Friday, November 23, 2012

LYS everywhere.

My yarn sense was tingling...
Just kidding, the hobo boyfriend said he thought there was a yarn store in Boulder City. We took a walk around town, stopping at antique stores and the like, and found it. I don't even remember seeing a name on the storefront- it was tucked into a corner next to some other "antique shop curios slash boutique" store of the kind that propagates Boulder City. This yarn store was super messy, with a bunch if other dusty crafts supplies spilling out of displays in piles. HBF said he could remember, from years ago when he was a child, the old woman proprietor sitting in that same seat, working a small project and watching football, just as we saw her today. They had a few interesting yarns- Araucania, Louisa Harding, Noro- and many shiny Italian polyester novelties. You know the kind- spangles, glitter, railroad track ribbon yarns. The fancy yarns of good dubber were a bit  overpriced considering how they were kept (in bins and baskets, jumbled, some hanks hanging up- but several hanks looked as if they had been undone and not properly rewound). At those prices I'd want the yarn to look clean and untouched. It had it's charm though- you felt like you could find a hidden gen here. It would be quite hidden. The store is probably best if you're looking for a gift or for baby-pastel workhorse acrylic yarn (or, as the picture shows, a yarn made some time in the Eighties). I bought a single skein of creamy white Sirdar Snowflake. It's going to be the trim in my rainbow Wingspan- like a fluffy silver cloud. However, I can't decide if that's going to cross the line from whimsy tho tacky. If it doesn't work, the Snowflake is also to start baby knitting- a cousin of mine has just welcomed twins into the world!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

YARRRn.

One of my lovely knitting lady friends had to have eye surgery and subsequently wear an eyepatch. So of course- I knitted her one! I made it more for the novelty of it- she has a proper medical one. The knitted one, she tells me, can't be worn alone because it sits on her eyelid, but she can wear it over the medical one OR, happily, over her glasses! And the medical patch's elastic is uncomfortable, while the ties on the knitted one are not. I made up the pattern as I went- it's basically a toe up sock bound off after the toe. I'm glad she likes it and actually found it useful :)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

I Voted!

I did! And I was very glad to! Will even went with me. He had already voted in his precinct. I have only voted by absentee ballot before, so it was exciting to vote in person! I got a sticker! It's really big!

I just want to wax happily on voting. I know America's got plenty of its problems. Our two-party reality (yes there ARE other parties...) doesn't always seem to be the best way to represent the populace anymore. But- right now- I'm very happy. I voted! There were times in this country I wouldn't have had a say- because I'm a woman, because I'm Asian, because I don't own any land, etc.

Had my life turned out a little differently, I might have grown up in Cambodia and Thailand, and while they are no longer monarchies, I doubt I would have been as independent and educated in my choices. This isn't a statement on either country as a whole- it's the life I think I would have had, with the family I have.

A generation above me, and I'd be fleeing my country as dictators took over and threatened my life.

Speaking of family, I was ragging on my little cousin K about not registering in time to vote (GASP):
Me, on K's page:
  just pretend I'm saying this in like, Uncle Sing voice, or the accent I'd have if I grew up with my dad more: "Nong K. We come to America so you can have the voice. So you don't have the communist dictators say to you, you cannot live. You must be an American!" (also cue tangent about also continuing to follow old Chinese traditions)

I'm totally that silly person who gets teary eyed when people are sworn in for their citizenship. My parents were those people. They came here (and stayed here) for a better life, for their children's future. And yet, the more I live and work as an adult in America, the less I feel the need to keep living here. It's an interesting little internal conflict.

I won't be leaving anytime soon though. It'll be some years in the future. But it'll be there.