're not black). WTF does that have to do with anything??? Isn't a mayor (or any other elected government official) supposed to be above all that race crap? Doesn't he (or she) serve ALL the citizens of the city? The rest of the article also talks about how the NAACP isn't happy with the election process the state has set up, and they want to file lawsuits to hold off voting until next fall when more people have either returned to the city, or until they all had the opportunity to learn about the voting process. Again... WTF??? People have been casting absentee ballots for decades. The problem is NOT that some people might not vote, but that the current elected administration is afraid they will lose the black vote. Nagin isn't going out of his way to go find the whites, hispanics, Vietnamese and all the other people who used to live in New Orleans. Fortunately, not all the blacks in his audience fall for his line of bullshit. He fucked up as mayor immediately following the hurricane, and in the six months since that time he's done little to restore even any pretense of organization, leadership, or balls. Crime is returing to pre-Katrina levels, racial tension is increasing daily, and the city, the police, and the public media are ignoring it. WTF??? The sooner I'm out of this mess, the happier I will be. But I will be here long enough to vote in the April 22 election, yessirree!!!!! Geeez.... well, anyway, my neck and back continue to hurt, even after aspirin in the morning and ibuprofen in the afternoon, so I'm going to lie down and rest a bit, hopefully it will feel better later. |
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Busy Day, Good Day 4 Mar 2006 Well, after last night's weird airplane dream, I managed to get back to sleep fairly well, and didn't get up until after 6:30 this morning. Geez-um... just how much sleep does one guy need, anyway? It is highly unusual for me to get this much sleep. No matter. This morning I got down to the Farmers Market and got some turnips, carrots, broccoli, and strawberries, all locally grown. Compared to store-bought prices, I suppose the Farmers Market is a bit pricey, but today was their first opening since before Katrina, and I really wanted to show some support for their re-opening. Then I walked up to Walgreens to pick up a prescription (a good long walk, by the way), and then went next door to SteinMart to see if they had any lightweight polo shirts for summer. I didn't like most of the polo shirts -- they all looked pretty goofy, in spite of the name-brand labels and high original price tags -- so I ended up getting three pair of shorts, and four shirts (3 cotton button-up and 1 polo). So now I have plenty of clothes to wear to work this summer .... bwaahahahahahaha... yeah, that's funny, huh? I'll be working mostly outside in the back yard doing my dyeing. I do have a few clothes suitable for office wear, but I'm honestly not wanting to get an office job, so I'm not preparing for that. I'm preparing for a successful independent business on my own terms. And then I came home and made another run of Bird of Paradise, and then discovered a new recipe to make Holy Trinity yarn -- keeping with the theme of southern flavors and colors, you'll recognize the Holy Trinity of all southern cooking is onion, celery, and bell pepper. Then you'll know what colors make up the Holy Trinity colorway! I'm not entirely pleased with this one just yet, but that's okay -- EVERYthing is a learning experience, there are NO mistakes, just unexpected lessons. Once this load dries I'll get some pix and see what you guys all think, kay?
The "bell pepper" end isn't anywhere near deep enough. This whole batch looks more like "green onion", y'know? oh well While I was dying this afternoon, I noticed one of my stock pots has a crack at the rim. Not a good thing. It would probably hold up fairly well for a while longer, but I have visions of carrying 20 quarts of boiling dye bath and have that little crack split wide open. Uhhh.. no thank you! So, I went online and ordered TWO sets of stock pots in varying sizes, which should be here within a couple weeks. Bravo for me, eh? The current set of stock pots was a cheezy set from Fingerhut about 12 years ago. I've gotten my use out of them, but if I'm going to be starting a business, I need to use better quality tools, y'know? Anyway, it's now nearly supper time. Slept well, walked a lot (a LOT) , got two batches of yarn dyed, and I feel like it's been a pretty good day overall. I need to be able to do ten batches a day at least 5 days a week, so it's a good thing I'll have more stock pots coming shortly. That would be 50 hanks a day, or 250 hanks a week. Along with the gradients that I'm developing now, I will also need to create coordinating solids. This is important. I might not have a full range of colors, and that's okay, but I need to have more than just gradients. For each gradient I'll need at least 3 matching solids. And, while I'd like to have 8-10 gradients, many of the solids can go with multiple gradients. Like, the orangey colors from Bird of Paradise will also coordinate well with the Gulf Sunset gradient (wait'll you see what I'm cooking up for THAT marvelous color!) Okay, enough for now... time to get into the evening. What colors would YOU like me to develop? |
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Another Dang Airplane Dream!!!! 4 Mar 2006 It's only just barely 12:50 AM (in the morning, even!). I went to bed around 9:30 and fell almost immediately asleep ... which, come to think of it, was amazingly weird in itself because I went to bed around the same time last night, didn't wake until almost 6:30 in the morning and THEN collapsed into a nearly 2-1/2 hour nap in the middle of the day.... WTF???? That is SO WRONG! What's WRONG with meeeee???? AAAAaaaerrrrrgggghhhh... Anyway, so I'm sleeping away, having the most amazingly vivid powerful BIG dreams. I seemed to be in an airport or something. Well, AT an airport, I guess, not really INSIDE. I was sitting on a HIGH perch nearly even with the windows of the concourse. If you've been to an airport you know the windows of the concourse are pretty much level with, or even above the line of the jet engines. Anyway, I was on this tall giant pole perch, with a comfy seat plopped on top, and I was NEXT TO THE TAIL OF A FUCKING GIANT AIRLINER!!!! Scared the crap out of me, because I was holding some sort of power control box with some buttons, and it was up to me to launch the damed plane.... with me sitting directly behind the engine where all the force would have blown me off the perch. I knew it was wrong to be in that position. If I had begun swaying that little perch, I could have touched the flaps on the little horizontal wings at the rear of the plane. No way in hell I wanted to punch the button and receiving the rearward blast of the engines! So I began swaying the chair the other way and slid off the seat to hit the concrete below and I started running under the building... and there was that damn control box swinging in the air on a long, thick, black cable of some sort. Some guy (up in something like those elevating storage transfer machines, I guess) was yelling at me to catch that cable and push the button. I honestly don't know if I pushed the button or if that guy caught the cable and pushed the button, but next thing I know the jet engines roared to life and I'm trying to spit into the wind of these damned engines! The icky part is that I woke myself up with spitting --- because I was spitting! No, really... I was spitting in my sleep and it was landing on my shoulder. WTF??? My shoulder and upper arm had spit splattered all over. I have NO IDEA what's going on. A couple weeks ago I woke myself by talking in my sleep, and now I'm spitting in my sleep. And after years and years and years of all these airplane dreams, now I dream about behind one up-close and personal. OMG!!!! All I can figure is that this time I DO know there are significant changes in my life. But after watching so many plane crash dreams, it seems like THIS particular change in my life should put me ON the damn plane .... shouldn't it? I mean, I'm about to take off onto a very significant adventure into a totally new part of my life, so why wasn't I ON that plane, instead of sitting behind it to catch the blast of its engines?? Hell, I don't know, but I should probably get back to bed. After being shut down since Katrina, tomorrow is the first day open for the Crescent City farmer's market, so I need to get back to bed and get some REAL sleep, so I can go get some real fruits and veggies in the morning... later, THIS morning. I want fresh produce, and I need to get some real sleep. AAARRRrrrrggghhhh... this is just too weird! Oh well... back to bed!
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An Arab Woman Speaks Her Mind 3 Mar 2006 This is a powerful video, worth seeing! Basically she rips 'em a new one! Bravo for her strength and courage to speak up! |
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Wow... 2 Mar 2006 Yesterday I gave notice that I'd be leaving my job. Today I feel very liberated. There are certain things I need to do, of course, but basically I am feeling both committed and settled with my decision. I don't have a lot to say here otherwise. Maybe tomorrow I will have some more stuff to share. |
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Happy Anniversary! 1 Mar 2006 Today is the 6 month anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (the day after 28 Feb would have been 6 months from the day after 28 Aug!). I'm not entirely sure how to deal with this date. So much has happened. Six months ago this morning I was huddled in a corner on the floor practically holding my breath, waiting for the pounding winds to stop and hoping the rains don't get any harder in the bedroom. Two days later I ended up at the refugee house of rag-tag survivors (which we affectionately dubbed "Constantinople Social Aid and Pleasure Club"). By the end of the following week I had been conveyed (through the incredible grace and generosity of both strangers and friends) to my daughter's home in Houston, where I spent 5 weeks in a most agonizing limbo. When I got there I had no idea what would happen to me, my home, my job, or even my city. When my part of the city was opened for return, I came back on October 15. It took a few months to get into a real "work schedule" and routine , but even now I have not returned to working at the office. Most of my co-workers have returned now to some sort of office space. As I have mentioned previously, Katrina was probably the final straw, or the catalyst for me to consider other options. I have committed myself to leaving this job and starting my own business. Lately I have been focused on the yarn dyeing end of things, but there is also the holiday stockings, and other related activities that can assist to boost the income. Today, the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I submitted my letter of intent to terminate employment, to be effective April 23. I was considering April 7, but I think I will need one additional paycheck to make up the difference to be sure I can afford the span until I get my retirement funds, which could easily be 12 weeks after my termination, which would put it somewhere around late July, probably August before I can realistically expect to move out of this place. I'm doing what I can, of course, to ensure I'll have some living expenses in the interim, including making yarns now to begin sales shortly. I'm still not sure just how it will work out, but I'm hoping I don't go begging in the interim! But that's just details for another day. Today is the Six Month Anniversary of one of the most life-changing event in my personal adult life. I have taken back some control of my life and my future. I have given notice of my intent to leave this job. In that sense, I'm committed to leaving, and have a committed date when my plans will be implemented at the official level. Between now and then, of course, my work load will include a LOT of transition work. All I can say is "This better work out!" |
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| Copyright ©2006, by Ray Whiting, New Orleans, LA |
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Sitting
at my desk, thinking about (what else??) YARN!!!! 
